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Chaves wins Indy Lights race with last-lap pass

By WTOP Staff

DAVE SKRETTA
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Gabby Chaves lost by inches last year. He won by a couple feet this time around.

The young driver from Belardi Auto Racing atoned for a heartbreaking defeat last year by passing Matthew Brabham on the final lap Friday to win the Indy Lights race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in one of the closest finishes in the history of the track.

Chaves put the nose of his red No. 5 car ahead of Brabham’s blue and white No. 83 as the two cars zipped across the famed yard of bricks. The official margin was 0.0050 seconds, or just about twice margin that separated Chaves from winner Peter Dempsey a year ago in the closest finish in Indianapolis history.

“The best way I can describe it is black and white, night and day,” Chaves said. “You go from being first loser and feeling like there’s so many things you could have done to being the winner, and it doesn’t matter what else happens now. I won the race.”

Chaves had spent the final five laps jockeying for second place with Zach Veach, who wound up third. All that jostling appeared to give Brabham some breathing room on the final lap, but Chaves pulled close down the back stretch and then moved high going through the final turn.

It was a drag race to the finish line, and for a moment, Chaves was not sure who had won.

“I looked up at the pylon and I still saw the 83 in first and thought, ‘Aww, man,'” Chaves said. “It wasn’t until I got to turn 1, the short chute, that everyone in the radio was screaming. I said, ‘I don’t know what you’re saying but I’m pretty sure the message is clear.'”

Brabham was trying to win for the second time this month at Indianapolis — he won on the road course May 10. And he was trying to do it just days after his grandfather, three-time Formula One champion Sir Jack Brabham, died at his home in Australia at the age of 88.

Veach finished third, followed by Luiz Razia and Jack Harvey.

There was a lengthy caution early in the race when Chase Austin lost control exiting Turn 1 and shot through the short chute. He wound up backing into the point where the SAFER barrier and tire barrier comes together in the corner, his car exploding into pieces.

Austin was moving as he was removed from the wreckage, and a speedway spokesman said he had fractured his left wrist but was awake and alert. Austin was transferred to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis for further evaluation.

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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