Pato O’Ward worked diligently to nab his fourth podium of the 2023 season. (Photo: Maddie Skidan | The Podium Finish)
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. – The box score may show another solid, competitive podium for Pato O’Ward in Sunday’s Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America. However, it was anything but ordinary for the 24-year-old Monterey, Mexico native.
Qualifying in the second position, O’Ward seemed like he was in prime position to battle Colton Herta, the pole sitter, for the lead in the opening laps. As the field worked their way around Turns 1 and 2, the driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Dallara Chevrolet felt more like Sonic the Hedgehog in a pinball video game from 1993.
Dropping outside of the top five, the four-time NTT INDYCAR Series race winner methodically and patiently worked his way up the leaderboard throughout the 55-lap race, the eighth round of the 17 race season.
Rather than getting flustered and upset in the heat of the battle, the sixth year racer showcased his form with unwavering confidence. Returning to the top five in the closing stages of the race in tandem with solid, efficient pit stops, O’Ward found himself in position for a strong result.
Unlike his frustrating afternoons at Indianapolis and Detroit, O’Ward returned to the competitive force prevalent in the season’s first five races, tallying a podium with a third place result.
Although O’Ward’s experience occurred on the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course, in terms of recalling his race, one would think he raced at a stock car superspeedway arena like Daytona or Talladega.
As Ringo Starr sang, “You know it don’t come easy.” (Photo: Maddie Skidan | The Podium Finish)
“It was a hard-fought race for us, and we were a bit of a ping pong in the beginning, getting hit in Turn 1 and hit in Turn 2,” O’Ward said. “We got shuffled back and had to give up a couple of positions and then I think we were sitting ninth or something and we just fought our way forward.
“There was no other thing to do and yeah, I am happy with the result. It was a solid job by the team in the pits and considering where we have ended the last couple of races, this was a really good job.”
Aside from the early race contact with Kyle Kirkwood and Santino Ferrucci, about the only dubious that happened to O’Ward was his cool down lap sputtering a long ways from pit road.
Rather than potentially limping and coming to a stop far from pit road, O’Ward decided to not take that chance after a hard day’s work.
“Yeah, I might have made it, but I might have not,” he said. “It was going to be more of a pain to run out of fuel over there by the kink, so I just stopped in Turn 5.”
By all means, O’Ward is showcasing his case as a championship contender as a podium regular. Then again, his sights are not set on podiums but on wins and finding a way to match or beat the incredible pace and strength from a familiar title rival in 2021.
O’Ward loves Road America and it loves him right back. (Photo: Mike Moore | The Podium Finish)
“We have been fighting in the top three every single weekend and there hasn’t been one where we haven’t,” he said. “So, I don’t see that changing and I think we are still going to be in the fight.
“Obviously, this isn’t ideal for all of us, including ourselves in the championship, but Alex (Palou) and the Ganassi guys did a fantastic job today. We need to be better.”
While O’Ward and company do not race again until the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, July 2, it is safe to say that he loved the refurbished, 2023 edition of Road America.
“I am a big fan of this repave,” O’Ward said. “It’s been a joy to drive this track.”
