This is a release from AJ Foyt Racing. More on this later.
Category: Auto Racing
Rolex 24 Preview: Small Strong Field Ready to Star IMSA Season
A smaller than normal entry list at The Roar before the 24 has gotten smaller as the Rolex 24 approaches. Two LMP2 entries have withdrawn, bringing the field down to 38 cars. Still, the field is a strong group of cars and drivers. Six current Indycar drivers will participate, mainly in the DPi class. Sebastien Bourdais also is in the DPi class. Bourdais will be in the Number 5 car all season.
The Indycar drivers and their cars-
Bourdais -5
Simon Pagenaud – 6 (teaming with Juan Pablo Montoya)
Alexander Rossi-7 (teaming with (Helio Castroneves)
Scott Dixon- 10
Ryan Hunter-Reay- 55
Ben Hanley- 81 (LMP2)
Colton Herta- 25 (GTLM) Defending class winner
Changes
The Ford GTLM cars are gone. Usually the cars were in contention for a win. GTLM will probably be a fight between the Corvettes, the Lexus Vasser Sullivan Team, and the Ferrari.
Wayne Taylor Racing doesn’t have a Taylor driving anymore. Jordan is now driving for the number 3 Corvette. Ricky went to the Team Penske Acura two years ago. The team won the Rolex last year and will be competitive, especially with Scott Dixon as one of the extra endurance drivers.
The race start time has been moved up to 1:40 pm Eastern from its traditional 2:40 pm green flag. I don’t see the extra daylight hour on Saturday having much effect on the race. It’s great for the fans, though, to have an extra hour of warmth at the start.
What to Watch For
One advantage of the smaller fields and the smaller classes is this race should be easier to follow.
In DPi, I see the Mazdas winning the pole. In the race, they will be strong, but don’t overlook the Team Penske Acuras. Rossi and Montoya were very fast two weeks ago, and they may have a better race pace than the Mazdas.
I’m interested is watching how Bourdais and his team does in their debut outing. While the number 5 car looks the same as it did in 2019, the car is now a JDC-Miller car instead of Action Express.
In GTD the Lamborghinis should be strong again despite their disqualifications at the Roar. Watch for Katherine Legge’s all female team, the number 19 Lamborghini.
Meyer Shank Racing’s car 86 will also have a strong run.
I will provide updates on site beginning Thursday.
You can find the Spotter Guide here:
The television schedule is a mashup involving NBC, NBCSN, TrackPass, and NBC Gold. The app can be purchased for $19.99. It covers the entire IMSA season. The start and finish are on NBC Saturday and Siunday beginning at 1:30 pm Eastern.
Hinchcliffe Gets Funding; Looking for Ride
James Hinchcliffe has the funding to run the Indianapolis 500 and possibly afew more races. Thanks to Genesys, a technology firm providing cloud services, he now has the money to take to a team. But which team? I assume he would want one of the Honda teams. Andretti is full as they already have seven cars for Indianapolis. The other Honda teams, Ganassi, Coyne, and Rahal, are possibilities. I would think either Coyne or Rahal would be more likely than Ganassi.
The news comes just two months after Hinchcliffe was told by Arrow McLaren SP that he would not be driving for them. The team signed Pato O’Ward and rookie Oliver Askew and for the 2020 season. Hinchcliffe still has a contract with the team and will do personal appearances on their behalf. My understanding is he can still drive for another team.
I have to give Hinchcliffe credit for working hard to secure the money needed for the 500 in just two months. Some drivers work on this aspect of racing all year and come up short. Hinchcliffe qualified 32nd and finished 11th in 2019. He failed to qualify in 2018. The sponsors will announce further details at a later date.
Hinchcliffe is one of the most popular drivers in the NTT Indycar Series. It’s great knowing he will be at IMS during May.
Indycar at the Chili Bowl
Indycar has its best representation at the Chili Bowl in several years. Santino Ferrucci, James Davison, and Conor Daly are entered in the week long midget event in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Daly drives for the first time tonight.
Ferrucci did well in his first ever midget event. He started 11th and finished fifth, just one spot short of transferring to that evening’s feature round. Davison was 10th in his debut last night.
The Chili Bowl finals are on Saturday night from 8:30-11:30 Eastern Time on MavTV.
A. J. at 85
A. J. Foyt turns 85 today. That must mean I’m old. Reaching that age is an accomplishment for anyone, but quite amazing for someone who began racing in the ’50s and ’60s. I’m not going to list all his accomplishments. I like to keep these essays short. There are a few that standout, however.
Foyt is the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in both a front engine car and a rear engine car. In 1964 he won 10 of the 13 USAC Championship races, including the first seven races of the season. I saw him win a stock car race at the Indiana State Fairgrounds after starting last. He qualified higher, but was unhappy with his time and withdrew it. He won in almost every type of car he raced.
I have had racing heroes since I was six or seven years old, but I never got the chance to see any of them race. Bill Vukovich was my first hero, and after his death at the 500, I followed Bob Sweikert, but alas, he too died the following year. A. J. was the first of my racing heroes that I actually saw drive. It didn’t hurt any that he had the number 14 on his car, Vukovich’s number.
I loved the way he drove. Sure there were other outstanding drivers in that era- Andretti, Jones, the Unsers-and I appreciated all of them. Yet, there was something special about Foyt. I liked his unapologetic style and the way he seemed to always be in a position to win. He didn’t always get to Victory Lane, but more often than not, he had a chance.
It is my belief that the modern era of racing began with Foyt’s 1961 Indianapolis 500 victory. He beat the drivers of the 50s, some of whom had raced in the early post World War II years. His future rivals were yet to make an appearance at the Speedway. I think all fans owe him thanks for that.
As I have written on several occasions, the stars of that era who miraculously survived a very dangerous period in the sport are all now in their 80s. I believe Paul Goldsmith is 90. As you watch the NTT Indycar Series races this season, take a moment or two to reflect on the sport’s heritage. No matter who your favorite driver of that era is, we all owe a debt of gratitude to A. J. If you see one of the legends at a track, please say hello and thank you to them.
New Post on Wildfire Sports; Testing and Rules Revisions
Ericsson Lands Sponsor
From Indycar
Ericsson gets Swedish chocolate company as primary sponsor
By INDYCAR | Published: Jan 14, 2020
Marcus Ericsson’s new ride with Chip Ganassi Racing will be backed by a company from his home country of Sweden, the team confirmed Tuesday.
Huski Chocolate will be the primary sponsor of the No. 8 Honda and joins the team’s lineup of PNC Bank for Scott Dixon’s No. 9 car and NTT DATA for Felix Rosenqvist’s No. 10. Chip Ganassi’s team will have more than two full-time entries in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for the first time since 2017. Dixon is a five-time series champion; Rosenqvist was last year’s INDYCAR Rookie of the Year.
Ericsson is a native of Kumla, Sweden, and he made his INDYCAR debut last year, finishing 17th in the standings. He finished second in the second of the Detroit Grand Prix races. He spent five years in Formula One before coming to INDYCAR.
Huski Chocolate’s headquarters are located in Stockholm, Sweden, and they currently maintain sports-related partnerships with McLaren in F1 as well as the Millwall Football Club of the English Football League Championship, the second tier of English football after the Premier League.
One-time INDYCAR driver and NASCAR veteran Stanton Barrett is CEO of Huski Chocolate Americas. Barrett competed in four INDYCAR races in 2009.
“This partnership is a great fit for our entire company,” Barrett said in a statement released by the team. “We have watched Marcus in Formula 1 and last year’s transition into INDYCAR. Marcus has great potential and now he can capitalize on his talents by teaming up with Chip Ganassi Racing in INDYCAR.
“This partnership with my friend Chip and CGR, a 12-time INDYCAR Champion team, is a critical and valuable platform to reach a strong racing fan base in North and South America. As Huski Chocolate continues expanding into important markets for our B2B and B2C products, CGR and Marcus will continue to pave the way for success on and off the track for Huski Chocolate. We can’t wait to get the season started in St. Petersburg with the Huski Chocolate Honda on the grid.”
INDYCAR’s 17-race schedule begins March 13-15 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The year’s first open test is set for Feb. 11-12 at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas.
Rookies Get First Indycar Taste at Sebring
Sebring belonged to the newcomers today as rookies Oliver Askew and Rinus VeeKay ran tests for their NTT Indycar Series teams today. Askew shared the Arrow McLaren Sp car with teammate Pato O’Ward while VeeKay became familiar with his Ed Carpenter Racing machine. Two time Australian Supercar champion Scott McLaughlin ran laps in a test for Team Penske. McLaughlin drives for Penske in Australia.
Sage Karam also got some test time in the Dreyer and Reinbold entry. DRR announced last week they will enter four events this year, including the Indianapolis 500. There is a possibility of even more races in 2020.
Notes
At times the cars looked like prototypes as they approached the turn where I watched from. The cars with a white band on the framework give this impression more than the black does. While you can still see the drivers’ hands work the steering wheel, it is difficult to see the drivers’ head and helmet at a casual glance. The framework of the aeroscreen and the helmet seem to blend together.
The new protection device is more noticeable when the cars slow for a turn; I got used to it when the cars were at full speed.
A couple of things seemed strange:
A white Ed Carpenter Racing car.
Someone other than a regular in the Penske car.
It was great watching Indycars run again.
Some Travel Items
The “L” turn on Sebring Parkway as is now a roundabout. I didn’t realize the Mayor of Carmel had a home near the track.
It was sad to see how much of the open fields on the road approaching the track has been sold. The area will have a very different look next year, I’m afraid.
Dragonspeed, Hanley Set for St. Pete
From Indycar and Dragonspeed:
1/13/2020
The 10Star DragonSpeed team is gearing up for the season-opening round of the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March15, confirming that Ben Hanley – who maintains his rookie status, having run three NTT IndyCar Series races with the team last season – will pilot its Chevy-powered Dallara chassis around the streets of the St. Petersburg, Fla.
“I can’t wait to get back in the No. 81 machine for another crack at St Pete,” said the34-year-old Hanley. “After the thrash required just to make it to the track last season, we’re coming back in a much more settled situation. I don’t know if we can repeat the combination of luck and timing that put us 12th on the grid in 2019, but we will be much better prepared this time around and should be stronger throughout the weekend.”
DragonSpeed team principal Elton Julian said, “The continuity represented by having Ben in the car at St Pete is a real boost, and for the fifth year in a row he remains the lead driver across all of our programs. That said, the realities of life as a young IndyCar team might see us running other drivers at the same level as Ben, perhaps with more IndyCar experience, during the year. But committing to Ben as the test and race driver for the launch of our 2020 effort is clearly the best way to get our season off to a strong start.”
Julian added, “We haven’t had the head start of some teams in testing the new IndyCar Aeroscreen and are pushing hard to get it in time to maximise the limited track testing allowed to us as a part-time entrant, while making some time in between for data analysis and shaker rig testing.”
DragonSpeed’s next event is the Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance classic on 25-26 January, where the Indianapolis-based squad will defend its 2019 LMP2 class victory after setting the fastest time at last weekend’s official pre-race test.
Sebring Test Monday has Some Unusual Elements
It is not unusual for NTT Indycar Series teams to test at Sebring in January. It is unusual for a part time team to test, however. Dreyer & Reinbold is planning a four race program for 2020 and will take part in Monday’s test at Sebring International Raceway. The team has been Indianapolis 500 only the past few years. Sage Karam will drive for the team. A possible second entry for the 500 is also in the works.
We will also get to see two rookies on track together. Rinus VeeKay gets his first run for Ed Carpenter Racing, and Oliver Askew will test for Arrow McLaren SP. Askew’s teammate Pato O’Ward will also get some time Monday.
Team Penske will test two time Australian Supercar champion Scott McLaughlin.
You Can Help
Long time racing broadcaster Bob Varsha has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Varsha has broadcast nearly every form of auto racing in his career.
A GoFundMe campaign has been established by Marshall Pruett for Bob. You can contribute at
Alexander Rossi is auctioning his helmet from the Bathurst 1000 to aid victims of the wildfire in Austarlia. You can bid on the helmet at
https://www.ebay.com/itm/352925771454.
Some Large Grids
With Dreyer & Reinbold’s four race plan and Dragonspeed’s six race program in place, there are some rumblings that Juncos may have something in the works for 2020 as well. Assuming the both Carlin and Foyt have two cars for the full season, several races could have expanded grids.
What a great thing that would be for the series to have fields large than the 22 or 23 we have been used to at most events.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 