Category: Auto Racing

Force Indy Moves to Indy Lights with Ernie Francis, Jr.

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From Indycar:

African American-Led Force Indy Elevates
to Indy Lights with Driver Francis
Rising Star Adds to Diverse Legacy of Growing Team
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022) – Force Indy has announced its entry for the 2022 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship with Ernie Francis Jr. driving the team’s No. 99 car.Haitian American Francis heads to Force Indy after three wins in his lone season in the Formula Regional Americas Championship and a second-place finish in the inaugural season of the Superstar Racing Experience (SRX), with a win at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.Florida native Francis, 24, is also a seven-time class champion in the Trans Am Series (2014-2020). His 47 career victories are the most of any driver in Trans Am history. His 24 wins in the premier TA category trail only Paul Gentilozzi (31), Mark Donohue (29) and Tommy Kendall (28)
.“This is an incredible opportunity,” Francis said. “After getting a taste last year and beginning to learn what open-wheel racing is all about, I found myself wanting more. Open-wheel cars are incredible to drive. To know that I’ll continue my education with Force Indy and only one step away from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES makes this unbelievably special. I cannot wait to get started.”
In December 2020, African American business leader and former racing team manager Rod Reid announced the formation of Force Indy with the focus on hiring men and women of color, including mechanics, engineers, staffers and drivers. During its inaugural season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, the team won in thrilling fashion at New Jersey Motorsports Park with driver Myles Rowe.
“Being able to finish our first season with a win showed what this team is capable of doing,” Reid said. “We want to thank Myles, who will always be a member of the Force Indy race team, and will continue to offer assistance and mentorship as he pursues another season in USF2000.”
“I could not be more thrilled to promote our group to the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship with Ernie Francis Jr. His work ethic and history of success speak for itself.”
Team Principal Reid’s years of karting and auto racing experience have proven invaluable. His NXG Youth Motorsports Inc., has introduced more than 2,300 students from under-represented communities, ages 11 to 15, to the educational benefits of the sport. Team Penske will continue to offer mentorship for Force Indy, as the initiative also falls under Penske Entertainment Corp.’s “Race for Equality & Change” announced in July 2020.
The goals include recruiting and developing a diverse workforce throughout all levels of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, ultimately creating a community that fundamentally transforms the sport.
“I was pleased to learn that Ernie would be driving for Force Indy in 2022,” Roger Penske said. “As someone who has a history in Trans Am, I know the type of skillset that comes from that series. Ernie will be a wonderful addition to Indy Lights. It was inspiring to see the growth of Force Indy during their first season, and we will continue to support their progress and mission as the team continues on a path to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”
Force Indy will make its Indy Lights series debut Feb. 25-27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The team will continue to use No. 99 on the car in honor of the late Dewey “Rajo Jack” Gatson, who drove a roadster with that number toward the end of his career in 1951. Gatson, one of the winningest African American drivers and mechanics in racing history, never received an opportunity to race in the Indianapolis 500.
“We remain very fortunate to have Team Penske offer its guidance and mentorship,” Reid said. “I have been in and around the sport for 40 years. Force Indy remains a labor of love, and our goals are unchanged: focusing on diversity with an eye toward competing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and, in honor of Rajo Jack, the Indianapolis 500.”
For additional information, please visit the team’s website: www.ForceIndy.com.

I will have more on this story later today.

Rolex 24 Notes

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Photo by Jake Galstad. You can’t miss this LMP2 car, driven by Indycar title contenders Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward along with rookie Devlin DeFrancesco.

Andy Blackmore has his Rolex 24 spotter’s guide. Andy does great work with these guides, and this one is one of his best. Right click the link to open it in a new tab.

Click to access SG_22_DAY_ONLINE_V1.pdf

Thursday’s Schedule

Thursday

8 AM GEICO Park West Tent & Infield Tent Camping Open

8:00 AM Parking Lot 4 Opens

8:30 AM UNOH Fanzone Gates Open

9:00 AM Parking Lot 1 Opens

9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Infield Midway Open

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Motorsports Hall of Fame Open in DAYTONA Ticket and Tours Building

9:00 AM – 9:30 AM Mazda MX-5 Practice

9:45 AM – 10:45 AM IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice

11:05 AM – 12:35 PM IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge Practice

12:55 PM – 1:25 PM Mazda MX-5 Qualifying

2:25 PM – 3:00 PM IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Qualifying

3:20 PM – 5:05 PM IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge Practice

5:30 PM – 6:15 PM Mazda MX-5 Race #1

7:15 PM – 9:00 PM IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge Practice

The highlight of tomorrow is the IMSA Weather Tech night practice. This will probably be my only chance to see race cars under the lights this year since Indycar has no night races planned.

I will also be watching the Michelin Pilot Challenge qualifying to see where Robert Wickens starts Friday’s race. Friday’s four hour race begins at 1:35 and will be on Peacock.

Weather Watch

Thursday looks like day of off and on rain, but it will be the warmest day of the weekend. Friday appears to be a dry day with a high of 64. Saturday- sunny with a high of 47, which is the usual nighttime low for the Rolex, dropping to 32 at night. Sunday-sunny with a high of 53.

If you are coming to Daytona for the first time, bring every coat you have. The ocean breeze intensifies the chill.

Get Your Daytona Tickets Now- For Next Year?

Yesterday and today, Daytona International Speedway has called me twice and emailed me about renewing my Rolex tickets for 2023. Seriously? This year’s race doesn’t begin for 68 hours and they want renewals now? A little pushy, I think.

Taylor Holds Off Westbrook for Rolex Pole

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Photo: Business as usual for Wayne Taylor Racing: winning at Daytona. IMSA image

Ricky Taylor won the qualifying race yesterday and will start the Role 24 Hour race from the pole next Saturday. Taylor’s Wayne Taylor Racing Acura took the lead after pit stops and held off persistent attacks from Richard Westbrook in the JDC -Miller Cadillac over the final 30 minutes of the race. Westbrook’s car started on the pole for the race. Felipe Albuquerque qualified the car second, but the number 10 started last in class because of a technical violation.

Taylor clinched the victory just after the start of the final lap. Westbrook saw an opening going into turn one which Taylor quickly closed. Westbrook bumped Taylor, then spun, giving the number 10 Konica- Minolta car a clear path to the checkered flag.

Traffic helped Taylor stay in front, but once the contenders were clear, Westbrook closed in quickly. It was a great half hour battle.

Ben Keating and Mikkel Jensen won in LMP2. Keating started on the pole, and he will drive the number 52 in this class and the number 5 DPi Cadillac in the race. Keating has a good shot at a double win.

Jarrett Andretti Wins LMP3 Pole

Jarrett Andretti, son of the late John Andretti, teamed with Josh Burdon to win the LMP3 class in the Andretti Autosport entry. Attrition was high in this group, and is likely to be a factor next weekend as well. The number 36 Ligier started third Sunday.

Close Finishes in GTD Classes

Both GTD Pro and GTD saw close finishes. While the DPi cars battled, the GTD classes each had duels for the lead for the final 30 minutes also. Peacock gave some coverage of the fights, but I wish they had shown more.

In GTD Pro, the Lamborghini driven by Andrea Caldarelli and Mirko Bortolotti took first place. Bortolotti passed the Porsche driven by Alessio Piccarielli with 14 minutes to go and won by 0.475 seconds.

While the GTD finish was close- Lucas Auer and Russell Ward’ Mercedes won by just 0.509 seconds over the McLaren- the team led all but three laps from their outside front row starting spot.

Vince Granatelli Dies; Car Owner, Mechanic Worked on Novis and Turbines

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Vince Granatelli. likeley the last of the famous Granatelli family, died yesterday. The obituary from IMS:

Indy 500 Team Owner, Mechanic Vince Granatelli Dies at 78

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022) – Vince Granatelli (left, above photo), who was a leading mechanic for two notable machines in Indianapolis 500 history and later became a race-winning team owner, died Jan. 22. He was 78.
Granatelli was a member of the famous racing family that made its name through “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” including his father, Andy, the flamboyant owner of the car that Mario Andretti drove to victory in the 1969 Indianapolis 500.
Vince Granatelli first turned wrenches at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1961 as a mechanic on the Novi-powered machines his father brought to the “500” that year. The unique engine growl of the Novi captivated fans for more than two decades.
Granatelli then worked as a mechanic on another one of the most unique cars in Indianapolis 500 history, the turbine-powered machines nicknamed the “Whooshmobile” due to the unique hissing sound of the Pratt & Whitney gas turbine engine.
Parnelli Jones qualified sixth in 1967 in the turbine and dominated the race, leading 171 of the first 196 laps. But a transmission bearing failed on Lap 197, handing the lead and victory to A.J. Foyt.
In 1968, similar late-race calamity struck when Joe Leonard’s rear-engine, turbine-powered Lotus suffered a failed fuel pump driveshaft while leading with nine laps to go.
He also worked on the Eagle-Offy that Graham McRae drove to 16th place and Rookie of the Year honors in the 1973 Indianapolis 500.
Granatelli also worked as a mechanic at various times in STP-sponsored efforts in Formula One during the early 1970s. He left racing along with his family after the 1974 season.
During his time away from racing, Granatelli focused on various business ventures. He owned Pit Stop Service in Southern California, a high-performance garage where he also built high-speed cars. He built a Chevrolet Camaro stock-body passenger car that his father drove a record 242 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Granatelli returned to racing in 1987 as the owner of Vince Granatelli Racing, which fielded cars in CART painted in a similar day-glo red as his father’s turbine-powered cars at Indianapolis.
Roberto Guerrero won two races driving for the team in its first season of 1987, at Phoenix International Raceway and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Guerrero led the Indianapolis 500 that year with 19 laps to go, but two stalls on a pit stop due to a damaged clutch dropped him out of the top spot. He ended up second behind Al Unser.
Arie Luyendyk earned the team its third and fourth victories in 1991, at Phoenix and Nazareth Speedway.

Vautier Puts Cadillac on Pole for Qualifying Race

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Image from IMSA website

Race: 100 minutes. Green flag 2:05 pm EST Peacock

Acuras dominated the practices, but a Cadillac took the pole for today’s qualifying race. The 100 minute event will set the grid for next Saturday’s 60th Rolex 24 Hour race at Daytona international Speedway.

Tristan Vautier set the fastest lap in the JDC-Miller number 5 Mustang Sampling car. The number 10 Acura from Wayne Taylor Racing will start second. Felipe Albuquerque was just 0.122 seconds behind Vautier. The 01 Ganassi Cadillac driven by Renger van der Zande looked on track to take the pole, but crashed in turn five near the end of the session. The red flag cost him his best lap. The car will start 10th.

Ben Keating will start from pole in LMP2. Keating will drive the number 52 and the number 5 DPi in the race, so his rides have the pole in two classes. I don’t know when Keating sleeps during this race.

Cameron Shields is on pole in LMP3 in car 26.

In GTD Pro, Alex Imperiatori leads an all Porsche front row to the green, while Kenny Habul took pole for GTD in a Mercedes. Habul was third fastest in the GTD classes. Tghe slight difference in speed between the GTD Pro and GTD cars should make for some interesting racing.

Gidley Returns

Yesterday’s Prototype Challenge race marked the return to competition of Memo Gidley, who was injured in a horrific accident at Daytona in 2014. His car rammed a stalled car, then he was hit from behind. I didn’t think he would ever race again.

Memo Gidley

Not only did Gidley return to racing, but he won the pole. His car led the majority of the race, with rookie Alexander Korbei driving the final two hours. The team finished third.

This has been an inspirational weekend with Gidley and Robert Wickens returning to action.

Acuras 1-2 in Practice; Wickens Gets Up to Speed

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All Photos in this post courtesy of Vincent Anderson

The DPi class saw the Acuras of Meyer Shank Racing with Curb Agajanian and Wayne Taylor Racing lead the two practices on the first day of The Roar before the 24. Just 0.4 seconds separated the first four cars of the top class. Indycar champion Alex Palou was third quickest in a Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac. The other Ganassi car was fourth with Earl Bamber driving.

Action in the international horseshoe

Tom Blomqvist reeled off a series of quick laps late in the afternoon practice to secure the top spot for the number 60 car, which will have Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud also driving. Felipe Albuquerque had the fastest time in the Number 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura. Alexander Rossi is a team member.

Corvette still looking for speed.

In the GTD Pro class, Mirko Bortolotti led the afternoon session in the number 63 Lamborghini Huracan.

Raffaelle Marciello led GTD practice in the number 75 Mercedes.

Wickens on Track

Robert Wickens returned to the track yesterday and turned the fastest lap of the Elantra tube video shows him leaving the pits.

I admit I got a little choked up watching this.

Today is qualifying for the qualifying race tomorrow. The 100 minute race begins at 2:05 EST and is streamed on Peacock.

Prototype Challenge races today and is on television:

IMSA.TV

Round 1 – Prototype Challenge (Available In The United States On Peacock) 12:05 PM to 3:05 PM ETPeacock

Round 1 – Daytona International Speedway

Calderon: Step by Step

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Tatiana Calderon plans to ease into her rookie year, hoping her experience in other single seater series will ease her transition. The newest member of A. J. Foyt Racing is eager to get started. Calderon will drive the number 11 ROKiT car in 2022.She is happy to spend this year learning the series on road and street courses before try an oval.

Calderon believes her time in Super Formula and F2 will help her adjust to Indycar quickly in spite of limited preseason testing.

“I think they will be very
useful, all those experiences, particularly because there’s
not much time that we have in the car in preseason, so
only a couple of days of testing, so I’m kind of used to that,” she said Monday.

“Because I’ve been changing continents and cars and tire
manufacturers, I think that’s definitely going to help me to
speed up the process, but I still want to take step by step
this steep learning curve. Yeah, I don’t expect it to be any easier, but I definitely feel more ready than I was a couple of years back if I had the
opportunity. Yeah, looking forward to making the most out
of it and to learn as quick as possible.”

There is no timetable for running on ovals, but Calderon is interested in running them eventually and one day driving in the Indianapolis 500.

“Obviously I’ve only tested the car one day back in July, so we thought to take things easy to start off with, the road courses, build up
to hopefully test in an oval, see how I feel, see how my
confidence with the car comes. But of course who wouldn’t love to do Indy 500 one day. Yeah, we’re just taking it step by step.”

Calderon plans to use her time in Indycar to inspire more girls to enter the sport.

“I will obviously make the most out of this opportunity, and
I’m really hoping that I can do well and inspire even more
girls to join in in karting, in single seaters, and that they
know this is also a great opportunity to showcase that.”

She thinks Indycar has a lot of opportunity for women

“I want to be where the best drivers are at, and I think
INDYCAR is pretty high up there on the single seater
ladder. I’ve always enjoyed single seaters quite a lot, as
well.
It’s an honor to be racing in INDYCAR after I started my
career 10 years ago, and I was just watching those races.
Yeah, huge privilege in that sense, and I think here in
America, in INDYCAR, there has been many female
drivers coming through, so I think there is more opportunity
at the moment for us here.”
In testing at Sebring yesterday, Calderon turned 57 laps with a best time of 53,250 seconds, about a half second behind teammate Kyle Kirkwood.

SONSIO NAMED TITLE SPONSOR FOR NTT INDYCAR SERIES EVENT AT ROAD AMERICA 

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Big news from Road America:

 American Medical Response Renews as Presenting Sponsor –
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., January 19, 2022 – Sonsio has signed on to be the title sponsor for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at Road America, and American Medical Response has agreed to return as the presenting sponsor. The race will be known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR. The green flag will fly on the event at approximately 12 p.m. CST on June 12, 2022, and the event will be aired LIVE on NBC.  

 “We looked closely into what Sonsio could do with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to continue a mutually beneficial partnership, and a relationship with Road America fit the bill,” said Sonsio Chief Executive Officer, David Jones. “Road America is a premier facility in a spectacular part of the country, and we look forward to working together to make the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR a memorable experience for everyone.”  

For over 37 years, Sonsio has been the industry leader in administering tire and wheel road hazard programs, vehicle appearance programs, parts and labor warranty programs, mechanical advice, extended customer service, and loyalty enhancement programs to the automotive industry. As part of the entitlement of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR weekend, Sonsio will leverage other marketing opportunities and receive branding in the form of trackside and other signage and will be able to communicate with Road America’s fans inviting them to learn more about Sonsio and its many automotive services.  

 “Sonsio is a great fit for Road America,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s President and General Manager. “They have a unique cadre of offerings and services that have been instrumental in improving the automotive industry. We feel that Sonsio will incorporate itself very well with Road America’s fan base, and we are very excited to have them on board in such a prominent capacity.

We are equally proud to have American Medical Response join Sonsio with this event as the presenting sponsor. American Medical Response is a leader in emergency medical transportation, and they have been instrumental to INDYCAR’S success through various partnerships with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Safety Team and series initiatives.” 

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR takes center stage at Road America June 9-12, 2022, as an international lineup of drivers will have their chance to battle it out for glory on one of the world’s most majestic road courses. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR weekend schedule at Road America, will also be bolstered by the Radical Cup series and two junior development series of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indy Pro 2000, and USF2000, of which many drivers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES are graduates.  

In addition to the title sponsorship of the Road America event, Sonsio’s INDYCAR involvement will also once again extend to a primary partnership with Team Penske. Building upon their relationship in 2021, Sonsio will serve as the primary partner on the No.3 Chevrolet driven by defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year Scott McLaughlin at the Road America event. 

“It is an honor to represent partners that have already tasted success with Team Penske over the years, including Sonsio,” said McLaughlin. “My aim is to continue those winning ways with the No. 3 Sonsio Chevrolet in 2022. Road America is a perfect place for us to do that. Coming from Australia that was one track that I was anxious to get to, and it did not disappoint. It is a proper, classic American racetrack.” 

Bring the entire family out to experience the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR in person at Road America! Kids 16 and under get free general admission to all Road America season racing events with a paying adult at the gate. Make it a weekend of affordable fun by camping on-site on one of Road America’s 1,000+ campsites. Tickets and additional event details, ticket pricing, a tentative event schedule, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. All races will run rain or shine.

  About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, follow Road America on www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223. 

About Sonsio: With a comprehensive lineup of vehicle protection plans, Sonsio offers industry-leading programs that cover tire and wheel road hazard protection, appearance protection, parts and labor warranties, mechanical advisory, and other critical consumer services. These benefits provide vehicle owners with affordable and valuable coverages to keep their vehicles on the road safely and maximize the resale value by keeping the appearance of their vehicles like-new. To learn more visit www.sonsio.com.