Cavin: Under-the-radar IndyCar drivers to watch

Question: Dark horses rarely, if ever, win championships but is there a team or drivers you think may pleasantly surprise us this IndyCar season? (Dave, Cincinnati, Ohio)

Answer: I think the KV and KVSH entries fit that description. Sebastien Bourdais is already off to a terrific start to the racing season with a 12 Hours of Sebring victory over the weekend, a runner-up finish in the Rolex 24 at Daytona and one of the quicker times during last week's IndyCar Series open test at Barber Motorsports Park. Bourdais is with Chevrolet, which figures to give him a solid chance to compete at every stop on the IndyCar calendar, and he seems to be beaming with confidence. Most of us were impressed with his new IndyCar teammate, Stefano Coletti, at the open test. He posted the third-quickest overall time, and he seemed comfortable almost from the get-go. Remember, he's won eight GP2 races. So, watch these two drivers. Also, I think Graham Rahal to be much more competitive this season after finishing 19th in points last year. His engineering staff is stronger, and he, too, seems to have renewed confidence entering the season that begins this weekend in St. Petersburg.

Question: I just wanted to let you know how pleased I was to see you mentioned Bob Clidinst's passing in your column on the 16th. (Mike, Indianapolis)

Answer: Bob was one of the true Indianapolis Motor Speedway treasures. He worked as an archivist as part of the media relations team for more than 50 years, and he was one of the nicest, most helpful, ego-free men I've ever been around. What wasn't known by most was his skills in the miniature car world. He was an incredible artist who could model almost anything. He is already missed.

Question: Who decides if a crashed/cracked tub can be repaired? The team, Dallara, IndyCar or a combination? I've always been impressed at the force the cars (and drivers) can take, but at some point I think that a repaired tub would lose structural integrity. I'm glad to hear Sage Karam is OK after his crash last Monday at Barber. (Alan, Raleigh, N.C.)

Answer: I think the decision is generally a group one, but Dallara and IndyCar probably make the final call. There seemed to be no doubt in Karam's crash based on the photographs I saw. That was a big hit, and he was fortunate to escape with minimal injury. Sage is due to be back in the car testing today. Let's hope he's fine for the weekend.

Question: Kudos to Andretti Autosport for bringing Simona back to IndyCar, at least for one race. Hopefully that one will become many more. (Gordon, Atlanta, Ga.)

Answer: I don't think there's any question she'll get a few races at a minimum. In talking to Michael Andretti, there are similarities between this situation and the one Ryan Hunter-Reay faced with the team in 2010. He finished second in the Sao Paulo race and then, in the fourth race, won in Long Beach. That effectively sealed the deal. Simona surely won't have that kind of success, but Andretti said a solid run in St. Pete should be the kind of momentum they need.

Follow Curt Cavin on Twitter at @curtcavin