Ed Carpenter Racing
The cast: Driver – Ed Carpenter. Chief engineer – Matt Barnes. Race strategist/general manager -- Derrick Walker.
Twitter: @edcarpenter20, @ECRIndy
The car: No. 20 Chevrolet-powered Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka
Snapshot: Carpenter liked tractors as a youngster living in Marshall, Ill. In fact, it’s how he learned how to drive.
The stats: Carpenter won the season finale for the second consecutive year, this time for the team he owns. He had two other top-10 finishes (consecutive oval events at Milwaukee and Iowa) and had a best qualifying of ninth in the finale at Auto Club Speedway. … He led 62 laps – all in the race he won – the most of any driver in the 500-mile race. … He was running at the finish in 14 of the 15 races, tying two others for the series lead.
The gist: Carpenter, who turned 32 on March 3, is a busy man. The father of three (the youngest, Cruz, was born Dec. 12) also is the IZOD IndyCar Series’ lone team owner/driver. The series veteran (the season-opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will mark his 129th start since 2003) seeks to challenge for more victories, including on road and street circuits (he has best finish of sixth at Watkins Glen in 2006 in 36 road/street races), and especially in the prized Indianapolis 500.
They said it: “Improvement,” Carpenter said as the second-year team’s overall goal. “We were able to make progress with our street and road setups. I think I’ve gotten better, but the competition is much better, too. Indianapolis is where I expect to be better. May was a tough month last year. We really didn’t have our legs under us as a team yet and weren’t very prepared for the biggest race of the season and I expect that to be different this year and we’ll be in contention.
“Just to win one race in the IZOD IndyCar Series is very difficult. And to win a race in the team’s very first year is quite an achievement. I feel the Ed Carpenter Racing/Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevy team stuck together through the ups and downs of the first year. Our team is much more prepared for the 2013 season.”
Added Barnes: “There was a lot of uncertainty last year as we waited for an engine deal and getting the proper crew and equipment. And then when we got the Chevrolet engine deal we didn’t know what the support would be like. This year we know what Chevy and Pratt & Miller will provide to assist us. It is a much better situation for ECR now. We have a much better view of the whole puzzle and what pieces they contribute. So we feel good about the program we have put together for 2013. It is a good opportunity for us as we know the direction we can go with to move forward.”
Watch the "INDYCAR 36" episode featuring Ed Carpenter