Conway to return to IRL

Mike Conway

Nothing has been signed yet, but Mike Conway has signaled his intention to race in IndyCars once again in 2010.

The Seven Oaks Speedster endured a difficult rookie season. Mechanical gremlins, crashes and his own inexperience meant he finished 17th in the championship. However, there were plenty of positives, not least his brilliant podium in California.

It showed America what the 25-year-old can do and he wants another crack at it.

"It's been a pretty tough season, but I have learned a lot throughout the year and towards the end of the season the results were starting to come," the Dreyer and Reinbold racer said.

"At no point did I let things get to me. It's my first year in IndyCar and, although I wanted to do better each time, I just had to learn from a bad experience and move forward. I'm looking to do IndyCars again. I want to show what we can do in our second year!"

Conway's IndyCar career got off to a inauspicious start back in April, when he was punted off on the first bend at the St Petersburg street circuit in Florida.

Things didn't improve over the coming weeks, although he was on course for a top 10 finish at the historic Indy 500 before a yellow flag saw him drop down the field.

He kick-started his Indy career in late June at the Iowa Corn 250, when he took eighth, while his season highlight came two months later with a storming drive at the Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, where he clinched his first podium.

"Sonoma was a good result, but still a tough race, coming from the back after getting pushed out at the first corner. It was the last road course of the year and I had to get a result, so to get it was great for me and the team.

" They had had a tough few weeks leading up to it, so it was a good way to put a smile back on their faces."

One major problem any rookie driver has is getting to grips with the oval tracks – something Conway definitely struggled with.

"They look easy, but they are definitely not," he said.

However, Conway has settled into life across the pond and feels he could be there for a few more years to come.

"There are ways of life you have to get used to when coming to a new country, but I have enjoyed my time here, settled in pretty well and can see myself staying here," he said.

"The team have been behind me all the time and have helped out with lots of things – even getting a place to stay and giving me a car to use when I first came over."

In all it has been a season of ups and downs for Conway but, with the experiences learned, he is sure to be a lot stronger in 2010.ThisisKent