Every driver has a special place in their heart reserved for their home track, but when your local circuit is the one and only Indianapolis Motor Speedway, it just means more.
Indiana native Cristian Perocarpi, driver of the No. 37 MINI JCW Team MINI JCW TC Pro, knows better than anyone on the grid what it means to have the Brickyard in your backyard.
“It’s super, super cool,” exclaimed Perocarpi. “It’s a very historic track, which almost makes it a little daunting to go there. Growing up in Indianapolis, I went to the Indy 500 every year as a kid. There’s just a certain aura that comes with this place. To be able to race there myself means a great deal to me, and it’s always nice to have family and friends join me.”
The road course layout comes with its own intricacies, as Perocarpi explained; “I think anyone here will tell you that Turn 3 is one of the hardest corners out of all the tracks we go to throughout the year, because it's kind of deceiving. It doesn't look that hard on paper, but you come into the braking zone at an angle that makes it hard to get right. There’s a bit of a love-hate relationship with that corner.”
On top of that, as the season finale destination on the calendar, the notable drop in temperatures is an extra element to contend with. For Perocarpi, it simply comes with the territory.
“I’m used to it,” he said. “That first weekend in October is the time of year where the cold really starts to settle in. It’s important to get the tires up to temperature, which can be a bit challenging.”
With three wins and five podiums under his belt so far in 2024, he is looking forward to the opportunity to take home some more special hardware in the final event.
Although racing is the heart and soul of Indianapolis, the city itself has even more to offer.
“When I was growing up, I felt like there wasn’t much to do other than racing,” Perocarpi joked. “There are a lot of good karting places I still visit often, especially in winter. It’s fun because a lot of Pro competitors and IndyCar drivers will be there too, it’s like a little hub for us.”
“Whenever I’m home, I like to spend time with my friends and find new spots to check out. We also have some great art museums. Life here is fun, we have a bunch of good places!”
Join us from October 4th to 6th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, tickets are available for purchase now!