Category: Auto Racing

The Fuel Master is In-Long Beach Quick Thoughts

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

What words are left to describe Scott Dixon’s mastery of fuel strategy? I have used alchemist, wizard, miser, and a bunch of other nouns I can’t remember over the last 20 years. Today’s triumph at Long Beach was one of the top five wins of his 57 victories.

Dixon had to hold off a fast closing Josef Newgarden, then a hungry Colton Herta while making sure he had enough fuel to get to the end. he was one of the drivers who pitted on lap 17 during the only caution of the day and cycled to the front when the rest of the field took their stops 14 laps later. Dixon made his last stop on lap 51 and squeezed 34 laps out of the tank.

The Dixon File:

57 wins puts him just 10 behind A. J. Foyt.

Dixon has won at least one race each season for the past 20 years. This is NOT a typo.

Dixon has won 4 of the last 6 Indycar races dating back to the Gallagher Grand Prix at IMS in August 2023.

I said in my review that Indycar needed to have a good show this weekend, and they delivered. I thought this was a fascinating race with the split fuel and tire strategies before the dramatic fight at the end. It’s a while since four cars were in contention for the win with less than 10 laps to go. Today provided great momentum heading to Barber and the seven week stretch after that.

Notes

“I love it. Pure racing.” Theo Pourchaire after the race.

Theo Pourchaire would have been the start of the show today had it not been for the dramatic finish. The F2 champion, who’s first time in an Indycar was Friday afternoon, finished 11th. He drove a steady race. I hope we see him again soon. Maybe next weekend?

Arrow McLaren once again had trouble staying out of their own way. Pato O’Ward ran into teammate Alexander Rossi on lap, forcing Rossi to pit. O’Ward received a drive through penalty and was virtually not heard from the rest of the day. Rossi fought back to earn a 10th place finish.

Don’t count Alex Palou out of the title hunt. In 2023 Palou finished eighth at St. Petet and fifth at barber. In 2024 he was sixth at barber and he finished third today. Palou is fourth in the standings, just 24 points behind Newgarden.

Rosenqvist Wins Long Beach Pole

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

It was only a matter of time before Felix Rosenqvist would win a pole this season. That time was 39 ten thousandths of a second. Rosenqvist nipped Will Power by that much and will start the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach at the front of the field.

In the three Indycar events in 2024, Rosenqvist started second at St. Pete, Was on the pole for his heat race and the front row of the feature at Thermal, and now has his third front row start of the season. Rosenqvist now has six career poles. Today’s pole is the first for Meyer Shank Racing

It has been quite a resurgence for Rosenqvist this year. He has been in contention in every event. His switch to Meyer Shank Racing after some frustrating years at Arrow McLaren has rejuvenated the Swedish driver.

Will Power came back after a disastrous morning practice session. He brushed the wall and damaged the left rear tire and underwing. Power returned only to make nose first contact with the wall and cause a red flag with a bit less than nine minutes left.

Notes

The anticipated three Penskes versus three Andrettis didn’t materialize. Team Penske had just Will Power and Josef Newgarden in the final round. Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson made the fast Six for Andretti.

Rosenqvist and Alex Palou were the only preliminary round leaders to make the final session.

Team Penske did not lead any sessions this weekend, but they could lead the one that counts the most tomorrow.

Pato O’Ward’s fade from leading Friday’s practice is puzzling. Are we looking at another year of unfilled promise from Arrow McLaren? Alexander Rossi is the team’s highest starter tomorrow in 13th.

The Long Beach Grand Prix released a notice announcing that all reserved seats for tomorrow’s race have been sold. Only general admission is available.

Tomorrow’s schedule in Eastern time:

Noon- Warm up (30 Minutes) Peacock

3 pm- Televison network coverage USA, Peacock

3:30- Green flag

Long Beach Preview

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Indycar photo

Indycar awakens from its long spring nap today as practice begins for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The series will be on track for seven of the next eight weeks, ending at Road America June 9.

If I had to limit the number of races I go to in a season, this event is one that would stay on my calendar. The entire city embraces the event, and I enjoy walking around the downtown area.

The Long Beach Grand Prix is the second longest consecutive race on the calendar. Milwaukee has run more races, but there have been several years where there were no races.

The future of Indycar at this venue was secured earlier this spring when Part owner Gerry Forsythe purchased the other half of the event from the estate of Kevin Kalkhoven.

Indycar Needs a Good Show

The first two outings- St. Pete and Thermal- were not great races. The tire compound which was designed for the heavier hybrid system,which is not in the cars yet, hindered the racing at the season opener. Thermal was a format that did not work.

I hope the series has made adjustments to provide a better race. If not, the racing may not improve until Mid-Ohio when the hybrid debuts.

Rosenqvist on the Rise

Can Felix Rosenqvist continue his strong start to the season? Rosenqvist started second at St. Pete, won the pole and his heat race at Thermal, and finished second in the feature at Thermal.

He appears to be enjoying his new home at Meyer Shank Racing, and so far has looked like the driver I felt he could be all along.

Andretti- Will Long Beach Dominance Continue?

Andretti Global has won this crown jewel race four of the last four years. The team excelled at street courses in 2023. At St. Pete in March, they weren’t as solid, but Colton Herta finished fifth.

Herta has won at Long Beach, and teammate Kyle Kirkwood won from the pole in 2023.

I can see Herta winning Sunday.

Can Penske Keep Momentum?

Momentum is hard enough to keep week to week, but after a 6 week gap, can Team Penske, which finished first, third, and fourth at St. Pete, come out with another dominant team showing?

Josef Newgarden is the only driver to break up the Andretti streak here, winning in 2022. He and Scott McLaughlin have to be considered contenders.

Pourchaire Subs for Malukas at Long Beach

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As expected, F2 champion Theo Pourchaire will drive the number 6 car for Arrow McLaren at Long Beach as David Malukas continues his recovery from a mountain bike accident. The admits that Malukas’ injury is taking longer than expected.

The news release from the team:

THÉO POURCHAIRE TO PILOT NO. 6 ONSEMI ARROW McLAREN CHEVROLET AT LONG BEACH

“We’re excited to see what Théo can do on the track in Long Beach”

Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team logo

https://mclaren.bloomreach.io/cdn-cgi/image/format=webp,quality=80/delivery/resources/content/gallery/mclaren-racing/images/social-media-logos/vector-3.png

The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team announced today Théo Pourchaire will race the No. 6 onsemi Arrow McLaren Chevrolet at the Grand Prix of Long Beach as David Malukas recovers from a left wrist injury and surgery.

Théo, a 20-year-old from Grasse, France, is set for his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut with Arrow McLaren following a successful racing season in Europe, where he clinched the 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship. He secured two wins and 10 podiums as he led his French-based team, ART Grand Prix, to their first Formula 2 title. Theo is the youngest driver to win races in both Formula 3 at age 16 (Austria in 2020) and then Formula 2 at 17 (Monaco in 2021).  

In addition to his championship, Théo was runner up in the series in 2022 and finished fifth in 2021.Théo also clinched a second-place finish in his sole FIA Formula 3 Championship campaign in 2020, following titles in the ADAC Formula 4 Championship and French F4 Junior Championship in 2019 and 2018, respectively.

This year, Théo has served as a test and reserve driver for the Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

As David’s recovery timeline extends beyond the originally anticipated six weeks, the team will continue to evaluate his health with his medical care team. Confirmation on the driver for the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix will come in due course.

Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said:  

“It’s a shame that David’s recovery is longer than we all originally anticipated. He’s been working with our team trainer very closely with what rehab and strength exercises are possible at this point, and the team’s been doing a great job in the meantime to work together through the changes they’ve had since his injury.

“Théo may be an unexpected driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock this season, but we’re excited to see what he can do on the track in Long Beach and are thankful for Sauber in working with us to make it happen. He has a strong resume, especially for his young age, and he’s eager to work with us and put his driving to the test this weekend.”

Théo Pourchaire, Driver, said: 

“This is an amazing opportunity to drive with such a legendary team in a legendary motorsport series like the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. I’ve watched INDYCAR since I was a young kid, and the racing is incredible. I was thrilled to get the call from the team. I’m grateful that Zak, Gavin and Tony thought of me for this opportunity and for the team at Sauber to allow me to get on track at Long Beach. I am also sorry that the opportunity came as David continues to recover. It’s not going to be an easy task, but I’m ready for it.”

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Fast Facts

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From IndyCar. My preview will be up tomorrow.

  Race weekend: Friday, April 19 – Sunday, April 21
Track: 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street course (clockwise) in Long Beach, California
Race distance: 85 laps / 167.28 miles
sPush-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.
Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate. Rookie drivers are allowed one extra primary set for Practice1.
Twitter: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @GrandPrixLB, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARTikTok: @grandprixlongbeach, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.gplb.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2023 race winner: Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 AutoNation Honda)2023 NTT P1 Award: Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 AutoNation Honda), 1:06.2878, 106.879 mph
Qualifying lap record: Colton Herta, 1:05.3095, 108.480 mph, April 9, 2022
USA Network race telecast: 3 p.m. ET Sunday, April 21, USA Network (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions, qualifying and races will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton and turn announcers Nick Yeoman and Jake Query. Ryan Myrehn, Joel Sebastianelli and Jonathan Grace are the pit reporters.
The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218 and SiriusXM NBC Sports Audio 85, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
Friday, April 19
2:50-4:05 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (75-minute session), Peacock
Saturday, April 20
8:25-9:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (45-minute session), Peacock (live)
11:25 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock (live)
Sunday, April 21
9-9:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock (live)
Noon – Driver introductions
Noon – USA Network on air
12:38 p.m. – Start engines command
12:45 p.m. – Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (85 laps/167.28 miles), USA Network and Peacock (live)
WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT LONG BEACH:
1. Kirkwood on repeat?: Since 2008 only Alexander Rossi has been able to back up one Long Beach win with another – he did it in 2018-19.Kyle Kirkwood has the potential to double down after scoring his first INDYCAR SERIES victory at Long Beach last season. Kirkwood, who scored two wins on street courses in 2023, hopes to rekindle his street-course magic this weekend. Can the rising star score back-to-back wins at Long Beach?
2. It’s not where you start…: Except for Alexander Rossi’s wins in 2018-19 and Kyle Kirkwood’s win from pole last season, the top spot has not been the place to start at Long Beach.Just six drivers have ever won Long Beach from the top spot, and while pole sitters have scored podium finishes in recent races, they’ve also finished 15th or worse just as often (Colton Herta – 23rd in 2022, Ryan Hunter-Reay – 20th in 2014, Dario Franchitti – 15th in 2012 and Justin Wilson – 19th in 2008).
3. …It’s where you finish: Scott McLaughlin and Colton Herta are the only drivers so far this season to finish in the top five in both of this season’s racing events. McLaughlin has podium finishes at St. Petersburg and the non-championship race at The Thermal Club, while Herta has finishes of fifth (St. Pete) and fourth (Thermal).Keeping that mark could be a challenge for both. McLaughlin has only one top 10 at Long Beach (10th in 2023) in three previous starts while Herta has an average finish of 12.75 despite a pair of top-five finishes.
4New for the weekend: An updated, lightweight aeroscreen featuring vents for increased cooling and 3D printed in rubber to prevent hand injuries also will debut at Long Beach this weekend.
The revised aeroscreen will also drop the total system weight reduction by 11.1 pounds, which reduces downforce by approximately 35 pounds.
As was used in St. Petersburg, the field again will be split into two groups for the opening 75-minute practice.Following the 45-minute “All Cars” session, each group – split by odd and even numbered pit boxes – will receive a 10-minute segment. As in qualifying, the clock in Segments One and Two will stop for the first red flag condition of each practice segment. Rookie drivers are permitted to participate in both group sessions, regardless of group. Teams are welcome to use a set of alternate tires at their discretion. The update comes after a collaboration with teams and drivers.
Race Notes:This weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will mark the 40th INDYCAR SERIES event on the historic Long Beach street circuit. Mario Andretti won the first INDYCAR SERIES race in 1984. Kyle Kirkwood won the race in 2023.Three California natives are entered: 2018 and 2019 race winner Alexander Rossi is a native of Nevada City, while Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta hails from Valencia. Rookie Nolan Siegel, the INDY NXT by Firestone points leader, is making his first official NTT INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach. The 19-year-old driver hails from Palo Alto.
Al Unser Jr. has won the most times at Long Beach (six), while Will Power and Alexander Rossi are the only entered drivers with multiple wins. Power won in 2008 and 2012, and Rossi won in 2018 and 2019. Other former race winners scheduled to compete are Scott Dixon (2015), Colton Herta (2021), Josef Newgarden (2022) and Kyle Kirkwood (2023).Six drivers have won the race from the pole – Mario Andretti (1984, 1985 and 1987), Al Unser Jr. (1989-90), Helio Castroneves (2001), Sebastien Bourdais (2006-07), Alexander Rossi (2018-19) and Kyle Kirkwood (2023).
Twenty of the 27 drivers entered have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races at Long Beach. Will Power has 17 starts, the most among all entered drivers.
Nine entered drivers have led laps: Power 172, Alexander Rossi 151, Scott Dixon 104, Josef Newgarden 81, Colton Herta 71, Kyle Kirkwood 53, Alex Palou 24, Graham Rahal 4 and Agustin Canapino 3.
In addition to Siegel, four other NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookies –Tom Blomqvist, Linus Lundqvist, Christian Rasmussen and Kyffin Simpson – are expected to compete. All five rookies and Pietro Fittipaldi will be competing in their first INDYCAR SERIES race on the streets of Long Beach
.Milestones – Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 200th INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach…Newgarden needs to lead two laps to pass Tony Kanaan for 11th on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time laps-led list…Scott Dixon will look to extend his consecutive starts streak to 323 – the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history. 
 
 

Long Beach Will See Some New Looks

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This weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature more experimentation in the practice format and a new look aeroscreen. The version of the aeroscreen announced yesterday is four pounds lighter than the original version. With the lighter frame, which was already on the car, the entire unit’s weight has been reduced by 11 pounds.

From the photos, the screen looks as if it has a narrower profile from the front view, which is a good thing aesthetically. The original screen made the cars appear to be carrying a large wastebasket as viewed head on. The top of the scree has cooling ducts built in. The top piece is 3 D printed rubber.

More Practice Tweaks

Indycar will continue to experiment with Free Practice 1 on Friday. At St. Pete, All cars 20 minutes of practice followed by four alternating 10 minutes periods.

For Long beach, all cars will get 45 minutes followed by a five minute break. Then there will be two 10 minute sessions, with the field split by alternating pit boxes as they were in St. Pete. Rookies will be allowed to run in all sessions regardless of their pit assignments.

The clock will not stop for yellow or red flags in the 45 minute period, but will stop on the first red in the 10 minute periods

I applaud Indycar for doing in season experiments rather than waiting until after the season to implement changes for the next year. Practice can be dull at times as many drivers sit out parts of the time to save tires.

Who’s Driving?

Dale Coyne Racing will have Jack Harvey back in the 18 this weekend, and Nolan Seigel, who was slated for that car, will move to the 51. This is an extra race for Harvey, who will drive for Coyne at various races through the season. I would not be surprised to see him in a car for the Indianapolis 500.

We are still awaiting a formal announcement for the driver of Arrow McLaren;’s car 5. David Malukas is not ready to return, and Callum Ilott has a conflict with his WEC schedule.

Rumors are swirling that F2 driver Theo Pourchaire will be in the seat come Friday, but no word from the team yet.

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