It was a punchy year between the top two drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series. (Photo: LAT)
Ranking the Top 10 Indy drivers for 2011? Piece of cake. Just copy the final point standings, right?
Hell no, you have to look at the complete body of work, practice, qualifying, race day and those intangibles like bad pit calls, racing luck and brain fade.
So here’s one opinion in a world of experts, starting from 10th and working down.
10.5. Sebastien Bourdais: In just a half-season of racing, the four-time Champ Car king showed everybody just how much he still wanted to compete when he agreed to road race for Dale Coyne in 2011. He had some trying moments early on but molded this team into respectability with his attitude and talent. He may not have scored a W but Seabass won over a lot of people last season.
10. J.R. Hildebrand: A rookie on a one-car team is hardly a formula for success these days but the former Indy Lights champion looked like he belonged at the top tier. Sure, he wound up about where people expected (14th) in the point standings and made some mistakes, but he was strong at Indy, Iowa and Kentucky and would really benefit from a teammate like Buddy Rice all season.
9. Ryan Hunter-Reay: Would have been higher if the first half of season hadn't been such a disaster. But RHR looked like the contender we figured he'd be from Mid-Ohio on and finished like the leader of Andretti Autosport.
8. Marco Andretti: Feast or famine seems to be the mantra here. His charge to the front for his Iowa victory was Andretti-esque but too many times he was part of the scenery. His road racing improved as the season went on but he’s got to step it up in qualifying. It’s his team, he needs to carry it.
7. James Hinchcliffe: The pleasant surprise of 2011. Missed the season opener but was quick from the get-go and it turns out there’s a damn good racer behind that great personality. He benefitted from Servia’s guidance, no question, but by season’s end he was beating his teammate.
6. Graham Rahal: It’s hard to run as good as he did all season and wind up 10th but that was his story. Two podiums were the least he could have shown as poor strategy at Baltimore (he was the only one with anything for Power) and some shoddy pit work at times doomed the final result. But, ovals or road courses, young Rahal was usually a factor on Ganassi’s B team.
