Long before becoming a champion on the track, Ryan Hunter-Reay displayed the look of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES superhero.

The native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., captured the attention of Phillips-Van Heusen (PVH) executives in 2008. When its IZOD brand unveiled a marketing campaign and announced a partnership with INDYCAR on July 4, 2008 at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, Hunter-Reay was its featured driver. A huge billboard featuring Hunter-Reay was about to be unveiled in New York’s Times Square the day after the Watkins Glen race.

Hunter-Reay did his part by winning the race, his first victory since returning to INDYCAR midway through the 2007 season.

Hunter-Reay would go on to win the 2012 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and the 2014 Indianapolis 500 for Andretti Autosport.

When Hunter-Reay won the 500, he was the first driver from the United States to win the world’s biggest race since Sam Hornish, Jr. in 2006.

With those two major accomplishments, Hunter-Reay was nicknamed “Captain America.” He certainly fit the part, both in his striking personal appearance and in his aggressive racing style on the track.

Hunter-Reay still carries that title, but he has been challenged for that role by two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden of Nashville, Tenn., and Alexander Rossi of Nevada City, Calif. Both men are big-time winners in INDYCAR and in Rossi’s case, he won the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016.

Another young driver, Colton Herta of Belleair, Fla., has the looks of becoming an American star of the future after winning two races during his rookie season in 2019.

Hunter-Reay, Rossi and Herta are three drivers on the five-driver team at Andretti Autosport.

Although Hunter-Reay was winless in 2019, he believes he remains on top of his game behind the wheel of his No. 28 DHL Honda. He won two races with six podiums and a fourth-place finish in the standings in 2018. Hunter-Reay is determined to return to that racing level.

“In 2018, it was one of the best racing seasons ever when you look at top-10s, top-five finishes and podiums,” Hunter-Reay said during the recent open test at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas. “We had a few triple-bogeys that didn’t work during the season and that really sidelined our 2018 in terms of the championship.

“In 2019, we never hit our stride. It was always something, (and) you’ll have those seasons. For some reason for me, it’s the odd-numbered years never really click. Hopefully, we can change that in 2020.”

Hunter-Reay believes he is as fresh as ever and ready to take on the competition in the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“Every year, the competition keeps getting harder and harder,” Hunter-Reay said. “There is a lot of tight competition in the series and somehow it keeps getting more and more competitive.”

With 18 career INDYCAR victories, Hunter-Reay is convinced he still has the pace to live up to his “Captain America” title. He is ready to prove it in 2020.

“I have to show it and do what I know how to do,” Hunter-Reay said. “That’s not an issue for me.”

The 17-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES begins March 15 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Hunter-Reay has never won the street circuit event, although he has finished second on three occasions and finished in the top five seven times.