Beyond the Flag
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2016 IndyCar Preseason Power Rankings

By Brittany Frederick

Jan 29, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; Scott Dixon before practice for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2016; Daytona Beach, FL, USA; Scott Dixon before practice for the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jul 18, 2015; Newton, IA, USA; IndyCar Series driver Charlie Kimball (83) during qualifying for the Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 18, 2015; Newton, IA, USA; IndyCar Series driver Charlie Kimball (83) during qualifying for the Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /

16. Charlie Kimball

There’s nothing wrong with Charlie Kimball. In fact, off the track, Charlie Kimball seems like one of the most awesome people in the IndyCar Series. His only problem is that on the track there are so many talented people in front of him – including on his own team.

Kimball had two big flashes of brilliance in the 2015 season, earning third place finishes when they mattered most: at the Indianapolis 500 and in the season finale at Sonoma. But he’s another one of those drivers who works his tail off and never quite gets there. He hasn’t won a race since Mid-Ohio in 2013, and that’s Kimball’s only trip to Victory Lane in his entire IndyCar career. Counting those two podiums, he had three Top 5’s and two other finishes in the Top 10 last year. He’s only finished within the Top 10 of the league championship standings once. He keeps being almost there.

But Kimball also happens to be driving for the best all-around team in IndyCar in Chip Ganassi Racing, which sort of works both for and against him. He has great resources and the best teammates to lean on week after week; at the same time, there’s three more guys on the roster getting more attention than he ever does, with two of them being champions. Kimball has to do something to make race fans stop looking at him as “the other guy” at Ganassi, and when you’ve got to get around the likes of Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon, that’s not an easy task.

Next: 15. Max Chilton