13 Questions With Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe

Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe as he leads the IZOD IndyCar Series championship points leader at the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2013)

13 Questions With Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe

James Hinchcliffe is the "Mayor of Hinchtown," which is his Internet civilization that welcomes everyone to visit.

I love the short BIO that was sent to me which states - Hinchcliffe likes long walks on the beach, flannel shirts, maple syrup and dog sled racing. "I am also a competitive lumber jack in my spare time," he jokes. As you can tell, Hinchcliffe has quite the personality.

He's also an accomplished race car driver, winning the IZOD IndyCar Series’ Sunoco Rookie of the Year and Tony Renna Rising Star Awards in 2011.

This year, James notched his first win in the IZOD IndyCar Series and had two more wins while gaining just one other top-6 finish in an inconsistent year. 2013 has been a balancing act.

Knowing when to be aggressive and go for the checkered flag, and then, when to coast to the finish line for the points - prompted this quote from the Mayor of Hinchtown:

“It kind of has been like I’m either winning or crashing, we just want to give people something to cheer for.”

And cheering fans is what James Hinchcliffe always ends up bringing to the track ... James, Welcome to Motorsports Unplugged and Race Talk Radio's "At The APEX" program.

IZOD IndyCar Series race winner James Hinchcliffe and sponsor GoDaddy will trade the iconic "GoDaddy green" for a good cause at this weekend's Grand Prix of Houston. The Chevy-powered No. 27 driven by the Canadian racer will, in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation, take to the track on Friday with a pink paint scheme specially designed for the GoDaddy machine. In addition to the pink paint, the No. 27 will go one step - or wheel - further by displaying the support of Firestone Racing through pink sidewall racing tires. Hinchcliffe's teammates Marco Andretti, E.J. Viso and reigning series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay will also sport the Firestone pink side-walls. Image Credit: Andretti Autosport

James HinchcliffeInterview 10-3-2013

 (click title to launch audio file of interview)

(1) We all have recently heard the announcement that your sponsor, GoDaddy, is going away ... you said recently, that you thought you'd have an offer on the table with Andretti Autosport before Houston ... care to announce something here, right now?

(2) If no agreement can be reached with Andretti, you further stated you were entertaining an offer that had come in from a good team ... could you expand on that concept yet?

(3) What was it like working with GoDaddy? You certainly seemed to have the outgoing personality for, you know, their brand ...

(4) A lot of people are sentimental about racing the road course at Indy ... they seem to want the 500 to be the only indycar race there ... How do you see it?

(5) The F1 races on the Indy Road course were exciting, but very little room to pass, do you think, you and the other drivers, are going to enjoy the new layout?

(6) Last question about INDY - Having both races in the same month, the oval and the road course, do you feel that this might diminish, in some way, the INDY 500 - and its strength and luster?

(7) Do you enjoy the street courses? Do you think IndyCar has arranged the best menu of street courses for you guys this year?

(8) Do you like the change-up of the double-header style format IndyCar has come up with for targeted race weekends during the year?

(9) What is your impression of the standing start format?

(10) With Indy Lights having such small fields this year ... do you think Formula Atlantic should be brought back?

(11) Which did you enjoy more IndyLites or Formula Atlantics? Why?

(12) Who came up with Hinchtown and you being the Mayor of it?

(13) Lastly, and most importantly, how does haggis taste? And do you intend to partake in haggis a second time if Dario Franchitti asks again?

Thank you James, have a good 2-runs, Saturday and Sunday, at Houston and see you at the Auto Club Speedway for the MAVTv 500 finale, with the GREEN Flag set to drop on Saturday October 19 at 8:00 pm Eastern Time.

... notes from The EDJE