Today’s IndyCar Series and Mazda Road to Indy headlines:
1. Huertas among four rookies in opening race
2. Firestone Pit Stop Performance Award
3. Dixon hopes to cement his place in Indy car history
4. 2015 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg dates set
5. Of note
1. Huertas among four rookies in opening race: “We’ll see how Friday goes,” said Carlos Huertas, who was confirmed March 27 as driver of the No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing car for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Huertas, 22, of Colombia, tested at Sebring International Raceway in January and February for Panther Racing as he was seeking to break into the Verizon IndyCar Series season after competing in Formula Renault 3.5 last year.
Two practice sessions are scheduled for March 28 on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit, with a third preceding the three rounds of qualifications March 29 for the 110-lap race March 30 (3 p.m. ET on ABC).
“It’s not ideal; it would have been better to do the (Open) test, but the good thing is nobody has tested here,” Huertas said.
Justin Wilson, driving the companion No. 19 Honda-powered Dale Coyne Racing car, was briefing Huertas at the venue. Wilson, entering his third consecutive season with the team and fourth overall, placed sixth in the 2013 championship standings.
“That was one of the main reasons we wanted to come here because he’s really fast and good on road courses and ovals,” Huertas said. “We need somebody to push me along and I’ll listen to all he has to say.”
Huertas, who competed in the British Formula Three Championship in 2009-11, is among four drivers who will compete for the first time on the streets of St. Petersburg in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Jack Hawksworth, who has won in Pro Mazda and Indy Lights the past two years at St. Petersburg, will drive the No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport car. Mikhail Aleshin, the first Russian to compete in the series, will drive the No. 7 SMP Racing car, while Carlos Munoz will be behind the wheel of the No. 34 entry for Andretti Autosport.
“Coming into the race weekend, we have had a couple of solid tests and I think we should be in pretty good shape to start the season,” said Hawksworth, who lived in St. Petersburg during his 2012 Pro Mazda championship-winning season. “The track is quite short, low grip but still technical. We’ll have to work hard and execute a clean weekend, but if we can do this then we’ll be in with a shout.”
The team announced that Charter Media will be an associate sponsor through the season and primary sponsor for the opening race.
2. Firestone Pit Stop Performance Award: Firestone will award $10,000 to the entrant of the car in pit lane the shortest amount of accumulated time during the race. To be eligible, cars must complete at least 95 percent of the scheduled laps.
The winner will be recognized during pre-race ceremonies of the next race.
3. Dixon hopes to cement his place in Indy car history: Scott Dixon doesn’t like to look at his motorsports accomplishments and compare them to the greats of the sport.
But as the three-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion enters the 2014 season, it’s difficult not to take account of results.
• 33 Indy car wins – most among active drivers and only trailing Foyt (A.J.), Andretti (Mario and Michael) and Unser (Al, Bobby and Al Jr.)
• 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner
• Three series titles (2003, 2008 and 2013)
• 31 second-place finishes (fifth all time)
• 76 podium finishes (most among active drivers)
• 20 poles – 14th on the all-time list
In fact, he said winning his third title in 10 years was one of his most rewarding seasons as an Indy car driver.
“The way the season played out – all three championships are very different,” Dixon said after rallying from a huge mid-season deficit to win the title by 27 points over Helio Castroneves. “(In) 2003 I was naïve and really didn’t know what I had won. ’08 was a perfect year with the ‘500’ win and the championship and this past year we never led until we got to (the season finale at) Fontana and we had so many highs and lows. We were on a streak and then Sonoma hit and then we were out of it and gained all those points back. It was rewarding.”
The one thing Dixon has yet to accomplish is a successful defense of a series title. He came close in 2009, finishing second to teammate Dario Franchitti, and knows a fast start can help him keep a strong grip on his crown.
“I think it’s obviously a good problem to have,” Dixon said. “I’ve been in this situation a couple of times before and we actually haven’t defended it that well. We will just have to sort of see how it goes.”
No place is a fast start more important than the streets of St. Petersburg and the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (3 p.m., March 30, ABC). Dixon has finished second three times in his previous nine starts at the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit.
“For us in the past when we have come close to another three championships I think it’s always been the start of the year that has kind of hindered us,” he said. “I think we need to focus on making a good start in the first three or four races.”
Dixon knows that repeating as champion won’t be an easy task. The Verizon IndyCar Series is one of the most competitive championships in motorsports and the Target Chip Ganassi driver knows that he’ll be challenged by his own teammates – Tony Kanaan, Ryan Briscoe and Charlie Kimball – as well as challengers from Andretti Autosport and Team Penske.
“Will (Power) finished strong. He’ll start the season strong,” Dixon said. “We know he’s quick and it’s just about putting the consistency together, especially toward the end. Helio (Castroneves) had an extremely consistent year; he won one race and he’s always there. It will be interesting to see the dynamic with Juan (Pablo Montoya) there. You always expect to benchmark yourself off a team like that.”
4. 2015 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg dates set: Organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg announced that the 2015 event will be held March 27-29.
“Announcing our dates a year in advance will allow our patrons, local businesses, events and the community to plan ahead, and will better facilitate future planning for those interested participating in or around the event,” said Tim Ramsberger, President of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
“The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has become an important staple of the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule and we’re happy to announce our 2015 dates so far in advance of the event,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, parent company of INDYCAR. “INDYCAR is thankful for the support from Firestone, the City of St. Petersburg, the race promoters and their respective staffs for continuing to make this event a success. We have established a strong history in St. Pete of thrilling racing and entertaining events and we look forward to that continuing into the future.”
Tickets for the 2015 event will go on sale in the fall.
5. Of note: The Florida Lottery is the primary sponsor this weekend of the No. 67 car Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing car driven by Josef Newgarden. … Four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti and Indy car team owners Gerald Forsythe and Kevin Kalkhoven will be inducted into the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on April 10. Franchitti won the 2009 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach among his 31 Indy car victories. Forsythe’s teams won twice on the street circuit (2003, ’04) and Kalkhoven’s team won the 2008 GP.
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The 2014 IndyCar Series opens with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 30 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. The race will be televised live by ABC at 3 p.m. (ET) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including Sirius and XM Channels 209 and the INDYCAR 14 app for most smartphones and tablets.
