Santino Ferrucci, like many drivers, didn’t have a lot of gas following the completion of the INDYCAR race Sunday at Road America.
But let’s just say after his car stopped chugging, Ferrucci still kept at it.
Let us explain: Temperatures were in the 90s and the heat index was in the 100s. So it’s no wonder that he was among the drivers that fans tossed water to while he was waiting for a post-race push back to pit lane.
Ferrucci, though, got more than just water.
“They offered [a beer] and I had asked for [the local] Spotted Cow since we’re here. But they gave me, I believe it was a Miller,” Ferrucci said.
Ferrucci downed the beer in a couple of gulps.
He had some racing friends to thank for that talent.
“I’ve been learning my shotgunning skills from the Chili Bowl, so if I did OK, I’m happy with that,” Ferrucci said about the annual race in Tulsa, a race considered the biggest midget-car event of the year. “[I’m] giving my dirt racing guy some credit.”
Most would give Ferrucci and the A.J. Foyt team credit for four consecutive top-five finishes, especially at Road America, which was a tough race where drivers employed a variety of fuel and tire strategies.
“I just tried to put my head down and do what I do best,” Ferrucci said.
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.

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