Tag: NTT Indycar Series

INDYCAR Announces St. Petersburg Penalties 

thepitwindow

Editor’s Note: I will have some thoughts later. This is Huge News. Up dated points at end of article.

 INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, April 24, 2024) – INDYCAR has announced penalties for Team Penske, including disqualifications for the No. 2 (driver Josef Newgarden) and No. 3 (Scott McLaughlin) and a 10-point penalty for No. 12 (Will Power) from the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
Team Penske was in violation of the following “Push to Pass” parameters:
Rule 14.19.15. An indicator to enable Push to Pass will be sent via CAN communication from the timing and scoring beacon on board the Car to the team data logger. This signal must be passed on to the ECU unmodified and uninterrupted during all Road and Street Course Events.Rule 14.19.16. Race Starts and any Race Restart that occurs before the lap prior to the white flag or prior to three minutes remaining in a timed Race Event will have the Push to Pass system disabled and will be enabled for a given Car once that Car reaches the alternate Start/Finish line.
According to the rulebook, the violation is considered a Race Procedure Penalty (9.2.2.), which includes the right to reposition the Driver/Car in the posting or results, with a disqualification (9.2.2.6.) that includes the forfeiture of points and awards.
During the Sunday, April 21 warmup session ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, INDYCAR discovered the team’s possible rules violation.
An extensive review of data from the race on the Streets of St. Petersburg revealed that Team Penske manipulated the overtake system so that the No. 2, 3 and 12 cars had the ability to use Push to Pass on starts and restarts. According to the INDYCAR rulebook, use of overtake is not available during championship races until the car reaches the alternate start-finish line.
It was determined that the No. 2 and the No. 3 gained a competitive advantage by using Push to Pass on restarts while the No. 12 did not.
Additionally, all three entries have been fined $25,000 and will forfeit all prize money associated with the Streets of St. Petersburg race.
“The integrity of the INDYCAR SERIES championship is critical to everything we do,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “While the violation went undetected at St. Petersburg, INDYCAR discovered the manipulation during Sunday’s warmup in Long Beach and immediately addressed it ensuring all cars were compliant for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. Beginning with this week’s race at Barber Motorsports Park, new technical inspection procedures will be in place to deter this violation.”
Due to the disqualification penalty of the No 2, the No. 5 entry of Arrow McLaren driven by Pato O’Ward is now credited with the win on the Streets of St. Petersburg.
An updated official final results from the St. Petersburg race is available here with updated 2024 season standings available here.
Members may contest the imposition of the penalties detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES rulebook.

Updated points:

1. Dixon 79

2. Herta 77 (-2)

3. Palou 67 (-12)

4. O’Ward 64 (-15)

5. Power 59 (-20)

6. Rosenqvist 55 (-24)

7. Rossi 48 (-31)

8. Kirkwood 47 (-32)

9. VeeKay 40 (-39)

10. Ericsson 37 (-42)

Newgarden is now 11th, Mclaughlin 29th.

Revised Box score:

Statement from Team Penske:

Pourchaire Stays in the 6 Car for Barber

thepitwindow

From Arrow McLaren:

The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team announced today that Théo Pourchaire will pilot the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on April 28 alongside Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi.

David Malukas continues to recover from a left wrist injury and surgery. Arrow McLaren will maintain their evaluation of David’s health and will share updates as appropriate.

Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix Schedule- First Look

thepitwindow

All times eastern

Friday, April 26

3:40 pm-4:55 pm Practice 1 Peacock, Indycar Radio

Saturday April 27

12:15 pm-1:15 pm Practice 2 Peacock, Indycar Radio

3:30 pm-5:00 pm Qualifying Peacock, Indycar Radio

Sunday, April 28

10:15 am- Final Warmup (30 minutes) Peacock, Indycar Radio

1 pm-4 pm television window NBC, Peacock, Indycar Radio

1:40 Green Flag NBC, Peacock, Indycar Radio

Indy NXT is also racing this weekend. USF Juniors, featuring Sebastian Wheldon, also is on the schedule.

The Fuel Master is In-Long Beach Quick Thoughts

thepitwindow

Photo by Kyle McInnes

What words are left to describe Scott Dixon’s mastery of fuel strategy? I have used alchemist, wizard, miser, and a bunch of other nouns I can’t remember over the last 20 years. Today’s triumph at Long Beach was one of the top five wins of his 57 victories.

Dixon had to hold off a fast closing Josef Newgarden, then a hungry Colton Herta while making sure he had enough fuel to get to the end. he was one of the drivers who pitted on lap 17 during the only caution of the day and cycled to the front when the rest of the field took their stops 14 laps later. Dixon made his last stop on lap 51 and squeezed 34 laps out of the tank.

The Dixon File:

57 wins puts him just 10 behind A. J. Foyt.

Dixon has won at least one race each season for the past 20 years. This is NOT a typo.

Dixon has won 4 of the last 6 Indycar races dating back to the Gallagher Grand Prix at IMS in August 2023.

I said in my review that Indycar needed to have a good show this weekend, and they delivered. I thought this was a fascinating race with the split fuel and tire strategies before the dramatic fight at the end. It’s a while since four cars were in contention for the win with less than 10 laps to go. Today provided great momentum heading to Barber and the seven week stretch after that.

Notes

“I love it. Pure racing.” Theo Pourchaire after the race.

Theo Pourchaire would have been the start of the show today had it not been for the dramatic finish. The F2 champion, who’s first time in an Indycar was Friday afternoon, finished 11th. He drove a steady race. I hope we see him again soon. Maybe next weekend?

Arrow McLaren once again had trouble staying out of their own way. Pato O’Ward ran into teammate Alexander Rossi on lap, forcing Rossi to pit. O’Ward received a drive through penalty and was virtually not heard from the rest of the day. Rossi fought back to earn a 10th place finish.

Don’t count Alex Palou out of the title hunt. In 2023 Palou finished eighth at St. Petet and fifth at barber. In 2024 he was sixth at barber and he finished third today. Palou is fourth in the standings, just 24 points behind Newgarden.

Rosenqvist Wins Long Beach Pole

thepitwindow

Photo by Kyle McInnes

It was only a matter of time before Felix Rosenqvist would win a pole this season. That time was 39 ten thousandths of a second. Rosenqvist nipped Will Power by that much and will start the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach at the front of the field.

In the three Indycar events in 2024, Rosenqvist started second at St. Pete, Was on the pole for his heat race and the front row of the feature at Thermal, and now has his third front row start of the season. Rosenqvist now has six career poles. Today’s pole is the first for Meyer Shank Racing

It has been quite a resurgence for Rosenqvist this year. He has been in contention in every event. His switch to Meyer Shank Racing after some frustrating years at Arrow McLaren has rejuvenated the Swedish driver.

Will Power came back after a disastrous morning practice session. He brushed the wall and damaged the left rear tire and underwing. Power returned only to make nose first contact with the wall and cause a red flag with a bit less than nine minutes left.

Notes

The anticipated three Penskes versus three Andrettis didn’t materialize. Team Penske had just Will Power and Josef Newgarden in the final round. Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson made the fast Six for Andretti.

Rosenqvist and Alex Palou were the only preliminary round leaders to make the final session.

Team Penske did not lead any sessions this weekend, but they could lead the one that counts the most tomorrow.

Pato O’Ward’s fade from leading Friday’s practice is puzzling. Are we looking at another year of unfilled promise from Arrow McLaren? Alexander Rossi is the team’s highest starter tomorrow in 13th.

The Long Beach Grand Prix released a notice announcing that all reserved seats for tomorrow’s race have been sold. Only general admission is available.

Tomorrow’s schedule in Eastern time:

Noon- Warm up (30 Minutes) Peacock

3 pm- Televison network coverage USA, Peacock

3:30- Green flag

Long Beach Preview

thepitwindow

Indycar photo

Indycar awakens from its long spring nap today as practice begins for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. The series will be on track for seven of the next eight weeks, ending at Road America June 9.

If I had to limit the number of races I go to in a season, this event is one that would stay on my calendar. The entire city embraces the event, and I enjoy walking around the downtown area.

The Long Beach Grand Prix is the second longest consecutive race on the calendar. Milwaukee has run more races, but there have been several years where there were no races.

The future of Indycar at this venue was secured earlier this spring when Part owner Gerry Forsythe purchased the other half of the event from the estate of Kevin Kalkhoven.

Indycar Needs a Good Show

The first two outings- St. Pete and Thermal- were not great races. The tire compound which was designed for the heavier hybrid system,which is not in the cars yet, hindered the racing at the season opener. Thermal was a format that did not work.

I hope the series has made adjustments to provide a better race. If not, the racing may not improve until Mid-Ohio when the hybrid debuts.

Rosenqvist on the Rise

Can Felix Rosenqvist continue his strong start to the season? Rosenqvist started second at St. Pete, won the pole and his heat race at Thermal, and finished second in the feature at Thermal.

He appears to be enjoying his new home at Meyer Shank Racing, and so far has looked like the driver I felt he could be all along.

Andretti- Will Long Beach Dominance Continue?

Andretti Global has won this crown jewel race four of the last four years. The team excelled at street courses in 2023. At St. Pete in March, they weren’t as solid, but Colton Herta finished fifth.

Herta has won at Long Beach, and teammate Kyle Kirkwood won from the pole in 2023.

I can see Herta winning Sunday.

Can Penske Keep Momentum?

Momentum is hard enough to keep week to week, but after a 6 week gap, can Team Penske, which finished first, third, and fourth at St. Pete, come out with another dominant team showing?

Josef Newgarden is the only driver to break up the Andretti streak here, winning in 2022. He and Scott McLaughlin have to be considered contenders.