Tag: World Wide Technology Raceway

Bommarito 500 Preview

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Today’s Schedule: Al times Central

11:45 am Indycar practice 1 Peacock, Indycar Radio

3:20 pm Indycar Qualifying Peacock, Indycar Radio

7:30 pm Indycar practice 2 (includes hiugh line practice) Peacock, Indycar Radio

World Wide Technology Raceway, affectionately known as Gateway, has been a popular late season stop on the Indycar circuit. The track has provided nearly non stop action with Indy NXT, Silver Crown, and vintage cars keeping fans entertained.

For 2024, the tracked has moved ahead in the schedule. It had been the 15th race on the calendar. This year it is the 13th. In 2025, it will be race number eight.

The weather this weekend will again be typical, warm, muggy St. louis are summer conditions. The latest from @Indycar_Wxman:

The early morning cloud cove is beginning to dissipate. The temperature when first practice begins should be around 87 degrees.

The three oval races that have run this season eqch saw aq different winner- all from Team Penske. They will probably be strong again. Josef Newgarden has won four races at this track. he was in contention last year until he crashed late in the race.

Andretti Global drivers Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood, and Marcus Ericsson were the top three in testing at Gateway last month. Herta won pole for one of the Iowa races, and I expect him to be strong this weekend.

Pato O’Ward should also be aq driver to watch. O’Ward is always good on ovals, and it just might be time to break through.

Points leader Alex Palou is still lookng for his first win on an oval, but does he really need to win? We are at the point in the season where Palou is more concerned about keeping his as close to the 49 point margin he holds entering tomorrow’s race.

Iowa 2.0?

Some drivers said after the test session that they don’t think this weekend’s race will be any better than the ones we witnessed at iowa. I hope that is not the case. While this is a track where passing is difficult, we have seen somebold moves going into turn 1.

While I don’t like a lot of cautions, three caution periods well spaced out could make for an intriguing event.

I look for an Andretti car to win the race. Colton Herta could get his second straight victory this season. It’s difficult to remember that he won the Tronto race nearly a month ago.

Notes

Alexander Rossi returns to the 7 car after missing the Tronto race with a thumb injury.

Will we see more tire degradation/? That would really help the flow of the race.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Notes; Silly Season Shakeup

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Good afternoon from St. Louis. I stopped by the track to pick up my credentials and I drove around. the outside of the track place looks great and ready for the weekend.

Katherine Legge will drive the 51 for Dale Coyne this weekend. I had thought there was an earlier announcement from Dale Coyne that she was set to run all the ovals at the end of the season. I guess it is race by race now.

A Lead with Five Races to Go is Pretty Safe

Indycar provided the following chart yesterday which shows the points leader with five races to go since 2008 and how the year finished. Only six times has the leader with five races remaining failed to win the title the last time in 2017. Datio Franchitti and Scott Dixon are the main spoilers.

Malukas Rocks the Silly Season Boat

David Malukas’ shock signing with A. J. Foyt Racing this week reset all the thinking about Silly season. It put his current seat at Meyer Shank Racing in play without filling one of the other seats thought to be open.

Alexander Rossi is the beneficiary of Malukas’ move. He is arguably the\ top free agent now, and there is another quality seat for the taking.

What Prema’s plans are remains a mystery. They want a veteran and a rookie. While a Rossi signing will het the other free agents settled in short order. rather quickly, I think knowing Prema’s plans are just as big a factor to seeing the 2025 grid set.

Schedule Reminder

First practice tomorrow is at 12:45 pm Eastern. If you are coming to the track, make sure you hydrate. it will be hot.

The 2025 race is in June, and the weather should be more pleasant then.

Your first friendly reminder that the race is at 6:25 pm Saturday on USA Network as well as Peacock.

Look for my scintillating race preview tomorrow morning.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline Fast Facts 

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From Indycar. Look for my preview Friday morning. I will have a post tomorrow afternoon after I arrive in St. Louis.

 Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 16 – Saturday, Aug. 17
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline 260 laps / 325 miles
INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown 75 laps / 93.75 miles

Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 120 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIESEight sets for use through the doubleheader weekend.
INDY NXT by FirestoneTwo new sets to be used during the event weekend.
X: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCAR
Threads: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @WWTRaceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @WWT_Raceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.wwtraceway.com/
INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2023 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESScott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)I
NDY NXT by Firestone Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports)
2023 NTT P1 Award winner: Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet), 49.1936 seconds, 182.951 mph (two laps)
2023 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Christian Rasmussen (No. 6 HMD Motorsports), field set by points after qualifying was rained out
One-lap qualifying lap record: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Will Power, 23.7206, 189.709 mph, Aug. 25. 2017
INDY NXT by Firestone Juan Piedrahita, 27.8890, 161.354 mph, Aug. 26, 2017
USA Network race telecast: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, 6 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 17, USA Network (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry and Dillon Welch are the pit reporters.
Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while USA Network’s race telecast of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown will be streamed on Peacock, with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR LIVE.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (6 p.m. ET Saturday), the INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown (3:50 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 218, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
FRIDAY, AUG. 16
11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock
2:15-3 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, INDYCAR LIVE
3:20 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT P1 Award qualifying (single car/cumulative time of two laps), Peacock
5:45 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown qualifying (single car/cumulative time of two laps), INDYCAR LIVE
6:45-7:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES high-line session (two groups/15 minutes each), Peacock
7:30-8:30 p.m. –NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock
SATURDAY, AUG. 17
3 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown “Drivers Start Your Engines”
3:05 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown (75 laps / 93.75 miles)
5 p.m. – USA Network on air
5:25 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
5:30 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (260 laps/325 miles), USA Network (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Facts:· 
Alex Palou leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with five races to go for the third time in his INDYCAR SERIES career. He also led the 2021 and 2023 championships with five races to go, winning the title in each of those seasons. Palou, who has led the point standings after seven of the 12 rounds this season, took the point lead at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey in June.· There are 18 drivers still mathematically eligible for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship: Alex Palou, Will Power, Scott Dixon, Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward, Scott McLaughlin, Kyle Kirkwood, Josef Newgarden, Alexander Rossi, Santino Ferrucci, Christian Lundgaard, Marcus Ericsson, Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Armstrong, Rinus VeeKay, Romain Grosjean, Graham Rahal and Linus Lundqvist. Any driver who trails the points leader by 217 points or more following this race will be eliminated from contention.·
Since the first INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway, the winning driver has won the INDYCAR SERIES championship three times: Alex Zanardi (1998), Josef Newgarden (2017) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1).
Key championship point statistic: Since 2008, the championship leader with five races to go has won the championship nine times. Those drivers were: Scott Dixon (2008, 2018, 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Alex Palou (2021, 2023).
Point differential: The 49 points that separate Alex Palou and Will Power is the seventh-largest point margin with five races remaining since INDYCAR SERIES racing was unified in 2008. Before this season, the average lead with five races remaining was 43.9 points.

Race Notes: There have been seven winners in 12 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2024 season. Pato O’Ward (Streets of St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Scott Dixon (Streets of Long Beach, Streets of Detroit), Scott McLaughlin (Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway-1), Alex Palou (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca), Josef Newgarden (Indianapolis 500), Will Power (Road America, Iowa Speedway-2) and Colton Herta (Streets of Toronto) have all won in 2024. The modern record (1946-present) for the most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the 16th INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Scott Dixon won at WWTR for the second time in 2023. Paul Tracy won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WWTR in 1997. Dixon, Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020-Race 2, 2021, 2022) and Will Power (2018) are the former winners entered in this year’s race.
ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS
Josef Newgarden 4 2017, 2020-Race2, 2021, 2022
Scott Dixon 2 2020-Race 1, 2023
Will Power 1 2018
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the fourth of seven oval races during the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Team Penske drivers have won the previous three races. Josef Newgarden won the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May while Scott McLaughlin and Will Power split the Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend doubleheader at Iowa Speedway last month.
Three drivers have won at World Wide Technology Raceway from the pole – Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Gil de Ferran (2002) and Helio Castroneves (2003).T
eam Penske has won eight times at World Wide Technology Raceway. Penske’s winning drivers are Paul Tracy (1997), Gil de Ferran (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020-Race 2, 2021, 2022) and Will Power (2018). Chip Ganassi Racing has three wins at Gateway with Alex Zanardi (1998), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1).
Twenty-four drivers have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at World Wide Technology Raceway. Scott Dixon has nine starts, most among the entered drivers. Rookies Nolan Siegel and Kyffin Simpson will make their first start at WWTR. Thirteen entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 582, Scott Dixon 374, Will Power 333, Pato O’Ward 159, Colton Herta 134, Scott McLaughlin 12, Alexander Rossi 8, David Malukas 4, Felix Rosenqvist 4, Marcus Ericsson 3, Romain Grosjean 2, Graham Rahal 2 and Conor DalyMilestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 335th consecutive start, extending his NTT INDYCAR SERIES record streak.
INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:
Andretti Global’s Louis Foster returns to World Wide Technology Raceway looking to solidify his grip on the INDY NXT by Firestone championship. The 21-year-old English driver leads Jacob Abel of Abel Motorsports by 77 points heading into the pivotal championship stretch of four races in five weeks.The INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown will be the series’ 14th race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at WWTR include Lee Bentham, Townsend Bell, Dan Wheldon, Jeff Simmons, Oliver Askew, David Malukas and Christian Rasmussen. 

It’s Race Week! Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Schedule

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Indycar returns this weekend with a Saturday late afternoon race at World Wide Technology Raceway. The race is on USA network. I would think after forcing Indycar to not race for three weeks the le least the network could do would be to televise the event on NBC.

All times on the schedule are Central time.

Bommarito 500- A Dixon Masterpiece

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Good morning, Just a few notes on yesterday’s race. I will have a full weekend wrapup after I get home this afternoon and have a chance to watch the replay.

All my notes can be reduced to two words- Scott Dixon. I have seen many masterful drives from Dixon involving fuel saving, but Sunday was one of the best I’ve witnessed. It was brilliant strategy winning this particular race on three stops given the long green flag stretches, including the entire second half of the race.

Over the years I have said that in Dixon we are watching a legend at work. I appreciate seeing Dixon drive every race. It has been easy to dismiss his chances lately because of the strength of his teammate Alex Palou, but Dixon has won just one less race than Palou over the last two years. Dixon has won on an oval, street course, and road course in that time. Palou has yet to score his fist oval victory.

I believe Dixon has a shot at joining A. J. Foyt in the 60 win club. I don’t think he will catch Foyt’s mark of 67, but I can see him winning five more times before he retires.

Newgarden Eliminated

The stars aligned for Josef Newgarden to make significant headway in his quest to chase down Alex Palou for the championship, but wall contact on lap 210 knocked him out of the race. He finished 25th for the second straight race. Newgarden is out of contention for the title.

He has won at least four races for two consecutive seasons, and he has no Astor Cup to show for it. Newgarden’s issue is consistency. He is a master on the ovals, but his road and street course performances need to improve.

Palou Worried? He Shouldn’t Be

Alex Palou lost 27 points to Dixon Sunday and his lead is now just 74 points with two races remaining. Some might say Palou is starting to hear the theme music from Jaws with Dixon making another late season charge. But Palou can lose 27 points in each of the final two races and still win the title comfortably.

Dixon could win the final two events, and if Palou finishes in the top, he is the champion. Palou’s worst finish in 2023 is eighth. He waqs seventh yesterday.

Malukas Has Found His Track

David Malukas scored his second podium in a row at World Wide Technology Raceway, finishing third yesterday. Malukas came home second in 2022. Each driver has a track where everything comes together for them, no matter how the rest of the season goes. Malukas has found his home.

Notes

I thought it was an interesting race from a strategy standpoint, and a good race for this track. The multiple strategies made keeping track of who the effective leader was as complicated as the figures on Oppenheimer’s chalkboard at Berkely at times, but the drama of whether Dixon could make it all the way on stints of 65 plus laps (of course he would-it’s Dixon) gave some tension to the final segment.

More frustration for Pato O’Ward and Arrow McLaren. The team and driver have been in contention for the win at every oval this season, but they have no wins. O’Ward arguably had the fastest car after the first pit stop.

I’m not sure O’Ward will win one of the final two races of the year.

Linus Lundqvist again proved he belongs. He started 12th. His first oval race looked mostly like he was stuck in mid pack all day, but Lundqvist turned the fastest lap of the race on lap 62. The lap was a half second faster than Dixon’s fastest leading lap.

Thanks for following along this weekend. Saturday’s weather made the program chaotic, but at least we got some night racing action out of it. I hope Indycar takes the hint Mother Nature has given them the past two years here and just schedules a night race.

Bommarito 500 Race Day-Revised Schedule

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Good morning. We have qualifying and racing all in one day today Teams must qualify on the primary tires and start the race on a primary set.

Here, as of now, is Sunday’s schedule. Times are Central. Schedule is subject to change.

7 a.m. – Parking lots open.

7:30 a.m. –  Spectator gates open. Paddock and Gateway Garage Experience open.

8 a.m. – Vintage Indy Registry exhibition laps.

9 a.m. — USAC Silver Crown Series OUTFRONT 100 practice.

10 a.m. — NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline qualifying.

12:20 p.m. — USAC Silver Crown Series OUTFRONT 100 (80 laps, 100 miles).

1:45 p.m. – Law enforcement appreciation parade laps.

2 p.m. — NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline driver introductions.

2:19 p.m. – Invocation and national anthem.

2:22 p.m. – Command for drivers to cars.

2:35 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (260 laps, 325 miles).

After practice, several drivers said they did not notice much difference between the primary and alternate tire. We will see how it plays out in the race.

It appears that Marcus Ericsson will use a backup tub which belongs to one of his teammates.

I will be back with a full day wrap up this evening..

Newgarden Leads Practice

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If it’s World Wide Technology Raceway, Josef Newgarden is out front. The Team Penske driver led the delayed practice session this evening as drivers pre[ared for tomorrow’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500.

The one hour practice ran clean until about five minutes remained. Scott McLaughlin spun on the pit exit lane in turn two. Will power went high to avoid him, hit the wall, and collided with Marcus Ericsson. Ericsson will be going to a back up car.

Tomorrow’s schedule has changed because of today’s rain.

Here is Sunday’s schedule, which I will post again in the morning.

All times are Central

9 am Silver Crown Practice

10 am Indycar qualifying

2:35 pm Bommarito Automotive Group 500 (260 laps)

6 pm Silver Crown race (100 laps)

Results

Gateway Satruday

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Today’s schedule. Times are Central. All Indycar on track activity and the Indy NXT race are on Peacock today.

Good morning from the greater St. Louis area. Yesterday’s brutal heat is gone. When I arrived late yesterday afternoon, the temperature was a balmy 103 degrees with a heat index of 115. Today will be in the mid 80s and tomorrow will be in the low 80s.

The only concern is scattered showers both days. Saturday looks to be the more iffy day. I will keep you updated as we get more information.

Follow @IndycarWx_man for updates. Yesterday’s prediction was for a possible disruption of Indy NXT qualifying and a delay to Indycar qualifying.

From yesterday-

Race Preview

Race Preview- Bommarito Automotive Group 500

I will limit my time at the track today to qualifying and the NXT race. I feel good, but I an still recovering from surgery. I want to be able to put in a full day tomorrow.

I will have a wrap-up of the day later this evening, and will provide updates from the track when possible.