Five-time USAC National Sprint Car champion Levi Jones’ strongest advice to Gabby Chaves was imparted before the initial practice for the Tony Stewart Classic Midget race at the Lincoln Tech Indianapolis Speedrome.
“Relax. Have fun,” he told the Verizon IndyCar Series’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate (both in photo at left), who had not sat in a Midget before accepting the invitation from Honda Performance Development to compete in the inaugural event July 25 on the one-fifth-mile paved racetrack.
The steering wheel is twice the size and with significantly fewer gauges as the one in the No. 98 Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian Honda he drives in the Verizon IndyCar Series. The driver sits upright, there’s no paddle shifting and the Honda engine is in the front.
“The crew laughed when I went for the seat fitting and (looked around the car),” said Chaves, who turned 22 on July 7.
But, as competitors and spectators discovered in the heats and the 100-lap main race, Chaves was quickly up to the task.
“A race car is a race car,” the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires champion said.
Click it: Recap of Chaves' weekend in a different open-wheel car
He qualified 11th for the final and was running third at the 75-lap mandatory break for tires and chassis adjustments. That’s when Chaves was presented another opportunity he couldn’t refuse.
Shepherd Insurance was offering a $10,000 bonus to the driver who would restart from the rear of the field and make their way back to the front in the final 25 laps. When the first- and second-place drivers declined, Chaves endeared himself further to the crowd by accepting the Tail Gunner Challenge.
“It was worth a try,” said Chaves, who came back to finish fifth. “I wasn't quite sure what to expect in the beginning of the race, but after a few laps I felt very comfortable, felt very quick and saw that I could really challenge any of the guys up front. We put on a great show and am very happy and thankful for the opportunity that Honda and HPD gave me. I had a blast.”
Kyle Hamilton of Danville, Ind., took the victory, leading Laps 14-100.
Kyle O’Gara, a development driver with Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing, started 18th and finished seventh. CFH Racing team manager Andy O’Gara placed 25th.
NASCAR star Tony Stewart of Columbus, Ind., earned his first USAC feature victory at the Speedrome, which has hosted USAC racing since 1958 when Gene Hartley, the winner of USAC’s first-ever race in 1956, won a 50-lap Midget feature.
New members of Hall of Fame
During the event at the Speedrome, Clint Brawner, Jimmy Caruthers, Butch Hartman, Lindsey Hopkins, Jim Hurtubise, Don Kenyon, Sheldon Kinser, Fred Lorenzen, Roger Penske, Larry Rice, Shorty Templeman and Sleepy Tripp were inducted into the USAC Hall of Fame.
Infraction rescinded
INDYCAR announced a rescinded infraction from the Iowa Corn 300 on July 18.
Driver James Jakes of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports had his $500 fine rescinded for violating Rule 1.2.7.1.2 of the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook (Personal Safety Equipment, visor up during pit stop fueling) after further review of the incident determined the violation did not occur.
Of note
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced a new, multi-year partnership with Ganesh Machinery, which offers a full line of CNC machining and turning centers. As an associate partner, Ganesh Machinery branding will be on both cars in the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season. … Herta's Global Rallycross team, with driver Patrik Sandell, won the final at Belle Isle on July 26. ... Indy Lights driver Matthew Brabham, who earlier this month made his Verizon IndyCar Series test debut in an Andretti Autosport Honda at Iowa Speedway, over the weekend made his Late Model debut at Tri County Speedway in North Carolina.