
Under new leadership yet again for the 2014 campaign Indycar instituted several changes, apparently operating under the philosophy ‘if it’s kinda broke, then half-ass fix it.’ One modification brought a more compact schedule with fewer gaps but lasting less than six months and concluded by Labor Day. While the more concentrated schedule with less momentum-killing layoffs was an improvement, we’d still like to see more races and an earlier start to the season.
Next year’s schedule hasn’t been released yet to the consternation of many, but this is standard operating procedure for IndyCar. While leaks and snippets have caused angst amongst some, we’re taking a largely wait and see approach to 2015. The subtraction of Houston from next year’s lineup is a positive move though, as the track was a dangerous and thrown together creation on a parking lot, for goodness sake. It’s the track that nearly killed Dario and big league racing can do better.

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The series also relied upon double header races at three different street venues again in 2014 to reach eighteen races for the season. For the three 500 mile races double points were awarded in an effort to balance the increasingly road and street course-heavy schedule. This trend is not helpful because the on-track product suffers when fewer oval tracks are visited. Tracks like Michigan, Kentucky, Phoenix and others all should be brought back to IndyCar. Re-instituting the 500 mile triple crown this season added an extra element of racing (as well as more mileage) and should be continued along with some 400 mile events.

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Penalties were another focal point of 2014, with both calls and non-calls making headlines and causing outrage across IndyCar association of states. Race control added Jan Beekhuis as a steward late in the season as it seems rules related issues are still being sorted out by Derrick Walker and Beaux Barfield. Most races went fairly smoothly even in spite of an earthquake at Sonoma, although it seemed race control was a larger part of the story this year, which isn’t a positive development. Refs aren’t what fill the stands or gain viewers.
With a few exceptions like the usual suspects Barber and Mid-Ohio, the racing was highly entertaining and exciting this season. Weather intruded on a couple of races such as Toronto so the new rain tires made their debut, but overall there were few major glitches. It was also a relatively safe season thankfully, although Aleshin’s accident in the final practice was no minor crash.

The series’ crown jewel Indianapolis 500 once again proved thrilling and one of the better races of the year with winner Ryan Hunter-Reay making an agreeable face of IndyCar. Fontana provided an exciting finale as usual, marking an astounding nine years in a row the last race has decided the championship and rewarding Tony Kanaan with a deserved win. Overall, we give IndyCar a solid grade of B for the season – above average with some room for improvement.
Team Grades :
AJ Foyt Racing
Race Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Poles: 2
Sato and the team failed to impress with season high finishes of fourth and fifth after winning a race last year. Another disappointing year means there could be changes in AJ Foyt Racing’s future, starting with the driver.
Bonus Points: Underfunded increasingly rare one car team nominally headed by an IndyCar legend.
Overall Grade: D-

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Andretti Autosport
Race Wins: 3
Podiums: 9
Poles: 1
Carlos Munoz ran an impressive rookie campaign, winning ROY honors and taking three podium finishes.

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Hunter-Reay won the Indy 500 and two other races making the team’s season. Hinchcliffe and Marco were disappointing, as were the team’s qualifying efforts.
Bonus Points: RHR’s first Indy 500 victory and AA’s first since Dario won in 2007.
Overall Grade: B-

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Bryan Herta Autosport
Race Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Poles: 0
English rookie Jack Hawksworth ran well at times taking a podium at Houston race 2, but still has some development to undergo. Herta’s little team like Foyt’s is a dying breed.
Bonus Points: Underfunded one car team with a hungry young Englishman driving.
Overall Grade: D

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Dale Coyne Racing
Race Wins: 1
Podiums: 0
Poles: 0
Carlos Huertas won in Houston race 1 as a rookie, but the team was a non-factor everywhere else and the track’s gone from next year’s schedule. Talented veteran Justin Wilson struggled consistently throughout a difficult season.
Bonus Points: Underfunded two car team run by a quirky former ‘driver.’
Overall Grade: C-

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Ed Carpenter Racing
Race Wins: 3
Podiums: 1
Poles: 1
Conway won Long Beach and Toronto race 2 while Ed won Texas and took the pole at Indy as owner/driver. Next year the team merges with SFHR, which probably can’t hurt.
Bonus Points: One car shared by two drivers, plus Ed’s a true underdog.
Overall Grade: B+

KV Racing
Race Wins: 1
Podiums: 1
Poles: 3
Frenchman Bourdais won Toronto race 1 and finished second at Mid-Ohio. Saavedra struggled mightily all year and in his one highlight he disastrously stalled it on pole at the Indy GP.

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Bonus Points: The number one pilot is a Frenchman. None.
Overall Grade: C-

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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Race Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Poles: 0
Rahal finished second at Detroit Race 1 and later predicted a win by year’s end. He still only has one IndyCar series victory after seven seasons.
Bonus Points: One car team for most of the year, working through a difficult father-son relationship. They lost their main sponsor for next year and appear to be in some disarray.
Overall Grade: D-

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Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
Race Wins: 0
Podiums: 1
Poles: 0
Josef Newgarden finished second at Iowa and had several second place starts in a frustrating season. No wins yet from Newkid after three seasons but a teammate will help.
Bonus Points: One car outfit with lots of potential and merging with ECR in 2015.
Overall Grade: D

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Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Race Wins: 2
Podiums: 1
Poles: 1
Great job by Pagenaud and the underfunded team to battle Penske in the championship right to the end. Pags & Aleshin finished 1-2 at Houston race 2 and Pags won the inaugural Indy Grand Prix. Aleshin showed potential but is currently recovering from serious injuries suffered in the year’s final practice.

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Bonus Points: Schmidt’s an IndyCar guy we all want to root for with two interesting, off beat European drivers. The team represents a future threat provided Pags doesn’t jump ship to Andretti as rumored.
Overall Grade: B-

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Target Chip Ganassi Racing
Race Wins: 3
Podiums: 8
Poles: 1
Dixie and Kanaan came through toward the end of the campaign, but Kimball and especially Briscoe struggled all year in a disappointing 25th anniversary for Target. They should be even more adept with the bow tie next year and carry substantial momentum.

Photo from chipganassiracing.com
Bonus Points: It’s Chip Ganassi. None.
Overall Grade: C+

Team Penske
Race Wins: 5
Podiums: 11
Poles: 9
The team swept the top two spots in the championship with Power prevailing at Fontana. Helio and Montoya both contributed race wins, podiums and poles with Montoya doing so after more than a decade out of the car. They’re top of the class for reasons, folks.

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Bonus Points: None.
Overall Grade: A
