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Hunter-Reay on edge of seat watching 500 victory

By WTOP Staff

STEPHEN HAWKINS
AP Sports Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Ryan Hunter-Reay was on the edge of his seat when he finally got a chance to watch a replay of the closing laps of his Indianapolis 500 victory, just like he was in the cockpit when making a bold, grass-clipping inside move past Helio Castroneves.

“It was ridiculously close to watch it from TV,” Hunter-Reay said Wednesday. “I felt more in control of it in the car, so I can see why everybody’s like that’s dodgy.”

Even though that wasn’t the winning pass, and Hunter-Reay had to get around Castroneves again before taking the checkered flag, the daredevil move provided quite a highlight that has been widely applauded.

“That’s my personality, that’s my style,” he said. “It’s my driving style. I always go for it, 100 percent.”

When Hunter-Reay made a similar move six weeks earlier at Long Beach, he triggered a seven-car accident 24 laps from the finish that also took out his Andretti Autosport teammate James Hinchcliffe. Hunter-Reay was the pole-sitter in that race and led 51 laps before trying to pass a car just out of the pits.

There was obviously a much different result at Indianapolis.

“It’s the important race, and think about if that had gone wrong … there’s that fine line right between hero and zero, it would have been the zero move, but it ended up being the hero move,” Hunter-Reay said. “It’s cool to see it all work out and the aggression was all paid off.”

Hunter-Reay made the last stop on his post-Indy 500 victory tour Wednesday in Texas, at a lunch with Texas Motor Speedway sponsors and season ticket holders. He was led to the patio at Joe T. Garcia’s Mexican restaurant by a mariachi band.

At the conclusion of the lunch program, TMS officials shared a milk toast with Hunter-Reay. And, unlike in Victory Lane after the race, his young son Ryden took a sip of milk this time.

His next stop was Detroit, where the IndyCar Series runs dual races this weekend before heading to Texas next week. At the 1 ½-mile high-banked, high-speed Texas track last summer, Dallas-born Hunter-Reay finished second to Castroneves.

Hunter-Reay said he “definitely, desperately” wants to win at Texas and take part in the victory celebration that includes firing six-shooters into the air.

“There’s no victory celebration quite like that. After finishing second to Helio, climbing out of the car and walking back to the transporter a bit dejected, you hear those pistols go off. It’s like salt to the wound,” he said. “That’s the next most important on my list.”

When TMS officials presented him the victory pistols for a trial run, Hunter-Reay joked about the perks of being the Indy 500 champion. He also had to be persuaded to give them a try.

“Is that like drinking the milk before winning the Indy 500, because I’d never do that,” he said. “I hope I’m not jinxing myself.”

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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