Kanaan Says 2020 IndyCar Season Will Be His Last
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe winner of the 2013 Indianapolis 500 says the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series will be his last as a primary driver. Tony Kanaan, who won the IndyCar Championship in 2004, says he will compete in five races in the upcoming season, but added he is not retiring from motorsports completely.
Kanaan says he will only compete on the oval course races this season. At a news conference at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kanaan said he didn’t know what the future will hold for him after the season ends.
Kanaan said the decision was not a hard one to make. He added it is important for him to give back to the series and its young drivers moving forward.
“My mindset is I’m extremely happy with what I’ve accomplished in my life. Now maybe it’s time, instead of thinking about winning all the time, it’s like, ‘How can I give it back? How can I inspire these kids?'”
One of the most popular drivers in the IndyCar Series, Kanaan says he will still be in attendance at the races in which he is not competing, which will give him more time to engage with the fans.
“They made me feel (like) the most important person in the world,” said Kanaan. “I don’t think I can express how important they were in many of my decisions in my life. They are everything. I mean, obviously, without them, none of us would be here and I’m not done, like I said, so I don’t want anybody to be sad. This is a happy day.”
Kanaan began his INDYCAR career in 1998 after winning the Indy Lights Championship and was named the Rookie of the Year. He holds the record for the most consecutive starts at 317, and is second all-time for most career starts behind the legendary Mario Andretti.
You can watch the full news conference, courtesy of IMS, in the video below: