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IndyCar
INDYCAR: Positive Impressions For Conway, Foyt
Long Beach race winner Mike Conway got a brief introduction to his new team, A.J. Foyt Racing, and the Dallara DW12-Honda package at Sebring.
After earning his first victory with Andretti Autosport in 2011, Mike Conway hopes to return the legendary A.J. Foyt Racing team to the win column. (Photo: LAT/Mike Levitt)
He only had five laps or so to get a feel for his new car, team and engineer during an abbreviated test at Sebring this week, but Mike Conway, the young Briton who will lead A.J. Foyt Racing’s charge in 2012, tells SPEED.com he was encouraged by what he witnessed during the group’s first outing.
“We didn’t get a whole lot of running, but my initial thoughts were very good,” he said. “The car’s obviously much different from the year before, but all in all, it was OK. The downforce on the car felt very good, and the braking zones will be much shorter with the carbon brakes. The engine felt very smooth—there wasn’t any turbo lag or anything like that. But I’ll have to wait until our next test to really dive into things and get a feel for the full limit of everything. Overall, it all felt good.”
Although their on-track chemistry will take more time to develop, Conway was pleased with the foundation he and veteran Indy car designer and engineer Don Halliday have forged in a short amount of time.
“It’s great to work with Don,” he said. “You can tell he’s been around a longtime and he’s very methodical. I think we’re going to have a really good year together. The team, as well, are very good to get on with. I think there’s a lot of potential there for us as a whole.”
A.J. Foyt Racing team manager Larry Foyt had hoped to log more miles at Sebring, but like Conway, came away with a favorable impression of what the 2012 season could hold for his team.
“It was a shame it was so short,” he said. “We’re all excited to get going, but I couldn’t be happier with everyone we have involved with the program. Things are always a bit harder when you’re a one-car team, but we have a small, close-knit group and I know Mike’s excited. This was our first time with the new car, and even though we’ve heard about it from other teams, until you run it yourself, you can’t really start to learn.
“There are a lot of little differences we took note of, and Mike also said he was getting used to all the different sounds and feelings, so we’re all just soaking everything in as fast as possible. I know Honda’s gonna get on top of things and we’ll be right back out testing really soon.”
With the team now back at their base in Texas, Foyt will look to turn the No. 14 around quickly to do some additional running before the next big group test in Alabama.
“Now we’re looking for a test to make up for Sebring—before we go to Barber around the 20th, so I think we’ll head to Houston to do some laps there,” he said. “We’ll try and get caught up before Barber, for sure.”
Until the team hits the road, Conway—and numerous fans—will be left to admire the inspired new livery that adorns the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara DW12-Honda.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “I think it does look good. It also looks a bit like the British flag from the top, so that’s not bad at all.”
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett on Twitter.
“We didn’t get a whole lot of running, but my initial thoughts were very good,” he said. “The car’s obviously much different from the year before, but all in all, it was OK. The downforce on the car felt very good, and the braking zones will be much shorter with the carbon brakes. The engine felt very smooth—there wasn’t any turbo lag or anything like that. But I’ll have to wait until our next test to really dive into things and get a feel for the full limit of everything. Overall, it all felt good.”
Although their on-track chemistry will take more time to develop, Conway was pleased with the foundation he and veteran Indy car designer and engineer Don Halliday have forged in a short amount of time.
“It’s great to work with Don,” he said. “You can tell he’s been around a longtime and he’s very methodical. I think we’re going to have a really good year together. The team, as well, are very good to get on with. I think there’s a lot of potential there for us as a whole.”
A.J. Foyt Racing team manager Larry Foyt had hoped to log more miles at Sebring, but like Conway, came away with a favorable impression of what the 2012 season could hold for his team.
“It was a shame it was so short,” he said. “We’re all excited to get going, but I couldn’t be happier with everyone we have involved with the program. Things are always a bit harder when you’re a one-car team, but we have a small, close-knit group and I know Mike’s excited. This was our first time with the new car, and even though we’ve heard about it from other teams, until you run it yourself, you can’t really start to learn.
“There are a lot of little differences we took note of, and Mike also said he was getting used to all the different sounds and feelings, so we’re all just soaking everything in as fast as possible. I know Honda’s gonna get on top of things and we’ll be right back out testing really soon.”
With the team now back at their base in Texas, Foyt will look to turn the No. 14 around quickly to do some additional running before the next big group test in Alabama.
“Now we’re looking for a test to make up for Sebring—before we go to Barber around the 20th, so I think we’ll head to Houston to do some laps there,” he said. “We’ll try and get caught up before Barber, for sure.”
Until the team hits the road, Conway—and numerous fans—will be left to admire the inspired new livery that adorns the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara DW12-Honda.
“It’s really nice,” he said. “I think it does look good. It also looks a bit like the British flag from the top, so that’s not bad at all.”
Marshall Pruett is SPEED.com's Auto Racing Editor, covering IndyCar and sports cars. He also contributes to Road & Track and Racecar Engineering. Follow him @MarshallPruett on Twitter.
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