Grant Takes the High Road to Victory

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Justin Grant continued his dominance at the 1/5-mile dirt oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Thursday night. Grant notched his second straight win in the Indiana Sprint Week event on the IMS dirt track, leading 29 of 35 laps.

The Ione, California, native spent most of the feature race on the high part of the track against the cushion. He went to the bottom on lap and immediately lost the lead to jake Swanson. Five laps, he went back to the high side and retook the point after Swanson lost momentum in turn two. Grant was never headed after that, pulling away on each of the three restarts during the feature. Swanson remained a threat, but he could never quite catch up to Grant.

Grant won for the fifth time at the IMS oval, with three wins coming in the BC39 midget show. He joins A. J. Foyt, Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon, and Dave Darland with 100 USAC national race wins.

“It’s been an incredible career for me to live through and experience,” Grant said. “I’ve been so fortunate and so blessed. To win at IMS with this TOPP Motorsports team, I’m speechless. Couldn’t think of a better place to win No. 100.”

The evening ran relatively clean. The heats finished with few issues. Heat three was one of the wildest races I have ever seen, with cars three wide coming out of turn two and some banging between cars.

For me, the biggest disappointment of the night was that J/J Yeley did not advance to the feature.

Notes

The problem with the sprint race at IMS is that it only occurs once a year. I hope a way can be found to add a second one. The sprints put on a great, entertaining show.

Each year I got the BC39 or the sprint race, I vow to make time to attend more of theses events. One day, I will do that.

Below are a few photos I took Thursday night. Next week, it’s back to IndyCar.

The start of the feature
I thought this was the best looking car at the track.
Heat race start- 10 laps of fury.

Grant Joins USAC Century Club with Indiana Sprint Week Win at IMS 

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From IMS:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 23, 2026) – Justin Grant joined an elite club of United States Auto Club legends Thursday night at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning his 100th career national feature victory in the opening race of the 39th USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K&N Filters.
Grant, from Ione, California, became the fifth driver to reach the century mark in USAC national series competition, joining A.J. Foyt, Rich Vogler, Mel Kenyon and Dave Darland.This was Grant’s second consecutive victory in this USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship race. It also was the fourth consecutive year Grant drove to a victory and his fifth win overall on the 1/5th-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 of the famed IMS oval.
He won an opening night feature in the BC39 USAC Midget National Championship event in 2023 and 2025 and won the BC39 main feature in 2024.
“It’s been an incredible career for me to live through and experience,” Grant said. “I’ve been so fortunate and so blessed. To win at IMS with this TOPP Motorsports team, I’m speechless. Couldn’t think of a better place to win No. 100.”
Grant led 29 of the 35 laps in the No. 4 TOPP Motorsports car, pulling away in the closing laps from runner-up Jake Swanson in the No. 5T Daming Swanson Motorsports machine. Grant earned $10,000.
Logan Seavey finished third in the No. 57 Abacus Racing entry, followed by 2026 BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors winner Briggs Danner in the No. 39 Hogue Racing Enterprises machine. Shane Cottle rounded out the top five in the No. 34 Jeff Olson car.
Grant and Swanson were the class of the field throughout the entire feature after starting from pole and third, respectively. Their differing tactics became apparent from the drop of the green flag, as Grant rode the tackier cushion of dirt around the high line of the oval while Swanson stayed glued to the bottom of the track.
Swanson’s strategy paid off on Lap 4 when he powered past Grant exiting Turn 2.
But on Lap 10, Swanson lost momentum on the low line exiting Turn 2, and Grant pounced on the lead on the back straightaway while staying on the high line.Grant never trailed thereafter despite three cautions, rocketing away on the high line on every restart. He also learned an important lesson when he sampled the low line earlier in the race.
“You had to run really hard and make a lot of your speed on entry here,” Grant said. “You’ve got to be really focused. I wasn’t really set up to run on the tires (low line) like that. I bailed out (of the low line) probably a little earlier than I needed to, but I just felt like I was a sitting duck down there.
“So, I just got up, got the top cleaned off, got my momentum and my rhythm up there. Once I got the lead, I felt really good.”
Swanson eventually moved to the high line after a restart with about five laps to go, but Grant was too strong to catch.
“I knew the days were numbered there on the bottom,” Swanson said. “I rode down there as long as I could because I went up there and tested it, and I really didn’t feel all that great up there. So, I knew once I got to pacing with Justin, I was going to have a hard time staying with him.” 

Sprints at IMS: Heats complete; C Main Next

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On a rare pleasant July evening, Indianapolis Motor Speedway kicks off Indiana Sprint Week for the second year.

The heats ran smoothly with few incidents and no red flags.

The heat winners:

Heat 1- Charles Dvis, Jr.\Heat 2- Jaden Rodgers

Heat 3-Kyle Cummind

Heat 4-Robert Ballou

Heat 4- C J Leary

Heat 3 was the wildest heat with lots of action for the lead.

The C main is about to start.

The lineup:

Follow along on X for the rest of the night. I will have a full report tomorrow morning.

St. Pete Kicks Off 2027 Season March 5-7

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Ftrom IndyCar

\2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Set for March 5-7

INDYCAR

INDYCAR.com

Editorial Staff

3 HOURS AGO

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The 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is scheduled for March 5-7, Green Savoree Racing Promotions officials announced Thursday.

The event will mark the 23rd edition of the race through the streets of downtown St. Petersburg during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the season opener for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the event combines world-class racing with a festival atmosphere along the city’s waterfront.

The temporary 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit winds around Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts and The Dalí Museum before extending onto the runway at Albert Whitted Airport. The layout also borders Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina.

“The 2026 event was our best yet. Spectator attendance was tremendous on all three days,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “We look forward to welcoming fans back for the 23rd annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend.”

Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou opened the 2026 season by winning the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for the second consecutive year on March 1.

Tickets for the 2027 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg weekend will go on sale in the fall. Ongoing event updates will be posted at gpstpete.com.

Today at IMS

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From IMS:

 From yesterday
https://thepitwindow.blog/2026/07/22/usac-indiana-sprint-week-fires-up-thursday-night-at-the-dirt-track-at-ims/
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 22, 2026) – Information about Brickyard Weekend and USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K & N Filters activity Thursday, July 23 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local and subject to change)
:4-10 p.m.: USAC Public Gates Open, The Dirt Track at IMS
5-7 p.m.: Brickyard Weekend Hauler Parade, Main Street, Speedway
6 p.m.: Engine Heat, The Dirt Track at IMS
6:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Hot Laps
7:30 p.m.: USAC Indiana Sprint Week Opening Ceremonies
7:45 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Heat Races
8:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car C Main
9 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Semi-Feature
9:30 p.m.: USAC Sprint Car Feature

TICKETS: Indiana Sprint Week reserved seating tickets start at $65. General admission is $55 and includes Section 7-12, Rows B-K and Sections 1-2 for ADA seating. Pit passes are $40 and are not valid for gate admission. Fans must have a grandstand ticket to add pit passes.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN: Fans may access the Sprint Car event through Gates 9, 10, 10A, or 11A. Cars will enter through Gate 10 off 30th Street. Gate 2 is a credential-only gate and should not be used for entry into the event. A sealed, 1-liter bottle of unfrozen water will be permitted. No glass, no alcohol.

PARKING: Pre-paid parking is available in the Northwest Gravel Lot for $30. Paid parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40) for $20. ADA parking is available in both lots

.CASHLESS OPERATIONS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25, seniors (55 and over) are $23, and military (former and active) are $18. Tickets can be purchased online at https://imsmuseum.org/tickets/.

USAC Indiana Sprint Week Fires Up Thursday Night at The Dirt Track at IMS

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From IMS:

 
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, July 23, 2026) – The 39th annual USAC NOS Energy Drink Indiana Sprint Week Presented by K&N Filters will start Thursday night, July 23 at the most famous racetrack in the world – Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Thirty-seven drivers will attempt to earn a spot in the 35-lap feature race on the 1/5th-mile The Dirt Track at IMS, located inside Turn 3 of the fabled IMS oval.
The winner will earn $10,000.The event will feature an invitational field as determined by these parameters:–
Finished inside the top 30 of the 2025 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship point standings.–
Finished inside the top 30 of the 2025 USAC Indiana Sprint Week point standings.– Ranks inside the top 30 of the 2026 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship standings as of July 5.–
Ranks inside the top 10 of the 2026 Avanti Windows & Doors USAC CRA Sprint Car standings as of July 5.–
Any active driver who has previously won an Indiana Sprint Week main event.–
Two IMS promoter’s options.
Justin Grant captured the debut IMS event on the Indiana Sprint Week schedule in 2025, charging from fifth to the lead just after the midway point of the 35-lap main event. C.J. Leary also won a USAC National Sprint Car exhibition at The Dirt Track at IMS in September 2024, racing his way from seventh to first
.Among the drivers chasing the 2026 USAC Indiana Sprint Week title are past ISW champions Robert Ballou (2015), Brady Bacon (2016, 2023), Kevin Thomas Jr. (2017, 2021), Leary (2019), Chase Stockon (2020), Grant (2022) and Logan Seavey (2024), along with recent ISW feature winners Kyle Cummins, Mitchel Moles, 2026 BC39 Presented by Avanti Windows & Doors winner Briggs Danner and Jake Swanson, along with many more.
USAC Indiana Sprint Week, a cornerstone of sprint car racing in the Hoosier State since 1988, has captivated fans for decades. Indiana Sprint Week’s 2026 schedule consists of nine events at nine different racetracks across a 10-night span between July 23-Aug. 1.
Gates open at 4 p.m. ET Thursday at The Dirt Track at IMS, with an engine heat at 6 p.m., and hot laps and group qualifying at 6:30 p.m. Those sessions will be followed by heat races, a C-Main, a feature redraw, the semi-feature and the 35-lap feature main event.
Tickets and more information are available at IMS.com.

Entry list:

Dreyer & Reinbold Returns to IndyCar Full Time with Rahal Charter Purchase

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Dreyer& Reinbold Racing announced today that they have purchase one charter from Rahal Letterman Racing and will compete full time in the 2027 IndyCar Series. DRR has been an Indianapolis 500 only entry since 2013.

It had been the dream of late owner Dennis Reinbold to return to full-time status.

“I want to thank Bobby Rahal, Mike Lanigan, David Letterman, and (RLL president) Jay Frye for the way they approached this from our very first conversation,” Reinbold said in a news release. “They treated this as a partnership between two organizations that want to see each other succeed, and this announcement today reflects that.”

The first purchase of a charter, this one rumored to be $13 million, establishes relative values for other teams. A charter from Chip Ganassi racing or Team Penske could potentially be worth around $20 million or more.

RLL issued the following statement:

Now the question is who will drive for DRR and who is out at RLL? Graham Rahal and Louis Foster are signed for 2027 while rookie Mick Schumacher is a free agent. Conor Daly is considered the favorite for the DRR seat, but Schumacher said at Nashville that there is a “high possibility” that he returns next season.

A media availability with Dreyer & Reinbold will take place at 1 pm Eastern this afternoon. More on this story as it develops.

Nashville Wrap Up: One Ace Beats three of a Kind

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Team Penske’s strongest race of the year only netted them a second, a third, and a Fourth as Alex Palou used a timely pit stop just ahead of a caution flag to win his fifth race of the year at yesterday’s rain delayed Brochet\ta Bourbon Grand Prix.

While Palou won the pit strategy battle, pole sitter Kyle Kirkwood came up on the short end as another yellow flag flew while he was in the pits. Kirkwood was on the same tire strategy as Palou, finishing on primaries, but he had a lot of track position to make up.

On Saturday, Palou appeared to be struggling, and he was not happy with his car during the first two stints of the race.

“Saturday, I was not that comfortable in the car,” Palou said. “But Julian (Robertson, engineer) and everybody on the 10 and CGR prepared a really, really good car for today. The beginning of the race we were not that comfortable in traffic, but the last two stints I was just super comfortable.

“It was a close battle there with Newgarden. It just seemed like he had so much speed there, and I was flat-out for the last 30, 35 laps. Just awesome to win here.”

The win capped a glorious weekend for Spain, with Palou’s country winning the World Cup.

David Malukas turned in the best performance of the day finishing third after starting 25th. Malukas started the wekend with a morning crash which sent him to a local hospital for evaluation. He return for the early evening practice and set the fastest time. Malukas cycled to the lead during the first round of pit stops as the team attempted a three stop fuel save strategy. It didn’t quite work out, but Malukas still ended with his third podium in four oval races.

I am impressed with how much Malukas has matured on ovals in 2026. Last year he was impatient with slower cars, and he paid the price. Yesterday, he chose his moves wisely and backed off when he needed to. How he hasn’t won a race this year yet is puzzling.

Malukas was first through the second place revolving door, although Palou’s lead is now 83 points. Kyle Kirkwood falls to third, 87 points behind Palou. Monday was likely Kirkwood’s last best shot at catching Palou.

Notes

Unsung- Marcus Ericsson has been very competitive in the last two oval races, and Andretti Global was wise to resign him for 2027. he had a podium at Gateway, and he nearly snagged another one yesterday.

Rinus VeeKay continues to show great talent. The pit cycles knocked him out of what should have been a top 10 result. Whichever team signs him for 2027 is getting a very good driver.

Mick Schumacher scored his first top 10 in IndyCar- on an oval, no less. Schumacher was the bright spot in an another otherwise dismal day for RLL. Louis Foster was 17th and Graham Rahal finished 19th. Rahal was quite slow on track. I can’t figure out why the team can’t put a better car on the grid for him.

Palou’s fifth win of the season was his first since Detroit on May 31.

In the three weeks before Portland, we may see the 2028 car on track. Also, on Thursday Indiana Sprint Week begins with an event at IMS on the dirt track.

Thanks for following along on what turned out to be an extended weekend. I hope IndyCar has seen the last of rainy ovals for 2026. Please stay dry, Milwaukee.

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