FORT WORTH, TEXAS (AP) - Justin Wilson was an unlikely winner at Texas last year.
After all, the Englishman was known for his success on street and road courses _ not ovals like the 1 1/2-mile, high-banked Texas track.
“It meant a lot, not only with the recognition but in the confidence,” Wilson said. “That’s the biggest thing, is having confidence on an oval. I felt like I knew what I was doing, but I still wasn’t classed as an oval driver. I was kind of disregarded. From that point on, I felt I had confidence to get out there.”
The defending champion at Texas for Dale Coyne Racing will have some work to do this time.
Wilson will start 20th on Saturday night, and that is a two-spot improvement over his qualifying spot because other drivers got penalized 10 grid spots for unapproved engine changes.
His four-lap qualifying average of 207.807 mph was the worst of the 22 cars that posted times Friday. And he was the slowest car in both practice sessions _ with a 188.339 mph average over 14 laps in the first session that was more than 20 mph slower than the next slowest truck. He improved to 209.602 mph over 35 laps the evening session.
Wilson last year became the 18th different driver to win at the Texas quadoval, where the IndyCar Series will race for the 25th time.
After finishing third and 22nd in the doubleheader at Detroit last weekend, Wilson is seventh in season points.
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