INDYCAR Moves Up Start Time of Bommarito Automotive Group 500
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022) – During careful monitoring of likely weather conditions in the St. Louis area, INDYCAR officials have decided to move up the start time of today’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway to 6:01 p.m. ET, ensuring fans see the most NTT INDYCAR SERIES action. Fans are encouraged to follow INDYCAR social media (@INDYCAR on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook) for further updates. The start time for the Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway 75-lap race will remain unchanged as the green flag for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ developmental series will fly at 4:15 p.m. ET. Live coverage of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 will begin at 6 p.m. ET on USA, Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Coverage of the Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway also will be available via Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
A brief rain shower has ended and the sun is back out, but there are more rain clouds to the east.
Good morning from the Olivette media center annex. Here is the latest from @Indycar_Wxman
Good morning! Here’s your raceday weather briefing…very little change as things seem to be playing out as I described yesterday…rain this evening has a stop time, so though we may get delays, I think this one goes this evening. Sunset is 7:48pm tonight. #Bommarito500#INDYCARpic.twitter.com/OHz6f2SXiI
It looks like we will get the race in, althiough maybe later than scheduled. I wil We just might get the night race we want. l up date the weather situation during the on Facebook on The Pit Window and on Twitter @tutorindie.
Today’s Schedule: All times Central
The Indy Lights race ius on Peacock. The Indycar race is on USA Network and Peacock.
Thew starting lineup, which includes Romain grosjean’s penalty:
Rahal Leads Final Practice
Graham Rrahal had the fastest time in last night’s warm up for today’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500. He went to the top of the chart late in the session. Scott Dixon led a good portion the practice.
Jimmie Johnson spun entering pit lane with about two mi nutes remaining to end the practice early.
Silver Crown- Lots of Action
I watched the first half of the USAC Silver Crown race. I need to get to more of their races. The cars are loud and the action us furious. There was constant passing and several lead changes.
Kody Swanson leads
It was nice to watch a race at night (Ahem-Indycar).
I very much enjoyed this race. I hope they will accompany INdycar to more short ovals next year.
The Race
Will Power is the prohibitive favorite, but just one race has been won from the pole this year. I am looking at Josef newgarden, Scott Dixon, or Pato O’Ward to win.
I don’t think Arrow McLaren SP had gotten enough credit for the job they havedone on ovals this season. O’Ward has a win and two second place finishes. Felix Rosenqvist has a pole, a topo 5 and two top 10 finishes.
If you are looking for a dark horse, keep an eye on Takuma Sato.
Will Power finally caught Mario Andretti’s pole record. But first he had to catch Marcus Ericsson. Poiwer. the final car to qualify, topped Ericsson’s 182.070 mph average speed with a two lap average of 182.727 mph.
The qualifying session was arguably the most dramatic oval qualifying of the season. Takuma Sato was the eighth driver to make a qualifying run. He took the top spot and held it until Pato O’Ward beat his time 12 drivers later. Scott McLaughlin grabbed the pole until teammate Josef Newgarden made his run.
One of the possible pole contenders, Felix Rosenqvist, spun on his first qualifying lap in turn 2. He hit the inside wall. Rosenqvist will start last.
Marcus Ericsson
Ericsson’s qualifying time shot him to the lead. Scott Dixon was next, but he could only manage the fifth best time. Then Power came on track to end the qualifying round.
Power’s first lap was good enough to put him on the pole and his second lap reinforced his spot.
Power has tied Andretti for the most career poles with 67. His next win will tie him for third place all time with Michael Andretti. At the last race in Nashville, Scott Dixon moved ahead of Mario in career wins with his 53rd win, second to A. J. Foyt’s 67 victories.
Imagine being the top performer in your field and living to see your records equalled or broken. Andretti probably knew it would happen someday. I wonder if he thought he would be alive to see it happen.
Andretti’s last pole was in 1993.
In Dixon and Power we are witnessing two of the legendary drivers of open wheel racing.
Notes
Andretti Autosport cars showed to be relatively equal as they qualified 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Romain Grosjean, the fastest qualifier on the team, will serve a nine spot grid penalty and will start the race in 18th.
PThe top five contenders in the points chase-Will Power, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden, and Alex Palou- all start in the frirst three rows.
“It just shows no one’s letting up, no one will until the end.Yep, pretty tight battle to the end. It will be very interestingto see how it unfolds. All you can do is just do your best. Do your best. Can’t control some things, so see what happens,” Power said.
“I think it shows howcompetitive this series is. It’s going to be tough. It’s going tobe tough to battle it out, try and beat the guy next to me here. It’s going to be very tough.” Ericsson added.
A, J, Foyt Racing teammates Kyle Kirkwood and Dalton Kellett start 20th and 24th respectively. This usually one of the best tracks for Foyt’s cars.
Photo: Will Power has a shaky six point lead heading into the final oval race of 2022. Indycar photo by James Black
World Wide Technology Raceway has a tough act to follow. After the smash hit at Iowa, the final oval of the year, which usually puts on a great event, may seem a bit less so this year. Hy Vee is assisting in the production, but I don’t know if they can match Iowa’s energy.
Saturday’s race begins the final stretch of the 2022 Indycar season with three races in 22 days. I always feel sorry for the winners of these last races if they are not one of the title contenders. The focus is on the drivers going for the title. And we have quite a title fight going. Seven drivers have a mathematical chance of winning, but only five have a realistic shot at the Astor Cup.
The top five are within 33 points of leader Will Power, and just 12 points separate the top three. This race could stabilize the title picture or it could jumble it even more.
Penske Strength
Team Penske has been strong at Gateway the past few years. Josef Newgarden has been especially dominant here. In the last three races at WWTR, Josef Newgarden has won twice. Will Power has two poles and two third place finishes. Scott McLaughlin finished fourth in 2021 in his debut. The team has been strong at Texas and Iowa as well, with Newgarden winning at each track and Power and McLaughlin sweeping the poles.
I don’t see Team Penske having any fall off this weekend. The finishing order of this trio will determine who remains in the championship hunt.
What Does Ganassi Have?
Scott Dixon is right where he wants to be- second in points, jus six behind power, with just three races left. If Dixon can’t win here, which he did in 2020 race 1, he has two chances on road courses to get by Power. I would not count him out.
Scott Dixon is used to winning championships late in the season
Will Weather Give Us a Night Race?
Storms are forecast around race time Saturday, and a delay could push the event to the night race everyone wants. I detest rain delys, but I wouldn’t mind this one.
Kirkwood’s Best Opportunity
Rookie Kyle Kirkwood has a chance for a bit of redemption Saturday. Kirkwood thew away a career best finish at Nashville with his late crash. Gateway has been the best track for A. J. Foyt Racing. the team has a podium and to top fives in this event. Can Kirkwood bring the car to the finish?
Kyle Kirkwood carries the event sponsor’s name on his car this weekend.
A Second Groove
The first half hour of the post qualifying practice Friday will feature nine cars- one from each team except Foyt, running in the high groove to laydown some rubber to improve the racing line. Some drivers believe the high line will be good for the start and restarts, but that everyone will settle in to the low groove after a few laps.
Indycar did this at Texas, and it did help the race a bit.
Power putting rubber in the high line at Texas
Andretti Spoilers?
Colton Herta and Alexander Rossi have no realistic hopes of winning the championship. Both Andretti drivers were running well last year before encountering issues. Herta and Rossi overcame qualifying and early race problems at Nashville to finish the top five. The duo could have a say about who wins the title by having good results and taking points away from one or more of the contenders.
In fact, I think that is what will happen. Herta will win the race, and Rossi will grab a top five spot. Obe of the top four chasers will have a big issue and see his hopes dashed, and this tight title fight will become even titghter.
BROWNSBURG, Ind. (August 16, 2022) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing announced today that the team has restructured a new, long-term agreement with NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie-of-the-year contender Christian Lundgaard that will see the Danish driver continue to compete for the team in 2023 and beyond.
Lundgaard has momentum on his side heading into the final three races of the season. He earned an INDYCAR career-best finish of second place at the Gallagher Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 30 and earned his highest series start of third place at the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville on August 6. He leads the INDYCAR Rookie of the Year standings with 272 points to second-place David Malukas, who has 231.
The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season resumes with the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway on August 19-20. The race will air live on USA Network at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, August 20. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service. For more information on the series and team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.
QUOTEBOARD:
CHRISTIAN LUNDGAARD, Driver of the No. 30 Honda: “I have to say a big thanks to Bobby, David and Mike for giving me this opportunity to extend my time with the team. We’ve had some good results lately and I’m sure this has also helped their decision. First of all, I’m just happy and super excited that they gave me this opportunity. A year ago at the Grand Prix, we qualified well and they decided that they wanted me for a full season and we made the most of the opportunity so far. I’m sure there are times when we could have performed better but now we have the opportunity to continue this progress. We’ve been to a lot of tracks so far and have come back to some and finished on the podium, which I hope to continue. Qualifying third in Nashville was a big milestone for me. Making the Fast Six – and not being at the end of the Fast Six but actually having a shot at competing for the pole – was a great experience for me. We didn’t quite finish where we wanted but it was good to have that experience and now everyone is making the most of it. I’m happy for everyone at the team, my family and the sponsors and investors, everyone that has made this possible. I’m looking forward to continuing to build momentum.”
BOBBY RAHAL, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “I am so pleased with Christian’s progress with the team and within the series. He has shown that he can be a force to be reckoned with in these races. He works well within the team, and we are pleased that we are continuing for the next several years because I believe he will continue to improve and be a potential winner in the very near future.”
MIKE LANIGAN, Co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “Christian has done a great job acclimatizing to the variety of challenges and new experiences this season. His approach and professionalism continues to impress us and his performance, especially in the second half of the season, speaks volumes about his potential. We are very happy to have him as part of the team for the years ahead.”
About Christian Lundgaard Christian Lundgaard, 21, from Hedensted, Denmark, came to the INDYCAR SERIES after competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship, the primary Formula 1 support series, from 2020-2021. Lundgaard was a member of the Alpine Academy, having joined the program in 2017 following an impressive career in European and World Karting Championships. Christian’s first year in single-seaters led to two Formula 4 titles – NEZ and Spanish – before he finished runner-up in the 2018 Formula Renault Eurocup as a rookie. In 2019, Christian stepped up to Formula 3, finishing sixth, before progressing to Formula 2 the following season.
In his first year in Formula 2 in 2020, he won two races and backed that up the following year with three podiums. He finished second in Race 2 at the season opener in Bahrain before claiming third place in Race 1 in Great Britain in July. After his debut in INDYCAR, he made a sensational charge from 19th on the grid to finish third in Monza in Race 1. He tested the R.S.18 on one occasion in 2021 at Silverstone.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 