First INDY NXT Podium Is Validation for Jamie Chadwick
Photo Credit: James Black, Penske Entertainment
As a 3-time champion of the W Series, Jamie Chadwick was used to finishing races on the podium. But since her move to the INDY NXT Series a year ago, top three finishes have been non existent - until Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Driving for Andretti Global, the twenty-five-year-old Brit scored her first career INDY NXT podium, finishing third in the first of two races this weekend. Compared to those podium finishes in the W Series, Friday’s was especially meaningful to Chadwick.
“A lot more. I think especially coming off the back of last year, which was a tough year and tough transition into the series, to then find what I felt was good form and pace this year but struggling to kind of convert that into a result, to then get our first podium here definitely means a lot.
“I think it did fall into our hands nicely, but like I say, we've had good pace all year, and it just felt like we were knocking on the door for a good result. Very happy with the result. I think we had a really, really good car underneath us today, and I think that was probably shadowed a bit by the fact my teammates weren't up there, as well. But I think tomorrow we should be in a good place.”
Chadwick’s podium finish was the first by a female in the series since Pippa Mann’s at the Kentucky Speedway oval in 2010, and the first on a non oval since Ana Beatriz in 2008.
For Chadwick, Friday’s result was validation for all the work she put in during the off-season.
“It's true, and it's also I put in effort but everyone else does, as well. It's actually very hard to make such a big step. Honestly, I'm so happy with the step that we've made.
“I think actually at the end of last year we started to make the improvements and then it just took the off-season to really make the progress that we needed to.
“Yeah, I'm very happy in that sense. I think there's still improvement to make. I want to be ultimately where (race winner and championship leader) Jacob (Abel) is at some point, and there's still a step to that, but at the same time I'm very happy with the progress and just the validation that it's all starting to pay off.”
Photo Credit: Karl Zemlin, Penske Entertainment
A big point of emphasis for Chadwick during the off-season was improving her strength and fitness.
“These are physical cars, and coming from something like W Series, which is probably closer to an F4 car, I knew it was going to be a challenge, but until you're really in the thick of it and in the season you don't really know, and for that reason I was underprepared last year.
“Yeah, I beefed up quite a bit over the off-season, which has definitely helped and paid off this year. Also just knowing what's coming. Last year going to tracks for the first time, being -- spending a lot of energy on learning so much, it makes me take my hat off to the rookies that come in and do an incredible job because it isn't as easy as it looks, especially maybe the perception of coming from Europe over here thinking it will be maybe not as tough, but it definitely is.
“I think just knowing what was coming, and yeah, working hard towards that.”
Now in her second season in INDY NXT, Chadwick also feels she has a better handle on the series.
“I think there's a lot of ease in just knowing how the season goes coming into a second year. I kind of feel like the approach is already kind of two, three steps ahead of what it maybe was before. But yeah, honestly my approach this year is to try and go for big results, just maximum attack. If I make mistakes I make mistakes. I didn't really have the opportunity last year to really fight at the front or be in the thick of it as much. I was a bit too off the pace to have the opportunity.
“This year I just want to go for it as much as I can. Even if I make mistakes, go with it. But obviously a day like today where you can make the most of the situation and get a podium, that's where I feel it's starting to pay off.”
Chadwick did have a chance to go for it on a late race restart, but chose not to risk her position. She says balancing aggression with the big picture is always difficult.
“I think that's racing. That's it in a nutshell. It's definitely not -- you can review things and you can think, oh, there might have been an opportunity here or there, but in the moment you've got to make the right decision. I think we all act instinctively. You want to move forward. You don't want to make mistakes.
“I would say if there was an opportunity to have passed, I would have taken it. I don't think I quite had the pace on those restarts to really make a meaningful challenge without it probably being a bit haphazard. I think we executed the race as best as we could have done there. But at the same time, I've approached this year differently. I've approached this year just wanting to get results, and not seeing results I've not looked so much for consistency over the championship, and I managed to not finish the first two races.
“Yeah, now I just do want results, and yeah, third today was great.”
Photo Credit: Karl Zemlin, Penske Entertainment
While the W Series is now defunct, many drivers switched to F1 Academy, a 15-car, one-make series for young women between the ages of 16 and 25. Considered a trailblazer to those racers, Chadwick would recommend INDY NXT as an option for those looking to move up.
“A huge option. I think the kind of whole Indy ladder is a really good opportunity with the way it works with the seat time, everything, and Europe is also a great opportunity, but it is super tough and super saturated, but there's a great opportunity over here. Being over in Miami with the F1 Academy cars, it's incredible to see the growth of women's motorsport, and I'm proud to play a small role in that. I think anything we can now do to just encourage as many young girls through the ladder as possible, I want to see more girls in USF Juniors, USF Pro ultimately and INDY NXT, so yeah, there's still work to do, but it's very cool to see the progress.”