IndyCar: 10 things that point to Colton Herta contending for 2020 title

IndyCar: 10 things that signal Colton Herta contending for 2020 title

By Asher Fair | Mar 13, 2020

MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 21: Colton Herta #88 of United States and Capstone Turbine Honda reacts after winning the pole position during qualifying for the NTT IndyCar Series Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on September 21, 2019 in Monterey, California. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

2 of 4

AUSTIN, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 12: Colton Herta, driver of the #88 Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport Honda (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Positives

1. Rookie year in general

This doesn’t really need an explanation, but Herta became IndyCar’s first multi-race rookie winner in more than a decade, and he finished in seventh place in the championship standings. The only reason he didn’t win the Rookie of the Year Award is because Chip Ganassi Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist finished five points ahead of him thanks to a slight bit more consistency.

2. Qualifying

There is no better indicator of raw pace than qualifying results, and Herta aced qualifying in his rookie season. Nobody had more pole positions than he did (three), his average starting position was 7.4 (fifth best) and he only qualified outside of the top 12 a series-best once.

3. Tracks

Look at the two tracks where Herta won in 2019: Circuit of the Americas and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. IndyCar had never visited the former, and they had not been to the latter since the 2004 Champ Car season. These two tracks were the only two additions to the 2019 schedule, so Herta, despite the fact that he was a rookie, effectively entered the season on the same footing as everybody else. Imagine what he can do in 2020 with experience at every track except for Richmond Raceway.