Category: Auto Racing

Thoughts on the 2025 Schedule

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Next year’s Indycar series schedule is the same, yet different. There are no new venues, but there is one less oval race. Several events have been moved, and just slightly.

Milwaukee lost one of its races. I am glad it is still on the schedule, but I am not thrilled with the second race’s replacement, The Thermal Club. If you drop an oval, replace it with an oval. I will give the points paying version of Thermal Club a chance to see if it works, but replacing an oval with flat road course which appears to have very little personality doesn’t seem to be a great trade off.

World Wide Technology Raceway moving to June will allow for slightly improved weather conditions, but coming right before Road America may hurt attendance at both places. Some fans may have to choose between the two. I do like having an oval race closer to the Indianapolis 500.

While Laguna Seca will have its third date in three years, going to Portland afterwards makes sense with a week to travel in between.

I like ending the season with two ovals. Ovals are a fairer way to decide the championship.

The worst thing about the schedule is the August 31 end date. Take a bit of a ratings hit and run through September. Saturday races are fine with me. Fox could promote the races on their football broadcasts.

It’s not the best schedule I’ve ever seen, but it’s not the worst either. I think this early end date will be a thing as long as Fox holds the contract.

Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Wrap Up

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

Yesterday’s race ay Weather Tech Raceway was an entertaining one with battles for the lead, differing strategies, and tire calls that looked questionable at first, but proved correct at the end. Alex Palou once again put on a clinic at a track he has come to dominate the last four years.

Yesterday’s win was not a typical Palou beatdown. He was beaten to the second corner by Kyle Kirkwood on lap 1 and didn’t take the lead until lap 25. Although he lad 48 laps, he had to fight for the lead, and his laps in front were spread over four segments.

Some thoughts:

Delayed Yellow

Marcus Armstrong spun and stopped on track on lap 74. Indycar withheld throwing the yellow so that several cars who were on an alternate strategy could make pit stops. I’ve talked about my dislike for this procedure before.

This delayed yellow policy is dangerous and gives the pitting cars an advantage. At some point another car is going to collide with the disabled car. Indycar has been fortunate that an incident hasn’t occurred yet.

Josef Newgarden, who had cycled to second place because of pit stops, needed one more stop. Because of the delayed yellow, which was thrown while he was in the pits, allowed him to keep his position. He did not have a second place car yesterday. He spun with two laps to go and finished 19th, a little lower than where he should have finished.

I don’t care if it was Newgarden or some other driver, as he was not the only one still needing a final stop, but this policy is unfair. If a yellow is needed, just wave the flag. Race control should not concern itself with whether cars need to pit or not. That is a team decision. If a yellow comes out, well, that’s the way it goes.

Off Road Adventures

At times this weekend I thought I was watching the Baja 1,000. I don’t recall seeing so many cars go off track in one race weekend. Christian Lundgaard went airborne as went through the sand trap at the corkscrew.

The dust clouds were commonplace all three days. may=be the track’s new pavement is still slick. Fortunately, most drivers recovered and kept going.

Malukas, Siegel Debuts

David Malukas and Nolan Siegel had successful debuts at Laguna Seca. Malukas drove his first race of the season for his new team, Meyer Shank Racing, and finished 16th. he ran in the top 10 most of the day.

Nolan Siegel, in his first drive for Arrow McLaren, ironically in the car Malukas was supposed o run this season, finished 12th after starting 23rd and recovering from a spin and stall on lap 41.

Strategies

I love a race where pit strategies differ. On Palou’s first stop, the team decided to stay on primaries and save the alternates for the final stint. It seemed questionable at the time, but worked out as Palou was able to pull away once he regained the lead.

Colton Herta and Alexander Rossi just missed on fuel strategy, and they had to hold back to save fuel.

In two weeks at Mid-Ohio, the hybrid era begins. I am looking forward to seeing how the addition of this power component affects the dynamics of the racing and strategy.

VeeKay leads Warm Up

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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.

Results

Palou Continues Laguna Seca Mastery

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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.

Provisional Lineup

Beginnings and Endings- Grand Prix of Monterey Preview

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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.

Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Fast Facts 

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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.