Tag: IndyNXT

Champions Palou, Chip Ganassi Racing Honored Again at Victory Lap Celebration

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From Indycar:

Foster Celebrated for INDY NXT by Firestone Title

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Sept. 30, 2024) – Alex Palou was honored for his third NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the past four years during the Victory Lap Celebration on Sept. 30, the headline of an incomparable 2024 season for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Palou won two races in the No. 10 DHL Honda and scored 13 top-five finishes in 17 races to become just the 13th driver in history to earn at least three INDYCAR SERIES championships. He is just the seventh driver to win three titles in four years and first since Dario Franchitti won three straight from 2009-11 – also for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Spanish driver Palou won the Astor Challenge Cup for the title by 31 points over Andretti Global with Curb-Agajanian’s Colton Herta, earning the 16th INDYCAR SERIES championship for Chip Ganassi Racing and the organization’s fourth in the last five seasons.
Palou was one of four members of Chip Ganassi Racing to receive special honors at the ceremony, which took place in the Gallagher Pavilion at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Linus Lundqvist of Sweden received the Rookie of the Year Award as the top-finishing first-year driver in the standings. The 2022 INDY NXT by Firestone champion recorded a pole, two podiums and four top-10 finishes in the No. 8 The American Legion Honda to surpass Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Kyffin Simpson by 97 points in the standings.
Team owner Chip Ganassi accepted the Championship Owner Award, and Palou’s chief mechanic, Ricky Davis, was presented the Pennzoil Chief Mechanic Award. Additional season honors for the Ganassi team included the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Team Manager award to Blair Julian and Mike LeGallic.
The awards haul was a reward for a dominant year by Indianapolis-based Chip Ganassi Racing. The team took the top spot in the driver standings and the Rookie of the Year title in the same season for the second straight year.
Much like the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and Rookie of the Year, the Manufacturers Award race had a familiar result. Chevrolet edged Honda by just 132 points to win its third consecutive engine manufacturer title and ninth overall since it returned to the series in 2012.
Eric Warren, General Motors executive director of global motorsports competition, accepted the award on behalf of the Chevrolet team. Team Penske took home a pair of end-of-season awards. Scott McLaughlin claimed the season-long NTT P1 Award, while Will Power accepted the Firestone Pit Performance Award on behalf of his No. 12 Team Penske crew.
INDYCAR’s development series was also recognized at the Victory Lap Celebration, as Louis Foster of Andretti Global was honored as 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone champion, capping a dominant season.
Foster won a series-high eight of the 14 races this season in the No. 26 Copart / Novara Technologies entry. He led the series in wins, poles, podiums, laps led and completed every lap of competition to beat Abel Motorsports’ Jacob Abel to the title by 122 points.HMD Motorsports’ Caio Collet was named INDY NXT by Firestone Rookie of the Year. Collet, from Sao Palou, Brazil, finished third in the series standings with a victory. 

Sonsio Grand Prix Schedule- First Look

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Friday, May 10 All times Eastern

9:30-10:45 Indycar Practice 1 Peacock, Indycar Radio

11:05-11:55 Indy NXT Practice

1:10- 2:10 Indycar Practice 2 Peacock, Indycar Radio

2;30-3:00 Indy NXT Qualifying

4:20-5:50 Indycar Qualifying Peacock, Indycar Radio

6:20 Indy NXT Race 1 Peacock, Indycar Radio

Saturday , May 11

11:15-11:45 Indycar Warmup Peacock, Indycar Radio

11:00 Indy NXT Race 2 Peacock, Indycar Radio

3:45 Green flag Sonsio Grand Prix NBC, Peacock, Indycar Radio

INDYCAR Prepares for AnotherRecord-Making Season

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From Indycar. Includes a summary of technical and rule changes.

  NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone Set To Shine on Streets of St. Petersburg

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, March 1, 2024) – It is that time of year when the winter freeze quickly turns into the heat of thrilling wheel-to-wheel action as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone launch their 2024 seasons on the palm tree-lined streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule highlights include traditional favorites and, new to 2024, a made-for-TV $1 Million Challenge at The Thermal Club – a spectacular racing event set among extraordinary scenery just a short drive from world’s premier entertainment market, a return to historic Milwaukee Mile for a thrilling doubleheader, evening racing at Iowa Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway and a supercharged season finale at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Superspeedway.

Once again in 2024, St. Petersburg begins a season of double-digit telecasts on NBC. It is the first time in 20 years the INDYCAR SERIES schedule has featured three consecutive years of double-digit events on network television. Peacock will feature all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions, qualifying and events after a 2023 season that featured the highest viewership in more than a decade.

The bright lights from TV cameras also will accompany production of season two of the docuseries “100 Days To Indy,” focusing on the dramatic countdown to the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Episode 1 will debut on The CW Network Friday, April 26.

“This is an era of tangible growth and tremendous opportunity for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Rising attendance, combined with incredible fan engagement across our digital channels, increased merchandise sales and rising viewership and visibility are all signs of significant momentum. We look forward to continuing this rising tide, on and off the track, as the curtain rises on another intensely fought and captivating season.”

Personalities aside, all focus will be on another record-making season with numerous storylines:
INDYCAR’s Most Unique Season
While the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season awaits the arrival of the 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with hybrid technology after the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, teams will push the limit until then with enhanced possibilities of track records with lighter chassis components prepared for the hybrid addition. They include a lighter, 3D-printed titanium aeroscreen top frame. Without compromising overall strength and durability, the new INDYCAR top frame saves seven pounds from the previous model.

Additionally, a switch to a magnesium gearbox casing and bellhousing – located between the INDYCAR SERIES combustion engine and the gearbox and will house the hybrid assist unit – will provide additional weight savings.2024_COMP_CHANGES_HYBRID.pngThe hybrid system is made up of the Motor Generator Unit (MGU) and Energy Storage System (ESS). Teams will be free to use multiple strategies for regeneration and deployment as the power unit builds and transmits energy through the MGU before and after being saved in the ultracapacitor ESS.
The additional horsepower is deployed through the same motor generator. The new powerplant unit will be used in addition to the traditional overtake (“push-to-pass”) option on road and street circuits. The combination of the traditional push-to-pass with the hybrid unit will provide over 100 additional horsepower.
Use of the new power unit will be available on ovals with manual and automatic regeneration options but only with manual deploy.
Since the start of on-track testing, 21,108 miles have been completed with the INDYCAR-specific hybrid unit.
To ensure a smooth and comfortable transition to the hybrid unit addition this summer, teams will not be assessed any grid penalties for unexpected hybrid unit changeouts.

.Evolving Safety and On-Track Performance
An annual INDYCAR review has led to adjustments for the upcoming NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with an eye on safety, technical performance and rules.
From a safety perspective, 2024 will feature: The addition of LEDs on rear wing end plates for better visibility for trailing drivers during rainy conditions.
Redesigned brake rotors for improved cooling
Specific to racing on ovals, 2024 will feature:
The addition of a stronger front wheel bearing retaining nut to match the implementation of the updated rear wheel bearing retaining nut in 2023. The update followed a meticulous review of the incident at the 2023 Indy 500 involving the No. 27 car of Andretti Global and the No. 6 car of Arrow McLaren, which resulted in the loss of the left rear wheel assembly on the No. 27.
Stronger rear retaining ring
New and stronger rear uprights with wheel tethers mounted to the upright rather than caliper studs.
Updates to the rear wing front clevis to better distribute impact loads into the attenuator.
Beginning with the Sonsio Grand Prix in May on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, an updated, lightweight PPG ballistic screen (aeroscreen), will be introduced featuring vents for increased overall driver cooling and a top front duct directing air to the drivers’ chest. The ducting is 3D printed in rubber to prevent hand injuries in an accident. The updated aeroscreen will only be used on the remaining road courses and street circuits in 2024.  2024_COMP_CHANGES.png  From an officiating standpoint, updates for 2024 include:
Restart line.

On restarts, drivers must remain in single file and are prohibited from passing until reaching a line designated in the last corner. Additionally, the EM Motorsports light panels positioned around the track will be illuminated green to supplement the traditional cloth flag waved at the start-finish line for both starts and restarts.
A split group practice on the Streets of St. Petersburg
Deployed on a trial basis in St. Petersburg, the field will be split into two groups following a 20-minute “All Cars” session to begin Practice 1. Following the 20-minute “All Cars” session, each group – split by odd and even numbered pit boxes – will receive two 10-minute segments on an alternating basis. As in qualifying, the clock in Segments One and Two will stop for the first red flag condition of each practice segment.

Updates for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will be announced at a later date.
A 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season that featured 7,753 passes, including on-track passing records set at six racetracks, and the most laps and miles completed in a season in over a decade is expected to continue to its record-making trajectory in 2024.

“The last few seasons have been unprecedented in terms of records and milestones,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “Between the massive effort by Chevrolet and Honda with the hybrid unit and the perpetual partnership and input from our owners, teams and drivers, 2024 is expected to be even more competitive and one of the most unique seasons and championships we’ve ever had. We cannot wait to get started in St. Petersburg.”
A Sustainable Return for 2024
The most sustainable era in INDYCAR SERIES history will continue as the series, its teams and events continue to work to develop green technologies. Highlights from 2023 included the first use of Shell’s 100% Renewable Race Fuel, continued use of renewable diesel for all INDYCAR team transporters supporting the series and use of Firestone Firehawk alternate race tires – on street circuits – made from guayule rubber.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the first sport facility to achieve organizational certification through the Council for Responsible Sport while the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend achieved gold-level event certification.
Other announcements are expected throughout the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season.
NXT Up: INDY NXT by Firestone
After last year’s successful launch of a reimagined look for INDYCAR’s developmental series with continued integration with INDYCAR as a sanctioning body, INDY NXT by Firestone enters 2024 with even more energy and momentum. The pathway to North America’s premier open-wheel racing series is expected to feature over 20 drivers from seven countries in pursuit of a $1.4 million purse. It is set to have the most entries across the entire season for the developmental series in 16 years (2008).
Once again, the series champion will receive $850,000 to be applied to an oval test at Texas Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 Open Test and Rookie Orientation Program, an entry for the 2025 Indianapolis 500 and an entry for an additional 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES event. The 2024 championship team, again, will receive a prize of $35,000.
This season’s INDY NXT champion will have to earn it.
The 2023 season featured 1,226 on-track passes for position, up 113% from the previous year. Lead changes were up 25% from 2022.New for 2024, 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.). One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group.
Lineups for race weekend doubleheaders will be set by the entrant’s best lap determining their starting position for Race 1 and their second-best lap determining their starting position for Race 2. The procedure for qualifying on ovals (aggregate time of two consecutively timed laps) remains unchanged for 2024.
Also noteworthy, INDY NXT will celebrate its 500th race as INDYCAR’s top developmental series when the series competes on the streets of Detroit this summer.
“It is clear that incorporating this series with the rest of the INDYCAR paddock has paid dividends,” INDY NXT by Firestone Director Levi Jones said. “The rise in team participation and car count is proof of concept. It’s even more gratifying to see former champions Linus Lundqvist and Christian Rasmussen advance to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.“As the series grows and the competition becomes more fierce, we look forward to elevating the next generation of top INDYCAR SERIES racers.”
All 14 INDY NXT races will be available in the United States via Peacock with coverage on INDYCAR Live, INDYCAR’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, in those countries not covered by international agreements.
INDYCAR’s season begins March 8-10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. Coverage of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season debut, Sunday, March 10 will be available at noon ET on NBC and Peacock.
A Spanish language version will be available on Universo.INDY NXT by Firestone’s season opener begins earlier in the day at 10 a.m. ET.The award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network will provide coverage of both races, with audio available on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. 

Foster Drives to Top of Tight Griffis Test at IMS

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From Indycar:

  INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Oct. 20, 2023) – If the Chris Griffis Memorial Test is any indication, there won’t be much room between the top drivers in INDY NXT by Firestone during the 2024 season.

Veteran Louis Foster was the quickest driver Friday in the all-day test on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, turning a top lap of 1 minute, 14.8432 seconds in the No. 26 Andretti Global car. British driver Foster finished fourth in the series standings as a rookie in 2023, with two victories.

“Hopefully, we can keep our form like last year into 2024,” Foster said. “Looking forward to the rest of the offseason and doing some more testing so we can improve on what we did today.”

Just .1728 of a second separated the top five drivers in the test on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course that incorporates parts of the iconic IMS oval

.Series veteran Jacob Abel was second at 1:14.9201 in the No. 51 Abel Motorsports machine. 2023 USF Pro 2000 champion Myles Rowe was the quickest of the newcomers, third overall at 1:14.9487 in the No. 99 HMD Motorsports car.2023 INDY NXT by Firestone

Rookie of the Year Nolan Siegel was fourth at 1:14.9918 in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports car.

Brazilian rookie Caio Collet will be a driver to watch after he rounded out the top five at 1:15.0160 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports machine. Collet has raced the last three seasons in the FIA Formula 3 Championship, with three victories.

Twenty-one drivers – two more than the full-time grid in 2023 for the growing INDYCAR development series – combined to turn 1,145 laps despite wet track conditions in the morning session.

The only major incident occurred in the final 20 minutes of the day when Rowe went off track in Turn 12 and hit the tire barrier near the pit entrance. He was unhurt.

Today’s test is named in memory of Chris Griffis, the team manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports who passed away suddenly in September 2011.

The 2024 INDY NXT by Firestone season starts Sunday, March 10 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florid


 

Results:

GMR Grand Prix Fast Facts

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From Indycar:

Race weekend: Friday, May 12 – Saturday, May 13
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise) Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES 85 laps / 207.3 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: 35 laps/55 minutes

Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 150 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. One additional set is available to rookie drivers for use in the Friday practice session.

2022 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda) INDY NXT by Firestone Danial Frost (No. 68 HMD Motorsports), Linus Lundqvist (No. 26 HMD Motorsports)

2022 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet), 1 minute, 9.7664 seconds, 125.854 mph

2022 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winners: Linus Lundqvist (No. 26 HMD Motorsports) 1:16.3362, 115.023 mph (race one), Lundqvist 1:16.4266, 114.887 (race two)

Qualifying records: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying) INDY NXT by Firestone Ed Jones, 1:14.6743, 117.583 mph, May 13, 2016

NBC Sports race telecast: 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, May 13, 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.

Peacock live streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. NBC’s GMR Grand Prix race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix will be streamed live on Peacock with practice and qualifying shown on INDYCAR LIVE.

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn and Rob Blackman are the pit reporters. The GMR Grand Prix race (3 p.m. ET), INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix (12:55 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local): FRIDAY, MAY 12 (All times are local)
9:30-10:45 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (75 minutes), Peacock
11-11:50 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone practice, INDYCAR LIVE
1-2 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes), Peacock
2:20-2:40 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying, INDYCAR LIVE
4 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock

SATURDAY, MAY 13 11:15-11:45 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock 1:05 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix
“Drivers, start your engines”
1:10 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
3:30 p.m. NBC on air
3:39 p.m. “Drivers, start your engines”
3:45 p.m. GMR Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC (Live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: Scott McLaughlin became the fourth winner in as many NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season as he outdueled Romain Grosjean to win the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on April 30 at Barber Motorsports Park. 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Marcus Ericsson leads Pato O’Ward by three points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 100 points on offer over the next four three with races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The GMR Grand Prix will be the 14th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. Active race winners who are expected to compete are Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power. ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS Will Power 5 2015, 2017, 2018 (GMR Grand Prix); 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-2); 2021 (Gallagher Grand Prix) Simon Pagenaud 3 2014, 2016, 2019 (GMR Grand Prix) Scott Dixon 1 2020 (GMR Grand Prix) Josef Newgarden 1 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1) Rinus VeeKay 1 2021 (GMR Grand Prix) Colton Herta 1 2022 (GMR Grand Prix) Alexander Rossi 1 2022 (Gallagher Grand Prix) Four NTT P1 Award winners have won the GMR Grand Prix from the pole: Will Power in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016. Power also won the second Harvest GP race from the pole in 2020.

ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS
Will Power 6 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 (GMR Grand Prix and Harvest Grand Prix-2) 2022 (GMR Grand Prix)
Felix Rosenqvist 2 2019, 2022 (Gallagher Grand Prix) Pato O’Ward 1 2021 (Gallagher Grand Prix)
Romain Grosjean 1 2021 (GMR Grand Prix)
Rinus VeeKay 1 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1)
Simon Pagenaud 1 2016
Sebastian Saavedra 1 2014

Six drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All but Sato are entered this year.

Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden or Kyle Kirkwood can solidify their chance at the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge’s $1 million prize by winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Ericsson (Streets of St. Petersburg) and Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach) have won on street circuits while Newgarden has a win on an oval (Texas Motor Speedway). A win on a road course would make one of them one step closer to earning a $500,000 bonus and a matching $500,000 donation for a chosen charity. Scott McLaughlin is also eligible for the bonus but already has a road course win at Barber Motorsports Park.

Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Andretti Autosport swept the races in 2022 while Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren are the only other teams to win at the track. Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay. Chip Ganassi Racing won with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1, and Arrow McLaren won the inaugural race in 2014 with Simon Pagenaud when it was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Four NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Marcus Armstrong, Agustin Canapino, Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb – are entered. All will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time. Twenty-three of the drivers entered in the event have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races on the IMS road course.

Fifteen entered drivers have led laps in the GMR Grand Prix: Will Power 210, Scott Dixon 69, Simon Pagenaud 68, Colton Herta 50, Romain Grosjean 44, Graham Rahal 36, Rinus VeeKay 33, Josef Newgarden 25, Felix Rosenqvist 19, Pato O’Ward 5, Alexander Rossi 2, Marcus Ericsson 11, Scott McLaughlin 5, Jack Harvey 1 and Alex Palou 1. Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 310th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history….Dixon will also attempt to make his 350th start with Chip Ganassi Racing. 

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes: INDY NXT by Firestone will conduct the first of two race events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2023 with a 35-lap race on Saturday, May 13. Denmark’s Christian Rasmussen took the series points lead with his win April 30 at Barber Motorsports Park. The field for the INDY NXT Grand Prix will be the largest INDY NXT by Firestone field at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course since 25 cars started the Liberty Challenge in 2007. Danial Frost is the only driver in the current field who has won an INDY NXT by Firestone race at IMS. Four other drivers – Rasmus Lindh, Christian Rasmussen, Reece Gold and Louis Foster – have visited victory lane in ladder series. The 2023 season features a deep and talented field with INDY NXT race winners such as Frost, Hunter McElrea and Rasmussen joining a promising rookie class that includes Jamie Chadwick (three-time W Series champ), Foster (USF Pro 2000 champ), Jagger Jones (USF2000 Rookie of the Year) and rising stars Nolan Siegel and Gold (USF Pro 2000). Other contenders include returning drivers Jacob Abel, Kyffin Simpson and Ernie Francis Jr. A new qualifying format will place a premium on banking a quick lap around the 2.439-mile road course. Teams will have a single 20-minute session with a limited guarantee of eight minutes of green flag running, depending on whichever comes first. If an entry does not set a time, their order will be based on entrant points.
 

Ericsson Unveils Ticket for 107th Running of Indianapolis 500 February 10

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The Indianapolis 500 ticket unveil moves to another new venue as Marcus Ericsson will unveil the ticket for the 2023 race Friday, February 10, during the second intermission of the Indy Fuel hockey game at Indiana Farmer’s Coliseum.

Ericsson, winner of the 106th running of the 500 in 2022, is a former hockey player and will get to see his image on the ticket for the first time. The revealing of the ticket means fans will soon have tickets in their possession.

Daly to Attempt Daytona 500

Conor Daly will attempt to qualify for next weekend’s Daytona 500 mile race. Daly will drive car 50 for The Money Team, a team owned by boing legend Floyd Mayweather. Daly will compete for one of four open spots in the field. Daly may race for The Money Team up to six more times in 2023.

Indy NXT Broadcast Times Set

The broadcast start times for the Indy NXT series have been set. All races are on Peacock. The 14 race schedule features two ovals and three doubleheaders.

Indy Lights Rebrands- Introducing Indy NXT

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A video this morning on @IndyNXT:

I am not thrilled with the name. I assume the NXT stands for next. It i a questionable name since Indycar is apparently not next for 2022 Indy Lights champion Linus Lundquist, and his meager $500,000 award for winning. That amount won’t help the 2023 champion obtain an Indycar ride either.

I hope the Firestone support will also chip in another half million dollars or so to make moving to Indycar more of a possibility for the series champion.

I will have more on this topic later today.