IndyCar 2014 Year In Review

Hunter-Reay celebrates Indy 500 win

It's been five weeks since the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series finale at Auto Club Speedway. And the way things look now, it will be another five months until the series returns to action next March in Brasilia.

For today, AutoRacing1 will take a look back in recalling some of the highs and lows, the best and worst, with our 2014 IndyCar Year in Review.

Enjoy!

Will Power kisses the Vanderbilt Cup

Best Driver: Will Power

One could argue Power has actually enjoyed better seasons than his championship campaign of 2014. In 2011, for example, Power scored 6 wins. Ditto for 2010, when Power won 5 races. In capturing the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series title, Power managed a relatively speaking scant three race wins.

However, don't let that mislead you. While there was no arch-nemesis that emerged to rain on Power's parade a la Dario Franchitti (2010 and 2011) or Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), there were the following factors in place during 2014:

The deepest IndyCar field since the late 1990s heydays of CART, which boasted 11 race winners and 17 podium finishers.

Prior Indy car racing champions Juan Pablo Montoya and Sebastien Bourdais either a) back in the series full-time and/or b) in rides capable of scoring pole positions and race wins.

Simon Pagenaud and Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports, who emerged in the past two seasons as genuine weekly contenders capable of derailing 'The Big 3'.

The unique purpose-built Mike Conway/Ed Carpenter road and street course/oval rotation, which had the luxury of going for race wins in their various disciplines without the concern of an overall championship battle. And an overlooked element of Power's championship was the fact he finished on the podium in each of Ed Carpenter Racing's three wins.

A silly double-points format for the three 500 mile races, in which Power surrendered points to other championship contenders such as Castroneves and Montoya

No, Power was not dominant in 2014 as he had been in previous years. However, the factors above meant that whoever was going to be the 2014 champion, had to defeat a field of much greater quality than any IndyCar champion in recent memory. And it was Power who emerged victorious.

Tony Kanaan wins season finale

Honorable Mention: Tony Kanaan

There are a lot of names that could warrant mention here. Scott Dixon scored an incredibly quiet third-place championship finish, while Helio Castroneves and Pagenaud entered the series-finale with a shot to win the title. Ryan Hunter-Reay won three races including the Indianapolis 500.

But for my money, the best driver in the series over the last third of the season was Kanaan, who won the series-finale at Fontana after scoring near-misses earlier in the season at Iowa and Pocono. Perhaps most impressive about TK's 2014 season was that in a year with no dominant driver, he finished on the podium in five of the last 7 races. And aside from a first-corner incident at Mid-Ohio, no driver in the series came remotely close to Kanaan's stretch of consistently contending every weekend from Houston to Fontana.

Best Blast From The Past: Juan Pablo Montoya

No one knew exactly what to expect from Montoya's return to Indy car racing after 14 years away, in which he had stints in Formula 1 (2001-2006) and NASCAR (2007-2013). But count this writer amongst those that did not expect a race win by mid-season, top-5 championship finish, and regular contention to win races.

No, Montoya is no longer the sublime talent he was during his two years in CART. But he enters 2015 as a more-than-legitimate championship contender.

Most Disappointing Driver: James Hinchcliffe

To be fair, The Mayor of Hinchtown was not the only one to underwhelm in 2014. Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson, for example, failed to reach the podium after managing to do that 4 times in 2013. Graham Rahal, Sebastian Saavedra, Ryan Briscoe, Takuma Sato, Marco Andretti and others also had seasons that probably did not meet expectations.

But none of the drivers mentioned above won three races in 2013. While Hinch qualified on the front row five times (all second-place efforts), turned in a sterling drive at Mid-Ohio and was in contention to win a few races (Houston Race 1, Long Beach, Indy), there were too many weekends in which The Mayor was just plain invisible. And at the end of the day, twelfth-place in the standings and a lone podium finish at Mid-Ohio, and fourth-place amongst the Andretti Autosport of drivers, tallied up to a disappointing season for the likable Canadian.

Hunter-Reay beats Castroneves to the line at Indy

Best Race: Indianapolis 500

It was clean and green for the first 150 laps, in which eventual winner Ryan Hunter-Reay put on a stirring drive from 19th starting position all the way to the front. RHR would then best Castroneves in an epic duel during the closing laps to secure his first 500 win highlighted by a over-taking maneuver through the grass in turn 3.

Further, after a string of dud Indy 500s from 2007-2010, the sterling 2014 race continued the stretch starting in 2011, which has in my opinion, been as good as any in the history of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

Honorable Mention: Iowa

During a season, in which the oval races were somewhat lackluster, Indy and Iowa, did not disappoint.

Taking advantage of a late-caution to change to fresh tires, this era's best IndyCar short-track driver, Ryan Hunter-Reay, displayed his characteristic flair for the dramatic in 'stealing' a victory, with an epic charge from 10th to 1st in the final ten laps.

Most Bizarro Weekend of 2014: Houston

While Toronto was bizarre also, Houston takes the cake. And since making sense of this year's Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston weekend was hard enough to do the first time, see here for more.

Most Disappointing Weekend: Pocono

There were some races in 2014 that weren't exactly classics. But a less-than-stellar tone for the Pocono weekend was set the Thursday prior to the Pocono IndyCar 500, when Pocono Raceway CEO Brandon Igdalsky expressed his frustration with advance ticket sales, IndyCar, the July 4th weekend date, and whatever else.

"The big thing is the fans," Igdalsky said. "The fans begged us to bring it back. Every study and report we did, they all said they'd come. But they're not coming in the numbers we need them to come in. Are these fans really here? In Pennsylvania? In the Andrettis' backyard? Why aren't they coming out? Where are they?"

While I suppose Igdalsky's comments can be interpreted different ways, the short-term effect was that a less-than-ideal tone had been set had been the weekend. And in fairness, Igdalsky wasn't wrong.

A dull, processional race featuring 21 cars on a 2.5-mile track where passing is super difficult made for a second less-than-exhilarating race in Indy car racing's return to The Tricky Triangle after a 24-year absence.

Now, I take no pleasure in writing that, as Pocono potentially offers a lot of what IndyCar needs (East Coast event, oval, a unique layout further differentiates the series as the most diverse in racing). I also don't want to lay all the blame on the less-than-successful weekend at the feet of Igdalsky and the track, as the flaws of INDYCAR and their passive, reactionary approach to events have been detailed in this very space.

Still, if Igdalsky is an indication of the treatment INDYCAR will receive from its friends, well then, I don't see much need for enemies.

Long Beach is always the best event of the year. Nothing else comes close, and the standing start was fabulous.

Best event: Long Beach

A gorgeous setting amidst art-deco building, palm trees, and seemingly eternal sunshine tempered perfectly by the gentle Pacific winds have certainly helped matters.

But In an age when Indy car races come and go in seemingly a matter of moments, it is astounding when you consider Jim Michaelian and the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach celebrated their 40th anniversary of operating North America's most successful street race in 2014.

Best Newcomer: Tie, Mikhail Aleshin and Jack Hawksworth

Yes, Carlos Munoz won the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, scoring an impressive four podium finishes. Also, it should be noted Dale Coyne Racing rookie Carlos Huertas won Race 1 in Houston.

But we had already been introduced to Munoz during his very impressive debut month at Indy in 2013. And while Huertas showed ability, Hawksworth and Aleshin seemed very comfortable in their new surroundings right out of the gate at St. Pete.

Bonehead Move of the Year: Power chopping Castroneves at Pocono

Late in the race, Power inexplicably threw a vicious block on Castroneves late in the race with the two battling for second-place.

Sure, Power is a racer and racers battle for position. But with double-points on the line and Team Penske in position to score a 1-2-3 finish, some very dodgy driving by Power earned the Aussie a drive-thru penalty that relegated him to 14th in the finishing order, and a more-than-deserved chewing out by Team Penske President Tim Cindric. It also resulted in one of the more bizarre post-race interviews we've ever seen.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Bonehead Moves of the Year, Honorable Mention: Rahal punting Kanaan on the restart at Houston and Hunter-Reay dive-bombing Josef Newgarden at Long Beach

In what was a dreadful season for the young American, Rahal cost himself and Kanaan definite top-five finishes spinning the Brazilian on a late-race restart in Houston. Unfortunately for Kanaan, it would not be the only time the Brazilian would receive the worst of a competitor's dodgy driving.

At Long Beach, Josef Newgarden emerged from the final round of pit stops in the lead, with pole sitter Hunter-Reay in hot pursuit. Seeing a gap coming out of the very tight, RHR went for the pass and the results were disastrous.

The contact eliminated not only Hunter-Reay and Newgarden but Hinchcliffe, Takuma Sato and Tony Kanaan. And while the driver of the #28 DHL Honda was unapologetic in the aftermath, there were very few who sympathized with RHR's view, including teammate Hinchcliffe and team-owner Michael Andretti.

A FEW QUICK ONES

Helio Castroneves' gorgeous Pennzoil throwback livery

Best Throwback Livery: Castroneves' old-school Pennzoil paint job at Indy.

Best Pit Road Decision: Dale Coyne bringing in Huertas just as the window for the final stop opened in Houston

Honorable Mention: Target Chip Ganassi Racing pitting Dixon out-of-sequence at Mid-Ohio

Worst Pit Road Decision: Team Target bringing Kanaan in from the lead right before the final pit window opened at Pocono.

Honorable Mention: Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing botching the fuel strategy for Oriol Servia in the final stint at the GP of Indy.

Best on-track battle for position: The late-race scrap between Hawksworth, Montoya and Charlie Kimball at Houston

Best one-week turnaround: KV Racing and Sebastien Bourdais scoring pole and the victory in Toronto Race 1 after a disaster of a weekend for the team at Iowa

Best start to a race: Hinchcliffe going from 17th to sixth on the opening lap at Mid-Ohio

Best Personnel Decision: Easily Ed Carpenter Racing adding Mike Conway for road and street course races

Best Illustration of class in defeat: Newgarden and Sarah Fisher in the aftermath of gut punches at Long Beach and Mid-Ohio.

NOTES

Although as noted above, his 2014 season was a bit of a disappointment, James Hinchcliffe reminded everyone yesterday why he is IndyCar's most marketable personality. By announcing his move to Schmidt Peterson Motorsports in 2015 at Flat 12 Bierwerks, a downtown Indiana pub that features Hinchtown Hammer Down Golden Ale on tap, the self-appointed Mayor of Hinchtown turned what could have been a very routine, stale announcement into an event. In doing this, Hinchcliffe insured maximum coverage for him, SPM, Flat 12 Bierwerks, and the Verizon IndyCar Series. And I hope others took notice.

Brian Carroccio is a columnist for AutoRacing1. He can be contacted at BrianC@AutoRacing1.com