Indy-Detroit turnaround takes toll George Sipple
Drivers go from month of mastering an oval to grind of doubleheader
Two tracks. Three races. That’s the difficult challenge Conor Daly and other Verizon IndyCar Series drivers are tasked with at this time of year as they transition from the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to the street course at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park.
They spent May preparing for the Indianapolis 500 — the series’ crown jewel — won by Takuma Sato on Sunday. And now they head to Detroit for a pair of 70-lap races Saturday and Sunday as part of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
“This is one place that you put so many man-hours — so (much) effort, and it’s over in 3 1⁄2 hours, that’s why this place is unique,” three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves said of IMS before finishing second to Sato.
Now they have to quickly prepare for the grind of a doubleheader in Detroit. They will be challenged by a 2.35-mile, 13-turn temporary street course.
“Especially for the mechanics, it’s really hard,” Castroneves said of preparing the different cars. “The good news is it’s the same for everyone.”
James Hinchcliffe agreed with Castroneves that the turnaround is tough for the race team members.
“We call it the May hangover,” Hinchcliffe said. “When the 500 is done, it takes a couple days to recover from everything we do in this month. Then have to head to Detroit for a doubleheader. It’s pretty tough on everyone.
“You have double points, obviously, in the 500. Then essentially double points in Detroit with two races. That eight-day stretch can have a huge impact on your season.”
Castroneves has had the most success at Belle Isle, winning three times (2000, 2001 and the second race in 2014).
Other Belle Isle winners entered this year are Tony Kanaan (2007), Scott Dixon (2012), Simon Pagenaud (Race 2, 2013), Will Power (Race 1, 2014; Race 2, 2016) and Carlos Munoz (Race 1, 2015).
Pagenaud, the defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion, is looking forward to Detroit.
“We’re still in that top group in points as we head to Detroit,” Pagenaud said. “That’s a place that suits us pretty well.”
Castroneves leads the series with 245 points, despite only one podium finish this season. Pagenaud, Sato and Scott Dixon each have 234 points, followed by Alexander Rossi (190).
George Klotz, the team manager for A.J. Foyt Racing and the team strategist for Daly’s No. 4 ABC Supply Co. Chevrolet, said the short turnaround for Detroit — prepping the car at their Speedway, Ind., shop on the Monday after the Indy 500 — makes it tough.
“Everybody’s pretty much worn out,” Klotz said after spending the month on the superspeedway at IMS.
Added Larry Foyt, president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises, “The biggest thing is you hope you don’t have a crash.”
The crew was back at the shop at 8 a.m. preparing for the turnaround after Daly crashed on lap 66 Sunday and finished 30th among the 33-car field.
What gives the team hope after that grueling month is the success that Daly has experienced on Belle Isle.
“We’ve led a lot of laps here,” Daly said of Detroit. “We’ve been on the podium. It’s my first IndyCar podium, which is really cool.”
Daly, 25, has finished outside the top six only once in four races at the track, so he comes in with confidence. He has led 16 laps in those four races and finished second in the first Detroit dual in 2016.
“I hope to get a win there next,” said Daly, who is still looking for his first career IndyCar win.
It has been a tough season so far for Daly, who doesn’t have a top-10 finish.
Daly said he loves the track and the tworace format, even though it is challenging.
The team knew this would be a tough season with new drivers in Daly and Munoz and a switch from Honda to Chevrolet engines.
“He has good runs there,” Klotz said of Daly. “Just looking forward to that now.”