Tag: iRacing

Silent Stands

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Editor’s Note: Sad to hear about the death of Bob Lazier, 1981 Indianapolis 500 starter and the father of 1996 500 winner Buddy Lazier and Indycar driver Jacques Lazier, from complications of COVID-19. Condolences to the Lazier family.

It’s great to be back in Indiana. The reality of the COVID-19 situation hit me the last two days as we drove on mostly empty roadways and breezed through normally traffic congested cities. The Downtown areas of Louisville and Indianapolis were stark in their emptiness.

As May begins next week we still don’t know when the Indycar season will actually start. I would not be surprised to see the first scheduled race, June 6 at Texas, postponed or cancelled. I’m not sure the next event at road America or the Following weekend at Richmond will happen either.

It’s all a matter of social distancing. Can a track afford the risk of having fans attend and potentially fall ill? I’m not sure I want to go to a race until after I have had a vaccination. NASCAR and Formula1 have discussed racing with no fans present. Conducting a race takes a lot of people. Track staff, series officials, media, and team personnel needed can comprise a small town alone. Is it worth the risk of exposure for those people just to to fulfill a schedule?

Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, is discussing the possibility of a NASCAR/Indycar doubleheader without fans. I like the double header idea but there would be twice the amount of people at the track to run races from two different series.

Roger Penske has said he would not run the Indianapolis 500 without fans. I’m glad to hear that. I don’t think the 500 should be run just for the sake of running it. I would rather wait until it is safe for fans to be present. I’m not sure this August is the time for 300,000 people to gather in one spot. . The race has been cancelled in the past due to major world events. This may be the third time in its history that we need to wait another year. I would hate for that to happen, but it may be in everyone’s best interests.

The Indycar iRacing Challenge series has given us a taste of what watching a race without fans in the stands might be like. It is a bit eerie, but I enjoy the only type of racing available right now. Will there be more events after this six week challenge ends May 2?

We are all anxious to get back to the track. We must be patient and think safety and health first. If this entire year is wiped out, it will be tough to take, but I’d rather go to to a track with a feeling of comfort and safety.

Everyone stay safe and wash your hands.

I’ll be back later to begin coverage of his week’s iRacing event from COTA.

 

Pagenaud Strategy Leads to Motegi Win; Two Straight for 500 Winner

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Some quick thoughts about today’s race:

Simon Pagenaud has the oval pit stop strategy figured out.

It’s too bad the NTT Indycar Series doesn’t still race at Motegi. I had forgotten what a great track that is.

That was a great race. There were passes for the lead, pit strategy, and on track drama which had a hand in the outcome.

Even though it was a sim race, I loved seeing Robert Wickens on pole and leading a lap or two. Even on this platform he has Will Power’s number in qualifying.

Oliver Askew has at least two fewer friends in the paddock this afternoon.

Two more podium spots for Team Penske gives them I believe seven of the twelve podium places through the four races.

Scott Dixon is not a regular on sim racing, but he seems to have figured it out rather quickly. He had a great drive today. I also liked his homage to former teammate Dario Franchitti’s flying finish at Kentucky in 2007.

Kyle Busch had a decent Indycar debut with a 13th place finish after starting in the back.

Dixon may have won with a better final pit stop.

Power did a great job hanging on for third without a right front end plate. I’m not sure how that would work out in a real race.

Jack Harvey had a decent day. He qualified well and led some laps.

I will post the final standings when they are available.

I hope to have a post up tomorrow. On Monday I begin the move to Summer Headquarters and I hope to be up and running again by next Thursday. This means there will be lots of big Indycar news Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

New Names on Michigan iRace Entry List

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Four drivers make their first appearance in the Indycar iRacing Challenge Series at Saturday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. Series regulars Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti, part timer James Davison, and former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. join the 31 car field for the third race in the six race series. The race will be on NBCSN at 2:30 pm ET tomorrow.

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Quick Thoughts- Barber iRace

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Indycar teams are now taking this iRacing thing seriously. Teams brought in their engineers and pit strategy won the race.

It was great having the race on television. In addition tom the broadcast I hope something can be worked out where fans who don’t have access to NBCSN can watch online without subscribing to a service.

It was a decent race with more of an air of a real race than the Watkins Glen race

The best part of yesterday was having Robert Wickens participate. His 8th place finish after starting last was a great drive. He ran as high as third. Wickens definitely had the drive of the day.

I thought the track had a bit of a cartoonish look on television. I’m not sure if that was because I had never seen this type of race on a large screen before, but it I found it a bit unsettling. Where was the bridge by the museum?

Sage Karam proved once again that he is a master at iRacing, but he still doesn’t seem to handle adversity well.

What a great win by Scott McLaughlin. I wouldn’t be surprised if he repeats that feat when he gets his first real shot at Indycar.

Three of yesterday’s top five were not Indycar full time drivers.

It was nice to have an hour or so of distraction.

I’m very excited for next weekend’s race at Michigan. look for lots of flying cars.

The race summary:

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Some Thoughts: Indycar iRace at the Glen

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Sage Karam’s dominating win in the Amerucan Red Cross Grand Prix iRace at Watkins Glen yesterday was fun to watch. It provided a much needed break for Indycar fans. This was the first sim race I had watched from start to finish. I found the cars and the action to be realistic. The track, however, looked like an older version of Watkins Glen. Some of it appeared different from when I was there at the last Indycar race.

We fans needed the race to connect in a positive way for a couple of hours. Yes, the race was artificial, but we still treated it as a real race by tweeting back and forth.

The broadcast crew was a  great addition. I enjoyed the replays and the side interviews with Robert Wickens and James Hinchcliffe.  Maybe NBCSN can broadcast the remaining five races. Will the novelty wear off after a couple of events? Maybe fans are so starved for racing that this is sustainable.

I wonder if Karam’s experience at iRacing gives him an advantage for all the races.

The invocation and the national anthem were a nice touch.

Yesterday’s incident involving three Penske cars may be the only time we ever see that happen.

A caution flag might have been good. There were two occasions where one would have been thrown.

Seeing Watkins Glen made me miss that track even more. I hope Indycar can find a way back there.

 

It’s iRace Day

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It’s the first race of Indycar’s iRacing Challenge Series this afternoon at 4 pm ET. The race is 45 laps at Watkins Glen. Each team is allowed two “fast repairs” pit stops. The cars settings are fixed.  The lineup has been fluid.

Robert Wickens posted just a few minutes ago that he will not be participating. There was hope he would be in the race yesterday with help from Cary and Todd Bettenhausen and Max Papis, but the steering wheel will not be delivered in time. I was very much looking forward to see him in this race.

Scott Dixon is also not driving today, but Jimmie Johnson will race. Also, Scott McLaughlin is entered in the number 2 car for Team Penske.

The race today will be some relief to race starved Indycar fans. May 30 is still a long way off.

In Real Life

Scott McLaughlin will not make his actual Indycar debut in the GMR Grand Prix because of the date change. I hope he can get in a race or two when the season actually starts. The adjusted schedule may make that possibility difficult.

I’m hearing that if Detroit can’t be run in May, there is a possibility of it moving to October. Actually, the more October races the better, even when things return to normal.

Enjoy the race.

Indycar’s Preview: “5 Things To Look For…” heading into the American Red Cross Grand Prix

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American Red Cross Grand Prix
INDIANAPOLIS (March 27, 2020) – The INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, a virtual racing event featuring a full field of NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, begins this weekend with Saturday’s American Red Cross Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

The event, which will last approximately 90 minutes, will be streamed through INDYCAR.com while INDYCAR’s YouTube and Facebook platforms as well as iRacing’s Twitch will serve as additional outlets for viewing. The NBC broadcasting team of Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be calling the action. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by iconic national anthem singer Jim Cornelison adding his voice as he has for the past three Indianapolis 500s.

Click: Entry List

The entry list of 25 drivers includes series champions Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Sebastien Bourdais, Tony Kanaan, four Indianapolis 500 winners and collectively has registered 140 series victories. The Team Penske trio of Newgarden, Pagenaud and Power, along with the A.J. Foyt Racing duo of Bourdais and Kanaan, have combined for nine series championships led by Bourdais’ four and two by Newgarden.

If that wasn’t enough talent, a driver with a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series crowns – Jimmie Johnson – will join the virtual race as a “special guest” entrant.

The American Red Cross Grand Prix is the first of six events to be held weekly each Saturday through May 2. The opening event will be followed by others at Barber Motorsports Park (April 4), a “Driver’s Choice” track (April 11), a “Random Draw” track (April 18), Circuit of The Americas (April 25) and a non-INDYCAR “Dream” track (May 2).

Here are “5 Things To Look For…” heading into Saturday’s American Red Cross Grand Prix:

Alexander Rossi

“On The Road Again”

Fan voting through a bracket format voted Watkins Glen International as the first venue “host” of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has staged 11 actual races at the permanent road course in upstate New York, with the most recent coming in 2017. The sport’s history at Watkins Glen dates to 1979 when Bobby Unser won in a CART-sanctioned event.

The 3.4-mile permanent road course figures to play no particular favorites with only Team Penske’s Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet) and Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi (No. 27 AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda) having won actual NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on it among those competing in this virtual field. Rossi won in the series’ last visit in 2017 while Power earned his victory in 2010.

James Hinchcliffe and the American Red Cross

“Sleeves Up”

The opening event was named the American Red Cross Grand Prix to bring awareness to the organization and the efforts to encourage blood donations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The American Red Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this period.

INDYCAR is stepping up to help the American Red Cross, and the sanctioning body is challenging people to join them in rolling up their sleeves to give blood. While blood donation is a safe and secure process, the American Red Cross is taking an abundance of caution, including temperature screening and enhanced disinfecting, to ensure the safety of donors, recipients, volunteers, staff and the blood supply. Patients across the country need your support.

Please help by making an appointment to give blood to the American Red Cross by visiting https://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org/campaign/sleeves-up-with-indycar/. For more information on the American Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.org.

Jimmie Johnson

“New Kids On The Block”

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Ally Chevrolet) was scheduled to test an Indy car April 6 with Arrow McLaren SP at Barber Motorsports Park, but those plans were put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic.

For the time being, he will settle for some virtual racing against the series’ best and may get an opportunity to take on Barber Motorsports Park if he is planning to compete in Round 2 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. Johnson announced that 2020 will be his final NASCAR Cup season and has expressed an interest in possibly participating in the series on road/street courses in the future.

Two-time defending Virgin Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin (No. 2 Shell V-Power Chevrolet) of Team Penske also will be participating in the American Red Cross Grand Prix. McLaughlin has tested an Indy car at Sebring and Circuit of The Americas this year and it was announced by the team in February that he would make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in the GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course.

When it comes to iRacing, you may want to keep an eye on McLaughlin. He has amassed 497 victories in 1,189 starts, both tops among any of the entrants in the American Red Cross Grand Prix. Of those wins, 178 have come on road courses.

Sage Karam's virtual car design

“The Process”

The starting lineup for the American Red Cross Grand Prix will be set through a 10-minute qualifying session prior to the event that will go green shortly after 4 p.m. The race should last approximately 90 minutes.

In the interest of fairness, iRacing will give all participants the same car setups. Teams will have the ability to design each driver’s car livery to match their desired paint scheme, making them easily recognizable to the viewers.

The INDYCAR iRacing Challenge will not crown an overall champion but will add a special element where INDYCAR will make a donation to one of its partner charities.

Will Power

“Power & Speed”

This might be INDYCAR’s first virtual race featuring a full field of its stars, but there are several drivers who could emerge as early favorites given their iRacing experience.

According to iRacing statistics provided this week, Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet) has made 1,145 road course starts in the sim game, winning 156 times (13.6 percent). Power’s rate of top-five finishes is an astounding 46.5 percent.

Yet, other drivers have even better marks.

Scott Speed, who will drive Andretti Autosport’s No. 98 U.S. Concrete/Curb Honda, has won 44.3 percent of his iRacing road course races (71 of 160). Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (No. 2 Shell V-Power Team Penske Chevrolet) has won 33.7 percent (178 of 528). Sage Karam (No. 24 DRR Wix Filters Chevrolet) of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing wins at a 26.9 percent clip (143 of 532).

In terms of career iRacing road-course wins among the entrants, McLaughlin leads the way with 178 and is followed by Power (156) and Karam (143).

Other entrants with more than 100 iRacing road-course starts are Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) with 219, Alex Palou (No. 55 Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda) with 105, and Santino Ferrucci (No. 18 SealMaster Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan) with 101.

ABOUT INDYCAR:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

ABOUT iRacing.com:

The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including “Grand Prix Legends” and NASCAR 2003.” Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club, as well as co-owner of NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing.com has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world including with NASCAR, IndyCar, International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, IMSA, World of Outlaws, Mazda Motorsports, McLaren Racing, Williams F1, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, the Skip Barber Racing School and General Motors.

Media contacts

“5 Things To Look For…” heading into
the American Red Cross Grand Prix

American Red Cross Grand Prix
INDIANAPOLIS (March 27, 2020) – The INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, a virtual racing event featuring a full field of NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, begins this weekend with Saturday’s American Red Cross Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

The event, which will last approximately 90 minutes, will be streamed through INDYCAR.com while INDYCAR’s YouTube and Facebook platforms as well as iRacing’s Twitch will serve as additional outlets for viewing. The NBC broadcasting team of Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be calling the action. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by iconic national anthem singer Jim Cornelison adding his voice as he has for the past three Indianapolis 500s.

Click: Entry List

The entry list of 25 drivers includes series champions Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Sebastien Bourdais, Tony Kanaan, four Indianapolis 500 winners and collectively has registered 140 series victories. The Team Penske trio of Newgarden, Pagenaud and Power, along with the A.J. Foyt Racing duo of Bourdais and Kanaan, have combined for nine series championships led by Bourdais’ four and two by Newgarden.

If that wasn’t enough talent, a driver with a record-tying seven NASCAR Cup Series crowns – Jimmie Johnson – will join the virtual race as a “special guest” entrant.

The American Red Cross Grand Prix is the first of six events to be held weekly each Saturday through May 2. The opening event will be followed by others at Barber Motorsports Park (April 4), a “Driver’s Choice” track (April 11), a “Random Draw” track (April 18), Circuit of The Americas (April 25) and a non-INDYCAR “Dream” track (May 2).

Here are “5 Things To Look For…” heading into Saturday’s American Red Cross Grand Prix:

Alexander Rossi

“On The Road Again”

Fan voting through a bracket format voted Watkins Glen International as the first venue “host” of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES has staged 11 actual races at the permanent road course in upstate New York, with the most recent coming in 2017. The sport’s history at Watkins Glen dates to 1979 when Bobby Unser won in a CART-sanctioned event.

The 3.4-mile permanent road course figures to play no particular favorites with only Team Penske’s Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet) and Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi (No. 27 AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda) having won actual NTT INDYCAR SERIES races on it among those competing in this virtual field. Rossi won in the series’ last visit in 2017 while Power earned his victory in 2010.

James Hinchcliffe and the American Red Cross

“Sleeves Up”

The opening event was named the American Red Cross Grand Prix to bring awareness to the organization and the efforts to encourage blood donations amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The American Red Cross faces a severe blood shortage due to an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations during this period.

INDYCAR is stepping up to help the American Red Cross, and the sanctioning body is challenging people to join them in rolling up their sleeves to give blood. While blood donation is a safe and secure process, the American Red Cross is taking an abundance of caution, including temperature screening and enhanced disinfecting, to ensure the safety of donors, recipients, volunteers, staff and the blood supply. Patients across the country need your support.

Please help by making an appointment to give blood to the American Red Cross by visiting https://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org/campaign/sleeves-up-with-indycar/. For more information on the American Red Cross, please visit www.redcross.org.

Jimmie Johnson

“New Kids On The Block”

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Ally Chevrolet) was scheduled to test an Indy car April 6 with Arrow McLaren SP at Barber Motorsports Park, but those plans were put on hold amid the coronavirus pandemic.

For the time being, he will settle for some virtual racing against the series’ best and may get an opportunity to take on Barber Motorsports Park if he is planning to compete in Round 2 of the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge. Johnson announced that 2020 will be his final NASCAR Cup season and has expressed an interest in possibly participating in the series on road/street courses in the future.

Two-time defending Virgin Australia Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin (No. 2 Shell V-Power Chevrolet) of Team Penske also will be participating in the American Red Cross Grand Prix. McLaughlin has tested an Indy car at Sebring and Circuit of The Americas this year and it was announced by the team in February that he would make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut in the GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course.

When it comes to iRacing, you may want to keep an eye on McLaughlin. He has amassed 497 victories in 1,189 starts, both tops among any of the entrants in the American Red Cross Grand Prix. Of those wins, 178 have come on road courses.

Sage Karam's virtual car design

“The Process”

The starting lineup for the American Red Cross Grand Prix will be set through a 10-minute qualifying session prior to the event that will go green shortly after 4 p.m. The race should last approximately 90 minutes.

In the interest of fairness, iRacing will give all participants the same car setups. Teams will have the ability to design each driver’s car livery to match their desired paint scheme, making them easily recognizable to the viewers.

The INDYCAR iRacing Challenge will not crown an overall champion but will add a special element where INDYCAR will make a donation to one of its partner charities.

Will Power

“Power & Speed”

This might be INDYCAR’s first virtual race featuring a full field of its stars, but there are several drivers who could emerge as early favorites given their iRacing experience.

According to iRacing statistics provided this week, Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet) has made 1,145 road course starts in the sim game, winning 156 times (13.6 percent). Power’s rate of top-five finishes is an astounding 46.5 percent.

Yet, other drivers have even better marks.

Scott Speed, who will drive Andretti Autosport’s No. 98 U.S. Concrete/Curb Honda, has won 44.3 percent of his iRacing road course races (71 of 160). Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (No. 2 Shell V-Power Team Penske Chevrolet) has won 33.7 percent (178 of 528). Sage Karam (No. 24 DRR Wix Filters Chevrolet) of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing wins at a 26.9 percent clip (143 of 532).

In terms of career iRacing road-course wins among the entrants, McLaughlin leads the way with 178 and is followed by Power (156) and Karam (143).

Other entrants with more than 100 iRacing road-course starts are Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) with 219, Alex Palou (No. 55 Dale Coyne Racing with Team Goh Honda) with 105, and Santino Ferrucci (No. 18 SealMaster Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan) with 101.

ABOUT INDYCAR:

INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

ABOUT iRacing.com:

The world leader in the online racing simulation and gaming market, iRacing was founded in 2004 by Dave Kaemmer and John Henry. Kaemmer was co-founder of Papyrus Design Group, developers of award-winning racing simulations including “Grand Prix Legends” and NASCAR 2003.” Henry is principal owner of the Boston Red Sox and Liverpool Football Club, as well as co-owner of NASCAR’s Roush Fenway Racing. iRacing.com has developed dozens of formal partnerships in the motorsport industry to help create the most authentic racing simulation in the world including with NASCAR, IndyCar, International Speedway Corporation, Speedway Motorsports, IMSA, World of Outlaws, Mazda Motorsports, McLaren Racing, Williams F1, Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, the Skip Barber Racing School and General Motors.

Media contacts