IMSA at Indy Preview: Q&A with Nathan Nicholson

TeamWWF Driver Ambassador Nathan Nicholson and fellow Mazda MX-5 Cup drivers will be racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend as part of the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks. Nicholson, who is from Bloomington, IN, is currently No. 8 in the championship standings.

Read our Q&A with Nicholson below: 

Why are you excited to race at IMS? What makes it special to you?

NN: IMS is incredibly special to me. Growing up in Indiana, I watched the Indy 500, the Indy Grand Prix, and pretty much anything that raced at IMS. It played a huge role in making me want to become a race car driver. To finally have the opportunity to race there myself is incredibly exciting, and getting my first Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup win at IMS would mean the world to me.

Will you have friends and family in attendance?

NN: I’ve actually never raced a car in Indiana before, so to have my first opportunity be at IMS is pretty incredible. My whole family will be there along with a lot of the friends I grew up and went to school with. For many of them, it’ll be their first opportunity to watch me race in person, which makes the weekend mean even more.

What makes the IMS course unique or challenging?

NN: It’s been a long time since the series raced at IMS, so there are going to be a lot of unknowns for everyone. I expect the draft to be a huge factor with the MX-5s, so positioning and racecraft are going to be really important. I’m excited to take on those challenges, learn throughout the weekend, and see how the racing develops.

Your thoughts on your racing season to date?

NN: The Mazda season didn’t start the way we wanted, but we really found our form again at VIR. We were extremely competitive, led the most laps in Race 2, and had a legitimate shot at the win. I’m excited to carry that momentum into IMS and hopefully finish the job. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series has also been an amazing learning experience. I’ve learned so much making the transition into stock cars, and I’m looking forward to continuing to gain oval experience through the rest of this year and hopefully building toward more Truck Series races next season.

Any other thoughts or special thanks you want to include?

NN: I’m also really excited that this is a home race for the Wings and Wheels Foundation. Their support has played a huge role in getting me here, and I can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done for me. Hopefully we can give them a really strong showing at home. Getting my first Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup win at IMS with all of them there would be incredibly special.

See the IMSA Weekend schedule for our three Driver Ambassadors here: TeamWWF.org/imsa-schedule-watch-three-of-our-driver-ambassadors-at-ims

If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please reach out to TeamWWF Executive Director Madelyn DeLee at director@teamwwf.com. We are offering a weekend package for $250 per person.

See our Turn 2 VIP Suite: TeamWWF.org/about-us/turn-2-suite