Author: thepitwindow

I'm a retired educator and lifelong racing fan. I hope to return to fostering greyhounds in the near future. Living mainly in Indy and wintering in Florida. I attend about 10 Indycar races a year as well as some sports car events

Weather Tech Raceway to Officially Rename Iconic Corkscrew in Honor of Alex Zanardi

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From Weather Tech Raceway Communications:

The once in a lifetime dedication of the “Zanardi Corkscrew” happens Friday, Sept. 4th and commemorates the 30th anniversary of “The Pass,” and celebrates the life and legacy of Alex Zanardi


MONTEREY, CA. (Sept. 1, 2026) – One of the most famous turns in all of motorsports will carry the name of one of the sport’s most unforgettable competitors, and fans are invited to attend the ceremony.
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will officially dedicate and name “Zanardi Corkscrew” on Friday, September 4th at 9:15 am. Honoring the late Alex Zanardi and commemorating the 30th anniversary of his extraordinary pass that became one of the defining moments of his remarkable career.

The ceremony will bring together special guests from throughout Zanardi’s career including Chip Ganassi, Max Papis, Doug Boles, and other INDYCAR legends, as the motorsports community reflects on the moment that forever connected Alex to Laguna Seca. Plans for a commemorative marker recognizing the Zanardi Corkscrew will be unveiled during the ceremony, permanently linking Zanardi’s name with the most famous landmark in motorsports.

The dedication also recognizes Zanardi’s extraordinary contributions to motorsports and the lasting impact he made on competitors and fans around the world. On September 8, 1996, during the final lap of the CART season finale at Laguna Seca, Zanardi, driving the #4 Target Chip Ganassi Honda Reynard made a daring move on Bryan Herta entering the Corkscrew. It was the final lap of the 1996 season and resulted in a win.

The breathtaking maneuver became known simply as “The Pass.” Thirty years later, it remains one of the most recognized moments in the history of Laguna Seca and American open-wheel racing. The image of Zanardi attacking the Corkscrew with characteristic determination and fearlessness has become inseparable from the legacy of the circuit itself.

“I met Alex in his Rookie INDYCAR year with Chip,” said Bruce Canepa. “We will always remember his fearless racing style, his determination and, perhaps most of all, that infectious smile that made him so beloved throughout the motorsports community.”

But Zanardi’s legacy extends far beyond a single corner or a single race. A two-time CART champion and winner of 15 CART races, Zanardi became one of the most popular drivers of his generation through his talent, personality and unmistakable passion for competition.

Following the devastating 2001 accident at the Lausitzring that resulted in the loss of both of his legs, Zanardi made an extraordinary return to racing and later became a champion handcyclist and Paralympic gold medalist. His perseverance, competitive spirit and ability to inspire others transcended motorsports, earning admiration around the world.

The Corkscrew is one of motorsports’ most recognizable and technically demanding turns, dropping dramatically in elevation as drivers crest the blind Turn 8 before plunging downhill through Turn 8A. For generations of racers and fans, it has been the signature feature of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Beginning September 4, it will also serve as a permanent tribute to a racer whose courage, determination and indomitable spirit left an enduring mark on the sport.

The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca sets the stage for a thrilling Labor Day weekend on the legendary Monterey Peninsula circuit. The weekend brings today’s stars of open-wheel racing to the same track where Zanardi created one of the sport’s most enduring moments 30 years ago.

The season finale will feature the stars and cars of INDYCAR and INDYNXT, Porsche Sprint Challenge, the Indy Autonomous Challenge, and the Historic INDYCAR Exhibition, along with a full weekend of racing, fan experiences and special events. It promises a fitting celebration of the sport’s remarkable history and its next chapter — beginning with a tribute to a driver whose legacy will now forever be part of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Tickets, hospitality and camping are available at WeatherTechRaceway.com.
About WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a world-renowned motorsport facility located in Monterey, California, operated and managed by Friends of Laguna Seca, a 501c(3) non-profit. Nestled among scenic hills, it has a rich history of hosting premier racing events, making it a favorite destination for motorsport enthusiasts from around the world. The 2.238-mile raceway features 11 challenging turns and approximately 180 feet of elevation change, including the world-famous Corkscrew, providing a thrilling experience for both drivers and fans. Friends of Laguna Seca is committed to delivering top-tier racing and entertainment experiences year after year. Find out how you can get involved at FriendsOfLagunaSeca.org.

O’Ward Doubles Up in Milwaukee

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Just as David Malukas lit the torch to burn the broom, Pato O’Ward snuffed out the flame and drove past Malukas on the final restart to win both races at the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday.

I just watched the replay of Race 1 (second race of the day). here are some quick thoughts.

The history books had a huge rewrite after the race.

The sense of urgency to complete the race, enhanced by sprinkles of rain at the beginning, made for some great moves and some exciting passing.

The completion oof Race 1 from Saturday quickly became an event dominated by Malukas, who clearly had the fastest car. But on the restart with 24 laps to go, an engine hiccup in the Verizon car allowed O’Ward to get past him and win by more than a second.

Malukas now has six second place finishes in his career without a victory. The consensus going into 2026 was that Malukas would surely win a race in his first year with Team Penske. I hope he takes solace in the fact that Simon Pagenaud did not win a race in his first year with Penske either. Pagenaud turned out to be oretty good.

O’Ward is the seventh driver to win two races in one day, and the first since Rick Mears, who won twice at Atlanta in 1981. Other drivers who have achieved this rare feat are Johnny Rutherford, Al Unser, Bobby Unser, Mario Andretti, and Dan Gurney. That is not a bad club to be as member of.

More history came at the end of the final race of the day as Alex Palou won his fifth IndyCar title in six years and his fourth in a row. Palou joins Serbastien Bourdais as the only driver to win four consecutive championships. Only A. J. Foyt (7) and Scott Dixon (6) have more titles than Palou, But the Spaniard is just 29 years old, three years younger than Foyt was when he won his fifth title.

A third bit of history which FOX gave just a scant whiff of notice to was Rinus VeeKay finishing third for Juncos Hollinger Racing. I believe this is the first podium for the team, and deserved more than showing the team celebrating as they went off the air.

VeeKay was one of Sunday’s best drivers. He fell out of contention in the afternoon race after a slow pit stop. VeeKay had been in the top five most of that race. In the nightcap the driver from the Netherlands took third place from Scott McLaughlin with a brilliant move just three laps from the checkered flag.

FOX- A Tired Crew?

I don’t know, but I can assume that the FOX crew was just as tired as everyone else was by the end of the day Sunday. I though the telecast of the suspended race was one of their worst of the season.

The pit stop timer was an on again, off again thing, missing at the crucial stops of the le4aders. Many teams did a remarkable job of completing stops with no time elapsed.

I didn’t understand their obsession with Josef Newgarden, lingering in the bottom half of the top 10. We didn’t need to see his onboard camera for several laps. There was also an inset of 15th place Kyle Kirkwood which was unnecessary.

I look for an improved show from a refreshed broadcast team next Sunday.

I will have a full weekend wrap up tomorrow.

Quick Thoughts- Milwaukee Race 2

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Pato O’Ward le the race comeback to him after a pit stop bobble and won the Milwaukee Snap-On 250. This race was the one scheduled for today. At 5pm Central Time the conclusion of yesterday’s race will begin. O’Ward was leading when the red flagged.

It was a very entertaining race which featured a lot of passing-333 passes for position out of 728 total, including several for the lead. Several drivers had a shot at the win.

“This is the first time I ever won a race while leading another one at the same time,” Pato joked in the media availability after the race.

Who says Christian Lundgaard isn’t good on ovals? he was a threat all day and worked through traffic very well. I still wonder why McLaren thinks they could not win an Indianapolis 500 with Lundgaard.

Will Power’s frustration continues. He played the pit strategy correctly and was the effective leader waiting for Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon to pit. Unfortunately, his chances suffered a fatal blow when Race control caught =him speeding on pit lane. The drive through penalty put Power in 14th at the end of the race.

Kyle Kirkwood looked to n=be in good shape for a run near the end, but his car was not as good after his last stop. he finished sixth, and Kirkwood is now 97 points behind Alex Palou-one point short of the title being out nof reach.

Great run- Rinus VeeKay arguably had the fastest car in nthe first stint. He blasted to the front from the 12th starting spot and passed Palou on lap 100, but a slow pit stop took him out of the fight for the win. His seventh place finish puts him back into the top 10 after not finishing lkast weekend.

Scott McLaughlin drove a very long stint,but ended up finishing second. He made one less pit stop, but it didn’t work out. McLaughlin is in good shape for the next race as he pitted just before the red flag.

This will do it for me. I need to start the drive home in a few minutes. Thanks for following along this weekend. I will have more thoughts on the weekend and a review of the completed race 1 tomorrow.

Results

Race Day Times 2

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Today’s schedule: Times are Eastern.

Note that the running of Race 1 will end at 10:25 Eastern to prepare for the IndyNXT race. The field should easily get past the 126 lap mark to make the race official. However, according to information I received last night, IndyCar will not be satisfied with just an official race. Three hours after race 2, the series will run any remaining laps of race 1

I don’t understand the insistence of running every lap in a suspended race. If they’re doing it for the fans, I doubt many will be left by 5:39 local time to watch. They are certainly not doing the teams who need to leave for California any favors.

The IndyNXT race should be moved to after Race 2, and race 1 run to its conclusion. Push Rac 2 back a bit.

Saturday tickets are valid today. If the ticket is Saturday only for a reserved seat, the ticket is good for a general admission seat for Race 2.

There was a rainstorm overnight, but the forecast shows only slight chances for the rest of the day.

I will post updates as the schedule evolves. Let’s get theses rtaces in.

See You in the Morning

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IndyCar tried, but the track did not get dry in time. Today’s race will run to its conclusion Sunday morning at 8 am Central time on FS1.

Race 2 will start at its scheduled time, 12:30 Central time on FOX.

Today has been exhausting, with all the false hope of restarting followed by disappointment. It’s a shame, because there was quite a good race going on and it was about to get even better. There is some intriguing strategy that I hope continues to play out.

Pato O’Ward leads after 91 laps.

Thanks for following along today. see you in the morning.