Normally quiet, articulate and analytical, Charlie Kimball admitted to a “fan boy” moment back in February when he visited A.J. Foyt Racing’s shop in Waller, Texas.

“A.J. walks in the shop, and there is this race fan’s voice in the back of my brain saying: ‘That’s A.J. Foyt! That’s A.J. Foyt!’” Kimball said. “He comes over and he starts talking, and he’s still a racer. He still wants to be successful, and he still wants to see his cars go out and win races and see his cars in Victory Lane. That is all what we want, and that is all the common goal.

“It’s spectacular. I still have to pinch myself I get to wear A.J. Foyt’s name on my firesuit and on my team shirts.”

This would have been the week Kimball was preparing for the 104^th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. It would have been Kimball’s 10^th Indy 500 as a driver but his first as a member of A.J. Foyt Racing.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 104^th Indianapolis 500 has been moved from Sunday, May 24 to Sunday, Aug. 23.

Kimball admits a great deal of pride driving Foyt’s car and sharing the garage with the first four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, now a full-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES team owner.

“The chance to drive for A.J. Foyt in any race, but especially the Indianapolis 500, is special,” Kimball said. “The fact he is the first four-time winner. He holds the record for most miles in competition. As a driver for that name, it means more.

“But as a driver, my goal and expectation going into that race is no different because of who I am driving for. My goal and expectation are to go in, figure out how to get to Victory Lane and enjoy a nice, cold glass of milk.”

Instead of a fresh bottle of milk in May, this year’s winner will get the traditional bottle of milk in August. Kimball believes he is up to the task of winning the 104^th Indianapolis 500, based on two outstanding Indy 500s when he was driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.

He finished third in 2015 and fifth in the 100^th Indianapolis 500 in 2016.

In the 99^th Indy 500 in 2015, Kimball led 10 laps and was in the battle for the victory with Team Penske’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power and his CGR teammate Scott Dixon late in the race.

Kimball was running fourth as the laps were closing down before he passed Dixon for third. He had a great view of the battle for the win between the two Team Penske drivers, Montoya and Power.

“I kept thinking I’m one bad decision away from winning this race,” Kimball said. “If either Montoya or Power made one bad decision in those last few laps, then I’m going to win.

“They didn’t.

“Juan did an amazing job to win that race. I remember seeing the left side of his car seeing the apex curve in Turn 2 at 210 miles an hour thinking, he deserves to win with the commitment he is showing.”

Although he did not win in 2015, Kimball learned what it took to win the world’s biggest race.

“As a driver, there are very few drivers that win the Indy 500 without having run up front and understanding what it takes to win that race,” Kimball said. “Having finished up front, it’s more comfortable for him to run up front again.

“Finishing third in 2015 has helped shape how I approach not only the race and the 500 miles of racing, but the whole month, managing energy and my thought process through the whole race.”

Kimball will drive the No. 4 Chevrolet in every race on the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. Tony Kanaan, Sebastien Bourdais and Dalton Kellett will share time in other Foyt cars. Kimball, Kanaan and Kellett will drive for Foyt in the 104^th Indianapolis 500.

Unlike recent seasons, the Indy 500 won’t be the first oval on the schedule. The 2020 season opens on the 1.5-mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway with the Genesys 300 on Saturday, June 6.

“The nice thing about the ‘500’ coming a little later in the season, it’s going to look different,” Kimball said. “As a team, all of us have to adjust and adapt to that because it’s going to be different. It’s already different than any INDYCAR season in history.

“With it being later in the season, it gives me a little more time to get used to how A.J. Foyt Racing goes about things; all of the intangible things that are a little different, gives a little more time to understand and get in the rhythm before we get to the Indianapolis 500.”

This week, Kimball is going to take part in an Indy 500 Zoom Party hosted by some of his friends who have gotten together for the race every year. It will include a slot-car racing party and a virtual hangout. Kimball is going to wave the green flag to start the festivities.

He will also spend the Memorial Day weekend back in his neighborhood in Indianapolis.

“We are going to do a socially distant block party on our street with our neighbors,” Kimball said. “It will be nice to do something fun together here, knowing that hopefully they can make the trip out to the Speedway in August.

“I didn’t expect for the season to be starting in June and making plans to be at home on Memorial Day Sunday. But I think the season is still going to be a great INDYCAR year.”