Tag: Road America

The Schedule’s the Same, but Some Venues are Changing

thepitwindow2 Comments

Indycar’s 2023 schedule features the same venues as 2022, but that doesn’t mean nothing has changed. Three tracks- Road America, Detroit, and Weather tech raceway Laguna Seca- will be different. The Grabd prix of Detroit moves to downtown from Belle Isle, and then other two tracks will be completely repaved.

The new Detroit downtown layout will feature a dual pit lane, with cars pitting on both sides. I’m not sure how this will work out in real time. Teams will need to put some thought into their pit choice, and decisions on when to pit could come down to what cars in neighboring pits are doing.

I will need to see how this track works inre al life. On paper it has too many square corners for my tatse.

Road America Repave

The Road America repave was chronicled by thwe track on social media in a series of videos. We might see slower speeds for a year as the the track gets rubbered in and cures.

This video is fascinating

Weather Tech Raceway Upgrades

Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca is investing $10 million in upgrades, including repaving then track and replacing the pedestrian bridge near the start/finish line. Several drivers are not in favor of repaving the track. I’m not sure i like the idea either. How will it change the racing? We will have to wait and see.

I’m glad there will be a new bridge, which will be wider and more up to date. It was always an adventure crossing it. The other upgrades will bring an aging facility more up to date. There were signs of some improvements in September. One improvement took away a great viewing spot, however.

Road America Fast Facts

thepitwindow

Indycar photo

From Indycar

Race weekend: Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12
Track: Road America, a 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course (clockwise), in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 55 laps / 222.64 miles | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 20 laps/80.96 miles or 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: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate for use during the race 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: @RoadAmerica @INDYCAR, #SonsioGP, #INDYCAR
Event website: www.roadamerica.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2021 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou (No. 10 NTT DATA Honda)
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Race 1: Kyle Kirkwood (No. 28 Andretti Autosport) Race 2: David Malukas (No. 79 HMD Motorsports)
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) 1:46.0168, 136.301 mph
Qualifying lap record: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Dario Franchitti, 1:39.866, 145.924 mph, Aug. 19, 2000
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Colton Herta, 1:52.0034, 129.018 mph, June 24, 2017
NBC Sports race telecast: 12:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, June 12, 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 Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America race telecast 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 Grand Prix at Road America will be streamed on Peacock Premium, with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer 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 Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America race (noon ET Sunday), Indy Lights Grand Prix at Road America (10:30 a.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 Central Time):
Friday, June 10
2:30-3 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice 1, INDYCAR Live!
3:25-4:40 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, Peacock Premium (Note: One set of alternate tires may be used during this session and all teams must return that set after the practice)
Saturday, June 11
8:45-9:25 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Practice 2, INDYCAR Live!
9:45-10:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes in a 60-minute window), Peacock Premium
Noon-12:25 p.m. –  Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Qualifying, INDYCAR Live!
12:45-2 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying), Peacock Premium
4:20-4:50 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock Premium
Sunday, June 12
9:35 a.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix at Road America command to start engines
9:40 a.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix at Road America (20 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium
11:10 a.m. – Driver introductions
11:48 a.m. – Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR command to start engines
11:55 a.m. – Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR (55 laps/222.64 miles), NBC (live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:·
There have been six different winners in seven NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2022 season. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg), Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway and Streets of Long Beach), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park), Colton Herta (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500) and Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle Park)have all won in 2022. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.·
There have been seven different winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (Alex Palou, Colton Herta, Scott McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Marcus Ericsson and Will Power). The only repeat winners in that stretch are Herta (Laguna Seca, 2021 and Long Beach, 2021) and Newgarden (Texas, 2022 and Long Beach 2022).· The Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR will be the 33rd INDYCAR SERIES event conducted at Road America since it hosted its first INDYCAR event in 1982. 
Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi have the most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track (three).· Scott Dixon has won twice at Road America – most among active drivers. Other previous Road America winners entered include Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist and Alex Palou.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Scott Dixon 2 2017, 2020 Race #1
Will Power 1 2016
Josef Newgarden 1 2018
Alexander Rossi 1 2019
Felix Rosenqvist 1 2020 Race #2
Alex Palou 1 2021·
Eight drivers have won the Road America race from the pole: Mario Andretti (1983, 1984 and 1987), Danny Sullivan (1989), Paul Tracy (1993), Jacques Villeneuve (1995), Bruno Junqueira (2003), Sebastien Bourdais (2007), Will Power (2016) and Josef Newgarden (2018).
ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS
Josef Newgarden 3 2018, 2020 Race #1, 2021
Will Power 1 2016
Helio Castroneves 1 2017
Colton Herta 1 2019
Pato O’Ward 1 2020 Race #2·
The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Road America six times: Mario Andretti (1984), Michael Andretti (1991), Jacques Villeneuve (1995), Alex Zanardi (1997), Cristiano da Matta (2002), Sebastien Bourdais (2007) and Scott Dixon (2020).· 
Scott Dixon and Will Power have competed in nine previous races at Road America, most of any driver.
Twelve entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 123, Will Power 60, Alexander Rossi 54, Pato O’Ward 43, Scott Dixon 43, Helio Castroneves 41, Felix Rosenqvist 8, Alex Palou 5, Graham Rahal 5, Marcus Ericsson 2, Simon Pagenaud 2 and Takuma Sato 2).·
Chip Ganassi Racing has won the last three INDYCAR SERIES races at Road America and is one of three current teams with wins at the track. Overall, Chip Ganassi Racing has won six times at Road America (1997, 2001, 2017, a sweep of the 2020 doubleheader and 2021). Team Penske has won five times at Road America (1989, 1992, 1993, 2016 and 2018) while Andretti Autosport won its first in 2019.· Rookies Tatiana Calderon, Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas and NTT INDYCAR SERIES veteran Simona De Silvestro will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Road America for the first time this weekend. De Silvestro will make her 2022 season debut with Paretta Autosport.·
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 296th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history…The last time two female drivers were on the grid for an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race was the 2015 Indianapolis 500 with drivers Simona De Silvestro and Pippa Mann.
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Notes:· 
Linus Lundqvist will try to extend his Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires win streak to four races when the Indy Lights Grand Prix at Road America hits the track on Sunday. The 23-year-old Swede, who leads Benjamin Pedersen by 84 points heading into the weekend, could match the win streak of Kyle Kirkwood, who won four in a row in his title-winning season in 2021 and Oliver Askew, who also won four races in a row in his title-winning 2019 season. The series record for consecutive wins is five, shared by Greg Moore in 1995 and Alex Lloyd in 2007.·
Push-to-pass could play a key strategic role at Road America 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.·
The 2022 season features a deep and talented field with race winners such as Linus Lundqvist and Matthew Brabham joining a promising rookie class that includes Christian Rasmussen (Indy Pro 2000 champ), Hunter McElrea (Indy Pro 2000), Kyffin Simpson (Formula Regional Americas champion) and Ernie Francis Jr. (seven-time Trans Am champion/Formula Regional Americas). Other contenders include returning drivers Danial Frost, Sting Ray Robb and Benjamin Pedersen. 
 

Road America Schedule

thepitwindow

USF2000 and IndyPro 2000 also practice on Thursday.

All Times Central

Friday, June 10, 2022
7:00 a.m. Gates Open
8:00 a.m. USF2000 P1
8:45 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 P1
9:30 a.m. RADICAL CUP P2
10:30 a.m. USF2000 Q1
11:15 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 Q1
12:00 p.m. Vintage Indy Registry
12:45 p.m. RADICAL CUP Quals
1:00 p.m. INDY LIGHTS Autograph Session Fan Village
1:30 p.m. USF2000 Q2
2:00 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Autograph Session Fan Village
2:15 p.m. INDY LIGHTS P1
3:30 p.m. INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 Peacock
4:45 p.m. RADICAL CUP R#1
5:50 p.m. Vintage Indy Registry


Saturday, June 11, 2022
7:00 a.m. Gates Open
8:00 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 Q2
8:45 a.m. INDY LIGHTS P2
9:45 a.m. INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 Peacock
11:00 a.m. USF2000 R#1
12:00 p.m. INDY LIGHTS Qualifying12:45 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying/Firestone Fast 6 Peacock
2:15 p.m. Indy Pro 2000 R#1
3:20 p.m. USF2000 R#2
4:20 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice Peacock
5:05 p.m. RADICAL CUP R#2
6:10 p.m. Vintage Indy Registry

Sunday, June 12, 2022
7:00 a.m. Gates Open
8:25 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 R#2
9:40 a.m. GF INDY LIGHTS Race Peacock
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Family Fun Zone Hours
11:45 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE NBC; Peacock
2:15 p.m. RADICAL CUP R#3
3:20 p.m. Vintage Indy Registry

SONSIO NAMED TITLE SPONSOR FOR NTT INDYCAR SERIES EVENT AT ROAD AMERICA 

thepitwindow

Big news from Road America:

 American Medical Response Renews as Presenting Sponsor –
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., January 19, 2022 – Sonsio has signed on to be the title sponsor for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at Road America, and American Medical Response has agreed to return as the presenting sponsor. The race will be known as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR. The green flag will fly on the event at approximately 12 p.m. CST on June 12, 2022, and the event will be aired LIVE on NBC.  

 “We looked closely into what Sonsio could do with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to continue a mutually beneficial partnership, and a relationship with Road America fit the bill,” said Sonsio Chief Executive Officer, David Jones. “Road America is a premier facility in a spectacular part of the country, and we look forward to working together to make the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR a memorable experience for everyone.”  

For over 37 years, Sonsio has been the industry leader in administering tire and wheel road hazard programs, vehicle appearance programs, parts and labor warranty programs, mechanical advice, extended customer service, and loyalty enhancement programs to the automotive industry. As part of the entitlement of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR weekend, Sonsio will leverage other marketing opportunities and receive branding in the form of trackside and other signage and will be able to communicate with Road America’s fans inviting them to learn more about Sonsio and its many automotive services.  

 “Sonsio is a great fit for Road America,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s President and General Manager. “They have a unique cadre of offerings and services that have been instrumental in improving the automotive industry. We feel that Sonsio will incorporate itself very well with Road America’s fan base, and we are very excited to have them on board in such a prominent capacity.

We are equally proud to have American Medical Response join Sonsio with this event as the presenting sponsor. American Medical Response is a leader in emergency medical transportation, and they have been instrumental to INDYCAR’S success through various partnerships with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Safety Team and series initiatives.” 

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR takes center stage at Road America June 9-12, 2022, as an international lineup of drivers will have their chance to battle it out for glory on one of the world’s most majestic road courses. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR weekend schedule at Road America, will also be bolstered by the Radical Cup series and 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.  

In addition to the title sponsorship of the Road America event, Sonsio’s INDYCAR involvement will also once again extend to a primary partnership with Team Penske. Building upon their relationship in 2021, Sonsio will serve as the primary partner on the No.3 Chevrolet driven by defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year Scott McLaughlin at the Road America event. 

“It is an honor to represent partners that have already tasted success with Team Penske over the years, including Sonsio,” said McLaughlin. “My aim is to continue those winning ways with the No. 3 Sonsio Chevrolet in 2022. Road America is a perfect place for us to do that. Coming from Australia that was one track that I was anxious to get to, and it did not disappoint. It is a proper, classic American racetrack.” 

Bring the entire family out to experience the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR in person at Road America! Kids 16 and under get free general admission to all Road America season racing events with a paying adult at the gate. Make it a weekend of affordable fun by camping on-site on one of Road America’s 1,000+ campsites. Tickets and additional event details, ticket pricing, a tentative event schedule, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. All races will run rain or shine.

  About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is located midway between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. The 640-acre, park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers a variety of group event programs, the Briggs & Stratton Motorplex for karting and supermoto, and the Road America Motorcycle and Advanced Driving Schools. For more information, follow Road America on www.facebook.com/RoadAmerica and on Twitter: @roadamerica or call 800-365-7223. 

About Sonsio: With a comprehensive lineup of vehicle protection plans, Sonsio offers industry-leading programs that cover tire and wheel road hazard protection, appearance protection, parts and labor warranties, mechanical advisory, and other critical consumer services. These benefits provide vehicle owners with affordable and valuable coverages to keep their vehicles on the road safely and maximize the resale value by keeping the appearance of their vehicles like-new. To learn more visit www.sonsio.com.

Indycar, Road America Sign Multi Year Extension

thepitwindow

A release from Indycar and Road America:

NTT INDYCAR SERIESAnnounces Extension with Road America
-Historic Elkhart Lake Road Course To Remain on Calendar in Multiyear Agreement-
ELKHART LAKE, Wis., July 6, 2021 – INDYCAR and Road America announced today a new, multiyear extension designed to keep the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing at the legendary 4.014-mile permanent road course for years to come. The series began racing at the picturesque layout in 1982. After a brief hiatus, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned in 2016 to packed grandstands and campgrounds. This year marked the sixth consecutive year Road America has hosted North America’s premier open-wheel series. “INDYCAR is pleased to continue its relationship with Road America,” said Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles. “It is clear that NTT INDYCAR SERIES events in Wisconsin’s scenic Kettle Moraine have developed into exciting and favored weekends for our fans and athletes, as well. “Last year, Road America became a central figure in the series’ return to racing during the global pandemic and the first to host a doubleheader. It has been a fantastic addition to our championship, and it is gratifying to know that it will remain a mainstay on our calendar.” A stellar list of INDYCAR champions have claimed victories at one of the world’s fastest permanent road racing tracks. Mario Andretti, Emerson Fittipaldi and Michael Andretti are three-time winners at Road America. Double winners include Jacques Villeneuve, Paul Tracy and Scott Dixon. Danny Sullivan, Alex Zanardi, Dario Franchitti, Sebastien Bourdais, Will Power and Josef Newgarden have also visited victory lane. This year, Alex Palou thrilled a massive crowd with a daring drive and a late-race pass to win the REV Group Grand Prix presented by AMR on June 20. “The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is clearly one of the greatest forms of open-wheel racing ever to grace our beautiful 4-mile road course,” said Road America President and General Manager Mike Kertscher. “We’ve had a strong relationship since its return in 2016, and we are very proud to continue the tradition. The response from our fans has been tremendous over the past five seasons, and as part of showing our appreciation to them, we are offering a special four-day ticket package for $122. This special is only available online as a print-at-home ticket, and the special price ends on Sept. 30, 2021, so go to roadamerica.com and get yours today.” The 2022 race date will mark the 33rd appearance of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES at “America’s National Park of Speed.” The entire 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule will be announced at a later date.
###
About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit http://www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-7223 ‌  ‌  ‌  ‌
Elkhart Lakes Road America | N7390 Hwy 67, Plymouth, WI 53073Unsubscribe tutorindie@yahoo.comUpdate Profile | Constant Contact Data NoticeSent by media@roadamerica.com powered byTry email marketing for free today!

Quick Thoughts- REV Group Grand Prix

thepitwindow

Update on Marti- she is vastly improved today. Thank you to everyone for all the good wishes. They mean a lot to us.

I have never seen a race at Road America that good. There were battles all through the field, the lead was in contention all day, yellows figured into the strategy, and another crazy dramatic finish. I don’t know what people want from a race or a series, but if Indycar isn’t it, I can’t think of what would be. This season has been outstanding so far.

A Team Penske driver has lost a race in the closing laps in three consecutive races. I can’t recall that ever happening. All tough self inflicted losses too. Hard to believe this team has just two poles and just eight podium spots this season. In a year with so many different winners,it is hard to believe a driver from this team isn’t one of them.

Romain Grosjean has qualified well all year, but his racing has been a bit overlooked. He is aggressive but clean, and not afraid to mix it up with the established drivers. I really like the way he drives. It is a shame that he will not win Rookie of the Year because of the three races he sat out. He deserves it on performance.

Josef Newgarden sits fourth in the standings, but at 88 points behind he will have a difficult time winning the championship.

Once again, Scott Dixon manages a decent finish. He ends up fourth and is third in points, just 53 behind his teammate Alex Palou.

Palou has led seven of the nine races this season. He is back n top of the standings after a one week stay in second.

Kevin Magnussen and Cody Ware had good debuts. Magnussen did a great job maintaining the lead after the restart until his engine issue. Ware drove around quietly and stayed out of trouble all day. I hope we get to see more of him now that he has had a taste of Indycar.

It is hard to believe a Chip Ganassi Racing driver not named Scott Dixon is tied for the most victories this season and is leading the points.

Oliver Askew did a great job subbing for Rinus VeeKay in the 21 Ed Carpenter car. Askew finished 12th in only his second race of the year. He had more time in the car this week than the 10 minutes he had driving for Arrow last week. the extra time seems to have paid off.

Colton Herta looked like a championship, contender early in the year, but he has faded late in races. Today was a nice comeback to finish second, where he started.

Now, about NBC- a 90 minute pre race show is a bit much, but a five minute post race show is shameful, all because you had to rush to a nascar race at a new venue for them? In a city that Indycar will return to in August? The cut away is especially infuriating after a race as great as this one. We needed to see an interview with Josef Newgarden at the very least.

Today’s post race cutaway by NBC was another slap in the face by the network which claims to love Indycar. After missing the beginning of both races last week, the shabby treatment continues. They are likely the leading contender to keep Indycar because no one else is interested. That is another story and is sad. But if NBC wants to keep the Indianapolis 500, they need to step up their game for the entire season.

Thanks for following along this weekend, and again many thanks for all the good wishes. I will have a follow up tomorrow.

Racing Takes a Back Seat

thepitwindow4 Comments

As I mentioned yesterday when I posted qualifying results, I am back in Indy. Friday Last night I could not reach Marti, my significant other. I didn’t think much of it because sometimes she retires early. An attempt to call yesterday morning also went unanswered and I became concerned. I received a text from her just as I got to the track. She said she was in the hospital. I turned in my golf cart, went to back to my Airbnb and packed, and headed for home.

It turns out Marti fainted Friday afternoon. She was able to reach her phone and call 911. We are awaiting the results of one test. The other lab work does not indicate anything serious, perhaps just a severe electrolyte imbalance. She is resting comfortably. Tanks to everyone who reached out with good thoughts yesterday afternoon.

I will watch the REV Group Grand Prix from home today and post my thoughts either later this evening or tomorrow. It looks like a really good chance of rain late n the race. Who goes to rain tires first? In 2018 at Barber in the rain postponed race, Josef Newgarden went to rain tires before the track got slippery. The move paid off as he retook the lead when everyone else had to pit for the treaded rubber.

How will the same front row as Detroit’s Race 2 last Sunday play out today? In consecutive races weekends we have had two multiple pole winners and our first multiple race winner. I see our eighth race winner of 2021 happening today.

If you are at Road America, have fun and be prepared for the weather. For those of you driving back to Indy, Chicago traffic was a nightmare yesterday. Be careful coming back. I will keep you updated on things here at home. Thanks for reading.

Road America Day 2-Qualifying, Weather or Not

thepitwindow

Today’s Schedule All time are Central Daylight Time

Qualifying will be shown on NBCSN at midnight. Personally, not my idea of how to build a lead in for the race, but Peacock we must.

The weather looks a bit wet.There is a high probability of a thunderstorm in about an hour (8am local) . Another chance of rain is between 11 am and 1 pm Practice could be wet and qualifying might be damp.Right now it is mostly sunny. High temperature will be around 74.

I hope to have brief post session reports all day and a wrap up later tonight.