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

AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge Fast Facts

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From Indycar

When: 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 25

Track: Circuit of the Americas, a 20-turn, 3.41-mile natural road course in Austin, Texas. Turn width: Varies from 39 to 52 feet. Course direction: Counterclockwise.

Race distance: 32 laps/109.1 miles/175.6 km (approximately 70 minutes)

Push-to-pass parameters: 10 activations for a 10-second duration

Expected pit stops: One. Fuel window will be approximately 15-16 laps. Cars will be allowed two “Fast Repairs” during the race.

Competition caution: A planned competition caution period will bunch the field on Lap 12. It will consist of three laps, followed by a single-file restart.

Twitter: @IndyCar, @iRacing, @COTA, #INDYCARChallenge, #INDYCAR

TV/Online: 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday on NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App. Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer, alongside the network’s INDYCAR analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy , and pit reporter Marty Snider. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by singer-songwriter Cory Morrow and his wife, Sherry Morrow, singing the national anthem and Texas-born country music artist Jack Ingram giving the command to start engines. The podium finishers will be interviewed on the live NBCSN broadcast. Diffey also will host a post-race virtual press conference with the podium finishers for media members (call-in details will be distributed).

Spotter guide: Click here to see a detailed spotter guide for this Saturday’s race.

Race notes:

• The AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge, Round 5 of 6 in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, is the third road race in the virtual series. The first two rounds took place on natural-terrain road courses, at Watkins Glen International and Barber Motorsports Park. The final venue is a non-INDYCAR “Dream” track for the race Saturday, May 2.

• Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske) won Round 4 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday, April 18, the Firestone 175 at Twin Ring Motegi. He beat Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing) by .3429 of a second in the closest finish so far in the series. Pagenaud has won both oval races so far, also taking the checkered flag April 11 at Michigan International Speedway.

• Three newcomers to the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge will be in the 33-car field Saturday. Englishman Lando Norris will drive the No. 04 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara. Norris finished 11th in the Formula One World Championship standings last season for McLaren and is returning for a second season with the iconic F1 team. Australian Chaz Mostert will drive the No. 98 U.S. Concrete/Curb Dallara for Andretti Herta with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian. 2014 Bathurst 1000 winner Mostert has 13 career victories in Virgin Australia Supercars and drives in that series for Walkinshaw Andretti United. 2015 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires champion Spencer Pigot will drive the No. 45 Mi-Jack/EMBRACE Pittsburgh RLL with Citrone/Buhl Autosport Honda.

• Team Penske continues to flex its muscles in the virtual world, much like it does in the actual NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Penske is the only team to score a podium finish in each of the first three races. Will Power placed third in Round 1 at Watkins Glen, Scott McLaughlin won Round 2 at Barber with Power placing second, Simon Pagenaud won Round 3 at Michigan with McLaughlin second, and Pagenaud won Round 4 at Motegi with Power third.

• Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) has dominated the two previous road races in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. Veteran sim racer Karam won the opening round of the series March 28 at Watkins Glen in the No. 24 DRR WIX Filters Chevrolet and has led 67 of the 90 laps so far on road courses.

• Two competitors in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge will race at virtual Circuit of the Americas (COTA) during the pre-sunrise hours of the morning in Australia, two-time and reigning Virgin Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) and Virgin Australia Supercars race winner Chaz Mostert (Andretti Herta with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian).

• One NTT INDYCAR SERIES race has been conducted at COTA, on March 24, 2019. Colton Herta made history by becoming the youngest-ever INDYCAR race winner, at age 18. Herta, now 20, will race Saturday for Andretti Harding Steinbrenner Autosport. Will Power (Team Penske) won the pole last year at COTA.

• NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Oliver Askew (Arrow McLaren SP) swept both Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races last March at COTA.

• Formula One standout Lando Norris and Australian V8 Supercars race winner Chaz Mostert (Andretti Herta with Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian) may be new to the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, but they have real race experience at COTA. Norris finished seventh for McLaren last November in the United States Grand Prix Formula One race. Mostert raced in all four rounds of the Virgin Australia Supercars series May 18-19, 2013 at COTA, with a best finish of 13th. Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) also raced in the four Supercars rounds that year at COTA, with a best finish of seventh. The Supercars competed on a 2.3-mile version of the COTA circuit. INDYCAR and F1 both race on the full 3.41-mile circuit.

AUTONATION INDYCAR CHALLENGE PRE-EVENT QUOTES:

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (No. 4 Tresiba Chevrolet): “COTA is a tough track, with lots of hard braking zones, and with my limited skills on iRacing, I am struggling pretty good. I will do my best for the #4 AJ Foyt Racing Tresiba/Chevy crew and keep turning laps to up my game.”

ED CARPENTER (No. 50 Direct Supply Chevrolet): “I am excited and nervous for this week. I have never actually driven anything at COTA before, so it makes it even more of a challenge getting up to speed. I will put in the time to be ready. It is very easy to make mistakes here compared to Barber, so I think it could be a little bit of an unpredictable race.”

MAX CHILTON (No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet): “I love racing at COTA, so I’m very excited to see what we can do with the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet in the iRacing world. COTA is one of those tracks that really suits me, and I feel like I have a good handle on the track, so hopefully we can bring home a good result for the Carlin team this weekend. We just need to qualify well, stay out of trouble and work our way to the front.”

CONOR DALY (No. 20 U.S. Air Force Chevrolet): “I think COTA will be quite the challenge with my current simulator setup, probably the most challenging race so far. This one will be mostly about survival, but we’ll still try to have a lot of fun. But realistically, I just want to get back to sim oval racing! We’ll go out and turn the laps this weekend and do the best we can with my simulator experience and extremely high-tech setup.”

MARCUS ERICSSON (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): “Looking forward to go iRacing again. COTA is a track I know pretty well from being there a few times, both in Formula One and INDYCAR. It’s a track I really like, as well, and I’ve had some good success there over the years. I have always enjoyed it in real life, so it’ll be fun to try it in the virtual world, as well. Also, after three races and the last two being on ovals for the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, it’s going to be interesting to see how it is going back to a road course, how everyone gets on. Everyone is getting more used to iRacing, including myself. I’m learning all the time, but I feel like it’s getting better and better. I want to build on that performance in Motegi. I’m looking forward to a good race in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda car.”

SANTINO FERRUCCI (No. 18 SealMaster Honda): “I am looking forward to competing in Round 5 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge at COTA. We were quick there last year in the race, so I am excited to see what we can do virtually. The SealMaster Honda is doing well in the championship, and I am ready to go racing this Saturday and earned some more championship points.”

TONY KANAAN (No. 14 Big Machine Records Chevrolet): “We will be in Texas, so the boss (A.J. Foyt) will be watching (laughs). Not really. One more round. I’m excited to be back there. I was actually there this year spectating when we had the spring training, so it will be nice to drive around the track. Let’s see what happens if we get a little better luck this time.”

SAGE KARAM (No. 24 DRR WIX Filters Chevrolet): “I am ready to get back on the road circuits again. Obviously, we were strong in the first two races at Watkins Glen and Barber. We didn’t have much luck at Barber after leading a bunch of laps, but I think we’ll have a strong effort at COTA. It’s a great road course and should be another exciting race for the fans. We were fast at Michigan, but we got caught up in some traffic. I made a mistake in qualifying at Motegi, and I had to start 31st. But the car improved in the race and we moved up 24 spots to seventh. We also had the fastest race lap. Now, we need to get back to racing up front at COTA. My iRacing experience goes back to 2007 when I went from karting to open-wheelers. Because I have not been a regular on the INDYCAR circuit in recent years, I’m able to stay active through sim racing, and I believe it has helped me. I think some of the current INDYCAR drivers can see improvement, too, in the INDYCAR Challenge racing as we all stay inside due to the coronavirus. I’m like everyone else who wants to go real racing as soon as we can. But this is the next best thing.”

DALTON KELLETT (No. 41 K-Line Insulators USA Chevrolet): “When we were at COTA for spring training, we had rain and freezing temperatures. Thankfully, we can set the weather in iRacing, and the conditions look great! It is a challenging track, almost more so without being able to feel the car under you. The combination of high and low speed sections is a great mix. With the long straights and a few hard brake zones, there are good passing opportunities. It should be an exciting race. This weekend would have been my INDYCAR debut, so it is somewhat bittersweet, but I am thankful that my family and friends are all healthy and safe in these trying times. Looking forward to another fast and consistent run in the #41 K-Line Insulators USA Chevrolet.”

SCOTT McLAUGHLIN (No. 2 Shell V-PowerTeam Penske Dallara): “I’m really looking forward to going back to COTA. It was great to be part of the preseason test with the rest of the series. I learned a lot there running alongside other drivers in the series since this was the first time I was in a car with the rest of them. I’ve been having a lot of fun competing in iRacing in INDYCAR and SuperCars. It’s all experience and it’s all seat time, even if it’s virtual. The Shell V-Power car looks to be strong this weekend since my team has put a lot of work into our plan.”

FELIPE NASR (No. 31 Carlin Chevrolet): “I’m really looking forward to racing at COTA this weekend in the No. 31 Carlin Chevrolet for the fifth round of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. Last week’s race at Motegi was really disappointing. We had a strong start, and we were moving up the field, but there were some connectivity issues and I was forced to retire early from the race. We haven’t had the best of luck in this iRacing series, but I’m really hoping that’ll turn around this weekend at COTA. I had a great test with Carlin at COTA at the INDYCAR Open Test in February, so hopefully some of that speed will show up this weekend.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 1 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet): “I really enjoy racing in COTA, so I’m looking forward to racing the virtual one. iRacing has been a huge adjustment for me, but I have learned so much with the PPG Chevy team, and we’re all excited to apply our learnings to real life racing whenever we can go back. COTA can be a challenging track, but we tried some things out at the preseason test that we think will work great for this virtual version of the race. Just ready to go out and give it our all with hopes to just keep improving.”

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 22 Snap-on Team Penske Chevrolet): “iRacing has really been fun for the past few weeks, and I’m looking forward to racing at COTA. Winning two consecutive races gave us a boost of confidence. One of the last times the whole INDYCAR SERIES was all on track was during our spring training at the real-life track. We learned a lot at that test that I have been applying to iRacing events. It’s a really great track that has great challenges and quite technical sections. We as a series are getting stronger and stronger, not just as drivers in iRacing events, and there’s a lot of carryover we can eventually apply to races in real life. I am thankful for NBCSN for showing our race and am excited to have Snap-on’s livery on my Chevrolet this weekend. We’ve had a lot of success the past couple of weeks, so we’re going to be looking to keep having a similar approach.”

ALEX PALOU (No. 55 Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda): “I’m really looking forward to the COTA iRacing event this weekend because it’s the only track that I’ve actually been to in an Indy car before. Maybe that will help, even if it’s a virtual race. It’s also a road course, which is the type of track I have more experience racing at, not like ovals that I messed up on last weekend. We’ll see how the practices go, but I think we can be in the top five like at the other road courses that we’ve done in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, and hopefully we can have our first podium this weekend.”

SPENCER PIGOT (No. 45 Mi-Jack/EMBRACE Pittsburgh RLL with Citrone/Buhl Autosport Honda): “I’m really looking forward to joining everyone for the last few races of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. I’ve been watching all the races on NBCSN, and it looks like a lot of fun. I haven’t been on iRacing for quite a few years, so I will definitely have some catching up to do. With the GMR Grand Prix being postponed until July, this will be a welcomed change to help pass the time. It will give me a chance to start working with a few members of Citrone/Buhl Autosport and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and get back into the groove of a race event. I can’t wait to race again, and this is the perfect way to start that process.”

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): “I’ve been having a blast with iRacing. It’s something I have enjoyed for a long time, so it’s been great to keep racing against the rest of the drivers in the INDYCAR SERIES. COTA can be a really challenging track, but I love the challenge. It’s been great to have the whole Verizon Chevy team behind me week after week in the virtual world. We think it will make us stronger as a team when we can go back to racing in real life. I’m just looking forward to being part of another great show for the fans.”

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 15 One Cure Honda): “We are all missing being at the actual race at Circuit of the Americas, but at least we can race there virtually. It’s going to be an interesting race and a full field with 33 cars. It will be key to stay out of trouble.”

FELIX ROSENQVIST (No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): “It’s going to be interesting to get back to a road course again after quite a few ovals. It’ll be interesting to see who is going to be quick this week. A lot of people have been spending time on the sim the last couple of weeks. So, probably and hopefully it’ll be a lot tighter than when this whole thing started. It’s good to be back at COTA this weekend. Hopefully we can bring the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda car up to the front.”

TAKUMA SATO (No. 30 Panasonic/ABeam Honda): “It’s been a great experience so far. There is a lot to learn, and I enjoy driving and racing online. It’s pretty much what I expected, as we all have experience on our manufacturer’s simulators. However, doing it at home and the sim rig you have at home does not have motion, so you feel only steering feedback and through the monitor it is incredibly hard to “feel” what’s happening in the car. It’s fun when you just drive, but racing seriously with competitive sim-experienced drivers online is a very tough one! Fans love it. Obviously, they are looking forward to seeing the real racing, but in the situation now, this is best thing for them to have excitement for what usually feels like a great INDYCAR season. Also, particularly for my home country, the race in Twin Ring Motegi was a great moment. We never expected to be back there this way, but fans really enjoyed watching INDYCAR back at Motegi. I think iRacing is going to be very tough on a road course. COTA has a lot of high curbing to prevent cutting corners short that you just simply cannot touch because the car bounces too much and you lose control. And the track limit is very strict on iRacing, so it’s easy to get a penalty. But that is the same for everyone, so I expect it will make for an exciting race.” (About teamwork involved in iRacing): “I believe it is a benefit to work with the team on this and also provide it for the fans. We are all connected with engineers and going through a lot of things as similar as real world, so it’s definitely a good way to keep our communications and relationship well for preparation for the race.”

RINUS VEEKAY (No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet): “I’m very excited to drive COTA virtually. It’s a cool track with a lot of passing possibilities, so we should be able to put on a show for the fans.”

Silent Stands

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Editor’s Note: Sad to hear about the death of Bob Lazier, 1981 Indianapolis 500 starter and the father of 1996 500 winner Buddy Lazier and Indycar driver Jacques Lazier, from complications of COVID-19. Condolences to the Lazier family.

It’s great to be back in Indiana. The reality of the COVID-19 situation hit me the last two days as we drove on mostly empty roadways and breezed through normally traffic congested cities. The Downtown areas of Louisville and Indianapolis were stark in their emptiness.

As May begins next week we still don’t know when the Indycar season will actually start. I would not be surprised to see the first scheduled race, June 6 at Texas, postponed or cancelled. I’m not sure the next event at road America or the Following weekend at Richmond will happen either.

It’s all a matter of social distancing. Can a track afford the risk of having fans attend and potentially fall ill? I’m not sure I want to go to a race until after I have had a vaccination. NASCAR and Formula1 have discussed racing with no fans present. Conducting a race takes a lot of people. Track staff, series officials, media, and team personnel needed can comprise a small town alone. Is it worth the risk of exposure for those people just to to fulfill a schedule?

Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, is discussing the possibility of a NASCAR/Indycar doubleheader without fans. I like the double header idea but there would be twice the amount of people at the track to run races from two different series.

Roger Penske has said he would not run the Indianapolis 500 without fans. I’m glad to hear that. I don’t think the 500 should be run just for the sake of running it. I would rather wait until it is safe for fans to be present. I’m not sure this August is the time for 300,000 people to gather in one spot. . The race has been cancelled in the past due to major world events. This may be the third time in its history that we need to wait another year. I would hate for that to happen, but it may be in everyone’s best interests.

The Indycar iRacing Challenge series has given us a taste of what watching a race without fans in the stands might be like. It is a bit eerie, but I enjoy the only type of racing available right now. Will there be more events after this six week challenge ends May 2?

We are all anxious to get back to the track. We must be patient and think safety and health first. If this entire year is wiped out, it will be tough to take, but I’d rather go to to a track with a feeling of comfort and safety.

Everyone stay safe and wash your hands.

I’ll be back later to begin coverage of his week’s iRacing event from COTA.

 

Pagenaud Strategy Leads to Motegi Win; Two Straight for 500 Winner

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Some quick thoughts about today’s race:

Simon Pagenaud has the oval pit stop strategy figured out.

It’s too bad the NTT Indycar Series doesn’t still race at Motegi. I had forgotten what a great track that is.

That was a great race. There were passes for the lead, pit strategy, and on track drama which had a hand in the outcome.

Even though it was a sim race, I loved seeing Robert Wickens on pole and leading a lap or two. Even on this platform he has Will Power’s number in qualifying.

Oliver Askew has at least two fewer friends in the paddock this afternoon.

Two more podium spots for Team Penske gives them I believe seven of the twelve podium places through the four races.

Scott Dixon is not a regular on sim racing, but he seems to have figured it out rather quickly. He had a great drive today. I also liked his homage to former teammate Dario Franchitti’s flying finish at Kentucky in 2007.

Kyle Busch had a decent Indycar debut with a 13th place finish after starting in the back.

Dixon may have won with a better final pit stop.

Power did a great job hanging on for third without a right front end plate. I’m not sure how that would work out in a real race.

Jack Harvey had a decent day. He qualified well and led some laps.

I will post the final standings when they are available.

I hope to have a post up tomorrow. On Monday I begin the move to Summer Headquarters and I hope to be up and running again by next Thursday. This means there will be lots of big Indycar news Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Motegi iRace Fast Facts and Spotter’s Guide

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From Indycar:

Firestone 175 Fast Facts

When: 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 18

Track: Twin Ring Motegi, a four-turn, egg-shaped, 1.549-mile oval in Motegi, Japan. Turn banking: 10 degrees.

Race distance: 113 laps/175 miles/281.6 km (approximately 75 minutes)

Expected pit stops: Two. Fuel window is expected to be approximately 40 laps. Cars will be allowed one “Fast Repair” during the race.

Twitter: @IndyCar, @iRacing, @motegi_english, #INDYCARChallenge, #INDYCAR

TV/Online: 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday on NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports App. Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer, alongside the network’s INDYCAR analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy, and pit reporter Marty Snider. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by Big Machine Records country music star Carly Pearce singing the national anthem and global motorsports legend Mario Andretti giving the command to start engines. The podium finishers will be interviewed on the live NBCSN broadcast. Diffey also will host a post-race virtual press conference with the podium finishers for media members (call-in details will be distributed).

Spotter guide: Click here to see a detailed spotter guide for this Saturday’s race.

Race notes:

• Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske) won Round 3 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday, April 11, the Chevrolet 275 at Michigan International Speedway. He beat Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin by 13.4059 seconds in a race with thrilling action eventually decided by fuel strategy.

• Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) won the inaugural round of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday, March 28, the American Red Cross Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International. Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske) won Round 2 on Saturday, April 4, the Virtual Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.

• Two-time and reigning Virgin Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske), from New Zealand, has the best overall record in the series in the No. 2 Shell V-Power Team Penske Dallara, finishing fourth at Watkins Glen, winning at Barber and placing second at Michigan. Veteran sim racer McLaughlin has produced this impressive record despite competing in series races during the middle of the night in Australia, where he lives.

• In an example of the virtual world mirroring the real world, Team Penske is the team to beat so far in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. Penske is the only team to score a podium finish in each of the first three races. Will Power placed third in Round 1 at Watkins Glen, Scott McLaughlin won Round 2 at Barber with Power placing second, and Simon Pagenaud won Round 3 at Michigan, with McLaughlin second.

• Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) is the only driver to lead laps in all three races of this virtual series, also winning the opener at Watkins Glen in the No. 24 DRR WIX Filters Chevrolet. He also has led the most laps in all three races, pacing a dominant 116 of the 175 combined laps so far (66 percent).

• Participation continues to climb in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. The field for the Firestone 175 will consist of 33 drivers. Round 3 at Michigan International Speedway had 31 drivers April 11, up from 29 taking the green flag April 4 at Barber Motorsports Park. The series opener March 28 at Watkins Glen had 25 drivers.

• The Firestone 175, Round 4 of 6 in the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, is the second consecutive oval race in the virtual series, after the Chevrolet 275 at Michigan International Speedway. The first two rounds took place on natural-terrain road courses, at Watkins Glen International and Barber Motorsports Park. Future venues include the Circuit of the Americas road course on Saturday, April 25 and a non-INDYCAR “Dream” track Saturday, May 2.

• Four new drivers will join the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge in the Firestone 175: two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch (INDYCAR Provisional), three-time Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Helio Castroneves (INDYCAR Provisional), 2017 Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato (Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) and Rinus VeeKay (Ed Carpenter Racing.).

• Fourteen Indy car races have been conducted at Twin Ring Motegi from 1998-2011. Adrian Fernandez won the first, on March 28, 1998, while Scott Dixon won the most recent, on Sept. 18, 2011. Danica Patrick made history at the circuit April 20, 2008, becoming the only female driver to win an INDYCAR race.

• Ten drivers in the field for the Firestone 175 on Saturday also competed in the last INDYCAR event at Twin Ring Motegi on Sept. 18, 2011: Scott Dixon (winner), Will Power

Castroneves, Sato, Kyle Busch Join Motegi Field

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Helio Castroneves, Takuma Sato, and Kyle Busch join the field for Indycar’s iRace at Twin Ring Motegi this Saturday.  The 33 car field also will have Indycar rookie Rinus VeeKay in car 21. Ed Carpenter will be in car 50 as Ed Carpenter Racing enters three cars.

The entry list:

Missing from this week’s field MMMMMJ

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James Davidson and Dale Earhardt, Jr. will not participate this week.

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IndyCar Series
Firestone 175, 2:30 p.m. (ET), Saturday, April 18, NBCSN

Castroneves, Sato, Busch join INDYCAR iRacing Challenge for Round 4 at Twin Ring Motegi oval

Field grows to series-high 33 drivers for Firestone 175 Saturday on NBCSN

 

INDIANAPOLIS (April 16, 2020) – As the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge leaves the United States for the first time Saturday, April 18, three fan favorites of American motorsports who are new to the virtual racing series are coming along for the ride.

 

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, 2017 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Takuma Sato and two-time reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch will make their respective series debuts in the Firestone 175 on the 1.549-mile oval at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan.

 

The fourth of six rounds in the series featuring NTT INDYCAR SERIES stars and special guest drivers will be the second straight event on an oval, with a series-high field of 33 drivers ready to race for 113 laps on the tricky, asymmetrical oval that hosted INDYCAR races from 1998-2011. The race starts at 2:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on NBCSN.

 

Click here: Entry List

 

Castroneves joins the series in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet with a certain distinction besides having his face on the Borg-Warner Trophy three times, more than any other driver in the field. He is one of three drivers in the Firestone 175 who has won at Twin Ring Motegi in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition, capturing victories there in 2006 and 2010 for Team Penske.

 

Other Motegi race winners competing Saturday are Scott Dixon in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda (2009 and 2011 Motegi winner) and Tony Kanaan in the No. 14 7-Eleven Chevrolet (2007 Motegi winner).

 

2017 “500” winner Sato will make his INDYCAR iRacing Challenge debut in the No. 30 Panasonic/Keihin Honda fielded by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. While this is Sato’s first race in this series, he knows Twin Ring Motegi well. Japanese native Sato has two career NTT INDYCAR SERIES starts at the track, in 2010 and 2011, and he also has visited the actual circuit for the annual Honda Thanks Day every year since his 2017 Indy victory.

 

The addition of Castroneves and Sato increases the number of Indianapolis 500 winners in the Firestone 175 field to eight, along with Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power and Alexander Rossi.

 

Two-time Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard winner Busch is the latest NASCAR star to join the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. He will drive the No. 51 Rowdy Energy Dallara as the lone NASCAR representative at Motegi in his INDYCAR debut, virtual or real.

 

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson raced in the first two rounds, on March 28 at Watkins Glen International and April 4 at Barber Motorsports Park. Two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished third April 11 in the first oval race of the series, at Michigan International Speedway.

 

NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Rinus VeeKay is the fourth newcomer to the series in the Motegi field. He will drive the No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet fielded by Ed Carpenter Racing.

 

All newcomers – and most of the rest of the field – will have their eyes on the Team Penske trio of Scott McLaughlin, Power and Pagenaud.

 

Two-time and reigning Virgin Australia Supercars champion McLaughlin, from New Zealand, has the best overall record in the series in the No. 2 Shell V-Power Team Penske Dallara, finishing fourth at Watkins Glen, winning at Barber and placing second at Michigan. Veteran sim racer McLaughlin has produced this impressive record despite competing in series races during the middle of the night in Australia, where he lives.

 

2014 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner Power is just behind McLaughlin in terms of strike rate. Another experienced sim racer, he has finished third at Watkins Glen, second at Barber and fourth at Michigan in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and is aiming to become the third Penske driver to win in this series.

 

2016 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and reigning Indy 500 winner Pagenaud was the latest Team Penske driver to take the checkered flag, using patience and deft fuel strategy to win last Saturday, April 11 at Michigan in the No. 22 DXC Team Penske Chevrolet. The victory marked the pinnacle of a climb of steady improvement for the Frenchman, as he finished sixth at Watkins Glen and fifth at Barber.

 

While recent results may not indicate it, INDYCAR and Indianapolis 500 veteran Sage Karam must be considered another favorite for victory at Motegi.

 

Vastly experienced and successful iRacing competitor Karam is the only driver to lead laps in all three races of this virtual series, also winning the opener at Watkins Glen in the No. 24 DRR WIX Filters Chevrolet. He also has led the most laps in all three races, pacing a dominant 116 of the 175 combined laps so far (66 percent).

 

Karam finished 27th at Barber after a collision while dueling with position with Felix Rosenqvist’s No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda midway through the race, and he ended up 14th at Michigan due to a spin in traffic while climbing back toward the front after an early pit stop.

 

Threading the needle in traffic will be a primary concern for all contenders, as thickets of cars should form in the big field on an oval approximately a half-mile shorter than last week’s thrilling race at Michigan. The fuel window is expected to be approximately 40 laps, creating a two-stop race that will add plenty of strategic options.

 

The starting lineup will be set through a 10-minute qualifying session prior to the event.

Two races remain in the six-round series after Saturday, the Circuit of the Americas on April 25 and a non-INDYCAR “Dream” track May 2. he INDYCAR iRacing Challenge will not crown an overall champion but will add a special element where INDYCAR will make a donation to one of its partner charities.

 

 

 

Radio Days- Listening to the 1960 Indianapolis 500

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Photo: (left) Rodger Ward leads Jim Rathmann late in the 1960 Indianapolis 500; (right) Rathmann took the lead for good on lap 197 and won by 13 seconds.

Editor’s note: I learned Sunday afternoon of the death of Pat Kennedy, who has authored several trivia books about the Indianapolis 500. I have all of them and use them constantly for quick reference. My condolences to his family. For more about Pat, please read  George Phillips’s post on Oilpressure from yesterday at https://oilpressure.com/2020/04/13/a-major-loss-to-the-indycar-community/

The interminable days of quarantine afforded me the time to listen to a complete radio broadcast of one of my favorite 500s, the 1960 race. I listened to the race at home that year. It was a great race. This story is more about the broadcast than the race. Several things stood out to me about the radio call in 1960. It was quite a contrast to today’s radio broadcast. I’m not saying one was better than the other, but the evolution of the radio network is very clear.

1960 was the eighth year of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network. It was still growing.  Lead announcer Sid Collins welcomed a new station from Minneapolis to the network, for example. I had listened to the broadcast of the 1953 race, the  first year of the network. The earlier broadcast had some rough spots, many of which had been smoothed out by 1960. There were still a few glitches in communication between the broadcast booth and pit reporters.

As the speeds of the cars increased, the coverage had to change. Today the radio call is rapid fire coverage of non stop  track action. In 1960, the broadcast coverage of the race was rather leisurely. They knew they had a three and a half hour race to cover and that there would be many lulls in the action. Pit stops only happened every 40-50 laps. Not every one came in at one time.

The pace of the race allowed for time to talk to celebrities and guests. Stopping in to chat with Collins and his color commentator Freddie Agabashian this day were Indiana governor Harold Handley, Guy Lombardo, David Crosby, and former winners Johnnie Parsons and Bill Holland. Parsons spoke first, the Holland followed. Holland referred to the 1950 race by joking, “Ten years later and I’m still following Parsons.”

The five reporters stationed around the track- one in each turn and one in the middle of the backstretch gave somewhat laconic reports and descriptions of the action. “Eddie Russo spun and hit the wall. Back to you, Sid.” The team employed the same relay system in use today in which one corner reporter calls for the person at the next station to continue the action. The two pit reporters had a lot of ground to cover during stops. Sometimes it sounded as if Collins had a better view of the pit action than the pit reporters did.

The broadcast as presented on Indycar Radio cut most of the commercials. They left a couple Stark & Wetzel spots in. I always enjoyed the whistle in those commercials. While the ads ran you could still hear the cars on track in the background. I always loved that.

Speaking of commercialization, I didn’t hear a lot of brands mentioned except for Firestone tires and Champion spark plugs. Not every thing during the race had a sponsor. It was refreshing. The car names were mentioned when the starting lineup was presented, but after that the announced interval standings included just the car number and driver’s name.

One difference from the 1953 broadcast I noticed was how Collins referred to the drivers. In 1953 he called them “lads.” In 1960 they were “boys.” I guess they had grown up in seven years. The safety crews and mechanics, however, were “men.”

As the race got closer to the finish, the broadcasters paid more attention to it. A great three way battle for the lead began around lap 145 between Rodger Ward, Jim Rathmann, and Johnny Thompson. Thompson would drop out of the race about 30 laps later, setting the stage for Ward and Rathmann to conduct their classic duel. Collins and Agabashian were excited that this race might be the closest in history. In 1960 the closest finish to date was Wilbur Shaw beating Ralph Hepburn by 2.16 seconds in 1937. The record would stay in tact a while longer.

A couple of interviews with drivers who dropped out of the race made me sad since I knew what the future held. Eddie Sachs- it was great to hear his voice again- proclaimed that he would definitely win next year. He was almost right. Tony Bettenhausen, the great driver with an awful record at IMS said he would be back for his 15th race in 1961. He was killed in a practice accident the day before Pole Day while testing Paul Russo’s car.

I recommend you go to Indycar radio and find an old race broadcast to listen to. I plan to listen to another one in the mid 1960s or early 1970s. I will not listen to the 1964 race. I still have nightmares about that one.

 

 

Sir Stirling Moss- F1’s Uncrowned Champion

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It was a life full of irony. Stirling Moss could have won the F1 World Championship seven consecutive years. Circumstances got in the way. He had to compete against Fangio. His sense of sportsmanship cost him a title. Miscommunication with the pits cost him another. Today is a sad day with his passing.  On the other hand, for a driver of that dangerous racing era to live to 90 years is amazing.  Moss was one of my first racing heroes. Like Dan Gurney, he excelled in several forms of motorsport. Moss survived broken legs, an accident that put him in a coma for a month, and a fall down an elevator shaft at his home a few years ago. Only A. J. Foyt has survived more perils.

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After he retired from racing, Moss was a fixture at revivals and vintage festivals through the age of 81.

Moss had the unfortunate luck of driving at the same time as Juan Manuel Fangio, the five time world champion. Yet, one could argue that Moss was the most consistent driver over a seven year period. He finished second in the Formula 1 standings four straight years from 1955 through 1958. From 1959 through 1961 he finished third. Still today Moss is considered the greatest driver to never win the World Championship.

1955 may have been Moss’s best year. He won his first F1 race at the British Grand Prix at Aintree in a Mercedes. He also won the Targa Florio and the Mille Miglia, two grueling road races. His prowess in endurance  racing was unparalleled at the time. He had already earned a runner-up spot at Le Mans and won the 1954 Sebring 12 Hour race, the first non American to do so.

Moss will always be remembered for his sense of sportsmanship. In 1958 Moss lost the F1 title, by a point after convincing the stewards to reverse a penalty against Mike Hawthorne in the Portugese Grand Prix. The points restored to Hawthorn turned out to be enough to give Hawthorn the crown.

I find it difficult to say goodbye to one of my early racing heroes, but there are still many legends left. We still have Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, the Unsers, and Johnny Rutherford with us.  Moss and Bill Vukovich were my first two heroes who were driving after I was born.

I will close with one of my favorite photos of Moss at the wheel.

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