BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Gus Malzahn has coached some great athletes, but the Auburn University football coach had a newfound appreciation for the conditioning of Verizon IndyCar Series drivers after visiting the KV Racing Technology compound before the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama.
Malzahn was a guest of Raymond Harbert, chairman and CEO of the Harbert Management Company that was an associate sponsor for the race on the No. 4 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet driven by Stefano Coletti.
“I enjoy Indy car racing and this will be my first experience seeing it first-hand,” Malzahn said as he took his first close-up look at the cars. “The fact that it worked out, I was in town already with Mr. Harbert and Charlie Miller (Harbert’s executive vice president and global head of distribution), it’s great to be here. I’m just learning about it behind the scenes.”
Malzahn, who guided Auburn to the national championship game in his first year in 2013, was an interested spectator in Coletti’s pit during the race. He was impressed with the preparations drivers must undertake to stand up to the rigors of the the racing and schedule.
“It’s real interesting to me about the drivers, how much they have to work out and how fit they’ve got to be,” Malzahn said. “I just got through talking to (Coletti) and he was talking about his workout routine. A lot of people probably don’t know that, but working out two hours a day and the mental and physical awareness you have to have to do this is really unbelievable.”
Warm welcome back to state
Brian Campe, race engineer for Juan Pablo Montoya’s No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet, grew up in Huntsville, Ala. His father was a NASA employee at the Huntsville aerospace facility.
“We finished the 2014 season on a high note and we have carried that momentum through the offseason and into the start of 2015,” Campe said. “We found out where our weaknesses were and we attacked those, which were the street courses and road courses, and we’ve been strong in those areas so far.”
Montoya won the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and entered the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama as the Verizon IndyCar Series championship points leader.
Inspired by Karam
Country music singer/songwriter Drake White of Gadsden, Ala., performed the national anthem.
His name was on a decal on the No. 8 Comfort Revolution/Big Machine Records Chevrolet driven by Sage Karam. White is signed to Dot Records, a Big Machine subsidiary, and said he draws motivation from the progress of Karam, who at 20 is the youngest driver in the field.
“To come out here and see my name and my hard work paying off from a music standpoint, and being plastered on the back of a car, is pretty awesome,” White said. “(Karam) being a young guy and being able to come out here and do what he’s been able to do is just a testament to his dedication and his talent.
“I love the aspect of maybe telling somebody to follow the dream or push forward or go for it. Just because it hasn’t been done doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. He’s really inspired me to go out and push my boundaries musically.”
Other people and places
Former NFL player Kendall Simmons visited with Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing's Charlie Kimball before the race. Both have type 1 diabetes. ... Olympic gold medalist Tyler Clary stopped by the Chip Ganassi Racing Teams prep area to say hello. ... Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk drove the Honda Accord Safety Car.
Of note
Helio Castroneves is the only driver to lead laps in all four races this season. ... Tony Kanaan made his 237th consecutive start dating to Portland in 2001.