The 2009 season was definitely a tough season for me. We had some good results, but we had some bad ones too. Despite all of the ups and downs, I think as a team we really learned a lot. I know for myself, being a rookie this year, I learned how the championship works, how the cars work, the different compounds of tires that we have during qualifying and the art of racing on an oval.
This was my first year to ever race on ovals and that was one big challenge for me. Wherever we went to they were all different, rather it be a super-speedway, a mile and half, and the short-ovals.
Overall, I really had a good time with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. I had a couple of different teammates this year, each one of them teaching me something new. I enjoyed working with Milka throughout the season and Darren Manning for the first two races. It was nice having a veteran driver like Darren for my first two IndyCar events because he helped me ease into the transition of being in a new series. After the Indianapolis 500, Tomas Scheckter came on board and we really got along and worked well together. I also had the opportunity to have two more very experienced teammates for the Indianapolis 500 with John Andretti and Davey Hamilton. They really helped me conquer the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which is unlike anything I have ever raced before. It was great working with them, but also with all of the guys in the Series as well. IndyCar has some fierce competitors and it was tough beating them and you really have to be on top of your game.
We definitely had some "ups" this season. We had our first podium in Sonoma and that finished off the last road course of the season with a good result, which was nice. I believe that we should have had a few more of those results, especially with as many times as we were up at the front and looking for a good result, but either I made a mistake or something else happened. It did get frustrating at times, but all in all we learned a lot and next year I think it will be a lot stronger season for us.
I have to say, the track and experience that made the biggest impression on me was the Indianapolis 500. It was an awesome event for those watching it let alone competing in it. The entire month of May was a slow build-up of what was to come on race day. Once you got out on the grid with all of the cars lined up and the whole crowd from as far as the eye can see, that was a great experience and one that I will never forget.
All in all, I really enjoyed my first year of racing in America. It was a steep learning curve, but I learned a lot from all of the experiences and I really look forward to competing on all of the tracks again. For 2010, I'm currently working on some things with sponsors and hopefully we will be back next year and fighting for some wins.
Homestead, Florida (October 10, 2009)- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing had some ups and downs at the Firestone Indy 300 in Homestead, Florida today. All three DRR drivers, Tomas Scheckter (No.43 MonaVie), Mike Conway (No. 24 Roll Coater), and Milka Duno (No. 23 CITGO) endured plenty of action during the 200 lap race. The trio finished in 9th, 15th, and 17th position for the Firestone Indy 300.
Experience, laps and time were the right combination for rookie Mike Conway as he visited Homestead-Miami Speedway for the first time. The Brit started 20th and battled his way the entire time. Unfortunately in the beginning the lead pack pulled away and it was a continuous fight to keep up. From that point on Conway just drove a solid race bringing the Roll Coater car to a 15th place result.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing heads back to Indianapolis to immediately begin preparations for next year. The team will end the season with Mike Conway in 17th place (261 points), Tomas Scheckter in 20th place (195 points), and Milka Duno in 24th place (113 points) in the championship standings.
Mike Conway, No. 24 Roll Coater: “At the beginning of the race we didn’t quite have the pace to keep up with everyone because we were struggling a lot with under-steer. Slowly but surely we kind of got the car a little bit better each time. At the end the car was quite good. I just want to say thank you and good job to all of the guys they have worked so hard all season long. I also want to thank Dreyer & Reinbold Racing for the season and I look forward to coming back next year. With the last race of the season I wanted to finish the best that I could and I think we did that by bringing the car home safely.”
Joliet, Illinois (August 29, 2009)- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing was able to continue their incredible momentum into tonight’s Peak Indy 300 in Joliet, Illinois. All three DRR drivers, Tomas Scheckter (No.43 MonaVie), Mike Conway (No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer), and Milka Duno (No. 23 CITGO) endured plenty of action during the 200 lap race. The trio finished in 8th, 16th, and 20th position for the Peak Indy 300.
Experience, laps and time were the right combination for rookie Mike Conway as he visited Chicagoland Speedway for the first time. The Brit started 16th and battled his way the entire time. Unfortunately in the beginning the lead pack pulled away and it was a continuous fight to keep up. From that point on Conway just drove a solid race brining the Dad’s Root Beer car home in the same position he started in, 16th place. He set the second fastest lap time of the race (218.1 mph). On another note, Conway won the Firestone “Tire-ific” Move of the Race for making an incredible maneuver on the No.27 of Hideki Mutoh for third position in Turn 7 at Infineon Raceway last weekend.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing heads back to Indianapolis as they will have two weeks to prepare their cars before heading to Japan for the Indy Japan 300 on September 19th.
Mike Conway, #24 Dad’s Root Beer: “It was a shame in the beginning. We kind of lost touch with the lead group and it was me E.J. Viso, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Sarah Fisher battling it out. At that point the leaders were able to pass us before we pitted and it was a bit disappointing that we went down a lap so early and after that the yellow flag came out and we couldn’t gain the lap back. Overall, it was okay. I really learned a lot and it was good fun racing in the big packs. It’s a shame we couldn’t have finished a bit higher up, but a finish is a finish and we continue to learn. I’m really looking forward to the next race.”
Mike Conway practicing at Chicagoland Speedway on August 28th, 2009
Chicago, IL (August 27, 2009)- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing enters the Peak Indy 300 at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend on an incredible high. The team earned their first podium of the season with Mike Conway last Sunday at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, ending the final road course of the year on a positive note. DRR is eager to get back on an oval and continue their momentum. This will mark Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s eighth time to compete at the 1.5-mile oval, and who better to do it with than three racing pros, Mike Conway who will pilot the No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer machine, Tomas Scheckter who will get behind the wheel of the No. 43 MonaVie car, and Milka Duno who will be driving the No.23 CITGO chassis.
Sonoma turned out to be another groundbreaking performance for Conway where he showed that he was a true road-racing pro. The Brit kept his nose clean as he stayed out of the trouble that happened in front of him. He started in ninth position and went to 14th on the first lap. Fortunately that didn’t hinder him for long. The rookie was able to climb as the race progressed. With near perfect pit stops, Conway drove a good, consistent race, running in the top-ten for a majority of the event. It all came together on his last pit stop when he went from seventh to fifth and continued to pass. On lap 73 Conway made an incredible maneuver on the No.27 of Hideki Mutoh for third position in Turn 7. Firestone nominated the performance for the Firestone “Tire-ific” Move of the Race. As a result he crossed the finish line with his best result of the season, third place.
This weekend will mark Conway’s first time to Chicagoland Speedway. To date he has made it into the fast six twice on road courses (Watkins Glen and Toronto) and his best qualifying position on an oval has been 11th (Milwaukee and Richmond). Conway’s best results on a road course were sixth and third (Watkins Glen and Sonoma) and on an oval was eighth in Iowa.
Mike Conway, No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer: “This will be my first time here at Chicago so I’m looking forward to getting out on the track tomorrow. Obviously we had a good weekend last weekend at Sonoma, so I’m looking forward to the next race and hopefully get some good results again and try to keep moving up in the championship. I think the rookie spots are still available to us to win this year. Anything can happen with three races left, we’ve just got to keep pushing and keep getting results. Fingers crossed it will be another good weekend for us.”
The Peak Antifreeze and Motor Oil Indy 300 is on Saturday, August 29. Check out the #24 Dad's Root Beer car on Versus Network. Race time is set for 9pm.
Sonoma, CA - (August 23, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing rookie Mike Conway posted a career-high third place at the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. The race saw no lead changes, a series record for fewest, with Dario Franchitti leading all 75 laps. Briscoe was able to hold onto 2nd place, and in a surprising turn, rookie Mike Conway passed Helio Castroneves late to take 3rd.
Earlier in the week, Conway led the field on as 13 IndyCar® Series drivers completed a full day of testing at Infineon Raceway in advance of the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.
More than 200 fans turned out to watch as Conway (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) led the charts for the second consecutive day with a lap of 1 minutes, 17.48 seconds. He was followed closely by Ryan Briscoe (Team Penske) at 1:17.76 and E.J. Viso (HVM Racing) at 1:17.94.
Jasper, IN- (August 2, 2009) Driver of the #24 Dad's Root Beer car, Mike Conway, made his first appearance in the annual Strassenfest parade this year. Along with him in the Dad's Root Beer truck were Brie Rentz and Elizabeth Cannon of Dreyer and Reinbold racing.
Sparta, KY - (August 1, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing had some ups and downs for the Meijer Indy 300 Presented by Red Baron and Edy's in Sparta, Kentucky today. The Indianapolis-based squad endured plenty of action during the 200 lap race.
As the green flag dropped, all three Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers' Tomas Scheckter (No. 43 MonaVie), Mike Conway (No. 24 Dad's Root Beer) and Milka Duno (No. 23 CITGO) were off to a very good start. Conway and Scheckter started to gain positions right from the beginning.
Today marked Englishman Mike Conway's first time to compete at Kentucky Speedway. The rookie started from 19th position and had a strong start and gradually worked his way up the grid. He came in on lap 50. Unfortunately his race started to go in another direction when he made contact in pit lane. The team had to repair his front wing and as a result went five laps down. Luckily, the 25 year old was able to get back out on track. From that point on, Conway drove a solid race and brought the car home.
Mike Conway, #24 Dad's Root Beer: "The start was okay and the car felt good. I had a good use of the push to pass and it seemed to work well and get you beside someone good. As we came in for our first pit stop I started to stay low and Hunter-Reay was coming out so was Moraes and I had nowhere to go. It took the wing off. That was a shame because we were running fairly well. After that we were just running laps and learning. It's a long day when things go wrong early, but the team worked really hard. I just have to thank the crew and Dad's Root Beer for being so supportive."
Watkins Glen, New York (July 5, 2009)- A weekend at a road course was just what the doctor ordered for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as their success at Watkins Glen International Raceway continued. Mike Conway, driver of the No. 24 Dad’s Root Beer machine, finished in the top ten in Watkins Glen, New York today with a sixth place finish, while his teammate Milka Duno came home in 17th position.
The 3.37 mile circuit has been good to DRR for the past three years. They have had one car in the top six in each of the last three races at the track. This year’s Camping World Grand Prix at the Glen will mark four years in the top six with Conway’s result. In 2006, Ryan Briscoe gave the team their first podium with a third place finish.
As the green flag dropped, both drivers had a flawless start. Conway showed that he was ready to prove the point he was unable to at the two road and street course events earlier this season. The Brit went from 6th to 5th position in the first lap and continued to climb as the race progressed, running second for most of the time. With near perfect pit stops, Conway drove a good, consistent race. Unfortunately, on the last stop he dropped to fifth position, but ran strong. As the race came to an end he had some issues with the balance and on the last lap was passed by Marco Andretti, giving him a sixth place result. This event marks Conway’s best qualifying and finish of the season.
Mike Conway, #24 Dad’s Root Beer: “It was a great result for everybody. We ran strong all day. It was a shame that we couldn’t quite get the result in the end. It was a case of me coming out of the box and I lost a couple of seconds and gave me the gap to Justin Wilson and everyone came in between us. We were running top five and saving fuel. I struggled with the balance in the end, but we still brought the Dad’s Root Beer car home in sixth place. I just have to thank the Dad’s Root Beer crew, they did a great job all weekend and I’m looking forward to Toronto.”
Newton, Iowa - (June 18, 2009) A weekend off was just what the doctor ordered for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing as both drivers, Tomas Scheckter (No.23 MonaVie) and Mike Conway (No. 24 Dad's Root Beer), finished in the top ten in Newton, Iowa. The duo finished in sixth and eighth position for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.
The Indianapolis based squad was consistently in the top ten for all of the practice sessions at Iowa Speedway this weekend. Unfortunately the weather was not on Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's side. Yesterday qualifying was cancelled due to a "weeping" track. The water was seeping up through the circuit, keeping cars from being able to run. As a result the session was cancelled and the team had to start by owners points. Tomas Scheckter, pilot of the #23 MonaVie machine started 16th today and Mike Conway, driver of the #24 Dad's Root Beer started from 19th position.
Experience, laps and time were the right combination for rookie Mike Conway. The Brit started 19th and he too moved his way up the field in the first lap, going from 19th to 16th position. After the first yellow he came in on lap six for fuel only. From that point on Conway just drove a solid race brining the Dad's Root Beer car home to his first top ten result of the season.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing heads back to Indianapolis as they will have two days to prepare the cars before heading to Richmond International Raceway.
Mike Conway, #24 Dad's Root Beer: "It was a tough race. We started from the back with what happened with qualifying yesterday. We kept it steady at the start, but even when you are trying to stay out of trouble and everything is happening around you, it makes it difficult. At the restart we just tried to gain positions, but it was hard with the bumps through one and two, because your car can get really loose, so we were just trying to hang on. Our cars were really competitive and great job to Dad's Root Beer and the guys."
Don't miss the Dad's Root Beer #24 Car racing on "Dad's Day" at Iowa Speedway Sunday, June 21, at 1:00pm live on ABC!
FortWorth, Texas - (June 6, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing had some ups and downs for the sixth round of the IndyCar Series at the Bombardier Learjet 550 in Fort Worth, Texas today. The Indianapolis-based squad endured plenty of action during the 228 lap race.
As the green flag dropped, all three Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers' Tomas Scheckter (No. 43 MonaVie), Mike Conway(No. 24 Roll Coater) and Milka Duno (No. 23 CITGO) were off to a very good start. Unfortunately, that rapidly changed for the team. Coming out of turn two on the second lap, Milka Duno was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The No.2 of Graham Rahal went sideways coming out of turn two, collecting HVM driver EJ Viso and unfortunately Duno was the victim of an unfortunate circumstance as she had nowhere to go and hit them both. As a result, the incident was the first caution of the day and ended the Venezuelan's race early.
Today marked Englishman Mike Conway's first timeto compete at Texas Motor Speedway. The rookie started from 19th position and had a strong start. His race went in another direction when he began having trouble shifting on lap 48. Conway came in and the team had to repair his gear stack in pit lane. Luckily, the 25 year old was able to get back out on track, but unfortunately he went down 37 laps as a result. From that point on, Conway drove a solid race and brought the car home to the same place he started, in 19th position.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing heads straight to Watkins Glenfor a test and then back home to Indianapolis for a weekend off. The team will hit the pavement June 21st in Iowa for the Iowa Corn Indy 250.
Mike Conway: "We were just hanging in there on thestart and after about 40 laps in we started having problems with thegearbox. It kept slipping intogear and eventually knocked out of gear and we only had third to run in. Obviously we couldn't run in third gearand we had to pull it in and see what the problem was. One of the parts bent and we had toreplace the gears and that was that. We lost 30 laps or so, but I was able to finish the race and I learnedquite a few things out there. It'sjust a shame we couldn't finish the race properly."
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - (May 30, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's third oval of the season was full of twists and turns for the team. The Indianapolis-based squad endured plenty of action during the ABC Supply/ AJ Foyt 225 IndyCar Series race in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Saturday.
As the green flag dropped both Tomas Scheckter (No. 23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) and Mike Conway (No. 24 Roll Coater) were off to a very good start. They had a clean first lap and immediately got into the groove. Scheckter gained five positions going from 10th to 5th, while his teammate, Conway, went from 11th to 13th position. Both drivers were running a steady race, but as drivers started to jockey for position it started to change on lap 58.
Rookie Mike Conway gained positions and experience during his third oval race. The Brit battled his way up the grid in the first forty laps or so, but things started to turn for Conway on lap 58. Despite battling under-steer, the 25 year old worked hand in hand with his teammate Scheckter as they fought EJ Viso and Dan Wheldon to keep their 11th and 12th place positions. As Conway was diligently trying to keep his place, he had to give room for Dan Wheldon, and unfortunately his No. 24 Roll Coater machine made contact with the marbles and he hit the wall in turn four. As a result, Conway caused the first caution and the incident ended his day early putting him in 20th position.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing heads back to Indianapolis as they will have two days to prepare the cars before heading to Texas for the Bombardier Learjet 550.
Mike Conway: "Today started out okay. I couldn't really move forward because I was stuck behind Tomas (Scheckter). It looked like our cars were handling similarly. Then we got caught behind Tony Kanaan and those guys and that allowed the crew behind to catch us. We then battled a bit with Viso and Wheldon. I held down around the outside of one and two and then into three and four Wheldon was going to get the corner, so I gave him room because we were struggling with under-steer through three and four. Obviously he went through and I was unable to get through the corner. I had bad under-steer and went up into the marbles and once you are on that it's like being on ice and you can't stop the car. It's really unfortunate and I feel sorry for the guys. They have worked really hard all weekend and it's a shame we couldn't finish."
Indianapolis, Indiana (May 24, 2009)-- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers Mike Conway and John Andretti were in position to score Top Ten finishes Sunday in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race before a late yellow flag hurt their chances.
Conway, a 25-year-old rookie from England, was the leading first-year racer for much of Sunday's 200-lap classic and turned in a sensational performance throughout his initial Brickyard race. In fact, only a long caution period on lap 173 halted Conway's chance of the "Rookie of the Year" honors.
The driver of No. 24 Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Honda Dallara, who spent a night at Methodist Hospital in downtown Indianapolis earlier in the month due to a practice incident, was racing veterans Paul Tracy, Dario Franchitti and Hideki Mutoh wheel-to-wheel for nearly 30 laps before he pitted late for fuel and tires. In fact, Conway recorded the fast lap of the race on lap 169 with a 221.919 miles per hour, only to be bettered 18 laps later by Franchitti at 222.044 m.p.h.
Conway's second fastest lap of the entire event made for an impressive debut for the Brit in only his second oval race ever. Due to the late pit stop, Conway placed 18th at the finish from a 27th starting position.
Mike Conway: "It was a little frustrating at the end. I was running P10 and I think we could have finished there. But we made a call to pit late for tires and fuel. And it wasn't the right one for the finish. I had a great chance to be the highest placing rookie today. I had a good race with John [Andretti] today. I think we deserved a better finish than we got."
Indianapolis, Indiana - (May 17, 2009) Co-team owners Dennis Reinbold and Robbie Buhl had to take a sigh of relief Saturday evening as three more of the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing drivers qualified for the 33-driver lineup in the 2009 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race set for Sunday, May 24.
For Conway, the four-lap qualifying run was an outstanding performance after he suffered a mild concussion last Sunday in a high-speed crash in Turn One. The 25-year-old British rookie driver put together four solid laps of 220.366, 220.416, 220.139 and 219.576 for a 220.124 average and the 28th spot on the starting grid in the No. 24 Purex Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Honda Dallara.
Mike Conway: "I'm really happy we qualified. I was the most comfortable I had been all day. I wasn't sure what to expect going in, but, once we did the first lap and it was 220, I knew it would be good to keep the averages up. I'm pretty happy with the run and we're in. I want to thank my crew. They did a great job. Tomorrow is another day, and we will see what happens."
Kansas City, Kansas - (April 26, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing's first oval of the season was full of twists and turns for the team. The Indianapolis-based squad battled windy weather conditions and plenty of action during the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300 in Kansas City, Kansas today.
As the green flag dropped, both Milka Duno (No. 23 CITGO) and Mike Conway (No. 24 Dad's Root Beer) were off to a very good start. They had a clean first lap and immediately started to get into the groove. Conway gained two positions going from 16th to 14th, while his teammate, Duno, went from 12th to 13th position. Both drivers were running a steady race and after the first full course yellow, had quick pit stops on lap 16, but then it started to change.
Rookie Mike Conway was taking advantage of his opportunity, as he gained positions and experience during his first oval race. The Brit had a taste of what it was like to run through traffic and battled Justin Wilson for a couple of laps. Things started to turn for Conway on lap 68 when came into the pits for his second stop. He received a minor pit infraction that resulted in a drive thru penalty, putting him in 19th position. On lap 104 the 25 year-old had too much under-steer going into turn one and brushed the wall damaging his front right wishbone, ending his day early.
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing looks forward to the month of May. The team heads back to Indianapolis as they prepare for the Indianapolis 500.
Mike Conway: "I enjoyed my first oval. I was moving up a little bit at the beginning of the race, buying my time and keeping it safe. We were looking good, but when I came into the pits I locked the front left and I'm sorry to the crew, because I clipped one of the guys and luckily he is okay. We got a drive thru and lost two laps. The Dad's Root Beer car felt really good after that and we were making great time, but unfortunately our day ended early. I feel that Kansas prepared me well and I look forward to the month of May."
Long Beach, CA- (April 19, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing had some ups and downs for the second round of the IndyCar Series at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The team showed consistant speed all weekend long, but time and traffic didn't help them early on in qualifying as Mike Conway, pilot of the No. 24 Dad's Root Beer machine and Darren Manning driver of the other DRR car, both qualified 16th and 18th respectively for the race.
Rookie Mike Conway was taking advantage of his opportunity, as he gained positions and was running well. Things started to turn for the Brit on lap 12 when the AGS (assisted gearshift system) was malfunctioning from that point on. This made the car difficult to drive as the shifting was inconsistent, which finally caught Conway out. As a result, it ended his race.
Mike Conway: "Today was a really tough race. In the beginning we were fine and were making up positions keeping with the guys ahead. We were saving fuel and then we started having issues with the electronic shift assist and unfortunately, that's what ended my day early. Now, we just have to put this race behind us and move onto Kansas."
St. Petersburg, FL - (April 5th, 2009) Dreyer & Reinbold Racing celebrated their 200th race start at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Rookie Mike Conway showed good speed all weekend long and was making progress, but unfortunately ran into some bad luck. Starting from 12th position, Conway tried to get around Dan Wheldon, but made contact with him and ended up in the tire wall. The team tried to repair his car, but substantial damage was done the to right rear suspension. Conway's day eneded early.
Mike Conway: " I'm disappointed, but I learned a lot this weekend. We just need to focus on the next race and do well in Long Beach."
The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida returns April 3-5, kicking off an exciting year for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The team recently announced their new driver for the 2009 IndyCar season, rookie Mike Conway. Conway will embark in his first IndyCar race of the season in St. Petersburg where drivers will be racing on a temporary street circuit that runs through the downtown area. Be sure to catch the Dad's Root Beer Car Sunday, April 5th at 2:00PM ET on the Versus Network.
On March 19th, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and new driver Mike Conway visited the headquarters of The Dad's Root Beer Company in Jasper, Indiana. A press conference was held at Hedinger Beverage Distributing where Mike and his team discussed goals for the season and how he will transition from street racing to the Indy Racing League. President Keith Hedinger and Vice President of Sales and Marketing Andrea Hedinger were in attendance amongst several members of the media.
Dad's Root Beer sponsored IRL car was featured on CNBC & Fox Business Network
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Larry Curry, along with the Dad’s Root Beer IndyCar, was featured on 21st Century Business, which aired Sunday, February 8th on the Fox Business Network.
Curry, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Director of Competition, was featured on the program discussing ADI’s (Accelerating Developments International) KD-Rig. The rig is a tool used by motorsports teams for chassis development.
21st Century Business, a news magazine style show, provides the viewers an education in the newest trends in several industries from leading executives and experts. The program is distributed worldwide on CNBC as well as the FOX Business Network.