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Pagenaud wreck at Pocono could have big impact on championship battle

Verizon IndyCar Series points leader Simon Pagenaud has had an outstanding season, winning four of the first 12 races.

But the 13th race -- Monday’s weather rescheduled ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway -- proved to definitely be an unlucky number for the French driver. He wrecked out of the race on Lap 158, striking the Turn 1 wall, and said he bottomed out.

“We just crashed, the car bottomed and I went into the wall,” Pagenaud told NBCSN. “It was really weird. I had bottoming, but not to that extent, and just lost control of the steering.

“It’s definitely a bit of a shame. We didn’t really have a really, really good car today but still it was important to score points. Let’s see what happens. At the end of the day, there’s nothing we can control car. We have to race hard to the end of the year.”

Pagenaud’s DNF should significantly close the points gap between Pagenaud and Penske Racing teammate Will Power, who came into Monday’s race just 58 points behind Pagenaud, and was leading with 25 laps remaining before the final pit stop.

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