From Indycar:
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Tag: NTT Indycar Series
Back on the Streets Again- For Now
Today’s announcement that the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is now the season finale could ensure the NTT Indycar Series has at least one street race this season. The original opener was cancelled, as were Long Beach and the doubleheader at Detroit. Toronto is on the schedule as of now, but I’m still not sure that race will happen. While I am glad the race is rescheduled, I know several ticketholders who will not be able to attend on the new date. Some of these are not happy with Green Savoree’s options, either.
Official announcement-https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/90591962/posts/2701353098
In an email from Green Savoree just received:
“Thank you, race fans, for your continued patience.
We are thrilled to have announced some great news. In cooperation with the City of St. Petersburg, Firestone, and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg has been rescheduled for October 23-25, 2020. Read more here.
We hope that you will join us in October to crown the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion at the season finale race on the streets of St. Petersburg. Your existing tickets will be valid for use on the new event dates and no further action will be required.
For those fans who will not be able to attend in October, alternative options as previously announced include the deferral of purchased tickets for use at the March 2021 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, or a credit for use at another Green Savoree Racing Promotions event during the 2020 or 2021 season. “
Fans unable to attend have until June 15 to choose one of the other ticket options.
Green Savoree could have lost two races this year if St. Pete hadn’t been rescheduled and Toronto can’t go on. Their Portland race will be run without fans since the governor of Oregon has ordered no fans at sports event through September 30.
This is quite a feat to reschedule a street race. It takes a lot of coordination and cooperation from the promoters, the series and the city. I am surprised that this became a reality but Mayor Rick Kriseman has been a huge supporter of the race. If the race happens, it will help St. Petersburg recoup some of the revenue lost from the aborted Spring Break season in March.
The date is significant for another reason. It is three weeks after the new Harvest Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That is a big enough window just in case the Indianapolis 500 needs to be moved to October from its new August date. If you’re a fan of uncertainty, this is your year. Should the 500 need to move, the schedule would reflect May in that a street race would follow the 500.
Another good thing about this date is that Indycar will be racing in October. if things go well, perhaps October races could become a regular part of the schedule when things return to normal. I have always thought September is too early to end the season. At least for one year, we will have a short off season.
If the schedule holds, There would be two St. Pete races in a row- the 2020 finale and the 2021 opener. It might not be worth the time for the city to remove the track.
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Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Set for October 25
Just released from Indycar. My thoughts later.
Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg set for Oct. 25 as 2020 INDYCAR season finale
INDIANAPOLIS (May 13, 2020) – The 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion will be crowned Sunday, Oct. 25 at the rescheduled Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The new date for the series finale was confirmed today by officials from INDYCAR, Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC (GSSP) and the City of St. Petersburg.
This will be the 16th consecutive year that an INDYCAR event will take place on the streets of beautiful St. Petersburg, as the exciting race weekend has become a fan favorite on the annual schedule and a fixture in the region. The original date for the event, Sunday, March 15, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The streets of St. Petersburg will make for a fitting and action-packed finale in a venue and city that our entire INDYCAR community holds dear,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “We extend our thanks and gratitude to Mayor Kriseman, Green Savoree and Firestone for working with us to find a new date for the event. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend of INDYCAR action, and I know our drivers will have race day in St. Pete circled on their calendars.”
This will be the first time the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will serve as the exciting series finale, as the event traditionally has started the season.
“The City of St. Petersburg stands ready to welcome back the fans of INDYCAR, drivers, teams and sponsors in October,” said City of St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I want to thank our partners at Green Savoree Racing Promotions for believing in this race and giving the residents of the Sunshine City something to look forward to. I am confident that the race will occur in a manner that puts public health at the forefront.”
Said Lisa Boggs, director of motorsports, Bridgestone Americas, parent company of event sponsor Firestone: “We greatly appreciate the efforts of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, INDYCAR, Mayor Kriseman and the City of St. Petersburg to find a new date for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Coming back to the streets of St. Pete to close the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is a great way to thank the incredible fans in this area for their support. While we couldn’t kick off the season with them as planned, we now look forward to crowning the 2020 INDYCAR champion together in October.”
Previously purchased tickets to the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be valid on the corresponding days of the postponed event. Ticket purchasers on file will receive instructions via email. Additional event information and customer FAQs will be posted at gpstpete.com.
“Having a rescheduled date for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a very positive development,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of GSSP, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. “This could only happen because of our partners’ commitment and support at City of St. Petersburg, INDYCAR and Firestone. We hope this offers both Floridians and our race fans something to look forward to later this year as we navigate through these unprecedented times for us all.”
Said Kevin Savoree, co-owner, president and COO of GSSP: “Thank you to our fans for their patience and understanding as we’ve worked through this process with Mayor Kriseman, City Council, the City of St. Petersburg’s event team, INDYCAR and Firestone. It’s been a terrific team effort by all, and we appreciate the opportunity to host the event again this fall in one of the most fantastic settings in downtown St. Petersburg.”
The rest of the updated INDYCAR calendar for 2020 remains on schedule for competition. The season starts Saturday night, June 6 with the Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. To view the full calendar, click here.
ABOUT INDYCAR:
INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The series features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including five-time series champion Scott Dixon, reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2020 season, which runs from June to October, currently consists of 15 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in August at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 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 FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF ST. PETERSBURG:
The 16th annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event typically held during Florida’s spring break season each March. Usually the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR races, Honda Indy Toronto (July 10-12, 2020), The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (Aug. 7-9, 2020) and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 11-13, 2020).
Road America: No Fans in May; Hopes to Admit Fans in June
In a press release from Road America this afternoon, the track announced its May event will proceed without fans. The facility plans to run its June events, including the Indycar REVGroup Grand Prix and is hopeful of allowing fans then. My interpretation of the statement is that they may limit the number of fans in attendance. Here is the complete statement:
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The New World of Sport
Be prepared for a brave new world, race fans. Racing is set to resume, albeit under very different circumstances. NASCAR and Indycar will begin the season with no fans in the stands and strict procedures for teams during the events. This may be how we see racing for awhile. Every track presents a different set of circumstances, so the Texas model won’t work everywhere. It seems to be a good way to run oval races.
While I am as anxious as anyone to get to a race track, I want to be able to attend knowing my health is assured. The teams and drivers are assuming risk by participating in theses early races. Might it be better to wait until the country as a whole has a better handle on the situation? What happens when someone involved in one of the early races tests positive for COVID-19?
Indycar has the luxury to see how things go in the May NASCAR races. Future decisions might be based on what happens this month. The NTT Indycar series indicated yesterday that they are committed to completing the last schedule published April 6.
Track Updates
The governor of Oregon has announced that no fans will be at sports events in the state through September. That means no fans at the scheduled Grand Prix of Portland September 13.
The two Indycar races I see as least likely to happen are Toronto and Richmond. Canada has stricter lockdown procedures than the United States. The end date would not allow enough time for the track build. Richmond’s stay at home order expires June 10, two weeks before the race. It is a Porpermanent oval. In talking to people who live in the area, it doesn’t sound as if fans are going to be allowed at that race, if it goes on.
I also spoke with someone last night about Road America. It appears they are planning to have fans at the Indycar race. Whether that number will be limited has not been determined. The first part of the Indycar schedule could be a race with no fans, a race with fans, and another race with no fans.
Mark Miles said on Trackside Tuesday night that the Indianapolis 500 could be run as late as October if necessary. I would be fine with that, especially if it allows all fans wishing to attend to do so.
In these strange times, don’t expect a race to actually occur until you turn on your television and see it. We can ride this through. Stay safe and wash your hands.
Texas is a Go; Shortened Race, No Fans
News release from Indycar. I will have some thoughts later.
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Bump Tales: New Qualifying Format Causes Withdrawal Pains in 2010
Photo; Jay Howard. Photo from the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Program
A change in qualifying procedures shook up the paddock in 2010. It was just the third year of the newly merged Indy Racing League. In an attempt to revive interest in qualifying, a new format was created. One of the features was a Fast Nine shootout for the pole. The first day of qualify would establish 24 positions. The cars who didn’t make the top 24 would try again Sunday to fill the last nine slots, and the slowest of Saturday’s 24 could be bumped from the field. Qualify was just one weekend instead of the two weekends which had been in place most years since 1952.
The drama began early Saturday when Tony Kanaan crashed during practice. The perennial crowd favorite had never started worse than 6th. His car would not be ready until the next day, meaning 25th was the highest he could start the race. Helio Castroneves easily won the pole in the shootout. The defending race and pole winner posted a blistering average on his first attempt in the shootout which no one else could come close to.
The track was not finished with Kanaan. In Sunday morning’s practice, he crashed in nearly the same spot. His crew did not have the luxury of 24 hours to repair the car this time. In the final hour, a chess match developed between Jay Howard, driving for Sarah fisher’s team, and Paul Tracy, driving for KV Racing. Before they began to play the withdraw/requalify dance, Tony Kanaan made the field at 5:23 with a speed that was not completely safe, but time was on his side.
Howard was bumped from the field by Takuma Sato at 5:41. Howard went back to reclaim his spot, but his average was slower than his first attempt. Tracy withdrew his time, putting Howard back in the field. Tracy went out for another attempt but waved it off after two laps that weren’t fast enough. The Fisher team decided to withdraw Howard’s car, fearing that Tracy would find the speed to bump him on his last try. Howard was in line ahead of Tracy and got the day’s final attempt. It was even slower than his second attempt. Howard and Tracy were both out of the race. if they had kept their times, both would have made the field.
Adding to the strangeness of the situation was the case of Sebastian Saavedra. He had qualified, then crashed his car during a practice period. Saavedra was at Methodist Hospital being checked for injuries during the final hour. He had been bumped twice, but the Howard and Tracy withdrawals and failures to go to fast enough put his car back in the race.
An historic field was set. For the first time, four women, Sarah Fisher, Danica Patrick, Simona De Silvestro, and Ana Beatriz would start the Indianapolis 500. The first row would feature two former winners, Castroneves and Dario Franchitti, and a future winner, Will Power. The last row had two future winners, Sato and Kanaan.
Indystar writer Bob Kravitz said of the new qualifying format, “In the end, this gimmicky pole day format worked as well, if not better, than anybody could have expected. we will know for sure in 20 years, when the Indianapolis 500 is still doing it exactly the same way.”
It’s not exactly as it was in 2010 just 10 years later, and i think it still has a ways to go, but the format is evolving. It will never make everyone happy.
Dario Franchitti won the 2010 race, his second win in a span of four years.
Guest Appearance Cars and Other Thoughts
An article in Motorsport on Monday reported that in addition to Fernando Alonso driving for Arrow McLaren SP in the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500, he would also drive in the GMR Grand Prix at IMS two weeks prior to the race. The article went on to say that former NASCAR champion jimmie Johnson would be in the third car at some point in 2021, and that 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button might have been driving at Road America in 2020.
The hitch in these plans is the Coronavirus pandemic. the lack of testing may not allow Button to race this year. Since the GMR Grand Prix is not coupled with the 500, it remains to be seen if Alonso will also drive on July 4 weekend. Reports today say Alonso is not interested in a full time Indycar ride. I never thought he was. I’m not sure Alonso knows what he wants to do other than flit from series to series.
Arrow McLaren SP’s plans and Team Penske’s plans for Scott McLaughlin to participate in some Indycar races this season present a “special guest star’ look to the grid. I don’t have a problem with this idea. I think it can help in several ways.
First, there will be more cars on the grid. While Indycar seems to be able to consistently have 23-24 cars each race, a couple more doesn’t hurt. Races might be better if the leaders have more traffic to negotiate. More cars means a stronger series, which may lead to even more teams.
I am always in favor of drivers racing in different series other than their primary one. In the 50s and 60s, even into the early 70s, I believe, this was commonplace. Today it is a big deal when a driver tries something new. Drivers coming to Indycar from other series has the potential to increase viewership of the races. Jimmie Johnson would definitely bring fans. Alonso has a following who would watch. I’m not sure what Button’s following is.
I like that Arrow McLaren SP can field a third car for these guest drivers who apparently have no plans to join the series full time. This might become a way for smaller or newer teams to gain funding quicker than just running a couple of cars for the entire season.
Starting the Season
States are beginning to allow Indycar race teams to return to work as the June 6 race at Texas Motor Speedway is still scheduled. I assume the race will be run without fans and with limited team personnel. Like you, I am anxious to start watching races again. However, it needs to be done in the safest way possible. I hope if Texas does happen, the NTT Indycar Series does a thorough, critical evaluation so more races can be safely run.
I think Road America is a possibility with fans. I’m not sure about Richmond occurring at all right now. This is such a wait and see time period.
Bump Tales Returns Tomorrow
Beginning tomorrow, Bump Tales returns for another May, which should excite two of you. I plan to have one each Thursday during May just to maintain a semblance of normalcy.
Tomorrow-2010. If there is a year you would like me to write about, please let me know.
Quick Thoughts- First Responder 175
This race turned out to be more video game like than the others in the series. The finish was crazy, but the last 15 laps seemed like the drivers all lost focus at once.
So much for calculated pit strategy. Will Power made the best move pitting again just 12 laps after his first stop. The late yellows hurt him though. They hurt everyone. It was fun with all the different pit strategies going on, but the ending ruined all of it.
Is it possible to be jealous of virtual fans? They got to spend a May afternoon at IMS.
If only passing were that easy in real life at Indianapolis.
The one touch of reality was the length of the next to last yellow.
A 200 mile race may have been better, but I’m not sure it would have produced a cleaner ending.
An all Arrow McLaren SP podium would have been fun to see.
When museums are allowed to open on June 13, will Conor Daly be giving tours of the Daly Technology Center?
Simon Pagenaud is the only Indycar regular to win any of these iRaces. As in real life, Penske drivers won four of the six races.
How much bad feeling between drivers has this iRacing challenge created. Will we see a carryover to actual tracks?
The sim events have been a nice filler, but it’s time to figure how to get back to real racing. We are still 35 days away from the scheduled first Indycar race.
Back tomorrow with more detailed thoughts on the iRacing Challenge as a whole.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 