Category: NTT Indy

MONTEREY, Calif. (Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022) – It wasn’t easy for differing reasons, but Will Power and Alex Palou both ended up winners Sunday after the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Power survived varying tire strategies and challenges from rivals to finish third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and clinch his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, adding to his 2014 title. The championship came just one day after Power set the INDYCAR SERIES career record with his 68th pole, breaking a tie with fellow legend Mario Andretti.

“Man, I had to drive the thing today,” Power said. “It was on the edge, very loose. Man, what a relief. What a relief to get that done.”

Power, 41, from Australia, won just one race this season, but this was his series-leading 12th top-five finish in 17 races – three more than any other driver. Power and Scott Dixon also were the only drivers to finish every lap this season.

That consistency was part of a mental shift this season by Power to take what the car offered each race and not overdrive into mistakes. The newfound, Zen-like focus proved pivotal.

“From the beginning (of the season), it was just playing the long game, not necessarily going for the big wins and all that,” Power said.

This was the 17th INDYCAR SERIES championship by a Team Penske driver, extending the team’s record. Power beat teammate Josef Newgarden to the crown by just 16 points.

Palou ended his reign as series champion with his first victory of the season in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, dominating the race and beating Newgarden to the checkered flag by 30.3812 seconds, the largest margin of victory this season by more than 24 seconds. Palou delivered a victory after a fraught summer marked by a still-unresolved contractual dispute for his driving services next season between Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren Racing.

The win came despite a six-spot grid penalty for an unapproved engine change after qualifying Saturday, dropping Palou from fifth to 11th on the starting grid.

“We struggled a bit (at) some races, especially the last couple of races,” Palou said. “But today was awesome. Strategy was on point. It’s good to finish a season with a win. We had some power there and good fuel mileage.”

Palou first took the lead on Lap 16 and proved to be the dominant driver almost immediately. He led 67 of the 95 laps in a race slowed by just three caution periods.

Spaniard Palou’s gap over second-place Power was 8.6287 seconds on Lap 50, but Palou rocketed away during the second half of the race as rivals managed varying tire and pit strategies. Palou used the Firestone alternate tires only from Laps 20 to 38 and then blitzed the field for the rest of the way on Firestone primary tires on the slick, highly abrasive surface of the 11-turn, 2.238-mile circuit.

By Lap 62, Palou’s gap over Power was 20 seconds. It was checkout time.

“We struggled a bit during the whole weekend, and I don’t know what happened today,” said Palou, who won three races last year en route to the title. “But everything clicked. Super happy to win a race this year.”

Newgarden started the day second in the standings, 21 points behind Power, who earned a bonus point for the NTT P1 Award Saturday. He faced long odds for capturing his third championship due to starting 25th in the 26-car field after spinning off track in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet during the first round of qualifying.

But Newgarden never relented in his tenacious long shot bid to overhaul teammate Power. He started the race on Firestone primary tires – the opposite approach of title rivals Power, Dixon and Marcus Ericsson – and also made one more pit stop than Power in an attempt to use fresher tires and a full-bore fuel mixture to gain track position.

The gambit nearly worked. Newgarden exited the pits on Lap 36 on new Firestone primary tires and started inhaling rivals, especially with frightening closing speed entering the daunting “Corkscrew” turn complex.

Newgarden passed the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet of Pato O’Ward for fourth on Lap 43 in the Corkscrew and then repeated that move one lap later for third place, passing the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet of Felix Rosenqvist.

Power was next on the hit list. Newgarden sailed past his teammate on Lap 46 at the top of the Corkscrew for second place. But Power didn’t panic, again focusing on the long view while doing title arithmetic in his brain at 175 mph.

“I just knew I had to absolutely get the most out of those stints and not lose any more positions,” Power said.

Newgarden had no chance to catch Palou, who already was in a different stratosphere, up by seven seconds just four laps after a Lap 41 restart. The top three cars held station for the rest of the race, sealing the title for Power.

“Even yesterday, with the heartache there, we came back, we fought, and we nearly got there,” Newgarden said. “I’m proud of the effort. We’re going to come back stronger next year.

“But I’m proud of this team. Huge congrats to Will and the entire team.”

Six-time series champion Dixon placed third in the standings, 39 points behind Power, after his 12th-place finish in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Scott McLaughlin ended up fourth in points in just his second season of open-wheel racing after his sixth-place finish in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet.

2021 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Ericsson finished his best NTT INDYCAR SERIES season fifth in points after placing ninth in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Christian Lundgaard earned series Rookie of the Year honors with his fifth-place finish in the No. 30 PeopleReady Honda. Lundgaard ended with an 18-point gap over David Malukas, who finished 13th today in the No. 18 HMD Honda.

Palou will split $10,000 with his Chip Ganassi Racing team and his chosen charity for his victory as part of the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY
WEATERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA
CHAMPION QUOTES – WILL POWER
SEPT. 11, 2022

Power earns second INDYCAR driver championship
Driver of No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet finishes third in final race of season

Pole-sitter Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet, finished third in the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey and earned his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver championship. It is the seventh driver championship since 2012 for Chevrolet, which also wrapped up its seventh Manufacturer Championship. Champion quick quotes:

COULD YOU HAVE PLANNED A MORE PERFECT WEEKEND?

“No. It’s so surreal. In the offseason my wife said to me I believe you’re going to beat Mario’s record and you’re going to win the championship. It actually gave me confidence that I could do it. That’s how much confidence I have in her gut feel. I just couldn’t believe that they came true.”

YOU PLAYED THE LONG GAME BY STAYING CALM. WHAT WERE YOU THIKING WHEN YOU SAW JOSEF NEWGARDEN GO PAST YOU?

“I just knew I had to get the most out of those stints and not lose any more positions. I had to drive the thing today. It was on the edge, very loose. What a relief to get that done. I can’t thank Verizon enough. They’ve been with me for close to 12 years now and without them I would never have had this career and obviously Roger Penske and the whole team and Chevrolet.”

HOW MUCH OF YOUR OFFSEASON MENTAL ADJUSTMENT HAS LED TO THIS MOMENT?

“From the beginning it was just playing the long game, not necessarily going for the big wins and all that. As I’ve gotten older, I have a lot more gratitude for my life and what I get to do. Not everyone gets to do this and I’m lucky and I appreciate it a lot.”

HOW MUCH DID YOU RELY ON EXPERIENCE THIS WEEKEND?

“That’s exactly it; you’ve accumulated so much experience, you understand how races go and you understand that you can never give up no matter what it seems like, so you just keep digging and it just kept unfolding. A solid day.”

Jim Campbell, Chevrolet vice president of Performance and Motorsports:

“It’s always exciting to watch Will Power behind the wheel of an INDYCAR. Will started on the pole, led the first lap and managed this race with the No. 12 team to clinch the 2022 championship. It’s been so special to work with Will, Ron Ruzewski, David Faustino and the No.12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet team all season long. We’re proud that both of Will’s championships have been powered by Chevrolet’s 2.2-liter V6.”

ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022) – Will Power wrote a new chapter of INDYCAR SERIES history one day before he could enter his name in the sport’s annals as a series champion for the second time.

Power broke Mario Andretti’s all-time record with his 68th career pole Saturday during NTT P1 Award qualifying for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

Power, 41, from Toowomba, Australia, drove to his series-leading fifth pole this season in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, burnishing his legend and starting from the perfect position as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship leader entering the season finale Sunday at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

“It’s such a big day tomorrow that I can’t celebrate much because I’ve got to be so focused on tomorrow,” Power said. “Tremendous milestone. To be out there with an iconic guy like Mario is amazing. When I think about the era he raced in, how dangerous it was and how much more of a risk it was, it just blows my mind I’m there with Mario.”

Said Andretti: “Awesome. I know how much I loved qualifying, and I can see he’s the same. Trying to reach and trying to do the lap you know you cannot repeat. That’s what puts you on pole. It (losing record) was coming. It’s beautiful. It’s great for the series and the sport. Records are made to be broken, and it’s with a good man.”

Power’s best lap in the Firestone Fast Six was 1 minute, 11.6127 seconds. Rookie Callum Ilott will join him in the front row of the 95-lap race Sunday (2:40 p.m. ET, NBC; 3 p.m. ET, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and INDYCAR Radio Network) after qualifying a career-best second at 1:11.6320 in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet.

The pole gave Power more than just a big piece of history. He also will be awarded one bonus point when the race starts tomorrow, which could be pivotal as he looks to preserve his 20-point lead over Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden and Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing and win a second season championship to accompany his 2014 title. Marcus Ericsson (-39) of CGR and Scott McLaughlin (-41) of Team Penske also are eligible to win the championship Sunday.

Power was the only member of the title-contending quintet to advance to the Firestone Fast Six, creating an even clearer path for his championship hopes on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile track where passing is difficult due to the challenging layout and low-grip, highly abrasive surface.

McLaughlin was the best of the rest among the title contenders, qualifying eighth at 1:11.6916 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet after going off track in Turn 4 during the second round of qualifying. Ericsson qualified 10th after spinning in the famous “Corkscrew” turn during the second round, ending up with a best lap of 1:12.1359 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Dixon and Newgarden will have plenty of work to do to win the Astor Challenge Cup on Sunday after neither driver advanced from the first round.

Six-time series champion Dixon will start 13th after his best lap of 1:12.1722 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon and every other driver besides Newgarden in the first qualifying group of the first round were forced into a one-lap showdown for position when Newgarden triggered a red flag, lost his two quickest laps and chance to advance by clouting a curb in the “Corkscrew” and spinning off the course.

Two-time series champion Newgarden will start 25th in the 26-car field in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet.

Among the other four drivers in the Firestone Fast Six, Alexander Rossi qualified third at 1:11.7698 in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda, with Andretti Autosport teammate Romain Grosjean fourth at 1:11.7858 in the No. 28 DHL Honda.

Alex Palou, whose reign as series champion has one more day, qualified fifth at 1:12.1625 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Pato O’Ward rounded out the Firestone Fast Six at 1:12.4542 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Ilott was the top rookie qualifier but already is eliminated from Rookie of the Year contention. The two drivers competing for that honor, David Malukas and Christian Lundgaard, qualified seventh and 16th, respectively. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Lundgaard leads Dale Coyne Racing with HMD driver Malukas by five points in the standings.

A 30-minute warmup session at noon ET Sunday will precede the race, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Spanish-language telecast will be on Telemundo Deportes on Universo.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY
WEATERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA
TEAM CHEVY NTT P1 AWARD WINNER QUOTES – WILL POWER
SEPT. 10, 2022

Power sets all-time INDYCAR pole record with 68

Points leader breaks tie with Mario Andretti, seeks to wrap up second title in season finale

CAN YOU TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ACHIEVED TODAY?

“Tremendous milestone. To be up there with an iconic guy like Mario is amazing. When I think about the era that he raced in, how dangerous it was and how much more a risk it was, it just blows my mind that I’m there with Mario. It’s great to have Mario here. Someone I respect tremendously and was a massive fan of growing up. I want to swap a helmet with him, put his in my collection if he would do it.”

WHAT ALLOWED YOU THIS YEAR TO WIN ALL THE POLES TO GET TO THIS MOMENT?

“Really focusing in on certain races that we knew we had a good shot at pole.”

NOW THE FOCUS TURNS TOWARD TOMORROW. WHAT IS THE MINDSET?

“We put ourselves in a great position to lead the first lap to get one point and hopefully lead the most laps to get more points. Competitors with better tires but we have track position for right now, so we’ll have a good think about it tonight and see how we attack that one. But it will be a long day. I’ll do my best. “

Mario Andretti, who held the record with 67 poles:

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS MAN?

“Awesome. I know how much I loved qualifying and I can see that he’s the same. It’s just trying to reach and just try to do the lap that you cannot repeat and that’s what puts you on pole.”

DID YOU KNOW THAT THIS MOMENT WOULD EVENTUALLY COME?

“Absolutely. It’s great fort the series, great for the sport. Records are made to be broken. It’s with a good man. Will Power throughout his career has been a really good qualifier. He deserves this. He’s worked for it and he’s the best when it comes to qualifying.”

WHAT IS IT THAT SETS A DRIVER APART IN QUALIFYING?

“How badly do you want it? If I had the specific formula I’d bottle it and sell it. It’s just a matter of really wanting it and just doing that lap that you know you can’t repeat. That’s how records are made.”

ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022) – It was a day of firsts for the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires championship Saturday, as Linus Lundqvist clinched his first season championship and Sting Ray Robb cruised to his first career Indy Lights victory.

Lundqvist, 23, from Stockholm, Sweden, finished sixth in the No. 26 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing entry to win the drivers’ championship with one race to go. Lundqvist, who entered the race with a 103-point lead over Matthew Brabham, only needed to start this 35-lap race to seal the first drivers’ title for HMD Motorsports.

“I can’t really put it into words, to be honest,” Lundqvist said. “So many emotions, not just from this year but from everything leading up to this moment.

“The biggest win of my career, my life. Super important. Hopefully we can make something happen for the future, but for right now, I’m just enjoying this.”

Robb, 21, from Payette, Idaho, earned his first career victory after starting from the pole in his 33rd career Indy Lights start. His No. 2 Sekady car fielded by Andretti Autosport crossed the finish line 11.0674 seconds ahead of the No. 28 Road to Indy/Stellrecht car driven by teammate and rookie Christian Rasmussen. Fellow rookie Hunter McElrea finished third in the No. 27 car to complete a podium sweep by Andretti Autosport for the third time this season.

“That was pretty stellar,” Robb said. “I don’t know how much better that could be. I can’t thank God enough. This was an amazing day. The team is just awesome.”

Robb left no doubt about his dominance of this race. He held off teammate Rasmussen in Turn 1, and steadily drove away to lead all 35 laps. Robb turned the quickest lap of the race, and his margin of victory was the largest of the season by nearly four seconds.

“I was just having fun out there,” Robb said. “I had the car that I could just stay out front and keep consistent. I had 130 seconds of push-to-pass at the end. They gave me a great car.”

Robb jumped from fourth to second in the standings, 100 points behind champion Lundqvist, with the victory.

Rookie Jacob Abel finished fourth in the No. 51 Abel Speedwagon entry, tying his career best set last weekend in Portland. Benjamin Pedersen, who earned his first career Lights victory in Portland, rounded out the top five in the No. 24 Global Racing Group with HMD car.

The second race of the doubleheader and final race of the season starts at 1 p.m. ET Sunday, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

About Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires

Celebrating 35 years, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires develops drivers and teams to compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Past champions include INDYCAR SERIES champions Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Paul Tracy and Cristiano da Matta. In 2021, 20 drivers in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES were Indy Lights graduates, including rising stars and race winners Colton Herta, PatoO’Ward and RinusVeeKay. The 2022 season consists of 14 races in the United States. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, please visit www.indylights.com. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com.

About Cooper Tire

Cooper Tire, a subsidiary of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NASDAQ: GT), specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sale of passenger car, light truck, medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. Cooper is headquartered in Findlay, Ohio, with manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design operations located in more than one dozen countries around the world. For more information on Cooper, visit www.coopertire.com, www.facebook.com/coopertire or www.twitter.com/coopertire.

About Goodyear

Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tire companies. It employs about 72,000 people and manufactures its products in 55 facilities in 23 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio, and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg, strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate.

Title is Seventh for the Chevrolet INDYCAR Program

DETROIT (Sept. 10, 2022) – Chevrolet has won the NTT INDYCAR SERIES (NICS) Manufacturer Championship for the seventh time since it returned to the Series in 2012.

The Chevrolet 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 INDYCAR engine has produced 12 poles and ­­­11 wins in 16 events heading into Sunday’s season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

“Preparation, teamwork and great execution were key this season to every pole, every win and now Chevrolet’s seventh Manufacturer Championship,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President Performance and Motorsports for Chevrolet. “Thank you to Team Penske, Ed Carpenter Racing, Arrow McLaren SP, AJ Foyt Racing, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Paretta Autosport, our Chevrolet Competition and Propulsion engineers, and our technical partners for their combined efforts that resulted in delivering Chevrolet’s NTT INDYCAR Series Manufacturer Championship.”

In the 11 seasons of the Chevrolet 2.2-liter V6 INDYCAR engine, Team Chevy drivers have amassed 106 wins of the 181 races to date – an impressive 58.6%. This season, Chevy-powered drivers have won 69% of the races and 75% of the NTT P1 Awards.

The 2022 Manufacturer Championship clearly demonstrates the never-give-up attitude of Chevrolet engineering, its teams, the GM Propulsion Group and its technical partners. Chevrolet proudly fielded 11 full-time entries during the 17-race season. Despite having less than half of the total car count, the Chevy teams and drivers maximized all the available support, engineering tools and simulator time to continue performance growth that translated to tremendous performance.

All of Chevrolet’s full-time teams contributed valuable time and effort toward the seventh NICS Manufacturer Championship. Team Penske, with drivers Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin; Ed Carpenter Racing, with drivers Rinus VeeKay and Conor Daly; AJ Foyt Racing, with drivers Dalton Kellett and Kyle Kirkwood; and Juncos Hollinger Racing, with driver Callum Ilott, were instrumental in Team Chevy’s success.

“Winning Chevrolet’s seventh NTT INDYCAR Series Manufacturer Championship has been a true team effort by our Chevrolet engineers, Chevy-powered race teams, Chevrolet Propulsion engineers and technical partners at Ilmor Engineering and Hitachi Automotive Systems,” said Mark Stielow, Director Motorsports Competition Engineering. “The performance delivered by Chevrolet’s 2.2-liter twin turbo, direct-injected V6 engine has proven throughout the season to be the consistent combination of reliability, drivability and power for our teams to win races and this championship.”

Since 2012, in addition to the seven Manufacturer Championships, Chevrolet has won six driver championships with Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Power (2014), Scott Dixon (2015), Pagenaud (2016), Newgarden (2017 and 2019). Three Chevrolet drivers are in contention to win the crown in 2022.

Additionally, the Chevrolet 2.2-liter V6 engine powered drivers to win the Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan (2013), Juan Pablo Montoya (2015) Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019).

Previously, Chevrolet competed in Indy-style racing as a manufacturer of V8 engines from 1986-93 and 2002-05, powering 111 wins, one manufacturer championship in 2002, seven Indianapolis 500 wins and six driver championships.

ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Friday, Sept. 9, 2022) – Josef Newgarden was the first driver among the contenders for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship to move chips toward the center of the table in this high-stakes confrontation, leading practice Friday for the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey.

Two-time series champion Newgarden, who is second in points, 20 behind teammate Will Power, was quickest with a lap of 1 minute, 11.4103 seconds in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. Scott Dixon (-20 points), Marcus Ericsson (-39) and Scott McLaughlin (-41) are the other drivers eligible for the title this weekend.

Power must finish third or better in the 95-lap race Sunday (live, 2:40 p.m. ET, NBC and 3 p.m. ET, INDYCAR Radio Network) to win the Astor Challenge Cup for the second time.

“I’m always confident,” Newgarden said. “I feel really good about this team. I’m never discouraged showing up to the track. The team really has done an excellent job this year. We’ve got to be good this weekend.”

Among the five title contenders, Power was second quickest and seventh overall at 1:11.9858 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Ericsson was next, 10th overall at 1:12.0803 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Next was McLaughlin in 11th at 1:12.0877 in the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet. Dixon was the slowest of the title contenders, 17th at 1:12.3911 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

NTT P1 Award qualifying will start at 5:05 p.m. ET Saturday, live on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. A 45-minute practice session will precede qualifying at 1:15 p.m. ET.

“You’ve definitely got to go get the pole because you can guarantee Newgarden is going for it,” Power said of his teammate. “Absolutely. And he’s going to be there to win the race.”

Following Newgarden in the overall top five was reigning Laguna Seca race winner Colton Herta at 1:11.8266 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda as the leader of three Andretti Autosport drivers in the top five. Romain Grosjean was third at 1:11.8697 in the No. 28 DHL Honda fielded by Andretti, followed by Alexander Rossi in Andretti’s No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda.

Rookie Callum Ilott rounded out the top five at 1:11.9490 in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet. Ilott is not a contender for Rookie of the Year honors this weekend, but the two drivers vying for that crown, David Malukas and Christian Lundgaard, ended up ninth and 15th, respectively, in the 75-minute session.

All 26 drivers in the field struggled with the low-grip, very abrasive asphalt on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile Laguna Seca circuit, which also features the famous “Corkscrew” turn complex. Most drivers had at least one off-track excursion during the session, especially on the Firestone alternate tires.

“Tough track, man,” Power said. “Very low grip. You get one lap on tires, and they’re gone. It’s hard to get a read because the car changes so much over a run.”

Said Dixon, “It’s going to be a pretty high-deg (tire degradation) race, man.”

There was one red flag, 47 minutes into the session. Jimmie Johnson went off track and hit the tire barrier in Turn 6 with the rear of his No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was unhurt.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Friday, Sept. 9, 2022) – The five NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers still in contention to lift the Astor Challenge Cup made an early-morning pit stop Thursday at one of golf’s most iconic locations – the 17th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California.

Team Penske drivers Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were joined by Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and Marcus Ericsson for a fitting photo at Pebble’s “Turn for the Championship.” They were flanked by the Astor Challenge Cup and scenic Stillwater Cove.

Pebble Beach, the No. 1-rated public golf course in America and home to some of golf’s greatest championships and champions, sits down the road from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, the location of the season-ending Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES (live, 2:40 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC).

Power leads the championship standings by 20 points over Newgarden and Dixon, with Ericsson 39 points back in fourth and McLaughlin 41 points back in fifth. Power can clinch his second series crown with a finish of third or better Sunday. With just 41 points separating five drivers, this is INDYCAR’s closest championship race in 19 years.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY
WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
SEPTEMBER 8, 2022

ONE TO GO – THREE TEAM CHEVY DRIVERS TO VIE FOR NTT INDYCAR SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP

Point leader Will Power and teammates Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin are among five drivers mathematically eligible to win the Astor Cup

DETROIT (Sept. 8, 2022) – As the 2022 NTT INDYCAR Series (NICS) season roars to a close at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (WTLS) on Sunday, three Team Chevy drivers are among the five that are mathematically eligible to win the INDYCAR Championship and take home the Astor Cup.

Will Power, No.12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet, heads to the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey season finale as the points leader with 523 points. Power led the standings twice earlier in the season and retook the top spot after Race 13 (Indianapolis road course-July 30). He has one win, four poles and 11 top-five finishes (the latter two are most in INDYCAR this year).

Teammate Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, is tied for second, 20 points down to Power, and holds the tiebreaker with five wins (most in INDYCAR this year). He also has one pole and seven top-five finishes.

Sitting fifth is Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet, fresh off his convincing win at Portland and the announcement of a contract extension. He is 41 points behind Power and has recorded three wins, three poles and eight top-five finishes.

Scott Dixon (Honda) is tied with Newgarden, and Marcus Ericsson (Honda) is fourth in the standings.

A total of 54 points is available Sunday: 50 points for the race win, one point each for pole position and leading one lap, plus two points for leading the most laps in the 95-lap race around the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course.

“To have five drivers vying for the championship, three of which are Chevy-powered, going into the final race of the INDYCAR season is remarkable,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet program manager for the NTT INDYCAR Series. “With 11 wins in 16 races, I am extremely proud of the effort put forth by our teams, the Chevrolet engineers and Ilmor, our engine partner. We had our challenges from time to time, but everyone pulled together and moved forward. And here we are … poised for a final run for the title times three.

“We feel well-prepared for Sunday’s race at Laguna Seca to support not only our title-contending teams, but all of our Bowtie teams as they engage in the final 95-lap battle of the season. Good luck to Will, Josef and Scott as they all drive to cap off their season off by winning the Astor Cup.”

TIDBITS:

· Points leader Power has one previous podium at WTLS (second in 2019).

· Newgarden was crowned the 2019 NTCS champion at WTLS without winning the race (eighth in 2019).

The Grand Prix of Monterey will commence with practice on Friday, Sept. 9, at 2:30 p.m. local (5:30 p.m. ET). On Saturday, practice will start at 10:15 a.m. local (1:15 p.m. ET); Firestone Fast Six qualifying will start at 2:05 p.m. local (5:05 p.m. ET). The morning warmup on Sunday is at 9 a.m. local (noon ET). All practice and qualifying will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio and XM Channel 160. The 95-lap race will take the green flag at 12:30 p.m. local (3:30 p.m. ET) live on NBC.

BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR

· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after 16 races

· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing

· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP

· 5: Wins by Chevrolet-powered entries in CART/Champ Car World Series at Laguna Seca in the late 1980s-early 1990s. Four came via Team Penske including Paul Tracy’s victory in 1993

· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg

· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012

· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012

· 14: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 11 with Chevrolet. He won at Belle Isle in 2022

· 26: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer

· 42: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver

· 106: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012

· 116: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012

· 181: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR

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ABOUT CHEVROLET

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

The 2021 INDYCAR Rookie of the Year to Continue Racing for Team Penske Into the Future

MOORESVILLE, NC (September 7, 2022) – Team Penske announced today that it has reached a multi-year contract extension with current NTT INDYCAR SERIES star and former Australian Supercars Champion Scott McLaughlin, which will keep the 2021 INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year with the team for years to come.

The announcement comes as the 29-year-old McLaughlin prepares for this weekend’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale at Laguna Seca, where the second-year series racer remains in the hunt for the series championship. McLaughlin enters the weekend coming off of his third win of the season, earning the checkers last Sunday at Portland International Raceway, and is currently ranked fifth in the series standings, just 41 points behind series leader and teammate, Will Power.

“Scott took a big gamble when he came to INDYCAR, as he knew he would be leaving a series where he knew he could thrive for years to come,” said Team Penske President, Tim Cindric. “To see him have the success he has had so far has been really satisfying, as we were confident in his talent. We just didn’t know how long it would take for him to gain the confidence in himself. Scott has adjusted quickly and has already established himself as someone that can win at any track during one of the most competitive eras of INDYCAR racing. He continues to be a great representative for our partners and he has connects well with race fans all over the world. We are excited that he will continue to be part of the Team Penske legacy for years to come.”

McLaughlin first joined Team Penske in 2017, competing in the Australian Supercars Championship, where he finished second in the series standings while also scoring a series-high eight wins and a record 16 pole positions. In 2018, McLaughlin captured the first of his three consecutive Supercars Championships for DJR Team Penske. From 2018-2020, McLaughlin collected 40 wins (including a series-record 18 victories in 2019), 64 podiums and 43 pole positions. He also produced the first win for Team Penske in the prestigious Bathurst 1000, winning from the pole position in 2019.

After the 2020 season, McLaughlin moved to the United States to join Team Penske’s championship NTT INDYCAR SERIES program. He became the first Team Penske driver to capture INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year honors last season and he earned his season-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway in his first-ever oval race.

In 2022, McLaughlin opened the INDYCAR SERIES season by earning his first career INDYCAR pole, leading qualifying on the Streets of St. Petersburg. He completed a dominant opening weekend by producing his first INDYCAR SERIES win the following day, leading a race high 49 laps in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet. McLaughlin scored his second career victory in July at Mid-Ohio and he won his second pole of the season in Nashville. Following his pole and victory last weekend at Portland, McLaughlin has produced eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes this season while leading 433 laps – ranked second in the series behind teammate Josef Newgarden.

“Team Penske has been such a huge part of my career, helping me get to where I’m at today, so I’m excited to continue racing with Roger (Penske), Tim and the entire team well into the future,” said McLaughlin. “Getting a chance to move to the United States and chase my racing dream, driving in the INDYCAR SERIES, is something that would not have been possible without Team Penske, so I’m forever grateful. I’ve had so many great moments with this team, from winning three Supercars Championships to winning the Bathurst 1000 to making my first INDYCAR start. Now, we are competing at a high level, winning races and poles and even competing for the series championship. I can’t wait to see what the future holds with Team Penske.”

About Team Penske
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 600 major race wins, over 660 pole positions and 41 championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 56-year history, the team has also earned 18 Indianapolis 500 victories, three Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2022, Team Penske competes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Cup Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. For more information about Team Penske, please visit www.teampenske.com.