Marcus Armstrong has been a revelation this season because the IndyCar newcomer from New Zealand continues to steer the Rookie of the 12 months standings regardless of contesting nothing aside from highway and avenue course occasions.

Already lacking two occasions’ price of factors from the Texas and Indianapolis oval rounds, the race-winning Formulation 2 driver has proven appreciable promise throughout seven outings whereas delivering 5 finishes between eighth and 11^th for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Whereas sharing the No. 11 Honda with CGR oval driver and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato, Armstrong has additionally grown thinking about studying about oval racing and changing into a full-time competitor subsequent season. The 22-year-old believes one of the simplest ways to make that occur is thru his work product, fairly than phrases.

“I feel it’s fairly clear: I must do my speaking on observe,” Armstrong instructed RACER. “And it’s been the identical all through my whole profession. You are able to do as a lot speaking off observe as you want, however you’ve simply obtained to carry out properly. And that’s the one factor I’m telling myself now’s simply to deal with race weekend, which doesn’t actually look like it’s a chore as a result of I’m simply fairly genuinely having fun with myself.”

Sato will return to the No. 11 later this month for the Iowa oval doubleheader and the ultimate oval of the 12 months in August at World Broad Know-how Raceway. A post-season oval check for Armstrong is alleged to be within the works.

“I might like to do ovals, which isn’t a secret,” he stated. “I’m wanting ahead to getting the chance to study them, firstly, as a result of it’s a unique ballgame. Coming from Europe, predominantly, I’ve by no means actually had expertise on a circuit like that. So I do wish to bounce in and expertise it shortly so I can begin the educational curve. When will that chance come? I’m not fairly certain when, however I’m wanting ahead to it.”

Armstrong has impressed on a few events this 12 months earlier than misfortune struck and blighted his ending positions, which makes the idea of enhancing his document and incomes just a few high 5 finishes appear attainable earlier than his rookie marketing campaign is completed.

“It may not seem like it from the outcomes standpoint, however now we have made regular progress,” he stated. “We’ve been able to much more, which I feel we exhibited to an extent at Highway America. I assumed we certified a bit poorly in P8 for my part, after which had a great begin and obtained to perhaps P2 at one level, and I assumed that we had actually good tempo.

“That was an instance of what we are able to obtain after I know what to anticipate, as a result of we did the check there the week earlier than and I’d definitely arrived in FP1 and hit the bottom working, which is what we wish to do going ahead. If we are able to arrive at a race weekend, bounce into FP1 headfirst, that’s going to assist us a lot in terms of qualifying. Once I know what to anticipate, that’s once we can anticipate some actually good outcomes.”

Armstrong is beginning to attract curiosity from Ganassi’s rivals as extra IndyCar groups seek for younger expertise to develop as long-term prospects. The Kiwi wish to proceed with CGR, however he stays unsigned past the present season.

“For the second, I’m centered on what I’m doing,” he stated. “It’s very simple to get misplaced sooner or later and what I wish to do a 12 months from now. However for me, it’s really fairly simple to remain current and benefit from the second. Firstly, as a result of I do know that every thing I do that 12 months goes to assist my future. And secondly, as a result of it’s fairly pleasant. So I can simply take each weekend, day by day because it comes. I haven’t seen these circuits earlier than. I haven’t seen quite a lot of the stuff.

“So I’m very a lot in my honeymoon part the place I’m simply doing what I do. Lengthy story brief, I’m loving it right here at Chip Ganassi Racing, and who is aware of what the longer term holds.”