INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – Jan. 22, 2014

INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – Jan. 22, 2014

Today’s IndyCar Series and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:

 1.      If you missed it: INDYCAR Conference Call with Justin Wilson

 2.      Meet Kimball and Montoya on Jan. 24

 3.      Huertas test impresses Panther Racing owner

1. If you missed it: INDYCAR Conference Call with Justin Wilson: Earlier today, Justin Wilson participated in an INDYCAR Conference Call to preview his return to racing at the Rolex 24 At Daytona and the 2014 IndyCar Series season. Selected quotes from the availability are below.

Q.  Justin, I know it’s kind of been a long off��eason for most IndyCar drivers but probably a little longer for you after you suffered your injuries at Fontana. How did the recovery go for you, and are you ready to get back in a car?

JUSTIN WILSON:  Yeah, I can’t wait. I mean, the recovery went well. I was back walking five and a half, six weeks after the accident, so I was very fortunate the way my pelvis broke, it healed fast. Didn’t need any surgery. I had some good doctors, good advice.

I felt great when we tested here two weeks ago for the Roar Before, and it was good to get back in the car. I’m looking forward to getting back to competition. Hopefully it’s going to be a good 24 hours for us, and nothing would please me more than repeating what happened after my injury in 2011 and winning the Daytona 24 Hours the following year.

That’s our plan. A lot of work to do between now and then, but we’re definitely up for the fight.

Q. I know you haven’t been in an IndyCar since Fontana and seat time is everything to racing drivers these days. How important is an event like the 24 in preparing you for the IndyCar season?

JUSTIN WILSON:  I think it’s great. I mean, it’s the perfect way to start out your year and get seat time when there’s not a lot happening in IndyCar. The teams are just prepping, getting things ready, and you come here and get plenty of seat time, get some good racing in, and some really good competition. The thing that attracts me is nothing else is going on this time of year so you don’t have to worry about you’re missing something else, and you’re racing against some of the best guys from all over the world, and you come here and try something different out.

It’s really a test of everything:  Your patience, trying to deal with the traffic, timing, getting through that traffic. There’s so many things that can go wrong that stop you from winning this race, and you’re just trying to not make any of those mistakes, fall down any of those traps.

It’s just, like I said, the perfect way to get up to speed, blow off the cobwebs and get ready for the new season.

Q. Speaking about the new IndyCar season that is coming up, I know the teams are going testing. Any IndyCar testing in your plans or are you close to announcing what your 2014 plans are?

JUSTIN WILSON:  I think everyone is kind of presuming it’s already out there. I’m back with Dale Coyne Racing again for 2014, and I think ��� I’m still waiting for confirmation from Dale, but I think the first test is going to be the 3rd of February. I know that was part of his plans, so I’m just waiting for confirmation before booking travel for that.

But yeah, looking forward to getting back in the IndyCar. I’ve got a new engineer this year, Michael Cannon, and Bill Pappas left at the end of last year, went to Rahal Letterman, but looking forward to working with Michael, and hopefully we can gel quickly and do what we need to do, and hopefully we can win some races.

2. Meet Kimball and Montoya on Jan. 24: Juan Pablo Montoya, who will drive the No. 2 Chevrolet-powered car for Team Penske this season, will join No. 83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing driver Charlie Kimball in greeting fans Jan. 24 at the North American International Auto Show at Cobo Center in Detroit.

The drivers will participate in a panel discussion, hosted on the main stage in the Cobo Center Atrium, followed by an autograph session.

Visitors to the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix display in Cobo Center’s Michigan Hall will have the opportunity to take a picture on a podium with with a race trophy and a bottle of champagne. Fans can download their podium image for free from the Grand Prix Facebook page.

3. Huertas test impresses Panther Racing owner:  Panther Racing managing partner John Barnes was impressed with Carlos Huertas, who drove the No. 4 car during a Chevrolet manufacturer test Jan. 17 at Sebring International Raceway.

“Considering he had never seen an IndyCar before, had never been to Sebring, and we ran a relatively conservative setup, he was extremely competitive all day and never put a wheel off the track,” Barnes said. “In these situations, you look for certain characteristics in a driver, and he had them all, including giving great feedback to our crew, fully understanding the data he was presented with … and utilizing that information to go faster the next time out.”

Huertas, 22, competed in Formula Renault 3.5 in Europe last season.

“It was a good experience and I am looking forward to my next opportunity to drive an IndyCar,” he said.