Power Calls Kimball 'Dangerous' After Watkins Glen Wreck

Will Power had harsh words for Charlie Kimball following the crash that may end his season, calling Kimball the “most dangerous” driver in IndyCar.

Will Power is still waiting to find out if he’ll be able to compete for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series championship. But he’s not waiting to say how he feels about the crash at Watkins Glen that’s put him in limbo.

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“No one in the paddock likes racing [Charlie Kimball],” he said on Monday to Racer. “They all talk about it – he’s the most dangerous guy on the track. I haven’t seen the replay, but he’s just a pain in the ass.”

Contact with Kimball on Lap 39 of Sunday’s Grand Prix at the Glen put Power into the wall. He was released from the medical center following the crash but not cleared to drive and was still being evaluated after the race.

Even if Power is able to recover before the Sep. 18 season finale at Sonoma, the subsequent 20th place finish allowed Simon Pagenaud to nearly double his lead over Power, perhaps thwarting his quest for a second IndyCar championship.

Understandably, Kimball had a differing view of the incident when approached for his opinion.

“He can be disappointed, but if he knew I was there, he drove me into the grass. We still have mirrors,” he said. “I’m sorry we ran into him, but I’m sorry he squeezed me over.”

He also dismissed the idea that he should have raced Power any differently given that Power is fighting for a championship and he is not.

“You can’t think about what other guys are doing,” Kimball added. “We kind of don’t have anything to lose. Seventh to 12th [position] is on the table for us. You have to take every position you can.”

IndyCar stewards reviewed the Kimball-Power contact during the Grand Prix at the Glen and took no action.

Kimball is no stranger to getting caught up with other drivers; he was also involved in the incident that took Graham Rahal out of Sunday’s race, collided with Ryan Hunter-Reay at Toronto and once got called out by Power’s teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.

But in our interview with him prior to the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, he told us that contact is part of the job.

“It is frustrating when you’re just trying to keep your nose clean and settle into the race and have people make contact,” he explained. “but at the same time, IndyCar racing is so competitive. We’re racing wheel to wheel, we’re so close that these things happen.”

As for Power, all he can do is wait. Team Penske made a statement on Twitter Sunday saying that he will be subject to a series of additional tests later this week to determine whether or not he can compete at Sonoma.

POWER Update: The IndyCar med staff will run another series of tests early this week to determine when Will Power will be cleared to drive.
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) September 4, 2016

Hopefully the 2014 IndyCar champion will be able to return for the season finale and keep the championship fight from being a walkover. He and Pagenaud are the only two drivers still able to win the Astor Cup, so if he doesn’t drive Pagenaud will be uncontested.

If he does, though, it’s now an uphill battle: All Pagenaud has to do is finish within the Top 5 at Sonoma and he’ll be the 2016 champion, regardless of where Power completes the race.

What’s your opinion on the incident between Will Power and Charlie Kimball?

Power Calls Kimball ‘Dangerous’ After Watkins Glen Wreck

By Brittany Frederick | Sep 5, 2016

Will Power had harsh words for Charlie Kimball following the crash that may end his season, calling Kimball the “most dangerous” driver in IndyCar.