Our fourth IndyCar Wrap-Up will look at Carlin, one of two full-time single-car operations from the 2020 season, but this one was different. Two drivers split the #59 Gallagher Chevrolet and the results were reasonably good. The team saw a breakthrough with its first IndyCar pole position at Iowa and a handful of top ten results followed. However, the road course portion was not as good as the oval chunk.
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| Max Chilton competed in IndyCar in 2020 |
Max Chilton
For the second consecutive season, Chilton ran a limited schedule, contesting all the road and street course races, however, he did return to the Indianapolis 500 after missing last year's race. Though Chilton continued his trademark consistency, results left a lot to be desired.
What objectively was his best race?
Chilton was 11th in the first Harvest Grand Prix race.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is the first Harvest Grand Prix race, because Chilton qualified ninth and spent the entire race hovering around tenth only to fall short of that elusive top ten finish.
Chilton was 11th in the first Harvest Grand Prix race.
What subjectively was his best race?
It is the first Harvest Grand Prix race, because Chilton qualified ninth and spent the entire race hovering around tenth only to fall short of that elusive top ten finish.
A shout out to the Indianapolis 500 because Chilton had not run an oval race since the end of 2018, and he qualified 30th for this year's race after failing to qualify last year. In the race, he went from 30th to 17th and completed all 200 laps. Not the most impressive day, but one that deserves a little credit.
What objectively was his worst race?
Coincidentally, it came the day after his best race. Chilton was 19th in the second Harvest Grand Prix race.
What subjectively was his worst race?
What objectively was his worst race?
Coincidentally, it came the day after his best race. Chilton was 19th in the second Harvest Grand Prix race.
What subjectively was his worst race?
Chilton doesn't have a worst race because they are all the same, below average days where he is not noticed.
I will say Chilton doesn't have a worst race because he also doesn't do anything wrong. He doesn't tear up equipment or become a hazard while being lapped. He doesn't get lapped either. He was on the lead lap of every race this season. He meets the minimum requirement to be an IndyCar driver. I can't say he doesn't belong out there because every race he shows he is quick enough to race an IndyCar. No one likes to go unnoticed, but I would argue it is better to go unnoticed because you are quick enough to stay out of harm's way than to be noticed for being slow and a potential liability to other drivers.
Are there better drivers in the world? Of course, but let's not eat our own and cast out Chilton because he is not special. IndyCar needs a balanced field and there are plenty of drivers out there who would be a hazard if in place of Chilton.
I don't know why the results haven't broken through for him on just one day. The speed is there in the cars and he shows it in qualifying. Maybe 2021 will be when he gets his break with Carlin.
Max Chilton's 2020 Statistics
Championship Position: 22nd (147 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 17.777
Average Finish: 15.111
Championship Position: 22nd (147 points)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 0
Laps Led: 0
Poles: 0
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 1
Average Start: 17.777
Average Finish: 15.111
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| Carlin was the good portion of Conor Daly's season |
Conor Daly
After getting a handful of oval outings last year with Carlin, Daly returned to the team for the five oval races that were not the Indianapolis 500, while he ran all the road and street courses and the Indianapolis 500 with Ed Carpenter Racing. At Carlin, Daly brought the team solid results, including the team's maiden pole position.
What objectively was his best race?
It was the first race of the season. Daly was sixth at Texas.
What subjectively was his best race?
I am going to say the first Iowa race, because Daly started on pole position and led 13 laps. He did drop to eighth in the final results because he stopped early on his final stop and the tires were not there in the closing laps, costing him a handful of positions. Despite the finish, he was in the top ten all race. For a moment, he was a contender, a serious threat, and that is something we do not saw about either Daly or Carlin.
It was the first race of the season. Daly was sixth at Texas.
What subjectively was his best race?
I am going to say the first Iowa race, because Daly started on pole position and led 13 laps. He did drop to eighth in the final results because he stopped early on his final stop and the tires were not there in the closing laps, costing him a handful of positions. Despite the finish, he was in the top ten all race. For a moment, he was a contender, a serious threat, and that is something we do not saw about either Daly or Carlin.
Texas does deserve a mention because he drove from 19th into the top ten. It was a clean night and an important one for the team to show its 2019 success was not a fluke. It was a great start to the season for both driver and team.
What objectively was his worst race?
With Carlin, his worst result was 13th in the second Iowa race, one where he had to stop with 35 laps to go because the team was not going to make it on fuel and Daly was third when he had to make the stop!
What subjectively was his worst race?
What objectively was his worst race?
With Carlin, his worst result was 13th in the second Iowa race, one where he had to stop with 35 laps to go because the team was not going to make it on fuel and Daly was third when he had to make the stop!
What subjectively was his worst race?
It is the second Iowa race. He did get caught out when he stopped two laps before the first caution of the night, which coincidentally was for Ed Carpenter. That set him back and he had to go off strategy and hope for a little luck to get back to the front. His Iowa weekend was better than what an eighth and a 13th tell you on paper.
Carlin has shown good pace the last two years, on both ovals and road/street courses. This was the first weekend where it all came together, and the team was a front-runner. Something is there. It is just under the surface, but Carlin could be on the verge of a breakout.
Conor Daly's 2020 Statistics with Carlin
Championship Position: 17th (116 of 237 points with Carlin)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 4
Laps Led: 17
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 10.8
Average Finish: 9.0
Championship Position: 17th (116 of 237 points with Carlin)
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Top Fives: 0
Top Tens: 4
Laps Led: 17
Poles: 1
Fast Sixes: 0
Fast Twelves: 0
Average Start: 10.8
Average Finish: 9.0
An Early Look Ahead
Remember when Felipe Nasr and Sérgio Sette Câmara were going to be in the Carlin's second car this year? Man, this year was weird.
We don't know Carlin's plans for 2021.
I think the team has something good going, though it has yet to stand on the podium and its only top five finish was back in its first season. The team didn't have the funding for two cars, but the one car it did have was respectable, especially with Daly behind the wheel and Chilton was not awful, though he remains a tenth or two off being a top ten finisher.
The hope would be the team could expand back to two cars, but with the current environment, that will be a difficult accomplishment. Chilton is always going to be in the plans because of his father's involvement with the team and Gallagher sponsorship and Chilton hasn't been terrible. He made nine starts and completed 800 of 800 laps in his nine starts. It sucks that he keeps falling short of the top ten, but he has been competent, and I would rather have Chilton on the grid than a handful of other drivers.
If Chilton decides to do the Indianapolis 500 again, there will only be three open races.
Daly could keep splitting time between Carlin and Ed Carpenter Racing. If anything, it would make sense if the teams established an official partnership, not merge, but extensively shared data and worked together at every race, especially if Daly has the same setup in 2021.
However, Daly might be sold on being a full-time driver with one team, one set of engineers and one set of overalls. In that case, would the two Texas races and Gateway be enough for another driver, especially if the team does not run that driver in an additional car for Indianapolis? I am sure there is someone who would bite, but I doubt any of those biters could be close to as competitive as Daly.
The team has expressed interest in expanding back to two cars. The only issue I see is funding and a driver will have to bring it. At that point, Carlin is at the behest of the driver and the quality of that driver will determine which direction the team heads. There are a handful of veterans out there who could come in and help that team move forward, which would help Chilton's results as well. In all likelihood, the team would have to take on a younger driver, new to IndyCar and the results would fluctuate more. If Carlin has to bring in multiple drivers to fill the second car, it is going to be another year of stunted progress.
There is the concern Carlin could call it a day, especially if Chilton decides he is ready to walk away from IndyCar. That would be a blow for IndyCar. Carlin was a big snag a few years ago. It is an international junior formula powerhouse. IndyCar was always a big step up, but Carlin is a stout organization and it can find success. It has yet to happen in IndyCar. The team has had some growing pains, trying to find the funding to field two cars and then the pandemic occurring at the wrong time forced the team to consolidate its efforts.
Carlin has the speed to be competitive. If Carlin sticks with it, good things will come. I hope the team returns for 2021 and I hope it gets the desired results next year.
