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IZOD INDYCAR SERIES: INDY JAPAN 300

September 18, 2011

MOTEGI, JAPAN

THE MODERATOR: We are pleased to be joined by two of our top finishers, Marco Andretti and Will Power.
Major championship implications with today's race, Will.
WILL POWER: Yeah, we had the mindset going into the weekend. We weren't really thinking about points. We were just thinking about doing a good job. The things you can't control, it's not worth even worrying about. Just really making sure we execute on the things we could control.
Very good points day.
THE MODERATOR: The next two races are 1.5 mile ovals. You said you feel those have become your strength in terms of oval racing. If you could expand on that a little.
WILL POWER: Ovals, that's what I enjoy the most racing, mile-and-a-half racing, Chicagoland last week, Texas this year, even Kentucky last year we were really strong, just didn't end up with the result. Pretty focused on that this year.
THE MODERATOR: How appropriate is it that you're sitting next to Marco after winning the Mario Andretti Trophy?
WILL POWER: Yeah, Marco, pleasant surprise to see him up there on the last restart. Always have good battles with him. His granddad was the ultimate driver. Honored to win the Mario Andretti Trophy again.
THE MODERATOR: Marco, talk about today's race. A great finish for you, the team, and a podium.
MARCO ANDRETTI: Yeah, we didn't roll off the truck like this. We're definitely happy. Actually, I was surprised as well. We made gains. We just went in the right direction. We found the direction and we kept hammering at it and made gains every session.
To end up here was definitely good.
THE MODERATOR: Talk about the significance of the podium finish with this being our last event for the foreseeable feature in Motegi.
MARCO ANDRETTI: It's a shame. Will and I were talking about this is a proper road course. The fans are what make our event. It's a shame that we're leaving, but it was good to be on the podium.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Will and Marco.

Q. Although it is September, it is very hot and humid in Japan, especially here at the track. You seem quite fresh. You seem like it was a pretty easy job for you. Did the weather help, Marco?
MARCO ANDRETTI: Well, good thing Will and I went for a run before the weekend together. Yeah, Ryan Hunter-Reay and myself and the Penske guys, we went for a run to get acclimated to the weather.
As drivers, part of our job is to show up fit enough to where we can go 10/10ths the whole time. Yeah, I feel good.

Q. On Friday we had an earthquake. What are your comments? Did you feel it on Friday? How did you feel?
WILL POWER: Yeah, I felt it. Actually, it's funny, because in the last month that's about the third earthquake I felt. I felt one at home in North Carolina. I felt one in Baltimore. I felt one here. So I'm getting accustomed to it. It's actually fun.

Q. Marco?
MARCO ANDRETTI: It's my second. I was in my office in Pennsylvania the other day and my chair kind of rolled. So I felt one there.
Yeah, I mean, my Japanese friends act like it's no big deal over here, it happens all the time. Fortunately it wasn't a big one.

Q. Before the last restart, what happened between you two? How did you feel at the restart?
MARCO ANDRETTI: I was just hoping that Will and Dixon would take each other out (laughter).
WILL POWER: I was hoping that Dixon would just take himself out (laughter).
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on a great race. We'll see you in Kentucky.
MARCO ANDRETTI: Thank you.
WILL POWER: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: We're pleased to be joined by today's race winner, Scott Dixon. Today's victory at Motegi is Scott's 27th win in IndyCar Series, tying him with Johnny Rutherford on the all-time win list. This is his second win at Motegi.
Scott, we discussed it yesterday and it happened. You're the first driver to win on the road course and oval here.
SCOTT DIXON: Real happy for myself and the team. They did a fantastic job. But to be the only person that's won on the oval here, had the poles on both tracks, to win on both tracks, is very special.
Just happy. I hope at some point in the near future we can come back. The fans here are amazing. I hope we put on a good show today. Towards the ends of the race was very difficult on the restarts. Had a close call with Will Power at the end. But ultimately the car was just fantastic all day.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Is this about as flawless of a drive on a road course that you've had? Also, you could you describe the last restart.
SCOTT DIXON: It was a team effort across the board. I had a brilliant car to drive. That almost made it not easy, but stress-free at some points of the race.
As a whole, the team, myself and the pit crew, strategy, everything was flawless. We had no mistakes today. To win races at this level, that's what you need to do.
Last restart was a bit touch-and-go. It was a bit close with Will. At this point I've got nothing to lose and he's got a lot to lose. Still a huge points day for him. I'm sure he had that in the back of his mind so I didn't have to push him too much.

Q. Before the last restart, the last lap, there was a risky moment there. Was it actually good for you that there was a restart right there so everything could clear up for you?
SCOTT DIXON: Personally I would have liked to go green to checkered, but that wasn't the case. Obviously there was a couple cautions throughout.
I could see the accident on the last restart happen in my mirror, so I figured it was going to go yellow again. Unfortunately, it would have finished under yellow.
They did a fantastic job to get the cars moved out of the way as quick as possible. There was a bit of dirt and debris on the track on the last lap. E.J. Viso came back in front of me.
At that point there were no concerns. We had a pretty good buffer to Will Power. We definitely were at the point that we knew as long as we didn't run out of fuel or have a mechanical that we were going to win the race.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you and congratulations.
SCOTT DIXON: Thank you.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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