Photo Credit: Forrest Mellott/IndyCar
This weekend for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, James Hinchcliffe, driver of the No.5 Arrow Electronic Honda, hopes to rebound from what has started out as a substandard season.
The Canadian is coming back to racing this season after missing most of last season after he was injured at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in practice. The pelvic/upper-thigh related injury required emergency surgery and months of intense rehabilitation.
At the season opener at St. Petersburg for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg last month, he started eighth but an early race spin and being caught in an accident was something he was never able to overcome and finished 19th as a result.
The following race at Phoenix International Raceway for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix did not go much better. During practice for the race he would crash and his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports team would have to make repairs, resulting in not being able to make qualifications. He would start 22nd, the very last car, and was lapped early in the race. He fought as best as he could and ended up with an 18th finish there.
Now the driver, who is best know by his nickname Hinch, will look to move on from the first two races and really start the season.
“Long Beach is one of the best events on the calendar,” he said. “There’s a reason it’s been around more than 40 years. This track, the city, the events around town, they’re all great. Long Beach has been really nice to me in the past, so hopefully we can have a solid weekend there after a few tough events and really kick off the season.”
In five starts at Long Beach, the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports driver has 1 podium and completed 339 of 410 laps. The race is Sunday April 17th.
