Ryan Hunter-Reay hit his stride last year to earn his first career IZOD IndyCar Series championship. Hunter-Reay’s banner season in 2012 saw him nearly double his career victories total by winning four races, including three in a row, and the Andretti Autosport driver became the first American to win the IndyCar title since Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006.
Hunter-Reay is no longer on the outside looking in and now the 32-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has the target on his back driving the No. 1 car in 2013.
KEYS TO SUCCESS: Although Hunter-Reay’s previous best finish in the overall standings was seventh, it wasn’t a surprise when he won the championship in 2012.
Hunter-Reay’s surge actually started in 2011 after he failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 that year. Hunter-Reay bounced back and finished within the top 10 in nine out of the remaining 11 races, picking up a victory at New Hampshire and third-place finishes at Toronto and Mid-Ohio. He would have been in the title chase that season if the first half of the year hadn’t dragged down his point total.
Hunter-Reay rode that success into 2012 and his three consecutive wins vaulted him to the top of the standings. His versatility to win on ovals (Milwaukee and Iowa) and street courses (Toronto and Baltimore) best exemplifies what it means to be an IndyCar driver.
When it looked like it was Penske driver Will Power’s title to lose late in the season, Hunter-Reay made a risky game-changing pass on Power’s teammate Ryan Briscoe in Baltimore to snatch the win and set up the nail-biting season finale at Fontana, Calif. Hunter-Reay needed to finish fifth or better to clinch the title and he claimed fourth place to win the championship by a slim three points.
ROOM TO IMPROVE: Hunter-Reay admitted during his Q&A session at Barber Motorsports Park on Monday that big tracks like Indianapolis is where he will need to “step it up a little bit.”
Indeed, Hunter-Reay hasn’t had the best of luck at the marquee event of the IZOD IndyCar Series. His best finish at Indianapolis is sixth in 2008, the first time he raced at the historic track.
Since then, Hunter-Reay has had some unfortunate crashes and his car was bumped from the field during qualifying in 2011. Hunter-Reay had to use A.J. Foyt Enterprises’ car, which had qualified, and start at the back of the pack but he still struggled in the race. Last year Hunter-Reay qualified third and started on the front row but problems with his car’s suspension forced him out of the race after 123 laps.
Hunter-Reay at the Indianapolis 500
CANADIAN CONNECTION: Toronto has always had a special place in Hunter-Reay’s heart. One of his earliest victories came at Toronto in the minor league Barber Dodge Pro Series back in 2001 and since joining Andretti Autosport, Hunter-Reay has always finished on podium in Toronto (third in 2010 and 2011, first in 2012).
Of course, team owner Michael Andretti is all too familiar with Victory Lane in Toronto, winning seven times at the street track during his legendary racing career.
OUTLOOK: Hunter-Reay will remain into the title chase and it shouldn’t be out of the question if he successfully defends his IZOD IndyCar Series championship.