ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin – Midway through its first full-time season in the Verizon IndyCar Series, Harding Racing continues refining its team structure working behind driver Gabby Chaves.
Gerald Tyler, hired as the team’s technical director in April, took on the added responsibility as team engineer this weekend for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America. While the progress was slow, Chaves drove to a 19th-place finish Sunday in the No. 88 Harding Group Chevrolet.
“The transition has been very smooth so far,” Tyler said of the change, which saw engineer Matt Curry shifted to other duties within the organization. “I know Gabby has so much talent. We’re really getting to know each other more on this level by going over things after each session.”
Chaves, driving for Harding Racing for the second season believes the change can help the team moving forward.
“The transition has been OK,” Chaves said before the race. “Anytime you switch people around isn’t ideal, but I think as a team we’re just trying to look for a new approach. With that, we understand it’s like starting over from scratch and finding new ways to approach things.”
Brian Barnhart joined the team as president in December and has helped shape the organization since he came on board. With no finish better than 14th place in the first nine races of the Verizon IndyCar Series season, he felt a change was needed.
“We needed a change for the group to try to alter the direction and momentum and re-invigorate the guys,” Barnhart said. “We’re coming off a stretch of the guys working so hard and no time off and the guys need something to re-energize them.
“Being a one-car, start-up team is a challenge with how competitive the IndyCar Series is. Hopefully, this will re-energize everyone and bring the results we’re hoping for.”
Chaves’ race on Sunday was hindered by a drive-through penalty for striking pit equipment on a stop, but the 2015 series rookie of the year was pleased with the progress shown over the weekend.
“It felt like we made some good changes overnight and we were able to pass some cars, be aggressive and have fun out there in the first few stints,” Chaves said. “Unfortunately, we had an issue with one of the air guns, I’m not quite sure what happened, but we ended up running over one of our air hoses. That cost us a drive-through, which obviously on a long pit lane basically ended our day.
“Anyways, it’s been a very positive change to challenge a bit more and race some cars. We were unlucky at the end, but we made a lot of progression, which was the goal. Really looking forward to Iowa now.”
Newgarden makes campground visit to see his ‘New-Garden’ grow
On the eve of his win Sunday at the KOHLER Grand Prix, Josef Newgarden ventured to the Turn 1 campground area of Road America to see first-hand the “New-Garden” some of his fans constructed in his honor.
Complete with tiny cutout photos of his face as well as those of Team Penske teammates Simon Pagenaud and Will Power, Newgarden was delighted with the look.
“These people had a professional setup with little baby Josefs growing,” Newgarden said with a laugh. “It was kind of cool. I'm actually very disappointed they didn't win the whole campground (best design) competition. The judges were there. I tried to slip them a 50; they weren't having it.
“But I think just on execution, those guys killed it. They had my vote. I wish they would have won. Either way, really cool to see. That's what Road America brings, those kind of fun things. Hopefully, those guys come again next year and do the same thing.”
