Tough time for Herdez in Cleveland.

Ryan Hunter-Reay endured a tough time at the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland after an incident packed race saw him finish in 11th place.

The Herdez Competition driver was running in third place when he came together with Oriol Servia while defending his position, losing a lap when the car wouldn't restart. Hunter-Reay also damaged the front wing of the car after bumping the wall and was forced into a stop that left him two laps off the pace.

Ryan Hunter-Reay cruises towards his second career Champ Car victory in the Time Warner Cable Roadru
Ryan Hunter-Reay cruises towards his second career Champ Car victory in…
© Dan R Boyd

Ryan Hunter-Reay endured a tough time at the Champ Car Grand Prix of Cleveland after an incident packed race saw him finish in 11th place.

The Herdez Competition driver was running in third place when he came together with Oriol Servia while defending his position, losing a lap when the car wouldn't restart. Hunter-Reay also damaged the front wing of the car after bumping the wall and was forced into a stop that left him two laps off the pace.

"We started out with a great car, I had a good start and I was passing cars," he said. "I passed Oriol (Servia) and he tried to get past me and we touched while racing side by side. Unfortunately we ended up losing a lap. I couldn't get the car started so I kept recycling the ECU [Electronic Control Unit] and it finally started.

"Also during that incident the front wing broke but I didn't know it at the time. I knew that something was wrong and I called it over the radio because the handling of the car was all of a sudden just impossible it had horrible oversteer. I drove it like that for quite a while, and at one point I brushed the wall. I guess from seeing it on television they determined my front wing was badly broken.

"The car was still difficult to drive as the rear tow link was bent from brushing the wall, but with my new nose and a bent tow link, we set our best lap, so we were definitely determined. It was tough race, but my guys definitely worked overtime in the pits as well and they did a great job."

Teammate Mario Dominguez also had a tough race but was able to bring the car home in eighth place, having run as high as fourth.

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