Firestone Indy Lights driver Peter Dempsey, 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti participated in an INDYCAR Conference Call to discuss the Milwaukee IndyFest on June 15 at the Milwaukee Mile. Selected quotes from the call are below.
Q. Peter, obviously, the last time we saw Firestone Indy Lights on the track, you were coming from fourth place off the final turn to pass three cars in front of you to win the Firestone Freedom 100. Been off for a couple weeks; how anxious are you to get back in the car this weekend at Milwaukee?
PETER DEMPSEY: Coming obviously away from the great win we had at the Freedom 100, there isn't a better place for us to get our first win as a team and as a driver, and to do it in the fashion we did, it was great. But it's been a busy few weeks. I actually headed home to Ireland to get my visa extended and had plenty of media to do over there and then actually just landed back in Chicago yesterday.
So it's been hectic, but I'll be heading to Milwaukee later, and really looking forward to getting back on track. The Milwaukee Mile is my home track. It's actually the closest thing I have to a home track in the U.S. So I think Andretti Autosport has done a great job promoting the event over the past couple seasons and looking forward to getting on track tomorrow.
Q. As I mentioned, you're second in the point standings. Carlos Munoz had a pretty good first four races this season, winning a couple of races and winning three poles. Do you feel like your season starts this weekend with Milwaukee or is it too soon to be thinking about the championship?
PETER DEMPSEY: I think that's where I caught myself out, to be fair. The first few races I was thinking too much about the championship and not really driving 100 percent the way I like to drive. And I kind of changed that around at Long Beach, my attitude towards my driving and going and attacking 100 percent everything every lap and not thinking about the championship, and go ahead and race Carlos (Munoz) and the guys as hard as we can from here on out. And if the championship comes along with that, then it's meant to be; but if it's not, then it won't be because of a lack of trying, anyway. ***
Q. Ryan, on the track, Milwaukee's a place where you began your charge for the championship last year, and you had a pretty dominating win there in Champ Car. What is it about the Milwaukee track that makes it one of your favorite places to race?
RYAN HUNTER REAY: Well, there is no place like the Milwaukee Mile. It is a hard place to get right, and when you do, it's so rewarding. Like Michael said, it's been a place in my career that has meant a lot to me. I've had some pretty breakthrough performances in my career there, and I've also been on the other side of it where we just couldn't get it right and struggled. So I have a lot of respect for it for that reason.
And I think if you ask any other Indy car driver out there, they'll say it's probably one of the most fun ovals you'll go to, and at the same time, one of the toughest to get right.
Q. This season has been so wide open with seven winners and eight races, including your win at Barber earlier this year. Do you expect Milwaukee to be just as competitive?
RYAN HUNTER REAY: Absolutely. I expect it to be just as competitive. I think you'll see the usual players at Milwaukee, the usual teams that are quick. Then you'll have -- we're sure to have some surprises as we have the whole season. So I think any one of 10 or 11 drivers could win at Milwaukee this weekend.
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Q. Michael, first question for you, we're in year two of Andretti Sports Marketing's promotion of the Milwaukee event, why is this race so important to you and the sport of Indy car racing?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Well, personally it's important to me because I've had such great times there with my career as a driver and team owner. So it's very special to me in that way. But I think it's very important to Indy car racing because it's second only to Indy with history. It's the oldest racetrack in the world. They've had a race back there in 1903 was the first race, so there is tons and tons of history at the track.
So I think it's quite important for the series to be there. So we're excited about it. Ticket sales seem to be a bit ahead of last year, and there are a lot of exciting things going on out there and we just can't wait for the weekend.
Q. As Ryan mentioned any one of 10 or 11 drivers could win. One of those drivers could be Marco Andretti, your son, who has been pretty strong in the past at Milwaukee. How special would it be for you to see Marco win this weekend, which is also Father's Day weekend at Milwaukee?
MICHAEL ANDRETTI: Well, I couldn't ask for a better present, that's for sure, but it would be great. It would be great for him for his championship, and I think to get those points, but also it would be another special family moment at Milwaukee if that were to happen. You know what I mean? So many special things have happened there with me. It's the only all family podium that we had back in 1991 where myself, my dad, and my cousin on there. So we've had so many great memories. That would just totally add to it.
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The next IZOD IndyCar Series race is the Milwaukee IndyFest on June 15 at The Milwaukee Mile. The race will be televised live at 4 p.m. (ET) by the NBC Sports Network (Verizon FiOS 90/590, DirecTV 220, DISH 159 and AT&T UVerse 640) and broadcast by the IMS Radio Network, including on Sirius and XM Channels 211 and www.indycar.com. The next Firestone Indy Lights race is the Milwaukee 100 at 2 p.m. (ET) on June 15 at The Milwaukee Mile. The race will be televised by NBC Sports Network at 3 p.m. (ET) on June 15.
