Tag: Texas Motor Speedway

Pagenaud Leads Texas Practice 1

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The only practice session before qualifying for tomorrow’s Expel 375 began under sunny skies and cool temperatures. The air temperature was 57 degrees when the session started.

Simon Pagenaud led the se3ssion with a best lap of 223.087 miles per hour. Felix Rosenqvist was 0.0218 mph behind. Colton Herta finished third, 0,0314 mph back.

The surprise of the session was Callum Ilott. The rookie driver for Juncos Hollinger Racing had the fourth fastest time with a speed of 222,257 mph. Texas is Ilott’s first career oval race.

Cars mostly avoided the higher groove where the PJ-1 compound had been applied. TMS has run graters over the surface in an attempt to grind the compound off and this afternoon seven cars will run their cars with a lot of down force to try to put more Firestone rubber down in those areas. We may not know if the efforts truly worked until the race tomorrow.

Some track action during practice:

Practice got off to a disjointed start with two yellow flags for seven minutes and 11 seconds within the first fifteen minutes. The remainder of the round was green.

The winners of the two races in 2021, Scott Dixon and Pato O’Ward, finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

The top 14:

Qualifying begins at 2 pm Eastern time on Peacock.

The Search for Lane 2 the Big Story for Saturday at Texas

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Good morning from Texas Motor Speedway

Today’s Schedule All Times Central:

9:45 AM-9:50 AM- Two Stage Pit Limiter Practice

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM               NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE 1-Peacock
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM               NTT INDYCAR SERIES QUALIFYING-Peacock
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM               DRIVER AUTOGRAPH SESSION (INDYCAR Display on Fan Zone)
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM

4:45 PM-5:45 PM		               NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE to Rubber in high groove (7 cars)-Rahal, Power, Sato, O’Ward, Rosenqvist, Castroneves, Carpenter



NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE 2- Peacock

Temperature is predicted to be 55 degrees for the first practice, 69 degrees for qualifying and 75 degrees for the final practice.

The added practice is a last ditch effort to make the track racier and possibly kept Texas on the schedule. The slippery upper groove in the turns has limited passing opportunities the last two years. Will any one even try the top side in the final practice, or will no one want to risk possibly missing Sunday’s race?

Qualifying well could be important to success in the race if the passing lane isn’t there. Watch where cars go in Practice 1 and see if their lines change in the afternoon practice.

TMS- A Huge Place

Yesterday wqas my first time at Texas motor Speedway. This track has a massive footprint. The track is pretty much enclosed. there are two ten story buildings in each oif the first two turns. The grandstands which run the length of the front stretch look to be at least seven stories tall. Advertising billboards and a very large video board surround the rest of the outer walls.

This photo of the backstretch video board was taken from the pits.

The scoring pylon is unusual for a track this size with positions 1-20.

This photo of the backstretch video board was taken from the pits.

Several cars were out in the paddock area as I walked through.

Alexander Rossi
Colton Herta
Felix Rosenqvist

I hope to explore the track more today. It will be an interesting day.

I’ll be back with reports after each session, including the added session.

Expel 375 Preview- The Last Texas Roundup?

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Race 2 of the 2022 Indycar season this weekend has a lot of questions to answer. Will this be the final race at Texas motor Speedway for the series? Can Indycar create a second lane on the high side of the track?How will the six first timers fare on this high speed oval?

The 35th Indycar race at Texas could be the last. 2022 is the final year of the contract, and no extension has been announced. Track president rob Ramage said the other day the he is “optimistic” that Indycar will return. Texas Motor Speedway was a staunch ally of the fledging Indy Racing League and has supported the series since 1997. I would hate to see this track drop off the schedule. However, attendance and the racing needs to improve.

Get a Grip

Indycars have no tire grip on the JP1 compound in the high lane. We saw a lot of single file racing last year in the two races. Several ideas have been discussed this week to improve the situation. It sounds as if Indycar is close to a decision on one idea.

Under the proposal each team would have one car run in the second lane for 30 minutes. The teams would get an extra set of tires for this session only. I heard just a bit ago that cones would be set up so that the cars would only run the top lane. The session would precede the final practice.

This might work, but the price could be high if it doesn’t. What if a car gets up in that lane during final practice and crashes?

Pato O’Ward talked about the second groove in his media availability Monday. He does not see a way to fix it the issue.

“As much as we’d love a second lane, I just don’t think the PJ1 is a
surface that’s ever going to give us that second lane. If it
does, it’s going to be way slower, so it’s not going to be a
second lane where you can fight and pass people, rather
than shovel your way back in a way.
I don’t know, man. I think last year, even with that PJ1
there, there is enough space where you can pull off a
move. It’s not easy at all. I remember I got a little wiggly
on it last year on restarts and stuff.
I mean, it is what it is. Can’t just go on there and peel it,
right, go back to how it was a few years ago.”

O’Ward thinks itis a track situation drivers just need to work through.

“I think we have to work with what we have. We had a
great race there last year. We proved to be able to be
making moves. Maybe not two or three at a time, but one
at a time. It certainly wasn’t easy.
I just think it’s going to be the same this year.”

Saturday will be an interesting day at Texas.

Newbies

Nearly one fourth of the grid will race at Texas for the first time.

Sunday’s race will be the first Indycar oval race for Jimmie Johnson, who won at Texas seven times in NASCAR. Johnson is happy to treturn to an oval, especially one where he had much success, but e admits it won’t be easy.

“Excited as I am to be on an oval, I still haven’t been in traffic in an INDYCAR. I still have plenty to learn coming to a track I know and love.
Really excited to get there and work.”

Romain Grosjean got a taste of oval racing at gateway last summer. He did quite well. This will Grosjean’s first time on a high speed ovl.

Christian Lundgaard and Callum Ilott will experience oval racing for the first time in their careers. Indy Lights graduates Kyle Kirkwood, Devlin DeFrancesco, and David Malukas drove a few ovals on the Road to Indy, but never at Texas.

The Usual Suspects Up Front

Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, and Felix Rosenqvist need good results this weekend. The trio finished 16th, 20th, and 17th at St. Pete.

I look for Newgarden and Rossi to have strong weekends, with Newgarden one of the favorites for the victory He He lost Race 2 in 2021 when Pato O’Ward passed him with eight laps to go. O’Ward also must be a favorite.

Rosenqvist is still fighting to keep his ride. He needs a top 10 finish Sunday.

Scott Dixon, who has won three times at Texas, Will Power, and Colton Herta could also win. Dixon’s next victory will tie him with Mario Andretti with 52 career wins.

Power seems rejuvenated after a lackluster 2021. A podium finish Sunday puts Power solidly in thick of the championship. Don’t dismiss his chances this year.

A Peacock Bonus

Peacock will have an untimed post race show after the NBC broadcast window ends at 3 pm Eastern time. The show is a result of feedback from the Global Fan Survey. If you are not a Peacock subscriber, the $4.99 a month is worth it. You can subscribe just for racing season.

The race coverage begins at 12:30 PM Eastern. The green flag drops at 12:45.

Expel 375 Fast Facts

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 Race weekend: Saturday, March 19 and Sunday, March 20
Track: Texas Motor Speedway, a 1.5-mile oval
Media links: XPEL 375 Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF) | Driver Video Quotes
Race distance: 248 laps/372 miles
Firestone tire allotment: Eleven sets primary to be used during practice, qualifying and the race.
Twitter: @TXMotorSpeedway @INDYCAR, #XPEL375, #INDYCAREvent website: www.TexasMotorSpeedway.com
INDYCAR website: www.indycar.com
2021 race winners: Race 1: Scott Dixon, 1:45:51.3417, 173.036 mph (212 laps/318 miles); Race 2: Pato O’Ward, 2:06:31.1155, 169.360 mph (248 laps/372 miles)
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Race 1: Alex Palou (Points); Race 2: Scott Dixon (Points)
Qualifying record (based on track distance of 1.44 miles)One lap: Charlie Kimball, 23.2730, 222.747 mph, June 9, 2017
Two laps: Charlie Kimball, 46.5861, 222.556 mph, June 9, 2017
NBC Sports race telecast: 12:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, 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. Marty Snider and Kevin Lee are the pit reporters.
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. NBC’s XPEL 375 race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service, while Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will debut following the race.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton and turn announcer Nick Yeoman. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The XPEL 375 race and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES 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 local/Central Time):
Saturday, March 19
9:45-9:55 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES two-stage pit speed limiter practice10-11 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock Premium1 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Single car, cumulative time of two laps), Peacock Premium (Live)4-5 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock Premium
Sunday, March 20 11:30 a.m. NBC on air11:40 a.m. “Drivers, start your engines”11:45 a.m. XPEL 375 (248 laps / 372 miles), NBC (Live)Race Notes:
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin kicked off the 2022 season with a bang, claiming his first career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory Feb. 27 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. The 27-year-old New Zealander outdueled series champions Alex Palou and Will Power to claim the championship point lead for the first time.
The XPEL 375 will be the 35th INDYCAR SERIES race at Texas Motor Speedway, dating to Arie Luyendyk winning the INDYCAR SERIES event in 1997.
No driver has competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race at TMS, but Scott Dixon has started 22 races.
Scott Dixon has won five times at Texas Motor Speedway, the most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track. Dixon won in 2008, 2015, 2018, 2020 and 2021 Race 1.
Seven past TMS winners are entered in this year’s XPEL 375: Dixon, Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2, 2006, 2009 and 2013), Will Power (2011 Race 2 and 2017), Ed Carpenter (2014), Graham Rahal (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Pato O’Ward (2021 Race 2).
Will Power has won the pole for three of the past 10 Texas Motor Speedway races (2013, 2014 and 2015). Other past pole winners entered this year are Scott Dixon (2008), Josef Newgarden (2018 and 2020) and Takuma Sato (2019). Dixon and Alex Palou were awarded the pole based on entrant points after qualifying was rained out in 2021.
Six drivers have won the Texas race from the pole: Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2), Gil de Ferran (2003 Race 2), Helio Castroneves (2004 Race 2), Tomas Scheckter (2005), Scott Dixon (2008) and Ryan Briscoe (2010).
Drivers who have won at Texas have gone on to win the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship nine times, including in three of the last four seasons. Champions who won at Texas are Sam Hornish Jr. (2001 Race 2 and 2002 Race 2), Tony Kanaan (2004 Race 1), Scott Dixon (2008, 2015, 2018 and 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011 Race 1) and Josef Newgarden (2019).
Twenty drivers entered this weekend have competed in past NTT INDYCAR SERIES events at Texas Motor Speedway.
Twelve drivers have led laps at the track: Scott Dixon 1,043, Will Power 433, Josef Newgarden 187, Ed Carpenter 93, Simon Pagenaud 85, Takuma Sato 72, Graham Rahal 49, Pato O’Ward 25, Alexander Rossi 10, Alex Palou 9, Rinus VeeKay 5 and Marcus Ericsson
Five rookies – Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas – are entered. All five, plus seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and seven-time Texas race winner Jimmie Johnson, will attempt to make their first NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on an oval this weekend at Texas. 
Ed Carpenter and JR Hildebrand are slated to make their 2022 season debut this weekend.
Milestones: Colton Herta will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Takuma Sato will attempt to make his 200th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 290th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history. 

Schedule for XPEL 375

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All times CDT

Saturday, March 19

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM               NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE 1-Peacock
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM               NTT INDYCAR SERIES QUALIFYING-Peacock
2:45 PM – 3:15 PM               DRIVER AUTOGRAPH SESSION (INDYCAR Display on Fan Zone)
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM               NTT INDYCAR SERIES PRACTICE 2-Peacock

Sunday, March 20

11:00 AM            Driver Introductions
11:45 AM            XPEL 375 NTT INDYCAR SERIES RACE (248 Laps)-NBC

Gossage to Step Down at Texas; ECR Gains May Sponsors

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Photo of Eddie Gossage from TMS website

Eddie Gossage, president of Texas Motor Speedway, announced this morning that he will retire after the June 13 NASCAR All-Star race at TMS.

“The timing just feels right after 32 years with the company,” Gossage stated. “The Smith family and Speedway Motorsports changed my life and I will forever be appreciative and grateful.

 “Before my wife Melinda and I chart our next adventure, I’m thankful that I get to come full circle as a promoter with the NASCAR All-Star Race.”

Gossage has been a staunch supporter of Indycar racing at his facility throughout his 25 years as president of the track. There have been disputes with Indycar over dates and sanctioning fees, but Gossage made sure that the open wheel cars made at least one annual appearance in the Lone Star State.

His retirement might affect Indycar’s schedule in the long run. Texas Motor Speedway is the only track in Texas where Indycar races currently.

VeeKay, Daly Have New Sponsors

Today Ed Carpenter Racing unveiled new sponsorship which Conor Daly will run in this weekend’s GMR Grand Prix. MannKind Corporation will be the primary sponsor of the number 20 car for the fifth round of the NTT Indycar Series.

MannKind has developed an insulin product which is inhaled rather than injected. The “Tired of Pricks?” tagline is abit edgy. Try to keep it in context if you can.

From ECR news release

Rinus VeeKay’s number 21 will carry Bitcoin livery in the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500.

Carpenter plans to use Bitcoin in his operation. From the news release:

“ECR will also be the first NTT INDYCAR SERIES team to integrate Bitcoin as a payment option for all of its employees. The first decentralized sponsorship in the history of racing will empower not only ECR on the track but the Bitcoin community off. In addition to the No. 21’s black and orange scheme, Bitcoin will be present on ECR’s other Indianapolis 500 entries..”

From ECR website

I’ll be back later with my GMR Grand Prix race preview.

Pato EXPELS His Frustrations- Quick Thoughts on the EXPEL 375

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Photo: Pato O’Ward celebrates his first Indycar win. Photo by Chris Jones, Indycar

Finally. Pato O’Ward knew he could win Indycar races before he even raced in the series. I remember his first press conference at Sonoma in 2018 before his first Indycar start. There was a quiet confidence about him. I felt then that I was looking at a future Indycar Series star. Today the road to stardom in the Indycar Series officially began.

O’Ward’s first series win came tonight with a series of strong passes, including moving past two cars on the second restart. His car was one of the strongest the entire race and the pit strategy on the final stop put him in a position to go for the win. he showed the patience he has sometimes lacked in waiting until the right moment to overtake Josef Newgarden with 23 laps to go. This won’t be his last win of 2021. We have a new contender for the championship.

Slow Start

Scott Dixon brought the field to the green flag at a slower than normal pace. The resulting six car pile up at the back of the pack caused the first 18 laps to be run under caution. I was surprised there was no red flag, but I assume the television window played a part in keeping the lap count going.

Alexander Rossi is off to another frustrating start to his year. He is more irritated this year about it because he feels his car is more competitive than it was in 2020. Rossi felt Indycar should have held qualifying for today’s race. That may not have prevented the accident, but I see his point, that some of the drivers involved in the wreck would have started further toward the front.

One of the problems with double header weekends is it is hard to deviate from the schedule. A last minute call to qualify today would have caused teams to scramble for an extra session. Indycar might want to look at building some flexibility into their double header schedule for a situation like this weekend in the future.

Tough Weekend for Bourdais, Daly

The early promise shown by Sebastien Bourdais and A. J. Foyt racing fell apart, literally theses last two days. Bourdais was involved in two of the three crashes the past two days. Neither was his fault.

Conor Daly struggled to a 21st place finish Saturday and ended up upside down today. Again the aeroscreen prevented an unpleasant outcome.

Both Dale Coyne cars and both Foyt cars suffered damage in the incident.

It is a good thing that the next race is in two weeks. Some of these cars were the teams’ cars for the Indianapolis 500, so there is plenty of time for repairs.

A Better Race

After Saturday’s race, I was not expecting an improvement in the racing tonight, although I though it would play out differently. Sunday’s race turned out to be a darned good one. I don’t know if it was the earlier start time in warmer temperatures than Saturday, or the teams learned some things in the first race, but there was passing for position, including at least three passes for the lead.

The oval package still needs a lot of work to make the cars race better. Texas Motor Speedway has to somehow eliminate the PJ1 compound for Indycar. I would not mind future races to be like what we witnessed tonight.

Kids!

Indycar is four races into the 2021 season. Drivers under the age of 25 have won three races and have been on the pole three times. One of the poles was awarded by rule due to rain. Both Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward have won their first Indycar race. Colton Herta the “veteran” among the under 25 crowd, has won four races and four poles in his career. Palou led the point standings until the end of Saturday’s race. O’Ward is now second to Dixon in points, while Palou is third.

The future of Indycar is looking very bright.

Notes

It is hard to believe that Josef Newgarden led his first laps of 2021 in the fourth race of the year tonight.

In four races Indycar has seen four different winners from three different teams. two different drivers have won the two earned poles.

The Top 5 finishers tonight represent five different teams.

Alex Palou is the only driver to have led laps in every race this year.

This is the deepest into a season I can remember going without a win by a Team Penske driver. I will be shocked if I can still say that by the end of this month. Penske’s record at IMS on both the road course and in the 500 is second to none.