NEWTON, Iowa – Ryan Hunter-Reay is recounting for three Des Moines TV stations how he powered through half the field in the final 10 laps last July to win the Verizon IndyCar Series race at Iowa Speedway.
“Good memories,” he says. “One of the most fun 10 minutes I’ve had in a race car.”
The driver of the No. 28 DHL Andretti Autosport Honda would welcome any positives in the midst of a trying season, and the Iowa Corn 300 under the lights July 18 could be the turning point to closing the season with a few good memories.
Hunter-Reay, who recorded his first victory at Iowa Speedway on the way to the 2012 Verizon IndyCar Series championship, has a single top-five finish at Barber Motorsports Park in late April through 12 races.
It’s uncustomary. It’s frustrating. It’s challenging.
“It’s been a real struggle,” he said.
"You have to keep a cool head, be professional and get on with the job. That’s a good thing about the Verizon IndyCar Series; even if you don’t have a good practice session or qualifying, you still have a shot in the race. You have to keep digging hard in the race because it can turn your way at any time."
He’s the only driver entered with two wins -- both in Andretti Autosport’s run of five consecutive victories on the .893-mile, variably-banked oval that Hunter-Reay says is “like driving an IndyCar in a soup bowl.”
“With the short ovals, the way things are panning out in practice and testing, you think the race is going to be one way and you get into the actual battle of the race and everything changes. At any point you could have a car that is 10th or 11th and it could be a contender at the end of the race. You never know what’s coming.”
That was the case last year when Hunter-Reay took away what appeared to be a dominant race win by Tony Kanaan just two laps from the checkered flag. Kanaan led 247 of the 300 laps, but couldn't stave off Hunter-Reay after a late-race pit stop under caution for four Firestone Firehawks catapulted the No. 28 car to victory by .5814 of a second.
“Everything happens so fast here,” said Hunter-Reay, who qualified 13th last year. You have to be on your toes to change the car in the race. At the same time, a 300-mile race around here feels like a 500-mile race. This is the most demanding race physically we run every year.”