LEO PARENTE: We're here at the Empire State Building in New
York City, part of a media tour, because IndyCar invited
us to interview their 2012 IndyCar champion, Ryan
Hunter-Reay, here at the Empire State Building.
And all these people are here to see Ryan Hunter-Reay.
Really that's not true.
The media fit in one elevator to go up to the top floor to
catch this interview.
But actually, it was pretty good.
Ryan's come from a long history of really slogging
through a career, making it work, step by step, and
finally emerging as another one of these last-minute
champions in 2012.
Since 2005 coming out of karting, through Champ Car,
CART, IRL, and everything, he's worked really hard to
make his career happen.
And we're going to talk a little bit about that.
And then we've got the racing that happened this year to get
him the championship--
defining wins at three venues, a real defining win at
Baltimore, and he beat Will Power for the championship in
the last race at Fontana.
In fact--
here comes the joke--
Will Power lost the championship the last three
years in a row by single-digit points.
It happened again at Fontana.
So bringing Ryan to the Empire State Building is a good idea.
Bringing Will Power, who must be despondent after three
years of losing it, to a tall building like the
Empire State Building--
probably a smarter idea.
Let's go interview Ryan.
LEO PARENTE: So we're with another overnight
sensation in IndyCar.
That was sarcasm.
We'll talk about that in a bit.
Talk about the first of this season, this championship.
I have two races in mind, but where was the defining moment
for this championship for you this year?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: That's a good question.
It's tough for me to say if that was Iowa or Baltimore.
Iowa, we went out and we stole that race.
We passed every car to finish first.
That was a big moment.
But Baltimore, coming from tenth, staying out on dry
tires in the wet, was one of the hairier moments of the
year and one that I think we really earned.
So I think Baltimore might take the cake.
LEO PARENTE: Share a little bit about how
you drive the car.
And it seems like you work really close with Michael, or
whoever, on strategy.
How does that all fit together to make it happen?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Well, racing really is a team sport.
It doesn't get the rap for it that it has to do with a group
of individuals, but it really does.
I'm the guy in the car.
My name's on the side of the car, but these guys put the
car together.
They do all the pit stops.
And like you say, working with Michael, it all comes down to
the chemistry in the team and how he knows what I'm needing,
and I know what he wants, and it feeds off itself.
And when you have momentum and you feel that through race
wins and through success, the group becomes closer and
here's what we have now.
LEO PARENTE: So not to get too inside your head but we've
come out of Sonoma, and there was that crash at the end, not
your fault.
The championship kind of changes tone.
What happened going into the next race?
How'd you manage that?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Well, after Sonoma I was pretty--
I was overcome with anger at what happened, just because I
want the championship more than anything in the world.
And I really had to focus that energy towards something
positive, towards going back and stealing the
championship back.
And that's what we did as a group.
I had a long talk with myself in the mirror about midweek
after Sonoma and I said, hey, you can either kick the toys
around the room, or you can go out there and do
something about it.
LEO PARENTE: And when Mike called the strategy on slicks
at Baltimore, what did you think?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: I thought this is either going to be
genius, or it's going to be incredibly stupid.
LEO PARENTE: Got it.
So now you're the ambassador of IndyCar.
So put IndyCar into perspective of all the other
racing around the US.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: It's the fastest racing in the world.
What is unique to IndyCar is the fact that we are the only
series that races on road circuits street circuits,
short ovals, super speedways, Indianapolis.
It covers every discipline of racing.
No other series does that.
LEO PARENTE: Let's talk a little bit about your career.
It's been a real push for you-- fortitude--
to get there.
What would you tell a young driver who wants to make a
career in racing?
What are you going to tell them?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: My biggest thing all year, pretty much my
whole career, has been just never give up.
Even when the chips are down and it doesn't seem like it's
going to go your way, there's always a way out.
There's always a way to the top.
And you just constantly have to look to the positive side.
LEO PARENTE: Last question--
Your new owner, Mike Andretti, loves to make predictions.
Your first--
well, not your first race.
Your first race you finished P2 back in 2010.
Then he predicted you were going to win Long Beach.
And you put that together.
Then he predicted this championship.
When Michael goes off with these predictions, what
happens to you?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Yeah, I thought that was pretty bold
at Baltimore when he said we're going
to go win this thing.
But we did.
And I think it's more he knows what he's talking about than
anything else.
LEO PARENTE: Well, that's a good vote of confidence.
Are you going to keep the number 28?
We know what that means to you.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: I would like to keep the 28, but number 1
on the car would be really cool.
I think the sponsors would really enjoy that.
DHL, Sun Drop, Circle K, and certainly Chevrolet deserves
it as well.
28, though, it represents the 28 million people worldwide
fighting cancer, and I'm very proud to run that
number, so we'll see.
LEO PARENTE: We'll be watching.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Thanks.
LEO PARENTE: Cool.
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Thank you.
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