Fansided

Ed Jones interview: Looking for repeat success at Indy 500

By Brittany Frederick

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 20: Ed Jones, driver of the #10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, walks to his car during Pole Day for the Indianapolis 500, on May 20, 2018 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, IN (Photo by Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - MAY 20: Ed Jones, driver of the #10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, walks to his car during Pole Day for the Indianapolis 500, on May 20, 2018 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, IN (Photo by Khris Hale/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Ed Jones was a revelation in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. He wants to repeat his success in 2018, but a lot has changed for the Chip Ganassi Racing driver.

No one was a greater surprise at the last Indianapolis 500 than Ed Jones. In his rookie season, driving for Dale Coyne Racing, the Dubai native shocked everybody by finishing on the podium in the biggest race in the IndyCar season.

Jones is determined to put on another impressive performance in the 2018 Indianapolis 500. But the Ed Jones of 2018 is miles away from the Ed Jones IndyCar fans met last year. He’s got another year of experience under his belt and a new team to work with.

FanSided spoke to Jones ahead of the 102nd Indianapolis 500 to discuss everything that’s been different for him in the 2018 IndyCar season, and how confident he feels about his second shot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

FanSided: Before the Month of May, what was your perspective on the 2018 IndyCar season compared to your first year?

Ed Jones (EJ): I knew it wasn’t going to be as easy as just stepping into a new team and getting results immediately. I knew it was going to be difficult. I started off the year with eighth at St. Pete, had potential for quite a bit more, but that was a good way to start the season.

At Phoenix, we were super-strong at the race, running second, and then with 20 laps to go I had a crash. Which is super-unfortunate, but on the other hand it’s a confidence boost and it’s good for morale for myself and my team. It just shows after the first race, we’re right at the front fighting for the win.

Long Beach, we were able to finish third. Barber, our race was super-strong, then we had an engine issue [and] in the end we had to retire. It’s been a very up and down four races for us, but it’s great to see how much potential there is for the No. 10 team. We’ve been fighting for top five the whole season.

FanSided: You’ve shown a lot of promise this season, and you were the fastest rookie in last year’s Indianapolis 500. Does that make Ed Jones feel more confident going into the 2018 Indy 500?

EJ: Yeah. Last year in the 500, I didn’t know what to expect. I took everything as a rookie did. That was probably one of the keys to the success [last year], was approaching things the way a rookie would. I was trying to learn everything step by step and I wasn’t overconfident. I think that’s what helped me understand the car, what I needed for the race.

Of course, there’s things I can improve on from learning what I did, but I’m going to remember those aspects that helped me and try to put them to my advantage this year. I feel extremely confident with what I can do at that race. I really feel it’s going to be a big chance for me.

FanSided: But you’ve also been through some changes. It’s a big decision to move from one race team to another, especially in only your second IndyCar season. What made Ganassi the right place for you?

EJ: [Racing] with Dale Coyne during my rookie season was an opportunity that was perfect. A teammate [Sebastien Bourdais], someone I could learn a large amount from … It gave me a great space to prove what I could do in IndyCar. It was always the goal to move up with a team like Chip Ganassi Racing.

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They’re one of the top teams, have some of the most wins in IndyCar and it’s always been my target to end up with a team like this. So when the opportunity came to be a [Ganassi] driver and working with Scott Dixon, it was a dream. As soon as it came up, it was an easy decision.

At the end of the day, I can be with the team for a long time. I know how capable they are of winning races and championships, and that’s what I want to do. Now I’ll have the chance to do that in the years to come.

FanSided: What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned since joining Chip Ganassi Racing?

EJ: They have a history of winning so everyone — the crew, the engineers, the guys that have been there for such a long time — they’re used to winning races and that’s all they’re asking. It’s a great atmosphere where everyone is pushing each other just as hard. Pushing each other to do that every time. You can see how much it means to everyone, and I think that’s the biggest thing.

FanSided: What’s a reasonable expectation for Ed Jones in the 2018 IndyCar season? You know you’ve got the talent, but at the same time do you allow for the fact that you’re on a new team and in a new car?

EJ: I’ve got to win a race this year. That’s the number one priority. Be consistently in the top five or six, and throughout the races we’ve kind of been like that. We’ve been a bit unfortunate in results, but we’re already up there. I just want to consistently be running up front and be comparable to Scott, because if I can do that then I know I’m doing a good job and can prove what I’m capable of in a team like this.

If anything, you want to have a good relationship with the team, and things have come so much easier than I would have expected or smoother than I would have expected, the way everyone’s welcomed me in and given me respect and helped me as much as possible.

FanSided: Speaking of teams, you won your Indy Lights championship with Carlin, and now they’re fielding an IndyCar team with Charlie Kimball and Max Chilton. Is it cool to see your old team on the grid with you?

EJ: For sure. I’m really happy for Trevor Carlin, because they helped me make my move to the states and Indy Lights. We both moved over at the same time from Europe. I knew that was always their intention, to move to IndyCar, and it’s great to see they’ve done that. You can already see they’ve made huge steps and improvements and they’ll be very strong competitors.

FanSided: How does Ed Jones consider his future in the Verizon IndyCar Series?

EJ: I’m still new to IndyCar; I’ve only been in the States for, this is my fourth year. But it’s fantastic to see, and I feel like the series is going in a very positive way. It looks like the fanbase is growing, the races are extremely exciting, and for a young driver like myself I’m really happy to be in this position. To be in IndyCar now, we’re becoming stronger and a great series to be a part of for years and years to come.

Next: Charlie Kimball talks first IndyCar season with Carlin

Fans can watch Ed Jones in the 2018 Indianapolis 500 this Sunday, May 27 at 11:00 a.m. ET. For complete coverage of the 2018 IndyCar season, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided.