Tag: Marco Andretti

Marco Andretti Set for His 18th 500

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Marco Andretti will return for his 18th Indianapolis 500 mile race in May. The number 98 Andretti Autosport car will again carry KULR sponsorship. May 0f 2023 will be third year Andretti has run the race as one off entry. Andretti won the pole for the 500 in 2020.

The field for the 500 is fast approaching 30 cars and should easily reach 33 entries.

This morning’s announcement from Andretti Autosport:

INDIANAPOLIS (Oct. 17, 2022) – KULR Technology Group (NYSE American: KULR) (the “Company” or “KULR”) will return to the grid of the 2023 Indianapolis as the primary sponsor for the No. 98 Honda of Marco Andretti as the third-generation racer makes his 18th Indy 500 start.  

“It’s great to see a sponsor like KULR continue as a primary sponsor with our INDYCAR program for the second year,” said Andretti Autosport Chairman and CEO Michael Andretti. “The development potential of KULR’s technology is exciting and we’re proud of their commitment to improving performance. We look forward to this special event in May and are happy to have them back with Marco.”  

As pioneers in their respective industries, KULR and Andretti Autosport share a commitment to excellence and progression. KULR has long been a leading developer of next-generation lithium-ion battery safety and thermal management products and services, playing a part in countless customer successes, including the 2020 Mars Rover mission.  

“We are thrilled to welcome back Marco Andretti as a KULR Ambassador as we return to Andretti Autosport for the 2023 Indy 500,” said KULR Technology Group President and COO, Keith Cochran. “Marco authentically embodies the spirit of our brand. His dedication to his craft and the motorsport industry are just some of the reasons we believe he is the perfect person to represent KULR Technology as we continue to expand our energy management platform.”  

KULR served as Andretti’s primary sponsor in 2022 for his 250th INDYCAR career start. They are no stranger to the Andretti Autosport family as they first joined Andretti Technologies and sister team, Andretti United Extreme E in 2021 as the official thermal management and battery safety technical partner.   

Andretti will make his 18th Indy 500 start piloting the No. 98 KULR Technologies / Curb Honda. Andretti has recorded eight top-10 finishes and four top-three results at the famed IMS oval, also claiming pole position in 2020. He will take to the track for Open Testing on April 20-21 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway before joining his four Andretti teammates for the 107th Running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile race in May.

Marco Andretti Enters 500; Seeks 250th Career Start

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Editor’s note: It is hard for me to imagine an Indianapolis 500 without an Andretti in it. This is good news.

From Indycar:

Marco Andretti will attempt to make his 250th career INDYCAR SERIES start Sunday, May 29 in the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, driving the No. 98 Honda fielded by Andretti Herta Autosport with Marco Andretti and Curb-Agajanian with primary sponsorship from KULR Technology Group.

Third-generation driver Andretti is looking to make his 17th career start and earn his first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He has eight top-10 finishes, including four in the top three, and won the pole in 2020.

KULR Technology Group (NYSE American: KULR) first joined Andretti Technologies (“ATEC”), the advanced technology arm of Andretti Autosport, and sister team, Andretti United Extreme E, in 2021 as the official thermal management and battery safety technical partner.

The goal of the ATEC partnership focuses on transferring aerospace knowledge onto the racetrack. KULR’s expertise with lightweight, high-performance thermal management solutions through space exploration provides the opportunity to implement new cooling technology, battery cell architecture and testing methodologies within the high-performance and high-power applications across the motorsport landscapes.

“We’ve worked with KULR through Andretti Technologies for over a year now, including last year’s Indy 500 with Marco, and we are thrilled to now welcome them as a primary sponsor to our INDYCAR program,” said Andretti Autosport chairman and CEO Michael Andretti. “The development potential of KULR’s technology is exciting given their expertise in high-performance thermal management solutions and understanding of battery safety. We look forward to this special event in May as Marco celebrates 250 career INDYCAR starts.”

Said KULR President and CEO Keith Cochran: “We are humbled and honored to have the legendary Andretti Autosport racing team represent the KULR brand in the upcoming Indianapolis 500. As the primary sponsor for the No. 98 car driven by Marco Andretti, we are extending our partnership with Andretti Autosport and further demonstrating the breadth of applications for KULR’s technologies.”

Live coverage of the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge will start at 11 a.m. (ET) May 29 on NBC, Telemundo and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Marco Will Run Indy Only, Looks at Other Racing Options

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Photo from Marco Andretti Twitter

In a surprise announcement this afternoon, Marco Andretti said he will not drive full time in the 2021 NTT Indycar Series. Andretti said he will still enter the Indianapolis 500 and possibly some other selected races. Marco hopes to do some sports car racing in IMSA and explore other racing opportunities.

The 98 did not qualify for the 2021 Leader’s Circle money and US Concrete is not returning as a primary sponsor. Marco has struggled the last few years on track. He won the pole for the 2020 Indianapolis 500 but finished 13th, not leading a lap.

It will be strange but not unprecedented not seeing the Andretti name on track. Mario and Michael Andretti only did the 500 while driving full time in Formula 1.

Marco’s statement from his Twitter account:

“Upon careful thought over the past couple of months, I have made the decision to make some changes to my racing activities and focus for 2021,” said Andretti. “I recently shared this decision and the changes that I want to make with my dad (Michael) and have spoken at length with him about it. I appreciate his openness and for allowing me the flexibility to map out my own course going forward.

“I am fortunate to be in a position at Andretti Autosport to run the full IndyCar season if I want to. But, instead, I have decided to change up my direction somewhat — to reset, to do something a little different — look at everything fresh and see where that takes me. And, to me, now seems like the appropriate time to do that.

“I definitely am going to keep driving. I still have a deep passion for it and have unfinished business to take care of and some boxes that I want to check before I consider retiring as a driver.

“First and foremost, I remain very hungry to win the Indy 500. It is our biggest stage and the place that I feel I bring the most to the table as a driver. I’ve come close there and am in the mix there it seems each year. Winning the pole there last year was awesome but that isn’t enough — I know that a victory there is in my future so we’ll try to get that done in the coming years. As such, I have committed to and am looking forward to running the Indy 500 with Andretti Autosport this year.”

“In addition to being squarely focused on the Indy 500, I might also take a look at running some other races on the IndyCar schedule as the season progresses, in order to remain ‘car fit.’ I have also offered to help the team with some testing and other activities along the way,” Marco said. “And, I may look at different opportunities in all of motorsports. My involvement in my Andretti Autosport entry will continue.

“I also want to do some sports car racing — maybe even get the chance to do IMSA events with my cousin Jarett, which would be a lot of fun for me. I’ll be looking into other sports car opportunities as well in the coming months and welcome discussions in that regard. Marquee events like the (Rolex 24) 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and Le Mans would be on that list for sure.

“I am excited for what the future holds for me both on and off the track and, again, am grateful to Dad and Andretti Autosport for allowing me the freedom to change things around as I’d like and to proceed forward a little differently this upcoming season.”

Michael Andretti, Marco’s father, emphasized that the decision was Marco’s alone. Andretti’s decision does not affect James Hinchcliffe’s situation. Hinchcliffe is expected to be confirmed soon as a full time drive for Andretti Autosport for this coming season. Hinchcliffe will not be in the 98.

Andretti Rides the Wind to Capture the Pole- Quick Thoughts

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The shifting winds brought part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s legends back today as Marco Andretti just edged Scott Dixon to win the pole for the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The last time an Andretti won the pole was 1987 when Mario led the field to the green flag.

Andretti Autosport seemed to be floundering this season until the got to IMS. The team certainly has its act together here.

It appeared the wind shifting from turn 4 to turn 2 after Dixon’s run would help him stay in the top spot, but Marco found just enough speed to continue  his dominance of the week.

Marco’s dad Michael never won the pole at Indianapolis. Maybe victories skip a generation as well.

Marco is in good shape for the race with Brian Herta calling his race. Herta has now put a driver on the pole as well as bringing two other car 98s to victory lane (Wheldon 2011 and Rossi 2016).

Where would Alex Palou end up if he hadn’t had a problem with the weight jacker? He could be a sleeper in the race.

Rinus VeeKay in fourth is the fastest rookie in the field.  VeeKay could be another player next Sunday.

Graham Rahal had a couple of wild rides today. I hope they can balance the car better for the race.

Car 98 has now won four poles and four races. Just three drivers have won poles in the 98- Walt Faulkner, Parnelli Jones (twice), and Marco Andretti.

I don’t know if there were any poles won by a smaller margin, but 0.0113 seconds and 0.017 mph is pretty close.

Marco also started on the front row in 2013, when he started third.

It was frustrating when NBC didn’t immediately show the lap times because they were too busy playing with their graphics. Give the audience the information it needs at the time they need it.

No matter how the race ends, it will be great having an Andretti lead the field at the start.

Qualifying results, including all attempts from yesterday:

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 Thanks for following this weekend.

 

Pole Day-Will Marco Stay on Top?

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Photo: Indycar, Walt Kuhn

Today’s schedule:

11-11:30 am – Fast 9 Practice NBC Gold

1:15-2:15 pm – Fast 9 Shootout NBC (1-3 pm coverage)

3:30-6 pm – Practice (NBCSN at 4 pm)

Good morning from the IMS northwest media center annex. This is an interesting and talented Fast Nine, and definitely one of the most unusual ones since the beginning of the pole shootout.  The field has four former race winners, two rookies, two former pole winners, and drivers from five different teams. Andretti Autosport has four drivers who advanced to today and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has two.

The odds of having a first time polesitter are good. Marco Andretti showed yesterday that he is fast regardless of the time of day and the track conditions. While Scott Dixon’s late run yesterday was simply a show of strength, he won’t be running with the shadows on the track.

Rinus VeeKay is a rookie driving for Ed Carpenter Racing. VeeKay loves to go fast. The ECR team  has been a perennial member of the Fast Nine.  I look for the only Chevy in the Fast Nine to be on the front row.

As for predictions, I hate to jinx someone, but this is Marco’s pole to lose.

Notes:

What’s missing from today’s shootout? Penske cars. Josef Newgarden was the fastes on the team in 13th. Will Power  is 22nd, Simon Pagenaud is 25th and Helio Castroneves is 28th.  Pagenaud has been a poor qualifier all season, but has come from the back to contend for the win.  I am puzzled by Chevrolet’s overall lack of speed.

Scott Dixon will increase his points lead today by at least 1 point and as many as 9. he currently leads Pagenaud by49 points and Newgarden by 51.

I think the fastest driver on Saturday should receive at least a point.

James Hinchcliffe’s mask is creepy.

I saw a lot of anger on social media toward Takuma Sato and Scott Dixon for their late day runs. While I wished they hadn’t done it and given drivers who needed a shot a chance, these late day qualifying games have been played for the last 70 years. Watch film of Bump Days in the past and see what went on in the last 90 minutes or so. You’ll see pretty much what you saw yesterday.  They were playing by the rules they were given.

Quick Thoughts- Qualifying

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Photo: Indycar, Walt Kuhn

A Fast Nine with no Team Penske cars is something I never thought I would see.

Today was a complete rout for Honda. I’m pretty sure Chevy will be better in the race, but they have a lot of ground to make up.

Congratulations to Marco Andretti on an outstanding run.

Was Dixon just sending a warning shot for tomorrow?

Sato played some pretty good defense at the end of qualifying.

Dixon’s and Sato’s late runs really show the flaws of this qualifying format. Indycar needs to get rid of the keep your last time if you don’t beat it rule. If a car goes out to qualify it should withdraw its time.

Qualifying with no fans in the stands really took a lot of the excitement out of what was an interesting day.

Gusty northwest winds tomorrow could make fast nine qualifying interesting.

I wonder how many of the Fast Nine will actually use the practice time tomorrow morning? Today a total of six cars, all Chevys, practiced. All the cars were in group 2.

What outstanding debuts for Rinus VeeKay and Alex Palou. VeeKay has the only Chevy in the Fast Nine. Palou put a Dale Coyne entry in the Fast Nine.  After Sebastien Bourdais and Craig Hampson left the team, I wasn’t sure how well they would fare this year.

I wish NBC would stop those “Different Month, Same Feeling” spots. It’s not the same feeling at all.

I will be back tomorrow morning and then again after the Fast Nine. Have a great evening and thanks for following along.

 

 

Qualifying Update- Where’s Chevy?

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Andretti Autospport backed up their strong practice times, with the top four spots on the provisional grid after the initial round of qualifying. Marco Andretti did not get hurt by his 28th spot in line , setting the day’s fastest single lap at 232.177 mph. His four lap average of 231.351 just clipped teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay’s 231. 330. the top seven cars averaged more than 231 mph.

Chevys continued to struggle as Rinus Veekay is the only bowtie in the top nine. the next Chevy is Josef Newgarden in 13th.

The afternoon could be a scramble for the last four spots in the Fast Nine.

Notes

From head on, the aeroscreen looks like a cone that a dog wears after surgery.

It was a brilliant move by some teams to use a smaller air hose for qualifying to lessen the drag.  The hose and helmet need a redesign so that they are not protruding above the aeroscreen frame.

Helio Castroneves currently sits 28th, which would be his worst starting spot in his 20 500s.

The session was clean but there were several close calls in turn one.
Back after qualifying ends today.

 

Fast Friday Thoughts

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Photo: Indycar, Walt Kuhn

We got the high speeds we expected. Marco Andretti’s 233.491 mph lap was the fastest lap turned since 1996. Will he back it up in qualifying tomorrow?

I was surprised to see the Penske cars struggle so much today. They seemed to find some speed late in the day, but still couldn’t crack the top ten.

Graham Rahal and Helio Castroneves had some close calls with the walls late in the day.

Could we see an all Honda Fast Nine? Conor Daly was the only Chevy in the top ten, but was in the 20s with a four lap average. the next quickest Chevy was Will Power in 11th.

It’s a shame that the draw for qualifying order can put a fast driver in an unfavorable spot for qualifying. Tomorrow the first ten or twelve drivers to qualify should have a big advantage. Maybe it’s time to use Fast Friday speeds as the order of qualifying or maybe let the top ten choose their spots then draw for the rest.

The qualifying order

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I would like to see the fastest driver on Saturday get a point.

Today’s top speeds:

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Gateway- Therapy for the Indycar Community

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The Bommarito 500 at Gateway Motorsports Park could not have come at a better time.  The entire Indycar community- fans, teams, drivers, crews- needs to get right back to a race after last Sunday.  When Dan Wheldon lost his life in Las Vegas in 2011, it was the season finale. That made the pain worse as we all had to wait until the following spring to get back to a track.

In 2015, after Justin Wilson’s accident, Sonoma was the following week.  It felt comforting to be back  at the track so quickly and to be with many Indycar friends. I remember the subdued tone to the paddock that Friday at Sonoma.  I’m keeping Robert Wickens in my thoughts still, but I will feel better when I get to the track Friday.

Friday the paddock again may not have its usual frenetic short weekend buzz, but by Saturday things should get back to normal. Once the green flag drops everyone will focus on the race. There is still a tremendous fight for the season championship going on. Scott Dixon will try to extend his shrinking lead over Alexander Rossi, Josef Newgarden, and Will Power.

The Bommarito Group is expecting another huge crowd this year. To address some issues from last year’s event, they have undertaken a $1.1 million project. A new entrance, wider roadways inside, and more parking are just some of the items added to help fans have an easier time at the track.

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Part of the tremendous crowd at Gateway Motorsports Park last year. Photo: Mike Silver

 

Iowa or Phoenix?

The big question is will we see a race like we saw at Phoenix with no passing or an action packed race like Iowa? The Gateway track sits between those two distance wise. The banking more resembles Phoenix, as does the narrowness of the racing surface. Perhaps the shorter distance and the aero tweaks since Phoenix will make for a better race. After Sebastien Bourdais tested here, he said he thought a pass could be made one on one, but passing would be difficult in a group of cars. That could prevent the leader from getting away from whomever is chasing him if he has trouble getting through lapped traffic. Rossi is the only driver who has consistently been able to pass cars on difficult tracks this year. Bourdais has also shown the ability to pass to a lesser degree.

Chevy or Honda?

Honda cars have won the last three oval events despite a Chevy winning the pole. I suspect that is what will happen Saturday. The Chevy cars have not been great in traffic on ovals, while some  Hondas seem to be able to work around slower cars easier. Hondas also appear to be getting better fuel mileage. In a normal year, which this hasn’t been, I wold this should be a Chevy track. But then,  Pocono and Texas should have been also.

Can Dixon Hang On?

This will be the week Dixon extends his lead. I don’t think it will grow by much, but he will finish ahead of the three drivers chasing him. I’m not sure one of the contenders will win Saturday’s race. I think Dixon will leave St. Louis with a lead big enough to hold through Portland next weekend and be the man to catch going to the Sonoma finale.

Will Veach Continue His Late Season Run?

Zach Veach has finished in the top ten the last three races and should make it four at Gateway. Veach also had a fourth place at Long Beach. He sounds very confident and is someone to watch for the rest of the year. Veach has shown some flashes of good driving which have been spoiled either by on track missteps or pit fires.

Notes

Gabby Chaves returns to the number 88 Harding racing entry this weekend. Chaves began the season as Harding’s regular driver, but Conor Daly stepped into the car in Toronto. Daly gave the team its best qualifying spot and finish there and also drove at Mid Ohio and Pocono as the team looks for developmental help.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports will James Hinchcliffe as their only entry this weekend. The #6 car of Robert Wickens will return at Portland with a driver to be named.

Winner?

This is a tough one to call, but I’m going to say Marco Andretti breaks his long drought. I have a perfect record this year (all wrong), so don’t bet the house on this.