Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend Fast Facts

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. Entry lists will be posted on The Pit Window’s Facebook page.

From Indycar

  Race weekend: Friday, July 22-Sunday, July 24
Track: Iowa Speedway, a 7/8-mile (0.894-mile) oval in Newton, Iowa
Race distance: Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash: 250 laps/218.75 miles (Saturday) | Hy-Vee Salute To Farmers 300 presented by Google: 300 laps/262.5 miles (Sunday) | Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway: 75 laps/65.625 miles
Firestone tire allotment: Fourteen sets for use through the doubleheader weekend
Twitter: @indycaratiowa, @IndyCar, #IndyCar
Event website: www.hyveeindycarweekend.comINDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
Most recent race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Simon Pagenaud (No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet) 2020 Race #1
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) 2020 Race #2
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Pato O’Ward (Andretti Autosport) 2018
2020 NTT P1 Award winners:
Conor Daly (No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet), 18.3711 seconds, 175.188 mph
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet), 18.3559 seconds, 175.333 mph
One-lap qualifying record: NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Helio Castroneves, 17.2283 seconds, 186.809 mph, July 11, 2014
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
Colton Herta, 19.6441 seconds, 163.835 mph, July 9, 2017
NBC Sports race telecast: The HyVeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash 4 p.m. ET Saturday, July 23, NBC; Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google, 3 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC. Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC’s race telecasts of The HyVeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash and Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google will be simulcast on the streaming service. Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will be streamed following the race.
The Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman (Saturday) and Jake Query (Sunday) are the turn announcers. Michael Young be the pit reporter alongside Query (Saturday) and Yeoman (Sunday). The HyVeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash race (3:30 p.m. ET Saturday), Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google race (3 p.m. ET Sunday), Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway (11:50 a.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires 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 Central):
FRIDAY, JULY 22
2:15-3:05 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice, INDYCAR Live!
3:30-5 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock Premium
SATURDAY, JULY 23
8:30 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Qualifying (Single car, Two laps), INDYCAR Live!
9:30 a.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, Two laps (Lap 1/Race 1; Lap 2/Race 2), Peacock Premium
11:15 a.m. – Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway “Drivers, start your engines”
11:20 a.m. – Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway (75 laps/67.05 miles),, Peacock Premium
3 p.m. – NBC on air3:01 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
3:06 p.m. – HyVeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash (250 laps/223.5miles), NBC (Live)
SUNDAY, JULY 24
10:55-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES systems check (Out and In Lap)
2 p.m. – NBC on air
2:25 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
2:30 p.m. – Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google (300 laps/268.2 miles), NBC (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
There have been seven different winners in 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2022 season. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway, Streets of Long Beach and Road America), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park), Colton Herta (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500), Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle Park) and Scott Dixon (Streets of Toronto) have all won in 2022. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.There have been seven different winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta, Marcus Ericsson, Will Power and Scott Dixon) The only repeat winners in that stretch are Newgarden (Texas 2022, Long Beach 2022 and Road America 2022) and McLaughlin (St. Petersburg 2022 and Mid-Ohio 2022).There have been nine different NTT P1 Award winners in 2022. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg), Felix Rosenqvist (Texas Motor Speedway), Colton Herta (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Toronto), Rinus VeeKay (Barber Motorsports Park), Will Power (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Scott Dixon (Indianapolis 500), Josef Newgarden (Raceway at Belle Isle Park), Alexander Rossi (Road America) and Pato O’Ward (Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course) have won pole positions in 2022. The record for most pole winners in a season is 12 set in the 1999 CART season.Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend, featuring the Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash and Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google, will be the third and fourth oval races of the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The previous two oval races were won by Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway) and Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500). The remaining oval race will take place at World Wide Technology Raceway (Aug. 20).The Hy-VeeDeals.com 250 presented by DoorDash and Hy-Vee Salute to Farmers 300 presented by Google will be the 16th and 17th NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Iowa Speedway. Josef Newgarden is the only entered driver to win at Iowa Speedway more than once. Newgarden has three wins. Other past winners Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves are also entered in the event.
ACTIVE RACE WINNERS
Josef Newgarden- 3=-2016, 2019, 2020 Race #2
Helio Castroneves-1-2017
Simon Pagenaud-1 -2020 Race #1
Andretti Autosport has won seven of the 15 previous races at Iowa Speedway (Dario Franchitti 2007, Tony Kanaan 2010, Marco Andretti 2011, Ryan Hunter-Reay 2012, 2014 and 2015 and James Hinchcliffe 2013). Team Penske has four wins (Helio Castroneves 2017, Josef Newgarden 2019 and 2020 Race #2 and Simon Pagenaud 2020 Race #1). Chip Ganassi Racing has two wins (Dan Wheldon 2008 and Franchitti 2009).Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dario Franchitti and Josef Newgarden are the only drivers to win at Iowa Speedway and win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the same season. Newgarden accomplished the feat in 2019, Hunter-Reay in 2012 and Franchitti in 2007 and 2009.Three drivers have competed in every NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Iowa: Marco Andretti, Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan. Only Dixon is entered this year.
Eleven drivers entered have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 1,150, Will Power 131, Dixon 130, Simon Pagenaud 98, Takuma Sato 59, Graham Rahal 32, Pato O’Ward 31, Ed Carpenter 18, Conor Daly 17, Felix Rosenqvist 7 and Alexander Rossi 4).Josef Newgarden has finished in the top four in six of the last eight races at Iowa (2014-2016 and 2018-2020) … Scott Dixon has started on pole three times (two earned) and has 12 top-10 finishes at Iowa in 15 starts, but he has never finished better than second.
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 299th and 300th consecutive starts, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…Helio Castroneves needs two starts to tie A.J. Foyt for second on the all-time starts list with 369 starts…Pato O’Ward will attempt to make his 49th and 50th INDYCAR SERIES starts.
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Notes:Linus Lundqvist is on the verge of building an insurmountable lead in the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires point standings. The 23-year-old Swede leads Sting Ray Robb by 87 points heading into the first oval race of the season.The Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway will be the first of two oval events for Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. The track will be completely new for every driver in the field as no driver has raced on the 7/8-mile oval in any previous series. The series last raced at Iowa Speedway in 2018 with eventual champion Pato O’Ward taking the checkered flag.
Danial Frost, Christian Rasmussen and Hunter McElrea became first-time winners earlier this season. Will another talented prospect like Sting Ray Robb, Benjamin Pedersen, Kyffin Simpson or Ernie Francis Jr. score a first series win in 2022? 
 

Cornelison To Sing National Anthem at IMS for First Time at Brickyard Weekend 

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From IMS:


 INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 19, 2022) – Jim Cornelison, best known for singing “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” before the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and performing the national anthem for Chicago Blackhawks’ and Chicago Bears’ games, will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Gallagher Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES race Saturday, July 30 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

For six consecutive years, Cornelison has stirred Hoosier hearts with his moving rendition of “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” as part of the pre-race ceremony for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Now, for the first time, he will lend his voice for the national anthem to kick-start the first race of the historic, tripleheader Brickyard Weekend when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series take on the thrilling 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course during a race weekend steeped in IMS heritage.

“The national anthem is an integral, historic part of our pre-race pageantry and tradition,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “As we welcome the NTT INDYCAR SERIES back to IMS for another race on the road course, it’s fitting that Jim, who plays such a pivotal role in one of our Indianapolis 500 pre-race traditions, is also back at the Racing Capital of the World performing for our fans at the track and those watching on NBC.”

Since beginning his professional singing career in 1993, Cornelison made his name through performances at opera houses around the world and national anthem performances for professional sports teams in Chicago, including the Bears, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks. He performed at the nationally televised, historic opening game of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Season and received further national recognition for his performances at the PGA’s 2012 Ryder Cup, Chicagoland Speedway’s NASCAR races and the Indianapolis 500.

NBC’s live coverage of the Gallagher Grand Prix starts at noon (ET) Saturday, July 30.Visit ims.com to purchase tickets for Brickyard Weekend, which includes the Gallagher Grand Prix and Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard (NASCAR Xfinity Series) on Saturday, July 30 and the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (NASCAR Cup Series) on Sunday, July 31.

Honda Indy Toronto – Some Quick Thoughts on the Race and History

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Photo: by Joe Skibinski, Indycar

It is so rare to get to witness history like we did today. Scott Dixon, a generational driver whom I have appreciated for a long time, tied Mario Andretti with his 52nd career win today. Dixon won in typical fashion, taking the lead with a strategic pit stop which allowed him to overtake Colton Herta coming out of the pits on cold tires.

Dixon has now won at least one race in 18 consecutive seasons, which is a record. He has won races in 20 different seasons, also a record. It has been 442 days since his last win in Texas in 2021. That is eons in Dixon terms.

While Dixon has a chance to surpass Andretti’s win total, the 67 win mark of A. J. Foyt is likely still quite safe. I am grateful that I have been able to watch the three most successful drivers in Indycar history drive. I won’t see another 50 win driver in my lifetime.

A Good Day for Marcus Ericsson

Photo- Chris Jones, Indycar

Marcus Ericsson began the day with a 20 point lead over Will Power. Josef Newgarden trailed him by 34 points. Ericsson finished fifth, Power was 15th, and Newgarden came home 10th. Ericsson’s lead is now 35 over Power while Newgarden has dropped to fourth, 44 points behind. Alex Palou moved up to third place, 37 points behind his teammate.

Great Drives

Graham Rahal started 14th and drove a brilliant race to finish fourth. Rahal’s practice times had put him in the conversation for the pole, but he got caught out by the red flag in his qualifying group. Rahal and the team have been mired mid pack or worse most of the year, but today Rahal had his best race of the year. He is my driver of the day.

Photo by Joe Skibinski, Indycar

Teammate Christian Lundgaard finished eighth and extended his lead in the rookie standings to 20 points over David Malukas. Overall Toronto was Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s best race of the season.

Alex Palou turned around what had been an awful weekend following a week of turmoil. He crashed in practice, then his car stalled on track during qualifying. He started 22nd and finished sixth. I admire his mental toughness to come out today and race hard after all that happened this week.

Final Thoughts

The race was cleaner than I expected, and the jam in the pits I feared never happened.

When a city knows it is hosting a street race, which it hasn’t hosted in three years, I would think said city would want to check the streets used for the track to make sure they are in good repair. I wondered about this all week, and the mix of surfaces at certain portions of the circuit. There is no excuse to have a track tear up during the race weekend. I’m surprised that there wasn’t an issue during qualifying.

Felix Rosenqvist is gaining on teammate Pato O’Ward. Rosenqvist has top 10 finishes in two of the last three races while O’Ward’s best finish in that time was his 11th place this afternoon.

The winner of each of the last three Indycar races has started second. The outside front row starter has won five times this season, while the pole winner has won just once.

Thanks for following along this weekend. I will be onsite the rest of the season starting next Friday in Iowa.

From IMS: Billows To Retire as Director of Medical Services for INDYCAR, IMS after 2022 Season 

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 Vaizer To Become First Woman To Take Top Medical Role
INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, July 17, 2022) – Dr. Geoffrey Billows announced during the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers’ meeting Friday, July 15 at the Honda Indy Toronto that he will step down as director of medical services for INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 2022 season.
Dr. Julia Vaizer will succeed Billows as the director of medical services for INDYCAR and IMS, becoming the first female medical chief in the history of the sanctioning body and the track. Vaizer, who has served as the assistant medical director for INDYCAR and IMS since 2021, also served as acting medical director when Billows was on a short medical leave of absence earlier this spring.
Billows plans to continue contributing to INDYCAR and IMS medical services in a part-time capacity starting in 2023. He has undergone treatment for parotid salivary cancer since November 2020.
“It’s no secret that the last 20 months have been quite challenging for me,” Billows said. “After a lot of consideration and discussion with my wife, I have decided to retire at the end of this season. This is something I plan to battle and live for many years, and I thought, ‘I should enjoy whatever time I have left.’ But I’m staying on so I can help part time because I enjoy it so much.
“The opportunity to work with INDYCAR and IMS has been an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s been a career unlike none other. I think it’s quite rewarding. It not only gives me a chance to help take care of the drivers but to also have the chance to promote safety in the motorsports industry.”
Billows began working at IMS during his residency in 1993, volunteering at the IU Health Emergency Medical Center in the infield during race events. He served as an AMR INDYCAR Safety Team physician and deputy medical director and became IMS director of medical services in 2006. Billows assumed the role of INDYCAR director of medical services in 2016.Besides providing medical care to drivers and spectators at IMS and on INDYCAR race weekends, Billows worked tirelessly with INDYCAR officials and the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team to enhance driver safety in motorsports, becoming a respected global leader in the field.
Throughout his career with IMS and INDYCAR, Billows also served an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
“Dr. Billows has been an integral part of INDYCAR’s success both on and off the track,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “His guidance and expertise have been tremendous assets to the series, the drivers and all our stakeholders. We are excited for him to spend more time with his family and grateful that we’ll still get to see him around the racetrack.“
Dr. Billows and Dr. Vaizer have been working very closely together over the last few years, so we know this will be a seamless transition. We look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Vaizer as she trailblazes into her new leadership position as INDYCAR’s first female medical director.”
Said IMS President J. Douglas Boles: “There aren’t enough words to express our full sense of gratitude and respect for Dr. Billows and his service to our racing community. We’re so appreciative of his contributions and so glad we’ll still see him at the IU Health Infield Care Center during the Month of May and more. We also know Dr. Vaizer is extremely well prepared for this new role and congratulate her on this exciting opportunity.”
Vaizer has worked under Billows with the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team since 2020 and became the first person to complete the IU School of Medicine Motorsports Fellowship in July 2021. She has been associated with motorsports medicine since 2017 and began her involvement with INDYCAR and IMS the following year while attending a motorsports medicine elective training program. Vaizer also serves as an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the IU School of Medicine and as the assistant medical director for IU Health LifeLine.
She received her undergraduate degree in 2011 from the University of Florida and received her medical degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida. She completed her emergency residency training at Detroit Receiving Hospital in 2019 and completed a dual EMS/motorsports medicine fellowship at IU School of Medicine in 2021.
“Dr. Billows has been a friend, a mentor, a teacher and like family to me,” Vaizer said. “There are a lot of emotions of excitement for him to take a new stage in his life and spend more time with his family. It’s wonderful that he’s going to stay on as an INDYCAR physician.
It’s a huge honor to be chosen to carry on his legacy. It fills me with inspiration. I know I will work really hard to continue doing what he established as one of the most successful medical teams in the world of motorsports. I cannot wait for the next chapter and see how we can continue to improve the field of motorsports medicine for the next generation to come.”
Said Billows: “Dr. Vaizer is not only a very skilled and talented emergency medicine physician but a gifted educator. She’s the only physician on the face of this planet to who has completed a formal, post-graduate, university-based motorsports medicine fellowship. I have 100% confidence in turning the position of medical director over to her.” 

VeeKay Fastest in Warmup; Tires, Pits, Brakes Concerns for Race

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Rinus VeeKay turned the fastest lap in the morning warmup with a lap of 0.59.8987 seconds. The session saw many cars overshoot turn 3 and some close calls on pit road. Alexander Rossi was the only other driver to lap in under a minute, trailing VeeKay by about 5 hundredths of a second.

Polesitter Colton Herta had an eventful session. He stalled leaving pit road when he has to stop to let another car by, then later went into the turn 3 runoff area and stalled, bringing out the only red flag of the practice period.

Herta also was involved in a close race off pit road with two other cars who were nearly three wide at pit exit.

Tire marbles were strewn across the track, and when cars came into the pits lots of debris was on the tires.

This could be a high attrition race.

Results

Toronto Race Day

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Today’s Schedule:

Sunday- All Times Eastern

The race is only on Peacock

GATE HOURS 8:45 AM – 5:00 PM 

9:45 AM – 10:25 AMUSF2000Race 2

10:55 AM – 11:25 AM NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm-Up Peacock

Note- this is the time listed on Peacock. The original schedule had practice beginning at 11:05

11:40 AM – 12:20 PM Indy Pro 2000Race 2

12:35 PM – 1:15 PM Sports Car Championship Canada Race 2

1:30 PM – 2:15 PM Porsche Carrera Cup Race 2

2:40 PMNTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Introductions

3:00 PM – Peacock coverage begins

3:30 PM NTT INDYCAR SERIES Honda Indy Toronto  Peacock

We missed out on tying history yesterday when Colton Herta earned his second pole of the season, but another mark could be tied today. If Scott Dixon wins, and I have had a good feeling about him all week, he will tie Mario Andretti for second place in career victories with 52. Dixon’s last win came at Texas in race 1 May 1, 2021. Dixon has won at least one race every season since 2005.

Four rookies in the top 12 starting spots makes for a bit of tension at the start. Yesterday was the 2022 rookie class’ best overall day of the season. Can they back up their qualifying performances with good results today?

The alternate tires may not see a lot of action today We could see some early pit stops, especially if there is an early caution, to get back to blacks for the rest of the race. The track is too sort for an alternate strategy to work.

There will be yellows. The timing and length of each will play into the outcome.

It should be a fun race. It’s great to have Toronto back on the schedule.

I’ll be back after morning warmup.

Herta Takes Toronto Pole

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Colton Herta Photo by Chris Owens, Indycar

The streak is over. Coming into Toronto this weekend, the NTT Indycar series had seen nine different pole winners in its nine races. A different pole winner today would have tied a record set in 1952. But Colton Herta won his second pole of the season in a wild qualifying session that saw several pole contenders eliminated early due to a red flag.

The first group in round 1 had a smooth run. In group 2 things got a bit crazy. Devlin DeFrancesco overshot turn 3 and went nose first into the tires. The other cars were on an out lap, so DeFrancesco was not penalized. While he was extricating himself, Alex Palou’s car stopped on track, causing a red flag.

Drivers scrambled to get their best laps in the short time remaining. Kyle Kirkwood was on pace to solidly advance, but he clipped the wall in turn 6 and spun just before pit entrance in turn , bringing out a red flag. The drivers behind Kirkwood did not get to complete their laps. Will Power, Graham Rahal, and Simon Pagenaud, who all looked like pole contenders, missed the second round.

The round of 12 included four rookies- Callum Ilott, David Malukas, Christian Lundgaard, and Devlin DeFrancesco. Malukas would advance to the fast Six. he was the only driver in the final round who could keep the pole streak alive.

Indycar photo by Chris Owens

Josef Newgarden set the fastest time with less than a minute to go, then pitted and waited. Herta and Scott Dixon were both on a pace to beat Newgarden’s time. Herta edged Newgarden by 0.25 seconds. Dixon was faster than Newgarden but fell short of Herta by 0. 089 seconds. Herta earned his ninth career pole.

Notes

Points leader Marcus Ericsson will start ninth.

Callum Ilott just missed the fast Six and will start seventh.

David Malukas is in a good spot to pick up more ground on Christian Lundgaard in the Rookie of the Year battle. Lundgaard leads by 14 points. He starts 10th tomorrow.

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing drivers Jack Harvey and Graham Rahal saw their competitive practice times go for naught with their 13th and 14th place staring spots. Rahal looked to be a pole contender.

Pato O’Ward has been slow all weekend. O’Ward needs a good result Sunday. He has averaged a 25th place finish the last two races.

Does Will Power have another come from behind run in him? Power will line up 16th tomorrow. It will be his third straight start of 15th or worse. Toronto is a difficult track to make up ground.

Results