INDYCAR: Ryan Briscoe lands at Penske Racing:

Most people in the Indy Racing League back in 2005 saw only Ryan Briscoe’s mistakes and accidents. Tim Cindric saw possibilities, which is why Briscoe, 26, will drive one of the IndyCar Series’ most decorated machines this year.

Thanks to Penske Racing president Cindric and his boss, Roger Penske, Briscoe replaces three-time series champion and Indianapolis 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr. in the Penske team’s No. 6 car. He’ll team with Helio Castroneves.

Cindric remembers what he saw in Briscoe in ’05, when the driver competed for Ganassi Racing in a difficult season that ended when the Australian suffered a concussion, two broken collarbones, a bruised lung and contusions to his arms and legs in a horrific crash at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I saw a guy trying to prove himself in [inferior] equipment,” said Cindric, referring to the old G-Force chassis and Toyota engine. “He tried to be too aggressive when he didn’t need to be.”

Among his moments: He ran over Castroneves and Danica Patrick in a no-chance move at Infineon Raceway that eliminated all three. He parked the car at the Milwaukee Mile after bouncing off the walls. He flew through the air on fire at Chicagoland, splitting the car apart when it hit the fence after wheel-to-wheel contact with Alex Barron.

“I should have just realized, this is what we’ve got [as a handicap], and if I can get a top-10 finish, it will be a good result,” Briscoe said of the season, which included seven accidents in 14 starts (he did not take the green flag at Milwaukee). “But I tried to set the world on fire, and it was a bad situation.”

Cindric said Briscoe’s response to those events impressed him. In 2006, with his ride at Ganassi lost to Dan Wheldon, Briscoe accepted every opportunity that was offered, including a four-race IndyCar Series stint with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

“I remember that day he raced at Watkins Glen for Dreyer & Reinbold,” Cindric said. “It rained, and people were bouncing all over the place, including Helio. Briscoe not only made it through that, he made it to the podium.”

Briscoe finished third.

It was about that time that sports-car driver Wayne Taylor, Briscoe’s career mentor, gave Cindric a call. Hornish was still in Penske’s IndyCar plans, so Cindric didn’t have an opening there, but a chance in Penske’s Porsche prototype in the American Le Mans Series became available for 2007. That gave Briscoe a first-class ride and a chance to learn some patience. But it was also an audition.

The early part of the ALMS season went so well that Penske and Cindric decided to challenge Briscoe with an IndyCar ride at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he finished 10th in 2005. The team leased a car to Penske’s son Jay, who created Luczo-Dragon Racing with businessman Steve Luczo. Briscoe qualified seventh and finished fifth.

The terms of Briscoe’s Penske contract are unknown, but it’s believed he has multiple years to prove his worth.

“There’s no doubt, this is a great opportunity for me,” Briscoe said. “But all I’ve done so far is get the ride; now I’ve got to race.”

autoweek.com

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