Races Since Last Win:
Ed Carpenter- 0 (Fontana 2012)
Ryan Hunter-Reay- 1 (Baltimore 2012)
Ryan Briscoe- 2 (Sonoma 2012)
Scott Dixon- 3 (Mid-Ohio 2012)
Helio Castroneves- 4 (Edmonton 2012)
Justin Wilson- 8 (Texas 2012)
Dario Franchitti- 10 (Indianapolis 2012)
Will Power- 11 (São Paulo 2012)
Marco Andretti- 23 (Iowa 2011)
Mike Conway- 28 (Long Beach 2011)
Tony Kanaan- 40 (Iowa 2010)
Graham Rahal- 80 (St. Pete 2008)
Sébastien Bourdais- 82 (Mexico City 2007)
Oriol Servià*- 113 (Montreal 2005) *-ChampCar races 2005-2007, IndyCar 2008-present
Alex Tagliani*- 129 (Road America 2004) *-ChampCar races 2004-2007, IndyCar 2008-present
Yet To Win:
Tristan Vautier- Scheduled to make debut in 2013.
Josef Newgarden- 14 starts
Sebastián Saavedra- 19 starts
James Hinchcliffe- 31 starts
Charlie Kimball- 31 starts
James Jakes- 31 starts
Simon Pagenaud- 32 starts
J.R. Hildebrand- 34 starts
Simona de Silvestro- 46 starts
Takuma Sato- 49 starts
EJ Viso- 83 starts
Races Since Last Pole:
Marco Andretti- 0 (Fontana 2012)
Will Power- 1 (Baltimore 2012)
Ryan Hunter-Reay- 4 (Edmonton 2012)
Dario Franchitti- 5 (Toronto 2012)
Alex Tagliani- 8 (Texas 2012)
Scott Dixon- 9 (Belle Isle 2012)
Ryan Briscoe- 10 (Indianapolis 2012)
Helio Castroneves- 13 (Barber 2012)
Takuma Sato- 21 (Edmonton 2011)
Ed Carpenter- 33 (Kentucky 2010)
Justin Wilson- 38 (Toronto 2010)
Graham Rahal- 62 (Kansas 2009)
Tony Kanaan*- 80 (St. Petersburg 2008) *- Does not count pole won at the cancelled Las Vegas race in 2011 or pole drawn for second race at Texas Twin 275s in 2011
Sébastien Bourdais*- 84 (Assen 2007) *- ChampCar 2007, IndyCar 2008-present
Oriol Servià*- 111 (Surfers Paradise 2005) *- ChampCar 2005-2007, IndyCar 2008-present
Yet To Win A Pole:
Tristan Vautier- Scheduled to make debut in 2013.
Josef Newgarden- 14 starts
Sebastián Saavedra- 20 starts
James Hinchcliffe- 31 starts
Charlie Kimball- 31 starts
James Jakes- 31 starts
Simon Pagenaud- 32 starts
J.R. Hildebrand- 34 starts
Simona de Silvestro- 46 starts
EJ Viso- 83 starts
Winning Streak by Country
United Kingdom: 9 seasons
New Zealand: 8 seasons
Australia: 6 seasons (CCWS 2007, IndyCar 2008-Present)
United States: 3 seasons
Brazil: 1 season
Other:
- Tony Kanaan has made 197 consecutive starts dating back to Portland 2001. The record is 211 by Jimmy Vasser (Laguna Seca 1993-Long Beach 2006).
- Last driver to win in their first season in American Open-Wheel racing: Robert Doornbos, Mont-Tremblant 2007.
- Last driver to win an oval in their first season: Sébastien Bourdais, Lausitz 2003.
- Last driver to win a pole in their first season: Tristan Gommendy. Mont-Tremblant 2007.
- Two Brazilians are scheduled to race full-time in 2013. That is the least amount of Brazilians since ChampCar 2007 when Bruno Junqueira was the only Brazilian to run full-time that season.
- Last American to win the first oval race of the season: Sam Hornish in IndyCar (Homestead) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (Milwaukee) in ChampCar. Both in 2004.
- Last American to win the first road/street race of the season: Graham Rahal, St. Pete 2008.
- In each of the three seasons of the Mazda Road To Indy ladder system, there has been a champion from the UK, France and United States. Dario Franchitti won the IndyCar titles in 2010 and 2011. Jack Hawksworth won Star Mazda in 2012. For France, JK Vernay won the 2010 Lights title, while Tristan Vautier won the 2011 Star Mazda and 2012 Lights championship. Conor Daly and Sage Karam won the 2010 Star Mazda and 2010 U.S. F2000 championship respectively with Josef Newgarden winning the 2011 Lights title and Ryan Hunter-Reay winning the 2012 IndyCar championship. Making the United States the only country to win a title in each four steps in the ladder system.
- The last two seasons, the top five in points have represented five different countries. In 2011, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Spain and Brazil were represented and in 2012, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and France were represented. It has actually happened in three since reunification, 2009 is the other time when the UK, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil and the United States were represented.
- Since reunification in 2008, the five rookie of the year winners combine for zero career wins. Mutoh, Matos, Lloyd, Hinchcliffe and Pagenaud are the five rookie of the year winners. All represent a five different countries (Japan, Brazil, UK, Canada, France).
- The winner of the Indy Lights opening race at St. Pete the last three seasons, has won the title. JK Vernay, Josef Newgarden and Tristan Vautier are the three champions.
- Takuma Sato has finished 22nd twice in three races at St. Pete. He finished fifth at St. Pete in 2011.
- Scott Dixon has finished second at every IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park.
- Only one Brazilian has every been on the podium in São Paulo (Vitor Meria, 3rd in 2010) and only four other drivers have a top ten (Raphael Matos, 5th in 2010. Helio Castroneves, 9th in 2010, 4th in 2012. Tony Kanaan, 10th in 2010, Rubens Barrichello, 10th in 2012).
- Only twice in the history has there been an American open-wheel series races on March 24. Fontana in 2002, won by Sam Hornish and Homestead 2007 won by Dan Wheldon.
- Since the split in 1996, the state of Florida has hosted the opening round for 20 of the last 29 combined seasons. 2013 will be 21 of 30 combined seasons. (CART- 1996-2000, 2003. IRL- 1996, 1998-2000, 2002-2007. Unified IndyCar- 2008-2009, 2011-2013).
- Since joining Penske Racing full-time in 2010, Will Power's best finish in a season finale is 19th. Before joining Penske, Power had finished in the top ten in every season finale he participated in.
- Ed Carpenter has only scored multiple top five finishes in one season: 2008.
- Since losing his seat before the 2002 Milwaukee CART race due to closure of PacWest Racing, Oriol Serviá has finished no worse than 7th at the Milwaukee Mile.
- The United Kingdom has won three consecutive Indianapolis 500s. The only other international country to win three consecutive Indianapolis 500 was Brazil (2001-2003). Besides the United States, no nation has won more than three consecutive Indianapolis 500s.
- This year's Indianapolis 500 is May 26th. Winners of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26 are: Johnny Rutherford, Danny Sullivan, Rick Mears, Buddy Lazier and Helio Castroneves.
- Carlos Muñoz is scheduled to make his debut in the Indianapolis 500. The best finish by a driver making their first career IndyCar start at Indianapolis since 2000 was Jeff Simmons finish of 16th in 2004
These are just some facts I came upon as we enter the 2013 Izod IndyCar season. Hopefully it gives you something to look forward to as St. Pete is this weekend.
