INDYCAR 2016 Driver Review: RC Enerson

Just when you thought that the Verizon IndyCar Series had run out of ways to surprise, 2016 came along. The championship was won by a guy who looked all at sea 12 months earlier, his closest rival didn't even participate in the first race, and the winner of the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 was a recent F1 refugee who apparently figured out how to make a car work without fuel.

Twenty-four drivers made at least three starts during the 2016 season, and each one is a story. Join RACER each day as we retrace their journeys.

RC ENERSON

NO. 19 DALE COYNE RACING HONDA

2016 Best result: 9th (Watkins Glen)
2016 Championship position: 28th (55 points from three races)

Enerson made a decent impression despite his limited opportunities. Flash in the pan, or a preview of greatness?

MILLER: Too early to call either way, but he was damn impressive for a teenager that stepped out of a Lights car in April and into an IndyCar in July.

PRUETT: The kid did enough to catch everyone's attention, but we need to see more of him before making either call. The Dallara DW12, with its modest power and insane downforce levels, has made it easier for new drivers to look like crusty veterans than any IndyCar I’ve seen in 30-plus years. If Enerson made a splash with insane power and modest downforce, Penske, Ganassi, and every other team would be in a bidding war for his services, but thanks to IndyCar’s current formula, it’s hard to tell if he’s a champion-in-the-making or if the formula is flattering to deceive.

I can say that he made Conor Daly look less spectacular once he arrived, and that alone could be the most tantalizing aspect of RC’s three-race cameo.

Is he the best teenager since Graham Rahal?

MILLER: He might be the only teenager since GR, but he possesses that same calm demeanor and, like young Rahal, the jump in horsepower didn't faze him. Nor did mixing it up with all the star power.
 
Why was he able to be so effective, so quickly?

MILLER: Some say it was because he got to test at Mid-Ohio, where he won the Lights race in 2015, and was comfortable immediately. He and engineer Kyle Brannan clicked instantly and it showed because there was no 'getting up to speed' - the kid was on it in the opening practice period.  
 
His top 10 at Watkins Glen was remarkable, but he barely made it into the top 20 at Mid-Ohio and Sonoma. Which should we pay more attention to?

MILLER: Let's take a closer look at his debut. In the first practice period he was next-to-last, squeezed in between fellow rookies Max Chilton and Alexander Rossi. But in the second run that afternoon he finished seventh overall and that opened everyone's eyes, since he was only three-tenths behind second-quickest Tony Kanaan. His first qualifying session on reds was an adventure, as it usually is for newcomers, so he wound up 18th, but what he'd done on blacks made everyone pause for thought. The Glen was fast and furious by veteran's standards, yet RC made it into the Fast 12 after being out of the car for two races. He struggled at Sonoma, as did most Hondas, but his short body of work left us wanting to see a lot more.

PRUETT: It’s best to do another teammate comparison here. At Mid-Ohio, Daly was running sixth and Enerson was behind him in seventh until he ran out of fuel and lost two laps in the pits being restarted. And at Sonoma, DCR lost its way as Daly (P21) and Enerson (P22) were at the bottom in qualifying and backed it up with disappointing races (Daly P21 and Enerson P19).

It makes me think that a weekend like the one they had at Watkins Glen, where both were fast and came home in great positions (Daly in P4 and Enerson in P9) was a better representation of RC’s potential.

What does he need to work on ahead of 2017? (Aside from finding a drive …)

MILLER: Obviously adapting to the red tires and, hopefully, learning the tricks of the trade on ovals. If he has Bourdais as a teammate, that will aid his progression.

PRUETT: Everything. Enerson had the equivalent of a prolonged audition this year, and did enough to warrant a serious look from a few teams, but let’s not kid ourselves: He’ll need two more seasons to acquire all of the skills that are required to make a genuine impact in IndyCar. From getting the most out of Firestone’s tires to figuring out the fine art of fuel conservation, he’s shined during the first semester at IndyCar U, but has a ton of credits to earn before graduation is an option.

PREVIOUSLY: