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Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 Fast Facts

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From IndyCar. Look for my preview tomorrow. I get to use the word penultimate!

Race weekend: Saturday, Aug. 23-Sunday, Aug. 24
Track: Milwaukee Mile, a 1.015-mile oval in West Allis, Wisconsin
Race distance:NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250: 250 laps/253.75 miles
INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile: 90 laps/91.35 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters
:NTT INDYCAR SERIESUnlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 150 kilojoules (kJ) per lap
.Firestone tire allotment:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Ten sets for use through the event weekend. An additional set is available so teams can participate in the group session Saturday
.INDY NXT by Firestone
Three new sets for use through the event weekend. A carryover set from the Milwaukee Open Test in June may be used during pre-qualifying practice sessions Saturday.
X: @TheMKEMile, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT #SnapOn250 #INDYCAR
Instagram: @themilwaukeemile, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #SnapOn250 #INDYCAR
Threads: @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT
Facebook: @MilwaukeeMileRacing, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.wistatefair.com/wsfp/indycar-weekend-at-the-milwaukee-mile/
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2024 race winners
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Race 1: Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)
Race 2: Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Gallagher Team Penske Chevrolet
)INDY NXT by Firestone
Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winners:
Race 1: Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet), 22.5082 seconds, 162.341 mph
Race 2: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet), 22.6980 seconds, 160.983 mph
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:
Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global), 48.3396 seconds, 151.180 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESPatrick Carpentier, 20.028 seconds, 185.500 mph, May 30, 1998
INDY NXT by FirestoneMark Hotchkis, 23.692 seconds, 151.952 mph, June 2, 1996
Two-lap qualifying record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESDario Franchitti, 42.7768 seconds, 170.840 mph, June 18, 2011INDY NXT by Firestone
Louis Foster, 48.3396 seconds, 151.180 mph, Aug. 31, 2024
FOX Sports telecasts:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 11 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Final Practice, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2; Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250, 2 p.m. ET, Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.
INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 9 a.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 11:30 a.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query, Michael Young and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 race (1:30 p.m. ET Sunday) can be heard live on network affiliates nationwide. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, INDY NXT by Firestone race (11:25 a.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award Qualifying (2 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices also air live on SiriusXM 218, www.indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times Central):
SATURDAY, AUG. 23
8:05-8:55 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Practice, FS2
9:45 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Installation Laps
10-11 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice, FS1
1:05 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying (Single car, two laps), FS1
2:35-3:20 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (Single car, two laps), FS2
3:45-4:15 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Group Session (Two groups, 15 minutes each), FS2
4:30-5:30 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, FS2
SUNDAY, AUG. 24
10:31 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile “Drivers, start your engines”
10:35 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile (90 laps/91.35 miles), FS1 (Live)
1 p.m. FOX on air
1:15 p.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
1:20 p.m. Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 (250 laps/253.75 miles), FOX (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
Alex Palou became the first INDYCAR SERIES champion since Cristiano da Matta in 2002 to clinch the series title with two races remaining when he clinched his third consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES crown Aug. 10 at Portland International Raceway. Palou could cap his historic 2025 season with another record should he win the final two races of the season – tying A.J. Foyt and Al Unser’s record of 10 wins in a season.The Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the 16th race of the 2025 season. There have been five winners in 15 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2025 season. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Indianapolis 500, Road America, Iowa Speedway-2, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit, World Wide Technology Raceway), Scott Dixon (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Pato O’Ward (Iowa Speedway-1, Streets of Toronto) and Will Power (Portland International Raceway) have all won in 2025.
The Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the fifth oval race of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The first four oval races were won by drivers from three different teams. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou (Indianapolis 500 and Iowa Speedway-2), Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood (World Wide Technology Raceway) and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward (Iowa Speedway-1). The remaining oval race is scheduled for Aug. 31 at Nashville Superspeedway.The Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 will be the 116th INDYCAR SERIES event at the Milwaukee Mile. Scott Dixon, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward and Will Power are the only drivers to win at Milwaukee entered in the event.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Scott Dixon 1 2009
Will Power 1 2014
Pato O’Ward 1 2024-Race 1
Scott McLaughlin 1 2024-Race 2
Twenty-two drivers have previous starts at Milwaukee Mile – Scott Dixon has 14 starts, most of all drivers. Nine drivers have led laps at the track (Will Power 306, Dixon 190, Scott McLaughlin 165, Pato O’Ward 133, Josef Newgarden 113, Alexander Rossi 46, Colton Herta 52, Santino Ferrucci 6, Graham Rahal 5).
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 355th consecutive start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 255th consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 218th consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for starts with his 408th start May 25 at Indianapolis and will extend his record to 417 with a start Sunday…Dixon’s win July 6 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – his 59th INDYCAR SERIES win – extended two ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he holds: seasons with a win (23) and consecutive seasons with a win (21). Dixon’s second-place finish July 13 at Iowa Speedway extended two additional ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he holds: podium finishes (145) and top-five finishes (215)…Alex Palou (1,512 laps led) needs to lead four laps to pass Tony Stewart for 28th on the all-time laps led list…Devlin DeFrancesco and Sting Ray Robb will mark their 50th INDYCAR SERIES starts this weekend.
INDY NXT by Firestone Race Notes:There are two drivers mathematically eligible for the 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone championship: Dennis Hauger and Caio Collet. Hauger, a rookie from Norway, has led the season point standings since the opening round of the season at St. Petersburg. If Hauger leads Collet by 54 points or more following Sunday’s race, he will clinch the series title for Andretti Global, which has won six INDY NXT championships in its history.The INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile will be the series’ 30th race at the Milwaukee Mile. Previous Indy NXT by Firestone winners at Milwaukee include Paul Tracy, Adrian Fernandez, Bryan Herta, Greg Moore, Scott Dixon, Townsend Bell, Alex Lloyd and Louis Foster.

A Mixed Bag

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It’s been five hours since the news broke that FOX has bought 1/3 of IndyCar and IMS for somewhere between $125 and $135 million. My shock has not completely worn off, and some my initial thoughts about the potential of this new partnership have solidified. My feelings are mixed about this deal. I think this is a very good thing for the IndyCar series, but I’m I am concerned about what it may mean for IMS.

The press release from IndyCar lists three goals for the new partnership:

“Innovative and industry-leading racing and entertainment events.

A hyper-engaged digital strategy and immersive content focus.

Enhanced promotion and star-building opportunities for NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers.”

The full release here:

Fox Corporation Acquires One-Third Interest in Penske Entertainment 

I like the last one best-promotion and star building of the drivers. I can’t think of any IndyCar driver at the moment who is a national household name. Pato O’Ward is quite popular with IndyCar fans, but is he known outside of racing circles? Alex Palou is having one of seven best years a racing driver has ever had, but how well known is he?

Innovative racing? I hope they don’t mean playoffs or green, white checkered finishes with overtime. I’d be happy if the yellow was thrown when needed.

If Fox can help with scheduling, prioritize IndyCar television slots, get some more tracks on the calendar, get more fans to races, and put more eyeballs in front of tv sets, that is where they can be most helpful.

I don’t have my Corp/Techspeak-English dictionary with me, so I have no idea what a hyper engaged digital strategy is.

Of course, an infusion of money is always a good thing. I am looking for better graphics and maybe some enhancements on the new car.

If 1/3 of the value of the series and IMS together is only $135 on the high end, I find it disturbing that the value is that low, especially with the Speedway included.

About IMS

I really hope that nothing much changes for the month of May. I don’t want to see the format change, the start time moved to later in the afternoon (I think it should start earlier than it does now), or a new qualifying format. I would like to see the IndyNXT race return on Carb Day.

I have seen some talk on social media about moving the Brickyard 400 to May, so it fits within Fox’s NASCAR broadcast window. This race belongs after the 500, and since FOX would receive a cut of IMS revenue for it, they don’t need to broadcast it.

I can’t imagine any events being cut from the IMS calendar just because Fox isn’t the broadcast partner.

The bottom line for FOX- do what you do best- promote, publicize- a full-on blitz; present the series on television as you have been, maybe with fewer full screen commercials, and serve the series and IMS in a complimentary role. Let the racing people handle the racing.

Fox Corporation Acquires One-Third Interest in Penske Entertainment 

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From Indycar. My thoughts will be posted in a bit.
 Strategic Investment and Partnership Launches New Era of Growth Across INDYCAR that Includes a Multi-Year Extension of INDYCAR’s Media Rights with FOX Sports

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 31, 2025) – Penske Entertainment and Fox Corporation (“FOX” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: FOXA, FOX), the parent company of FOX Sports, today announced an investment in the future of North America’s premier open-wheel racing series, with FOX’s acquisition of a one-third interest in Penske Entertainment, inclusive of INDYCAR and the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The investment is expected to supercharge a new era of growth for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the most competitive and dynamic motorsport on the planet. This includes: Innovative and industry-leading racing and entertainment events. A hyper-engaged digital strategy and immersive content focus. Enhanced promotion and star-building opportunities for NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers
Today’s announcement also includes a multi-year extension of INDYCAR’s media rights with FOX Sports.“This partnership is built on long-standing trust and a shared vision for the future,” Roger Penske said. “FOX sees the incredible potential across our sport and wants to play an active role in building our growth trajectory. Lachlan Murdoch and his team, starting with Eric Shanks, are committed to our success and will bring incredible energy and innovation to INDYCAR.”
FOX Sports acquired INDYCAR’s media rights in 2025, bringing fresh promotional resources and significantly larger reach to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. This year’s Indianapolis 500 on FOX averaged 7.01 million viewers, a 41 percent increase over the previous edition and a 17-year high. So far, the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is averaging a 31 percent increase in viewership year-over-year
“We’re thrilled to join the INDYCAR ownership group at such a pivotal time for the sport,” said Eric Shanks, CEO & Executive Producer, FOX Sports.
“INDYCAR represents everything we value in live sports — passionate fans, iconic venues, elite competition and year-round storytelling potential. This investment underscores our commitment to motorsports and our belief in INDYCAR’s continued growth on and off the track. We’re excited to help elevate the sport to new heights across all platforms.”

This news builds on wider momentum across the sport, marked by rising attendance and record crowds at several events this year, including a sell-out of the Indy 500.
INDYCAR has invested heavily in digital growth recently, launching a new mobile APP, web site and fantasy platform while also generating 1 million new social followers. The SERIES will also add a new showcase to its calendar in 2026, racing through Arlington’s entertainment district through a first-of-its-kind joint venture with the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Rangers. 
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport in North America with every race on U.S. network television. It features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses.
The 2025 season continues with the Grand Prix of Portland on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 3 p.m. ET on FOX.
Also, part of the Penske Entertainment family, the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway is annually home to the largest single-day spectator sporting event on the planet, the Indianapolis 500. This year’s “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” featured a crowd of more than 300,000 people. The famed venue is steeped on more than a century of racing heritage and has the largest seating capacity of any sporting venue across the globe.
About Penske EntertainmentPenske Entertainment is a leading provider of world-class sports and entertainment, encompassing INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is a subsidiary of Penske Corporation, a closely-held, diversified, on-highway, transportation services company whose subsidiaries operate in a variety of industry segments, in retail automotive, truck leasing, transportation logistics and professional motorsports. Penske Corporation manages businesses with consolidated revenues of more than $45 billion, operating in over 3,300 locations and employs more than 73,000 people worldwide.
About Fox CorporationFox Corporation produces and distributes compelling news, sports, and entertainment content through its primary iconic domestic brands, including FOX News Media, FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment, FOX Television Stations and Tubi Media Group. These brands hold cultural significance with consumers and commercial importance for distributors and advertisers. The breadth and depth of our footprint allows us to deliver content that engages and informs audiences, develop deeper consumer relationships, and create more compelling product offerings. FOX maintains an impressive track record of news, sports, and entertainment industry success that shapes our strategy to capitalize on existing strengths and invest in new initiatives. For more information about Fox Corporation, please visit www.FoxCorporation.com.
About FOX SportsFOX Sports is the umbrella entity representing Fox Corporation’s wide array of multi-platform US-based sports assets. Built with brands capable of reaching more than 100 million viewers in a single weekend, the business has ownership and interests in linear television networks, digital and mobile programming, broadband platforms, multiple web sites, joint-venture businesses and several licensing relationships. FOX Sports includes the sports television arm of the FOX Network; FS1, FS2, FOX Soccer Plus and FOX Deportes. FOX Sports’ digital properties include FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App, which provides live streaming video of FOX Sports content, instant scores, stats and alerts to iOS and Android devices. Also included in FOX Sports’ portfolio are FOX’s interests in joint-venture businesses Big Ten Network and the UFL and a licensing agreement that established the FOX Sports Radio Network.
CONTACTS:Penske Entertainment: Alex Damron, Adamron@brickyard.com
FOX Sports: Andrew Fegyveresi, Andrew.Fegyveresi@fox.com
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “likely,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “estimates,” “outlook” and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements in this press release due to changes in economic, business, competitive, technological, strategic and/or regulatory factors and other factors affecting the operation of FOX’s businesses. More detailed information about these factors is contained in the documents FOX has filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission, including FOX’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.Statements in this press release speak only as of the date they were made, and FOX undertakes no duty to update or release any revisions to any forward-looking statement made in this press release or to report any events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in FOX’s expectations, except as required by law. 

Revised Schedule: Qualifying Groups

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Practice has been canceled. The new schedule with Eastern times.

Today:
When fog lifts more, INDY NXT Quals FS1
2:30 pm: INDYCAR Quals FS1
4:30 pm: INDY NXT Race (35 Laps, 4:36p Green) FS2
7-7:30 pm INDYCAR Warmup FS2

Sunday:
1p: INDY NXT Race 2 (35 Laps, 1:06p Green) FS1
3p: INDYCAR Race FOX (95 Laps, 3:22p Green)

Qualifying groups based on yesterday’s practice:

Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Fast Facts

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From IndyCar:

  Race weekend: Friday, July 18-Sunday, July 20
Track: Streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place, an 11-turn, 1.786-mile (2.874-kilometer) temporary street course
Race distance: Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto: 90 laps/160.74 miles/258.69 kilometers
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 295 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race
.X: @HondaIndy, @IndyCar, #indyTO, #IndyCar
Instagram: @HondaIndy, @INDYCAR, #indyTO, #INDYCAR
Threads: @INDYCAR
,Facebook: @HondaIndyToronto, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.HondaIndy.com
INDYCAR website: www.INDYCAR.com
2024 race winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda)2024 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 59.5431 seconds, 107.982 mph
Qualifying record: Josef Newgarden, 58.4129 seconds, 110.072 mph. July 13, 2019 (Note: Gil de Ferran set the outright lap record of 57.143 seconds, 110.565 mph on July 17, 1999)
FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 
Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live);
Practice 2, 10:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live);
Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Noon ET, Sunday, FOX (USA)/TSN4/TSN+ (Canada) (live).
Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query and Nick Yeoman are the turn announcers. Michael Young and Alex Wollf are the pit reporters. The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto race (11:30 a.m. ET Sunday), NTT P1 Award Qualifying (2:35 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices 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, July 18
3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (45 minutes for all cars, followed by two groups for 10 minutes each), FS2 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live).
Saturday, July 19
10:30-11:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes of green flag running or 60 minutes), FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live).
2:30-4 p.m. – Qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live).
Sunday, July 20
8:32-8:57 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup, FS1 (USA) /TSN+ (Canada), (Live).
Noon p.m. – FOX/TSN4 on air
12:15 p.m. – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto “Drivers, start your engines”
12:22 p.m. – Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (90 laps/160.74 miles/258.69 kilometers), FOX (USA) /TSN4/TSN+ (Canada), (Live).
Race notes:The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto will be the 13th race of the 2025 season. There have been four different winners in 12 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Pato O’Ward (Iowa Speedway-1), Scott Dixon (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), and Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit and World Wide Technology Raceway) and Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Road America, Iowa Speedway-2) have all won in 2025.The Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto will be the 39th INDYCAR SERIES race held on the streets of Toronto’s Exhibition Place. Colton Herta won on the streets of Toronto from pole position in 2024.Scott Dixon is the winningest active INDYCAR SERIES driver at Toronto with four victories (Dixon won both races in 2013, the 2018 race and the 2022 race). Michael Andretti has the most wins at the track with seven. Dixon, three-time Toronto winner Will Power (2007, 2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2015, 2017), Christian Lundgaard (2023) and Colton Herta (2024) are previous race winners entered this year.

Drivers who have won poles at Toronto entered in this year’s race are Will Power (2011, 2015), Scott Dixon (2013 Race 2, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2018), Colton Herta (2022, 2024) and Christian Lundgaard (2023).
The polesitter has won the race nine times since the first race in 1986, most recently by Herta last season.
From 2009-2019, the eventual NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion won the Toronto race six times. Dario Franchitti won in 2009 and in 2011. Ryan Hunter-Reay won in 2012, Scott Dixon swept both races in 2013 and won the single race in 2018 and Josef Newgarden won in 2017. Seven other drivers have claimed the INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season they won at Toronto: Bobby Rahal (1986), Al Unser Jr. (1990), Michael Andretti (1991), Alex Zanardi (1998), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Paul Tracy (2003) and Sebastien Bourdais (2004).
Twenty-four drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at Exhibition Place. Scott Dixon and Will Power (18) have made the most starts at Toronto among the entered drivers. Eleven entered drivers have led laps at the track (Dixon 245, Power 162, Josef Newgarden 120, Christian Lundgaard 54, Graham Rahal 29, Scott McLaughlin 28, Rinus VeeKay 18, Colton Herta 98, Pato O’Ward 3, Marcus Ericsson 2 and Felix Rosenqvist 1).
Chip Ganassi Racing has won eight times at Toronto: Michael Andretti (1994), Alex Zanardi (1998), Dario Franchitti (2009, 2011) and Scott Dixon (2013 both races, 2018, 2022).
Team Penske has five wins at the track: Paul Tracy (1993), Will Power (2010, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2017) and Simon Pagenaud (2019).
Team Penske has 10 pole positions at the track: Danny Sullivan (1988, 1990), Emerson Fittipaldi (1993), Helio Castroneves (2000), Gil de Ferran (2001), Will Power (2011, 2015), Simon Pagenaud (2017, 2019) and Josef Newgarden (2018).
Scott Dixon has finished on the podium in seven of his last 14 starts at Toronto and has 12 consecutive top-10 finishes. He has 12 top-five finishes in his 18 Toronto races…Will Power has finished on the podium in five of his 18 Toronto starts.
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 352nd consecutive starts, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record streak…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 252nd consecutive start, the third-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Josef Newgarden will attempt to make his 215th consecutive start, the sixth-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for starts with his 408th start May 25 at Indianapolis and will extend his record to 412 with a start Sunday…Dixon’s win at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 6 – his 59th INDYCAR SERIES win – extended two ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he currently holds: Seasons with a win (23), Consecutive Seasons with a win (21). Dixon’s second-place finish at Iowa Speedway on July 13 extended two additional ongoing INDYCAR SERIES records he currently holds: podium finishes (145) and top-five finishes (215). 
 

Mid Ohio Practice 2 and Qualifying Groups

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Alex Palou led the final practice before qualifying for the Honda Indy 200 in a session full of off track excursions. Palou led a top five of Christian Lundgaard, Louis Foster, Pato O’Ward, and Felix Rosenqvist. The gap between first and fifth was three tenths of a second.

\Marcus Ericsson went off in turn 13 and hit the tire barrier, bringing out a red flag with 21 minutes left in the session. Colton herta went into the sand at turn four but kept going, reentering the track at the entrance to turn 5, r missing an approaching car. Scott McLaughlin also tried out the turn 4 trap and the grass. He nearly stalled, but he kept the car moving and continued on track.

Gapping

Will Power and Colton Herta both complained about cars backing up on track to create a gap in order to get a decent lap in practice. I saw a near collision in turn 4 this morning because a car was creeping along on the racing line. It was so blatant I thought the driver deserved a drive through.

If a car wants to get clear track, which I get, he needs to stay off the racing line until he is up to speed.

Results

Qualifying Groups

F1-Movie Review

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Five minutes into F1- The Movie, I had a conversation with Inner Racing Nerd.

“Stop rolling your eyes. You knew this wasn’t going to have any connection to reality. Just relax and enjoy it for what it is.”

And that is what he did, for the most part. F1 is a light summer entertainment, nothing more. If you were looking for a film to show what racing is all about, pick some other movie.

The story centers on Sonny Hayes, who 30 years ago was an upcoming F1 driver. His career ends after a horrific crash in Spain. Since then, he is an itinerant driver, have helmet, will race. Sonny has no interest in a full time gig or sticking to any particular series.

He is a character we have seen before-the washed-up athlete with a jaded attitude, called in to help a younger version of himself, or help an old friend. He is Crash Davis from Bull Durham, and he is Norman Dale from Hoosiers.

Just after helping a GT team win the Rolex 24, Sonny sets off for Mexico to drive in the Baja rally. He encounters a friend from his F1 days, who now is the proud owner of the worst team on the grid. He begs Sonny to come back and help him.

After showing initial reluctance, Sonny joins the team, bringing an unorthodox style to the races in order to help his young teammate. Again, I had to quiet Inner Racing Nerd, who said, “He’s going to set a record for the fastest driver to 12 penalty points!” I could not argue, but again, let’s just go with what happens.

The racing scenes are fun and exciting but have no connection to reality. We see the obligatory airborne car, and the even more obligatory car bursting into flames.

In the end, Sonny brings the team to respectability and sets up his teammate for a successful F1 career. Sonny then returns to North America and heads for the Mexican desert to try to get a ride for the next cross-country rally.

Brad Pitt is adequate as Sonny Hayes, and Damson Idris does a decent job as Joshua Pearce, his teammate. The best performance is by Kerry Condon as the team’s chief engineer.

The photography creates thrilling, up close racing scenes, which makes the film worth seeing.

I would recommend F1 as a light summer entertainment, and a good chance to see race cars on screen. If you are looking for a more serious movie about racing, watch Rush.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Fast Facts

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From IndyCar:

  Race weekend: Saturday, June 14-Sunday, June 15
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline 260 laps / 325 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway 75 laps / 93.75 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 150 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
]Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Ten new sets for use during the event weekend. An extra set will be provided to teams participating in the high-line session before final practice. INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets for use during the event weekend.
X: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARInstagram: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARThreads: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARFacebook: @WWTRaceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARTikTok: @WWT_Raceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.wwtraceway.com/I
NDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2024 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESJosef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet)
INDY NXT by Firestone Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet), 50.0079 seconds, 179.972 mph (two laps)
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global), 54.8614 seconds, 164.109 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying lap record: NTT INDYCAR SERIESWill Power, 23.7206, 189.709 mph, Aug. 25, 2017
INDY NXT by FirestoneLouis Foster, 27.3986, 164.242 mph, Aug. 16, 2024
FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); High-line and Final Practice, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 8 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.
 INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline race (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway (4:25 p.m. Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practice, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
10:20 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES installation laps
10:30-11:30 a.m. — NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, FS1
12:05-12:50 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS1
2 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT P1 Award qualifying (single car/cumulative time of two laps), FS1
3:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway Qualifying, FS2
4:45-5:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES high-line session (two groups/15 minutes each), FS2
5:30-6:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, FS2
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
3:31 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway “Drivers Start Your Engines”
3:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway (75 laps / 93.75 miles), FS1 (Live)
7 p.m. – FOX on air
7:15 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
7:20 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (260 laps/325 miles), FOX (Live)
Race Notes: here have been two winners in the first seven NTT INDYCAR SERIES races. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit). The record for most wins in a season is 10, held by A.J. Foyt (1961) and Al Unser (1970).
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the first Sunday night INDYCAR SERIES race held at World Wide Technology Raceway. The track held scheduled Saturday night races from 2017-2021, while the 2023 race ran under the lights after a weather delay. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the 17th INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway. 
Josef Newgarden won at WWTR for the fifth time in 2024. Paul Tracy won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WWTR in 1997. Two-time WWTR race winners Scott Dixon (2020 Race 1 and 2023) and Will Power (2018) are the only former winners entered in this year’s race.
Team Penske has won nine times at World Wide Technology Raceway. Penske’s winning drivers are Paul Tracy (1997), Gil de Ferran (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020-Race 2, 2021, 2022 and 2024) and Will Power (2018). Chip Ganassi Racing has four wins at WWTR, with Alex Zanardi (1998), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1 and 2023). Twenty-three drivers have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at World Wide Technology Raceway. Scott Dixon has 10 starts, the most among the entered drivers. Rookies Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman, along with veteran Christian Rasmussen will make their first start at WWTR. Fourteen entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 599, Will Power 450, Scott Dixon 379, Pato O’Ward 159, Colton Herta 134, Scott McLaughlin 79, Marcus Ericsson 16, Alexander Rossi 16, David Malukas 15, Sting Ray Robb 8, Nolan Siegel 8, Graham Rahal 7, Felix Rosenqvist 4 and Conor Daly 1).
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 347th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the all-time lead in INDYCAR SERIES starts with his 408th start at Indianapolis on May 25 and will extend his record to 410 with a start Sunday…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 300th INDYCAR SERIES start. He would become the 11th driver to reach the milestone.
INDY NXT by Firestone Notes: Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger leads INDY NXT by Firestone to World Wide Technology Raceway, looking to continue his dominance of INDYCAR’s official development series. The 22-year-old Norwegian driver has never raced on an oval and leads his teammate Lochie Hughes by 38 points heading into a pivotal championship stretch of four races in five weeks.
The INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway will be the series’ 15th race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at WWT Raceway include Lee Bentham, Townsend Bell, Dan Wheldon, Jeff Simmons, Oliver Askew, David Malukas, Christian Rasmussen and Louis Foster. 

Final Thoughts on the 109th Indianapolis 500

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There is just no getting around it. Yesterday’s Indianapolis 500 was a strange two part race. Part 1 saw 45% of the laps run under caution. Part 2 was caution free until the second half of the last lap.

There was little passing for the lead, but the number of pit strategies scrambled the top of the field. but kept the leaders in traffic all day. Traffic played a part in the end of the race.

Teammates Devlin DeFrancesco and Louis Foster were having arguably the best battle on the track- for 14th place. Unfortunately, they were right in front of the race leaders. Yes, they have a right to stay on the lead lap, but with 10 laps to go in the race, and knowing they would get a wave around if the yellow came out, why not make them step out of the leaders’ way? It could have been a terrific three car finish between Palou, Ericsson, and Malukas.

Sometimes the 500 just produces a race that is not great. Part of it may have been the weather, but I think the hybrid and its extra weight hampered what had been a great show the last few years.

How much does it hurt to lose Indy?

I don’t know who snapped this shot, but Marcus Ericsson was despondent after the race. He told the media it was “pretty painful,” and that it would keep him up for several nights.

Ericsson went a little wide going into turn 1, and Palou was able to slip by him.

I appreciate Alex Palou drinking the milk, then triumphantly raising the bottle in tribute instead of pouring it over his head. I always thought the winner pouring the milk over his head was ridiculous. I hope Palou has started a trend to end that practice. Now if he just hadn’t kissed the bricks…

I thought yesterday’s singing of the National Anthem was the worst I have heard at the 500 since Steven Tyler sang in 2001. Natalie Grant’s version reinforced my belief that at every sporting event, the venue should just paly an instrumental recording of the anthem by the US Army Band.

The helicopters that followed the field around on the pace and parade laps were distracting and annoying. The field for the Indianapolis 500 lined up in11 rows of three in perfect formation coming to the green flag is one of the most beautiful sights in all of sports. It doesn’t need a so called “enhancement” or any additive feature at all. It stands on its own.

Rookie of the Year?

While all the rookies finished 15th or lower, Robert Shwartzman winning the pole is the thing that will get him the award. Nolan Siegel was likely in line for it until his crash on the final lap.