Shortly after Colton Herta drove to victory in the INDYCAR Classic at Circuit of The Americas, the accolades began to flow in like a waterfall.
Most of the attention went to Herta, the driver who became the youngest driver in NTT IndyCar Series history to win a race at 18 years, 11 months and 25 days. Graham Rahal was 19 years 3 months and 2 days when he won at the 2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
A heavy dose of attention went to 22-year-old George Michael Steinbrenner, IV, the team’s co-owner. He is a member to one of the most famous sports families in the world as his father, Hank, is co-chairman and co-owner of the New York Yankees. Young Steinbrenner’s grandfather, George, restored the Yankees pride and prestige when he owned the team from 1973 until he passed away in 2010.
Steinbrenner, IV, is the youngest team owner to win a race in INDYCAR history.
Team president Brian Barnhart and executive consultant Al Unser, Jr., a two-time Indianapolis 500 winning driver and two-time CART champion, also received plaudits for the win.
But one man who also deserves to get credit stood off to the side, soaking in the confetti that was being shot out of air cannons in victory lane.
It was Mike Harding, the man who started the team after attending the 100th Indianapolis 500 as a fan in 2016. He is the president of the Harding Group, an Indianapolis-based concrete and paving company. His company is an official sponsor of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Shortly after the 100th Indianapolis 500, Harding had a big dream of becoming an NTT IndyCar Series team owner. He originally hired Larry Curry as team manager and Harding Racing was ready to go for a three-race schedule with Gabby Chaves as the driver in 2017.
The team was impressive in its first race, the 101st Indianapolis 500 in 2017 with Chaves finishing ninth after starting 25th. It was even more impressive in its next race at Texas Motor Speedway when Chaves finished fifth after starting 20th. It concluded 2017 with a 15th place finish at Pocono.
Harding became a full-time team in 2018 and brought in Barnhart as the team’s president. The team struggled in its first full season, but Harding persevered. This was as much about the future as it was the present and Harding was trying to build for the future.
The big moment for the team came when Steinbrenner joined forces with Harding and would be an all-rookie team in 2019 with 18-year-old Colton Herta as the driver and the technical alliance with Andretti Autosport.
There were plenty of challenges for Mike Harding, who went from being an IndyCar fan to an INDYCAR team owner, but as the confetti fell from the sky at Circuit of The Americas, he reflected on the moment and the struggle it took to get there.
“This is worth it,” Harding told NTT INDYCAR Mobile in victory lane at COTA. “These guys worked their butts off. I couldn’t ask for a better crew.
“It’s a miracle.”
One of the first people Harding hired was Unser. At the time, Chaves was a young driver who could learn more from Unser’s winning experience. Although Chaves has moved on, the same scenario exists with the team’s teenage winning driver.
“It was very important,” Harding said of Unser. “He has taught me a lot; taught our drivers a lot. Al is one of the best in the business. Brian Barnhart is the very best at running a team. We just assembled a great team and it showed today.
“George, IV is a good kid. We’ve got two very good kids. They both have the savvy.”
That savvy was on display at COTA, but it was Harding’s perseverance that provided the foundation of what is now the NTT IndyCar Series newest winning team.