Ryan Hunter-Reay is a 30-year-old professional American IndyCar driver. This weekend he will be competing in the 100th racing of the Indianapolis 500. Hunter-Reay, the #28 car driver for Andretti Autosport for the past two years, will be driving the #41 car that qualified with driver Bruno Junqueira and A.J. Foyt Racing. Hunter-Reay, referred to as RHR by his fans, is the only driver to have won races in each of North America’s top open wheel formulas – CART, ChampCar World Series and the IndyCar Series. He is from Dallas, TX and currently lives in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.


“I’ll have one hour of practice in a car I’ve never been in, in a car I don’t know, before the biggest race in the world… so wish me luck.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay is serious. It’s coming down to the last hours before the 100th anniversary of the Indianapolis 500, considered to be the biggest day in worldwide motorsports, and he hasn’t even driven the racecar that he will be responsible for taking 500 miles around the track at greater than 3.5 times the speed you drive down a major highway.

“Everything is good. It’s not the way that we wanted it to pan out, but everything is okay now that the storm has passed and the skies are clearing.”

Ryan is referring to the last few tumultuous days that saw him bumped from the 33-car Indianapolis 500 field by his own Andretti Autosport teammate, Marco Andretti, and then reinserted into the field, replacing Bruno Junqueira in A.J. Foyt’s #41 car.

The substitution has created some backlash amongst Indy racing fans that are upset because they believe Ryan didn’t “earn” a spot in Sunday’s race. Many fans have turned to social media outlets to express their disapproval. However, in the world of racing, it is the sponsorship dollars that speak the loudest.

In wake of the controversy, Michael Andretti, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Andretti Autosport, released the following statement: “I disagree with the idea that we are doing something to hurt the integrity of the Indy 500. We would never do that – ever. The rule is the fastest 33 cars make the race – not the 33 fastest drivers. And, that is what will be on track Sunday.”

I caught Hunter-Reay between fittings as he preps for the race that he won Rookie of the Year honors for in 2008. I expected him to be distracted, if not frazzled with the hype and circumstance that surrounds this historical race. He seemed centered and professional when I asked him what made this all worth it for him.

“The most rewarding part for me is doing something that I absolutely love, and I can never get enough of. It is the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning and the last thing I think about before I go to bed. Auto racing in general; you can never have a perfect lap. You can never do everything absolutely correct. But one of the best things about it is that you represent an entire team when you’re out there on the track – a lot of people, a lot of effort has gone into it, and you also represent your corporate sponsors.”

RHR’s crew will be with him in the pits on Sunday while A.J.’s team will prepare the car. Hunter-Reay’s sponsors – DHL and Dr. Pepper’s Sun Drop Citrus Soda – will be on the car as well. Later, he noted just how important his teammates are to his success.

“Auto racing doesn’t get the amount of attention it deserves as a team sport. There is a massive amount of teamwork that goes into preparing these cars and making it possible. So when I’m out there and I’m the only guy in the car, the pit stops still have to be solid and the car still has to be reliable for 500 miles at 235 mph. It is quite the testament to the guys that build these cars, and I trust them with my life. If they leave one nut loose, one screw loose, one mistake from them in the garage can mean my life on the racetrack.”

With these kinds of stakes, it is clear that the sport requires an incredible amount of preparation, both technically and mentally. RHR is aware of that and makes sure his nerves are in check prior to getting into the car.

“Unlike other sports where it is good to get all hyped up before you get out on the field, racing is the complete opposite. You want to be as level-minded as possible because you are going out and doing something that you can get seriously injured in.”

With the possibility of major catastrophe coupled with the countless ways to lose a race, IndyCar seems to require a particular sort of mentality. I asked Ryan what separates him from the other drivers and has made him the most successful American driver currently on the Indy circuit.

“There are so many moving parts that make a car work and make a car go fast. It’s not like stick and ball sports where you put the ball in your hands and it’s pretty much down to your athletic ability to deliver the end goal. There is a lot that goes into it. I think you really have to look after your team, the people that surround you and the sponsors that are on your car. They are not just a sponsor, they are more of a partner and you have to treat them that way. I think that is probably what separates our team and me from the rest.” 

In closing, I asked Ryan my favorite question: If you could give one piece of advice to other athletes – competing in your sport or even another – what would it be? His response was genuine and what one would expect from the only driver to ever win in CART, ChampCar and IndyCar.

“Never be complacent. Always try to better yourself and keep evolving. The sport around you will keep evolving. The athletes around you will continue to better themselves. You can never be complacent, never feel comfortable, never feel as if you have something figured out.”

Starting from the back of the pack on Sunday due to the driver substitution rules, Ryan will have his work cut out for him. That luck he asked for earlier, he just might need.

Wishing you luck, Ryan!