Hello to all Firestone Indy Lights supporters!
 
Thanks very much for taking the time to read my second blog for IndyCar.com.
 
What an incredible month May was, and what an awesome way to come back to the sport that I love. The two pre-race tests that we completed were huge successes, resulting in quick and consistent laps. In practice and qualifying for the Freedom 100, we were equally strong, posting the sixth and eighth fastest laps. One couldn’t ask for much more after 10 years of not driving a racecar. The stage was set for a potentially strong finish in the race, and one that my team truly thought that we had a shot of winning. It felt pretty cool to have your crew feeling that you could pull that off in your first race in the series. Sadly, that was obviously not meant to be…
 
On the first of two race starts, I had jumped into sixth from my eighth place starting spot, but it was waved off, due to some overly eager moves by a few of the drivers. I knew from the aggression in the formation lap heading to the green flag that something BIG was going to happen within the first few laps. Well, the second start wasn’t much better, but was allowed. My start wasn’t as good as the first, and I ended up losing two positions going into Turn 1. We were four-wide at times on the first lap, and it was utter madness. I felt like I was 17-years-old again, and in a pro shifter-kart race. The difference with that is that you are not going 195 mph with concrete walls a matter of inches from you. There were some interesting moves going on all around me, and it was just a matter of time until there were going to be some heavily damaged cars. My goal for the opening laps was simply to not be one of them. Let’s not even get into the fact that I didn’t have one dollar towards fixing the car if I ended up in the wall.
 
I had instantly discovered that I had a massive push in traffic, requiring me to come out of the throttle almost ¾ way. I ended up losing another position by lap four because of it, but I wasn’t really that concerned. My plan was to let the frenzy around me settle down, and then start to work the sway-bars and weight-jacker to get the car to turn. I sadly didn’t get that opportunity, because right in front of me, a driver made a move that took four other cars out of the race. One was your truly.
 
Entering Turn 2, I saw three cars get together right in front of me. One was shot hard into the wall from a strong push upwards from the car on his inside, while the other two also headed towards the wall in unison. I gently got on brakes and steered the car down to the bottom to avoid the carnage in front of me.  Parts and tire smoke were everywhere, but I seemed to be making my way past the chaos. By this point, I was very sideways and doing all that I could to hold on to the car. It was all working to plan and I had made it past the scene of the incident by a matter of a few feet unscathed, until I was hit in the rear by another driver who had nowhere to go. The hit broke my rear wing, attenuator, and right rear wheel, and also gave me that last bit of momentum needed to head into the inside tire wall. That was all she wrote.
 
I sat there in the car for about 15 seconds, in complete disbelief that I had been taken out on only the fourth lap of my first race in a decade. At first I wanted to act out, but from past experience, I knew that wouldn’t do me much good with the powers that be. I climbed out of the car, shut my mouth, went over to the medical center, and then made my way to the waiting media. I struggled to not give my “two cents” about what had occurred that took me out from my return to the sport, but thought better of it. What good would it do? Not much. Just make me look bitter. So, I put on my media game face and simply gave honest answers, sans too much emotion. It wasn’t easy though. Apparently, age brings maturity.
 
As I was climbing out of the car, I wondered if it would be the last time that I did so for another ten years, or possibly ever again. Not to sound dramatic, but when you have worked for over 10 years just to find the money to do ONE race, you can’t help but wonder. Forget that! Not going to happen! I have worked too hard, shut up all of the haters and doubters, and have succeeded in proving that you can go from driving nothing for over a decade, and then come back to the sport and be just as fast as you once were. It was a tall order and I had very little time and laps to shake the rust off, learn a new car and track, and regain my confidence, but…MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Emerson Newton-John

www.pinkandbluefortwo.com/items/emerson-newton-john-racing