The Indianapolis 500 is so much more than just a race for the IndyCar community and the state of Indiana at large. According to Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing’s Charlie Kimball, the month of May is its own season.
“There’s winter, spring, May, fall, and Colts season,” Kimball said Monday in Milwaukee for Indy 500 Media Day. “We are smack dab in the middle of the third season right now.”
He could also be referring to the fact its his third season in the IZOD IndyCar Series, and one where he has taken the next logical step in his career. Kimball, who’s known more nationally for having Type 1 diabetes, has matured as a driver through yearly improvements.
He’s in a much better place with preparation for this year’s 500, as it’s his third, and second with the Dallara DW12 chassis. Having a year with the same equipment, after a transition from 2011 to 2012, has increased his confidence.
“It was my second Indy 500, so I knew what the month of May looked like, and what the race felt like. But it was still a brand new race car and type of race with it,” said Kimball.
“This year, the chassis and the team have evolved enough to where it isn’t exactly the same. We did a good job last year to get all the info we needed.”
One of the areas where Kimball – and Honda – excelled was in fuel mileage. Kimball led three laps after staying out longer on a couple stints, and finished a respectable eighth place.
“When you’re talking a race with as many stops as the Indy 500, a lap longer each stop, or two laps, you’ve made up half a stint,” he explained. “Maybe you can finish with one less stop if you get lucky.
“A lot of it takes patience from the driver and team standpoints. If they tell you to hit a fuel mileage number and you want to race the guy in front, you need to understand where they’re coming from and what position you’re in as a driver.
“You can take that spot if you can, but if you can sit there in the draft, protect your spot, but save some fuel, to get that lap or two longer, catch a yellow and suddenly you’ve gained a lap.”
Kimball is not a favorite to win, but he’s an under-the-radar driver who, coupled with the CGR resources and the confidence of two full Indianapolis 500 race distances under his belt, has the potential to surprise.
