IndyCar: 2017 has been the Year of the Comeback
By Asher Fair
![AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 28: Will Power of Australia, driver of the #12 Team Penske Chevrolet and James Hinchcliffe of Canada, driver of the #5 Schmidt Peterson Motosports Honda drive during practice for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 28, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 28: Will Power of Australia, driver of the #12 Team Penske Chevrolet and James Hinchcliffe of Canada, driver of the #5 Schmidt Peterson Motosports Honda drive during practice for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway on April 28, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/47046e24cba7223eed793d77e0121762ef229eeb4b915926da7e04dc0141e9e2.jpg)
The 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series has most definitely been the year of the comeback, and there are many examples to prove it.
Will Power’s epic victory at Pocono after coming from a lap down is just one of the many amazing comebacks we have seen in the 2017 IndyCar Series season. Let’s have a look at some of the more notable comeback efforts we have seen through the first 14 races of the season.
Comebacks at the start of 2017
Sebastien Bourdais goes from last to 1st at St. Petersburg
After crashing in qualifying, Sebastien Bourdais was forced to start from the rear of the field in last (21st) place in the 2017 season-opener at St. Petersburg. With a little bit of strategy and a lot of speed, he was able to get up to the lead. He hung on for the victory to become the first driver to start last and finish 1st in an IndyCar race since Scott Dixon pulled off the historic feat at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in the 2014 season.
James Hinchcliffe claims first victory at Long Beach since near-fatal wreck
James Hinchcliffe was sidelined for the remainder of the 2015 season after his near-fatal wreck in practice for the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. When he returned the following season, he was unable to win a race, although he did come 0.0080 seconds away from doing so with a 2nd place finish at Texas. In the second race of the 2017 season at Long Beach, Hinchcliffe finally got to Victory Lane for the first time since that horrifying wreck.