It's the most challenging track the seven-time
“Lucky I didn’t see him when I got out of the car... if you could punch someone,” said the Australian. “Don’t worry, I’ll get him. Not on the track. I don’t get people on the track. I’ll get him off the track. It’s how we do stuff in Toowoomba.”
It set the paddock abuzz to find the perpetrator, although both Power and
On Saturday, Johnson said he spoke to Power immediately after practice and Power revealed to him the driver who was in his crosshairs and assured Johnson he was not the problem.
But Johnson did admit there's a backup created on track when cars approach him because he's having a difficult time on 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street course that is so rough and bumpy the only thing Johnson could compare it to was
No preparation on the simulator had Johnson ready for just the second street course of his career and fourth IndyCar race.
“That issue is something I have a hard time with and it's largely because I'm the slowest guy out there right now and everybody does everything they can to get by and then back up to give themselves a gap,” Johnson said. “It's more different than anything I've every experienced before.”
Paddock speculation was that Power's frustration was with
Asked if the Power perpetrator might possibly be backing up to avoid
“He didn't cuss me,” Johnson shrugged.
Johnson in Saturday qualifying went 1 minute, 19.0944 seconds and was eliminated in the first round. O'Ward won the pole for Saturday's race at 1:15.5776 — which means Johnson will start 22nd out of 25 and is still four seconds off the leader.
Johnson is one of seven drivers in the field making their debut at
This weekend marks the first doubleheader weekend for the 45-year-old rookie on what is likely the most challenging circuit on the schedule.
Pruett will be on Johnson's radio for both races at
“I've been the fast guy in a series and watched rookies come in not be aware of what's going on around them,” Johnson said. “On the flipside, Dario is telling me, ‘Hey, worry about yourself. I think you’re putting yourself in a bad position at times because you're worried about others.' One thing I've seen about going off line in one of these cars is that oftentimes it takes a lap, if not more, to get back up. So I'm aware. I will move out of the way, but I am not going to get off the line.”
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