Competition changes likely coming for IndyCar

There’s been a large contingent of IndyCar personnel on the ground here at Circuit of the Americas this weekend, whether drivers or competition personnel. Chief among them is the series’ president of competition and operations, Derrick Walker.

Walker is here, working with FIA officials in meetings regarding potential safety and other competition-related improvements that could come to IndyCar in 2014.

Additionally, he confirmed that changes are likely coming to IndyCar’s competition personnel.

“It’s not what you think, though," he noted. “Frankly we need a bigger staff on the competition side and we need to have the capital investment to be able to do that. We’re moving in that direction."

A source close to the situation has confirmed the potential addition of at least one known IndyCar entity for the competition department.

Walker said he is still in the midst of what he considered a “steep learning curve" with IndyCar, from the managerial side.

What that does mean is, contrary to earlier reports, that IndyCar will be his first preference in 2014 and not the Falken Tire-backed Porsche sports car team that competes in the merged TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Walker explained why the confusion existed.

“For 2013 I had the commitment to Falken, and because I came into IndyCar midseason, any conflicts meant that I would tend to those Falken responsibilities first. I had to," Walker said. “I can be at the non-conflicting (sports car) rounds, but IndyCar will be first." NBC Sports