By alley - Feb 6, 2015, 2:13 PM ET

IndyCar: Phinny preparing for Indy 500 debut

Los Angeles native Ryan Phinny has followed a winding and unpredictable path during more than a decade spent on the open-wheel ladder. The son of former SCCA Super Vee open-wheel racer Pat Phinny, the second-generation driver started in karting in the early 2000s, moved to the Formula BMW USA series, followed his dream to Europe as part of the Red Bull Driver Search, and landed in sports cars on his return home.

Like many young drivers with dreams of IndyCar stardom, Phinny’s progress stalled, and without a steady ride in recent years, he’s fought to keep his career ambitions afloat. The 25-year-old’s persistence is about to pay off, and that self-determination could make him one of the most interesting stories to follow during the month of May.

After scraping together enough sponsorship to rekindle his career during the latter stages of the 2014 Indy Lights championship, Phinny set his sights on the improbable: The 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. Once a few signatures are completed on the contract, look for Phinny to join four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais as part of KV Racing’s lineup at the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

“It’s a long time coming, and it’s still getting buttoned up, but my whole life since the Red Bull search has been a struggle, and I’ve kept working to make my dream of racing at the Indy 500 come true,” Phinny told RACER. “My sights never changed from wanting to be in IndyCar, and it was important to race for Bryan Herta and Belardi Racing last year in Lights and show that I still belong here. Since then, it has been a lot of work to put something together for Indy, and we’re close to making an announcement.”

Phinny’s long-standing ties to KV co-owner Jimmy Vasser and continued mentoring from Ganassi Racing driver Joey Hand have kept him in the frame for new opportunities.

“The first Indy car I sat in was Jimmy’s car in ’95 (RIGHT), and he’s been a great family friend and supporter the entire time,” he explained. “And my dad wanted me to gain experience from one of the best, so he threw me in the back of Joey’s truck and I went all around California as a kid learning about karting and he still keeps be under his wing. It’s all come together, especially last year in Lights, and finishing sixth for Belardi at Sonoma picked things back up for me. It interested sponsors and there’s been an increase in this project moving forward since Sonoma.”

Passion for Indy car’s glory days has apparently connected with sponsors.

“We have some good support from Hollywood, and from the people I work with at car clubs and other events where they have an appreciation for the history of the Indy 500,” he noted. “I’ve always lived the Indy 500, and that has connected with some people who feel the same way and want to help me achieve my dream. It’s the Indy 500. It’s the biggest race in the world. I’ve been to the race the last seven years, just as a spectator, and being able to go there and race is just surreal.”

Phinny’s family ties to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway could also resonate with fans that are unfamiliar with the IndyCar rookie.

“I come from L.A., and that’s the reason I have a chance to do this,” said Phinny, who co-hosts the "Playboy Garage" show on Playboy TV. “Me getting in a car will mark a return to Indy for my family, in a roundabout way. My great-grandfather, Harry Beaumont, directed the movie Speedway in 1929, which was the first feature film shot at Indianapolis.

“All these years later, I’m able to go to Indy because of Hollywood and the sponsors and people from the industry who’ve put their faith in me. It’s a big deal for me to come here as a racer after our history from the film-making side. Guys like George Clooney and others who are involved are responsible for me having this opportunity.”