Today’s Schedule: Times are Eastern

9:40a: USF2000 Practice

10:20a: USF2000 Pro Practice

11a: BMRC Practice

11:45a: USF2000 Qualifying

12:30p: USF2000 Pro Qualifying

1:15p: Radical Cup Qualifying

2p: USF2000 Qualifying

2:50p: NXT Practice

4p: INDYCAR Practicw

5:30p: BMRC Race

6:35p: Vintage Indy

Good morning from Elkhart Lake on a crisp xool morning. Weekend temperatures will will be in the 70s but the mornings will be cool, in the 50s.

A new wrinkle for this year’s race is a completely repaved track. Teams that tested here were about four seconds quicker than the track record.

This weekend is the 34th Indycar race at Road America, Indycar returned 8n 2016 after several years away. The fans who came thaqt year for the first time felmin love with it. Older fans embraced the return.

The Sonsio Grand Prix traditonally marks the halfway point of the season. Alex Palou will seek to increase his 51 point advantage over Marcus Ericsson in the championship. Palou won here in 2021. We have seen big leads evaporate before, and I’m not expecting Palou’s lead to last.

Josef Newgarden is 70 points behind Palou. He won last year and was leading in 2021 when a mechanical failure on a late restart pushed him to 21st.

Hunter-Reay Debuts for ECR

Ryan Hunter-Reay makes his first start for Ed Carpenter Racing this weekend, replacing Conor Daly n the 20. HUbter-Reay and the team are using this weekend as a test session. I am not going to worry about nthi=eir performance until Mid Ohio.

Hot Seat Drivers Need a Good Weekend

It’s getting warmer for certain drivers who are essentially auditioning for 2024 rides.

Jack Harvey, probably in the warmest seat, needs to have some consistent good results over the next few races. Romain Grosjean, thought to have a new deal with Andretti, has crashed four times in seven races, but has two poles and two second place finishes. He needs to keep the car on track.

Can Felix Rosenqvist back up his Detroit podium? He won here in 2018 in a battle with current teammate Pato O’Ward. Rosenqvist deserves a ride in Indycar. Where that will be next year is anyone’s guess.

Time for Arrow McLaren to Shine?

This team has teased us all season. It started at St. Pete, when an engine hiccup on thelast lap cost Pato O’Ward the victory. O’Ward lost at Texas when the caution flags didn’t fall his way. The red flag mess at Indianapolis probably cost him the victory there.

This team is due. I’m going to waffle a bit on my pick for this week. Either Pato o’Ward or Alexander Rossi will win Sunday. O’Ward was strong in 2018 and Rossi dominated in 2019.