Just when we say the grid is set, tThis morning’s announcement by A. J. Foyt Racing of a third full time car puts the NTT Indycar Series full time grid at 26. The only seat open right now is for someone to drive the ovals in Foyt’s number 11, which Tatiana Calderon will drive on the road and street course. I would think J. R. Hildebrand is the prime candidate for the Indianapolis 500, but I don’t know his availability for the other ovals.
There will be at least 27 cars at the GMR Grand at IMS in May. Arrow McLaren SP has already said that Juan Pablo Montoya will enter that race as a warmup for the 500. Other non oval events could see up to 28 cars.
Indianapolis 500 entries stand at 34 right now, with two more entries expected. Both will be powered by Chevrolet.
The full time lineup:
Team Penske
2- Josef Newgarden
3- Scott McLaughlin
12- Will Power
Chip Ganassi Racing
8- Marcus Ericsson
9- Scott Dixon’
10- Alex Palou
48- Jimmie Johnson
Andretti Autosport
26-Colton Herta
27- Alexander Rossi
28- Romain Grosjean
29- Devlin Defrancesco (R)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
15- Graham Rahal
30- Jack Harvey
45- Christian Lundgaard (R)
Arrow McLaren SP
5= Pato O’Ward
7- Felix Rosenqvist
Dale Coyne Racingwith HMD
18- David Malukas (R)
Dale Coyne Racingwith Rick Ware Racing
51- Takuma Sato
Meyer Shank Racing
06- Helio Castroneves
60- Simon Pagenaud
A. J. Foyt Racing
4- Dalton Kellett
11- Tatiana Calderon (R)
14- Kyle Kirkwood (R)
Ed Carpenter Racing
20- Conor Daly
21-Rinus VeeKay
Juncos Hollinger Racing
77- Callum Ilott (R)
The field has six rookies and ten drivers with three years or less experience. There are also six drivers, seven counting Ed Carpenter, older than 40 years old. Penske’s IMS upgrades should include a senior citizens’ center and a day care.
Does A. J. know how to celebrate a birthday or what?
A. J. Foyt Racing announced this morning Tatiana Calderon will drive car 11 in road and street events with ROKiT sponsorship. This has been brewing since Calderon tested for the team at Mid Ohio last July. According to the announcement, the car will be full time, and Foyt is looking for a driver for the ovals. Kyle Kirkwood will also be in a ROKiT car.
The press release from Foyt:
ROKiT Group Expands Its Program with AJ Foyt Racing; Tatiana Calderón Hired for 2022
INDIANAPOLIS (January 17, 2022) — ROKiT Group is expanding their marketing partnership with AJ Foyt Racing for 2022 as the team will enter two ROKiT-branded Chevrolets in the NTT INDYCAR Series with Tatiana Calderón hired to drive the No. 11 ROKiT Chevrolet.
The agreement expands AJ Foyt Racing to a three-car team with the previously announced Kyle Kirkwood in the No. 14 ROKiT Chevrolet and veteran Dalton Kellett in the No. 4 K-Line Insulators USA Chevrolet.
A.J. Foyt, who turned 87 yesterday, will be experiencing another first in his iconic career which spans eight decades. Calderón becomes the first female driver to compete for the legendary Texan. The 28-year-old Colombian native is set to drive the street and road courses. No driver has been signed for the oval tracks to date.
“I’m thrilled and very thankful to Jonathan Kendrick, ROKiT and AJ Foyt Racing for the opportunity to race in the NTT INDYCAR Series!” exclaimed Calderón. “Ever since I started my single seater career in the United States eleven years ago, INDYCAR has been a reference for me and it’s a dream come true to be on the grid this year! I can’t wait to get to St. Petersburg for the first race of the season! I’m well aware of the challenge ahead, but this is the chance of a lifetime and I’m keen on making the most of it.”
Entrepreneur Kendrick, the Co-founder and Chairman of the ROKiT Group of Companies, has supported Calderón’s career since 2020 when she competed in the World Endurance Championship and Super Formula Japan.
“One of our fundamental principles in the overall marketing of the ROKiT brand worldwide is our support and promotion of women in motorsport and, as part of that principle, we’ve supported Tatiana for a long time now,” Kendrick said.
Kendrick listens as Foyt answers a question at the Long Beach Grand Prix.
“We recognized her talent and charisma early on,” he continued, “which we’ve seen grow and develop, so we’re very excited to be expanding our partnership with Larry and the AJ Foyt Racing Team by having Tatiana drive the No. 11 ROKiT Chevrolet alongside Kyle Kirkwood in the No. 14 ROKiT Chevrolet this season. We know Tatiana is already a role model to many young female drivers around the world and we think the huge exposure of the NTT INDYCAR Series will serve only to increase her reach even further to become an inspiration to many more women to get involved in motorsports.”
Calderón spent the last two seasons competing in Super Formula in Japan for Threebond Drago Corse and for Richard Mille Racing in the FIA World Endurance Championship. She has been a test driver for the Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team for the past four years. Her extensive resume includes stints in Formula 2, Renault Series Formula V8 3.5 where she was the first female on the podium in Bahrein in 2017, GP3, European Formula 3, and the British Formula 3 Series, where she was the first female to score a podium.
Calderon testing at Mid-Ohio in July.
Born in Bogota, Colombia and currently living in Madrid, Calderón tested the No. 14 ROKiT Chevrolet at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio last July which prompted talks of competing for the team in 2022.
Those talks resulted in Team President Larry Foyt signing an extension and expansion of the ROKiT sponsorship along with the hire of Calderón who impressed Foyt.
Foyt said, “I’m thrilled with the continuation and expansion of the ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Team. We welcome Tatiana Calderón in car number 11 joining Kyle Kirkwood in car 14, both in the very cool ROKiT liveries. Tatiana showed a lot of potential in her test at Mid-Ohio. With Dalton Kellett in the No. 4 K-Line Insulators Chevrolet, I think our three-car team is in for an exciting season.”
Calderón will test with Kirkwood in Sebring, Fla. this week. Kellett is planning to attend in an advisory role.
Calderón and Kirkwood, the 2021 Indy Lights Series champion, will make their INDYCAR Series debut in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on February 27th which will be broadcast on NBC starting at 12 noon ET. Kirkwood and Kellett will compete in all of the races while Calderón will run in 12 of the 17 races on the schedule.
About ROKiT ROKiT Group is a next-generation global media company engaged in multiple aspects of content production and distribution, including movies, television, sports, music, drinks, and mobile entertainment. ROKiT leverages each of these business units, independently and together, to create content across all mediums, giving consumers what they want, when they want it on their mobile phones.
The good news that NBC will have 14 NTT Inycar Series races on network television s tempered by the loss of night races. The closest race to a night event is at World Wide technology Raceway., with a broadcast start time of 6 pm Eastern. That means the race starts around 5:30 Central time and will be done around dusk.
I really don’t understand why this race is not under the lights since it is slated for USA Network. I get that big NBC doesn’t want to show a prime time weekend night race. But why can’t USA show a night race.
The other race scheduled for USA Network is Belle Isle. I find that puzzling as well, considering that Roger Penske is the race promoter. Why not make that an NBC and put Iowa’s Saturday race on USA at night?
I hope this is a temporary schedule transition and there is at least one true night race in 2023. Indycars at night look fantastic. The colors really pop under the lights. They seem to be faster. Most important is that at Iowa and Gateway, to a lesser extent, the racing is better at night. As the track cools, the cars’ handling changes. A fast car early in the race can turn into a handful later, while someone struggling before sundown can turn into a rocket.
Maybe we will get a long rain delay at Iowa like there was in 2019 when a twilight race turned into a late night/early morning affair. It appears my night racing will be limited to the Rolex 24 in a couple weeks.
The absence of night races is my only complaint with the television schedule. Generally, I like the early start times for most of the races. Fans should be able to get home in time to get some sleep before going to work on Monday.
One thing about Indycar- despite a whirlwind of changes, some things stay the same. Ed Carpenter Racing announced this morning that Conor Daly will be back in the 20 car with a new sponsor in 2022. The announcement reads “full time.” Is Ed Carpenter going to just run the Indianapolis 500, a move I have thought was long overdue? According to the release below, Carpenter may race in the non Indy ovals as well.
No driver has worked harder this off season to procure sponsorship than Daly, who lost the US Air Force sponsor deal after last season.
The announcement from ECR:
Conor Daly Elevated to Full-Time Driver of the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season
(INDIANAPOLIS) January 14, 2022 – Ed Carpenter Racing announced today a new partnership with BitNile Holdings, Inc. to serve as primary partner for the No. 20 Chevrolet in a multi-year deal. ECR welcomes back Conor Daly, who will become full-time driver of the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. BitNile will also serve as an associate sponsor on ECR’s second entry, the No. 21 Chevrolet.
BitNile Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company specializing in disruptive technologies, including cryptocurrencies and innovations in the field of Decentralized Finance (“DeFi”). BitNile focuses on large-scale crypto mining with energy-efficient, powerful operations strategically located in North America. In addition, they currently operate their own high-density data center. With a mission to simplify the DeFi process for all involved, BitNile invests in technology platforms that provide crypto holders a vehicle to earn interest on their crypto assets.
BitNile Founder and Executive Chairman, Milton “Todd” Ault, III, has spent his entire career investing in undervalued assets and disruptive technologies. He believes joining in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with Ed Carpenter Racing will yield similar rewards. “I’ve been a fan of Indy car racing for a long time, and we are proud to have the opportunity to team up with Ed Carpenter Racing. It’s a natural fit for BitNile to join an Indiana business like Ed’s as we have a number of investments in the Midwest, including our mining facilities,” stated Mr. Ault. “BitNile operates with a ‘Risk On’ philosophy where risk is an integral element if you want to win. Conor Daly and ECR share that mindset, making us in perfect alignment.”
The upcoming season will mark Daly’s return to Ed Carpenter Racing for a third year, though it will be his first as full-time driver of the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet. For the past two years, Daly has split his talents between two teams. For the road and street course events and the Indianapolis 500, Daly raced for ECR; for the remaining oval events, he drove for Carlin. Over the past eight years, the Noblesville, Ind., native has competed in 80 Indy car races. The 2021 Indianapolis 500 proved a career highlight for the hometown favorite as he paced the field for nearly a quarter of the race, leading the most laps of all drivers.
Daly, who turned 30 in December, is thrilled to be a part of BitNile’s very first sponsorship program and introduce the company to motorsports. “Being chosen to represent BitNile is without a doubt one of the most important opportunities of my career. This is an incredible partnership that we look forward to being able to strengthen and grow as we go after race wins together!” Daly continued, “To be able to come back to Ed Carpenter Racing for the full season is incredible. I haven’t had the chance to be with one team for the entire year since 2017, so this is something I am very, very thankful for. I have a lot of faith in ECR and each year we continue to get better together. I couldn’t be more excited to get on track in the BitNile Chevrolet!”
Team owner Ed Carpenter became well-known in the Bitcoin space in 2021 as he welcomed the first decentralized sponsorship in the history of racing. The Bitcoin community supported all necessary on-track activities for ECR’s Bitcoin Chevrolet during the Month of May. Carpenter later spoke at the Bitcoin 2021 conference and continues to be recognized as a paddock leader in the crypto industry. “I am extremely proud to welcome BitNile to the ECR family! It is exciting to be able to expand our team’s involvement in the culture of Bitcoin after running the Bitcoin car last May,” said Carpenter. “We will also represent a few other exciting brands within BitNile Holdings as the year progresses, so there is more to come!”
ECR will continue to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with two full-time entries in 2022. Daly’s season-long teammate is fellow third-year ECR driver Rinus VeeKay, who remains in the No. 21 Chevrolet. Carpenter, a three-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner, will join Daly and VeeKay to round out ECR’s three-car program for the 2022 500-mile race. Confirmation of Carpenter’s participation in the three additional oval events may come at a later date.
Always eager to hone his driving talents, Daly returns to dirt track racing this weekend as he competes in the Chili Bowl Nationals today and tomorrow. Next Wednesday, January 19, Daly and Carpenter will be guests on Mr. Ault’s podcast, Risk On. Viewers can watch a live stream from the ECR shop on YouTube at 4 p.m. ET. The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will begin on Sunday, February 27 in the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
About BitNile Holdings, Inc. BitNile Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies with a global impact. Through its wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, BitNile owns and operates a data center at which it mines Bitcoin and provides mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including defense/aerospace, industrial, automotive, telecommunications, medical/biopharma, and textiles. In addition, BitNile extends credit to select entrepreneurial businesses through a licensed lending subsidiary. BitNile Holdings’ headquarters are located at 11411 Southern Highlands Parkway, Suite 240, Las Vegas, NV 89141; http://www.bitnile.com/.
This is the kind of activation from sponsors Indycar needs more of. The announcement from Indycar:
Winner To Split $1 Million with Chosen Charity in 2022 Season
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022) – The driver and race team seeing the checkered flag first on all three types of circuits in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES can win $1 million in the 2022 season for themselves and a charity through the new PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge.The PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge is part of a new partnership between industrial staffing giant PeopleReady and INDYCAR.
The first driver who wins at least once this season on the three types of tracks that comprise the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule – road course, street circuit and oval – will share $500,000 with their team and donate $500,000 to that driver and team’s chosen charity. “The PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge will help drive home PeopleReady’s mission to connect people and work as a force for good in the communities they serve while highlighting the skill of NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers and our collective commitment to helping others,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “This program will keep fans engaged all season and continue to raise vital awareness for a variety of worthy charities. ” History shows there’s a very good chance of a driver, team and charity winning big in 2022 through the PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge. One driver achieved the feat of winning on a road course, street circuit and oval for six consecutive seasons from 2015-20, with that streak finally ending last season (see chart below).A Team Penske driver won on all three types of tracks in a season four times in five years between 2016-20, with Josef Newgarden in 2017 and 2020, Simon Pagenaud in 2019 and Will Power in 2016. “Our partnership with INDYCAR will accelerate our ability to put work and workforces within reach by raising awareness with race fans,” said Taryn Owen, president and COO of PeopleReady. “We are excited to challenge all NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers to compete for the grand prize of $1 million and provide them with the opportunity to give back to a charity they are passionate about.” There will be a winner in all 17 races this season, even if a driver can’t pull off the “triple crown” of winning on all three types of INDYCAR circuits. PeopleReady is offering an additional $10,000 to the winner of every race this season, also to be split with their selected charity. “PeopleReady is committed to making a difference through our mission and by giving back to the communities we serve,” said Patrick Beharelle, CEO of TrueBlue, the parent company of PeopleReady. “We are excited for the opportunity to amplify that work through the PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge in partnership with the talented NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers.” Recent Winners on Road, Street, Oval in Same NTT INDYCAR SERIES SeasonYearDriver/TeamWinning Tracks 2021NoneNone 2020Josef Newgarden (Team Penske)Iowa, Indy RC, St. Petersburg 2019Simon Pagenaud (Team Penske)Indy RC, Indy Oval, Toronto 2018Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport)Long Beach, Mid-Ohio, Pocono 2017Josef Newgarden (Team Penske)Barber, Toronto, Mid-Ohio, Gateway 2016Will Power (Team Penske)Detroit, Road America, Toronto, Pocono 2015Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing)Long Beach, Texas, Sonoma About INDYCAR INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including six-time series champion Scott Dixon, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, 2021 series champion Alex Palou and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2022 season will consist of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the 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 PeopleReady PeopleReady, a TrueBlue company (NYSE: TBI), specializes in quick and reliable on-demand labor and highly skilled workers. PeopleReady supports a wide range of blue-collar industries, including construction, manufacturing and logistics, waste and recycling, and hospitality. Leveraging its game-changing JobStack platform and 600-plus branch offices across all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, PeopleReady served approximately 98,000 businesses and put approximately 221,000 people to work in 2020. Learn more at www.peopleready.com.
New Era for Series Includes Return to Iowa Speedway, Debut at Nashville
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022) – INDYCAR is launching a new era of operational control of Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires with the announcement of a 14-race schedule for 2022.
The schedule features events in 11 key markets and three doubleheader weekends, including a return to Iowa Speedway and the series’ debut on the Streets of Nashville. In November 2021, INDYCAR added the role of promoter to its position of sanctioning body of Indy Lights.
All 14 races, qualifying sessions and practices will happen within 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES weekends, providing an inclusive atmosphere for the developmental series that serves as the final step toward competing in North America’s premier open-wheel series. Where available, Indy Lights will benefit from a more integrated paddock area as its team garages will be inside the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock footprint. Additional integration will come in marketing, digital assets and race officiating.
“To have all 14 races included with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule and its world-class venues is a tremendous step forward,” said Levi Jones, director of Indy Lights. “In addition to competing for the 2022 championship, Indy Lights drivers, crew members and teams will be able to see up close how event weekends run and operate in INDYCAR.
“Racing is the part they’ve known their whole life. Our goal is to also allow them the opportunity to see what it takes to become a true professional. The chance to connect and closely interact with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock is a pathway to realize that goal.”
The 2022 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires season begins Sunday, Feb. 27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg. It is the 17th year that Indy Lights has competed on the temporary street circuit. The championship continues Sunday, May 1 at picturesque Barber Motorsports Park before the first doubleheader of the season on the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14.
The second doubleheader of 2022 is scheduled for Saturday, June 4 and Sunday, June 5 at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park in Detroit before the classic American road courses of Road America on Sunday, June 12 and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Sunday, July 3.
The first oval of the season comes Saturday, July 23 at Iowa Speedway. It marks the first appearance by Indy Lights on the .875-mile, D-shaped layout since 2018. It is followed by the series debut on the fan-favorite Streets of Nashville on Sunday, Aug. 7 and another oval at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, Aug. 20.
A series of test days also will be included in the overall calendar for the 2022 season, at the IMS road course (Tuesday, April 5), World Wide Technology Raceway (Wednesday, June 15) and Iowa Speedway (Wednesday, June 22).
“The key is we are training successful athletes today to become superstars tomorrow,” Jones said. “Tests and races at all three venues, combined with the remaining schedule, will help provide each of our drivers the experience they need to be ready for the final step of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”
The 2022 championship finishes with a flurry of three races in eight days. The final stretch starts Sunday, Sept. 4 with an event at Portland International Raceway for the 18th season. The series champion will be crowned at the final doubleheader of the season, Saturday, Sept. 10 and Sunday, Sept. 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
In the United States, all races will be broadcast live on Peacock Premium, NBCUniversal’s expanding streaming service, with additional coverage during race weekends provided by the INDYCAR Radio Network.
“Last season, over 20 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES competed in Indy Lights at some point in their career,” Jones said. “It is a proven pipeline to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and we believe the connection will strengthen as the sanctioning body assumes operational control. There is little question the 2022 championship trophy will be one the champion will keep on their shelf forever and could be a sign of bigger success to come afterward.”
Start times for 2022 events will be announced at a later date.
About Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: Celebrating 35 years, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires develops drivers and teams to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Past champions include INDYCAR SERIES champions Paul Tracy, Cristiano da Matta, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden. In 2021, 20 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES were Indy Lights graduates, including rising stars and race winners Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward and Rinus VeeKay. The 2022 season consists of 14 races in the United States. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, please visit www.indylights.com. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.
About Cooper Tire: Cooper Tire, a subsidiary of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (Nasdaq: GT), specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper is headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations located in more than one dozen countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.
About Goodyear: Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.
This announcement is one I have been waiting for. Remember, these are television times, not race start times. The one disappointment I have is that it appears neither Iowa race will be a night race meaning World Wide Technology Raceway is the only race after dark on the schedule. I am happy that mid Ohio retained its early start time.
For Immediate ReleaseINDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Jan. 10, 2022) – NBC Sports and INDYCAR have announced the broadcast start times for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, which will feature a record 14 races on broadcast network NBC, headlined by the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 at iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with coverage on NBC beginning at 11 a.m. (ET). The first six races of the season will air on NBC, including the season opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding at noon (ET) Sunday, Feb. 27. NBC Sports will also present the third consecutive year of the INDYCAR-NASCAR doubleheader July 30-31 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, with the INDYCAR race at noon (ET) Saturday, July 30 on NBC. Highlights of NBC Sports’ 2022 INDYCAR schedule include: The 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29, on NBC, with coverage beginning at 11 a.m. (ET).The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach returns to NBC at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, April 10.The third consecutive year of the INDYCAR-NASCAR doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course the weekend of July 30-31, with the INDYCAR race on Saturday, July 30 on NBC .The much-anticipated second iteration of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on the streets of Nashville, and first presentation of the race on network television, will air at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Aug. 7 on NBC.The season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca will be presented at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Sept. 11 on NBC. Peacock will exclusively stream an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race for the first time in 2022 when the Honda Indy Toronto race will be held at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, July 17. Peacock will simulstream all races airing on NBC and all qualifying and practice sessions, as well as coverage surrounding the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, Indy Lights races, race day warmups and full-event replays of 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races also will be available on Peacock. NBC Sports’ 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES coverage schedule:
From Indycar. Please participate. Click on 2022 Global INDYCAR Survey in the last paragraph. It will give you a link to open,.
For Immediate Release INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Jan. 10, 2022) – INDYCAR and Motorsport Network today launched the 2022 Global INDYCAR Survey, in partnership with Nielsen, aimed at capturing the views of racing fans around the world toward the sport. The survey is expected to be the largest NTT INDYCAR SERIES fan survey of its kind, operating in 11 languages across Motorsport Network’s flagship Motorsport.com website. “Our domestic and international reach has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by the fiercely competitive nature of our sport and the bold athletes and personalities who make up our world-class NTT INDYCAR SERIES field,” said SJ Luedtke, INDYCAR vice president of marketing. “Thus, it’s the perfect time to survey our global fan base and gather input on ways to further deliver an exceptional and entertaining product. We see our fans as our most important partners in the growth of our sport and look forward to hearing from them through this important effort carried out in partnership with the team at Motorsport Network. ”This is the first global fan survey for INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Motorsport Network leads the way in this field, recently completing the F1 Global Fan Survey in partnership with F1 in October 2021.In addition to identifying the fans’ favorite drivers, teams and racetracks, the INDYCAR survey aims to gather fans’ input on a wide range of topics, including viewing habits, live attendance and media consumption; opinions about future changes to improve the sport and insights into key issues beyond the racetrack such as the environment, diversity and inclusion. There are also questions on fan engagement and the growth of gaming and eSports given that an INDYCAR video game is currently being developed in partnership with Motorsport Games; a brand-new franchise that is eagerly anticipated by racing and gaming fans and is expected to launch in 2023 on Xbox and PlayStation consoles and PC. “We are looking forward to hearing from the global INDYCAR SERIES fans who will provide some great insight into the INDYCAR universe and how it can continue to expand and grow, and connect with its audience,” said James Allen, president of Motorsport Network. “With our industry-leading track record in this field, Motorsport Network is the ideal partner to spearhead this survey of NTT INDYCAR SERIES fans, given our global relevance as a leading digital platform, our extensive INDYCAR coverage across the network, not to mention the recent success we’ve had with the F1 global survey, which showed that 29% of F1 followers on our platforms also follow INDYCAR.” The 2022 Global INDYCAR Survey is open to anyone over the age of 16 and will run for three weeks, kicking off Monday, Jan. 10 and running through Saturday, Jan. 29, with the key findings due to be announced at the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding in late February. About Motorsport Network Every month approximately 60 million dedicated users visit a Motorsport Network digital property, to buy, to learn, to be entertained or simply to feed their passion for cars and racing. We sit at the heart of the Racing and Automotive industries and provide authoritative thought leadership as well as unique experiences to our customers. We take them on a customer journey that encompasses news and insights, events, tickets, games and eSports, so we leverage the network effect to add value to their experience. We use our in-house technology and modern data tools to continuously test, learn, and improve. Our processes, content creation, and products are constantly evolving to better serve our audience, clients, and partners. About Nielsen Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a leading global data and analytics company that provides a holistic and objective understanding of the media industry. With offerings spanning audience measurement, audience outcomes and content, Nielsen offers its clients and partners simple solutions to complex questions and optimizes the value of their investments and growth strategies. It is the only company that can offer de-duplicated cross-media audience measurement. Audience is EverythingTM to Nielsen and its clients, and Nielsen is committed to ensuring that every voice counts. An S&P 500 company, Nielsen offers measurement and analytics service in nearly 60 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com or www.nielsen.com/investors and connec
Photo: 2021 Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will run the full season in 2022. he starts testing today at Sebring. Photo by Chris owens, Indycar
The NTT Indycar season begins today with testing at Sebring. Just three cars will be on track today. Meyer Shank Racing will have its two cars running. Rahal letterman Lanigan racing will use one of its rookie test days with Christian Lundgaard.
Testing before the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is minimal this year. Just one other day in January will have testing. Team Penske and A. J. Foyt Racing will run one car each in an evaluation test on the 19th.
The big test day is February 14 at Sebring when 20 cars will be on track. All cars from Andretti Autosport, Chip Ganassi Racing, Penske, AMSP, RLL, and Ed Carpenter Racing are planning to participate. Will we know the ECR road/street course driver before then? Also testing that day is Juncos Hollinger Racing. Dale Coyne with HMD Racing is using the 14th as a rookie day with David Malukas.
The following day Coyne will have both cars on track. Meyer Shank will also use a second test day on the 15th.
That is all at this time before the season opener. I assume there will be some oval tests between St. Pete and Texas on March 20.
For Immediate Release
INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Jan. 10, 2022) – NBC Sports and INDYCAR have announced the broadcast start times for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, which will feature a record 14 races on broadcast network NBC, headlined by the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 at iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with coverage on NBC beginning at 11 a.m. (ET).
For Immediate Release
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 