Simon Pagenaud has had nearly six months to celebrate his first IndyCar Series title. That's a lot of handshakes, a lot of pats on the back, a lot of cheers and a lot of autographs.
He enjoyed the offseason no doubt. And with all the buzz about the Frenchman's championship both in the United States and in his homeland, he needed that much time to fit in all the celebrations and the responsibilities that come with a championship.
But when a driver has as good a season as the Team Penske driver had in 2016, he wants to get back on track and continue the momentum, especially after winning the season finale at Sonoma for his fifth race victory of the year.