Simon Pagenaud Looking To Repeat As INDYcar Champ

Column By: JOHN DOUGLAS / RPW – ST. PETERSBURG, FL – Last year’s Verizon INDYCAR Champion Simon Pagenaud was a prime example of talent with support achieving amazing things. He proved to just about everyone in the INDYCAR garage, and the fans as well, that the initial hype was spot on.

Hired by Roger Penske in 2015, Pagenaud showed hints of brilliance while finishing 11th in the Driver’s Championship and learning to exploit the next level teamwork and performance of Penske Racing.

Fast forward one year and Pagenaud came out of the gate swiging. Taking second place in the season’s first two events, the Frenchman took only three races to find victory lane at one of INDYCAR’s biggest events. The Long Beach Grand Prix has been won by all the major names in modern INDYCAR racing. Pagenaud added his name to that list with his victory from the pole.

He backed up that win in the next two events as well, winning both The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park and the Indianapolis Grand Prix in the lead up to the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500.

This gave the 32-year-old a decisive advantage in the points standings as the middle of the season set in.

The season wasn’t without its low points, however, as the Indianapolis 500 saw him finish 19th followed by a 13th place at the first round of the Chevrolet Dual In Detroit from Belle Isle.

Wins at Mid-Ohio and the final race of the season at the Go Pro Grand Prix of Sonoma clinched Pagenaud his first career INDYCAR Series championship.

This season, Pagenaud looks to defend his 2016 series crown. Remaining with Team Penske and Chevrolet, he has a distinct advantage over rivals from the Ganassi camp, including Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan, as they may have some teething problems with their switch from the “bow-tie brigade” to Honda power.

Pagenaud takes to the track for the first time in 2017 along with the rest of the Verizon INDYCAR Series this weekend in the season opener at St. Petersburg, FL. Television coverage will begin at 12 P.M. EST on ABC.