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VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES MEDIA DAY

February 2, 2016

Ryan Hunter-Reay

Indianapolis, Indiana

THE MODERATOR: We are now joined by Ryan Hunter-Reay.

How excited are you just to be here, everything starting up again for this new season?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: It's great to get the season, get it going. Just coming back from the Daytona 24 Hour, seems like we're hitting our stride now. Tested yesterday in Sebring, testing again next week.

It's good to be back to work and being busy. I didn't know what I was doing with myself for the last few months.

THE MODERATOR: Rolex, Sebring, how much have you slept in the past 48 hours?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Not much. Have a little bit of that sore throat coming on. I drove almost nine hours at Daytona, and then went to Sebring and did a full day of testing in the 80-degree weather there. A pretty good physical test. It's good. Gets you in good car shape.

I am looking forward to sleeping tonight all the way through.

THE MODERATOR: You're one of the few drivers that has an Indy 500 win under their belt. How excited are you for the month of May and another shot at it?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: I can't wait. We've been working hard with Honda trying to make some gains. We're staying with the same aero package as we had here last year. Obviously last year we didn't, as a whole, as a group, perform to where we wanted to. Hopefully we can improve on that. We'll see. We're waiting on a few things here and there.

I'm looking forward to my first superspeedway test to see where we stand compared to our competition. Certainly last year, Chevy had the upper hand on us, kicked us in the teeth, but we'll come back fighting.

THE MODERATOR: Simon Pagenaud was in here a few minutes ago, and between you and him, you're the only two drivers that have seen the new track in Boston. What were your thoughts when you were out there a couple months ago?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: The three adds that we did have were just fantastic, Boston, Road America and Phoenix. Couldn't have asked for a better addition to the IndyCar schedule.

Boston, the perfect market to be in. The track is amazing. I can't figure out how somebody puts on a street race because there's so much logistically that has to go into it. When you see the site undeveloped, roads, city streets, you see where the tunnel is going to be, it's amazing that you can even pull something like that off.

Huge potential. The site and where I saw it, how it's going to be, the plans for it, massive potential. I hope it's one of our cornerstone events.

THE MODERATOR: You actually also in your travel adventures got back from Phoenix. I don't think you got out to the track, but when you looked through the city, did some memories come up, some ideas in your head of what the IndyCar race there might look like?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Any time we have a short oval, I'm a big short oval guy. I love IndyCar racing on short ovals. It's like peas and carrots, just goes together. Anytime we can do that, I'm all for it.

Phoenix is a great market to be in, just like Boston. I think it was one we've been talking about for a long time. All the drivers have been talking for it a long time.

I haven't been on that track, gosh, since I was 17, so it's been a while.

THE MODERATOR: Some dad things in the off-season I'm sure, too, getting time with the family. Did the off-season spare you any time for a lot of new memories?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Get used to seeing the kids for a little bit, changing and growing. You get on the road, my youngest is getting ready to walk, I keep telling Becky to knock him down until I get home. I get home till tomorrow night. Hopefully he can hold off until then. I missed Ryden's first steps, so hopefully I don't miss this one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You drove the Sebring test. How did it feel?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: It was good. We had a good test. You don't know unless you're out there with your competition. Sebring is such a wildcard, one day you show up there, can't figure the car out, the next day, this track is strange, the next day you feel like you're a superstar. It just changes with humidity, track temperature.

Very tough to tell you where we are based on the a Sebring test. We had some promising runs there. Certainly we have to get on track against our competitors, especially our competitors at Chevy, understand where we stand.

THE MODERATOR: Great news out of Honda earlier this morning about continuing their partnership with IndyCar. What has Honda provided to you throughout your career, especially of late with their relationship with Andretti?

RYAN HUNTER-REAY: I have a phenomenal relationship with Honda. They've done so much for me in my career. But the sport itself, they really have been the backbone. Through all the years when I first came into the Indy Racing League in 2007 through 2011, when competition did come in, Honda stayed true and continued to fight and win races.

I'm thrilled that I have an Indy 500 win with them, now I want to go get a championship with them.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Ryan.

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