You can forgive IndyCar championship leader Will Power for being nervous as he faces another last-day title battle.
For the past two years Power has gone into the final race of the season with a chance of winning the title only to crash out both times and watch his championship hopes disappear.
His sixth place finish in the penultimate race in Baltimore on Sunday (Monday AM AEST) means it’s deja vu all over again for the Australian, with main rival Ryan Hunter-Reay claiming the win to move within 17 points of Power.
That margin sets up a myriad of possibilities for the championship going into the final event, a 500 mile night-time race at the Fontana speedway oval in California on September 15.
Power can’t be beaten if he finishes first or second in the 200-lap race under lights while a Hunter-Reay victory and Power finishing fourth or lower will result in the American taking the title.
Outside of those results there are several other ways that either driver can claim the championship and it seems Power’s best option is to make sure he’s never too far behind Hunter-Reay during the season finale.
There’s even the possibility of officials being forced to use a tiebreaker for the title as they did in 2006 when Sam Hornish Jr claimed the championship due to most wins after he and Englishman Dan Wheldon finished level on 475 points apiece.
Power is all-too familiar with bad last days, forced to watch from pit lane after crashing out as Scotland’s Dario Franchitti claimed the 2010 title by five points and then being involved in the tragic crash which killed Wheldon at last year’s season-ender in Las Vegas.
“We have a 17-point lead and it’s going to be interesting, a 500 mile race,” said Power, who has just one oval victory in his IndyCar career.
“Maybe it will be the first last race that I finish because every year I get crashed out.
“I’m determined this time to just finish the last race and finish it as the leader of the championship.
“It can be so cruel, but that is racing. The guy who has the least amount of those sort of days wins the championship.
“You can be as upset as you want at the time and say `it’s not fair’ and `bad luck’ and all this, but at the end of the day it kind of all works itself out.”
Hunter-Reay’s oval record is superior to Power’s, with the Florida native claiming four victories on ovals including two this year.
Neither have competed on the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana with Power to test there later this week before Hunter-Reay gets a practice look next week.
Those test runs will be crucial but Hunter-Reay was talking tough after his Baltimore victory.
“This is all I’ve worked for my entire life,” he said.
“I haven’t been nervous at all or anything. I’ve just been enjoying it and driving 110 per cent and really getting along with the cars and feel like I’m in rhythm with the car.”