BRASELTON, Ga. – Five weeks have given Jack Hawksworth an opportunity to dissect his whirlwind 18-race Verizon IndyCar Series season. Overall, he likes what he’s reviewed.
Hawksworth, who earned the Prototype Challenge pole in a RSR Racing car for the 17th Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta this weekend, said the experiences of his freshman year will suit him well in 2015.
“Overall, I think this has probably been the best season I’ve ever put together and I’m very pleased with my performance,” said Hawksworth, 23, who was named the Tony Renna Rising Star Award winner after recording five top-10 finishes (best of third at Houston-2 after starting 23rd).
The experience, he said, will suit him well in 2015. The Brit has amicably parted ways with BHA/BBM with Curb-Agajanian and has received overtures from several Verizon IndyCar Series teams. Hawksworth added that “nothing has been signed and no decisions made,” but he’ll be in a better position than this time last year.
A race winner in Indy Lights in 2013, the 2012 Pro Mazda champion was exploring a tract to become a personal trainer if a Verizon IndyCar Series ride didn’t materialize after offseason auditions at Sebring International Raceway with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Dale Coyne Racing and the group led by former IndyCar driver Bryan Herta.
Driving the No. 98 entry for BHA, Hawksworth qualified eighth, fifth and second in three of the first four races. He also qualified 13th for his first Verizon IndyCar Series oval race – the Indianapolis 500 – and six days later started third at Belle Isle. Suitable results, however, were sporadic.
“I look back on (the season) and think I did a very good job. I made mistakes but also got the most out of the car and look back on the year pretty happy without sounding arrogant,” he said. “Beginning of the year we had a faster car and I believe we threw away a few races. We probably should have won the Indy (road) race and perhaps Detroit as well.
“It’s given me solid ground to go out next year and win races, which is what I want to do. It’s been a year in which I’ve learned some things and probably did some things that will put me on the grid next year, which means I can go out next year and hopefully show what I can do. The long offseason will give me a chance to properly prepare 120 percent for the season.
“I don’t just want to be an IndyCar driver; I want to win races.”
Hawksworth co-drove the No. 08 RSR Racing car to a class victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and two weeks ago co-drove the Prototype Challenge entry at Circuit of the Americas.