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Indy 500 champ Hunter-Reay wants Pocono success

By WTOP Staff

DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer

Ryan Hunter-Reay might have discovered the perfect resting spot for the 97-foot scoring pylon recently removed from Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“I’ll put in the front yard,” he said, laughing.

The Indianapolis 500 champion has good reason to want the towering keepsake: His No. 28 was the last number to ever light up the 20-year-old board from the P1 spot following his win earlier this year.

Hunter-Reay might find it easier to add something else to his trophy case instead.

He used a pair of top-10 finishes at the Grand Prix of Houston doubleheader to straighten out a season that had swooned following his Indy triumph. A 19th-place finish at Texas. Finishes of 16th and 19th in dual races in Detroit.

“(We) left Texas looking like we were a little too far out of first,” Hunter-Reay said.

Not anymore. Hunter-Reay’s seventh and sixth at Houston showed his previous three races may have been aberrations rather than a sign of a permanent spiral.

“Sunday at Houston was a win for us,” Hunter-Reay said. “We should have probably finished 18th, 19th, 20th, and we ended up with a sixth.”

He enters Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway third in the championship standings, only two points behind Helio Castroneves and 41 points behind series leader Will Power. The 500-mile race is worth double points, meaning a win or top-10 finish could vault him up the standings.

With another doubleheader ahead in Toronto, Hunter-Reay seems poised to make a serious run at a second series championship.

“Maybe we should make the whole series double points at this point,” Hunter-Reay said.

Wishful thinking, for now.

Hunter-Reay has been so focused on the next race, he hasn’t had much time to reflect on the Indianapolis 500 victory.

“I look forward to looking back on it, watching the whole race,” he said. “I haven’t even had time to watch the race again and kind of relive it.”

Hunter-Reay is the only driver who can win the open-wheel series’ Triple Crown. Pocono and Fontana join the Indianapolis 500 as the three races that use three-wide starts, run 500 miles and award double points. Unlike last season, there is no title sponsor or $1 million prize for a three-race sweep.

IndyCar ran a Triple Crown at Indianapolis, Pocono and Ontario from 1971-1980 and from 1981-1989 at Indy, Pocono and Michigan. Only Al Unser won all three races in a single season, in 1978.

Pocono returned in 2013 to the IndyCar Series schedule after a 24-year absence. The raceway is in teammate Marco Andretti’s backyard and Andretti Autosport expected to have the home track advantage, though it didn’t help last year when the team had the front row locked up for the start.

It failed to translate into a podium finish when Hunter-Reay, James Hinchliffe and Marco Andretti all were knocked out of contention with various mishaps. Hunter-Reay was forced to the garage and finished 20th.

Hunter-Reay hopes for a better result this weekend, and for a resolution on his contract status soon. The free agent may never test the open market if he can reach a deal with Andretti Autosport.

“It’s actually not stressful just because things are in agreement, things are heading in the right direction,” Hunter-Reay said. “While we don’t have a contract yet, I think it’s all heading in the right direction. Thankfully, it’s not a stressful situation. I can concentrate on what really matters, and that’s winning the championship this year.”

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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