2016 Honda Indy 200 Preview: Can Pagenaud Perform?

By Brittany Frederick | Jul 31, 2016

Simon Pagenaud waits to qualify the No. 22 Team Penske Chevrolet for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Photo Credit: Bret Kelley/Courtesy of IndyCar /

Simon Pagenaud will start the Honda Indy 200 up front. But will a late back injury cause the IndyCar championship leader to have trouble at Mid-Ohio?

For the first time all season, Simon Pagenaud has a question mark hanging over his head.

Pagenaud will start from the pole in today’s Honda Indy 200 after shattering the track record – but has confessed that he’s dealing with a lower back injury. Per Racer, Pagenaud received an injection from IndyCar doctors on Saturday but it’s not known how he hurt his back or what the full extent of his injury might be.

More from IndyCar

So will this affect Pagenaud in the Honda Indy 200? Could this be the crack in the door that allows Will Power to push through for the IndyCar points lead?

It’s anyone’s guess. Josef Newgarden drove very well following his injuries suffered at Texas Motor Speedway, including a win at Iowa in dominating fashion. But Newgarden then admitted it was his lack of grip strength caused by the Texas injuries that caused him to crash at Toronto.

Pagenaud could soldier through and firm up his position as IndyCar’s man to beat with a strong finish in the Honda Indy 200. Or he could have to dogfight with Power all day and that could take its toll both in the race and in the standings.

It’s impossible to predict – but whichever way it goes, the No. 22’s situation will have significant implications.

Related Story: 2016 Honda Indy 200 Qualifying Results

Not to sound like a broken record, but the Honda Indy 200 is another big weekend for Scott Dixon. Dixon should have had a win at the Honda Indy Toronto and he definitely needs one in Mid-Ohio, which has basically been his playground for the last several years.

But Dixon has his work cut out for him today. A poor strategy call saw him plummet in the second round of qualifying, and the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car will start 11th when he had been on target to challenge Pagenaud and Power for the pole.

If Dixon still has that speed he displayed Saturday then he could be a candidate for his fifth trip to Victory Lane. Yet his team has made his job that much harder by putting him back in the middle of the field.

If you have to pick a dark horse for the Honda Indy 200, consider Ryan Hunter-Reay. The Andretti Autosport veteran surprised many by qualifying fourth for today’s race and if any organization is truly in need of a victory at the moment it’s Andretti.

Hunter-Reay’s last podium came in the second race of the Dual in Detroit. He has struggled the last two times out (dead last at Iowa after a mechanical problem and 12th in Toronto), but in his entire career has only finished outside the Top 10 at Mid-Ohio once (in 2012).

The No. 28 DHL Honda has been willing and able to take some crazy risks in other races, often being one of the biggest movers, so having Hunter-Reay near the front of the pack is a dangerous proposition. Should he be able to get around Power, Pagenaud and Newgarden early, RHR could check out.

It would be the first time an Andretti car has won at Mid-Ohio since the Honda Indy 200 resumed there in 2007.

Since then, all but two races have been won by Chip Ganassi Racing – Dixon has five victories while Charlie Kimball and Dario Franchitti can each claim one. (Kimball starts fifth today.)

Related Story: Interview: Charlie Kimball Looking For 2nd Win At Mid-Ohio

It’s worth noting that the top three in the Honda Indy 200 field are all drivers who have battled some form of injury or illness during the 2016 season: Power’s inner ear problem, Newgarden’s hand and clavicle, and now Pagenaud’s back.

Maybe they can all commiserate after the race – that is if one of them doesn’t make it to Victory Lane.

The 2016 Honda Indy 200 takes place today at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. The race will be broadcast on CNBC.