Sage Karam’s budding Verizon IndyCar Series career received a shot of confidence with a fifth-place finish in the MAVTV 500 at Auto Club Speedway.
Underneath the career-best result through nine races for the 20-year-old from Nazareth, Pa., was the realization that he could run up front in Chip Ganassi Racing Teams’ No. 8 Comfort Revolution/Big Machine Records Chevrolet.
Karam, who tied his best qualifying position of 10th at Texas Motor Speedway earlier in the month, led his first laps (five) early in the 250-lap race on the 2-mile, D-shaped oval.
“I think everyone in the field thought they could win at some point. It was fun running up front,” said Karam, who locked up the 2013 Indy Lights championship at Auto Club Speedway. “The Comfort Rev/Big Machine car was fast all day and I led my first laps in the Verizon IndyCar Series, got my first top five. After a rough season, that’s what I needed right there and that’s some confidence for me that I’m going to put in my bag and take forward.”
Karam’s previous best finish was ninth in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
“I’m just so thrilled to get my crew forward a good result. They’ve been working their butts off and it’s finally paid off,” he added.
All four Chip Ganassi Racing Teams’ cars placed in the top eight, led by Tony Kanaan’s runner-up finish to Graham Rahal. Scott Dixon was seventh and Charlie Kimball was eighth for his best finish at the track.
