D&R: Jace Sanders, Assistant Engineer

Name: Jace Sanders

Team: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

Position: Assistant Engineer

Total years in racing: 3.5

Years with current team: 3.5

Previous teams you’ve worked with: None.

Weekday duties: Post-event data analysis, electronics, car setup and strategy prep for next race, engineering development and design projects.

Race weekend duties: Data analysis, providing engineering support crucial for set-up and race strategy, calling fuel strategy during the race.

How you got started in racing: While at Purdue University, I co-founded Opportunity Motorsports, an organization dedicated to helping students find racing experience. This led to a few jobs on smaller local race teams, which solidified my passion for racing and gave me the skills I needed to get into INDYCAR.

Favorite part of job: Every day is different. The track changes, and the cars and strategies are constantly evolving. There are always new ideas and new problems that need solving. I’ve learned to embrace the unpredictability.

Most difficult part of job: Calling fuel strategy. If the car runs out of fuel, it’s all on me. It can be stressful, but it’s rewarding when it goes right.

Career highlight in racing: Until I get my first win, it’s Long Beach 2010 when we came back from an incident and saved fuel to finish 2nd — and ran out of fuel as we got the checkered flag.

Favorite way to spend an off-weekend: Hang out at home with my wife and work on the house.