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EDMONTON - For 10 races, James Hinchcliffes engine drove his car. Sean Weatherspoon Black Jersey . With five races to go, he is trying to avoid the engine driving him. The 25-year-old from Oakville, Ont., is on his fifth and final Chevrolet engine heading into Sundays Edmonton Indy. If this one blows, hell get a penalty, fall 10 places in the starting grid, and get a rebuilt engine as a replacement. For each subsequent blown engine its another 10-spot penalty. If that happens, he can kiss goodbye any chance of leapfrogging four opponents, including series leader Ryan Hunter-Reay, to reach the top of the driver standings. Hinchcliffe said for now the engine is not dictating race strategy because his crew is still trying to salvage another motor that went south two weeks ago at the Toronto Indy. "When we establish whether or not this engine from Toronto is salvageable, then that might have an effect going forward for future races," Hinchcliffe said Thursday. "But for right now, were on full attack mode. "If not, I cant do the entire rest of the season on one engine, so I would have to take a penalty at some point." Hinchcliffes problems with his 2.2-litre turbocharged V6 powerplant mirror his season — a fantastic start, but a season now starting to hit the ditch. Replacing Danica Patrick in the neon lime-coloured GoDaddy car for Andretti Autosport, Hinchcliffe had a storybook first three months. He consistently finished in the top six except for a freak crash in Belle Isle, Mich., when a piece of the track dislodged into his undercarriage, sending his Dallara into the wall. He was second overall in the standings after the Milwaukee race on June 16th, but since then has —literally and figuratively — hit the skids. At the oval track at Iowa on June 23rd, he started fourth but spun into the wall late in the race and finished 17th. Engine-wise he was still doing fine, with one in the car and two in reserve. But that all came apart in Toronto. The third engine had problems in practice, forcing his engineers to go to the fourth powerplant. Under the rules, the engines cant be swapped out without penalty until after 1,850 miles. The engine had not reached that limit, so Hinchcliffe incurred the 10-spot grid penalty and started 19th. The fourth engine was good for the first third of the Toronto race, then mysteriously began bleeding horsepower. He finished 22nd. "It all deteriorated very quickly," Hinchcliffe said. "Theres no way we could have finished that race in Toronto. It was losing power. It was getting progressively worse." He said because it was an in-race problem with the engine he wont be penalized 10 spots on the grid in Edmonton for swapping it out. As for the ailing engine, he said hes got his fingers crossed it can be saved. "Its a brand new motor. We only had 100 miles on it." The engine strategy was introduced by IndyCar this year to help control costs, bring parity and introduce a new element of strategy. Teams are using powerplants from Lotus, Chevrolet, and Honda. Hinchcliffe is not alone. The engines are beginning to dictate the fortunes of other drivers, particularly Scott Dixon. The 31-year old New Zealander with Target Chip Ganassi is having the kind of year that should translate into a championship. He sits fourth, 54 points behind Hunter-Reay with a car that is competitive week in and week out. Dixon won at Belle Isle., has finished second three times, held the lead in seven out of 10 races and is No. 1 in IndyCar this year with a total of 405 laps out front. Hes done all this despite a blown instant replay call that penalized him on a restart and cost him a potential podium finish at Milwaukee. Dixon, however, needs to make up points and will have to do so starting no better than 11th in the 25-car field at Edmonton. He used up the last of his five Honda engines at Toronto and is now on his sixth, incurring the 10-spot penalty. Will Power is second to Hunter-Reay and sits just 34 points back, with 50 points going to the driver who takes the checkered flag. The Australian Team Penske driver said the engine factor will grow as the season winds down after Edmonton, with road courses at Mid-Ohio, Sonoma, and Baltimore before a wide-open 500-mile race on the two-mile oval at Fontana, Calif., east of Los Angeles. Power said a 10-spot grid penalty can be made up on wider courses like Edmonton — with its long straightaways and tight braking zones — and on the oval at Fontana, but not so easily on the tighter road courses. "If you get engine penalties at Mid-Ohio, Sonoma, or Baltimore, a 10-grid spot penalty there is way harsher," Power said. "All those strategies will play in. You get a 10-spot grid penalty at the wrong track and youre in trouble." Hunter-Reay is in good shape with one engine in the car and two spares. Power and Helio Castroneves (sitting third at 46 points back) have some breathing room, with each having one engine in the car and one to spare. Simona De Silvestro is on her sixth Lotus engine and will take a 10-spot grid penalty in Edmonton. IndyCar brought in the three manufacturers this year, replacing the Honda 3.5-litre V8 that had been used exclusively from 2006-2011. Chevy leads the manufacturer points competition 81 to 69 over Honda, with Lotus third at 40. Seven of the 10 race winners this season have used Chevy engines versus three for Honda. Its been a tough year for Lotus. Four of five teams using its engines switched to a rival over performance issues. De Silvestro says recent improvements have closed the 2.5 per cent horsepower gap between Lotus and the others, but said the engine is not there yet. Hinchcliffe said while the engine problems can be frustrating, its good for the sport. "Everybody has had to serve a (grid) penalty at some point or another throughout the season, but the racings been great and the competition between manufacturers is fantastic," he said. "Its just an occupational hazard." Justin Blalock Jersey . In a news release Tuesday afternoon, the school said tests have determined the tumour removed last week from Williams right kidney was an oncocytoma, which is a benign growth often indistinguishable from kidney cancer on X-rays that doesnt spread like a cancerous tumour would. Jason Snelling Jersey . Perkins was injured in the Western Conference finals against the San Antonio Spurs and played through the injury as the Thunder lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. http://www.thefalconsfootballshop.com/roddy-white-super-bowl-jersey/ . The UEFA appeals panel deferred the final match of the England strikers three-match suspension on condition of his good behaviour for four years. 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STEVE NASH (Lakers): Over 40 minutes vs. Golden State and then 38 minutes vs. the Knicks on Tuesday.  Coach Mike DAntoni better watch himself with this 38-year-old point guard.  The guy is coming back from injury and over the last few years, the Phoenix Suns did a great job keeping him fresh and relatively injury-free. He is a wonderful player and youve got to make sure you keep this guy healthy and fresh through the long grind of the season.  DAntoni is a guy that rides his starters hard and has little use for anyone beyond the 8th man at best.  Nash and Kobe, in particular, arent young guys; youve gotta be wise with the usage.  I know expectations are high and the pressure is off the charts.  Just get to the playoffs with this group.  If you ride them too hard they might break down and then forget your chances then. You cant be short-sighted. 2. AMARE STOUDEMIRE (Knicks): The drama is building around this guy and his team.  Where does he fit?  Its been obvious that he and Melo dont have great chemistry together.  Mike Woodson will figure it out. Hell have to play them together and yet every minute that Melo is off the floor, those minutes have to be played by Amare.  It will be a work in progress but I look at it as a positive problem. Youre adding talent to the mix and hes a pretty good guy.  It will look ugly and out of sorts at times but it will get worked out.  Not like you can trade Amare anyway; his Contract isnt protected with the insurance and no team in their right minds would take a chance on that pact and those knees. Find a way to make it work. 3. RUSSELL WESTBROOK (OKC): Love his game, toughness, talent and potential.  OK, I got all of that out there. Late in games, he drives me nuts. He bugs out and loses his mind. I know hes still maturing but cmon already! Hasnt he learneed by now??  Gotta settle down and make the right/high percent decisions down the stretch of the game. Jacquizz Rodgers Jersey. .  Minutes 43 to 48 of an NBA game are precious.  Time, score and making the proper reads is imperative.  This isnt summer league pickup or even minute 17 of a game.  There were about 4-5 trips on Tuesday in Miami that he just had me shaking my head by his careless and clueless act. Hard guy to trust late in a game yet, if he figures it out he can be an even better player.  Scott Brooks and Mo Cheeks are trying to get through 100 per cent to this guy - hes not there yet.  Work in progress but its time to show you can and will do it the right way late when the game is on the line against elite competition. Its time for the light to come on, particularly when the lights are shining the brightest. 4. MATT BARNES (Clippers): Man what a pickup for the Clips.  Hes playing really well for them.  Defends hard all the time and backs down from no one.  Doing a really nice job playing within himself on the offensive end and shooting it with confidence.  The Clippers second unit is terrific and hes fit in beautifully here. Understands whats expected of him and produces.  Good under the radar pickup. 5. OMER ASIK (Rockets): 20 and 18 versus his old team, the Bulls, Tuesday night.  Lots of folks were shaking their heads this past summer when GM Daryl Morey gave this guy a big money deal.  His confidence in him is being realized. Hes incredibly rugged and has wonderful rebounding and interior defensive instincts.  Hes a limited skill guy as a scorer but hell offensive rebound and dunk it off of penetration with authority. Hes got a coach in Kevin McHale who was one of the great all-time skill guys in the post and will develop him over time in that area.  In the meantime, I think the Rockets have to be pleased by his overall progress and performance.  Pretty good get. ' ' '