Last year, Charlie Kimball had his best year to date – finishing ninth in the point standings after scoring his first IndyCar career win at Mid-Ohio. Over the off-season, Kimball has spent time reflecting back on the season, letting the win soak in.
For Kimball, one of the moments that stood out about the win was the podium ceremony.
“I guess it was Wednesday or Thursday after Sonoma, the week after the next race, I got an envelope from the team with all of Floyd’s photos from Mid-Ohio. It was his last race before he passed on. For me it was very special,” Kimball comments. “For me having that vision of him pushing through the crowd to get to Victory Circle to congratulate me, it brought home how special that was, to share that win with Floyd, everything he’s done, not just for Chip, everything he’s done, all the drivers. Every time at the track he would pull me aside asking me how I was, how my family was at home, knowing that racing is important, but it’s not everything.”
One of the things that has helped Kimball grow as a driver is his relationship with Scott Dixon.
“Having Scott to learn from, he’s so very good at so many things. He’s been with Chip Ganassi Racing for so many years, he’s young as far as long-term career length. He’s going to be a competitor for a long time,” Dixon commented. “Any day I feel I can get within a couple of 10ths of him on a test or race day, I know I’m doing a good job because that will be the benchmark.
“As much as he’s taught me how to do things in the racecar, drive style, technique, fuel saving, he’s a master at that, he’s taught me as much out of the car about how to handle myself, be a member of the team, develop and build the team, and also in the public eye, handle the media, handle the challenges and pressures of being a full-time IndyCar driver and a successful one.”
Now with that win behind him, Kimball is looking for more success this year.
“All the way along Chip’s advice has been to build the foundation for a long-term career, not one year flash in the pan. Try to build a one-way street, so when I take that next step I stay there. I think that’s helped,” he commented. “Going away at the end of the season, having a little downtime, doing a lot of work with the Novo Nordisk allowed me to reflect on that and know coming into this season we’ve prepared as a team and we know we can win because we’ve done it. That lays the groundwork to have a great year. ”
He will kick off the year next month at St. Petersburg, which is an event that Kimball considers as one of the crown jewels in the IndyCar Series and compares to the first day of school.
“While you see some teams and drivers at different test days throughout the years, Media Days like that, the physicals in Indianapolis, it’s the first time you’re there all together with the team and crew members. Inevitably you have friends on different teams, throughout the paddock,” he commented. “To be in an environment where the weather is good or great, compared to the weather in Indianapolis this year, to a city that really embraces the Grand Prix, that has such a level of enthusiasm and excitement, really enjoys having us in town, it’s awesome. It’s really nice to start that way and keep that momentum building that whole year off that first springboard.”
Off the track, one of hte unique things is about Kimball is he does have diabetes. Teammate Scott Dixon says that when they’re working together, though, that is something that flies under the radar.
“It’s only at lunchtime that you see him break out a needle. He prepares himself so well with his dietary needs or training. He does a first class job on that sort of thing,” Dixon added. “He’s done a great job in the last year. Even the tests we’ve had in the pre-season so far, he’s definitely upping his game.
“When he first started, some people might have written him off. But he’s a smart guy. If he can’t do it, he’ll look and try to achieve it. For him to get a winat a tough road course like Mid-Ohio was huge for him and the team. He’s getting stronger and stronger each year.”
