Because the machine by which he achieved his biggest profession successes, Ryan Hunter-Reay’s decide for his favorite automobile comes as no shock. The extra pertinent query is establishing the 2012 IndyCar champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner’s most popular specification of the stalwart Dallara DW12.
So named after the late Dan Wheldon, who accomplished many of the growth work on the automobile and was slated to be Hunter-Reay’s team-mate in 2012 earlier than his loss of life at Las Vegas in 2011, the DW12 could be thought of as a household of automobiles that share the identical identify in an analogous vein to Audi’s R18. The unique guise was utilized in 2012-14; manufacturer-specific aerokits spanned 2015-17; a revised spec bodykit given the IR-18 designation appeared in 2018, whereas the arrival of hybrid earlier this 12 months represented one other ‘new’ period.
PRIME: The lengthy evolution of Dallara’s Indy 500 winner
Hunter-Reay picks the Chevrolet-powered model he raced in 2012-13, above the Honda-propelled iteration he drove to victory lane on the Brickyard, as his favorite instance of the DW12. That Hunter-Reay’s ongoing Indy 500-only cope with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing means he’s getting ready for a 3rd straight 12 months utilizing Chevy engines in 2025 is merely circumstantial when expressing his desire.
“I actually acquired on nicely with the DW12 when it got here out,” he says. “I’ve acquired such a fantastic reminiscence of that DW12 when it was producing a number of downforce; it was manner lighter than it’s now and that basically suited my driving fashion.
“I would like a number of entrance aero, a really optimistic entrance finish, and that automobile allowed me to develop my set-ups to go well with me. It was one thing that we began with a clear sheet of paper and that basically benefited us.”
Hunter-Reay factors to 2012 being “such a particular time in IndyCar” as the primary time since he’d arrived on the pinnacle of the US open-wheel scene in 2003 that he’d been concerned with creating a brand-new automobile. The DW12 additionally ushered in a brand new period of two.2-litre V6 turbos and Hunter-Reay, who had joined Andretti Autosport in 2010, was closely concerned with check and growth work for the GM model.
Hunter-Reay relished being a part of the event programme of a brand new IndyCar for the primary time in his profession
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures
“It was the primary time I had ever carried out something like that, the place I used to be one of many lead growth drivers with Chevy in creating not solely the powerplant, the drivability aspect of it, however every part else that went together with attempting to get essentially the most out of that new chassis,” the 43-year-old explains. “That was an enormous not solely studying level in my profession, however an enormous maturation course of for me.”
A driver who had gained twice in his first two seasons in Champ Automobile had struggled to discover a constantly aggressive experience earlier than touchdown at Andretti. Wins at Lengthy Seashore (2010) and New Hampshire (2011) adopted, however Workforce Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing had come to be the dominant forces difficult for titles with the venerable Dallara IR-05. As such, Hunter-Reay welcomed the DW12’s arrival as “a brand new automobile re-stacked the deck, it was a chance to reap the benefits of. As soon as we have been capable of begin yet again, it levelled the taking part in subject”.
Hunter-Reay believes DW12 “got here at precisely the correct time” in his profession as “I used to be simply beginning to hit my stride”. And an ideal mixture of things helped yield the crown, beating Penske’s Will Energy.
“Penske additionally had Chevy energy, so it was tight competitors, however I simply was capable of take to each other with it” Ryan Hunter-Reay
“I used to be firing on all cylinders, the staff was as nicely,” he displays. “Chevy additionally had a bonus, in particularly the primary half of the season, and you need to strike whereas the iron’s scorching. Penske additionally had Chevy energy, so it was tight competitors, however I simply was capable of take to each other with it.”
It additionally helped that Hunter-Reay didn’t waste alternatives once they got here his manner. “His knack for stepping up on crunch weekends paid off in an enormous manner,” remarked Motorsport.com’s season evaluate.
Hunter-Reay’s first win didn’t come till June, in spherical eight at Milwaukee, the place he ran on the entrance all day and the staff made the correct tyre calls to get him forward of Helio Castroneves (Penske). However that started a scorching streak of three on the spin, throughout as many alternative configurations of observe (flat oval, banked oval, road observe).
He went unbeaten throughout Iowa – heading team-mate Marco Andretti – and Toronto, the place a well-timed early cease earlier than a warning that scuppered Energy helped vault him into victory rivalry, and duly usurped Energy because the factors chief till engine failure at Mid-Ohio swung the needle again within the Australian’s path.
Hunter-Reay loved a scorching streak throughout mid-season in 2012, pictured right here main team-mate Marco Andretti to victory at Iowa
Picture by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Pictures
Hunter-Reay then responded nicely to being rotated by Alex Tagliani and ending 18th at Sonoma, a consequence that left him 36 factors behind Energy with two races to go. His fourth victory of the 12 months within the penultimate spherical on Baltimore’s bumpy road observe was “large” for his championship: “Successful that race is what actually put us within the title struggle going to Fontana,” he says.
When rain hit, Hunter-Reay caught with slicks whereas chief Energy opted for wets that he later ditched. The impressed name put Hunter-Reay into rivalry for victory, which he grasped by passing Ryan Briscoe (Penske) at a late restart.
The consequence nonetheless left him with work to do heading to the 500-mile Fontana finale. However dealing with a 17-point deficit, Hunter-Reay says “we simply by no means gave up”, even within the data that Energy would want a foul day. That’s precisely what transpired.
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He inflicted Energy’s third straight slender defeat in a nail-biting conclusion after an early crash for the Australian, whose spin whereas battling Hunter-Reay practically eradicated each automobiles. A courageous effort from Energy to return to the observe in his rapidly repaired automobile and achieve another place meant Hunter-Reay wanted to complete fifth, which was removed from sure till attrition hit within the closing laps.
He was operating fourth, battling Takuma Sato, with Castroneves closing quick on new tyres within the closing laps, when Sato too shunted. That froze the order and topped RH-R as champion after a race that “felt prefer it went on for 4 days”. He provides the expertise of “working underneath that strain additionally ready me and set me up for the 2014 Indy 500 win” when combating tooth and nail with Castroneves.
“I’ve at all times thought inside the trade, a season championship is revered a couple of race consequence,” he considers. “The Indy 500, nevertheless, transcends motorsports, so from a eliminated perspective, the Indy 500 carries extra weight and worth to a driver’s profession. Nonetheless, inside the racing trade and inside that paddock, amongst groups and every part else, the general championship is the true mark of respect.”
It additionally meant Hunter-Reay had the possibility to run #1 on his automobile in 2013. Though issues hardly ever went to plan as elements usually past his management restricted him to simply two wins at Barber and Milwaukee, the Dallas native is proud that the chance was there to alternate along with his common #28, chosen to symbolize the 28 million folks worldwide combating most cancers.
Hunter-Reay survived nervy last race at Fontana to clinch 2012 title, which stays the final IndyCar crown not taken by a Ganassi or Penske driver
Picture by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Pictures
“You have labored your complete profession to have the ability to put one quantity in your automobile, and that quantity’s #1,” he says. “We went forwards and backwards on ‘ought to we simply hold the #28?’ However after I thought concerning the historical past of that custom of the champion taking the #1, it was too vital to move up.”
It was additionally the final time an Andretti Autosport [now Andretti Global] driver carried that quantity. The staff continues to be ready so as to add one other IndyCar title to its roster, with Ganassi (seven) and Penske (5) resuming hegemony.
At the moment the DW12 options “the identical security cell, the carbon fibre monocoque, the bathtub is similar”, however has little else in frequent with its 2012 spec. Hunter-Reay is evident {that a} automobile by which his most up-to-date win got here within the 2018 Sonoma finale is to date faraway from the unique package deal – with extra weight ensuing from the halo, aeroscreen, hybrid models and anti-intrusion panels – as to be “a totally totally different automobile”.
“The automobile drives fully totally different, not even near the place it was previous to the producer aerokits,” he factors out. However like Hunter-Reay himself, for whom the fervour for racing burns as vivid as ever, it has no finish in sight.
The present iteration of the DW12 is so totally different from the unique that Hunter-Reay regards it as a special automobile
Picture by: Phillip Abbott / Motorsport Pictures
On this article
James Newbold
IndyCar
Ryan Hunter-Reay
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