Allen Bestwick, Scott Goodyear and Vince Welch huddled last week on pit lane at Barber Motorsports Park, soaking in the sights and sounds of the Verizon IndyCar Series Open Test while shielding themselves from the brisk breeze.
Bestwick, a longtime broadcaster for ABC/ESPN, joins the lineup for ABC’s coverage of the season that begins March 30 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (3 p.m. ET). Bestwick (right, in photo with Scott Goodyear) is the chief announcer, with Goodyear and Eddie Cheever Jr. providing analysis. Welch is joined on pit lane of the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit by Jamie Little and Rick DeBruhl.
“I think we’re always excited to do the St. Pete race,” Welch said. “For one, everyone is enjoying the warm weather and there is a certain energy and excitement of being at the first race of the season. It’s a great venue, the racing is outstanding. It’s a great place to kick off the season. The history of the race has been exciting and the people of St. Petersburg support it.”
ABC returns to televise the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10, both days of time trials for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 17-18 and the 500 Mile Race on May 25 for the 50th consecutive year. ABC also will televise both rounds of the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix on May 31 and June 1.
Added Goodyear: “It’s always nice to kick off the season by doing the first event. I think back to the 1-2-3-4 finish that Andretti had in 2005 and how special that was, and how the event has grown. I’m exciting because we have the opportunity to start at St. Pete and come back for May, and the amount we’re at Indianapolis will be great.”
There were 10 different winners last season, and Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver Scott Dixon came back from a large mid-season deficit to secure his third championship in the season finale. It was the eighth consecutive year that the driver title has been decided in the final race.
If the timesheets from the Open Test are an indicator, then 2014 is shaping up to be another competitive Verizon IndyCar Series season. The top 16 cars were separated by less than a second.
Key storylines that the ABC and IMS Radio Network crews will be following this weekend. CLICK HERE for on-track schedule (IMS Radio Network broadcasts all Verizon IndyCar Series and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires sessions in conjunction with real-time Timing and Scoring):
• Marco Andretti kicked off 2013 with a third-place finish at St. Petersburg, which was the first of five consecutive top 10s on his way to a career-best fifth in the championship standings. Entering his ninth season driving for Andretti Autosport, the 27-year-old son of Michael Andretti and grandson of Mario Andretti (in photo above) seeks to step off to his first series title.
• Both Chevrolet and Honda this season will utilize a twin turbo in the 2.2-liter, direct-injected V6 engine fueled by E85. Chip Ganassi’s four-car team, which won the 2013 entrant and driver championship with Honda power, has switched to Chevrolet. Meanwhile, Andretti Autosport, which won the 2012 championship with Chevrolet power, made the move to Honda. Chevrolet had 10 victories to Honda’s nine last season.
•James Hinchcliffe’s victory at St. Petersburg last March was the first of his three during the season. Simon Pagenaud won his first two races in the series and Charlie Kimball also won for the first time. They all finished in the top 10 of the standings, and how will they break out of the gate in ’14?
•Sebastien Bourdais started 2014 by winning the Rolex 24 At Daytona and garnering a podium finish at the 12 Hours of Sebring. The four-time Champ Car champion moved to KVSH Racing, hoping to bring the Indy 500-winning team its first championship. He started from the pole in the first Indy car race at St. Petersburg in 2003.
•Mike Conway, who scored a victory and four other top-10 finishes in seven races in 2013, will drive the road and street course races for Ed Carpenter Racing. Owner/driver Ed Carpenter will contest the ovals. The combo will be a threat to win at each stop.
• Will Power, the 2013 St. Pete Verizon P1 Award winner and the 2010 race winner, closed the 2013 season strong by winning the final two races. How will the Team Penske driver kick off the new season?
• Juan Pablo Montoya, the 1999 CART champion and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner, returns to Indy car racing with Team Penske. What will be his impact on the championship?