Photo by Kyle McInnes
In a wild warmup session in which Aj Foyt Racing suffered setbacks, Rinus VeeKay of Ed Carpenter racing led the field. Pole sitter Alex Palou was fourth fastest.
Sting ray Robb spun in turns5/6 and made contact wi9th the tire barrier, causing extensive damage. Santino Ferrucci received a five minute stop and hold penalty for impeding Romain Grosjean. Ferrucci/Grosjean confrontations are a continuing thing, and Indycar needs to step in. This will not end well.
Alex Palou continues his command at Weather Tech Raceway as he won the pole for tomorrow’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. Palou entered the weekend with a podium finish in all three of his previous starts here, including a dominating win two years ago. He is so good at this track, the Hertas have made him an honorary family member.
“It was really tough, really tight all qualifying to get to the Fast 12 and then the Fast Six,” Palou said. “It was really tricky with track conditions. As soon as there was some wind, you couldn’t really finish the lap because there was no grip.
“Really happy. The car was on rails today, so the best starting position for tomorrow.”
Kyle Kirkwood will start outside on the front row. Colton Herta, who was the fastest in Practice two, will start fourth.
The biggest surprise of the day was David Malukas. In his first race of the season since he broke his wrist in preseason, Malukas took the Meyer Shank entry to the second round, He will line up 12th Sunday.
Today’s qualifying session was one of the best i have ever seen, definitely the best of the season. Each round was close, and the leaders changed throughout each round.
While Nolan Siegel struggled as expected, he still qualified 23rd, outqualifying veterans Jack Harvey, Sting Ray Robb, and Pietro Fittipaldi.
Photo by Kyle McInnes
Colton Herta led practice 2
I am still sorting through all that went on last week while I was away, it nearly slipped my mind that Indycar returns to action this weekend at Laguna Seca, one of the best road courses the series runs on. The corkscrew and the drop after it makes for some great photos of Indycars performing at their best.
The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey has moved from the season finale to a late season race, and next year moves to its third consecutive spot on the schedule. Which series leader was that who talked about date equity?
Despite the mid season spot, Laguna Seca 2024 is significant for a couple of reasons. It is the final race of the current engine formula of a conventional internal combustion engine. The new hybrid energy recovery system makes it debut at Mid Ohio in two weeks.
Sunday also marks two beginnings. David Malukas, who lost his ride at Arrow McLaren earlier this year, starts his season at Meyer Shank Racing. He replaces Tom Blomqvist, who lost the seat after the Indianapolis 500.
The twists and turns at Arrow McLaren this week have Nolan Siegel beginning his multi year deal in the number 6 car. Siegel, fresh from his class win in the Le Mans 24 hour race last Sunday, takes the spot from Theo Pourchaire, who had just been announced as that car’s driver for the rest of the season.
It is time to go racing and put all the behind the scenes drama aside for a few days.
The Monterey track returned to the Indycar schedule in 2019 as the season finale. In the four races since its return, Colton Herta has won twice, Scott Dixon and Alex Palou once each. Will Power clinched his second championship here in 2022.
Sunday’s race is one of six races on USA network, and it is the final contest of a very busy day of racing.
The track was repaved before the 2023 event, and the new pavement proved quite slippery. A year of seasoning should make Sunday a better show.
Look for Colton Herta to finally end a frustrating streak and get another win on his home track.
From Indycar
| Race weekend: Friday, June 21-Sunday, June 23 Track: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a 2.238-mile permanent road course in Monterey, California Race distance:NTT INDYCAR SERIESFirestone Grand Prix of Monterey: 95 laps / 212.61 miles INDY NXT by FirestoneINDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race 1 & 2: 35 laps / 78.33 miles / 55 minutes (each race) Push to pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation INDY NXT by Firestone150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams must use one set of primary and one new set of alternate tires unless wet conditions are declared. One additional set is available for the weekend’s first session to teams fielding a rookie driver. INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend. Two carryover sets from the Road America event may be used during Friday’s practice sessions. X: @WeatherTechRcwy, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR Instagram: @weathertechraceway, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT Facebook: @WeatherTechRaceway, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCAR TikTok: @INDYCAR, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARY ouTube: @INDYCAR Event website: www.weathertechraceway.comI NDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com 2023 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) INDY NXT by FirestoneRace 1: Hunter McElrea (No. 27 Andretti Autosport)Race 2: Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports) 2023 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Felix Rosenqvist (No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet), 1:06.6416, 120.897 mph 2023 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winners: Race 1: Hunter McElrea (No. 27 Andretti Autosport), 1:12.3117, 111.418 mph Race 2: Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports), 1:11.7225, 112.333 mph Qualifying records:NTT INDYCAR SERIESChristian Lundgaard, 1:06.4610, 121.226 mph, Sept. 9, 2023INDY NXT by FirestoneChristian Rasmussen, 1:11.7225, 112.333 mph, Sept. 9, 2023 USA Network race telecast: Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, 6 p.m. ET Sunday, June 23, USA Network (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for USA Network’s coverage of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters. Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while the USA Network’s race telecast of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey will be streamed on Peacock, with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR LIVE. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young and Dan Rusanowsky are the pit reporters. The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey race (6 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT Grand Prix of Monterey doubleheader (3:20 p.m. ET Saturday and 3:50 p.m. ET Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (all times local): Friday, June 21 1:10-1:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice 1, INDYCAR LIVE 2-3:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1, Peacock 3:40-4:05 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice 2, INDYCAR LIVE Saturday, June 22 9-9:30 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Two groups, 12-minutes each / Fastest lap determines the lineup for Race 1, second fastest lap determines the lineup for Race 2), INDYCAR LIVE 10-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (45 minutes limited guarantee), Peacock 12:30 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race 1 “Drivers Start Your Engines”12:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race 1 (35 laps / 78.33 miles / 55 minutes), Peacock 2:15 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey NTT P1 Award qualifying (three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock Sunday, June 23 Noon-12:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock 1 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race 2 “Drivers Start Your Engines”1:05 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race 2 (35 laps / 78.33 miles / 55 minutes), Peacock 3 p.m. – USA Network on air 3:23 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey “Drivers, start your engines” 3:30 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey (95 laps/212.61 miles), USA Network (Live) Race Notes:There have been six winners in seven NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2024 season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Road America) have all won in this season. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014. There have been six winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races: Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward and Will Power. Dixon (World Wide Technology Raceway 2023, Laguna Seca 2023, Long Beach 2024 and Detroit 2024) and Palou (Portland 2023 and Indianapolis GP 2024) are the only drivers to have won multiple races over that stretch. The Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey will be the 27th INDYCAR SERIES race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, but just the fifth since 2004. Teo Fabi won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in 1983. Scott Dixon won the race in 2023. Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Colton Herta are the only former winners entered in this year’s race. ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS Colton Herta 2 2019, 2021 Alex Palou 1 2022 Scott Dixon 1 2023 Thirteen INDYCAR SERIES drivers have won at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca from the pole – Teo Fabi (1983), Bobby Rahal (1985), Danny Sullivan (1988), Rick Mears (1989), Danny Sullivan (1990), Michael Andretti (1991, 1992), Paul Tracy (1994), Alex Zanardi (1996), Bryan Herta (1998, 1999), Helio Castroneves (2000), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Patrick Carpentier (2003) and Colton Herta (2019, 2021). ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS Colton Herta 2 2019, 2021 Will Power 1 2022 Felix Rosenqvist 1 2023 Team Penske has won six times at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Penske’s winning drivers are Danny Sullivan (1988, 1990), Rick Mears (1989), Paul Tracy (1993, 1994) and Helio Castroneves (2000). Chip Ganassi Racing has four wins with Scott Dixon (2023), Alex Palou (2022), Alex Zanardi (1996) and Jimmy Vasser (1997). Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has three wins with Bryan Herta (1998, 1999) and Max Papis (2001). Twenty-one drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Scott Dixon has six starts, most among the entered drivers. Eight entered drivers have led laps at the track – Colton Herta 175, Alex Palou 118, Will Power 23, Dixon 22, Pato O’Ward 15, Felix Rosenqvist 11, Romain Grosjean 6 and Josef Newgarden 5 .Rookies Luca Ghiotto, Linus Lundqvist, Christian Rasmussen, Nolan Siegel and Kyffin Simpson along with veteran driver Pietro Fittipaldi will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the first time this weekend. Rasmussen won at Laguna Seca in INDY NXT by Firestone in 2022 and 2023.Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 330th consecutive start, extending his record streak … Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will make its 1,000th INDYCAR SERIES start at this event .INDY NXT by Firestone notes: The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey doubleheader will be the series’ 29th and 30th races at WeatherTech Raceway at Laguna Seca. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at Laguna Seca include Bryan Herta, Andre Ribeiro, Greg Moore, Tony Kanaan, Cristiano da Matta, Scott Dixon, Townsend Bell, Spencer Pigot, Rinus VeeKay and Kyle Kirkwood. Current NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie Christian Rasmussen and Hunter McElrea split the Grand Prix of Monterey doubleheader in 2023.The INDY NXT by Firestone title fight between Jacob Abel and Louis Foster heads west for its final doubleheader weekend when the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey hits the track on Saturday and Sunday. Abel leads Foster by 19 points headed into the pair of 35-lap races, but Foster is riding the momentum of three-straight top-two finishes. The ultra-competitive 2024 season has seen four winners in six races to start the season and seven different drivers finish on the podium. Push to pass could play a key strategic role at Laguna Seca as INDY NXT by Firestone drivers will have a bank of 150 seconds to use an added 50 horsepower to assist in overtaking, similar to the drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The maximum amount of time for each press of the overtake system is 15 seconds. Group qualifying will decide the starting grid on road and street circuits. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying sessions. With 12 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). A driver’s fastest lap will determine Race 1 position. A driver’s second-fastest lap will determine Race 2 starting position. One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group for each race. |
All Time Eastern
Friday, June 21
5 pm-6:15 Practice 1 Peacock
Saturday, June 22
1 pm-2 Practice 2 Peacock
5:15pm -6:45 Qualifying Peacock
Sunday June 23
3 pm-3:30 Warm up Peacock
6:30 pm- Green flag 95 laps USA, Peacock
I arrived home at 10 pm last night after a loooong day of traveling. It is always great to be home after an extended trip. This blog is more of an advice column for anyone considering going to Le Mans, or for a 77-year-old blogger who may be planning a return visit. I’m not mentioning any names here.
Getting around Paris
The Paris Metro system is amazing, and the entire city seems connecting by the mainly underground railroad network. To get to the train to Le Mans from Charles de Gaulle Airport requires a transfer. Be careful to read the route map so you don’t end up traveling the wrong way. Each ticket allows one free transfer. Don’t count on help from employees there.
Bullet train– The TGV train takes an hour or less to get to Le Mans, which is about 136 miles northwest of Paris. The train is clean, quiet, and efficient.
Le Mans Transit– The T1line on the city tram goes directly to the track, which is the end of the line. The penultimate stop takes you directly to Tetre Rouge. It is an easier track entry and involves quite a bit less walking to the track than the gate at the final stop. From Tetre Rouge, you can walk toward the Dunlop bridge and cross over to the fan village.
I cannot say this enough- there is no such thing as a short walk at Le Mans.
Track shuttles– there are some internal shuttles which will save many steps from Porte Est- it’s about a mile walk to the track itself-then you need to walk back to the main plaza, but it’s a much shorter walk.
Visiting turns– Free buses will take fans to what i call the outer corners- Mulsanne, Arnage, and the Porsche curves. My advice- plan to go early Waiting until evening means a long wait in a line. Make sure you take the correct bus.
I found out that I could avoid a bus transfer to Arnage by going to the Ouest Parking area, which is just behind the Ferris wheel.
Take time to enjoy the city– Since most track activity doesn’t begin until mid to late afternoon, use the morning time to enjoy the city of Le Mans. It is very peaceful, and the architecture there is wonderful. I did not get a chance to explore the old city as much as I wanted to. It’s an area on a hilltop with buildings from medieval times. There is a very cool vibe there.
I enjoyed having a mid-morning coffee at an outdoor cafe near Place de la Republique on the days when no race activities took place there. The plaza is one of the tram stops on the T1 line.
Autographs– There is a better chance of the driver autographs you want at scrutineering than there is of getting an autograph at the official autograph session. Drivers walk around the ring after the official photographs and sign for fans who wait all day behind the barricades.
I understand there was slight bit of Indycar news while I was away. I’m still trying to catch up to it all. I discussed the new television package last week. Tomorrow, i will have some thoughts about the 2025 schedule, and during the race weekend, I will talk about the McLaren situation. It sounds like McLaren and Juncos Hollinger deserve to be partners. They have the same philosophy when it comes to treatment of drivers.
Now to go back to sleep.
The clock went to zero, the checkered flag waved, and my life long dream of going to Le Mans accomplished. I will try o distill my thoughts into two blogs. There are too many to condense in to one. If you are a reader of my blog and not a personal friend, consider yourself lucky. My friends w2ill be hearing ab out this for months, maybe until next June.
My first impression of the entire week is that Le Mans blows Indianapolis away. This is not meant to be a put down of most beloved 500. It is a matter of scale. Everything is bigger in Le Mans. From the pre race buildup that begins with scrutineering, to the post-race podium ceremony, everything is made to feel like it is the most important event.
The palpable buzz in the crowd built all day. The grid walk, like those of Sebring and the Rolex 24, was a madhouse of fans looking for their favorite teams. The scene reinforced why I don’t do grid walks anymore. I was content to watch from the stands.
The brief simple pre-race ceremony was direct and to the point. I remember when the 500 opening ceremony was like that.
Two things stood out. The parade of flags of each drivers’ nation acknowledge that Le Mans is an international event. Flag bearers then moved to stand by the cars of that country. It’s as if this race is the Olympics of motorsport.
La Marseilles– I have always liked the French national anthem, but to hear it sung accompanied by a brass band live brought me to tears. It is such a stirring anthem.
The cars then started and rolled off for the pace lap, The field lined up, came off the final turn, the tricolor waved, and the clock started.
At the end of lap 1, when Ferrari had already jumped to the lead, I had to remind myself that I was not dreaming. After the second lap, I settled into watching the race. I was glad that the rain had held off for the start.
Rain would play a major role in the story of the 2024 edition of Le Mans. An early shower had some teams deciding to go to wet tires immediately. Others stayed out. The shower was brief, and the track dried quickly. That set up two different strategies early. In a 24 hour race, even early decisions can have a long-term effect.
The four hour full course yellow for rain set up an intriguing ending.
In the end, Ferrari won again. Nolan Siegel was the American bright spot as part of the winning LMP2 United Autosport team.
Veterans of Daytona and Sebring are accustomed to walk around to various vantage points during the race. everyone has their favorite spots for the start and the finish. At Le Mans this is difficult to do because of the siz of the track. I wanted to go watch from Arnage. All I had to do was leave the track, catch a bus and take it to catch another bus, reenter a track gate. The process took nearly an hour because of the long lines waiting to board the buses.
Of course, three minutes after arriving, the rain started. It was one of the heavier downpours akthough it di not last long.
Arnage is a slow corner right after the high speed Indianapolis corner. It is a public road that has been incorporated into the track. I got a few photos, but not as many as I had hoped.
The track has provided several big screen televisions in the several villages for fans to watch the race.
Going to L e Mans has fulfilled a 65-year-old dream of mine. My heart was so full at the end of the race. Le Mans is more than a 24 hour race. It is an entire week of revealing the components one by one. It’s a fascinating process.
In the week before the race, I learned a lot about myself as well. I can travel alone to Europe. I learned enough French to understand what people told me and to make myself understood. Thanks, Google Translate and my AirBnB host.
I have a few more things to share, including some travel tips, then I will move on. I promise. Thanks for following along and allowing me to share the journey of a lifetime.
Indycar finally got some positive news yesterday with the announcement of the new television partnership with Fox. Overall, this is the best television package I have ever seen for Indycar There are many good things in this package, and at the same time some concerns remain, and not small ones either. While there are many good things in this package, and at the same time some concerns remain, and not small ones either.
Having every race on a main broadcast channel is a dream come true. There will be no more hunting for USA, Peacock, or (shudder) CNBC again. Viewers will know where to find the Indycar series. This part is something I did not expect.
Indy NXT now has a semi-permanent home on FS1 with an occasional appearance on FS2. Getting off streaming exclusively and getting over the air exposure can only help the drivers and teams in that series. Maybe even the Indycar owners will start noticing and not run to F2 so quickly.
My understanding is that Fox is paying a huge sum of money for this deal. Rights fees have always been an issue with Indycar media deals.
Still, despite the best news the series has had since that spectacular Indianapolis 500, there are still questions.
Who will be the announcers? Fox has a whole tends to seek mediocre talent as their top lev el. If you have ever watched a World Sereies game or a Big East basketball game, you know what I’m talking about. I hope they hire as much of the NBC crew as is available.
Production Values
I don’t like the way sports events are presented on Fox. They seem to spend too much time trying not showing the game in progress so they can interview someone who is supposed to be focusing on the game. Talking to managers during baseball games, pulling coaches from time out huddles, or a flashback to when two opponents met 15 years ago when they each played for different teams all detract from the game going on right now.
I haven’t watched a NASCAR race on Fox, but I have heard some comments that give me pause.
Television Windows– Flexibility Required
Each race has been allotted a two and a half hour window, except for the 500 which has a five hour window. That might work for some sports, but racing needs some more flexibility. If we have a situation next year such as we had at the 500 this year, does the 500 end up on FS2? Will they stay with a race that runs long?
Is five hours really long enough for a three hour race/ It sounds as if the pre race will be rushed, and the post race could possiblybe cut off mid ceremony.
I agree Indycar took the best package and got virtually everything they wanted. I’m excited to see what it looks like. The ball is in Fox’s court to produce.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 