West Allis, WI – Preparing for the return of the NTT IndyCar Series return to the Milwaukee Mile in 2024, Firestone held a tire test at the historic track. With temperatures heading into the sixty degree zone and rain in the forecast, Will Power in a Team Penske Chevrolet and Linus Lundqvist in the #8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda helped Firestone put their tires through laps on the bumpy and worn surface of the one mile oval.

Will Power waits to get back on track during a Firestone tire test at the Milwaukee Mile. [John Wiedemann Photo]

“It felt exactly the same,” explained Power at the lunchtime break. “The track has not changed very much. It felt very similar to the last race here almost ten years ago. It’s a long time ago but it was good.”

Lundqvist got the call in Florida yesterday to fly up to Milwaukee for the test and was happy for the seat time. “For me as a rookie to get the extra milage is always nice.”

His first impressions were, “It’s pretty bumpy and pretty fast, it really is a short oval.”

Comparing to his run earlier this season at World Wide Technology Raceway /Gateway he explained, “It’s similar in a sense that it’s a short oval, but I think the surface and the non-smoothness that this place reminds me more of Iowa than Gateway. The surface and the bumps are very similar to that, it’s just that this has less banking which puts a little more stress on the car and the driver.”

The NTT IndyCar Series will return to the Milwaukee Mile on Labor Day weekend of 2024 for a double-header event. The last time the series raced at the one mile oval was in 2015.

RacingNation Crew

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INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023) – Another important step down, more to come in Kyle Larson’s Indianapolis 500 journey.

NASCAR Cup Series star Larson completed the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) on Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a significant milestone as he attempts to become just the fifth driver to compete in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day. Larson’s “Hendrick 1100” – the moniker given to this “double” initiative – will take place Sunday, May 26, 2024.

“It was fun,” Larson said. “It was mostly what I anticipated, in a way. The speed and the grip didn’t feel, thankfully, scarier than what I thought it might.

“Just how much the car wants to pull left and you have to kind of fight it back to the right on the straightaways and all that was something I didn’t expect. The weight of the wheel was a lot lighter than the simulator, but it was still a little heavier than what I expected. Other than that, I think it went really smooth.”

Larson needed a little more than two hours to complete the three-phase speed test on the historic, 2.5-mile oval, which also were his first laps in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car. Drivers must start ROP with 10 laps between 205-210 mph, following with 15 laps at 210-215 and finishing with 15 laps faster than 215 mph.

His top lap was 217.898 in the Hendrickcars.com Chevrolet fielded by Arrow McLaren in a joint effort with Hendrick Motorsports, Larson’s NASCAR team and 10-time winners of the Brickyard 400 at IMS. Larson turned 72 laps, with his fastest coming on his 65th trip.

2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Larson joined NTT INDYCAR SERIES regulars Tom Blomqvist of Meyer Shank Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Marcus Armstrong and Linus Lundqvist in completing the traditional Indy 500 rookie test this week at IMS. Armstrong, Blomqvist and Lundqvist finished all three phases of ROP on Wednesday, with Blomqvist topping the speed chart at 220.176 in a Meyer Shank Racing Honda.

The presence of Larson at the test attracted plenty of stars in the North American motorsports galaxy to IMS on a sunny fall afternoon. Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick and five-time Brickyard 400 winner Jeff Gordon – now the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports – observed the test, and Larson received plenty of advice from 2013 “500” winner Tony Kanaan, recently named Arrow McLaren sporting director.

“I’m certainly going to live vicariously through Kyle a bit through this experience and see how excited he is about it, and he clearly is,” said Gordon, who grew up in nearby Pittsboro, Indiana.

Said Kanaan: “It was seamless. We did what we were supposed to do today. Let’s come back here in April and get on.”

Larson’s next on-track step in this Indy 500 journey will be more laps in April during the Indianapolis 500 Open Test.

“It’s going to be really exciting next year when April and May come around because it’s going to be real then, race time, getting ready to race,” Larson said. “This is such a huge race for myself and my family, so I’m just glad I get to do it.”

2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Larson hopes to join John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch in completing the “double.” 2004 Cup Series champion Busch was the last driver to successfully attempt the double, in 2014. Stewart produced the most successful double in 2001, when he finished sixth at Indianapolis and third at Charlotte.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES tested the 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with hybrid technology Thursday at IMS, with Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, Will Power of Team Penske, Colton Herta of Andretti Global and Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren turning laps.

Hybrid testing will continue from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Friday, with David Malukas of Arrow McLaren and Marcus Ericsson of Andretti Global joining Palou and Power on track.

Fans can watch hybrid testing Friday from the grandstands inside the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 of the IMS oval, near the IMS Museum, and the spectator mounds inside Turn 2.

Visit IMS.com for more information and to buy tickets for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May activities at IMS.

RacingNation Crew

The post Anticipation Builds as Larson Passes Indy 500 Rookie Test appeared first on RacingNation.com.

Return of Historic Milwaukee Mile, Saturday Night Racing Highlight Action-Packed Calendar, 12 Broadcasts on NBC

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, Sept. 25, 2023) – INDYCAR has announced a 17-race schedule for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, which will take the world’s most competitive motorsport series into several fan-favorite markets, including a much-anticipated return to the Milwaukee Mile.

The schedule is also highlighted by two Saturday night races, a new and unique made-for-TV exhibition in Southern California, a global entertainment destination as the new host city for the season finale, and 12 NBC broadcast network showcases bolstered by the rising popularity of live streaming on Peacock.

Milwaukee Mile lands on the INDYCAR SERIES schedule for the first time since 2015. With the return set for Labor Day weekend, the iconic facility began hosting INDYCAR SERIES racing in 1939 and has featured wins by legendary drivers such as Rodger Ward (seven), Michael Andretti (five), Mario Andretti, A.J. Foyt, Gordon Johncock, Johnny Rutherford, Tom Sneva, Paul Tracy, Al Unser and Bobby Unser (four each).

The fabled 1-mile oval in West Allis, Wisconsin, also will showcase the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing with a doubleheader weekend for the first time in the track’s history, providing two crucial races during the homestretch of the 2024 championship.

“There is such a great tradition and history of INDYCAR racing at the Milwaukee Mile, and we are excited to build on that legacy with a Labor Day weekend NTT INDYCAR SERIES doubleheader beginning in 2024,” said Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Corporation. “We appreciate all the loyal and passionate INDYCAR fans in Milwaukee and across the state of Wisconsin, and thanks to our partnership with the Wisconsin State Fair Park, we can’t wait to return to the Mile next season.”

The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 20th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26, before all roads lead to Nashville for an unforgettable championship finale Sunday, Sept. 15 down the heart of the city’s entertainment district and honky tonk row, where the 2024 champion will be crowned for the first time.

“The upward trajectory of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is reflected through the 2024 schedule,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “With stops at premier and global entertainment districts, classic American road courses and thrilling, high-speed ovals, the 2024 season will be exhilarating and highly competitive from beginning to end.

“The growth of INDYCAR is palpable. Combined with the efforts of our teams and partners, the 2024 championship will be the perfect showcase for our drivers as we continue to build on our reach and popularity.”

For the sixth consecutive season, NBC Sports will be the exclusive home for INDYCAR coverage in the United States. NBC will provide network coverage 12 times during the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. It is the first time in 20 years the INDYCAR SERIES schedule has featured three consecutive years of double-digit events on network television.

Peacock remains the streaming home of INDYCAR. In a first for the streaming destination, Peacock will be the exclusive home of two races in a season – Toronto for the third year in a row and Milwaukee (Race 1) for the first time. In addition to the exclusive races, Peacock will once again simulstream all races airing on TV and will be the home to all practices, qualifying and INDY NXT by Firestone races.

The 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season proved to be NBC Sports’ most-watched INDYCAR SERIES season on record, averaging a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 1.32 million viewers. It also marked the third consecutive year of viewership growth across NBC Sports platforms, including a record audience streaming the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Peacock.

The Road to Indianapolis

Two street circuits and two road courses will entertain NTT INDYCAR SERIES fans and set the stage for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. After the 2024 season opens Sunday, March 10 for the 14th time on the sun-splashed Streets of St. Petersburg, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to The Thermal Club for the first $1 Million Challenge Sunday, March 24.

Serving as an Open Test and a non-points NBC showcase, the event will take place at the world-class facility located just outside of Palm Springs, California – a short drive from Los Angeles and the world’s top entertainment market. The $1 Million Challenge weekend format will include a qualifying session and two heat races. With members of The Thermal Club embedded with race teams and drivers, the top six finishers from the two heat races will advance to a showcase of stars, where they’ll compete for a $1 million prize.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule resumes Sunday, April 21 on the palm tree-lined Streets of Long Beach, with a telecast on USA Network. It will be the 40th time the INDYCAR SERIES has raced on the iconic Southern California streets, in the shadows of Hollywood.

The series’ next five events will be featured on NBC broadcast television and Peacock.

Barber Motorsports Park will host the INDYCAR SERIES for the 14th time, with the Sunday, April 28 race marking the final NTT INDYCAR SERIES event before moving into the traditional Month of May calendar at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. May at IMS begins with a race on the road course Saturday, May 11 before attention shifts to the famed 2.5-mile oval for two days of qualifying Saturday-Sunday, May 18-19 building toward the 108th edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” – the world’s largest single-day sporting event – on Sunday, May 26.

Ticket sales for the “500” are at a pace exceeding 2023, when well over 300,000 attended the largest single-day sporting event in the world. It was the second-largest Indy 500 crowd in more than two decades.

Summer Heat

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES will feature an adrenaline-filled stretch of action on five consecutive weekends leading into the months of June and July. It begins with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday, June 2 on USA Network, with racing on the 1.7-mile downtown street circuit for the second straight year. The new layout on the city’s vibrant and challenging streets featured as much passing as any street circuit in 2023.

The intense competition continues a week later on NBC and Peacock at historic Road America on Sunday, June 9. The newly repaved, picturesque circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, witnessed the most on-track passing for an INDYCAR SERIES race at the facility in 2023.

The 2024 season continues Sunday, June 23 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on USA Network. Known for its iconic and breathtaking Corkscrew turn complex, the Northern California facility will host an INDYCAR SERIES race in June for the first time in 21 years.

The summer heat is turned up in July with four races in three weeks – beginning with three consecutive broadcast showcases on NBC and Peacock.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course will continue the country’s Fourth of July celebration by hosting the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on Sunday, July 7 on NBC. Mid-Ohio matches Long Beach as it hosts INDYCAR SERIES racing for the 40th year in 2024.

The annual Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend doubleheader at Iowa Speedway is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 13-14, again on NBC. The 2024 edition will include the return of a Saturday night race to the jam-packed weekend. With support from Hy-Vee, the weekend combines exhilarating, wheel-to-wheel action with world-class music at the “Fastest Short Track on the Planet.”

The final race before the Summer Olympics break takes the NTT INDYCAR SERIES back to the Streets of Toronto on Sunday, July 21. Peacock again will provide exclusive coverage of the fan-favorite event as the INDYCAR SERIES races around Exhibition Place and Princes’ Gates for the 38th time in Canada’s largest city.

Fast, Fantastic Finish

The 2024 season finishes with a flurry as it features five races – including three on ovals – in five weeks. Beginning on the World Wide Technology Raceway oval, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES homestretch races out of the gates Saturday night, Aug. 17 on USA Network. The expected start time will take the brash and bold INDYCAR SERIES stars under the lights on the 1.25-mile track.

A week later on USA Network, INDYCAR returns to the West Coast and races Sunday, Aug. 25 at Portland International Raceway for the 30th time. In 2023, races at both WWT Raceway and PIR featured the most on-track passes on record at those facilities.

The new Labor Day weekend doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile will air on Peacock on Saturday Aug. 31 and USA Network on Sunday, Sept. 1 before the spotlight shifts to the Streets of Nashville for the season finale Sunday, Sept. 15 on NBC and Peacock.

The new 2.17-mile, seven-turn circuit in Nashville still incorporates the iconic Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge but adds views of the Country Music Hall of Fame and world-famous honky tonk row. For the first time, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion will be crowned and celebrated as part of the marquee Big Machine Music City Grand Prix weekend, which will include a massive Broadway street party that only Nashville can throw.

Previously announced, the 2024 season awards ceremony will also take place in the Music City, on Monday, Sept. 16 at the beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

“2023 was a record-breaking season for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “For the first time, 27 starters competed at each event, and on-track passing records were broken at six racetracks. INDYCAR remains the most diverse and competitive championship in motorsports. We cannot wait to see how the 2024 season plays out beginning on the Streets of St. Pete.”

The INDYCAR Radio Network again will provide audio coverage of all NTT INDYCAR SERIES sessions via SiriusXM Channel 160 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Start times for the 2024 events will be announced at a later date.

RacingNation Crew

The post INDYCAR Announces 17-Race 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Schedule appeared first on RacingNation.com.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023) – When the going gets most chaotic, nobody in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES finds a smooth path to Victory Lane better than Scott Dixon.

Dixon did it again Sunday, overcoming a starting grid penalty and an early on-track penalty and adapting strategy to multiple caution periods to win the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. It was the third win of the season and 56th career INDYCAR SERIES victory for six-time series champion Dixon, who won on this 11-turn, 2.238-mile circuit for the first time.

“A credit to this team,” Dixon said. “They’ve been executing like that all year. We got caught up in some mayhem at the start. I definitely didn’t agree with the (penalty) call, but I haven’t seen all of it yet. But I had nowhere to go. But we won; that’s all that matters. We won.”

Dixon’s No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda crossed the finish line 7.3180 seconds ahead of the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet of runner-up Scott McLaughlin for his third victory in the last four races of the season. Alex Palou finished third in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda to close out his championship season with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Two-time series champion Will Power finished fourth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, with Callum Ilott rounding out the top five in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet.

Marcus Armstrong was the top rookie finisher, eighth in the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants of Chip Ganassi Racing. That was enough to clinch Rookie of the Year honors for New Zealand native Armstrong and helped CGR achieve the unprecedented feat of taking the top two spots in the standings, with Palou and Dixon, and winning the Rookie of the Year title.

Chevrolet edged Honda by just 12 points to win the Manufacturers Championship for the second consecutive season.

The first hurdle for Dixon to scale came before the green flag flew to start the race. His CGR team was penalized six spots on the starting grid for an unapproved engine change after the morning warmup, so Dixon dropped from his qualifying spot of fifth to 11th at the start.

That lower starting spot put Dixon in the middle of mayhem that erupted near the front and throughout the midfield on Lap 1. Five cars were officially counted as part of the multiple collisions and jostling in Turn 2.

Dixon’s car veered hard right in traffic exiting the calamity corner better known as the Andretti Hairpin on Lap 1 and tapped the No. 21 Bitnile.com Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing driver Rinus VeeKay into the gravel just past Turn 2. After extensive review of the entire maelstrom, INDYCAR officials assessed Dixon with a drive-through penalty for avoidable contact, along with a drive-through penalty for the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s Christian Lundgaard.

That penalty infuriated Dixon, known as “The Iceman” for his cool under pressure. But he chilled quickly in the cockpit, and Dixon and veteran CGR strategist Mike Hull started to devise alternate tactics to quicken a long climb from the rear of the cars still running on the lead lap.

Hull and Dixon decided to save fuel and try to finish the 95-lap race on one stop fewer than most of the rest of the field. They employed a similar strategy to win after being spun into the grass on Lap 1 of the Gallagher Grand Prix on Aug. 12 on the IMS road course and sipped fuel to win the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Aug. 27 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

When it was drawn up, the fuel-saving strategy was risky because it probably required some slower running under yellow to make it to the finish on one less stop. Dixon also couldn’t let teammate Palou, who was cruising out front while leading 51 of the first 58 laps, build a big enough lead to stay out front after the final pit cycles ended.

The yellows came that Dixon needed – and then some. And one of the caution flags flew with terrible timing for Palou.

On Lap 58, the No. 18 HMD Trucking Honda of David Malukas and the No. 29 Sapphire Gas Solutions Honda of Devlin DeFrancesco made side-by-side contact, with Malukas spinning into the gravel adjacent to Turn 3 to trigger the fifth of a race record-tying eight caution periods.

Palou was nearing the end of one of his fuel stints when the incident unfolded, but he couldn’t dive into the pits before the caution lights illuminated. He made his second and final stop on the next lap, Lap 59, and re-entered the race in 15th place with 37 laps to go.

Meanwhile, Dixon made his third and final stop on Lap 65. That ended up being one stop fewer than McLaughlin. Meanwhile, Palou couldn’t make up enough ground in the closing stages of the race to convert his two-stop strategy into catching Dixon or McLaughlin, as the last 17 laps of the race ran green despite the last four caution periods coming between Laps 58 and 75.

Dixon took the lead for good on Lap 76 when leader Romain Grosjean pitted for the last time in the No. 28 DHL Honda of Andretti Autosport. It was one of six lead changes among six drivers in a wild race that featured 432 on-track passes, an INDYCAR SERIES record for this picturesque track that features the famous “Corkscrew” turn complex.

From there, Dixon managed the gap after the final restart on Lap 78 and pulled away down the stretch of the 95-lap race with no need to save fuel.

Dixon will split $10,000 with Chip Ganassi Racing and his chosen charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for his win as part of the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge.

Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey Race Results
MONTEREY, Calif. – Results Sunday of the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.238-mile WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (11) Scott Dixon, Honda, 95, Running
2. (2) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 95, Running
3. (5) Alex Palou, Honda, 95, Running
4. (7) Will Power, Chevrolet, 95, Running
5. (20) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 95, Running
6. (3) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 95, Running
7. (15) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 95, Running
8. (14) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 95, Running
9. (9) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 95, Running
10. (25) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Chevrolet, 95, Running
11. (8) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 95, Running
12. (24) Sting Ray Robb, Honda, 95, Running
13. (27) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 95, Running
14. (19) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 95, Running
15. (18) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 94, Running
16. (23) Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet, 94, Running
17. (17) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 94, Running
18. (6) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 93, Running
19. (1) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 93, Running
20. (22) David Malukas, Honda, 93, Running
21. (4) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 91, Running
22. (26) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 91, Running
23. (12) Colton Herta, Honda, 80, Contact
24. (13) Juri Vips, Honda, 71, Running
25. (16) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 65, Running
26. (21) Tom Blomqvist, Honda, 61, Contact
27. (10) Graham Rahal, Honda, 0, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 92.645 mph
Time of Race: 02:17:41.6400
Margin of victory: 7.3180 seconds
Cautions: 8 for 35 laps
Lead changes: 6 among 7 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Rosenqvist, Felix 1 – 6
Palou, Alex 7 – 28
Herta, Colton 29
Palou, Alex 30 – 58
O’Ward, Pato 59 – 73
Grosjean, Romain 74 – 75
Dixon, Scott 76 – 95

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings:
Palou 656, Dixon 578, McLaughlin 488, O’Ward 484, Newgarden 479, Ericsson 438, Power 425, Lundgaard 390, Rossi 375, Herta 356, Kirkwood 352, Rosenqvist 324, Grosjean 296, VeeKay 277, Rahal 276, Ilott 266, Malukas 265, Castroneves 217, Armstrong 214, Ferrucci 214, Canapino 180, DeFrancesco 177, Robb 147, Jack Harvey 146, Conor Daly 134, Hunter-Reay 131, Pedersen 129, Simon Pagenaud 88, Takuma Sato 70, Ed Carpenter 46, Linus Lundqvist 35, Tony Kanaan 18, Vips 18, Blomqvist 16, Marco Andretti 13, RC Enerson 5, Katherine Legge 5

RacingNation Crew

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MADISON, Ill. (Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023) – No driver in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES makes the improbable possible more than Scott Dixon, and he did it yet again Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway.

Dixon showed every bit of his masterful ability to save fuel and navigate traffic to win the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Sunday in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, earning his 55th career victory and second win this season.

He only needed three pit stops due to saving fuel, at least one fewer than the other 27 drivers in the field. That strategy was borne from necessity since Dixon started 16th in the 28-car field after incurring a nine-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after the last race, the Gallagher Grand Prix on Aug. 12 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. He also won that race by saving fuel and mastering strategy after being spun into the infield grass during a Lap 1 incident.

“It’s all these guys, man,” Dixon said about his Chip Ganassi Racing crew. “Chip steers the ship. We took a pretty good grid penalty today. We had to go the alternate route, and it worked out perfectly. This team was perfect. They gave me the (fuel) number I needed to be getting, so massive thank you to everybody on the PNC Bank No. 9 crew.”

Pato O’Ward finished second in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. David Malukas placed third in the No. 18 HMD Trucking Honda fielded by Dale Coyne Racing with HMD. O’Ward and Malukas were the only drivers on the lead lap with Dixon, whose margin of victory of 22.2256 seconds was the biggest for an INDYCAR SERIES race on the 1.25-mile WWTR oval.

Alexander Rossi finished fourth in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, with NTT P1 Award winner Scott McLaughlin rounding out the top five in the No. 3 Odyssey Batteries Team Penske Chevrolet.

“Scott Dixon did Scott Dixon today,” O’Ward said. “When they were telling me on the radio the 9 car is trying to make it to the end, he’s going to make it until the end. I was happy with the strategy today; I was happy with my car. But, yeah … Scott Dixon.”

Six-time INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon also kept his hopes alive for a record-tying seventh title with the victory, as he trails series leader Alex Palou by 74 points with two races remaining. Teammate Palou finished seventh in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda and needs to lead by 55 points or more after the BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland next Sunday, Sept. 3 at Portland International Raceway to clinch his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship in the last three seasons. Palou and Dixon are the only remaining drivers eligible to win the Astor Challenge Cup as season champion.

Dixon’s victory also ended Josef Newgarden’s run toward INDYCAR SERIES history. Newgarden entered this 260-lap race having won all four previous oval races this year and was trying to become the first INDYCAR SERIES driver to sweep all the oval races in a season with multiple circle-track races.

But two-time series champion Newgarden – who had won three straight races at WWTR dating to 2020 – drifted high in Turn 2 on Lap 211 after his final pit stop and hit the SAFER Barrier. He finished 25th in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet and was eliminated from title contention.

“I was just trying to catch up,” Newgarden said. “I knew we were going to lose to someone in fuel save, most likely Dixon or somebody. I was just trying to get through cars as quickly as I could when I pitted, and it didn’t work out. I got in the marbles, just a touch too high.”

Newgarden started from the top spot after NTT P1 Award winner and teammate McLaughlin was forced to start 10th after a nine-spot grid penalty for an unauthorized engine change after the last race. Newgarden led 98 of the first 102 laps as most teams evolved their pit strategies to four stops.

Dixon was on a different plan.

He took the lead for the first time on Lap 113 when Colton Herta pitted from the lead in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda. By Lap 120, every driver had made at least two pit stops – except for Dixon.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato made contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 in the No. 11 Deloitte Honda, triggering the second and last caution period of the race on Lap 122. Dixon dove into the pits on Lap 125 under caution for his second stop, with Newgarden and O’Ward following suit.

Then Dixon’s mastery of saving fuel took control of the race. O’Ward and Newgarden pitted for the third time on Laps 165 and 167, respectively, while Dixon didn’t make his third – and final – stop until Lap 197, handing the lead to O’Ward.

But O’Ward pitted for the fourth and final time on Lap 214, giving the lead to teammate Rossi. But Rossi and then Herta had to pit for a fourth time within the next seven laps, and Dixon jumped to the front on Lap 221 and stayed there until the checkered flag despite keeping an eye on his fuel number and growing pressure from behind from Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Dixon led a race-high 123 of 270 laps.

Power had to make his final stop on Lap 249, and Dixon was home free from that point.

Dixon will split $10,000 with Chip Ganassi Racing and his chosen charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, for his win as part of the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge.

His victory also means the $1 million PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge bonus will go unclaimed this season. The bonus is presented to the first driver who wins on a road course, street circuit and oval in a season. The last two races this season are road course events at Portland International Raceway (Sept. 3) and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (Sept. 10), and Dixon has no street course wins this season. Newgarden’s four wins have all come on ovals, and Palou has wins on a street circuit and road course but none on ovals.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline Race Results
MADISON, Ill. (Sunday, Aug. 27, 2023) – Results Sunday of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 1.25-mile World Wide Technology Raceway oval, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (16) Scott Dixon, Honda, 260, Running
2. (3) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 260, Running
3. (6) David Malukas, Honda, 260, Running
4. (7) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 259, Running
5. (10) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 259, Running
6. (2) Colton Herta, Honda, 259, Running
7. (14) Alex Palou, Honda, 259, Running
8. (4) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 259, Running
9. (8) Will Power, Chevrolet, 259, Running
10. (15) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 259, Running
11. (20) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 259, Running
12. (5) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 259, Running
13. (26) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 259, Running
14. (23) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Chevrolet, 259, Running
15. (22) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 259, Running
16. (11) Conor Daly, Honda, 259, Running
17. (19) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 259, Running
18. (12) Linus Lundqvist, Honda, 258, Running
19. (18) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 258, Running
20. (21) Graham Rahal, Honda, 258, Running
21. (24) Sting Ray Robb, Honda, 258, Running
22. (28) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 258, Running
23. (13) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 257, Running
24. (27) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 254, Running
25. (1) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 210, Contact
26. (17) Takuma Sato, Honda, 119, Contact
27. (9) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 58, Contact
28. (25) Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet, 0, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 149.819 mph
Time of Race: 02:10:09.4046
Margin of victory: 22.2256 seconds
Cautions: 2 for 22 laps
Lead changes: 10 among 6 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Newgarden, Josef 1 – 61
Power, Will 62 – 65
Newgarden, Josef 66 – 102
Herta, Colton 103 – 112
Dixon, Scott 113 – 125
O’Ward, Pato 126
Dixon, Scott 127 – 196
O’Ward, Pato 197 – 213
Rossi, Alexander 214 – 217
Herta, Colton 218 – 220
Dixon, Scott 221 – 260

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings:
Palou 565, Dixon 491, Newgarden 440, O’Ward 429, McLaughlin 426, Ericsson 397, Power 388, Lundgaard 343, Rossi 339, Herta 331, Kirkwood 327, Grosjean 271, Rosenqvist 270, Rahal 251, VeeKay 237, Malukas 230, Ilott 221, Ferrucci 187, Castroneves 184, Marcus Armstrong 179, Canapino 159, DeFrancesco 156, Jack Harvey 146, Daly 134, Robb 122, Pedersen 107, Hunter-Reay 102, Simon Pagenaud 88, Sato 70, Carpenter 46, Lundqvist 35, Tony Kanaan 18, Marco Andretti 13, Tom Blomqvist 5, RC Enerson 5, Katherine Legge 5

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New Circuit, Victory Lap Celebration in Music City among Highlights

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Aug. 3, 2023) – INDYCAR and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix have announced the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES finale is moving to Nashville on Sept. 13-15, 2024.

All roads along the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season will lead to Nashville, as the year-long championship battle will be settled and a champion crowned on downtown Nashville’s iconic Honky-Tonk row. The 2024 season awards ceremony will also take place in the Music City, on Sept. 16 at the iconic Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

More than 250,000 fans are expected to converge on downtown Nashville for the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, which has quickly become one of the sport’s marquee events since its debut in 2021 and will become a championship-crowning celebration watched by viewers across the globe. The new 2.17-mile, seven-turn circuit will continue across the iconic Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge and route directly past the Country Music Hall of Fame. The racecourse will run through the city’s honky-tonk district, home to bars owned by the biggest names in country music, including Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Garth Brooks, Eric Church, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert, John Rich and Blake Shelton. Each day of racing will culminate with a takeover of Broadway and a massive street party that only Nashville can throw, featuring live performances by many of music’s biggest artists.

Considered one of the world’s finest venues, Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center will host the 2024 INDYCAR Victory Lap Celebration on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024. Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, the building boasts distinctive design elements that pay homage to the history, culture and people of Middle Tennessee. The Schermerhorn has been a favorite venue for legendary artists spanning different genres, from country music stars like Dolly Parton to contemporary pop sensations like Harry Styles.

“Nashville and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix team are ready to host a can’t-miss, action-packed event that transforms the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale and elevates it to an even higher peak on the global stage,” said Mark Miles, president & CEO of Penske Entertainment Corp. “Next year’s race in Nashville will be an unbridled celebration of the most fierce and competitive motorsport on the planet, set against the backdrop of an innovative and breathtaking stage that includes one of the premier global entertainment districts in the world. We’ll have more to share soon on an entire weekend of activities, both on and off track, that fully taps into the growing reach and relevance of an ascendant and marquee city.”

While the season finale is moving to Nashville, this year’s final venue on the 2023 schedule, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, will remain on the 2024 calendar. More details about the entire 2024 season schedule will be forthcoming.

“WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca remains a beloved, historic venue for our teams, drivers and fans in an important and scenic market,” Miles said.

“The fact that INDYCAR has chosen Nashville and the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix as the crowning event is a testament to our fans, partners, stakeholders and truly the Nashville hospitality industry as a whole,” said Matt Crews, CEO, Big Machine Music City Grand Prix. “The ability to promote our city and state year-round and bring our race into the heart of Nashville is an absolute honor. The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix continues to grow to levels that I never dreamed could have been possible.”

The Big Machine Music City Grand Prix has become a marquee event for Tennessee and across the motorsport landscape, bringing fans from all 50 states and dozens of countries annually. With a global TV audience in over 200 countries and territories, the Grand Prix is elevated across a worldwide stage.

“Tennessee is already leading the nation in automotive manufacturing, hospitality and entertainment, and this announcement takes it to the next level, as the focus will be on world-class racing in the Volunteer State for the entire 2024 INDYCAR season,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “As the home state of two-time series champion and current Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden, it just makes sense that Tennessee would host one of the biggest races of the season. With the national and international spotlight on Nashville, the world will see what Tennesseans already know to be true – that there’s no better stage for racing than Music City.”

For more information and to receive future news on the 2024 Big Machine Music City Grand Prix, please visit www.musiccitygp24.com.

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Elkhart Lake, WI – Alex Palou continued his hot streak in the NTT IndyCar Series by visiting victory lane for the third time in the last four races, including the last two, this time capturing the win in the Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR at Road America.

“We kept on pushing”, Palou talked about the win. “Great pit stops. Fighted for the win at the end. Yeah, the speed that we had this weekend was huge and gave us the opportunity to win today.”

With six laps to go, Palou in the Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, made his move on polesitter Colton Herta in turn one and never looked back. Herta, conserving fuel, couldn’t put up a fight and Palou powered his way to victory.

“Honestly the first couple of laps that he did on the blacks, he was really, really fast,” explained Palou. “I was like, Man, he’s pushing very hard. I don’t know if I can catch him. Once my tires were into temperature, I was able to catch him. I saw that he was struggling a little bit more. He had to save more fuel than us because he pitted one lap early. We were just a little bit better on tire deg, as well. I was just trying to push him to use the push to pass, then overtake him. It worked.”

Herta had led 33 laps in the race, but his struggles at the end had him dropping back to fifth as the checkers flew. Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward and Scott Dixon were all able to get by the Andretti Autosport driver in the final six laps.

Starting fourth, the defending race winner Newgarden was unable to lead a lap by stayed near the front and finished in the runner-up position.

“I mean, it was a pretty good day. Yeah, it was an okay day.,” said Newgarden. “Disappointing for the way it finished for us just because there was a great opportunity in the middle to win this race. I’m conflicted because on the one hand it was a great recovery for all of us on Team Penske. We started this weekend in pretty bad shape, were really far off the pace. We chipped away at it, did a lot of work, felt like we got really close in qualifying, had a really good race car. From that standpoint I’m elated, but just disappointed. Looked like we had an opportunity today and we weren’t really able to seal the deal. It was a great job for our team.”

O’Ward had to settle for another podium finish rather than what is becoming an elusive win for him this season.

“It was a hard-fought podium for my 5 camp,” said O’Ward. “We were a bit of a ping-pong ball in the start of the race in turn one and turn three, then got shuffled back even more. So, yeah, we had to pass everybody on track. Obviously happy with the result. But yeah, I think we all need to be better if we want to catch the 10 car. That’s just the reality of it.”

Nine races remain in the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season and after eight races, Palou leads by 71 points over Marcus Ericsson.

With his hot streak not looking to cool off anytime soon, are the other drivers worried?

“Win races,” said a smiling O’Ward. “If you win nine more races, yeah, you can do it.”

“Probably win by 200 points if you won nine races straight,” responded Newgarden. “Yeah, I mean, it’s pretty wide open still.”

Up next for the series is the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio on July 2nd.

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Elkhart Lake, WI – While not all laps were perfect, Colton Herta layed down fast laps when it counted and scored the pole position for Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR at Road America.

The young Andretti Autosport driver made each session he was in interesting with a few off-track excursions, a few eliminated lap times and fast laps when he needed them. After struggles in qualifying all season long, the Honda driver finally was able to get it done in qualifying.

“it’s good to be back in here. I forgot what a media center looked like, I’ve been qualifying so poorly”, Herta said with a smile. “, it feels nice to be back, kind of on form. Our qualifyings have been kind of lackluster the last few weekends. Luckily we put it all together today and ended up on the pole.”

Herta’s run of one minute 40.1945 seconds was nearly five seconds quicker than Alezander Rossi’s pole run in last year’s event at Road America. The last time the #26 Gainbridge Honda driver was on the pole was July 2022 in Toronto. This was Herta’s tenth career pole position.

Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’ Ward qualified in second place, just under seventeen hundredths of a second behind Herta. Alex Palou, Josef Newgarden and Rossi rounded out the top five.

After the four mile track was repaved last fall, a run at track records has been anticipated at for each event at Road America. For the NTT IndyCar Series, it was not to be. Trying to figure out the idiosyncrasies of the alternate “reds” and primary “blacks” with the new surface has been a concern for all drivers.

The current track record is held by Dario Franchitti, which was set at 1:39.866 in 2000, in the CART era.

The repave/tire discussion was the hot topic following qualifying.

“I had more problems today than I did yesterday as far as off tracks and whatnot. I think it’s just difficult”, explained Herta. “It’s hard to get the cars in the operating window. It seems like some cars like different tires than others. It’s just a very strange feeling, at least for me, inside the car. I’m sure it’s different team to team and whatnot. For me it’s a very strange feeling at the wheel. I think it shows by how many guys have been kind of trickling off the track, just having weird spins.”

O’Ward gave his thoughts on the matter. “, I see it being there’s maybe a lane and a half of, like, very high grip. But you go off of that, and it’s like ice. I think that’s also why there’s just been a lot of excursions. You miss it by just a tad, and it’s like, What happened to the car? To extract the lap time, especially now with the new pavement, like there is so much more grip, but it’s only in the line. You have to commit so much into the corners where a lot of the times it kind of bites once you’re already committed. I think that’s why you see a lot of spins, a lot of guys going off, just a lot of random snaps. It makes you feel like there’s unlimited amounts of grip, but there’s obviously limits to everything.”

Sunday starts with a Warm Up session at 9:30am CST for the IndyCar drivers giving them one final chance to figure out the tire dilemma with longer runs on each compound.

The NTT IndyCar Series Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR at Road America is scheduled for 12:23pm CST on Sunday.

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Elkhart Lake, WI – Alexander Rossi topped the field on the new pavement at Road America during the opening practice session of the NTT IndyCar Series Sonsio Grand Prix presented by AMR.

Lapping the track in 1 minute 41.7790 seconds, Rossi in the #7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet held off David Malukas in his Dale Coyne Racing with HMD Honda by .0862 seconds in the 75 minute session.

Rossi is the defending polesitter for the Grand Prix and also was the 2019 race winner at Road America.

While he topped the speed chart, Rossi wasn’t completely satisfied. “It wasn’t a very clean run or laps by me, so I think there’s certainly quite a bit more in it, which is a good sign,” he explained. “You never get all you want out of it because usually you’re limited on the amount of tires you have and everything. It was interesting for us, having tested here last week, to understand the difference in the tire that Firestone brought for this weekend because no one that tested here had the actual tire. Obviously trying the reds for the first time. So it was an interesting session. Yeah, definitely lots to digest overnight.”
Rounding out the top five in quickest laps were: point leader Alex Palou and Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing along with Rossi’s Arrow McLaren teammate Pato O’Ward.

The IndyCar Series drivers return to the 4.014 mile track on Saturday for a second round of practice in the morning and qualifying in the early afternoon as the shoot to break the track record on the new pavement.

On Sunday the Sonsio Grand Prix is set to see the green flag wave at 12:23pm Central time.

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DETROIT (Sunday, June 4, 2023) – Precision paid off for Alex Palou on Sunday in Detroit.

NTT P1 Award winner Palou used his smooth driving style to prevail on one of the toughest circuits in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, capturing the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on the streets of Detroit. Spaniard Palou kept the lead during two late restarts in the No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing and beat the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet of Will Power to the finish by 1.1843 seconds.

It was the sixth career victory for 2021 season champion Palou and his second in the last three races this season, as he also won the GMR Grand Prix on May 13 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

“The No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants car was on point today,” Palou said. “Super proud of the job we did. It was tricky there at the end, man, with those (worn) tires couldn’t really get to temperature (on restarts).”

Felix Rosenqvist finished a season-best third in the No. 6 onsemi Arrow McLaren Chevrolet after muscling past teammate Alexander Rossi during a spirited duel in the closing laps on the nine-turn, 1.7-mile temporary street circuit.

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon finished fourth in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, putting two CGR cars in the top four. Rossi rounded out the top five in the No. 7 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Palou led from the drop of the green flag in the 100-lap race under sunny skies. He stretched his advantage to 9.1 seconds by Lap 21 after starting on the Firestone alternate tires, whose softer compound has more grip but less durability. Power started seventh on Firestone primary tires and used the longer wear on those tires to cut Palou’s lead to 1.5 seconds by Lap 29.

At that point, Chip Ganassi Racing elected to call Palou to the pits for Firestone primary tires, the same rubber as Power. Six laps later, Power pitted for the first time, opting for his mandatory run on Firestone alternates that use sustainable rubber from the guayule shrub, and handed the lead back to Palou.

After Power blended back into the race from his stop, Palou gradually built his lead to four seconds. But that gap evaporated on Lap 43 when Pato O’Ward crashed in Turn 9 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Palou held off Power on the restart on Lap 49, but the caution flag flew during the first lap of green after the restart when rookie Sting Ray Robb went deep into the runoff area in Turn 3 in the No. 51 biohaven Honda.

The ensuing restart on Lap 56 was about the only spot of bother all day for Palou. Power, on grippier alternate tires, dove under Palou for first in the Turn 3 hairpin at the end of the long back straightaway. Palou’s car seemed to pause at the exit of that corner, apparently due to a problem that forced him to cycle through the emergency electronics mode on the wheel before normal service was restored.

Reigning and two-time series champion Power had pulled away to a 2.8-second lead over Palou two laps after that restart. But Palou collected himself, focused forward and dove under Power in Turn 3 on Lap 65 to regain the lead.

“We had an issue that was probably my fault, but then we got stuck there,” Palou said. “I couldn’t really upshift. Proud that we got it back and that we got another win this year.”

After the field cycled through its final pit stops, Palou led by nearly five seconds when Romain Grosjean crashed in Turn 4 in the No. 28 DHL Honda on Lap 82, triggering another full-course caution. Palou held off Power on that restart on Lap 87, another on Lap 91 after David Malukas crashed in the No. 18 HMD Trucking Honda during the previous restart and yet again on a final restart on Lap 96 after Santino Ferrucci’s No. 14 Sexton Properties/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet and Robb’s car went deep into the Turn 3 runoff while dueling for position.

There was plenty of muscular driving and contact over the last five laps, including Dixon running into the rear of Power’s car on the final restart and spirited, aggressive swaps of position by Arrow McLaren teammates Rosenqvist and Rossi. Palou levitated in front of the mayhem and cruised to victory, leading 74 of the 100 laps.

“I did everything I could to get Palou,” Power said. “He was just too quick, man. Too good today.”

Palou will split $10,000 with Chip Ganassi Racing and his chosen charity, The American Legion, for his victory as part of the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge. He has won two of the three legs needed to earn a $1 million bonus, with a win on the road course at IMS and the street circuit at Detroit. Palou can secure the bonus with a win in any of the three remaining three oval races, a doubleheader July 22-23 at Iowa Speedway and Aug. 27 at World Wide Technology Raceway.

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR on Sunday, June 18 in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.

Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear Race Results
DETROIT – Results Sunday of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 1.645-mile Streets of Detroit, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (1) Alex Palou, Honda, 100, Running
2. (7) Will Power, Chevrolet, 100, Running
3. (9) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 100, Running
4. (4) Scott Dixon, Honda, 100, Running
5. (13) Alexander Rossi, Chevrolet, 100, Running
6. (12) Kyle Kirkwood, Honda, 100, Running
7. (2) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 100, Running
8. (11) Marcus Armstrong, Honda, 100, Running
9. (6) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 100, Running
10. (5) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 100, Running
11. (24) Colton Herta, Honda, 100, Running
12. (17) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 100, Running
13. (8) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 100, Running
14. (20) Agustin Canapino, Chevrolet, 100, Running
15. (15) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 100, Running
16. (18) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 100, Running
17. (25) Jack Harvey, Honda, 100, Running
18. (14) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 100, Running
19. (23) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 100, Running
20. (19) Benjamin Pedersen, Chevrolet, 97, Running
21. (22) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 97, Running
22. (26) Sting Ray Robb, Honda, 97, Running
23. (21) David Malukas, Honda, 85, Contact
24. (3) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 80, Contact
25. (27) Graham Rahal, Honda, 50, Contact
26. (10) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 41, Contact
27. (16) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 1, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner’s average speed: 80.922 mph
Time of Race: 02:01:58.1171
Margin of victory: 1.1843 seconds
Cautions: 7 for 32 laps
Lead changes: 10 among 7 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Palou, Alex 1 – 28
Power, Will 29 – 33
O’Ward, Pato 34
Palou, Alex 35 – 55
Power, Will 56 – 64
Palou, Alex 65
Rossi, Alexander 66
Newgarden, Josef 67 – 68
Kirkwood, Kyle 69
Ericsson, Marcus 70 – 76
Palou, Alex 77 – 100

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings:
Palou 273, Ericsson 222, Newgarden 203, Dixon 194, O’Ward 191, Rossi 176, McLaughlin 175, Power 172, Herta 149, Rosenqvist 148, Grosjean 145, Kirkwood 142, Lundgaard 136, Ilott 116, VeeKay 108, Ferrucci 105, Armstrong 101, Rahal 99, Malukas 91, Daly 88, DeFrancesco 81, Castroneves 80, Harvey 78, Canapino 77, Pagenaud 72, Pedersen 61, Robb 55, Takuma Sato 37, Ed Carpenter 27, Ryan Hunter-Reay 20, Tony Kanaan 18, Marco Andretti 13, RC Enerson 5, Katherine Legge 5

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