DETROIT – It was bitter cold and nasty in the Motor City on Wednesday, snow falling and wind howling around Little Caesars Arena.
Inside, however, Carlin driver Charlie Kimball kept the pace hot before tipoff in the Detroit Pistons-Philadelphia 76ers NBA game as part of a busy day in the city promoting the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear – the only doubleheader weekend on the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule, set for June 1-3.
Kimball, the eighth-year series driver, was guest of honor for the evening at the spectacular new downtown venue that is also home to the Detroit Red Wings NHL franchise.
From delivering the game ball at half court, to signing autographs, to firing off grand prix T-shirts into the crowd, Kimball – who joined new Verizon IndyCar Series team Carlin this year along with his former Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Max Chilton – pushed himself to the limit in interacting with fans.
Nothing new for Kimball, 33, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2007 but has refused to let it interfere with his love of racing.
In fact, Kimball, a race winner at Mid-Ohio in 2013 and who finished on the podium at Detroit in 2014, spent Wednesday morning visiting with young diabetes patients at the Detroit Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital. He’ll play host to a group of them on race weekend at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park.
“You personally draw strength and inspiration from these kids and families who are also dealing with diabetes,” said Kimball, who drives the No. 23 Tresiba Chevrolet. “I met a young man named Evan, a Wayne State University student, who is 19 and has had diabetes since he was 5. I learned a lot from Evan’s longevity in combating the disease. I don’t know what they get in return from me, but I hope it’s inspiration to do whatever they choose in life … be it a professional athlete, a CEO of a Fortune 500 company … what ever they want to be. That’s my goal.”
Returning to Detroit to promote the race weekend, take in the Pistons game and visit the hospital “was the best day,” said Kimball, who races with a continuous glucose monitor that wirelessly transmits data on the dash and steering wheel. Should his glucose levels fall during a race, he can drink sugar water and orange juice through the drink tube attached to his helmet.
“I grew up watching the Lakers,” said Kimball, who was born in England but raised in California. “I was a Kobe Bryant fan. To come up here to talk about the Detroit Grand Prix and also come out to see a brand-new arena like Little Caesars, which is gorgeous, and catch a Pistons game – that’s pretty spectacular.”
Kimball finished 20th in last month’s season opener, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, that served as Carlin’s debut in the series. The British-based team is known for developing young talent in European junior formulas, and joined Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires – the top level of the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder – in 2015 as a precursor to this year’s move to the Verizon IndyCar Series. Both Kimball and Chilton drove for Carlin on their way up in the past and knows they must lead the way now.
“This is an opportunity for Max and me to step up with our experience and continue to lead the team towards the front,” Kimball said. “It is going to be a great role for us. Both he and I raced at Ganassi. They have loads of experience.
“With Carlin, we will be able to lend our experience and help drive the team in the direction they and we want to go. I’m really excited about the leadership role.”
Ticket information for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix is available at detroitgp.com.
The Verizon IndyCar Series returns to action this weekend with the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway. Qualifying airs live at 8 p.m. ET Friday on NBCSN. Race coverage begins at 9 p.m. Saturday on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.