By alley - Dec 17, 2015, 5:01 PM ET

The (Down)Force Awakens: IndyCar drivers share love of Star Wars

Is Marco Andretti too short to be a clone trooper?

In 2008, Andretti donned a specially themed “Star Wars” firesuit to coincide with the “Star Wars: Clone Wars” livery his Verizon IndyCar Series car ran at Sonoma Raceway.

Film creator George Lucas (pictured with Marco and his father and team owner, Michael Andretti) even showed up at the track to support the team.

With the newest film in the franchise, #TheForceAwakens, set for global release Dec. 18, we asked a few INDYCAR drivers about their knowledge of all things “Star Wars.” Here are their answers.

Favorite “Star Wars” character:

Charlie Kimball – Yoda

Conor Daly - Yoda, because he has a green light saber … and he’s a boss

Scott Dixon – Princess Leia

Simon Pagenaud – Darth Vader

James Hinchcliffe – Chewbacca

Juan Pablo Montoya – Han Solo

Gabby Chaves - I love Anakin Skywalker from Episode III as he is torn between the Force and the dark side and eventually darkness over comes him.

Pippa Mann - Yoda

What character would you be?

Kimball – Han Solo

Daly - I would want to be Anakin, but like a good version that doesn’t turn into Darth Vader and ends up living happily ever after with Natalie Portman

Dixon - Han Solo

Pagenaud – Darth Vader

Hinchcliffe – Chewbacca

Mann - I think maybe they got there ahead of me with Rey, but I haven't seen the movie yet, so let's just say a female version of Luke Skywalker

Montoya – The hairy one. What’s his name? Chewbacca

My Verizon IndyCar Series car should have:

Kimball – A hyperdrive so I can make the jump to light speed

Daly – Well, hyperspace would be awesome, of course, because that means we’d be going REALLY fast, but a good few blasters would be nice as well … clear out some competition

Dixon – The Force (but he may already have it)

Hinchcliffe – R2D2 as my riding mechanic

Montoya – The Force, so I could move Helio out of the way!

Chaves – I think an R2D2 type of on-board mechanic/co-pilot like in the movie would be fantastic!

Mann - Having The Force on your side in the Indy 500 would be pretty awesome

Pagenaud even picked a “Star Wars” Dream Team for his No. 22 Team Penske entry:

Mechanics: R2D2

Race director: Chewbacca

Drivers: Jedi Knights and Sith Lords

Race strategist: Yoda

Engineer: Han Solo

Crew chief: C3PO