Just weeks after a concerning course of events prior to the first oval event of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series, the circuit returns to its high speed aerodynamic kit layouts for the second left turns only round of the season. However, unlike the low banking and long straightaways of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Texas Motor Speedway near Dallas/Fort Worth, provides a much different set of circumstances that the open wheel pilots will have to put up with..
The 1.5 mile quad oval features a double dogleg front straight, coupled with a short back stretch brought together by four high banked corners, featuring two and a half times the banking present at IMS. While the Eddie Gossage-run circuit has seen several close finishes since its first IndyCar race in 1997, it has also unfortunately seen its share of serious accidents. A major crash in 2001 kept two-time IndyCar Series championship runner up Davey Hamilton out of action for six years. An even more graphic accident in the 2003 season finale all but ended the career of 1999 Indianapolis 500 champion Kenny Brack. Although serious crashes have been limited in recent years at TMS, the breakout of major crashes at Indy, most notably the incident that sidelined the popular Canadian driver James Hinchcliffe indefinitely from competition, have to be taken seriously. It is even more concerning since the layout of this track is similar to the Las Vegas Motor Speedway where two-time Indy 500 champion Dan Wheldon was fatally injured in a multi-car pileup in 2o11.
Despite the potential dangers, the 23 pilots ready to battle in the 2015 edition of the Firestone 600 must find a way to put the concerns on the back burner to focus on the task at hand, winning the race.
Although last weekend’s Chevrolet Duel in Detroit produced two surprise winners in Sebastien Bourdais and Carlos Munoz, the return to oval competition could see a return to the pattern witnessed in the 99th Indianapolis 500 two weeks ago, a duel between Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing. If that’s the case, the man who wore the winner’s wreath and took a sip of milk at Indy, Colombia’s Juan Pablo Montoya has to be placed at the top of the contenders list.
“I am as confident as I have ever been heading into Texas this weekend. I told someone the other day that I really feel like we should win the race.” Montoya said during the run up to the Firestone 600 weekend. “The No. 2 Verizon Chevy team is hitting its stride at the moment. We have speed in the car every weekend. If we can just minimize our mistakes and execute properly I don’t think there is anything we can’t accomplish.”
With the Indianapolis 500 win under his belt, Montoya and Team Penske have now changed their focus to Texas and the remainder of the season.
“There are two goals every year for Team Penske in the Verizon IndyCar Series.”explained Montoya. “One is to win the Indianapolis 500, which we were fortunate enough to do. The second is to keep the Verizon IndyCar Series championship within the team.”
Currently, Montoya holds an eleven point cushion on last year’s champion Will Power, who is wanting to reverse the order of the finish at Indy this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.
“I love racing at Texas, and after how strong our Verizon Chevy was at Indianapolis last month, I’m even more confident going there this weekend.” said Power. “I know we can win at Texas because this team has done it before with my first Verizon IndyCar Series oval win there in 2011.”
While Montoya and Power dueled for the win at Indy, Scott Dixon who started from the pole position and led a race high 89 of the 200 laps, faded late and settled for fourth at the checkered flag.
“We’ll have to see how it plays out, but (Texas) is such a tough track because you start just before dusk and then it gets colder because it’s so hot during the day.” explained Dixon. “The track changes a lot and you’ve got to be really fast to try to keep up with it – especially over a fairly long distance too.”
Charlie Kimball outran his teammate Ganassi Racing teammate at Indy, finishing one place higher in third, but enters Texas perhaps on less than ideal terms with Dixon, after contact at Detroit knocked the New Zealander out of competition late in the going. Although the physical issue of dealing with Type I Diabetes is always a challenge for the American, Texas provides a mental aspect that is equally daunting.
“Texas is more of a mental race than you’d expect because of the speeds and how much the car changes throughout the duration of one stint.” explained Kimball earlier this week. ” The Novo Nordisk team scored a top-10 finish (at Texas) last year, and I think we can improve on that this weekend.”
While Honda was largely a non-factor in the conclusion of the Indy 500, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal is eager for Texas after placing fifth in the Greatest Spetacle in Racing.
“It’s hard to say what to expect at Texas Motor Speedway this year.” admitted Rahal. “In recent years, the racing has been difficult because we removed down force and made the racing harder and harder. At this point, it’s hard to say what it’s going to be like but I’m sure we will put on a good race.”
The night race format has produced drama in the past editions of the Firestone 600 and whatever the outcome on Saturday, the driver ending the day firing the pair six-shooters in victory lane will have done much in the positive realm to get there.
Stay tuned to OnPitRoad.com for continued coverage of the Firestone 600 at Texas.
