While many of the drivers that came to IndyCar from Champ Car discovered the difficulty of racing on the ovals, it has come easily to Spain’s Oriol Servia.
The driver for KV Racing Technologies isn’t new to oval racing, however. He began competing in CART’s Indy Lights Series in 1999 and moved up to CART when oval tracks were still plentiful in that series.
That previous oval track experienced has helped Servia this season. Earlier this year, he finished sixth at The Milwaukee Mile oval. He bettered that finish in Saturday night’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at the three-quarter mile Richmond Int’l Raceway with a fifth-place finish.
“I always liked short ovals and this is the shortest I’ve ever been on,” Servia said Saturday night. “I’m very happy how the team performed. We unloaded the car and I said right away this is a top-five car and I was able to prove it.
“Everybody expected us to do well on the street and road courses, but I really wanted to prove the team is capable of doing well on the short ovals and I think we are showing that. We were very competitive at Milwaukee and also here. We’re taking steps towards the front.”
Servia said there are plenty of new things that the team has had to adjust to, but with his first top-five finish of the season, there is tangible proof that progress is being made.
“I’m so pleased we were able to do this and now in the second half, we can push the throttle and be ready,” Servia said. “We were lucky there were lots of yellows at the beginning of the race and Danica Patrick was pushing me quite hard and I had to put everything I had to keep her behind.
“It was physical.”
With 300 laps around the shortest track on the schedule, Servia admitted it was a dizzying pace.
“I didn’t think so until I stepped out of the car,” he said. “I was a little bit dizzy when I did that, but that is what happens when you do 300 laps.”
Servia was hounded by Patrick’s car in the closing laps of the race, but was able to protect his position.
“Her car is painted black, but I could still see she was all over behind me,” Servia said. “She was really fast at the end and I had to do everything I could to keep her behind and hit my marks. The cars in traffic were difficult, but I was able to do a good job for the team.”
Fellow newcomer Justin Wilson finished seventh with fast-rookie E.J. Viso 10th, so it’s obvious the new drivers to IndyCar are beginning to pick up the oval-track style of racing.
“On the short ovals where it is more of a mechanical setup, we have a better understanding than on the big ovals where it is aerodynamics,” Servia said. “I’m just really happy because this comes at a good time of the season. From here on, we need to be pushing and moving forward.”
Servia’s top-five finish gave team owners Jimmy Vasser and Kevin Kalkhoven something to celebrate after their other driver, Will Power, crashed on the eighth lap.
“He was always good and that is the reason why I wanted him on the team,” Vasser said. “I know what he can do. He’s a veteran. He knows ovals. He’s not an idiot and that’s what I expected out of him. The car wasn’t perfect, but he brought it home and he is racy. He is good.
“Oriol is doing a great job. The car has to be working for you, also. I’m a little disappointed with Will’s deal today because I think he would have had a good run, too. Now, we are getting down to the road-course part of the season and we’ll see what we can do.”