Fast Facts- Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach

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Photro from Indycar

 Race weekend: Friday, April 14 – Sunday, April 16T
rack: 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street course (clockwise) in Long Beach, California
Race distance: 85 laps / 167.28 miles
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.
Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, five sets alternate. Rookie drivers are allowed one extra primary set for Practice 1.
Twitter: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCARInstagram: @GPLongBeach, @INDYCAR, #AGPLB, #INDYCARFacebook: @GrandPrixLB, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARTikTok: @grandprixlongbeach, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR\\
Event website: www.gplb.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2022 race winner: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet
)2022 NTT P1 Award: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 1:05.3095, 108.480 mph
Qualifying lap record: Colton Herta, 1:05.3095, 108.480 mph, April 9, 2022
NBC Sports race telecast: 3 p.m. ET Sunday, April 16, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Marty Snider, Dave Burns and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters
.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, Jake Query and Michael Young. Ryan Myrehn, Alex Wollf and Georgia Henneberry 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 160 and SiriusXM NBC Sports Audio 85 (Race only), racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.\At-track schedule (all times local):
, April 143-4:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1 (75-minute session), Peacock (live)\
Saturday, April 158:45-9:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2 (45-minute session), Peacock (live)12:05 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock (live)
Sunday, April 169-9:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock (live)Noon – Driver introductionsNoon – NBC on air12:38 p.m. – Start engines command12:45 p.m. – Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach (85 laps/167.28 miles), NBC and Peacock (live)
“3 THINGS TO LOOK FOR” AT LONG BEACH:
1. Newgarden on repeat?: Since 2008 only 
Alexander Rossi has ever been able to back up one Long Beach win with another – he did it in 2018-19.
Josef Newgarden has the potential to double down after scoring his first victory at Long Beach last season. Newgarden won that race coming off a thrilling win at Texas Motor Speedway.He enters 2023 looking in the same situation after his win at Texas on April 2. Can the Team Penske star score back-to-back races at Texas and Long Beach for the second year in a row?
2. It’s not where you start…: With the exception of Rossi’s wins in 2018-19, the pole has not been the place to start at Long Beach. Just five drivers have ever won Long Beach from the top spot, and while pole sitters have scored podium finishes in recent races – Newgarden was second in 2021 –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: Pato O’Ward and Scott Dixon are the only drivers so far this season to sweep the top five this season. O’Ward has back-to-back second-place finishes at St. Petersburg and Texas, while Dixon has finishes of third (St. Pete) and fifth (Texas).Keeping that mark could be a challenge for both. O’Ward has only one top-five at Long Beach (third in 2022) in three previous starts while Dixon has six top-five finishes in 15 previous races at Long Beach.
Race Notes:This weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will mark the 39th INDYCAR SERIES event on the historic Long Beach street circuit. Mario Andretti won the first INDYCAR SERIES race there in 1984. Josef Newgarden won the race in 2022.There have been two winners in as many races in 2023 – 
Marcus Ericsson (St. Petersburg) and Josef Newgarden (Texas). Since 2012, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has averaged just under nine different race winners per season, including a record-tying 11 winners in 2014. There were nine different winners in the 17 races in 2022, with equally tight competition projected for this season.
Two California natives are entered: 2021 Long Beach race winner Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport hails from Valencia while 2018 and 2019 Long Beach race winner Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren is a native of Nevada City. Herta has won three of the last five INDYCAR SERIES races held in the Golden State (Laguna Seca 2019, Laguna Seca 2021 and Long Beach 2021).
Al Unser Jr. has won the most times at Long Beach (six). 
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 Helio Castroneves (2001), Takuma Sato (2013), Scott Dixon (2015), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Colton Herta (2021) and Josef Newgarden (2022).
Five 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) and Alexander Rossi (2018-19).
Twenty-three of the 27 drivers entered have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races at Long Beach. Will Power has 16 starts, the most among all entered drivers.
Eleven entered drivers have led laps: Helio Castroneves 194, Power 172, Alexander Rossi 151, Scott Dixon 104, Colton Herta 71, Josef Newgarden 54, Simon Pagenaud 54, Alex Palou 22, Graham Rahal 4, Devlin DeFrancesco 1 and Jack Harvey 1.
Four NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookies – Marcus Armstrong, Agustin Canapino, Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb – are expected to compete. All will be making their first Long Beach INDYCAR SERIES start.Milestones – 
Conor Daly will attempt to make his 100th INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach… Alex Palou will attempt to make his 50th INDYCAR SERIES start at Long Beach…Scott Dixon will look to extend his consecutive starts streak to 308 – the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history. 

McLaren Special 500 Liveries Unveiled Friday

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Alexander Rossi’s car for the Indianapolis 500 will look sinmilar to the 1974 500 winner

Arrow McLaren announced today that on Friday, April14, they will unveil special liveries for their three full time cars for the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500. The lib=veries represent the McLaren cars that won racing’s Triple Crown- Indianapolis, Monaco, and LeMans.

Some fans have asked for an Indycar throwback race. I think the 500 would be the perfect venue for this. The car of Alexander Rossi will replicate the 1974 Indianapolis 500 winning McLaren of Johnny Rutherford. While not a 500 throwback, Felix Rosenqvist’s car will resemble the Penske Matlboro cars as it represents Alain Prost’s 1984 Monaco winner.

The full text of Arrow mcLaren’s release:

“In our 60th year, we are shining a light on the legacy of the team Bruce built”

Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team logo

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

McLaren Racing today announced a special livery series for Arrow McLaren in the 2023 Indianapolis 500, celebrating the team’s historic Triple Crown accolade as part of its 60th anniversary. 

The livery series will be unveiled at an open event for fans and media at the Lifestyle Expo at the Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday 14 April. 

Widely considered the greatest accomplishment in racing, the Triple Crown is achieved through winning the three most prestigious races in motorsport: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. McLaren’s Triple Crown is comprised of victories at the Indy 500 in 1974 with Johnny Rutherford, the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix with Alain Prost, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1995 with JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas and Masanori Sekiya.   

For the 107th Running of the Indy 500 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Arrow McLaren, with the support of Arrow Electronics, NTT DATA and SmartStop, will field four Chevrolets, each carrying a unique commemorative livery. Three of these will represent the individual race wins from McLaren’s Triple Crown, and one will reflect the collective achievement. 

The livery series forms a part of McLaren’s 60th birthday celebrations in 2023, honoring iconic moments throughout its history, celebrating some of the team’s greatest achievements and the proud legacy built by team founder Bruce McLaren. 

For the April 20-21 IMS Open Test and Indy 500 practice rounds, qualifying and the iconic race itself at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet piloted by Pato O’Ward will run in an all-black livery in tribute to the F1 GTR that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans on McLaren’s first attempt. 

The No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet piloted by Felix Rosenqvist will carry a representation of the iconic MP4/2 livery, in which Alain Prost earned McLaren’s inaugural Monaco Grand Prix victory.  

Alexander Rossi’s No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet will race in full papaya to commemorate the M16C/D in which Johnny Rutherford claimed McLaren’s maiden Indy 500 victory in 1974.   

 The liveries for the No. 5, No. 6 and No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolets will be unveiled at an open event for fans and media at the Lifestyle Expo, Friday 14 April at 09:00am PST, ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The reveal will be attended by McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Arrow McLaren Racing Director Gavin Ward, and Arrow McLaren drivers Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi. Tony Kanaan, who will pilot the team’s fourth car entry for the Indy 500, will emcee the Long Beach event.  

 Earlier this year, Tony announced that this will be his last ever Indy 500. Tony’s No. 66 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet livery will be unveiled ahead of the April Open Test date. This car will be inspired by the collective achievement that is the Triple Crown.  

 Further celebrations will be revealed throughout the Month of May across McLaren’s other race series to commemorate the prestigious Triple Crown achievement.  

Fans will be able to join the team in celebrating the campaign with limited-edition Triple Crown merchandise, with select pieces available for purchase onsite in Long Beach. The collection will also be available online from the McLaren Store in May, and on-site at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through the Indy 500 race week. The special range will feature collaborations with popular brands Mitchell & Ness, New Era and Castore, with items including caps, jerseys and hoodies in the bespoke Triple Crown style. 

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: 

“We are proud to have achieved motorsport’s prestigious Triple Crown as a constructor. In our 60th year, we are shining a light on the legacy of the team that Bruce McLaren built and role this plays in fueling our ambitions for the future of the team.

“As a life-long McLaren fan, I fondly remember watching Alain Prost’s dramatic 1984 Monaco victory and the incredible moment when the team conquered Le Mans on its debut entry. Meanwhile Johnny Rutherford’s first Indy 500 win in papaya is one of the most important moments in McLaren Racing history. I can’t wait to see our four-car, star-studded lineup flying the colors of our Triple Crown victories at this year’s Indy 500.”

Gavin Ward, Racing Director, Arrow McLaren, said:

“I like to encourage the team, every time they pull on a Papaya race shirt, to think about the incredible achievements of this team and what it means to play our part in adding to that rich history. That significance will be even greater in May when we roll our cars to the grid for the Indianapolis 500 with these stunning liveries honoring McLaren Racing’s Triple Crown legacy.” 

Yellow Fever? Some Indycar Notes

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Please keep the family of A. J. Foyt in your thoughts. Condolences to A. J., Larry, and the rest of the Foyt family on the passing of Lucy Foyt.

The yellow flag has flown 10 times in the first two races of the Indycar season. 78 laps, 22.2% of the races have been behind the pace car. While htis is a higher percentage than at this point in 2022, it is really not that bad. I’m fine with a race having no more than 25% under caution.

IMSA has experienced the same issue. The 12 Hours of Sebring had what seemed to be many nore cautions than normal. The race had no flow to it. There were three cautions in the last hour.

I expect the percentage of yellow laps to go down in the next two races. I don’t think long beach will be the wreck fest that St. Pete was, and Barber typically doesn’t have many full course yellows.

Things will reach an equilibrium as the season goes along. I would hate to see a race where the pace car gets the three bonus points.

INDY NXT at IMS

The Indy NXT series will test at the IMS road course today from 10-4. I assume fans can view from the turn 2 mounds.

Teams testing today:

Abel Motorsports: Jacob Abel, Colin Kaminsky

Andretti Autosport: Jamie Chadwick, Louis Foster, Hunter McElrea, James Roe

Cape Motorsports: Enaam Ahmed, Jagger Jones

HMD Motorsports: Christian Bogle, Ernie Francis Jr., Danial Frost, Josh Green, Josh Pierson, Christian Rasmussen, Nolan Siegel, Kyffin Simpson

Juncos Hollinger Racing: Matteo Nannini, Reece Gold

Some MoreStats from Texas

Indycar released some more numbers from last Sunday’s PPG 375

These niumbers confirm that it was an action packed race.

The Pit Window on the Move

The Pit Window will move to summer headquarters at the end of next week. I still plan to cover Long Beach, but Friday coverage may be delayed.

Lucy Foyt, 1938-2023

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Condolences to the Foyt family on the passing of Lucy Foyt.

The following obituary is from A. J. Foyt Racing:

Lucy Foyt (1938 – 2023)

HOUSTON (April 5, 2023) — Lucy Foyt, wife of A.J. Foyt, passed away in a Houston hospital after a brief illness. She was 84.

Lucy had a special appreciation for life, always embracing new experiences, people, and challenges. There was never a dull moment being married to the auto racing legend; for nearly 68 years, Lucy was his rock, keeping him grounded as he ascended to superstardom in motorsports. Her steadfast support and amazing grace under pressure throughout A.J.’s career and post-career, which was marked by life-threatening injuries on several occasions, made it possible for him to stage the remarkable comebacks that added to his legendary status.

Houston was always home to Lucy, having been born in 1938 to beloved parents, Dr. L. Lynn Zarr and Elizabeth Zarr, and raised in River Oaks, a prominent enclave of the nation’s fourth largest city. During her time at Lamar High School, Lucy met Foyt and the two married in 1955, further laying their roots in the Houston community. Together, they raised three children, A.J. Foyt III, Terry and Jerry. Later on, they adopted their grandson Larry who is president of A.J. Foyt Enterprises, the Indy car racing team Foyt started in late 1965.

Always seen as beautiful and gracious, Lucy bonded three generations of the Foyt family, having four children, eight grandchildren, and 21 great grandchildren who adored her. She was able to watch them grow to achieve success, marry for love, and raise children, many of which are named after her with the most recent being Larry’s daughter Lucy who was born in January.

With a passion for culture, arts, and global travel, Lucy shared a broadened perspective and open mind about the world that motivated and inspired adventure to those around her. That legacy will live on through her family and influence more generations of Foyts to come.

With careful thought and consideration, funeral arrangements are pending.Post not marked as liked

2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS Convertibles Presentedas 500 Festival Event Cars

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From IMS:

      INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, April 3, 2023) – Fifty identical 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertibles were staged on the main straightaway April 3 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a sign the return of the Month of May soon approaches.

A longtime tradition, the “Festival Event Cars” have reminded Indianapolis-area residents of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 since the 1960s. As the unique fleet of Camaros is driven around Central Indiana, they once again will turn heads and remind everyone “This is May.”

Presenting the cars were J. Douglas Boles, IMS president; Pat Merna, 500 Festival vice president strategic partnerships; Sarah Fisher, 500 Festival board chair and Mike Quinn, Chevrolet Indianapolis district sales manager.

The Festival Event Cars are a unique option code based off the 2023 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible and are powered by a 6.2-liter small block V-8, which offers 455 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque.

The exterior of the car features Sharkskin Metallic exterior paint with special graphics from Chevrolet’s Performance Design Studio representing the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The car also features an Ash Gray leather interior, a power-folding convertible top that can be lowered while driving at speeds up to 30 mph, Brembo front and rear performance brakes and 20-inch aluminum wheels.

“These Camaro convertibles are a symbol of the shared passion Chevrolet, INDYCAR and the 500 Festival board have for the Indianapolis 500,” Quinn said. “Living and working in Central Indiana, seeing these Camaros on the road always reminds me we’re one step closer to May.”

The 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 28, 2023. Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information on all Month of May events and activities at IMS.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.  
 

Texas Wrap Up

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Indycar photo by Chris Jones

Just a few more thoughts on the PPG 375:

Excitement for the Indianapolis 500 went up several notches after yesterday’s race. Texas and IMS are different tracks, but Indycar seems to have found the right aero package. Josef newgarden said in the post race press conference that he would like to see a little less downforce. He would also like for the cars o be able t run the third line, but doesn’t want a three wide pack race.

Repaving Texas Motor Speedway is under discussion.I hope it doesn’t happen. There will be no chance of having another race like we saw yesterday. Leave it alone.

Sources at the track say attendance was much improved from a year ago. The crowd still looked pretty puny on television, but I understand it was a doublke digit increase from 2022. Still a long way to go. A race like we saw Sunday may help attendance, but the key is heavy promotion, which there was not.

Consistency

Six drivers have finished in the top 10 in both races. Pato O’Ward, Callum Ilott, David Malukas, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson,and Alex Palou. Dixon is the only one of these drivers with more than five years of experience.

Dixon’s fifth place finish was his 194th top five, putting him ahead of Mario Andretti. In 370 starts, Dixon has finished in the top five 52% of the time.

A special shout out to Augustin Canapino. Some people were leery of a 33 year old rookie who had never been in a single seat race car before, but he has two 12th place finishes in the young season including his first oval. I can’t wait to see what he does at IMS.

Playing Chess

It was fun watching the different strategy calls during the third and fourth cautions yesterday. Newgarden came for tires and fuel, then came in to top off just before the race returned to green. Brilliant. That extra stop may have been the difference in the race.

Hot Seat Update

Jack Harvey finished 18th, highest of the Rahal cars and was running at the finish. The entire team had a miserable weekend, but Harvey fared the best.

Felix Rosenqvist as not had the start to the season he needs. He won the pole on Saturday for the second year in a row at Texas, but didn’t lead a lap until just before halfway. Rosenvist crashed on lap 179, ending his day. he has two DNFs this season.

Romain Grosjean had a repeat of his St. Pete day. In contention, but crashed late in the race. Grosjean needs a good result in the next two races before the series gets to IMS.

Point Standings

‘Beautiful Chaos’-Quick Thoughts- PPG375

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Wow! Just Wow!

Today’s race was the best Indycar race in a long time. It reminded of the 2015 Fontana race.

David Malukas’s description, which I used in the title, sums it up perfectly.

It was great to see the old Texas race return. Indycar, don’t change a thing for next year.

Indycar got the package right. Cars could race and pass each other, the leaders weren’t stuck behind lapped cars for 20 or 30 laps, and there were battles for the lead virtually all day.

Is Newgarden-O’Ward the rivalry Indycar has needed? Today was the seventh time the duo has finished 1-2 since 2020. Newgarden has won five of those but I think the gap will be closer by the end of this season.

Pato O’Ward had the dominant car. It’s a shame the race ended under caution,but it happens sometimes.

When will Felix Rosenqvist do more than just win a pole at a race?

Another big car repair weekend for Andretti Autosport this wekend. Colton Herta did end up seventh after battling for the lead late in the race.

Juncos Hollinger Racing with another nice race. Callum Ilott earned his second straight top 10, finishing ninth, and Augustin Canapino finished 12th, the same place he finished at St. Pete. Today was canapino’s fiorst oval race ever. He has to be the leading candidate for Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

David Malukas continues to be a factor on ovals. He was fourth today and second at Gateway last August. I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins at Iowa or Gateway later this year. Malukas is off to a great start in 2023 with two top 10 finishes.

The 20 laps after the second caution saw some of the best racing I’ve seen anytime. Edge of your seat stuff.

A fine drive today by Alex Palou, who finished third and was fighting for the lead at the end.

It’s a shame more fans weren’t there to witness such a great race. For some reason this track does not do a lot to promote a great product. maybe going back to a night race two weeks after he 500 would help.

Some stats– 482 passes for position, 300 more than the average for Texas. the 26 lead changes were the most at TMS since 2001, 26 races ago.

I will have more to say about this race tomorrow. I want to watch the replay 2or three times first.