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IndyCar
INDYCAR: 2013 Season Preview PT 1
It's time for SPEED's annual insider's look at the upcoming IZOD IndyCar Season with a team-by-team preview.
Delve into the first of SPEED's 3-part IndyCar Season Preview. (Photos: LAT)
What should we have in-store this season in the IZOD IndyCar Series?
If we’re fortunate, it will be nothing like last season--one that was lost with constant in-fighting, scandals, threats, firings, protests, appeals, revolts and other dramas that diluted the amazing on-track product that was delivered.
Barring unforeseen nonsense, 2013 should be even better than 2012. There’s more talent throughout the grid, and expanded calendar, an improved television package and two engine manufacturers that can’t wait to take (metaphorical) swings at each other.
The season should average 25 cars, has had no pre-season defections between Chevy and Honda camps, and has everything from doubleheaders to standing starts waiting in the wings.
There’s one major adjustment for fans, drivers, owners and team members to make, and I’m convinced it will take some time to settle in and feel comfortable.
Members of the IndyCar community have shared in a form of open-wheel Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for far too long; coming off of a brutal 2012, there’s a constant expectation for something bad to happen, fall apart, explode or spiral out of control within the series.
I can’t guarantee a few grenades won’t go off in 2013, but there’s every reason to believe normalcy will reign. I’ve spoken with enough people within the series and the paddock to know they realize that IndyCar can’t survive another year of bickering and embarrassment like 2012 produced.
If anything, the lack of bombshells over the past few months has served as a much needed indicator that maybe we can finally put the days of controversy and divisiveness behind us.
2013’s ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS
Hello: A.J. Allmendinger, Tristan Vautier, Stefan Wilson, Houston, Pocono, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Goodbye: Ryan Briscoe, Edmonton, Lotus, HVM Racing
TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEW
Team: Andretti Autosport
Driver: Ryan Hunter-Reay
Car No.: 1
Engine: Chevrolet
Chief Mechanic: Josh Freund
Engineer: Ray Gosselin
2012 Driver’s Championship Finish: 1st, 4 wins
Pruett Says: With massive expectations to maintain their title-winning form and plenty of people looking to see if 2012 was a fluke, Ryan Hunter-Reay and his Andretti Autosport team have an exceptional amount of pressure to deal with this year.
RHR’s versatility behind the wheel, steely mental approach to his craft, bond with ace engineer Ray Gosselin, and the benefits of smart strategy calls from the timing stand came together in perfect harmony during the 32-year-old’s championship run.
With strong, reliable Chevy power behind him, RHR won when he could, delivered when the odds were against him and made the most of his rivals’ misfortunes by scoring points at an alarming rate. Altogether, the No. 28 team (now the No. 1 car in deference to his championship position) put on a clinic on how to win a championship while playing from behind for much of the season.
The first test for the team in 2013 will be to try and lead the championship early and force others to work the comeback miracles. On the driving front, RHR will also go into the new season without his familiar position as IndyCar’s great underdog.
Winning multiple races is now an expectation, as is holding onto the team’s place atop the standings.
RHR always had the respect of IndyCar’s best drivers, and his stock has surely risen since claiming his crown in Fontana, but has winning his first title elevated him to the fearsome likes of Will Power or Scott Dixon? Not yet.
Despite winning four races and the championship, there’s still an air of doubt involving RHR. Can he stand toe to toe with IndyCar’s best and come out ahead once again?
It’s not disrespect, necessarily, but side comments that he backed into his title, or that his achievement was more a byproduct of misfortune that struck Power and Dixon than pure, season-long dominance on his part have carried forward into the new season.
RHR has little prove, but does have a perfect opportunity to show that the formula he used in 2012—the same one that netted Dario Franchitti four championships—is more valuable than being the fastest at every round.
RHR isn’t the flashiest driver in the IndyCar Series, nor have we seen him have to live on the limit everywhere he goes, and so far, it hasn’t limited his chances.
But if Power and Team Penske can match RHR’s consistency, earn points at a similar clip and snag those extra points for pole and leading the most laps, RHR will need to dig down deep to hold onto his No. 1 status.
Power and Dixon will, without a doubt, drive like crazed animals this season. It will be fascinating to see whether the reigning champ can secure back-to-back titles with a business-as-usual approach, or if he’ll have to step out of his skin a bit--live on the ragged edge more often--to keep the hunter/killers at bay.
Knowing how adaptable RHR has been throughout his career, I suspect there’s a crazed animal in there he haven’t seen yet. If he can tap into that same hunter/killer gene, there’s no stopping him.
Miller Says: The resiliency showed by RHR last year in tracking down Will Power was nothing compared the career challenges he's faced just trying to find a steady home in the series. Michael Andretti, with a nice assist from IZOD, finally gave Ryan stability and he delivered on the promise he showed 10 years ago. Power said he was the best all-around driver in 2012 and it's hard to argue with that statement. Can he repeat? He's got the same engineer, crew chief and support system around him -- plus a new contract. Hell yes he can.
What Hunter-Reay Says Needs Improving This Year: “I think we need to work on our superspeedway performance a little bit. We’re looking at all aspects, really. And we really learned that to win an IndyCar championship, you have to be really good on all of them. You can't have a street course package sorted out and then be off on the ovals and vice versa. We’re certainly focused on further developments on every aspect of them because we need to be better; everybody's done a lot of work in the off-season and we need to be very prepared for that. I really believe in this engineering group and we’re making the right moves right now. I’d have to say we have to look at Texas and we have to look at Fontana as areas that need improvement.”
Driver: E.J. Viso
Car No.: 5
Engine: Chevrolet
Chief Mechanic: Rolando Coronado
Engineer: Michael Cannon
2012 Driver’s Championship Finish: 20th
Pruett Says: Viso, who turned 28 this week, has his first “no excuses” season to look forward to In IndyCar. Now entering his sixth season in the series, Viso no longer has the modest resources of HVM to point to or the dysfunction at KV Racing to serve as a distraction.
He’s secured a home with the defending series champions, the team hired his former HVM engineer Michael Cannon to look after his needs and has the driving feedback and engineering input from RHR, James Hinchcliffe and Marco Andretti to bolster the No. 5 car.
He’s also hired a personal manager to handle many of his affairs in an effort to simplify his life. In theory, when E.J. Viso arrives at the track, the diversions should be gone and a car capable of winning will be awaiting him on pit lane.
How the personable Venezuelan reacts to having the peace and potential he’s always sought is the real question. Some drivers like having an out—something they can point to for their lack of results. Viso went about removing every single one he’d had during the first five years, so other than getting familiar with a new team and teammates, he’s created a raw and honest working environment form himself.
If he finishes 15th, you’ll know it was because of him; the same is true if he lands on the podium.
It’s easy to make jokes based on his crash-y past, but for me, his account has been zeroed. It’s a fresh start for Viso, and as someone who’s finished between 17th and 20th in the standings for five straight years, it’s on him to show he’s no longer that guy.
Do I think we’ll see the best E.J. Viso to date? I sure do. Does he have the car and team to finish in the Top-10 in points? He sure does, but will he?
Miller Says: Hard to gauge E.J., some weekends he's Fast 6 quick and others he's an also ran. But he's certainly smoothed out from a couple years back and now he's got Cannon, one of the best race day engineers in the paddock, calling the shots. Even though he's the fourth wheel on this team, Viso is part of The Big 3 and it's his best chance ever to move up in class.
If we’re fortunate, it will be nothing like last season--one that was lost with constant in-fighting, scandals, threats, firings, protests, appeals, revolts and other dramas that diluted the amazing on-track product that was delivered.
Barring unforeseen nonsense, 2013 should be even better than 2012. There’s more talent throughout the grid, and expanded calendar, an improved television package and two engine manufacturers that can’t wait to take (metaphorical) swings at each other.
The season should average 25 cars, has had no pre-season defections between Chevy and Honda camps, and has everything from doubleheaders to standing starts waiting in the wings.
There’s one major adjustment for fans, drivers, owners and team members to make, and I’m convinced it will take some time to settle in and feel comfortable.
Members of the IndyCar community have shared in a form of open-wheel Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for far too long; coming off of a brutal 2012, there’s a constant expectation for something bad to happen, fall apart, explode or spiral out of control within the series.
I can’t guarantee a few grenades won’t go off in 2013, but there’s every reason to believe normalcy will reign. I’ve spoken with enough people within the series and the paddock to know they realize that IndyCar can’t survive another year of bickering and embarrassment like 2012 produced.
If anything, the lack of bombshells over the past few months has served as a much needed indicator that maybe we can finally put the days of controversy and divisiveness behind us.
2013’s ADDITIONS AND SUBTRACTIONS
Hello: A.J. Allmendinger, Tristan Vautier, Stefan Wilson, Houston, Pocono, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Goodbye: Ryan Briscoe, Edmonton, Lotus, HVM Racing
TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEW
Team: Andretti Autosport
Driver: Ryan Hunter-Reay
Car No.: 1
Engine: Chevrolet
Chief Mechanic: Josh Freund
Engineer: Ray Gosselin
2012 Driver’s Championship Finish: 1st, 4 wins
Pruett Says: With massive expectations to maintain their title-winning form and plenty of people looking to see if 2012 was a fluke, Ryan Hunter-Reay and his Andretti Autosport team have an exceptional amount of pressure to deal with this year.
RHR’s versatility behind the wheel, steely mental approach to his craft, bond with ace engineer Ray Gosselin, and the benefits of smart strategy calls from the timing stand came together in perfect harmony during the 32-year-old’s championship run.
With strong, reliable Chevy power behind him, RHR won when he could, delivered when the odds were against him and made the most of his rivals’ misfortunes by scoring points at an alarming rate. Altogether, the No. 28 team (now the No. 1 car in deference to his championship position) put on a clinic on how to win a championship while playing from behind for much of the season.
The first test for the team in 2013 will be to try and lead the championship early and force others to work the comeback miracles. On the driving front, RHR will also go into the new season without his familiar position as IndyCar’s great underdog.
Winning multiple races is now an expectation, as is holding onto the team’s place atop the standings.
RHR always had the respect of IndyCar’s best drivers, and his stock has surely risen since claiming his crown in Fontana, but has winning his first title elevated him to the fearsome likes of Will Power or Scott Dixon? Not yet.
Despite winning four races and the championship, there’s still an air of doubt involving RHR. Can he stand toe to toe with IndyCar’s best and come out ahead once again?
It’s not disrespect, necessarily, but side comments that he backed into his title, or that his achievement was more a byproduct of misfortune that struck Power and Dixon than pure, season-long dominance on his part have carried forward into the new season.
RHR has little prove, but does have a perfect opportunity to show that the formula he used in 2012—the same one that netted Dario Franchitti four championships—is more valuable than being the fastest at every round.
RHR isn’t the flashiest driver in the IndyCar Series, nor have we seen him have to live on the limit everywhere he goes, and so far, it hasn’t limited his chances.
But if Power and Team Penske can match RHR’s consistency, earn points at a similar clip and snag those extra points for pole and leading the most laps, RHR will need to dig down deep to hold onto his No. 1 status.
Power and Dixon will, without a doubt, drive like crazed animals this season. It will be fascinating to see whether the reigning champ can secure back-to-back titles with a business-as-usual approach, or if he’ll have to step out of his skin a bit--live on the ragged edge more often--to keep the hunter/killers at bay.
Knowing how adaptable RHR has been throughout his career, I suspect there’s a crazed animal in there he haven’t seen yet. If he can tap into that same hunter/killer gene, there’s no stopping him.
Miller Says: The resiliency showed by RHR last year in tracking down Will Power was nothing compared the career challenges he's faced just trying to find a steady home in the series. Michael Andretti, with a nice assist from IZOD, finally gave Ryan stability and he delivered on the promise he showed 10 years ago. Power said he was the best all-around driver in 2012 and it's hard to argue with that statement. Can he repeat? He's got the same engineer, crew chief and support system around him -- plus a new contract. Hell yes he can.
What Hunter-Reay Says Needs Improving This Year: “I think we need to work on our superspeedway performance a little bit. We’re looking at all aspects, really. And we really learned that to win an IndyCar championship, you have to be really good on all of them. You can't have a street course package sorted out and then be off on the ovals and vice versa. We’re certainly focused on further developments on every aspect of them because we need to be better; everybody's done a lot of work in the off-season and we need to be very prepared for that. I really believe in this engineering group and we’re making the right moves right now. I’d have to say we have to look at Texas and we have to look at Fontana as areas that need improvement.”
Driver: E.J. Viso
Car No.: 5
Engine: Chevrolet
Chief Mechanic: Rolando Coronado
Engineer: Michael Cannon
2012 Driver’s Championship Finish: 20th
Pruett Says: Viso, who turned 28 this week, has his first “no excuses” season to look forward to In IndyCar. Now entering his sixth season in the series, Viso no longer has the modest resources of HVM to point to or the dysfunction at KV Racing to serve as a distraction.
He’s secured a home with the defending series champions, the team hired his former HVM engineer Michael Cannon to look after his needs and has the driving feedback and engineering input from RHR, James Hinchcliffe and Marco Andretti to bolster the No. 5 car.
He’s also hired a personal manager to handle many of his affairs in an effort to simplify his life. In theory, when E.J. Viso arrives at the track, the diversions should be gone and a car capable of winning will be awaiting him on pit lane.
How the personable Venezuelan reacts to having the peace and potential he’s always sought is the real question. Some drivers like having an out—something they can point to for their lack of results. Viso went about removing every single one he’d had during the first five years, so other than getting familiar with a new team and teammates, he’s created a raw and honest working environment form himself.
If he finishes 15th, you’ll know it was because of him; the same is true if he lands on the podium.
It’s easy to make jokes based on his crash-y past, but for me, his account has been zeroed. It’s a fresh start for Viso, and as someone who’s finished between 17th and 20th in the standings for five straight years, it’s on him to show he’s no longer that guy.
Do I think we’ll see the best E.J. Viso to date? I sure do. Does he have the car and team to finish in the Top-10 in points? He sure does, but will he?
Miller Says: Hard to gauge E.J., some weekends he's Fast 6 quick and others he's an also ran. But he's certainly smoothed out from a couple years back and now he's got Cannon, one of the best race day engineers in the paddock, calling the shots. Even though he's the fourth wheel on this team, Viso is part of The Big 3 and it's his best chance ever to move up in class.
2013 INDY 500 Practice
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