If IndyCar drivers were college basketball programs

March Madness is here and it’s one of the greatest two weeks of the year for me, just slightly behind the two weeks I spend every year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May. I decided, why not write a fun article about comparing a drivers career to an NCAA men’s college basketball program over the last twenty years. Winning a National Championship will be equivalent to winning the Indy 500 while winning a conference tournament will equal an IndyCar Championship. As we wait out the next several days before Texas, enjoy this fun article bringing two my loves to the same page.

DRIVER: SCOTT DIXON
COLLEGE TEAM: KANSAS JAYHAWKS

In his long career in IndyCar, Scott Dixon has only finished outside the top 10 in points one time. The Jayhawks have made the tournament every year since 2000 with their lowest seed of 8th in the tournament coming back in 2000. Both Kansas and Dixon scored the biggest wins of their career in 2008 when Scott Dixon dominated the field at the Indy 500, two months after Kansas ran through the tournament with a 13 point average margin of victory.

DRIVER: HELIO CASTRONEVES
TEAM: NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS

The four time Indy 500 winner has been a staple for IndyCar since making his debut at the Indy 500 in 2001. UNC is always in the running to make it to the Final Four and like Castroneves, most people don’t mind the Tar Heels. Even if they do, they love their colors and passion for the sport. UNC has cut down the nets three times since 2000, with Helio doing one better, climbing the fence at Indianapolis four times. Each year, both UNC and Castroneves are popular picks to win.

DRIVER: TAKUMA SATO
TEAM: FLORIDA GATORS

Both the Gators and Sato have had hit or misses when it comes to the NCAA Tournament and Indy 500 respectively. The Gators scored back to back championships in the mid 2000s and finished runner up for the title in 2000. Sato has two Indy 500 wins with an oh so close win back in 2012 when passing for the lead on the final lap, Sato’s Honda spun and made contact with the wall. Since 2000, the Gators have failed to make the tournament five times while Sato has 6 finishes at Indy outside of the top 20. With both, it’s feast or famine.

DRIVER: TONY KANAAN
TEAM: LOUISVILLE CARDINALS

With a win at the Indy 500 and National Championship to both’s credit, both happening in 2013, these two power houses in their respective sports finally broke through after years of heartbreak. In the years leading up to Kanaan's win in the Indy 500, TK scored five Top 5 finishes at the Indy 500, a season championship and a pole at Indy. Louisville made two trips to the Final Four and two more to the Elite 8 before breaking through for the it’s first title since 1986.

DRIVER: JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
TEAM: UCONN HUSKIES

Montoya and the Huskies are two time winners of their sports greatest event in the last twenty five years and both did it several years apart. Montoya scored Indy 500 wins 13 years apart while Uconn went all the way ten years apart. Although both spent time away from it’s biggest stage, UConn has produced several NBA stars for the world to see while Montoya has won races in F1 and NASCAR, the most popular motorsports in the world.

DRIVER: ALEXANDER ROSSI
TEAM: SYRACUSE ORANGE

Some would say Syracuse and Rossi lucked into their biggest wins, but no matter how you do it, a win is a win. Syracuse had one of the best players in the country in freshman Carmelo Anthony while Rossi was a rookie running for one of the top teams in the paddock, Andretti Autosport. Both teams have gone on to have plenty of success and years of it are still to come.

DRIVER: WILL POWER
TEAM: BAYLOR BEARS

After several years of trying and plenty of fast pace tempo, Will Power and the Baylor Bears both climbed the top step of the podium and ladder in the Indy 500 and NCAA Tournament. Baylors fast tempo high scoring offense is very similar to Will Power’s never let off the gas driving style. Fans of both Baylor and Will Power have spent several years waiting and waiting on a breakthrough and both have finally got it.

DRIVER: SIMON PAGENAUD
TEAM: VIRGINIA CAVALIERS

Although Virginia was upset by a 16 seed in the tournament, the biggest upset Pagenaud has been involved with was Carlos Huertas winning at Houston back in 2014. Virginia and Pagenaud have similar styles, finishing strong and defending hard when needed, which is what Pagenaud did on the final laps of the Indy 500 in 2019.

DRIVER: JOSEF NEWGARDEN
TEAM: KENTUCKY WILDCATS

Newgarden is a two time series champ while the Wildcats scored a National Title in 2012 while making three other Final Fours since 2010. When filling out a bracket for the tournament or your fantasy team for IndyCar, picking Kentucky or Josef Newgarden is usually a safe bet that returns plenty on your investment.

DRIVER: ED CARPENTER
TEAM: BUTLER BULLDOGS

You’re shocked I know. Both “programs” have been so close to the pinnacle of their sport. Carpenter has a runner up finish and 3 Indy 500 poles while Butler finished National Runner Up twice in 2010 and 2011. Carpenter earned his degree from Butler in 2003 and is a fan favorite every year just like Butler’s mascot Tripp is a constant fan favorite as well.

DRIVER: GRAHAM RAHAL
TEAM: OHIO STATE

Again, low hanging fruit, but hear me out on this one. Both are consistent contenders that haven’t been able to break through for a championship. Ohio State has two Final Four appearances and lost the National Championship game back in 2007. Rahal has a third place finish at the Indy 500 and has won several races. Ohio State has had a few coaching changes before landing it’s coach of the future in Chris Holtmann while Rahal has made IndyCar starts for several teams before landing back home at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Both are always a tough opponent to face.

RIVER: COLTON HERTA
TEAM: UCLA BRUINS

Much like Herta, UCLA brings a young flashy, west coast confidence to the tourney every year. Much like Colton Herta, it doesn’t matter where they start, they can make a run to the front any given year. UCLA has four Final Fours since 2000 but hasn’t been able to take that next step to win it all, which is a step Herta is looking to make at Indy in 2022.

DRIVER: ROMAIN GROSJEAN
TEAM: ARIZONA WILDCATS

It seems like Arizona is always knocking at the door. So close so many times to winning in the NCAA tournament but have plenty of past experience to make them a threat every year. Grosjean has knocked on the door of a win multiple times in his first year in IndyCar and is poised to find victory in 2022. Arizona will head into the 2022 tournament as a likely #1 seed.

DRIVER: PATO O’WARD
TEAM: HOUSTON COUGARS

The Houston Cougars burst back to onto the college basketball scene last year with a run to the NCAA Final Four. O’Ward bursted back onto the IndyCar scene with two wins and a runner up finish in the championship standings. Houston plays in non power conference on the rise while O’Ward’s team is on the rise in IndyCar as well. Look for these two to continue success in years to come.

DRIVER: ALEX PALOU
TEAM: MICHIGAN WOLVERINES

Although Palou doesn’t quite have the track record as Michigan, they both are always contenders however. Palou scored his first IndyCar championship in just his second full time season while Michigan boasts four Elite 8 appearances and two Final Fours over the last decade. Palou is set with his new team at Chip Ganassi Racing for years to come while Michigan has there coach for several years in Juwan Howard, as long as he isn’t throwing punches that is.

DRIVER: MARCO ANDRETTI
TEAM: INDIANA HOOSIERS

Both have a massive following and still hope for a return to the “glory days”. IU has had multiple chances of making noise in the big dance, but haven’t quite captured the expectations of the fan base. The same goes for Marco Andretti who hasn’t lived up to the shadows of the Andretti name, while IU hasn’t lived up to the banners in Assembly Hall. Both still have potential to get it done and knock the monkey off their backs.