I’ll admit it. I’m not a soccer aficionado.
That said, I always enjoy the World Cup. True, I don’t break down the games with the passion of some of my soccer-crazed friends, but I enjoy the stakes, drama and competition. The United States may be sitting this one out, but I still find storylines of intrigue and find myself with rooting interest.
Which takes me to this column. It’s not necessarily for INDYCAR diehards, but rather for the casual or introductory viewer still looking for the connection to draw them in. Let’s call it the newcomer’s guide to selecting your new favorite driver.
Believe me, I can hear you right now. “Query, I wouldn’t be on this page if I wasn’t a fan!” you’re probably shouting. Let me offer this as an invitation for you to share with that someone you keep wanting to join you for a race. Read them the tidbits, see which connects, and voila, you have a viewing companion for the next event.
Without further ado, allow me to introduce you to the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series field.
Jordan King: After a vast racing career that began with karts in his native England, the Brit reached the summit of North American open-wheel racing when he landed a job driving road and street courses for Ed Carpenter Racing. The next day, he climbed Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa.
Zachary Claman DeMelo: Brash but jovial, the Canadian is rarely seen without a ball cap, and never seen wearing it anyways but backwards. Just 20, he has spent half his life in racing, often bringing his own sponsorship money to secure rides.
Max Chilton: Chilton met his wife when, at the age of 6, his father bought art from 4-year-old Chloe’s father’s art gallery. As a wedding gift, he bought Chloe a 1959 Mercedes, as both of his parents were born that year. He drives car 59.
Scott Dixon: Born in Australia but raised in New Zealand, Dixon is the third-winningest driver in Indy car history. He and wife Emma are raising their two daughters in Indianapolis. He has twice been named New Zealand’s Sportsman of the year, while also appearing on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior.”
Josef Newgarden: One of the most gregarious promoters of the series, the Tennessee native grew up playing football and basketball. A Yankees fan and animal lover, Josef considers himself an introvert. Only he seems to think that.
Tony Kanaan: A native of Brazil, Kanaan is now an American citizen who calls Indiana home. He and wife Lauren are expecting and he will become a father for the fourth time. A fan favorite, he has a tattoo of the Borg-Warner Trophy, has run the One America 500 Festival Mini-Marathon, the Ironman championships and eaten most every fried delicacy available at the Indiana State Fair.
Marco Andretti: Known as fiercely loyal to his friends, he married wife Marta last fall. He lives in his childhood home in Pennsylvania and has hosted many of his competitors for weekend getaways.
Ed Jones: One of a small number of drivers to be their country’s lone representative in Indy 500 history, Jones is of British descent but was born in United Arab Emirates. He finished third in his rookie Indy 500 and considers boxing among his favorite sports.
Ryan Hunter-Reay: After losing his mother to cancer in 2009, Hunter-Reay has worked tirelessly with his Racing for Cancer charity for research. An avid fisherman, Ryan can often be found on a boat in his home state of Florida. He and wife Beccy have three sons.
Matheus Leist: At 19, the youngest full-time driver in the series; teammate Tony Kanaan is the oldest. Quiet and humble, Leist carries an easygoing eagerness to learn. Like Kanaan, Leist was born in Brazil. A.J. Foyt, his boss, has been known to call him “the kid.”
Charlie Kimball: A Type I diabetic, Kimball is a spokesperson for sponsor Novo Nordisk, an insulin supplier. Kimball grew up on an avocado farm near Camarillo, California, and married his high school sweetheart, Kathleen. They call Indianapolis home and are expecting their first child.
Graham Rahal: As proud of his home state as anyone you’ll find, the Ohioan is a huge supporter of both the Ohio State Buckeyes and the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets. Married to NHRA star Courtney Force, Rahal has his own foundation that assists children with medical conditions.
Zach Veach: Another from the Buckeye state, he first watched motorsports attending his dad’s tractor pulls. An avid rock climber, Veach’s goal is to scale Yosemite’s 3,593-foot El Capitan. He listens to Bob Dylan and music from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
Alexander Rossi: An only child, Rossi grew up in California playing basketball before being introduced to racing on a family vacation. He lived in England in his early career and became a fan of the only NFL team regularly aired in the U.K., the New England Patriots. He loves the outdoors and his favorite vacation spot is Lake Tahoe.
Gabby Chaves: Born in Bogota, Colombia, Chaves has dual citizenship and grew up in Florida. A soccer enthusiast, he also enjoys flying and racing drones. Calls Indianapolis home.
James Hinchcliffe: Appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” and more recently was the front man for Honda commercials. A native of Toronto, Hinchcliffe lives in Indianapolis. He helped develop a beer with an Indianapolis microbrewery and is an ambassador for New Era hats. He wears racing shoes that have “go” and “stop” embroidered on the respective pedal feet. A collector of guitars. Has never met a stranger.
Robert Wickens: A longtime friend and now teammate of Hinchcliffe’s, Wickens, too, is native to Ontario, Canada. A diehard Maple Leafs hockey fan, Wickens has moved to the Indianapolis area with his fiancée. He fancies himself an expert of sushi restaurants.
Spencer Pigot: Born in Pasadena, California, just nine months before it hosted matches for the 1994 World Cup. That’s a shame, because Pigot is a huge soccer fan who watches Manchester United at every opportunity. Grew up in Orlando, Florida, but now calls Indianapolis home.
Takuma Sato: A bicycling champion as a younger man, the 41-year-old began racing karts at the age of 19. A virtual folk hero in his native Japan, Sato is the first Japanese driver to win a major open-wheel race in the United States (Long Beach, 2013) and first to win the Indy 500 (2017).
Sebastian Bourdais: A fan of the band Muse and the NBC show “The Blacklist,” Bourdais began racing at the age of 3 on a Yamaha motorbike his father bought. He grew up in a village outside Le Mans, France, but now calls St. Petersburg, Florida, home. He and his wife Claire have two children. He has 37 career wins, sixth most in Indy car history.
Simon Pagenaud: Easygoing and personable Frenchman who has said he enjoys the convenience of America. “If you need groceries at two in the morning, you can get then at two in the morning.” Fitness enthusiast who enjoys a variety of outdoor sports. Seemingly always in a positive mood, he is a collector of wine and muscle cars. Lives near Charlotte, North Carolina.
Will Power: An Australian, he actually does eat Vegemite as well as banana smoothies during race weekends. Grew up one of four boys in his family. While he may not have the overt humor shown by his brother who is a stand-up comedian, Will possesses a dry but sharp wit. Wife Liz attended high school in suburban Indianapolis. They now live in Charlotte, North Carolina with their son, Beau.
Ed Carpenter: Born in Paris, Illinois but raised in Indianapolis, Carpenter is an avid supporter of his hometown Pacers, Colts and the basketball team of his alma mater, Butler University. Enjoyed renovating and flipping houses in his younger days, but his time is now occupied as his team’s owner, as a part-time driver and as a father of three.
Jack Harvey: An accomplished racer, Harvey has long dreamed of the stars. “Star Wars” is his favorite movie, and he dreamed of being an astronaut. A native of a small British village, Harvey now calls Indianapolis home and once said “starting the Indy 500 will always be my greatest accomplishment.”
Rene Binder: A college graduate with an engineering degree, the Austrian speaks three languages. He enjoys skiing but comes from a racing family. His grandfather, father and uncle were all grand prix racers.
So, there you have it, an intro to the Verizon IndyCar Series field. It’s a great group of guys to cover. I hope your friends find one that connects. When you bring them to their first race, be sure to say hi.
As long as I’m not watching the World Cup.