A few surprises in practice two this morning Sting Ray Robb in fourth despite a spin which brought out a red flag, and Will Power dropping to 13th while teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Marcus Ericsson stayed in the top 10.
Alex Palou was eighth fastest in the final practice before qualifying begins at 2:30 pm Eastern.
Results
Today’s schedule:
Another warm day is on tap for IndyCar at Mid-Ohio with a chance of afternoon storms that might play a factor in qualifying.
Friday was a strong day for Willl Power and Kyle Kirkwood, but they need another strong showing today to stay ahead of Alex Palou.
The race seems to be secondary to all the Silly Season talk going through the paddock. The big news yesterday on that front is that Christian Lundgaard revealed that he is not allowed to talk to other teams right now, even though it is apparent that he will not return to Arrow McLaren. Racing is a cruel business.
Sunday could be the final chance for either Kyle Kirkwood or David Malukas to gain ground on Palou. A Palou win will make it hard for anyone to catch him. Palou’s run over the last two seasons has been so dominant that fans got excited when Kirkwood pulled within one race of Palou.
I’m going with Will Power this weekend. He looked very strong yesterday, and I think he will finally justify Andretti’s faith in him.
If you are at the track this weekend, please seek shade, hydrate, and take advantage of the cooling stations the track has set up.
I’ll be back after /practice and have another report after qualifying
Will Power and Kyle Kirkwood took the top two spots in Practice 1 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio this afternoon. Points Alex Palou finished third.
Arrow McLaren had a good day also, with Christian Lundgaard fourth, Pato O’Ward fifth, and Nolan Siegel seventh.
Rinus VeeKay posted the sixth best time.
The hot humid weather made conditions difficult for both drivers and crew members.
Kirkwood only needed 14 laps to set the second fastest lap. Andretti teammate Marcus Ericsson was eighth quickest in the session.
Practice stopped twice for red flags. In the 40-minute segment Marcus Armstrong slid oof track and in tot he tire barrier, damaging the left front suspension. In the second group practice Romain Grosjean spun in turn 9 and could not get the car refired.
Silly Season Week continues.
From Meyer Shank Racing.
| Pataskala, Ohio (July 3, 2026) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) announced today that Marcus Armstrong has signed a multi-year contract extension that will keep the New Zealander with the organization beginning in 2027. As part of the agreement, Armstrong will transition to the team’s No. 60 MSR Honda for the start of the 2027 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Since joining Meyer Shank Racing in 2025, Armstrong has established himself as one of the series’ brightest young talents. In his first season with the team, he earned his second career NTT INDYCAR SERIES podium at Iowa Speedway while recording 11 top-10 finishes, showcasing the consistency and speed that have made him a championship contender.Armstrong has continued that upward trajectory throughout the 2026 campaign. With seven races still remaining on the schedule, the 25-year-old has already collected five top-10 finishes and delivered one of the standout drives of the season in the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500. After charging through the field after starting 16th, Armstrong battled for the lead in the closing laps before crossing the finish line in fifth place in one of the closest finishes in race history. His pace has been evident throughout the season, including a heartbreaking near-victory at Road America where he was on his way to claim his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win before mechanical issues ended his day with fewer than five laps remaining. Despite the setback, Armstrong has consistently demonstrated the speed, racecraft, and determination that have made him a cornerstone of MSR’s future. “I’m proud to announce a multi-year partnership with MSR,” said Armstrong. “I want to thank Mike, Jim, Tim and Helio for this opportunity and for believing in me. I feel that Meyer Shank Racing gives me one of the strongest cars on the grid every weekend. Our goals are aligned, we want to win races and be consistently fighting at the front. I especially look forward to returning to the Indy 500 having unfinished business from this year. We still have eight races left this season and we have some strong momentum going. I’m ready more than ever to close out this season on a high note and start prepping for 2027.” The contract extension reflects the confidence both Armstrong and Meyer Shank Racing have in continuing to build toward race wins and championship success together. As Armstrong prepares to take over the No. 60 Honda beginning in 2027, the team remains focused on finishing the 2026 season strong and turning its race-winning pace into victories. “Since joining the team, Marcus has really shown that he is a top contender, something that is not easy to do in this field,” said Mike Shank. “His work ethic, feedback, and determination to improve every weekend make him exactly the kind of driver you want to build around. We’ve seen tremendous growth from him, and we’re excited to continue that journey together starting in 2027.” Meyer Shank Racing continues to finalize plans for the No. 66 MSR Honda and expects to announce the driver for the team’s second full-time entry at a later date. |
From IndyCar. My preview will not be up until tomorrow morning.
| Race weekend: Friday, July 3-Sunday, July 5 Track: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, a 13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course in Lexington, Ohio Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid: 90 laps / 203.22 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1: 35 laps / 79.03 miles / 55 minutes; INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2: 30 laps / 67.74 miles / 50 minutes Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation | INDY NXT by Firestone: 65 seconds of total time. Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 310 kilojoules (kj) per lap .Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend. A carryover set from the Detroit event may be used during pre-qualifying practice session on Friday. X: @Mid_Ohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #Honda200, #INDYCAR Instagram: @officialmidohio, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #Honda200, #INDYCAR Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT Facebook: @MidOhioSportsCarCourse, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR TikTok: @INDYCAR, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR YouTube: @INDYCAR Event website: www.midohio.com INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com 2025 race winners:NTT INDYCAR SERIESScott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)INDY NXT by FirestoneDennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global)2025 NTT P1 Award winner:Alex Palou (No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 1:05.0215, 125.027 mph2025 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:Dennis Hauger (No. 28 Andretti Global), 1:09.7431, 116.553 mph Qualifying lap record:NTT INDYCAR SERIESSimon Pagenaud, 1:03.8700, 127.271 mph, July 30, 2016INDY NXT by FirestoneDennis Hauger, 1:09.7431, 116.553 mph, July 5, 2025 FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 9 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live); Race, 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. A Spanish-language telecast will be available on FOX Deportes. | INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice, 2 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 9 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race 1, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Race 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey and guest analyst Conor Daly. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter. INDYCAR Radio Powered by OnlyBulls broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf, Ryan Myrehn and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid race (noon ET Sunday), INDY NXT Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio doubleheader (12:55 p.m. Saturday and 9:55 a.m. Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA .At-track schedule (all times local): FRIDAY, JULY 32-2:45 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, FS2 (live )3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, FS2 (live) SATURDAY, JULY 49-9:30 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Two groups, 10 minutes each), FS1 (live) 0:05-11:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 , FS1 (live) 1:01 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1 command to start engines1:08 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (live) 2:35-4 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (live) SUNDAY, JULY 5 9:05-9:35 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 (live) 10:01 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2 command to start engines10:08 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio Race 2 (30 laps/50 minutes), FS1 (live 1:57 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions 12:30 p.m. – FOX on air 12:45 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid command to start engines 12:52 p.m. – The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid (90 laps/203.22 miles), FOX (live) NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid is the 11th race of the 2026 season. There have been five winners in the first 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit), Josef Newgarden (Phoenix Raceway and World Wide Technology Raceway), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Arlington), Christian Lundgaard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Road America) and Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis 500).The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid will be the 43rd INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Scott Dixon won the race in 2025. Johnny Rutherford won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio in 1980.Scott Dixon is the winningest INDYCAR SERIES driver at Mid-Ohio with seven victories (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019 and 2025). Emerson Fittipaldi won at Mid-Ohio three times, while Michael Andretti, Helio Castroneves, Teo Fabi, Josef Newgarden, Bobby Rahal, Al Unser Jr. and Alex Zanardi all won at Mid-Ohio twice. Past winners Dixon, Newgarden (2017 and 2021), Graham Rahal (2015), Alexander Rossi (2018), Will Power (2020-Race-1), Colton Herta (2020-Race 2), Scott McLaughlin (2022), Alex Palou (2023) and Pato O’Ward (2024) are entered this year. Twenty-two drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Mid-Ohio. Scott Dixon (22) has made the most starts at Mid-Ohio among the entered drivers. Twelve drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 276, Will Power 206, Alex Palou 176, Josef Newgarden 162, Alexander Rossi 71, Pato O’Ward 52, Scott McLaughlin 48, Graham Rahal 30, Felix Rosenqvist 15, Marcus Ericsson 3 and Kyffin Simpson 1) .Chip Ganassi Racing has won 13 times at Mid-Ohio, including 10 of the 20 races sanctioned by INDYCAR. Ganassi’s winning drivers are Alex Zanardi (1996, 1997), Juan Pablo Montoya (1999), Scott Dixon (2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2025), Dario Franchitti (2010), Charlie Kimball (2013) and Alex Palou (2023). Team Penske also has 12 wins at the track with Emerson Fittipaldi (1992, 1993), Al Unser Jr. (1994, 1995), Helio Castroneves (2000, 2001), Ryan Briscoe (2008), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2021), Will Power (2020-Race 1) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).Scott Dixon has finished in the top five in 15 of his 22 starts at Mid-Ohio, including seven wins between 2007 and 2025 … Will Power has finished in the top five in 11 of his 18 starts at Mid-Ohio … Kyle Kirkwood won eight of nine development series starts from 2018-21.Rookies Caio Collet, Dennis Hauger and Mick Schumacher will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the first time this weekend. Both Hauger and Collet won INDY NXT by Firestone races at the track. Collet won in 2024, while Hauger won in 2025.Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 367th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 267th consecutive start…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 230th consecutive start…Dixon will extend his record to 430 with a start Sunday…Will Power will attempt to make his 330th INDYCAR SERIES start, passing Al Unser Jr. for sixth on the all-time list .INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:The ultra-competitive INDY NXT by Firestone season continues with a doubleheader visit to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Cape Motorsports Powered by ECR’s Nikita Johnson leads the point standings by just six points over HMD Motorsports’ Tymek Kucharczyk with HMD’s Enzo Fittipaldi 27 points back. The 2026 season has seen eight winners in 10 races.The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Mid-Ohio doubleheader will be the series’ 38th and 39th races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, dating to the American Racing Series race in 1986. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Mid-Ohio include Paul Tracy, Bryan Herta, Townsend Bell, Raphael Matos, Jack Harvey, Pato O’Ward, Kyle Kirkwood, Linus Lundqvist, Louis Foster, Caio Collet and Dennis Hauger.Group qualifying will decide the starting grid for both races at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying sessions. With 10 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded Race 1 pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). A driver’s second best lap will be determine the pole position for Race 2. One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group for each race. |
From IndyCar. I go out of the country five days and come b ack to this? More on this later this weekend as I am catching up on stuff.
The once unthinkable is now official: Scott Dixon and Chip Ganassi Racing are parting ways after the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
One of the longest-running, continuous pairings in North American motorsports history will come to a close as Dixon will leave CGR after 24 full-time seasons, six series championships and 58 of Dixon’s 59 career victories.
“Scott Dixon recently informed the team that he will not be returning in 2027,” team owner Chip Ganassi said in a statement posted on social media. “Scott has meant so much to CGR over the past 24 years. Together, we’ve shared championships, many victories and countless moments that have helped define this organization. Because of everything we’ve accomplished together and the legacy Scott has built here, we believed it was important to give him the opportunity to finish his career at Chip Ganassi Racing, and we made him a multiyear offer to do just that.
“We respect that he’s chosen a different path and wish him nothing but continued success. Scott will always be a special part of this team’s history, and we’re grateful for everything we’ve accomplished together.
“Our focus is now on finishing this season strong with the No. 9 PNC team while also preparing for the future at Chip Ganassi Racing.”
Dixon is 10th in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings heading into the next event, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid on Sunday, July 5 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. His best finish this season is third at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as he tries to win a race for a 22nd consecutive season, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record.
A media report this week indicated Dixon will sign with Arrow McLaren to begin driving with the team in 2027.
New Zealand Dixon, 45, joined CGR midway through the 2002 season after PWR Championship Racing (formerly PacWest) disbanded for CGR’s last season in Champ Car. The team switched to the INDYCAR SERIES in 2003, and Dixon responded immediately by winning the season championship, the first of his six with the organization (2003, 2008, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2020). He also won the 2008 Indianapolis 500 with CGR (photo, above).
Among recent drivers, only Helio Castroneves’ 21 consecutive seasons with Team Penske comes close to rivaling Dixon’s tenure with CGR. Castroneves drove full time for Penske for 18 consecutive seasons from 2000-17, with part-time drives from 2018-20.
Dixon’s longevity with CGR is extraordinary in the annals of North American sports.
Richard Petty drove all 35 of his NASCAR seasons for his family Petty Enterprises team, while Jeff Gordon was behind the wheel in NASCAR with Hendrick Motorsports for 24 seasons.
Gordie Howe played 25 consecutive seasons for the Detroit Red Wings of the NHL. In baseball, Brooks Robinson and Carl Yastrzemski each played 23 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox, respectively. Dirk Nowitzki played 21 consecutive seasons for the Dallas Mavericks of the NBA, and Darrell Green played all 20 of his NFL seasons with Washington.
From IndyCar:
Paul Kelly
INDYCAR Staff Writer
2 HOURS AGO
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The first domino of the 2026 Silly Season has toppled, as Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian co-owner Michael Shank confirmed driver Felix Rosenqvist is leaving the team after this season.
Rosenqvist is enjoying a career revival with MSR, which he joined in 2024 after three seasons with Arrow McLaren (2021-23) and two seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing (2019-20). He is sixth in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings this season, boosted by the biggest victory of his career in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
“It’s unfortunate that Felix has decided to move on from MSR at the end of the season, particularly given everything we’ve accomplished together, including this year’s Indy 500 victory,” Shank said in a statement provided to INDYCAR.com. “Over the past several years, Felix has played an important role in helping build this program into what it is today, and we’re grateful for his contributions both on and off the track.
“There are still eight races left on the schedule, and everyone at MSR remains fully committed to achieving the strongest results possible in the championship and delivering for our partners.”
The Swede also finished sixth last season in points with MSR, matching his career best set as a rookie with CGR in 2019. Rosenqvist, 34, has four top-10 finishes in 10 starts this season in the team’s No. 60 Honda alongside teammate Marcus Armstrong in the No. 66 Honda.
No announcement has been made about Rosenqvist’s future destination or his replacement at MSR.
“While we wish Felix nothing but success in the next chapter of his career, our focus at MSR is on the future and ensuring we have the right driver in place for the 2027 season,” Shank said. “As a team, we’ve made tremendous progress over the last few years, and maintaining that momentum is a top priority. We’re actively evaluating our options and hope to have an announcement to make in the coming months, so stay tuned.”
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 