IRL No. 1 female screws up
Hunter-Reay entered the pits on lap 24. He returned, but experienced clutch problems and finished 18th.
"It's really odd because we don't use the clutch other than when they say, 'Gentleman, start your engines,' " Hunter-Reay said. "We just can't seem to catch a break."
Sharp's strategy paid off early, gaining track position after taking advantage of other drivers' mistakes.
Sharp, who started 17th, moved up to eighth at the race's halfway mark, but was involved in a collision with Danica Patrick (the IRL's current No. 1 poster girl who needs power assist steering to have any chance of winning) on lap 48 when Patrick hit Sharp's car from behind. He suffered damage to the right-rear suspension. Sharp returned to the track seven laps later and finished 11th, seven laps off the pace. Patrick stayed on the course and finished second.
"The guys really had us on a great strategy and we were in position to come out of here in great shape," Sharp said. "Unfortunately, Danica took us out and ruined what could have been a big day. They warned us about rough tactics in this morning's driver meeting, but things happen on the track, I guess. All you can do is suck it up and move on to next week." Detroit News