Connor Willis and his Smart car were the first to complete a lap on a cold, rainy opening day, launching our 20th Anniversary Season! Connor spent the night in his car in order to guarantee his win. Autobahn’s Dick Simon Award is named in honor of the IndyCar Team owner who was famously the first to arrive on track for each race.
Another fun fact, Dick Simon was once questioned by the FBI under the suspicion of being the airplane hijacker D. B. Cooper. Simon provided a solid alibi to clear his name, and Connor Willis wasn’t even alive so he was cleared as well.