To say that the year has been rough on Ed Carpenter would be an understatement.
The native Hoosier’s 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series campaign, which is exclusive to ovals, has featured a season-best finish of 18th place in the Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway last month. Misfortune hit Carpenter in the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway in April when contact just 45 laps from the finish relegated the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet to a 21st-place finish.
The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil saw Ed Carpenter Racing – the team – showcase its ability, but while teammate Josef Newgarden battled for the win late, Carpenter was forced to retire with a mechanical issue nearly halfway into the race.
Carpenter has two more opportunities – this weekend’s ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway and the completion of the Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on Aug. 27 – before he returns to his “other” job as team owner.
A recent test at Pocono has the three-time Verizon IndyCar Series race winner optimistic at what he considers one of his more difficult tracks on the schedule. In three previous starts at Pocono, Carpenter’s best finish is ninth.
"Pocono, we just had a really successful test there (Aug. 4),” Carpenter said. “We've had strong cars there, but of all the ovals in the series, that's probably been the least strong circuit for myself.
“So we really put a lot of focus in at the test to try to put ourselves in a better position going into the race and it felt really good leaving there. It's the happiest I've ever been with the car at Pocono. I feel like we've got two really good opportunities to go out and get results.
“Obviously, the goal is each and every week to win and I feel good really good about our chances for both of them right now.”
Carpenter is equally excited about the resumption of the Firestone 600. When rain halted the race June 12 after 71 of 248 laps, the 35-year-old was running fifth. The 1.455-mile oval was the site of his last win in June 2014.
"Yeah, I mean I feel really good,” Carpenter said. “Obviously we were having a good run at Texas when the race was postponed, so I feel confident going back there. We've had good cars there over the years and hopefully we’ll go there and finish what we started.”
“I'm confident going back there to Texas, a place that we've won at.”
The two-time Indianapolis 500 pole sitter is no stranger to finishing strong, having previously claimed season finales in 2011 at Kentucky Speedway driving for Sarah Fisher Racing and in 2012 at Auto Club Speedway with his own newly formed team.
"Any win is really huge,” said Carpenter. “I've been known to win a few season finales before, in Kentucky and in Fontana, so hopefully we'll go out strong again at Texas.
“It's a great place to race. It's a great place to win. You know, they really treat you right there. Hopefully we'll go out on a high note and have something to be happy about all off-season."
ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway fast facts:
- Race 13* of 16 in the Verizon IndyCar Series season. (*-The race at Texas Motor Speedway, scheduled to be the ninth of the season, was suspended by rain after 71 laps and will be completed Aug. 27 as the 14th race of the season.) Pocono Raceway has hosted 22 Indy car races – annually from 1971-89 and again each year since 2013. A.J. Foyt won four times at Pocono, the most for any Indy car driver.
- Race distance: 200 laps / 500 miles
- Track length: 2.5-mile triangular oval
- Track records: One lap, Juan Pablo Montoya, 40.1929 seconds (223.920 mph), July 5, 2014; Two laps, Juan Pablo Montoya, 1 minute, 20.4034 seconds (223.871 mph), July 5, 2014
- Tickets and event information: poconoraceway.com
- Video streaming: Live streams of Saturday’s two practice sessions (9-10:30 a.m. and 5-5:30 p.m. ET) and qualifying (1:30 p.m.) are available at RaceControl.IndyCar.com. It includes live timing and scoring and Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network audio.
- TV: NBCSN will telecast qualifying on a delayed basis at midnight ET Sunday (late Saturday night) and the race live at 3 p.m. ET Sunday.
- Radio: Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network coverage of practice sessions is available on RaceControl.IndyCar.com, IndyCarRadio.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app. Qualifying coverage airs on those locations as well as on Sirius 212 and XM 209. Race coverage is available on all of the aforementioned locations and network affiliates.
- Fantasy league: The #INDYRIVALS Fantasy Challenge driven by Firestone allows fans to become a virtual team owner by fielding a four-driver lineup for each Verizon IndyCar Series race. Prizes are awarded after each event. Sign up at fantasy.indycar.com.