San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
Rossi is changing perceptions as he chases IndyCar title
It was just assumed that Alexander Rossi didn’t want to be an IndyCar driver when he joined the series. His career had been aimed at making it in Formula One, and when that didn’t come together, IndyCar was the only thing left.
So he became the villain, which doesn’t at all fit the driver raised in Nevada City (Nevada County).
“I don’t think perception was accurate or fair,” Rossi said about his IndyCar arrival. “That’s not who I am. I am a very introverted person and that’s not the personality one needs to have to be a villain.”
In his third season now in IndyCar, Rossi has proven he does indeed want to be part of the series and perhaps may become its next champion.
Rossi trails four-time series champion Scott Dixon by 29 points going into Sunday’s season finale at Sonoma Raceway. It would be an impossible margin to overcome but the finale is worth double points and any sort of error by Dixon would open an opportunity for Rossi.
All he’s needed since he got his seat was an opportunity, proven his rookie year when he won the Indianapolis 500 in his first try. It was the 100th running, no less, and Rossi had to flawlessly save fuel to snatch the career-making victory. His transition to the series has been swift and this year he’s become a breakout star and the new face of the Andretti Autosport organization.
Rossi has three victories this season and has race-by-race chased after Dixon, who held a 70-point advantage over Rossi earlier this summer. If he can overtake Dixon on Sunday, the 26-year-old would become the fastest to win a championship since Sebastien Bourdais did it in his second CART season in 2004.
His climb has been steady and Rossi believes he’s gradually built a strong fan base. He has a popular podcast with fellow driver James Hinchcliffe,
teamed with Conor Daly for a starring stint on “The Amazing Race” and accepted that part of his job as an IndyCar driver is to promote both the series and himself. Rossi didn’t fully grasp that when he won Indy in 2016, but now takes pride in helping IndyCar’s growth.
“I love this championship and everything it represents,” he said. “I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be here. I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”
NASCAR Xfinity Series: Ross Chastain held off Justin Allgaier for his first NASCAR Xfinity Series victory, pulling away on the final restart in Las Vegas for a long-awaited breakthrough in his 132nd series start. Chastain led 180 of the 200 laps, but had to dig in on several restarts to stay in front of Allgaier, the regularseason Xfinity champion.
Chastain’s Chevrolet swept all three stages in the second start of his three-race contract
with Chip Ganassi Racing, persevering each time the action slowed in the wreck-filled race. NHRA: Clay Millican powered to the No. 1 Top Fuel qualifying position in the playoff-opening Dodge NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway in Mohnton, Pa.
Courtney Force topped the Funny Car lineup at the first of six events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship. Tanner Gray was the fastest in Pro Stock, and Matt Smith took the No. 1 spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
Formula One: Lewis Hamilton surprised himself by finding perfect lines to take pole position at the Singapore Grand Prix, while title rival Sebastian Vettel had to settle for third, just behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Hamilton secured a recordextending 79th pole in Formula One and 200th for a British driver.