Tag: NTT Indycar Series

FOX Goes for Familiarity with Pit Reporter Lineup

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Like they did with the broadcast booth, FOX Sports has kept faces familiar to IndyCar fans on pit road as the network announced its pit reporters. Kevin Lee and Georgia Henneberry return along with driver Jack Harvey. Jamie Little will begin the season as Henneberry tends to her newborn and will come on in June.

The pit road crew compliments the trio in the booth where Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe will join Will Buxton. Ony Buxton and Harvey are new to IndyCar broadcasts.

The news is a great relief to me, especially where Lee is concerned. I can’t imagine an IndyCar television broadcast without him. From some comments he has made on Trackside this winter, I did not think there was any chance he would return to the series.

Little has worked the pits for the Indianapolis 500. She is a consummate professional.

Henneberry is an outstanding reporter who has gotten better every season.

Harvey has expressed an interest inthe broadcasting sid eof racing, and i am glad he will get a chance. I will give him a pass at St. Pete and Thermal as he settles into his new role. Harvey will be driving for DRR in the 500.

FOX has done a great job with creative promotiions this year. They have assembled a competent, knowledgeable crew to call the race. The question is, how will the production look? Will there be fewer intrusive commercials? Will we see excessive replays of the same action?

One of the ways I judge a race broadcast is by the number of green laps shown. I hope time returning from commercial breaks isn’t cluttered with race recaps or prolonged aerial shots of the surrounding area. Save that for prerace.

I am excited to see what the race broadcast looks like.

Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding Fast Facts 

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From IndyCar:

 Race weekend: Friday, Feb. 28-Sunday, March 2Track: Streets of St. Petersburg, 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit (clockwise) through downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, including a runway of Albert Whitted Airport

Race distance: 100 laps/180 miles (NTT INDYCAR SERIES) | 45 laps/81 miles/55 minutes (INDY NXT by Firestone)
Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation. | INDY NXT by Firestone: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: (NTT INDYCAR SERIES) Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 310 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary, five sets alternate to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. 
INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets to be used during the event weekend with one new set used for qualifying and another new set used during the race. A carryover set from the preseason testing may be used during the first practice.
X: @GPSTPETE, @INDYCAR, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARInstagram: @gpstpete, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARFacebook: @GPSTPETE, @IndyCar, @INDYNXT, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARTikTok: @IndyCar, #FirestoneGP, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR, @greensavoreeracingpromotions
Event website: www.gpstpete.comINDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
NTT INDYCAR SERIESPato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)INDY NXT by FirestoneNolan Siegel (No. 39 HMD Motorsports)
2024 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet), 59.5714 seconds, 108.777 mph
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Nolan Siegel (No. 39 HMD Motorsports), 1 minute, 4.5759 seconds, 100.347 mph
Qualifying records: NTT INDYCAR SERIESWill Power, 59.3466 seconds, 109.189 mph, Feb. 26, 2022 (set in Round 2 of qualifying)
INDY NXT by FirestoneNolan Siegel, 1 minute, 4.5759 seconds, 100.347 mph, March 9, 2024
FOX Sports telecasts: Practice 1, 3 p.m. ET, Friday, FS1 (live); Practice 2, 10 a.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 9 a.m. ET Sunday, FS2 (live); Race, noon ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman and Jake Query are the turn announcers. Michael Young, Alex Wollf and DJ Clark are the pit reporters. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practices, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (All Times Local/Eastern Time):
Friday, Feb. 28
2-2:45 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS2
3:05-4:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, FS1

Saturday, March 1
9:15-9:55 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS2
10:15-11:15 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (Limited guarantee of 45 minutes of green flag time), FS2
1:30-2 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying (Two groups, 12-minute session with green flag of one timed lap), FS2
2:30-4 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), FS1

Sunday, March 2
9:02-9:27 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, FS2
10:10 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (45 laps/81 miles/55 minutes), FS1 (Live)
Noon – FOX Sports on air
12:22 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
12:29 p.m. – Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (100 laps/181 miles), FOX, FOX Sports Deportes, FOX Sports App (Live)
“WHAT TO LOOK FOR” AT ST. PETERSBURG:
Palou begins historic title chase: Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou arrives at the season opener as the defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion for the third time in four seasons.The three-time series champion from Spain will look to make history by becoming the first back-to-back-to-back champion since Dario Franchitti won three titles in a row for Chip Ganassi Racing from 2009-11.Only three previous drivers have won three successive INDYCAR SERIES championships. Ted Horn won three straight from 1946-48, Sebastien Bourdais won four straight from 2004-07 and Franchitti.
Dixon eyeing first St. Pete win: Scott Dixon has six NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships, which trails only the seven INDYCAR SERIES titles collected by A.J. Foyt. His 58 wins rank second on the all-time INDYCAR SERIES victory list, behind Foyt’s 67, but the streets of St. Petersburg might be his kryptonite. It is one of five tracks on the schedule where Dixon is winless and the one where he has the most starts (20). Dixon has been successful on the streets of St. Petersburg. Dixon has four runner-up finishes at the circuit and has an average finish of 7.6 in his 20 previous starts. He has finished in the top 10 in his last nine starts, including seventh in 2024.

Power Plays Poles at Will: Will Power is the greatest qualifier in modern INDYCAR SERIES history, as his 70 career poles are the INDYCAR SERIES record. The tale of Power’s qualifying success can best be told through the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, where he has won nine of the last 15 poles.The only drivers to score a pole in the last 10 years in St. Petersburg not named Will Power are Takuma Sato in 2014, Robert Wickens in 2018, Colton Herta in 2021, Scott McLaughlin in 2022, Romain Grosjean in 2023 and Josef Newgarden last season.Power scored at least one pole position in each season from 2009-2023 but didn’t win an NTT P1 Award last year. Don’t be surprised if he starts a new streak at St. Pete.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding will be the 22nd INDYCAR SERIES race on the streets of St. Petersburg. Pato O’Ward won the 2024 race, while Josef Newgarden won the NTT P1 Award. Paul Tracy won the inaugural INDYCAR SERIES race on Feb. 23, 2003, under CART sanction, while Sebastien Bourdais started from the pole that year.The St. Petersburg INDYCAR SERIES race has been run every year since 2003 except for 2004. No driver has competed in every St. Petersburg race, but Scott Dixon has started 20 consecutive races.Will Power (2010, 2014) and Josef Newgarden (2019, 2020) are the only entered drivers to win at St. Petersburg more than once. Seven past winners are entered: Power, Newgarden, Graham Rahal (2008), Colton Herta (2021), Scott McLaughlin (2022), Marcus Ericsson (2023) and Pato O’Ward (2024). Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou arrives at the season opener as the defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion for the third time in four seasons. The three-time series champion will look to make history by becoming the first back-to-back-to-back champion since Dario Franchitti won three in a row for Chip Ganassi Racing from 2009-11.
Team Penske has won at St. Petersburg 11 times, including seven of the last 13 races with Helio Castroneves (2012), Will Power (2014), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015, 2016), Josef Newgarden (2019, 2020) and Scott McLaughlin (2022).
Four drivers have won the race from the pole – Helio Castroneves (2007), Will Power (2010), Colton Herta (2021) and Scott McLaughlin (2022). The St. Petersburg winner has qualified fourth in five of the last 20 races.
Milestones: Scott Dixon is expected to make his 403rd INDYCAR SERIES start, which is second on the all-time list. Dixon has made 339 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, the longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…
Colton Herta is slated to make his 100th INDYCAR SERIES start at St. Petersburg…Rookies Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman will make their NTT INDYCAR SERIES debuts at St. Petersburg. Both Abel and Foster have race at St. Pete in INDY NXT by Firestone.

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:Season starter: INDY NXT by Firestone drops the green flag on a new season on the streets of St. Petersburg for the 13th time in series history. The 14-race 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone calendar brings the series to many of North America’s most revered tracks joining the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at the streets of St. Petersburg, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, streets of Detroit, World Wide Technology Raceway, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Iowa Speedway, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Portland International Raceway, Milwaukee Mile and Nashville Superspeedway.Local favorite: Representing Florida in this weekend’s field is series debutant Nikita Johnson of HMD Motorsports. The 16-year-old from St. Petersburg is making the first of four INDY NXT by Firestone starts this season in his hometown event. Johnson finished second in the USF Pro 2000 championship in 2024 and won races at St. Petersburg in the series that feed INDY NXT
.International flair: This weekend’s race will feature drivers representing 10 countries. The United States is best represented by a total of eight drivers. There are two drivers each from Australia, Ireland, Mexico, New Zealand and one each from Brazil, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands and Scotland.
Welcome back: For the third consecutive season, INDY NXT by Firestone welcomes a new team to the paddock. Chip Ganassi Racing will make its series return in 2025 running a pair of full-time cars beginning at St. Petersburg. The 16-time INDYCAR SERIES championship-winning team last competed in INDYCAR’s top development series in 2007.
St. Pete precursor?: Since 2005, a driver who won at least one of the races at St. Petersburg has gone on to win the INDY NXT by Firestone title six times, the most recent being Kyle Kirkwood, who won the first race of the doubleheader in 2021. 

IndyCar Live (Sort of) Provides Delayed Coverage

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For thise who want to see qualifying and practice, IndyCar Live is providibng a 24 hour delay vieweing for just $19.99 a year. This is probably the best alternative to those who don’t have FS1 or FS2.

The package includes, per the the site:

Available after 24 hrs:

INDYCAR Races plus practice and qualifying

INDY NXT Races plus practice and qualifying

Replays from the 2022, 2023 & 2024 seasons

Live INDYCAR in-car cameras

Plus Race, team and driver video-shorts and classic racing

The price is less than a full IndyCar season on Peacock cost.

FOX will have a streaming service available by the end of the year, so hopefully 2025 is the only season where some fans might be inconvenienced.

Replays

FOX is offering severalreplays on FS1 and FS2.

This is great for those who have access to the alternate channels.

IndyCar Season Preview

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New leadership, new team, new broadcast partner, new teams for several drivers, but will the results be the same? IndyCar 2025 offers an intriguing mix of drama on and off track.

With Doug Boles assuming the role of IndyCar president, I don’t look for much change right away, but by mid- season we might see some movement. Off track, talk of a new chassis and whether Honda will remain in the series are the big things to watch.

But it’s been a long winter, and I’m ready to see cars on track starting next Friday. Let’s/ talk about the season.

3 Peats?

Alex Palou and Josef Newgarden are each going for three in a row. Palou seeks his third straight championship, and Newgarden his third straight Indianapolis 500. Palou has the better chance of repeating. While Newgarden may contend, I look for a different driver and team to be drinking the milk May 25.

New Teams, New Looks

The offseason saw several drivers switch teams.

Alexander Rossi joined ECR, Christian Lundgaard went to McLaren, Rinus VeeKay took the final grid spot with Coyne last week, and Marcus Armstrong will drive for Meyer Shank.

Alexander Rossi

While the lineups will take a bit of time to adjust to, radical new liveries have appeared. ECR now sports yellow and black cars, Marcus Ericsson is now a red and black machine while Will Power has gone to red and white. As I mentioned in an earlier post, study your spotters’ guide.

Will Power

Rookies

Three rookies will vie for Rookie of the Year honors. Jacob Abel with Dale Coyne Racing, Louis Foster with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and Robert Shwartzman with Prema. I look for a close race between Foster and Abel, with Foster squeaking by for top honors.

PREMA Joins the Series

PREMA brings their winning junior FIA team to IndyCar for a full season. Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman will drive the two cars with liveries representing the Italian flag. Unlike Carlin, which spent two years in Indy Lights before joining IndyCar, PREMA is jumping in with both feet.

While they had top 10s in the Sebring test, the season is a different animal. I will wait to see how they perform the second half of the season before passing judgment. I think the ovals will be a struggle for them.

No Change at the Top

The top four teams will once again get most of the victories and podiums, but we may see a surprise winner or two. I look for improvement from RLL and some better results for EGR.

David Malukas has the best chance of notching his first series win.

Series champion- Scott McLaughlin

Indianapolis 500- Pato O’Ward.

Can FOX Match Their Pre-Season Hype?

FOX has done an outstanding job promoting the series and the 500 during their football and basketball broadcasts, including significant time during the Super Bowl.

Will the promotional blitz carry over to the race broadcasts? With Will Buxton doing play by play, the booth isn’t a concern. I’m waiting to see how the production runs, how well the action gets covered, how often full screen commercials run, and just who will be covering the pits.

I hope I will be able to see a race replay, since I will be unable to record this week’s race.

I cannot wait for Friday’s first practice.

Susie Wheldon and Sebastian Wheldon named to key roles for next Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding

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From the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg:

Sebastian set to drive a pace car, and Susie to wave the green flag over the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (Feb. 21, 2025) – In honor of the late Dan Wheldon’s victory in the inaugural Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding race on April 3, 2005, Susie Wheldon (Dan’s wife) and Sebastian Wheldon (Dan and Susie’s son) have accepted invitations to take part in ceremonial pre-race roles for the 2025 race. Oliver Wheldon, Dan and Susie’s younger son, will also join them on race day.
Dan’s accomplishments are remembered with permanent landmarks on the race site. A stretch of the St. Petersburg street circuit is known as “Dan Wheldon Way” and a winners monument stands near the course behind the Turn 10 Grandstand in honor of the popular winner and local resident.
As another NTT INDYCAR SERIES season gets under way on the downtown streets of St. Petersburg on Sunday, March 2, Sebastian, a rising open-wheel racing star of the sport in his own right, will drive one of the Honda Civic Type R pace cars ahead of the INDYCAR drivers. After Sebastian enters pitlane as the cars get into race formation, Susie will wave the green flag over the field marking the start of the 100-lap race and 2025 season.
“St. Petersburg was Dan’s adopted hometown and remains home for the boys and I. For him to win the inaugural race here in 2005 was something special. What made it even more special was that his teammates, TK (Tony Kanaan), Dario (Franchitti) and Bryan (Herta), followed him across the finish line in an all Andretti 1, 2, 3, 4 podium sweep!” said Susie Wheldon. “To be here with Sebastian and Oliver 20 years later – and for Sebastian to be driving a pace car in the parade lap – is really a full circle moment. And I am honored to wave the green flag for the start of the race. I have to thank Kim (Green) and Kevin (Savoree) and the entire IndyCar family for always making the boys and I feel supported. We are looking forward to an exciting race weekend.”
The Andretti Green Racing sweep in 2005 with Dan Wheldon leading 10 of the race’s 100 laps, while Bryan Herta was on pole position at the start, marked one of many firsts for this St. Petersburg event, which now spans 21 consecutive years. Named the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg at the time, the inaugural event also made history as the first-ever street race for the Indy Racing League. This was also the first race promoted by Kim Green and Kevin Savoree, who still operate it today, as the co-owners of Green Savoree Racing Promotions. Dan went on to win the Indianapolis 500 and the series championship later that season. 
“That first event back in 2005 was certainly a remarkable moment for both our race team and our company. Having Susie and Sebastian taking on these important roles brings back a lot of terrific memories, and also reminds us how much we’ve learned over two decades of organizing this race!” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions, organizers of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. “Dan was a great racing champion of this event, the Indy 500 and the INDYCAR series. Kevin (Savoree) and I worked with Dan for the initial three years of his full-time INDYCAR career. It was a time filled with a lot of wins and lots of fun. We miss Dan.”
“We truly appreciate Susie, Sebastian and Oliver joining us and our team to be a part of another spectacular event in St. Petersburg while commemorating Dan’s win and his incredible racing legacy,” said Kevin Savoree, co-owner, president and COO of Green Savoree Racing Promotions. “We can’t wait for race day to get here!”
The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding will feature plenty of high-speed action along the picturesque downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the event as the premier open-wheel series in North American opens its season in St. Pete for the 15th time on Sunday, March 2. The racing schedule will also feature the sport’s rising stars as INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire speed through the downtown streets. Additionally, Whelen Mazda MX-5 Cup presented by Michelin will provide fender-bending sports car competition. 
On Thursday, Feb. 27, before the racing gets underway, two community events – INDYCAR Party in the Park and the 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track – will kick off the event festivities in downtown St. Petersburg at North Straub Park. Free and open to the public, INDYCAR Party in the Park will feature driver appearances, music, giveaways, food trucks and more. Fans will be able to get up-close to race cars from all the series running during the race weekend in the park from 4-7 p.m. ET. 
Additionally, runners and walkers have a unique opportunity to “race on track” during the 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track set for 5 p.m. ET on Feb. 27. The race starts and ends on Bayshore Drive NE, adjacent to North Straub Park. Participants can register now at gpstpete5k.com while supplies last with all proceeds benefiting the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg.
Both 3-Day and Single Day Grandstand and General Admission tickets are available starting as low as $30. For complete pricing, schedule and festival information, visit gpstpete.com. Follow the event on social media using @gpstpete and #FirestoneGP for the latest updates. Joining the E-Club also provides insider access to the latest news and offers.
About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding:The 21st annual Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season. Traditionally the site of 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 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding airs live on a national broadcast on FOX. FOX Sports named the race one of its “50 Events You Can’t Miss in 2025.” The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration that uses the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runway at Albert Whitted Airport, and borders the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding 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 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 4-6, 2025), Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (July 18-20, 2025) and BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland (Aug. 8-10, 2025).
For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page @GPSTPETE or follow the event on X at @GPSTPETE and Instagram at @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.

Sebring Test Day 2- Penske Returns to the Top

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Photo- Penske Entertainment

Will Power and Josef Newgarden led the final day of testing at Sebring today, each leading one session. We are just 10 days from the first practice. The following is IndyCar’s summary of the day.

Power, Newgarden Push Penske
to Top of Sebring Test 
 SEBRING, Fla. (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025) – After an uncharacteristically quiet opening day, Team Penske roared to the top of the overall speed charts Tuesday during the finale of an NTT INDYCAR SERIES Group Test at Sebring International Raceway.Series champions and Indianapolis 500 winners Will Power and Josef Newgarden ended up 1-2 for the fabled team and overall in the two-day test, which served as final preparations for all 27 full-time drivers before the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Sunday, March 2 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Florida (noon ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Power was quickest today and overall with a lap of 52.2549 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, followed by Newgarden at 52.3191 in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Both laps were completed in the cooler morning session, when seven of the 10 quickest laps of the two-day session were turned.
The field was split into morning and afternoon groups both days on the 1.67-mile “short course” at the historic circuit in Central Florida.

“It’s funny, after a couple days back in the car, you feel right at home, back to the same old stuff, and going through the same old changes and just confirming stuff,” Power said. “I know it so well now, but it always changes. It’s never the same. So, you’ve got to be on your toes, super-tight field.”

Less than eight-tenths of a second separated the entire 27-car field over two days of testing.The results for Team Penske today were a contrast from Monday, when Power was the quickest for the team in seventh at 52.8032, more than four-tenths of a second behind the day’s leader, Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren at 52.3470.
O’Ward’s leading time from Monday still placed him third overall on the combined speed chart. His best lap today was 52.7060 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Marcus Armstrong’s afternoon session-leading time Monday of 52.3675 stood up as fourth overall in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing normally driven by Felix Rosenqvist, who was ill Monday. Rosenqvist was back behind the wheel of the No. 60 machine Tuesday and was ninth overall at 52.5273.

Colton Herta ended up fifth overall with his lap this morning of 52.3818 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global. Nolan Siegel helped Arrow McLaren join Team Penske with two drivers in the top six as he clocked in at sixth overall at 52.4405 with his top lap this morning in the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Three-time and two-time defending series champion Alex Palou was seventh overall at 52.4948 with his best lap Monday in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Series newcomer PREMA Racing, which has dominated global junior open-wheel racing, finished its first Group Test on an encouraging note. Series veteran Callum Ilott ended up eighth overall at 52.4998 in the team’s No. 90 Chevrolet.

A challenging test for Scott Dixon ended with the six-time series champion at 13th overall in the 27-driver field at 52.6120 with his best lap this morning in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.Dixon only turned two laps Monday due to a mechanical problem, and he crashed into the barriers in Turn 6 approximately 15 minutes into the morning session today. His car suffered minor rear damage, and Dixon was unhurt and returned to testing.

Results

New FOX Sports Era To Showcase Another History-Making INDYCAR Season

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  Competition Updates Begin on Streets of St. Petersburg
for NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025) – A late-winter thaw is well underway for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES as anticipation heats up for next week’s start to the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone seasons.
Championship campaigns begin in the Florida sunshine with a two-day group test Feb. 17-18 at Sebring International Raceway ahead of the Sunday, March 2 season opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding is expected to set the stage for what will be another thrilling season on track and on television.
FOX Sports launches its inaugural season of INDYCAR coverage with the season’s first practice in St. Pete on Friday, Feb. 28 on FS1. All 17 races for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will air on FOX, with two additional days during PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying May 17-18 ahead of the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge creating a series-record 19 network windows.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsport series in North America with all races broadcasting on network television.
All INDYCAR programming also streams live on the FOX Sports app.
“This will be a season of unrivaled exposure for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles. “With phenomenal support of our sport across multiple massive platforms – including Super Bowl LIX – FOX Sports has proven to be a superb partner and promoter. With the season approaching, we know their unique style of engaging and innovative broadcasts will continue to raise the bar and drive an unparallelled growth opportunity for INDYCAR.”
With an eye on the fierce and intense competition of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, several updates will be featured in 2025:
More Time, More Action
To maximize the thrilling, wheel-to-wheel racing action for fans during the record number of FOX race broadcast windows, lap counts at several NTT INDYCAR SERIES races have been extended in 2025, creating added dynamics for race teams.

Race distances have been updated for:
Streets of Long Beach – 90 laps (+5 laps)
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – 90 laps (+10)
Iowa Speedway doubleheader – 275 laps (+25)
Streets of Toronto – 90 laps (+5
)Nashville Superspeedway – 225 laps (+19

)Hybrid Highlighted
2025 will feature the first full-season integration of the hybrid power unit, including the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge for the first time. Hybrid assist – developed specifically for INDYCAR through a first-of-its-kind collaborative effort by Chevrolet and Honda – provides an added boost of 120 horsepower when used with traditional Push to Pass on road and street circuits. Used in tandem, a total of 800 horsepower is available to drivers for the first time in two decades.
New this season, use of the hybrid power unit will be allowed to start or restart the 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engines on pit lane. As in 2024, hybrid assist will be allowed to restart a stalled race car on the racetrack on non-ovals.
After meticulous development, the INDYCAR hybrid power unit made its successful race debut July 7, 2024, at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. From its full-field integration at the Milwaukee Mile Open Test on June 11 through the end of the 2024 season, 94,244 miles were completed with the system. Overall use and influence of hybrid assist increased race-over-race on road and street circuits and ovals. Twelve of the 14 on-track passing records broken during the 2024 season came after the introduction of the hybrid power unit.

Practice Makes Perfect
Some NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions will have an updated look in 2025.
At select road and street circuits (Streets of St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Detroit and Toronto; Barber Motorsports Park, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Portland International Raceway), weekend tire allotments this season will include:
One additional set of Firestone Firehawk alternates (five total)
One less set of Firestone Firehawk primaries (five total)
Race teams will be allowed the freedom to use their weekend allotments as they see fit, reserving one set of new alternates, per the rulebook, for use during the race. Tire allotments for event weekends at The Thermal Club and Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course remain unchanged from last year.
Also on road and street circuits, split group practice sessions in Practice 1 will expand to all tracks except for Road America and its lengthy 4.014-mile layout. All cars will receive an initial 45-minute practice session before the start of two 10-minute segments, with groups split by odd and even numbered pit boxes.
As in qualifying, the clock in Segments One and Two will stop for the first red flag condition of each practice segment.
Popular high-line practice sessions will continue on all short ovals in 2025. The additional track time allows for drivers and teams to work in the upper groove of the racetrack, providing more grip ahead of the race.
Race Ready
An annual INDYCAR review also has led to adjustments to procedures and rules for the upcoming NTT INDYCAR SERIES season:
Ahead of a race start on ovals, there will be a mandatory “pair up” location with “one to go” to reduce the chance of incident and the need for waved-off starts.
Where feasible for oval restarts, INDYCAR will extend the beginning of the restart zone to give the leader wider discretion on the choice to accelerate. The ending location of oval restart zones will remain the same as in previous seasons.
A multistage pit lane speed limiter, as utilized at pit in at Road America and at pit out at World Wide Technology Raceway and Nashville Superspeedway, will be expanded to pit lane entry at WWT Raceway, Iowa Speedway and Nashville. The update prevents cars from overextending from the apron onto the racetrack after the pit-in commitment point.
The 2024 road and street circuit restart line, where drivers must remain in single file and are prohibited from passing until reaching the designated line in the last corner, remains intact for 2025
.Additional EM Motorsport light panels, first used in 2022, will be used at all circuits. The additional lights will enhance the forewarning of conditions, particularly around blind corners.
Also for safety, drivers will be alerted of local yellow conditions by a notification on driver cockpit dashes in addition to the light panels and traditional cloth flag notifications at marshal posts around each circuit.
Also noteworthy, alternate tires at Nashville Superspeedway again will be available for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale at the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. Last season, the breathtaking championship race featured 653 on-track passes – the most on record for the series at the track
.“From the mid-year integration of the hybrid power unit to the on-track passing records and another championship decided at the final race, 2024 was truly a phenomenal year for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” INDYCAR Senior Vice President, Competition and Operations Mark Sibla said.
“This is a testament to the hard work by the teams, drivers and naturally our partners Chevrolet, Honda, Firestone and Shell. As our attention turns toward 2025, we will continue the series’ energy, momentum and incredibly close competition on the track. We are excited to get the new season started.”
Talented, Packed Field, Live Television Highlight INDY NXT by Firestone
For the first time, an entire INDY NXT by Firestone season will be featured on live television. Announced in December, 12 INDY NXT races will appear live on FOX Sports’ FS1, with two airing on FS2. Additionally, all practice and qualifying sessions for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ development series will air on a combination of FS1 and FS2.
Which driver will receive the most attention from FOX’s cameras is anyone’s guess. After last season averaged the most starters (19.5) since 2009, the 2025 season is expected to match or exceed that number – in a field featuring drivers from 10 countries.
Chip Ganassi Racing will add even more intrigue to the championship as it fields cars in INDY NXT for the first time since 2007.Building on the series’ continued momentum, 2024 featured on-track passing records at four circuits, with qualifying records broken at six.
Sixteen of the 33 starters in last year’s Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge were graduates of INDY NXT.
After the launch of a reimagined look in 2023, this is the fourth season that INDYCAR’s development series will feature continued integration with INDYCAR as the sanctioning body. In 2025,
INDY NXT chassis will showcase updated and stylized rear wing end plates featuring LED rain lights, matching the safety component available in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The pathway to North America’s premier open-wheel series once again features a total purse of $1.4 million. The series champion will receive $850,000 to be applied to a rookie oval test, the Indy 500 Open Test and Rookie Orientation Program, an entry for the 2026 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and an entry for an additional 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES event.
The 2025 championship team will receive a prize of $35,000.
“This will be a season of incredible and unprecedented exposure for INDY NXT by Firestone,” series director Richard Buck said.
“The continued integration of this series with INDYCAR has clearly raised the quantity and quality of INDY NXT. The championship has never been more fierce and difficult to win, but it will prove to be all the more gratifying for the driver advancing to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.”
Coverage of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season debut Sunday, March 2 begins at noon ET on FOX. A Spanish-language version will be available on FOX Deportes.INDY NXT by Firestone’s season opener begins earlier that day at 10 a.m. on FS1.The award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network will provide coverage of both races with audio available on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.