It's hard to believe we're more than halfway through the 2012 IZOD IndyCar race season. It's been a crazy year for IndyCar, with Lotus engine problems, strange driver penalties and even a self-destructing racetrack in Detroit. I think we've seen a good range of different drivers on the podium this season, which means the IndyCar rules are working and the teams, drivers and cars all seem about evenly matched. The races have also been exciting to watch, with frequent overtaking and results coming down to the last lap in many cases.
IndyCar driver ranking
In the 2012 IndyCar driver's ranking, Team Penske's Will Power holds the top spot with 274 points and three wins. The Mayor of Hinchtown himself, Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe is in second place with 243 points. Hinch has yet to win a race, but strong consistent podium appearances have earned him enough points for second place. Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon is in third place with one win and 239 points.
With his win in Milwaukee, Andretti Autosport's Ryan Hunter-Reay is now in fourth place with that one win and 233 points. Dancer and driver Helio Castroneves, who won the season's first race in St. Petersburg, is in fifth place with one win and 231 points. Rookie driver Simon Pagenaud, who I do think will win a race this season, gets honorable mention and sixth place with 216 points. He drives for Schmidt / Hamilton Motorsports.
Future races
Next up on the schedule is the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 23 in Iowa, followed by the Honda Indy Toronto Race in Canada on July 8. The teams stay in Canada for the next race, heading west to Edmonton for the Edmonton Indy race on July 22. The teams have a week off, then they head to Ohio for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on August 5. Next up is a Northern California stop with the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma on August 26. The Grand Prix of Baltimore is next on September 2, followed by the last race of the 2012 schedule, the Auto Club Speedway race just outside Los Angeles on September 15.
A lifetime auto racing fan, Freddy Sherman collects vintage muscle cars and attends races and rally events in the U.S. and around the world. He writes about Formula 1 and IndyCar racing and you can follow him on Twitter -@thefredsherman
More from this contributor:
IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard Talks About Engine Penalties: Fan InterviewWill Power Overcomes Engine Penalty to Win at Long Beach: Fan's View
Interview with James Hinchcliffe - 2011 IndyCar Rookie of the Year
