As 2014 winds to a close, we reflect back on the year that was and look forward to 2015, which promises to be an interesting one in the Verizon IndyCar Series. I know it's been awhile since I've written, but rest assured that IndyCar is never far from my mind and I have been keeping up with the latest developments. But before I offer my two cents on the upcoming changes, let's look back on 2014. I realized I never handed out my annual awards, so let me do that now. It's hard to remember everything at this point, but I will do my best!
Best Race: For me, Iowa was the best race. I know a lot of people would vote for the Indy 500, but I think that was the best finish, not necessarily the best race. Iowa featured nonstop close action as well as a thrilling, unexpected ending. Strategy played out nicely for both Ryan Hunter-Reay and Josef Newgarden.
Worst Race: This was a tough decision, because I enjoyed almost all of the races this year. Some say Texas was boring, but I was there and it was a much different experience from viewing it on TV. Pocono lacked excitement for me, but it did have some drama with Will Power getting into trouble again--with his own teammate, no less. I would say the worst race was Toronto, mainly because of the controversial decision to move the rain-soaked first race to Sunday and have teams run two races on one day. Though I applauded this decision, it did give IndyCar a bit of a black eye. IndyCar needs as much positive publicity as it can get, and the Toronto doubleheader didn't help that at all. The races themselves were alright, but this decision clouded any possible excitement from the racing.
Rookie of the Year: I know Carlos Munoz won the official rookie of the year, but I gave him this award last year so I can't really repeat that. We had a terrific rookie class this year. Carlos Huertas actually won a race, but his fear of ovals prevented him from being competitive during the rest of the year. Jack Hawksworth will be one to watch next year, but I have to give this award to the fearless Mikhail Aleshin. True, he didn't make a lot of friends with some of his daredevil moves. But boy was he exciting to watch. All of the rookies appeared on the podium at some point this year, so this was also a tough call. It's too bad Aleshin will not return next year. His year-end crash was scary, and I'm glad he is making a full recovery. Thank you for the year of entertainment, Mikhail.
Most Improved Driver: Undoubtedly, the most improved driver was Josef Newgarden. We all wonder what he could do in a top team, but he was competitive all year for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. His talent and skill have never been questioned, and we finally saw evidence of those skills this year. He led several races (oh, what might have been at Long Beach!), and made a couple of trips to the podium. I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do in 2015 as the lead driver for the newly merged Carpenter/Fisher Racing team.
Move of the Year: This should be the one award we all agree on, because we're still talking about it six months later. Ryan Hunter-Reay's "grass pass" on Helio Castroneves to win the Indy 500 was knock-your-socks-off, stand-up-and-cheer thrilling. I don't know if we'll ever see something so intense again. RHR had to be controlled, daring, and focused to make that move and he pulled it off with room to spare. He really did win the greatest spectacle in racing; Helio didn't lose it.
Best Moment: If I was from Colombia, I would say the podium sweep from Houston Race #1 was the best moment, and it was certainly a day of national pride since the World Cup team also won. In a season filled with some interesting moments, nothing really stands out to me as poignant or touching. Kurt Busch's attempt at "the double" was pretty cool, but he didn't actually complete it and some new developments surrounding him and his relationship have darkened that story. So I would have to say Will Power finally capturing his elusive title was the best moment. It wasn't easy for Will this year, but I enjoyed watching the journey. I have been so impressed with his growth and development as a complete, all-around driver. He deserved to win the championship this year.
Biggest (Pleasant) Surprise: I was most pleasantly surprised by the rookies this year. All of them were competitive and each one had a legitimate chance to win a race. We will still have Hawksworth to watch next year, but he might be the only one returning for a sophomore season. Munoz is also a good possibility, though I haven't heard for sure he will be back yet.
Biggest Disappointment: The air-hose disaster for Josef Newgarden's team at Mid-Ohio was definitely disappointing, as it likely cost him his first IndyCar series victory. In terms of drivers, though, the biggest disappointment was James Hinchcliffe. He seemed to take a step backward this year after winning three races in 2013. I had high hopes he would be right in the thick of the championship fight. Now he has left Andretti Autosport and become the lead driver for Simon Pagenaud's former team, so we'll see if he can rebound in 2015. I also feel for Ryan Briscoe, who has been pushed out by Ganassi and will probably remain an Indy 500-only driver for the rest of his career. I think expectations for Briscoe may have been too high, especially for a Ganassi team that failed to compete for the first half of the year. I know I'm in the minority, but I'd rather see the humble, friendly, nice Briscoe in IndyCar over the arrogant, cocky, risk-taking Sage Karam. Oh well--best of luck to Briscoe in sports cars.
Quote of the Year: We had some good ones this year so I can't choose just one. Instead, I pasted some of the best quotes I collected below:
"We were friends before this happened. We won't be going on any vacations together." --Simon Pagenaud, in response to Will Power's "apology" for hitting him at Long Beach
"At the end of the day, patience is a virtue and someone wasn't very virtuous today."--James Hinchcliffe, talking about teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay's ill-advised move at Long Beach
"I just won the Indy 500, and I'm going to Detroit!" --Ryan Hunter-Reay, closing his banquet celebration speech
"They're all a bunch of g-----n idiots." --AJ Foyt, with some choice words on NBC Sports Network during Houston race 1
"I love winning on ovals!" --Will Power, after winning at Milwaukee
On to 2015: The upcoming IndyCar season will, I think, be vastly different from 2014. For one, we have a new schedule with some new tracks in Brazil and New Orleans and a concluding race at the boring Sonoma track. We also have a new super-team to watch, as Simon Pagenaud forms a four-fecta of insanely talented and competitive drivers at Penske. Personally, I'm not convinced this is good for IndyCar because it sets up a clear divide of haves and have-nots. The best thing about IndyCar over the past few years has been its parity and equal competition. We never knew who was going to win each week, and we never saw one driver or team dominate like we used to. My not-so-bold prediction for 2015: I suspect we will see Penske dominate in 2015, and we won't see any small teams win, especially with the introduction of aero-kits. On the other hand, we could also see some drama with intra-team competition. All four of Penske's drivers desperately want to win a championship, so that will keep things interesting. Whatever happens next year, though, I hope we witness some exciting, safe races. May 2015 bring everyone a year of happiness, health, and success. Happy New Year!
