Q-and-A with Dan Wheldon: Whether or not he wins a full $5 mil, he's still got a sweet ride

If Dan Wheldon can wheel his way to the finish first in Sunday's IndyCar Racing League World Championship at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, there will be a $5 million bonus waiting for him.

Well, actually, he'll split that with a fan who entered a contest.

But then, his team owner really gets the $2.5 million. After he pays his bills, Weldon's reported 40 percent slice of that amounts to -- carry the two, adjustthe carburetor -- about $1 million.

After taxes . . .

Gadzooks, how much is it really worth it for last May's Indianapolis 500 winner to risk his neck maneuvering from the very last spot of a 34-car field to win the 200-lap season-ending race? Is it all a Vegas mirage?

"I don't really know all the intricacies about how that $5 million is split up," the 33-year-old Brit said, stopping in L.A. this week before heading to the race. "But I don't think I'm obliged to let anyone know about it either."

His only obligation: Win a ride for the 2012 IRL season. Believe it or not, he's still unattached.

Before he grabs the wheel for the No. 77 car entered by Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Bryan Herta Autosport in association with Curb Agajanian, Wheldon shifted into Q-and-A mode about his chances for success:

Q: What are you gonna buy if you win this thing, a new car?

WHELDON: I think at my age, I'll do something more sensible. The question I have: How quick will it get into my bank account? There's really nothing specific that I'd like. Honestly, since winning at Indy, it's been a very busy and hectic schedule. I've enjoyed it very much, but maybe I owe my wife a vacation.

Q: What kind of car would someone like you drive around town anyway?

A: Right now, I just have an Acura RL (which generally cost $50,000 new). Honda takes pretty good care of me. Besides, I rarely drive. When I'm home in St. Petersburg, which is quite rare, I'm just relaxing.

Q: How fast can you get it going?

A: Whatever the speed limit says.

Q: Helio Castroneves holds the present-day IZOD IndyCar Series record for winning from the farthest back starting position -- he was 27th at Chicagoland Speedway in 2008. Is it more difficult three years later to do something like that?

A: Much harder. The depth of the field, it's far more competitive than it was back then. But it's still very possible. You've just got to have good pit stops. Don't count me out.

Q: And you can do it safely?

A: Absolutely.

Q: Then what's the strategy? Weave a lot? Lay back and wait for an opening? Be patient?

A: Honestly, you get to the front as quickly as possible. You can't afford to sit back and wait. Take the direct route. Run fast, stay out of the danger zone, and once you're up there, it allows your guys to be more flexible with their strategy.

Q: You could also just wait for guys to crash their own cars, like JR Hildebrand did on the last lap of the 500?

A: To me, that's not the best way to win. I did speak with JR afterward and asked why he did what he did. He was extremely concerned that he was running out of fuel, and if he got behind a car, he'd have to ease off the gas, then get back on the gas, but that would have sucked up a lot of fuel. He didn't have enough to even do that. It's one of the things that can happen, but ...

Q: Yeah, but his crash won your team $2.7 million. That isn't bad.

A: I think unfortunately no one is going to let him ever forget that one.

Q: During a test run a couple of weeks ago in Kentucky, you finished 14th after starting 28th. That didn't impress you?

A: It wasn't what we wanted. We thought we should have been more competitive. We understand now why it happened. It's obviously important to us that we learned a lot from that race and won't have the same problems in Vegas. It's not something I was happy about but it was a prep race, and hopefully we get the bugs out of the car now.

Q: This being Vegas, you're listed with 15-to-1 odds from MGM to win the race. How does that sound? Would you bet on yourself?

A: No, it's not legal for any driver to bet on himself in the series. But 15-to-1 . . . it's one of those things that's hard to judge. Honestly, do I think I have a shot? Absolutely. The team has given me a car that will be fine, no doubt. But you've seen the way races go - everything has to go right. I'll tell you the truth: I'll be going for it, with everything in my power to finish the season with an exclamation point. I'm not going to undermine how talented the field is either.

Q: And you've apparently pulled off this trick before?

A: Yeah, when I was at Richmond in 2004, I was last and won it. And it's probably a similar distance here. Maybe a little shorter track. The speedway in Las Vegas definitely bodes for a fast car to get to the front.

Q: So you've gone the whole season without a regular ride, even after winning the Indy 500 for the second time? What's the problem? Are you too high maintenance?

A: (Laughing) After this offseason, we'll just have to wait and see.

Q: Heck, Danica Patrick is leaving the IRL after this race. She can't just give you her spot with Andretti's team?

A: Until a deal (with Andretti) is signed, you can't say you're 100 percent confident. Certainly, this year put me in a stronger position than last year. You just never know

Q: Can you stay sharp playing racing video games?

A: I have a relationship with Simraceway, and the simulators are increasingly popular. With the fact that IndyCar has cut back on track testing, it does allow you to keep in rhythm, but you can never beat being on the track. I've used the simulator, and it'll be launched (online) toward the end of November, and it'll be fun to see how the consumers use it. There's a lot of stuff I have done prior to Simraceway, but I'd say for the profession, there are a lot of racing games now adays that can duplicate the tracks very realistic, but there's still that feel of the car that's missing.

Q: As far as Danica goes: What did she mean to the IRL during her stay?

A: I think she's done a huge job for the IndyCar series, and a great job at that. She attracted the mainstream media as well as the regular race media. She arrived at a point in the series where it someone like her, and she handled herself very well. She was a great ambassador and NASCAR should be proud to have her. She's positioned herself very well.

Q: Do you consider her track record in IRL - one win in 150-some races over some seven years - impressive enough?

A: Maybe you're a better judge looking from the outside, but she did win, and that's not easy. It's very hard to win any IndyCar race. Name all the drivers who we consider very good who haven't even done that.

Q: One last thing: Are you worried that if you win, you'll have to do a steamy GoDaddy commercial, since they're putting all the bonus money up?

A: Judging by the popularity of them, it's probably not a bad thing. You were asking about replacing Danica - that would be a step in the right direction.

Q: Even if they ask you to take your shirt off?

A: That'll be between me and them to discuss.