Indycar entered two separate entry lists for the double Header at Road America. There is no difference between the lists. Carlin is once again fielding just one car, the 59 of Max Chilton.
Tag: REV Group Grand Prix
Road America Weekend Schedule
The schedule with broadcast times. Reminder- all times are Eastern. If you are going to the race, times are an hour earlier. Saturday’s race is on NBCSN, the first race of the year on that channel. Sunday’s race is on NBC.
Qualifying will follow the format used for the Detroit races. Two groups get 30 minutes each. The fastest driver in each group gets a point and is guaranteed a front row start. the faster of the two is on the pole. the other cars line up behind the leader of their group.
Thursday is reserved solely for the Road to Indy. USF 2000 and IndyPro 2000 each have practice, qualifying, and two races.
Road America On Track Schedule
Road America has released the on track schedule for the upcoming REV Group Grand Prix double header weekend.
Indycar takes the track Saturday morning with the lone practice session of the weekend. There is a 90 minute turn around from qualifying to the race each day.
Road America Official Announcement on Fan Attendance
From Indycar:
If you are planning to attend Road America, there is some important information in this announcement.
INDYCAR to Welcome Fans
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| INDIANAPOLIS (June 25, 2020) – The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will welcome fans back to the track for the first time in 2020 on July 9-12 at Road America for the REV Group Grand Prix presented by American Medical Response doubleheader race weekend.
Under the guidance of public health officials, medical experts and local, state and federal authorities, INDYCAR and Road America will observe safe social distancing practices and provide enhanced hygiene and safety precautions for all fans attending the event. All guests will be screened in their vehicles with contactless temperature checks before entering the parking areas, and only essential racing personnel will have access to the INDYCAR paddock. A PPE kit that includes a face mask as well as hand sanitizer will be provided to each guest upon arrival to the track. Fans are encouraged to practice safe social distancing and wear a cloth face-covering where social distancing is difficult to maintain. Enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures will also be implemented throughout the facility during the weekend. Guests are encouraged to print their tickets at home to have a contactless experience at the gates and easier entry. Additional protocols and guidelines for spectators can be found at www.roadamerica.com/safety. The race weekend will feature two full points races for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on back-to-back days – July 11 and 12 – as part of the REV Group Grand Prix presented by AMR. The weekend schedule will also be bolstered by two junior development series of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indy Pro 2000, and USF2000, of which many drivers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES are graduates. Fans have three quick, convenient methods to buy tickets: Online: Visit www.roadamerica.com Tickets are available 24 hours a day, seven days per week. Print your tickets to save time and enjoy a contactless experience at the gates. Phone: Call 800-365-RACE or 920-892-4576 between 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday. In-Person: Visit the Road America Ticket Office at the Road America Administration Building off of State Highway 67 (Gate 6) between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday. Gates open at 7 a.m. and races run rain or shine. For more information, call 800-365-RACE (7223) or visit www.roadamerica.com Anyone 16 years old and under is always FREE with a paying adult at the gate. All active-duty first responders will receive FREE entry to the REV Group Grand Prix presented by American Medical Response weekend. First responders, including law enforcement, fire, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians, will be admitted free of charge by showing valid identification indicating active service in the form of a department-issued ID, badge, copies of certifications or an active roster copy from their department on department letterhead. FREE admission must be redeemed at the gate and is only valid during the event weekend. About INDYCAR: |
Indycar Officially Announces Richmond, Toronto Cancellations; Revised Schedule
From Indycar as I reported this morning:
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July Road America Double Header ?
The ever changing NTT Indycar Series calendar may be about to take another twist. there is heavy speculation that the REV Group Grand prix, originally scheduled for the weekend of June 20-22, will now take place July 10-12, the original date of the now postponed Toronto event.
The switch will mean two consecutive double headers, one on a road course and one on an oval. Iowa is the week following the new Road America date.
If Richmond takes place as scheduled, Indycar will run six races on four successive weekends. After a two week break, the series has four straight weekenddates in August.
I have a feeling this will not be the last schedule change. I will have more, including the revised schedule, when the new Road America date is confirmed.
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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Indycar Drivers’ European Vacations
Above: Pato O’Ward at Road America last week.
Indycar began a three week summer break after Road America last weekend. The Series returns to action in Toronto July 14. What do drivers do in their weeks off? They go to Europe. One may not return. It’s complicated, and we’ll discuss that last.
The week before the REV Group Grand Prix Scott Dixon and Sebastien Bourdais went to Le Mans to participate in the 24 hour race for Chip Ganassi’s Ford GT teams. It was the last Le Mans for this car. Ford is shutting the GT program down. My hope is that they return in another class, preferably the prototypes.
This coming week (July already? Really/) Marcus Ericsson will participate in a Pirelli tire test in Austria on Tuesday. Ericsson is still a reserve driver for Alfa Romeo. When the Indycar season ends he will spend more time at the remaining F1 races.
O’Ward Fills in for Banned Driver; Japan Next?
Pato O’Ward’s weird itinerant season continues. This weekend he is driving for MP Motorsport in Formula 2 in Austria. O’Ward replaces Mahaveer Raganathan, who accumulated enough penalty points to earn a one race suspension. Jordan King is O’Ward’s teammate this weekend. O’Ward qualified 17th Friday, one second off the pole speed and just 0.25 seconds slower than the more experienced King. It was O’Ward’s first time in this type of car, first time at this track, and of course first time on this particular tire. Overall, he did a great job.
F2 runs two races this weekend, a race on Saturday which includes a pit stop, and a sprint race on Sunday.i am anxious to see how Pato does in the two events.
News from japan’s Super Formula that Dan Ticktum is losing his Red Bull backed ride has led to speculation that O’Ward will finish the season there. Nothing is confirmed. Ticktum has scored just 1 point this season. His teammmate has out performed him significantly.
Since O’Ward is under contract to Red Bull, he may complete his season there. That would be a big loss to Indycar, which thought they had a rising star. Considering Ticktum’s struggles, this may be a difficult situation for O’Ward. doesn’t work out, will there still be room for him back in Indycar? Let’s hope so.
I’ll be back next week with a look at another past Indianapolis 500 program.
Road America Postscript- Farewell to Speedville
The post Road America hangover is becoming as bad for me as the post 500 hangover. This is definitely my second favorite track after IMS. I decided this in 2016 after about the first five minutes I was there. This year was the best year for me of the four Indycar events as experience goes for many reasons.
First, my friends Leigh and Bob were there for the first time. They found some places I had never seen in turns 7 and 10. It was nice to see the track through fresh sets of eyes. We also had a great time visiting establishments in Elkhart Lake. I’m sure they will be back.
I also spent some time in the kink and I was impressed by the speed the cars carry before braking for Canada Corner.
The race behind Alexander Rossi was great. Third through sixth were contested all day. Dixon’s charge from the rear after the turn 5 incident was exciting to watch. His teammate Felix Rosenqvist had an excellent drive moving from 18th to 6th. Graham Rahal and James Hinchcliffe had steady drives and fought hard all day.
Colton Herta had an eventful day. After losing the lead to rossi in turn 3 of theopening lap, he had contact with both Power and Pagenaud in separate incidents and seemed to spend a lot of time off track in turn 5. Herta’s eighth place finish was his second best result of the season.
Rossi was probably not given any consideration for the drive of the day, but he should have been in the conversation. Winning margins like this don’t happen often in today’s NTT Indycar Series. His drive was a thing of beauty.
The crowd looked to me to be the biggest since 2016. I thought the bowl at the bottom of turn 5 was fuller than it had been the last two years.
I’m about halfway through the NBC broadcast and i am very impressed. The cameras were on the Herta-Pagenaud skirmish all the way, including the point when Dixon blew past both of them. Great work.
So I will say good bye to Road America until next year and leave you with some photos.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 