Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Music City Grand Prix Preview- Altered Track, New Tires- Better Race?

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Today’s Schedule: All Times Central

9:30 AM GATES OPEN

9:30 AM-5:00 PM PRO WATERCROSS ON THE CUMBERLAND

10:15 AM TRANS AM SERIES PRACTICE 1

11:55 AM GT AMERICA TEST SESSION

12:30 PM GT AMERICA PRACTICE 1

1:15 PM TRANS AM SERIES PRACTICE 2

2:00 PM INDY LIGHTS SERIES PRACTICE 1

3:15 PM INDYCAR PRACTICE 1 Peacock

4:45 PM STADIUM SUPER TRUCKS QUALIFYING

5:20 PM FREEDOM FRIDAY MILITARY DEMONSTRATION

6:15 PM GT AMERICA PRACTICE 2

7:00 PM

FREEDOM FRIDAY TRIBUTE CONCERT FEATURING AARON LEWIS

The second year of a race, especially a street race, usually sets the tone for the event’s future. I tend to gave new races a pass the first year. The Music City Grand Prix had some issues in 2021, from customer service- grandstands weren’t complete until Sunday, some security and other staff were a bit, shall we say, overzealous- and the race itself was perhaps the worst one of last season.

Things look much better for 2022. It appears all infrastructure is set to go this morning. The track has been tweaked a bit to improve the racing, and fans are returning. I checked the ticket availability Wednesday. I saw fewer than 500 grandstand tickets available. I expect a much improved event.

Track Changes

Two turns have been modified, the start and all restarts will take place on the bridge, and some areas have been repaved.

Turn 9 has narrowed to 60 feet from 85 feet. This will slow the cars down and should create another passing area as the cars need to slow after exiting the bridge. Turn 11 has been widened by six feet in hopes of eliminating the bottleneck which was created last year by cars getting sideways and causing one the red flags in 2021.

Bridge entrances and exits have been repapved and the big bump in turn 5 has been reduced.

Today’s first practice at 3:15 Central time will tell us a lot about the effectiveness of the changes.

New Alternate Tires Debut

Nashville is the first race test for Firestone’s new alternate tire, produce fro the guayule plant, a more sustainable, more quickly replaced rubber substance. The tires have a green band in place of the traditional red on the alternate tire. In May Cara Krstolic told me Firestone chose Nashville for the tire’s race debut because they wanted to start with a low load track. The tire is scheduled to be the alternate for the full 2023 season.

Drivers expressed concerns about the consistency of the red alternate tires last weekend. I am interested in hearing their comments this weekend.

Paretta, Simona Return

Nashvile is the third and final race of the year for Paretta Autosport with driver Simona DeSilvestro, unless funding can be found for one of the west coast races. The team partners with Ed Carpenter Racing. I hope they can expand their program next year.

The Championship

With just four races to go, only 46 points separate the top five drivers in the standings. Will Power leads Marcus Ericsson by just nine points. Ericsson won this race in 2021 whoile Power did not finish well afetr a couple of spins in turn 11.

I think Power slightly increases his lead over Ericsson, but a couple of other contenders will gain ground. Josef Newgarden was disappointed in his showing in his hometown race in 2021, and carries aq lot of motivation into the weekend. Colton Herta dominated Nashville last year until he crashed late in the race.

A Honda Track?

Honda cars were quickest in 2021 in Nashville, and they showed well in Toronto this year. This track has many of the same elements as Toronto, and I look for the Ganassi team to be the class of the field. Like last week at IMS, a driver leaving his team at the end of the year will come away with a win. Defending champion Alex Palou will keep the Music City GP trophy in the Ganassi camp.

Look for a wrapup later this evening. I will report what I can from the track.

VeeKay Stays with ECR

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Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay has signed a multi year agreement and will remain with the team. VeeKay is currently 11th ib the NTT Indycar Series points standings with one pole in 2022. He has three top 5 finishes and six top 10s.

The announcement from ECR:

(NASHVILLE, Tenn.) August 4, 2022 – Ed Carpenter Racing announced today that Rinus VeeKay will remain the driver of the No. 21 Chevrolet for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and beyond as part of a multi-year agreement. The 21-year-old joined ECR prior to the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season and has spent the entirety of his Indy car career with the Indianapolis-based team. VeeKay will compete in the full 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule behind the wheel of the No. 21, which he will campaign for a fourth consecutive year.

“I am very excited to continue with Ed Carpenter Racing for what will be my fourth year in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES! Ed Carpenter gave me the opportunity to drive for the team when I came out of Indy Lights and has let me showcase my talents in an Indy car ever since,” VeeKay stated. “The continuity at ECR is great, there have barely been any changes in my time here and it’s very nice to have the same group of people around me all the time. We have been stepping up our game every season and with the support of Todd Ault and BitNile, we can really move forward as we head into 2023.”

Raised in Hoofddorp, Netherlands, Rinus van Kalmthout began karting in 2009 at the age of 8. With sights set firmly on the pinnacle of North American open wheel racing, he transitioned to the Road to Indy in 2017 and launched his U.S. career driving as Rinus VeeKay. Just four years later, VeeKay not only reached the NTT INDYCAR SERIES but earned the 2020 Rookie of the Year honors. The following season, he joined the ranks of NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners with his first career victory on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

ECR team owner Ed Carpenter watched VeeKay’s progression through the Road to Indy, which included one championship, two second-place finishes in points standings, 16 wins and 36 podiums in just 48 races. Carpenter selected the Dutch driver for his team in late 2019 and VeeKay has been with ECR for every race since. “I am so happy to be able to extend our relationship with Rinus, he is an extremely versatile and talented driver,” stated Carpenter. He continued, “It has been and remains our hope to build our team to new heights with Rinus helping lead the charge. Our goals and expectations are to win races and to compete for championships. With Rinus’s growth and the support from BitNile and Todd Ault, we are primed for success.”

VeeKay is midway through his third season as an NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver and continues to build on his impressive resume. In addition to his Rookie of the Year title, his debut season included his first pole position and first podium finish. Two weeks after his first victory in May of 2021, he started on the front row of the Indianapolis 500. He replicated that in 2022, again starting from the 3rd position. VeeKay has been the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver in the field for each of his Indianapolis 500 starts. He also earned his second pole position this season, this time at Barber Motorsports Park, where he took the checkered flag in 3rd. VeeKay has put together a string of strong results in the recent summer stretch, finishing in the Top 6 in three of the five races that took place in July.

VeeKay is grateful for the support he has received. “I really want to thank Ed, Tony George, Stuart Reed for giving me the opportunity to continue with ECR. The entire team deserves my gratitude, everyone out in the race shop that works so hard every day to make me fast on track.” He continued, “We still have a season to finish this year, but it’s great to know future plans. It motivates me, the team and everyone around us to get more great results before we focus on next year!”

VeeKay is the longest-tenured full-time driver in Ed Carpenter Racing’s 11-year history. Since its inception in 2012, ECR has raced exclusively in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The team has shown its versatility by earning eight wins across each style of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals and super speedways. ECR boasts 40 Top 5 results to date, 24 of which have been podium finishes. For 10 of the team’s 11 Indianapolis 500s, ECR has had at least one car qualify in the first three rows. An ECR Chevrolet has sat on the front row eight of those years, including three pole positions by Carpenter (2013, 2014 and 2018).

Four races remain in the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, including this weekend’s Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in the streets of downtown Nashville, Tennessee. ECR’s 2022 campaign includes two full-time entries: VeeKay in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team Powered by BitNile Chevrolet and the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet, driven by Conor Daly. Carpenter competes in the oval events in a third ECR entry, the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet. The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule will be announced at a later date.

Fast Facts-Big Machine Music City Grand Prix

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Fast Facts from Indycar. My preview will be up tomorrow. Entry list will be posted on The Pit Window on Facebook.

Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 5 – Sunday, Aug. 7
Track: Streets of Nashville, an 11-turn, a 2.1-mile temporary street course in Nashville, Tennessee
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 80 laps / 168 miles | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 35 laps / 73.5 miles / 55 minutes
Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation
.Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding a rookie driver. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.
Twitter: @MusicCityGP, @IndyCar, #MusicCityGP, #INDYCAREvent website: www.musiccitygp.com/
INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2021 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIESMarcus Ericsson (No. 8 Bryant Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper TiresInaugural event
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda), 1:13.6835, 102.601 mph
Qualifying lap record:NTT INDYCAR SERIESColton Herta, 1:13.6835, 102.601 mph, Aug. 7, 2021Indy Lights Presented by Cooper TiresInaugural event
NBC Sports race telecast: Big Machine Music City Grand Prix 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 7, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey 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 telecast of the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix 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 Music City Grand Prix will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn and Joel Sebastianelli are the pit reporters. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix race (3 p.m. ET Sunday), Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix (1 p.m. ET Sunday) 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 local):

FRIDAY, AUG. 5
2-2:50 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice, INDYCAR Live!
3:15-4:30 p .m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (75 minutes), Peacock Premium

SATURDAY, AUG. 6
10:15-10:55 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice, INDYCAR Live!
11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes limited guarantee), Peacock Premium
2:40-3 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Qualifying, INDYCAR Live!
3:30 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock Premium

SUNDAY, AUG. 7
9:15-9:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock Premium
12:05 p.m. – Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
12:10 p.m. – Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix (35 laps/73.5 miles/55 minutes), Peacock Premium2
2 p.m. – NBC on air
2:23 p.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
2:30 p.m. – Big Machine Music City Grand Prix (80 laps/160.8 miles), NBC (Live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship facts:· Will Power leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with four races to go for the second time in his INDYCAR SERIES career. Power also led the championship with four races to go in 2010 but did not win the title. Power has led the point standings after three of the 13 races this season.· Since 2008 when INDYCAR SERIES racing unified under the NTT INDYCAR SERIES banner, the eventual series champion has won the 14th race of the season four times. The most recent occurrence was 2021 when Alex Palou won at Portland. Other drivers to win the 14th race of their championship season were Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Dario Franchitti (2009 and 2010) and Scott Dixon (2008).
Key championship point statistic: Since 2008, the largest deficit overcome by the eventual champion was 59 points by Dario Franchitti in 2010, while Scott Dixon overcame Juan Pablo Montoya’s 54-point lead in 2015. The top six drivers in the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship standings are separated by 52 points.
Point differential: The nine points that separate Will Power and Marcus Ericsson is the third-closest point margin since 2008. Before this season, the average lead with four races to go since 2008 was 37.6 points.
CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 4 TO GO
YEARLEADERSECOND LEADCHAMPION2008Scott DixonHelio Castroneves65Scott Dixon2009Scott DixonRyan Briscoe3Dario Franchitti (-20)2010Will PowerDario Franchitti59Dario Franchitti2011Dario FranchittiWill Power47Dario Franchitti2012Ryan Hunter-ReayHelio Castroneves23Ryan Hunter-Reay2013Helio CastronevesScott Dixon39Scott Dixon2014Helio CastronevesWill Power13Will Power2015Juan Pablo MontoyaScott Dixon54Scott Dixon2016Simon PagenaudWill Power58Simon Pagenaud2017Josef NewgardenHelio Castroneves7Josef Newgarden2018Scott DixonAlexander Rossi46Scott Dixon2019Josef NewgardenAlexander Rossi16Josef Newgarden2020Scott DixonJosef Newgarden76Scott Dixon2021Alex PalouPato O’Ward21Alex Palou2022Will PowerMarcus Ericsson9?   
 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: There have been eight different winners in 13 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, Road America, Iowa Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway-2), Colton Herta (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500), Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle Park), Scott Dixon (Streets of Toronto) and Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-2) have all won in 2022.
The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix will be 14th race of the 2022 season and the fifth and final temporary street circuit race of the 17-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Team Penske has won three of the previous four events with Scott McLaughlin winning St. Petersburg on Feb. 27, Josef Newgarden winning at Long Beach April 10 and Will Power winning at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park on June 5.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon won at Toronto on July 17.
Firestone will use the racetrack as a proving ground to demonstrate the performance of a new sustainable natural rubber derived from guayule, a desert shrub grown in the American Southwest. Firestone Firehawk race tires made with guayule-derived natural rubber were introduced at the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge in May and will make their competition debut as the alternate race tire at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix in Nashville. The guayule natural rubber is located within the Firestone Firehawk’s sidewall. Bridgestone race tire engineers decided to use the guayule rubber in the entire sidewall because that area is made up of the most natural rubber. This allows Firestone to maintain the same quality and performance as the existing race tire. Bridgestone plans to incorporate guayule natural rubber into more of its race tires starting in 2023. For B-Roll of the tire, click HERE.Milestones: 
Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 302nd consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history … With his next win, Dixon will break a tie with Mario Andretti and give him sole possession of second on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list with 53 wins … With his next pole position, Will Power will tie Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for most career poles with 67 … With his next win, Power will tie Michael Andretti for fourth on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list with 42.
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Notes:The Indy Lights Music City Grand Prix will be the series’ debut in Nashville. Linus Lundqvist of HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing is in the midst of a dominant season, leading the series in wins (4), poles (5) and top-five finishes (9) through nine races. Lundqvist, a native of Sweden, owns a commanding 77-point lead over second-place Hunter McElrea of Andretti Autosport.While the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires is new to Nashville, two drivers have experience on 2.1-mile street circuit in other cars. Matthew Brabham and Jacob Abel raced in Nashville in 2021 in the Stadium Super Trucks doubleheader. Brabham recorded two podium finishes in the event.Danial Frost, Christian Rasmussen and Hunter McElrea have all scored their first Indy Lights win in 2022. Will another talented prospect like Sting Ray Robb, Benjamin Pedersen, Kyffin Simpson or Ernie Francis Jr. score a first series win on the streets of Nashville?
Push-to-pass could play a key strategic role at Nashville as Indy Lights drivers will have a bank of 150 seconds to use an added 50 horsepower to assist in overtaking, similar to the drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The maximum amount of time for each press of the overtake system is 15 seconds.

Rossi, Team Penalized After Win

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The NTT Indycar Series announced this afternoon penalties for Alexander Rossi and the team of the number 27 car for a post race infraction. The cxar did not meet minimum weight.

The statement from Indycar:

Gallagher Grand Prix Post-Event Infraction

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022) – INDYCAR is announcing a post-event infraction from the conclusion of the Gallagher Grand Prix, which was completed Saturday, July 30 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
INDYCAR has fined Andretti Autosport $25,000 and penalized the team 20 entrant/driver points after the No. 27 entry of Alexander Rossi was found in violation of the following in post-race inspection:

Rule 14.4.1.1. The minimum weight shall include the car in ready-to-compete condition excluding Driver, Driver Equivalency Weight, fuel and drink bottle content.

Rule 14.4.1.1.1. Minimum weight for Road/Street Events – will be 1700 pounds.

“From a sporting perspective, the car met minimum requirements,” said INDYCAR President Jay Frye. “From a technical perspective, the way they achieved the weight is not allowed. To meet minimum weight, the drink bottle and its contents were used as car ballast, which is not permitted and why the team is being fined and penalized.”
Members may contest the imposition of the penalties detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES rulebook.
 

Music City Grand Prix Schedule

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All Times Central Daylight Time

FRIDAY AUGUST 5TH

9:30 AM GATES OPEN

9:30 AM-5:00 PM PRO WATERCROSS ON THE CUMBERLAND

10:15 AM TRANS AM SERIES PRACTICE 1

11:55 AM GT AMERICA TEST SESSION

12:30 PM GT AMERICA PRACTICE 1

1:15 PM TRANS AM SERIES PRACTICE 2

2:00 PM INDY LIGHTS SERIES PRACTICE 1

3:15 PM INDYCAR PRACTICE 1 Peacock

4:45 PM STADIUM SUPER TRUCKS QUALIFYING

5:20 PM FREEDOM FRIDAY MILITARY DEMONSTRATION

6:15 PM GT AMERICA PRACTICE 2

7:00 PM

FREEDOM FRIDAY TRIBUTE CONCERT FEATURING AARON LEWIS

SATURDAY AUGUST 6TH

8:00 AM MUSIC CITY MILES & MEMORIES BIKE/WALK/RUN/RUCK

9:00 AM GATES OPEN

9:00 AM-5:00 PM PRO WATERCROSS ON THE CUMBERLAND

9:30 AM TRANS AM SERIES QUALIFYING

10:15 AM INDY LIGHTS PRACTICE 2

11:15 AM INDYCAR PRACTICE 2 Peacock

12:30 PM TRANS AM RACE

1:55 PM GT AMERICA QUALIFYING

2:30 PM INDY LIGHTS QUALIFYING

3:30 PM INDYCAR QUALIFYING Peacock

5:45 PM VINTAGE INDY SESSION

6:15 PM STADIUM SUPER TRUCKS RACE 1

7:25 PM GT AMERICA RACE 1

8:30 PM HEADLINE CONCERT – TIM MCGRAW

10:00PM FIREWORKS SHOW

SUNDAY AUGUST 7TH

8:00 AM GATES OPEN

9:15 AM INDYCAR WARMUPS Peacock

10:00 AM VINTAGE INDY SESSION

10:55 AM GT AMERICA RACE 2

12:10 PM INDY LIGHTS RACE Peacock

1:20 PM INDYCAR PRE RACE CEREMONIES

2:30 PM INDYCAR BIG MACHINE MUSIC CITY GRAND PRIX NBC; Peacock

4:45 PM INDYCAR VICTORY LANE CELEBRATION

5:05 PM STADIUM SUPER TRUCKS RACE 2

5:45 PM POST RACE CONCERT – BRANTLEY GILBERT & CARLY PEARCE

**ALL TIMES TENTATIVE, SUBJECT TO CHANGE

Gallagher GP Wrap Up

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While it was not the most exciting race of the year, Indycar’s Gallagher Grand Prix at IMS on Saturday did have some drama. Would Alexander Rossi get his first win in three years? How far might Marcus Ericsson drop in the standings starting last? How would Josef Newgarden fare after his accident in Iowa?

Yes, Rossi did hold on to win. It is the seventh time in 2022 that the driver starting second has won. Newgarden has done it four of those times.

Will Power is the new points leader

Ericsson is just nine points behind Will Power as the series heads to the track where Ericsson won in 2021.

Newgarden drove a steady race to fifth place. He pretty much stayed there the entire day.

A couple thoughts I did not get to yesterday.

The Disappearing Yellow

When Simon Pagenaud coasted to a stop on lap 34 after his car ran out of fuel, his car sat at the edge of the track. No yellow flag came out even thought the car was in a dangerous position. Indycar justified the decision by saying they wanted to give everyone a chance to pit before throwing a yellow.

I disagree with this decision. What if someone came up to Pagenaud’s car at speed and lost control, plowing into the motionless racecar? How would Indycar explain that?

I don’t like withholding a yellow just so everyone can pit. The series can’t control when yellows happen. in this case Race Control was trying to manipulate the race. If someone’s race is affected by a caution while they are pitting, it’s just the breaks of the game. sometimes being fair can be carried to an extreme.

The Colton Herta situation I thought also called for a caution flag. His car is sitting still just inside pit in. yes there was room to get by, but we have seen cars spin entering the pits. The location of Herta’s car should have been an immediate yellow flag.

Indycar is playing with fire with deciding the moment to wave the caution flag. They are going to get burned someday.

Is Three Races at IMS too Many?

You know how much I love being at IMS, and how much i love watching Indycar there. But should any single venue comprise nearly 20% of the series schedule? I understand that more races at he Speedway were necessary during the pandemic, but since we are past that horror for now, this spot on the calendar needs to move to another track.

On Saturday I did not feel any kind of buzz or anticipation for the Indycar race. The event was truly the opening act for the weekend. Indycar should not accept this kind of treatment, especially in their own house.

My understanding is that this same format is planned for 2023. for 2024 there is talk of NASCAR returning to the oval. If they do return to the oval, Indycar would probably not run the road course that same weekend.

Let Indycar stick to May. NASCAR can have August, and starting in 2023, IMSA can have September. I will have some thoughts on the sports cars tomorrow.

Rossi Returns to Victory Lane; Thoughts on the Gallagher Grand Prix

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Indycar photo by Joe Skibinski

It took 49 races and more than 1,100 days for Alexander Rossi to once again see the checkered flag first. It happened to be in the same venue where he won his first race, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The track layout was different than when he won the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, but a win is a win.

It’s not that Rossi forgot how to drive. He endured a telephone book’s worth of issues n the pits, bad luck, and untimely mechanical failures. How did he keep going through all of the frustration?

He told the media,

“It’s human nature to start to question things when it continually doesn’t kind of fall your way. You just have to remember that you’ve done it before, you can do it again.”

Rossi tried to take the lead on lap 2 with a bold move on Felix Rosenqvist going into turn one, but ended up off course and fell back to third. He later passed Rosenqvist and set off after teammate Colton Herta, who had charged from ninth to take the lead.

It appeared to be Herta’s race, but he slowed on lap 42 and barely coasted into the pit entrance. Rossi inherited the lead and never looked back.

Rossi’s eighth career win comes as his time with Andretti Autosport nears its end. He was happy that he could win for his crew. Rossi spoke about what winning at IMS means/
“…it’s a hard one to put into words. Every time I come here, I just appreciate it more and more, whether it’s for an event — I mean,
obviously the 500, but whether it’s this event, a
sponsorship thing, a media thing, giving laps around the
track. Like it’s just such an amazing place for us.
For me, being my seventh season in the series and
knowing what it means to the NTT INDYCAR Series, as
well, yeah.

I kind of was hoping on the Road America
weekend for it to kind of start and end this drought or
whatever there, but it actually ended here was actually kind
of a cooler story. To be able to go up on the lift with the
guys and let them experience that because that didn’t exist
in 2016, there’s a lot of special things about this place. The
fan turnout here for us as INDYCAR drivers is always
amazing, and seeing everyone with the merch and the
autograph session, it’s just a very special thing today for
sure.”

I have a feeling the gap to his next win will not be as long. Arrow McLaren SP will be very happy to have Rossi driving for them.

Great day for RLL

Overshadowed by Rossi’s win was Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s best day of the season. The team has struggled for results all season, but today rookie Christian Lundgaard finished a career best second, and Graham Rahal came home in seventh. It would be great to see this team become a factor over the last four races of the year.

Christian Lundgaard

Lundgaard extended his lead in the rookie standings to 27 points over David Malukas.

Power Leads- For Now

Will Power retook the points lead over Marcus Ericsson. The difference between them is just nine points. Ericsson won at Nashville, the next race on the schedule.

The top five in points are separated by just 46 points. This race is still wide open.

Notes

Colton Herta may not want to race on Saturday anymore. Last Saturday in Iowa he made a great run through the field from his 17th starting spot only to have a mechanical issue and finish 24th. Today he took the lead from ninth and was in control at the halfway point when another issue put him out of the race.

I will have a race wrapup post tomorrow where I will discuss the call to stay green with a car stalled on track, whether three Indycar races at IMS is too many, and if this current shared weekend format should continue.

Thanks for following along. I appreciate you.

Points Lead Up for Grabs on Race Day at IMS

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Today’s Indycar Schedule:

Gates Open 7:30

8:15 AM – 8:45 AM ET Warmup Peacock

12:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET (Green Flag 12:30 PM) Gallagher Grand Prix NBC, Peacock

Today’s Gallagher Grand Prix at IMS will set the stage for the final run for the series title. Marcus Ericsson leads Will Power by eight points. Power starts fourth, Ericsson 25th. Ericsson could drop as low as third since Josef Newgarden, 34 points behind, starts fifth. I don’t think the outlook is that dire for Ericsson.

Felix Rosenqvist looks for his first win from the pole position

I think he will finish in the top 10 and minimize his points loss. I think either Power or Newgarden will have a problem and not finish well.

The big question is can Arrow McLaren SP show some consistency and have another strong finish? Felix Rosenqvist starts on pole, and Pato O’Ward, last Sunday’s Iowa winner, starts third. Rosenqvist has yet to win from pole. O’Ward seems to do better when he does not start on the pole.

Only Scott McLaughlin has a win from the pole this year. he did that in the first race of the season at St. Pete. The second place starter has won six times in 2022.

Rossi’s day at last?

I look for a battle between O’Ward, Rosenqvist, Power, and Alexander Rossi for the top spot. I think Rossi prevails, ending a couple years of frustration, and handing Michael Andretti a lovely parting gift.

Qualifying Results