A boost issue ran two-time Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Will Power off course and that was enough to hamper his efforts from racing back to the front.

It was Lap 33 of last weekend’s 45th running of the prestigious street race when the Team Verizon driver was battling five-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon for third place. But as Power came around the final corner, a hairpin, his Chevrolet engine experienced an over boost condition from the turbocharger.

Rather than force the issue and crash, Power went down the runoff in Turn 1. He kept the engine fired, spun around the car and rejoined the race in eighth position.

Power finished the race just out of the top five. When it comes to street course racing, a seventh-place finish just doesn’t cut it for the competitive driver from Australia.

“It was my mistake for going down the runoff,” Power said afterwards. “I went into the marbles and was on the wrong side of Dixon. We had a podium finish (going) and I threw it away, unfortunately.

“It was definitely a good battle. Scott and I were having a good battle and he started on used reds, I jumped him on the pit cycle. Then, I had the over boost and raced hard into Turn 1. I avoided the risk and took a quick turn in the runoff.”

Power was debating whether to try to make the corner, but he believed it wasn’t worth the risk. He momentarily went into the runoff area because he knew he could keep the engine fired and return to the race.

“I’m in a pretty big hole the first four races of the season,” Power said. “It was mostly circumstances.”

Power was unsure if his car was at the same caliber as race-winner Alexander Rossi, whose Honda started on the pole and led all but four laps in the race to defeat Josef Newgarden by over 20 seconds.

“It was so hard for me to tell because I never got behind Rossi,” Dixon said. “If we could have jumped Dixon and gotten ahead of Newgarden on the pit stop cycle, I would have made it interesting.

“We need to close on the guys in front. It is not fun starting the season in the hole like we have the past two years.”

Power heads into the Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway sixth in points, 73 points behind Newgarden in the battle for the NTT IndyCar Series championship.

And now, it’s off to Indianapolis.

“I’m sure we will be quick,” Power said. “I’ve been quick everywhere. Chevrolet has a great engine for the Indianapolis 500. We’re looking to capitalize on that.

“The team does a fantastic job for that race.”