WEST ALLIS, Wis. – Following a victory tour of local morning shows July 13, Sebastien Bourdais packed up the family and a prize 22-pound wheel of cheese in the motorhome and continued their summer adventure of America’s heartland.
The winner of the ABC Supply Wisconsin 250 at Milwaukee IndyFest presented by the Metro Milwaukee Honda Dealers in the No. 11 Team Hydroxycut-KVSH Racing Chevrolet also is the driver of the RV.
Their next lengthy stop will be Iowa Speedway, which this week hosts the Iowa Corn 300 and provides another opportunity for Bourdais to continue his ascent in the Verizon IndyCar Series standings.
Through three-fourths of the Verizon IndyCar Series season, he’s secured two victories and five other top-10 finishes for sixth place in the championship.
Bourdais, who gathered up his son and daughter in his arms minutes after prevailing over Helio Castroneves by 2.2366 seconds in the arduous 250-lap race, won for the fifth on an oval.
“It's one of those days where just everything works out,” said Bourdais, who led three times for a field-high 118 laps on the 1.015-mile oval.
Of course, it’s worked out well over Bourdais’ Indy car career -- 34 victories to tie Al Unser Jr. for seventh all time, four series championships and 33 pole starts – that was bisected by an unsatisfying stint in Formula One.
“I respect the stats because you put yourself on a very special list with very respected and great drivers. But I don't live for stats,” the St. Petersburg, Fla.-based driver said. “I don't look and contemplate myself. It's not me. I just enjoy the moment, have fun with it.”
At 36, Bourdais is in a different station in life professionally and personally.
Driving for powerhouse Newman/Haas Racing in 2003-07, he won 41 percent of his starts. He returned to Indy car racing part time in 2011 and didn’t compete in a full season until 2013 with overmatched Dragon Racing. Now in his second year with KVSH Racing, which is co-owned by former Indy car driver Jimmy Vasser, Kevin Kalkhoven and James “Sully” Sullivan, the on-track performance is matching his competitive spirit in waves.
He's adding to his legacy.
“(KVSH Racing) gave me a chance to finally get me back in a car that's something able to contend for wins,” he said. “Not every weekend, but it's a very competitive field. When you look who can win every weekend, it's actually not so easy.
“We're just really starting to make progress on the ovals. Every oval is different. There is no testing, so continuity is the key. That's where it takes time to get back in the groove. Now it's starting to come together.
“We're just going out there with our guts and our feelings and our energy. It's a small group, but it's a heck of a group, and I'm really enjoying my time.
“I'm 36 years old, and I don't feel I've been any better than I am right now. I'm just hoping it lasts as long as I can.”