Alas, we have reached the twelfth and final preview and I am sure you have used process of elimination to figure out which team it is, the defending IndyCar champions Chip Ganassi Racing.
2013 Chip Ganassi Racing Review:
Wins: 5 (Pocono, Toronto 1 & 2, Mid-Ohio, Houston 1).
Poles: 6 (Long Beach, Belle Isle 1, Toronto 1 & 2, Sonoma, Baltimore).
Final Championship Position: 1st (Scott Dixon), 9th (Charlie Kimball), 10th (Dario Franchitti),.
2014 Drivers:
Scott Dixon
The New Zealander had a miraculous comeback to take his third championship in thirteen seasons in IndyCar. He went on a tear in July, winning three consecutive races including the return to Pocono and picked up $100,000 for sweeping the Toronto doubleheader. Dixon took advantage of Helio Castroneves' mechanical issues and won the first race at Houston and finished second in race two to take the championship lead while Castroneves had mechanical problems ruin his day again. Dixon was able to hold off the Brazilian at Fontana and clinched Ganassi's fifth title in six seasons since reunification. Not only has Dixon won a race every year since 2005, he has won multiple races every year since 2006.
Number to Remember: 7. As in 7th in the championship, the position the last two champions (Dario Franchitti and Ryan Hunter-Reay) have finished the year after their titles.
Prediction/Goals: Scott Dixon will be a championship contender entering the season finale at Fontana. Chalk up another two or three victories for the Kiwi and Mid-Ohio would be your best bet for being one of his wins. If there are any goals it is to avoid the misfortunate start of the 2013 after a handful of mechanical problems left Ganassi winless through the first nine races.
Charlie Kimball
Kimball had a fantastic 2013 season where he won his first career race at Mid-Ohio and ended up finishing not only in the top ten in the championship but finished ahead of Dario Franchitti in the championship (though Franchitti missed the final round due to injury). Kimball accumulated ten top tens including a ninth at Indianapolis, the top of Ganassi's four entries in that race.
Number to Remember: 18. Amount of career top tens for Kimball out of fifty career starts.
Prediction/Goals: He won't win a race but he will be consistent by bringing the car home in one piece and on the lead lap in most races. He will have a few top fives. Kimball has to improve on qualifying. His average starting position is 15.84 and has qualified in the top ten on ovals only four times in eighteen oval starts. He will be on the edge of the top ten.
Tony Kanaan
Nearly six years after nearly signing with Ganassi to replace Dan Wheldon, Kanaan has finally joined the team, one year after winning the Indianapolis 500 driving for KV Racing. Kanaan struggled down the stretch in 2013 with six consecutive finishes outside the top ten before finishing third at Fontana. Kanaan had five finishes outside the top twenty in 2013, as many as Sebastián Saavedra and Alex Tagliani and only behind Takuma Sato who had seven.
Number to Remember: 12.19. Average starting position for Kanaan since leaving Andretti Autosport at the end of 2010. Average starting position for Kanaan in his final three seasons at Andretti (2008-10, all after reunification): 10.41.
Prediction/Goals: Kanaan will get one victory but only one. He will be at the back half of the top ten in the championship. Kanaan needs to hope the mechanical issues that ruined a few races for him in 2013 will not bite him at Ganassi.
Ryan Briscoe
The most untalked about, forgotten signing of the offseason was Ryan Briscoe to Ganassi Racing. He returns to team he made his IndyCar debut with in 2005. Briscoe finished twelfth driving an Indianapolis 500 one-off last year before getting a few opportunities to drive for Panther Racing. Briscoe picked up six LMP2 class victories in ALMS last year driving for Level 5 Motorsports and finished second overall at Petit Le Mans while also making his 24 Hours of Le Mans debut. Briscoe also had a podium in the V8 Supercars race at Surfers Paradise, sharing a ride with Russell Ingall.
Number to Remember: 7. As in 7 career wins at 7 different tracks (Milwaukee, Mid-Ohio, St. Petersburg, Kentucky, Chicago, Texas and Sonoma) and if you want to count his victory at Sufers Paraadise in 2008 when it was an exhibition event, it's 8 wins at 8 different tracks.
Prediction/Goals: Briscoe was been quietly quick at the Barber preseason test ending each day sixth and fifth respectively. He won't beat Dixon but his goal should be to beat his other two teammates. Briscoe's average finish in the championship when completing a full season is 5th. He won't win a race but he will be consistent and will be in the double figures when it comes to top ten finishes at the end of the season. A top ten in the championship is not out of the question.
Other Notes: Ganassi may field a fifth car for the Indianapolis 500 with the likely candidate being 2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam.
Recap:
To recap these twelve team-by-team previews, here is what I said (Note: None of these listings are in any particular order).
Championship Contenders:
Will Power (4-6 wins)
Simon Pagenaud (2-3 wins)
Marco Andretti (2-3 wins)
Scott Dixon (2-3 wins)
Definitely in the Top Ten:
Helio Castroneves (1-2 wins)
Sébastien Bourdais (1 win)
Ryan Hunter-Reay (1-2 wins)
Tony Kanaan (1 win)
Fighting For A Top Ten:
Josef Newgarden
Graham Rahal (1 win)
Justin Wilson (1 win)
James Hinchcliffe (1 win)
Charlie Kimball
Ryan Briscoe
Won't Finish in the Top Ten:
Juan Pablo Montoya
Takuma Sato
Sebastián Saavedra
Carlos Muñoz
Jack Hawksworth
Mikhail Aleshin
Whoever Coyne puts in the #18.
Won't Finish in the Top Ten Because They Are Splitting a Ride but Will Combine To Finish In the Top Ten of the Entrant Standings:
Mike Conway
Ed Carpenter
And there you have it. The season is is on the verge of starting and the long wait is nearly over.
The 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season opens this Sunday at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Coverage begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC with green flag at 3:30 p.m. ET.
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