Justin Wilson looks for strong close series season

Fontana, Calif. – Following two positive performances in the Houston doubleheader held two weeks ago where Justin Wilson came home with both a podium finish of third and a fourth place finish, the British driver enters the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season-finale event fourth in the IZOD IndyCar Series championship standings.

Justin Wilson, Dale Coyne Racing Honda

Photo by: John Cote

Though Wilson may have yet to capture that elusive victory so far this year, his string of strong results has propelled him into the top-five of the championship standings which was his 2013 goal. But Wilson is aiming to claim victory in Saturday’s race as the IndyCar Series visits Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California for the MAVTV 500 which will feature 500 miles of hard racing.

Wilson’s most recent IndyCar win came last year on the 1.5-mile Texas Motor Speedway oval. IndyCar has seen a series of several road and street course events leading up to the season-finale race having last raced on an oval in July at Pocono. Wilson finished seventh in the Pocono event.

Wilson and his Dale Coyne Racing team completed a successful test at the 2-mile, 14 degree-banked California oval last month and will look to take what the group learned and translate that into a win on Saturday.

“We had a good test at Fontana,” said Wilson. “We started out pretty steady and found some grip and improved the balance. We were within tuning range for the race so I’m hopeful for another positive result for us out in California this weekend.”

While many of Wilson’s fellow IndyCar drivers took a reprieve from tough competition last weekend following the demanding and rigorous Houston street course event, Wilson traveled to Lewiston, Maine to take part in the Dempsey Challenge. Wilson was invited by actor and fellow racer Patrick Dempsey to participate when Wilson carried a Dempsey Challenge decal on his No. 19 Honda at the Baltimore Grand Prix earlier this year.

Wilson cycled 100 miles in the event and raised nearly $1400 in support of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing which provides free support, education and integrative medicine services to anyone impacted by cancer. This year’s Dempsey Challenge event raised over 1.1 million dollars.

“It is remarkable what Patrick (Dempsey) has done, and when he invited me to participate, I didn’t have to think twice,” said Justin. “I really enjoy cycling, so to be able to get out to that part of the country and go for a ride, and raise some money and awareness for a great cause, it was a great opportunity. It was great fun riding and there were so many cool people supporting a great cause. Thank you to everyone who donated and helped to support the event.”

Justin Wilson