Category: Auto Racing

Ferrucci Grid Penalty

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From IndyCar:

INDYCAR Announces Nashville Superspeedway Grid Penalty 
 INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024) – INDYCAR officials have announced a nine-position starting grid penalty for the entry of No. 14 A.J. Foyt Enterprises for an unapproved engine change following Final Practice at Nashville Superspeedway.
The team was in violation of:Rule 16.1.2.3.2. A fifth (5th) Engine is eligible to earn Engine Manufacturer points if a Full Season Entrant has completed the Full Season Entrant Engine Mileage with its first four (4) Engines. Otherwise, a fifth (5th) or more Engine does not earn Engine Manufacturer points and will be considered an Unapproved Engine change-out.According to Rule 16.1.6.1.2., the penalty is a six-position starting grid penalty on road and street course events and nine positions at oval events and will be served at the series’ next race, which is the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix Presented by Gainbridge today, Sept. 15 at Nashville Superspeedway.

The Final Race Day-2024

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Today’s schedule:
7:30 am: Gates Open
10:55 am: INDY NXT Command
11 am: INDY NXT Green Flag
12:25 pm: Daughtry Concert
1:43 pm: Driver Intros
2:13 pm: Invocation
2:14 pm: Anthem
2:25 pm: Command
2:30 pm: Green Flag

About Last Night

Scott Dixon had the fastest lap inthe abbreviated practice session under the lights Saturday, but the big news was pole sitter Kyle Kirkwood’s crash in turn 4 with 3 minutes left. It appeared something broke on the right rear when Kirkwood hit a bump. The damage looked minimal, and I don’t think he will need an engine change.

Photo by Kyle McInnes

Having the practice weather delayed to after sunset rekindled my longing for a true night race. Ending the season with a night race at an oval like Nashville with speeds approaching 200 miles an hour would be a proper ending to an Indycar season. The series needs to pursue this possibility.

Staring Lineup

The official grid, with penalties assessed, and tire choices. that sems weird to say for an oval.

I don’t know if last night’s practice gave teams enough time to get a good read on tire wear, especially in conditions much different than they will be at race time. It should make for an interesting day.

Alex Palou has to make up positions as quickly as he can, avoiding some inexperienced drivers who might be eager to make a good showing in the season finale. Will power still needs to lead as much as he can and win the race to have any chance at all to get the title.

The race will boil down to strategy, and whoever guesses right on which tire to use when will win. The situation favors a Penske car, and I’m picking Josef Newgarden to win today. Palou will get a top 10 and just edge Power for the Astor Cup.

Kirkwood Wins Pole; Palou Has Some Work to Do

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Kyle Kirkwood won his first Indycar oval pole this afternoon, and he will lead the field to the green flag tomorrow for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Meanwhile, points leader Alex Palou could only manage a 15th place run. His grid penalty means he will start 24th tomorrow.


“I’m stoked right now,” Kirkwood said. “It’s huge for our season to end off with a pole. I was a little upset we didn’t get a win or a pole (this season), and this is our final chance to do it, and we got it done.”

The milestone for Kirkwood created an ironic milestone for Will Power. The career leader in poles with 72 ends 2024 without winning a pole for the season, the first time in his his career since 2008 that nhe has not been on point for a race. Power will start fourth tomorrow. To win the title, he has to win the race, lead the most laps, and hope Palou cannot advance too far forward. Palou needs to finish ninth or better to win his second straight title.

Romain Grosjean was the only drib=ver to qualify on the primary tire. He qualified 16th.

Nolan Siegel received a nine spot grid penalty for an engine change after his practice crash. He did not attampt a qualifying run and will start last.

Attendance was above expectations today, and the rain held off until just a few minutes ago. Indy NXT Qualifying is on hold for rain at the moment.

Indycar has a scheduled practice session beginning at 4:15 pm Central. My guess is that IndyNXT qualifying will be cancelled and IndyCar will have the practice session at some point.

Results

Note: This is not the official starting lineup.

Palou Tops Nashville Practice

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

The weather has turned out beautifully, and it looks like we will get the entire day in.

Points leader Alex Palou was fastest in the prequalifying practice for the Music City Grand Prix. Palou turned a quick lap of 199.682 miles an hour. His closest challenger for the title, Will Power, was sixth fastest. Plaou leads by 33 points. While he could earn a point for winning the pole this afternoon, Palou can start no better than 10th. due to an engine change.

The session stopped early when Nolan Seigel crashed hard in Turn 2. The incident heavily damaged the wall and required a lengthy repair.

I sat in the grandstand for part of practice this morning. It is y first time at this track. It is a very well maintained facility. There is a shuttle from the infield to the grandstand-not just any shuttle. It is a luxury touring bus. I was expecting a tram or a fancy golf cart, but this is way beyond that. Nice work, Scott Borchetta,

Qualifying begins at 1:15 pm Central time.

It’s Nashville Weekend

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Good morning from Nashville Superspeedway.

Today’s schedule in Central time:

The weather pattern is improving, and IndyNXT is on track at the moment, There have been two major crashes in their session so far. The drivers are okay.

My first impression of this venue is thaat the footprint is much larger than expected. Once in the infield, it resembles Milwaukee or WWTR, but on approach it is on a large tract of land.

Tomorrow’s forecast loks much better, and we may get by today as well. I am going to go over to the grandstands and I will be back after practice.

USAC Sprint Cars Competing Sept. 26 at IMS During BC39  

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Stopped for coffee on the road and saw this great news from IMS.

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Sept. 13, 2024) – USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Cars are coming to The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time Thursday, Sept. 26 during the Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors.
The inaugural Stoops Sprint Car Invitational will take place on the 1/4-mile dirt oval located inside Turn 3 of IMS during the opening night of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by Avanti Windows & Doors.
The invitation-only, non-points special event for USAC National Sprint Cars at IMS will feature two heat races followed by a 20-lap main event.
“USAC Midgets have put on an incredible show at IMS since 2018, so we expect wheel-to-wheel action from Sprint Cars on The Dirt Track,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said.
“The Stoops Sprint Car Invitational is another must-see dirt event at IMS, as this division features great racing with some of the biggest stars of USAC.”
Invitations to compete in the unique event were presented to top-10 teams on the 2024 USAC AMSOIL Sprint Car National Championship tour. Confirmed entries so far have been received from Logan Seavey, Daison Pursley, C.J. Leary, Kevin Thomas Jr., Mitchel Moles, Kyle Cummins, Robert Ballou and Kale Drake.
The Thursday night portion of the BC39 will feature both sprint cars and a full program for the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship.
Spectator tickets are on sale for the event at IMS.com.The BC39 will continue to honor the late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson.
It also will increase awareness of organ donation and encourage participation in the Indiana Donor Network Driven2SaveLives program, the title sponsor of the BC39 since the inaugural running in 2018.
The final night of the BC39, on Saturday, Sept. 28, includes a 39-lap feature race. Practice, qualifying, heat races and feature races will take place Thursday, Sept. 26 and Friday, Sept. 27. 
 

Nashville Preview

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Too soon, as always, the IndyCar season comes to the end of its 2024 edition Sunday afternoon at Nashville Superspeedway. Also, NBC will end its fine coverage of the series after six years. FOX tkes over as the broadcast partner next year.

While the championship is still in doubt, there is also a fight for the final Leaders’ Circle spot. Alex Palou leads Will Power by 33 points. Assuming Power earns maximum points, Palou needs a ninth-place finish to clinch his third title. Power is also gunning for his third Astor Cup. A Palou championship would make him the first back to back champion since Dario Franchitti in the last decade.

At the end of the standings, Sting Ray Robb in the 41 A J Foyt Racing holds the final spot in the Leaders’ Circle by one point over the Ed Carpenter Racing 20 of Christian Rasmussen. The 51 of Dale Coyne Racing is 15 points behind.

Tire Twist

For just the second time on an oval, Indycar has mandated the use of an alternate tire. Road/street course tire rules are basically in effect, but the alternates must be used for two stints. This should make for a lot of strategic choices, and a roll of the dice should there be a caution with 20-25 laps left.

The alternate experiment was tried at gateway in 2023, but the alternate tire was not noticeably different from the primary.

Weather

The remnants of hurricane Francine loom as a huge factor as to how the weekend will proceed. Indycar said yesterday that the priority is practice, since only Power, Scott Dixon, and Graham Rahal have raced at this track previously.

That means if something has to give on Saturday because of delays, it will be qualifying, and the field will line up by entrant points. I would hate to see that with a championship battle as it takes some of the drama away, but as usual, safety first.

Nashville Superspeedway does have lights, and the series will go to great lengths to get the race completed on Sunday.

If you are going to the race, bring rain gear and know where to go ion case of lightning. The track has already issued a statement to fans regarding possible weather interruptions.

Loose Ends

If Power does not earn the pole in qualifying, it will be his first season with winning a pole since 2008. A qualifying rainout would end his chance, of course, and he would lose a valuable point.

Graham Rahal needs a fifth place or better finish to keep alive his streak of having at least one top five finish in every season of his career.

If Palou, Josef Newgarden, or Dixon win Sunday, IndyCar will have four drivers with three victories in the same year. Only seven drivers have won races in 2024, and I don’t think that number changes after Sunday.

I think Power wins the race, but Palou still is the 2024 champion.

Many thanks to NBC for arguably the best television coverage IndyCar has had since the early days of ABC’s tenure.