Tag: Sonsio Grand Prix

Tomorrow at the Track/

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From IMS

Friday, May 9 
 INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, May 8, 2025) – Information about Sonsio Grand Prix track activity Friday, May 9 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local):
7:30 a.m.-8 p.m.: Public gates open
7:55-8:25 a.m.: USF2000 qualifying8:40-9:10 a.m.: USF Pro 2000 qualifying
9:30-10:50 a.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1
11:05-11:55 a.m.: INDY NXT by Firestone practice 1
12:10-12:50 p.m.: USF2000 race 11:10-2 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 2
2:30-3 p.m.: INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying3:20-4:10 p.m.: USF Pro 2000 race 1
4:35-6 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying/Firestone Fast Six
7:06 p.m.: INDY NXT by Firestone race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes)

TICKETS: General admission tickets are $20 for Sonsio Grand Prix practice and qualifications. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (7:30 a.m.-8 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 9, Gate 10, Gate 10A.

PARKING: Paid public parking is available in Lot 1A, Lot 2 and Main Gate parking lots for $10 and Gate 1 parking for $20. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 2 and in Gate 1 parking. Free parking is available in Infield Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). Free motorcycle parking is also available in the South Carousel Lot via Gate 2.

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open from 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25, Seniors (55 and over) are $23, and military (former and active) are $18. Tickets can be purchased online at https://imsmuseum.org/tickets/

Welcome to May! Sonsio Grand Prix Preview

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A race that began in 2014 as an experiment to try to draw more fans to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during May has turned into a popular, well attended event.

Now known as The Sonsio Grand Prix, the road course race kicks off the month of May at the Speedway. The speedway counts 20 races on its road course, including the two Harvest Classic races during the pandemic, the season opener in 2020, and the second race which ran during Brickyard weekend.

Team Penske, as expected, has won eight times on the circuit which winds through the infield, although Alex Palou has won the last two years, and is a heavy favorite to win again.

If you’re looking for a different type of race than the processional caution free shows the season has presented so far, I suggest you wait another couple of weeks. In the past two years, there has been one caution each in 2023 and 2024. Last year the caution lasted two laps in the last third of the race. In 2023 the only yellow came on lap 2 and lasted three laps. Coincidentally car 51 was involved both years.

The best races have been when the track was wet. Colton Herta’s win in 2022 on a very rainy day was one of my favorite races anywhere. Simon Pagenaud chased down Scott Dixon to win in 2019 on a damp track where tire strategy played a huge role.

In an attempt to put on a better show, IndyCar has modified the tire requirements for this weekend. Teams must use two sets of the alternate tires and two sets of the primary tires. The requirement to use a sticker set of alternates is not in effect. Teams have five sets of primaries and four sets of reds.

Will it help? Possibly. The race is normally a three-stop event, so the rule is not adding a stop, but it might take away a fuel saving attempt. I’m optimistic but should there be an early caution a tire only stop is possible.

It would be easy to concede the win to Palou, but I think his spell will break Saturday. Christian Lundgaard is coming on strong, and I think he just might be standing on top of the podium at the end of the day.

Other questions to ponder during the two day event-

Will Team Penske get back to their usual selves at a track they have dominated? Can Kyle Kirkwood rebound from his worst showing of the season last Sunday? Does Rinus VeeKay give Dale Coyne Racing another top 10? VeeKay has won on this track.

I will be on site this weekend. look for throughout each day leading up to the race. I can’t wait to get back to IMS and start the month of May.

Sonsio Grand Prix Fast Facts 

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From IndyCar

 Race weekend: Friday, May 9-Saturday, May 10
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise)
Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF)
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 85 laps / 207.3 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: 35 laps / 85.365 miles or 55 minutes (each race)
Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum single duration of 20 seconds. Push to Pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. | INDY NXT by Firestone: A maximum of 50 activations total or 150 seconds of total push to pass time.
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation, with a maximum deployment of 425 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary (hard) and four sets alternate (soft) to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires in the first practice session. Teams must use two sets of primary and two sets of alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.
 INDY NXT by Firestone: Four new sets to be used during the doubleheader weekend with one new set used for qualifying and another new set used during each race. A carryover set from the Barber event may be used during practice.
X: @IMS, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Threads: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @indianapolismotorspeedwy, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @IMS, @INDYCAR
Event website: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/
NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com |
 INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com
2024 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
INDY NXT by Firestone
Race 1: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports)
Race 2: Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES):
Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), 1 minute, 9.0004 seconds, 127.251 mph
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:
Race 1: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports) 1:14.9358, 117.172 mph
Race 2: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports) 1:15.0528, 116.990 mph
Qualifying records:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying)
INDY NXT by Firestone Ed Jones, 1:14.6743, 117.583 mph, May 13, 2016
FOX Sports telecasts:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 9:30 a.m. ET, Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 1 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, 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. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters. |
 INDY NXT By Firestone: Practice 1, 11 a.m. ET, Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Race 1, 7 p.m. ET Friday, FS1 (live); Race 2, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter, while guest analysts Santino Ferrucci (Race 1) and Tim Cindric (Race 2) will join for the race telecasts.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Alex Wolff, Rob Blackman and Rich Nye are the pit reporters. The Sonsio Grand Prix race (4 p.m. ET Saturday), the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix doubleheader (6:55 p.m. ET Friday and 12:55 p.m. ET Saturday) 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):
Friday, May 9
9:30-10:50 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (split group format), FS2 (Live
)11:05-11:55 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS2 (Live)
1:10-2 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (35 minutes of green flag – limited guarantee), FS2 (Live)
2:30-3 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying, (two groups/12 minutes each), FS2 (Live)
4:35 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), FS1 (Live)
7:01 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 “Drivers, start your engines”
7:06 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (Live)
Saturday, May 10
11:32-11:57 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup (25 minutes), FS1 (Live)
1:01 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 2 “Drivers, start your engines”
1:06 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 2 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (Live)
4:30 p.m. FOX on air
4:45 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
4:52 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), FOX (Live)

“WHAT TO LOOK FOR” AT IMS:
Palou Eyes IMS Three-peat: Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing has won three of 2025’s first four races and leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points standings by 60 points. He’s also won the past two Sonsio Grands Prix. Palou could become the first driver since Josef Newgarden won three straight races at World Wide Technology Raceway from 2020-2022.
Among tracks on the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, three in a row has only been accomplished four other times. Bobby Rahal won four in a row at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (1984-87), Al Unser Jr. won four in a row at Long Beach (1988-91) Michael Andretti won three straight at Portland (1990-1992) and Sebastien Bourdais won three in a row at Long Beach (2005-07).
Penske’s Power Play:  Roger Penske may be the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but IMS has long been a Team Penske playground, and that includes races on the road course. Led by Will Power’s five race wins, Roger Penske’s drivers have won eight times on this circuit, including two wins from Simon Pagenaud (2016, 2019) and another from Josef Newgarden (2020).
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
The Sonsio Grand Prix will be the 17th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Active race winners expected to compete are Alex Palou, Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden and Will Power.
Four drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend. Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Chip Ganassi has four wins – with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1 and 2023-Race 2 and Alex Palou in 2023-Race 1 and 2024. Andretti Autosport and Ed Carpenter Racing are the only other teams to win at the track. Andretti Autosport won the Sonsio Grand Prix with Colton Herta in May 2022 and Gallagher Grand Prix with Alexander Rossi in August 2022, while Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay.
Three NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman – are entered and will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car on the IMS road course for the first time alongside veteran driver Nolan Siegel. Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 344th consecutive start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record.

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:
INDY NXT by Firestone will conduct a doubleheader weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend with a pair of 35-lap races. Dennis Hauger continued his dominating season scoring his second straight win on May 4 at Barber Motorsports Park and sits atop the point standings.Juan Manuel Correa will make his INDY NXT debut in the first of several starts this season with HMD Motorsports. The American / Ecuadorian driver has raced in FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona. Correa demonstrated remarkable resilience, particularly after recovering from a life-threatening crash in 2019. His recovery and return to racing were a testament to his grit and determination.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the home race for second-year driver Jack William Miller, the son of former INDYCAR SERIES competitor Dr. Jack Miller. The younger Miller, who hails from Indianapolis and attends IU Indianapolis, competes for ABEL Motorsport with Miller Vinatieri Motorsports – a team co-owned by Dr. Jack Miller and former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Group qualifying will decide the starting grids on during the Indianapolis Grand Prix doubleheader. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying segments. With 12 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded the Race 1 pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). The grid for the second race will be determined by each drivers’ second fastest lap, with drivers who finished behind the polesitter, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group for each race. 

Sonsio Grand Prix Schedule- Update

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All times Eastern

Friday, May 9

IndyCar practice 1 9:30-10:50 FS2

Indy NXT practice 11:05-11:55 FS2

1:10-2 IndyCar Practice 2 (35 minute guarantee) FS2

2:30-3 Indy NXT Qualifying FS2

4P35-6 IndyCar Qualifying FS1

7:06 IndyNXT Race 1 35 laps or 55 minutes FS!

Saturday, May 10

11:32-11:57 IndyCar Warm Up FS1

1:06 Indy NXT Race 2 35 laps or 55 minutes FS1

4:30 FOX on air FOX

4:52 Sonsio Grand Prix Green Flag 85 laps FOX

INDYCAR Announces Race Tire Rule Update for Sonsio Grand Prix

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    Firestone alternate tire

    From IndyCar. An interesting rule change for next weekend.

    INDYCAR has announced an update to the race tire usage requirements for the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Saturday, May 10.

    For the race, teams will be required to use:

    • Two sets of alternate compound tires (one more than previously required)
    • Two sets of primary compound tires (one more than previously required)

    There are no requirements in terms of new (sticker) sets of tires used in the race. The two completed laps needed to satisfy the tire requirement rule, where one (1) lap must begin once the Green Flag has been displayed to the Race Leader (Rule 15.3.3.2.3.) for each of the four sets (Rule 15.3.3.2.) remains in effect.

    The update strives to ensure an all-out, driving on the limit, thrilling and entertaining product for fans and generate even more strategic challenges for North America’s premier open-wheel racing series. Additionally – working with Firestone – the current, standard event weekend road and street circuit tire allocation that began this season (five sets of primaries and five sets of alternates) was contemplated with this tire requirement format option in mind. The tire allocation for the IMS road course, the only two-day road and street circuit event on the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, remains unchanged at five sets of primaries and four sets of alternates.

    “INDYCAR is continually looking into ways to improve an already extraordinary on-track product,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Firestone is a terrific partner, and their higher degradation alternate tire has given strategists plenty to think about on road and street circuits this year. We expect this update will challenge teams and drivers even more.”

    In an additional move to ensure more robust on-track activity during the Sonsio Grand Prix event, Practice 2 on the IMS road course will be adjusted from a limited green flag guarantee of 45 minutes to 35.

    Following the event on the IMS road course, INDYCAR will review both updated procedures and evaluate its use for future races.

    Coverage of the Sonsio Grand Prix, round five of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, begins at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, May 10 on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The first practice of the weekend is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET Friday, May 9 and can be seen on FS2.

    The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES event is the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst on Sunday, May 4. Coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

    IndyCar Test on IMS Road Course

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     From IMS
    NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers and teams will prepare for the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 10 by testing Thursday, March 27 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.
    Testing will take place on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile circuit from 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Lunch break from Noon-1 pm
    The Turn 2 Viewing Mounds will be open for public viewing.
    NTT INDYCAR SERIES Teams, Drivers Scheduled To Participate
    :A.J. Foyt Racing: Santino Ferrucci, David Malukas
    Chip Ganassi Racing: Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Kyffin Simpson
    Dale Coyne Racing: Jacob Abel
    Juncos Hollinger Racing: Conor Daly, Sting Ray Robb

    Quick Thoughts- Just Another Day at Work for Alex Palou

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    Photo by Kyle McInnes

    It was a fun race for the first two laps. Christian Lundgaard made a great move to get past Alex Palou and led most of the first half of the race.

    Cars were banging into each other, running opponents off the road, and fighting for position. Then the race fell into a processional F1 style event.

    the race came down to pit strategy, and that’s where Palou gained the advantage. He made his final stop before his two closest pursuers, Lundgaard and Will Power, and didn’t look back.

    Alex Palou talks about his win.

    The late yellow was not a problem as Palou pulled away to six second lead a the finish over Power.

    Overall, it was a typical IMS road course race, a bland appetizer to what should be a delicious entree in two weeks.

    Notes

    Josef Newgarden has had two straight finishes below 15th place. His chances of winning the championship are fading quickly.

    Colton Herta improved 17 positions to finish seventh.

    The last time DHL was the sponsor on a winning car was 2018 at Sonoma. Ryan Hunter-Reay won for Andretti.

    Six different teams placed cars in the top 10- Ganassi -3; Penske-2; RLL_ 2; Andretti, McLaren, and MSR 1 each.

    Palou leads Power by 12 points in the championship. We have seen this movie before.

    Like 2023, Palou has a chance to be the third driver to complete a May sweep. Will Power and Simon Pagenaud accomplished this feat in 2018 and 2019 erespectively.

    If your last name begins with P, younhave a great shot at winning this race. Power, POagenaud, and Palou have 10 wins combined on this track.

    Thanks for following along this weekend. I can’t wait for the next two weeks.