Sept. 14 -- There’s a soft spot in Charlie Kimball’s heart for first responders and the thousands of people who have battled California wildfires. One of those fires struck his family’s home in Ventura County in December.
The IndyCar Series driver and his wife flew from their home in Indianapolis to help his parents, who lost their house, barn and 60 percent of their avocado orchard to the Thomas Fire. He even battled the fire alongside first responders.
He and his wife spent six weeks of the IndyCar offseason helping his parents start the rebuilding process, which still has a long way to go.
Kimball and Sonoma Raceway president and general manager Steve Page joined North Bay first responders to salute them at a luncheon in San Francisco recently.
“To come full circle today and be able to thank some of the people who kept the raceway and its surrounding areas safe during the North Bay fires is really special,” he said at the event.
Kimball, 33, who was born in England but grew up in Camarillo (Ventura County), drives the No. 23 Tresiba Chevrolet. He is in 17th place going into Sunday’s Grand Prix of Sonoma, the final IndyCar race at the track before it moves to Laguna Seca in Monterey next year.
He and his Carlin Motorsport team hosted firefighters from Ventura County and CalFire at the Long Beach Grand Prix in April.
In an interview, he said that as an IndyCar driver he is acutely tuned in to the risks that firefighters and first responders face.
“It’s hard to draw parallels because the selfless acts that the first responders go through,” he said. “The fear and the unexpected nature of the wildfires themselves mean that you never know what you’re going to get. You’re not totally in control. On the racetrack, I feel more in control, at least of my car.
“There are parallels, but they’re few and far between. Racing is a team sport. Last winter we were able to start rebuilding (from the fire) as a team. That was probably the strongest connection.”
The dangers of the sport were exhibited in violent detail in the Aug. 19 crash at Pocono Raceway in which driver Robert Wickens sustained numerous injuries, including a thoracic spinal fracture, a spinal cord injury and fractures to both legs and hands.
While pulling for Wickens’ recovery, Kimball addressed the risks that he and other drivers confront at each race.
“IndyCar has done a great job of continuing to drive safety forward,” he said. “From the introduction of SAFER (soft wall) barriers, going back to rear-view mirrors at the first Indianapolis 500, HANS (Head and Neck Support) devices and speed limits, to continuing to do their due diligence on more safety-related changes to the cars and the tracks, I feel like we’ve been able to mitigate and manage some of the inherent risks.
“Now, the honest drivers among us understand that we don’t get to go this fast for free. There are risks involved. Sometimes accidents happen. That’s why they’re called accidents.”
Although well out of the running for the title, he said the Carlin team’s inaugural season in the IndyCar Series shows promise on the basis of his five top-10 finishes and a fifth place in Toronto.
“When we come back next year, we’ll be better and stronger,” he said. “We’ve done a good job, and we’re excited to finish out the year strong at Sonoma.”
He said he has mixed feelings about the end to 14 years of IndyCar racing at the track.
“I love Sonoma Raceway, the challenge of the elevation and the track itself,” he said. “The area, being in Wine Country, is one of the most beautiful spots in the country. At the same time, I look forward to the challenge of Laguna as well. It’s a track I raced at years and years ago, when I was just 17 years old.
“So being able to go back as a driver in the IndyCar Series is going to be a lot of fun. It will be interesting to see the Monterey fans of IndyCar come out next year.”
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