Category: NTT Indy

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS PRESS CONFERENCE
SEPT. 24, 2021

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET AND JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET PARTICIPATED IN CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS PRESS CONFERENCE.
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:

THE MODERATOR: Once again, welcome. It’s great to be back on the Streets of Long Beach and certainly the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach 2021 version here in September. Welcome to our 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series championship contender press conference.

It’s been a remarkable year certainly for the 2021 INDYCAR Series championship journey that started all the way back at Barber Motorsports Park back in April and concludes here on the historic Streets of Long Beach on Sunday. It’s the 16th consecutive season in which the NTT INDYCAR Series title will be decided in the final race. Remarkable.

Who’s ready to go? I know you guys are ready to go come Sunday and certainly when practice starts tomorrow.

Also joining us, a two-time race winner here in 2021, also a three-time pole winner this season who’s racked up five podiums. He sits second in points, the driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. We say hello to Pato O’Ward.

On the far end, he is a two-time NTT INDYCAR Series champion, a winner at Mid-Ohio and Worldwide Technology Raceway this season, racking up five podiums in 2021, driving the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. He sits third in points. Great to have Josef Newgarden with us this afternoon.

Let’s start with Alex. It’s really been a dream season for you, Alex, and really right out of the gate. You go back to Barber Motorsports Park picking up your first win back then, which seems like a long time ago but maybe it hasn’t been that long ago. How did that win set the stage for what has been a tremendous season for you here in 2021?

Pato O’Ward also picked up his first career win this season and no better place to have that than your home state of Texas to kind of kick off the month of May. It’s really been a series of top-10 finishes ever since then. How big of a step has this season been for your career?

PATO O’WARD: Yeah, I think it was really cool. I think we broke through one of the biggest walls that you go through whenever you’re not a race winner yet, I guess you could say. I feel like the team and I have grown a lot. We haven’t had the most perfect season. No season will be perfect, but I think we’ve maximized the package that we have in very multiple occasions.
Long Beach is cool, man. We’ll see what we can pull off this weekend.

THE MODERATOR: We wrap things up with the two-time NTT INDYCAR Series champion Josef Newgarden. Interesting year for you. Once you got past some of the bad luck, things picked up for you this season. The way this team and you fought out of that hole you guys were in early on, what does that say about this team?

JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, I think there was definitely a lot of hullabaloo about our performance in the beginning of the season, just Team Penske in general, what were we doing, what were we. I felt like we had good performance throughout, but when you look at the last couple week, we definitely got ourselves in a kerfuffle with the qualifying sessions.
We’ve got to figure out how to be stronger this weekend; I think in qualifying it’s going to start. But happy to be here. It’s been a real pleasure driving with these guys. They’re incredibly talented, and I love to see that coming into the INDYCAR Series.
There’s a great deal of pride amongst all of us that we have such amazing talent in this championship. It makes it more meaningful I think when you do a good job, so these guys should be really proud of what they’ve done, and to be here at the finale and still have somehow an opportunity, I think it’s almost an impossible opportunity, but to be in the fight is really cool.

THE MODERATOR: So we’ve had hullabaloo and kerfuffle.
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: It may or may not be part of a game, but those got worked in.
THE MODERATOR: You take a look at the Astor Challenge Cup, and certainly Josef, you’ve been a part of that thing. Do you allow yourself to think about taking that home this weekend, any of you, Pato, Alex?

THE MODERATOR: Do you have a spot for that somewhere, Pato?
PATO O’WARD: I’d make a spot. Yeah, it’s a nice Cup. You have two at home, Josef?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: I’ve got a couple of them.
PATO O’WARD: Yeah? Where are they sitting?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: They’re in my office, right above me where I sit. Just trying to feed off the energy of them. They didn’t really work this year.
PATO O’WARD: Don’t put it in your room because then the feng shui is not very good because of, what is it, iron, titanium? What is it made out of?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: They’re definitely not iron. I’m pretty positive.
PATO O’WARD: Seriously, good question. Actual question, what is it made out of?

THE MODERATOR: Silver.
PATO O’WARD: Yes. No good in your room, but in your office is okay.
THE MODERATOR: The mind games have started here, I think.
Q. Josef, on the kerfuffle and hullabaloo, you joked it’s all part of the game. I just want to clarify, what mind games are we talking about?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Oh, a hundred percent mind games, you know, a hundred percent. There’s also $20 on the line for those two right there. Pretty happy about that.

Q. You got $20?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Potentially. Potentially, yeah.

Q. Can you give us anything more?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: I’ve just got to clear the transaction and then I’ll have realized that victory.

Q. There is a mental element towards winning a championship that you have gone through many times. You’ve won two championships. Neither of you have won major championships at this level, and yet you look at other series like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton today were playing mind games with each other. You two are not. I don’t know how serious your mind games really are, but I’m wondering what’s the difference with you guys and how are you approaching this from the mental point of approaching a championship?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: You know, I think it’s a very respectful championship when you look at it, which is I think the beauty in INDYCAR racing. You have such a fierce environment where you have the best of the best in my opinion from around the world that want to compete every weekend, want to be the best and be on top. But we do it in such a respectful way. You have great drivers that I think they push to the limit, but they don’t try and go over it, certainly not purposely.
Mind games are part of that. Obviously we’re going to try and — I always try and project my strengths, but at the same time I always want to win fairly.
I think what I’m trying to get at, though, is why you don’t see a lot of that mess in our series is just because it’s a really respectful group of people that are here to work hard and let that really shine through at the end of the day. The hardest working group and the group that gets it right is the group that’s going to be victorious, and that’s what we all focus on. It’s a really pleasant environment to be in. You can see that as evidence with Romain.
It’s one thing I love about this championship and being a part of it. It’s a real pleasure.

Q. Josef, you used to be the young guy battling the veteran for the championship; now you’re the veteran with two young guys going after you. What’s it like to see that dynamic shift?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: I’ve got to tell you, I didn’t think I was going to get any questions during this press conference, so I’m happy to answer them, though, and speak about these fantastically talented guys. This is really the fight right here without a doubt. If an act of God happens and somehow we win this thing, great.
But these two — I don’t want to call them youngsters because I’m not that much older than them. I feel like I’m in the weird middle position right now in the championship where I’m not the old guy but I’m not the young guy. It’s fun competing against these two because this championship you want to compete against the best from around the world, and to see what Pato is doing with the contingent from México and to see how invigorated Spain is becoming and his fellow countrymen from Alex is just what this championship is about. You want the best from around the world competing and trying to showcase their abilities.
I’m excited to compete against them. I’m disappointed we’re not in a better position. I wish this was more of a true fight here for this final round and we could be closer, but we fought hard and I think we fought against the best this year. Whoever comes out on top I think is a very deserving winner between those guys.

Q. For Pato, it’s Pato’s second year that he’s been involved in the late stage championship fight, it’s your first, but in a lot of ways when you’re that young and you’re in a fight for a championship, is it new, fresh, exciting, and it’s almost like you don’t know what you don’t know so you just have at it?
PATO O’WARD: Yeah, it’s a really cool opportunity, I guess, that we have, and yeah, last time in the position to fight for a championship was in 2018, but nowhere near the magnitude of what this championship would mean to me, the team and my family and everybody around.
Yeah, like I said, it would be cool if it was maybe a little bit tighter, kind of in the same boat where Josef is at. I know he’s a little further. But yeah, all I can do is just try and maximize what I can out of the car that I’m given and then see where everything else falls, I guess.

Q. Could you talk about the mental approach, Pato?
PATO O’WARD: For me, I’m just really trying to enjoy it because I feel like I’m up against very — these guys have a good head on their shoulders, and I wish I could say that from everyone, but some guys just don’t.
It’s nice to fight against people that you can respect and that you can — you can really trust whenever you’re racing at 100 something miles an hour heading into a corner where things can go sideways very badly. But you can just compete against them fairly.
I feel like it’s a little bit of what Josef said. I just think the respect, at least from all of us that have been in the fight all year, is strong. I hope they feel the same from me because I always try and be fair.
It’s a lot more enjoyable when you can actually compete against someone and not always have to give in because you know that they’re just going to stick their nose in and ship you into the wall if you don’t give them their way.

Q. Josef, two years ago you mentioned after winning the second championship you mentioned it was probably toughest and most draining race you ever won. Should you be in a situation Sunday where you pull off this title, number three in five years, would it be probably the most fulfilling in that regard?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Well, I think they’re all special. I don’t know that it would be — it’s hard to say. I don’t know how I’d feel about it. I think I’d be in shock if we won it. Like I say, that would be the most shocking without a doubt.
After that, I don’t know. I’d probably have to sit on it a little bit and see how it feels, but yeah, they’re all difficult. They’re all difficult to win. Something as improbable as this one would be very shocking. That’s the only way I can put it.
I don’t think we’re in the best position, but just to even be in the conversation still is still a task in itself. It’s very hard to get to this point in the year and still be in the fight. We’re not where we want to be, but we’re in the fight nonetheless.
But yeah, I don’t know, the second one was very, very fulfilling. Very, very fulfilling. I don’t know that that would be the same answer for this one. This would be just shocking.

Q. As far as Pato, of course in 2019 both of you had different career trajectories. Did you ever think you would now be in this position fighting for a championship?
PATO O’WARD: Not at all, no. If you told me in 2019 I’d be fighting for the INDYCAR championship in 2021 I’d probably tell you, wow. Yeah, probably not.
PATO O’WARD: Yeah.

Q. Pato, you’ve been on both sides of a championship battle before. In 2016 Indy Pro 2000 you were on the losing side and then in Indy Lights and in IMSA WeatherTech you were on the winning side. Is it difficult to be on the bottom half trying to get on top this time, or are you just looking at it like you did a few years ago in Indy Pro?
PATO O’WARD: I feel like all you can do is just try and maximize what you can control because I can’t control where Josef finishes, I can’t control where Alex finishes, I can’t control anything else that’s kind of out of my hands. I can just try and maximize what I can do and then let everything else fall where it will fall.
But yeah, I don’t know, man. Obviously it’s better to be on the other end of it because you’ve got some breathing room, but I’m not angry about the position that I’m in. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish as a team this year. So yeah, we’re just treating it as another weekend and trying to maximize and end the year in a strong note.

Q. There are several drivers here that are trying to secure their seats for 2022 and a good finish would really help them out. When you’re battling with those drivers, is there any additional worry that they might try and do something crazy to try and improve their position for next year, or do you race everyone the same?
PATO O’WARD: I feel like it’s best to just kind of know who you’re racing against. I feel like by now we know who — at least I do. I know who I can get close with or who it’s just like, oh, this is just going to be hell. Yeah, just be mindful of who you’re fighting against, I guess.
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, I think it’s always good to have just awareness. All of us need to have awareness as drivers on the track for what’s taking place around you. Putting it simply, we should race each other the same at all points, with just enough respect and fairness, racing hard, but to where there’s never an issue that comes up. Of course it’s impossible in racing. Sometimes you make a mistake or you miscalculate something or you just get something wrong.
But if I was on the other end of it, it’s easy to say beforehand, but I would be aware of what people in a championship that are fighting in a final round, I would be aware of what they’re doing on the day. Not that I have to completely compromise my day for those people, but I think just being aware of how you race them or what you’re doing around them is important.
That’s what I would do as a competitor. I can’t speak for everybody. But you should always, I think, race everybody with enough respect to keep it clean.

Q. Pato, you guys were talking a few minutes ago about the couple races where your paths in racing crossed in 2019 in Super Formula. Can you maybe — if you can remember, can you guys give us an idea of maybe your first impression of each other as a driver out on track when you guys first got to know each other a little bit?
PATO O’WARD: Well, I wasn’t near Alex, honestly. He was usually near the front. I was more struggling in the middle of the pack. Yeah, I felt like my life in Japan was like getting thrown into like a platoon of crocodiles, and it was like, okay, survive, not knowing anyone, no car, no test, no nothing. I barely knew the team. For me I didn’t really have as many encounters with Alex on the track. Just a little bit outside of the car because we were the both that spoke Spanish.
I think I went to him and asked, what do you have for breakfast, because — I loved the food in Japan, but the breakfasts are horrendous. I went, man, what do you do. So he told me a tip: Go to a grocery store, get some cereal.

Q. Josef, how have you seen these kind of situations with them but also with Takuma sometimes and with the Brazilian drivers? How do you feel about that?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: This? I love it, actually it’s beautiful. I was thinking while watching them, I’m like, man, I really should just take Spanish again because it’s so cool to be able to know that. I wish I was bilingual or something, but I’m not.
PATO O’WARD: Josef is that guy that comes up to you and be like, I took Spanish in high school. Do you know any Spanish? Eh, poquito.
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: I don’t know none of it, but I wish I did. I love it. I think it’s great. Obviously we’re a domestic championship, but I always tell people because I’ve always had the question how do you feel about being American in the championship and succeeding, but I’ve always loved that — and I harp on this a lot, but I love that we have the best talent from around the world, and I’d love to see more of it.
Certainly interacting with the fans from different areas of the world, like the Japanese fans are some of the coolest fans I’ve ever met in my life, and the Mexican fans actually seem incredible now, having witnessed them from Pato. I think we should welcome it and we should do more for sure.
PATO O’WARD: We need to go to México in a race. We need to go.

Q. Josef, have you located which Port-a-Potty you’re going to put Palou in so that he doesn’t actually start because I think that’s the only way you’re going to win this, right? Where are you going to put Alex so that he can’t start the race to give you a chance to win?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Are you guys staying at the Hyatt?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: What hotel are you at?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Well, we’re talking about it. I’m going to stop before I get in trouble.
I don’t know, it’s going to take a crazy act for sure.
PATO O’WARD: I’m at the Hyatt; do you want to come join?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: It’s getting weird now.

Q. Josef, do you feel any obligation to kind of help Pato a little bit out of loyalty to Team Chevy?
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: No. No. Unless — well, seriously, we’re not in a position where we can help Pato. We’re in the fight ourselves, so we have to look out for our own position. I would love to see it in the Chevy camp this championship, whether it’s me or Pato. But we’re not in a position, I think, to say — I don’t even know how we would help him, to be quite honest with you. I’m not sure that we would do anything that would be overt to clearly help him somehow win the championship. So no.
be P1 with 35 points lead after those three weekends? Probably not.

Q. Just wondered if you’d considered the implications of double points at the Indy 500 on the championship for the second year in a row, given it’s kind of cost you a lot of points.
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: Yeah, it has, but you know, we know the rules and the points table going into the season. We have to account for the fact that Indy is double points. We know qualifying is important there. Both of those went against us for sure. We’d be in a different position if we had a better event, but that’s something that we’ve got to control.
Yeah, I’m still not a fan of it. Even if this was a different situation — I think it’s good we’ve dropped the double points in the finale. I was never a fan of that, and I’m still not quite a fan of the double points at Indy. But like I said, we know the rules, we know the landscape going in, so I don’t think we can fall back on that. It would be an endless discussion of saying if this went different or that went different, I could go down the road and cite a lot of examples, but we always end up where we are, and unfortunately we’re a little bit short this year.

Q. Pato, just wondered if you felt you’re kind of at a disadvantage this weekend given the fact you’re going up against two bigger teams with more teammates to hold you up over the course of the weekend?
PATO O’WARD: I mean, yeah, they have more cars, I guess, but at the end of the day I feel like we’re racing against — I think the bigger thing is that we’re racing against teams that have won multiple championships, talking about Ganassi and Penske, and yeah, I think that’s our biggest battle right now. I think the guys in the series are respectful and they know — at least kind of what Josef said, if I was in a position to screw someone up that’s fighting for a championship, I would get out of the way because I wouldn’t because fighting for a championship is pretty big, and if I was in that position I wouldn’t want someone to get in the way forcefully. I hope everybody plays clean, I guess. I don’t know what to expect.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, guys, for your time this afternoon. So many storylines coming into this finale. Best of luck in this championship race, the 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series championship.

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results since 2012
2021 ­– 6 wins, 7 poles in 15 races
Wins – Pato O’Ward (Texas2, Detroit2); Rinus VeeKay (Indy RC1); Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio, St. Louis); Will Power (Indy RC2). Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Detroit1, Indy RC2); Josef Newgarden (Detroit2, Road America, Mid-Ohio); Will Power (St. Louis).
2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 races
Wins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)
2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Driver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)
2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Indianapolis 500 win (Will Power)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 95 wins, 106 earned poles in 164 races

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
ACURA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
STREETS OF LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA
SEPT. 24-26

RACE 16 OF 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON

Team Chevy heads to Long Beach with eyes on the prize
Pato O’Ward and Josef Newgarden take aim at driver championship in season finale; Scott McLaughlin eyes Rookie-of-the-Year title

DETROIT (Sept. 23, 2021) – Pato O’Ward’s path to clinching the Astor Cup has become more challenging. But like any true competitor, the second-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver thrives on challenges.

The driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet enters the 85-lap championship-deciding race Sunday, Sept. 26, on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California, second in the standings. Scoring his third win of the 16-race season is a necessity to leave Southern California with the title.

“We are still alive in the championship, and a lot of things can fall our way,” said O’Ward, who enters the season finale 35 points out of first. “I’m going for the win in Long Beach, whatever it takes. I think our street course package is probably one of our stronger packages in terms of road courses, street courses, ovals, short ovals. I think I’m pretty handy around a street course, so hopefully I can pull off something good.”

O’Ward has one NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on the technical street circuit, qualifying ninth and placing 12th in 2019. The event was not contested in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re here as underdogs,” O’Ward added. “It’s the first time we truly challenged for a championship of this magnitude, with this amount of competitiveness. I think it’s been a fantastic year. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish. Really proud of how we’ve grown. But we’re not there yet. We need to keep pushing and we need to keep improving.”

Two 45-minute practice sessions on the precede knockout qualifications Saturday, Sept. 25. The race will be the 165th for Chevrolet since it returned to INDYCAR manufacturer competition in 2012. The Bowtie Brand has four victories on the Long Beach course in that span and seven in a row from 1987-93.

“Chevrolet enters the final race of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with the same objective and resolve it entered 2021 with — to provide the best support possible to our teams and drivers and see a race car with the Bowtie take the checkered flag,” Chevrolet INDYCAR program manager Rob Buckner said. “It’s been a challenging season in many regards for everybody but rewarding, too.

“We’re looking forward to watching the one of Chevy’s newest talents Pato O’Ward tackle the Long Beach street circuit in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and Josef Newgarden wheel his No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet as they both charge for the win and hopefully either Pato’s first or Josef’s third championship.”

Two-time NTT INDCYAR SERIES champion Newgarden, who was runner-up in the 2019 race at Long Beach, is 45 points behind front-running Alex Palou and mathematically in contention for the title.

“I’m so proud of the No. 2 car team and everyone with Chevy and Hitachi — just a little short,” said Newgarden, who advanced 10 positions to finish seventh at Laguna Seca. “Little bit tough, but we’ll go to Long Beach and try to get another win before the offseason.”

McLaughlin seeks to secure rookie of year title
Scott McLaughlin will aim to wrap up the INDYCAR Rookie of the Year award in the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. With five top-10 finishes through the 15 races, including runner-up at Texas Motor Speedway in his oval debut, the three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion is a respectable 13th in the standings.

Buckner continued: “Scott has made a difficult transition with incredible determination. He has challenged himself all season. It will be an exciting to see his hard work rewarded.”

Chevrolet on display
Spectators can learn more about Chevrolet vehicles at the Chevrolet Motorsports Display in the Long Beach Expo Center throughout the weekend. Display vehicles include the No. 16 Paretta Autosport Chevrolet NTT INDYCAR SERIES car that raced in the 2021 Indianapolis 500, a 2022 Corvette Stingray convertible, a 2021 Camaro 1LE and a 2021 Silverado Trail Boss. Chevrolet INDYCAR team owner Beth Paretta will meet fans at the Chevrolet Display on Sunday at 10:00 a. m.

Of note
INDYCAR veteran Charlie Kimball returns to AJ Foyt Racing for the season finale in the No. 11 Tresiba Chevrolet. … Dalton Kellett, driver of the No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, got engaged to be married after the Sept. 16 race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. … Sebastien Bourdais, driver of the No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet, is a three-time winner at Long Beach. … The 2022 Long Beach race will be third event of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, scheduled for April 10.

Tune in
NBCSN will telecast the 85-lap/167-mile race at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 26, and knockout qualifications at 3 p.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 25. Qualifying and practice sessions will also stream on Peacock Premium. The race, qualifications and practice will be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

Team Chevy will be represented by:
A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing
Charlie Kimball, No. 11 Tresiba AJ Foyt Racing
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing
Arrow McLaren SP
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP
Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP
Carlin
Max Chilton, No. 59 Carlin
Ed Carpenter Racing
Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Callum Ilott, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing
Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results since 2012
2021 ­– 6 wins, 7 poles in 15 races
Wins – Pato O’Ward (Texas2, Detroit2); Rinus VeeKay (Indy RC1); Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio, St. Louis); Will Power (Indy RC2). Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Detroit1, Indy RC2); Josef Newgarden (Detroit2, Road America, Mid-Ohio); Will Power (St. Louis).
2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 races
Wins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)
2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Driver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)
2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Indianapolis 500 win (Will Power)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 95 wins, 106 earned poles in 164 races

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY
WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
RACE RECAP
SEPT. 19, 2021

O’WARD AND NEWGARDEN KEEP CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES ALIVE LEAVING LAGUNA SECA

MONTEREY, CALIF (SEPT. 19, 2021) – Pato O’Ward may have the enthusiasm indicative of his youth, but his race craft and maturity in the car go way beyond his years. Although his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet didn’t cross the finish line first, he and his team fought the entire 95-lap Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course that features a 300-foot elevation change and the famous “Corkscrew” in Turns 8 and 8A to bring home a fifth-place finish and head to the season finale only 35 points behind the points leader. You can be the points leader at top sa online casinos, the number one online casino.

Team Chevy’s second championship contender, two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden finished seventh in his familiar No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet and is still mathematically in the fight for the title heading to the famed Streets of Long Beach. You can mathematically fight for the title by reading the leading guide to the best online pokies for top real money pokies sites reviews.

With a 12th place finish, Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, has a 20-point lead in the battle for the INDYCAR Rookie-of-the-Year title to Long Beach.

Colton Herta was the race winner from the pole. Alex Palou and Romain Grojean completed the podium.

UNOFFICIAL TEAM CHEVY DRIVER FINISHING POSITIONS:
5th Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP
7th Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske
8th Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske
12th Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske
14th Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKIT AJ Foyt
16th Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force Ed Carpenter Racing
18th Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/AutoGeek Ed Carpenter Racing
22nd Callum Ilott, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger
23rd Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line AJ Foyt Racing
26th Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske

The final race of the season will be on September 26th on the Streets of Long Beach.

DRIVER QUOTES:

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, FINISHED 5TH:
WHAT WERE THE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS THAT DIDN’T GO THE WAY YOU WOULD HAVE LIKED?
“All weekend we didn’t have it. We didn’t have it all weekend and I truly feel like we absolutely used every single ounce of energy and pace that this car had. We pulled off a mere miracle in qualifying in starting in the first three rows. And then in the race, honestly, that was as much as I had. I fought for life for those last few positions, which the red was the desired tire today. We only had one set of the new reds, so we had to do more of a black race than that. I’m disappointed but I’m happy. I’m happy that we honestly really maximized what we had. But am obviously disappointed that the guy we’re trying to catch outscored us again here. All we can do at Long Beach is win and then let everything else fall.”

YOU CAN CONTROL EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT IF YOU DO YOUR JOB THERE IS A CHANCE
“Yeah, I’ve got faith in myself. I’m pretty handy around a street course. Let’s see what we can pull off next week.”

JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED 7TH:
IT SOUNDED LIKE YOU WEREN’T HAVING MUCH FUN ON THE BLACKS OR THE REDS, WHAT WAS THIS DAY LIKE FOR YOU?
“It was just hard to do much more than we did starting 17th. We can’t start back there. We know that. It was just a punch to the gut yesterday with the way that went, two weekends in a row. It’s still a little bit hard to digest. I’m not sure what has caused that. But I’m proud of my team. They’ve been doing a stellar job. We’ve had excellent prep coming into the weekends. I’ve felt more confident than ever, showing up, and I’ve certainly gotten everything from my team. But I think we had a fast day. I really do. On a four-stop strategy, I think we executed pretty well. It’s just not going to make up much more ground than we did without some yellow help. And we, unfortunately, needed that on a day like today. So, yeah. We just need to start up higher. We know that. But Team Chevy and Hitachi did a good job for us. I think we got what we could out of it. Now we’ll go to Long Beach and at least try to get second in this championship.”

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED 8TH:
ON HIS RACE:
P8 today. It was a great face and fun. I enjoyed it. There was a lot of tire degradation in today’s race. It’s was all about managing. We had one pit stop in the beginning of the race that cost us 5th place overall. But it was a good fight. I’m happy I could help Josef a little bit in the championship. Excited to go to Long Beach, my favorite track, for the last race of the year. Thanks to Menards and Chevy. It was a great day.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO. 3 PPG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED12TH:
ON HIS RACE :
“We should have been seventh or eighth, but I slid through my pit box which was the only mistake I made. But that did cost us three or four spots. It is what it is. But we have good speed and I passed over 20 cars. It was a lot of fun. The momentum that we have now in terms of where I am with the car and all that sort of stuff, so I feel like we are making great progress! I feel good. I think we are in a good place with the car. Now I have one more race at Long Beach to try and put a good result up on the board for the team going into the off season.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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. (Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021) – Colton Herta continued his family’s success at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with a dominant victory Sunday in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, while Alex Palou marched closer and closer to an even bigger win.

Herta earned his second victory this season and fifth career victory, beating Palou’s No. 10 NTT Data Honda to the finish by 1.9747 seconds. NTT P1 Award winner Herta led 91 of the 95 laps in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda.

California native Herta also won this event from the pole the last time it took place, in 2019 in his only other start here. This race was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Herta’s father and race strategist, Bryan Herta, won this race as a driver from the pole in 1998 and 1999. Be a race strategist and read the best south african online casinos guide for honest review and rankings.

“I enjoy racing here so much,” Herta said. “It’s an amazing track for me and my family. It’s been so good to us. To go two-for-two so far (at Laguna Seca) is great. We were fast all weekend, and I’m glad we could pull it off in the race.”

Spaniard Palou pulled 35 points ahead of Pato O’Ward in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings with just one race remaining, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach this Sunday at Long Beach, California. Palou must finish 11th or better at Long Beach to earn his first title in his second season in the series.

“We didn’t have it today for the win, but we did the most we could,” Palou said. “I was trying, but it was tough. It was Herta’s day today. I’m happy with P2.”

Palou, O’Ward and two-time series champion Josef Newgarden are the only drivers eligible to win the Astor Challenge Cup at the season finale. Newgarden is third in the standings, 48 points back. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon and Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Marcus Ericsson were eliminated from contention at this race after finishing 13th and sixth, respectively.

This will be the 16th consecutive season in which the NTT INDYCAR SERIES title race will be decided at the final race of the season. This is not the end of the season for making money and you can still make real money online casinos Australia for the rest of the year.

Romain Grosjean finished third today in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda after a stirring late-race charge past rivals and lapped traffic in which he sliced between one to two seconds per lap from Herta and Palou. Grosjean’s third podium finish of the season helped him stay alive in the race for Rookie of the Year honors, as he trails Scott McLaughlin by 20 points.

Grosjean was 10 seconds behind Herta with nine laps remaining but closed to within 3.7087 seconds at the finish after some deft driving, including a wheel-banging, side-by-side duel to lap Jimmie Johnson in the famous “Corkscrew” turn with seven laps remaining. Series rookie Johnson was hip-checked off the track by Grosjean but returned to the racing surface to finish a season-best 17th in the No. 48 Carvana Honda fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing.

“The last stint was very fun because we were on new tires and fresher than everyone else,” Grosjean said. “So, that was exciting. It’s been a great day. Sorry to Jimmie for the contact out there. He was trying to protect Alex (Palou, teammate), and I wanted to go chase Alex.

“P13 to P3 today, it’s a pretty good day. Laguna Seca, I love you. That’s all I can say.”

Graham Rahal finished fourth in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, with O’Ward rounding out the top five in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

“All weekend we didn’t have it,” O’Ward said. “I truly feel like we used every single ounce of energy and pace that this car had. We pulled off a near-miracle in qualifying to start in the first three rows. In the race, honestly, that was as much as I had.

“All we can do at Long Beach is win, and then let everything else fall. I’ve got faith in myself. I know I’m pretty handy around a street course, so let’s see what we can pull off next week.”

Herta’s path to victory become much clearer on Lap 2 of the 95-lap race, ironically after he made a mistake. Herta went wide in Turn 4, opening the door for fellow front-row starter and Andretti Autosport teammate Alexander Rossi in Turn 5.

Rossi and Herta banged wheels while side-by-side in Turn 5, and Rossi’s No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda then spun into the gravel and stalled. Rossi’s car was refired, but he finished 25th, two laps down.

After that incident, teams unfolded varying tire and fuel strategies trying to undercut or overcut Herta’s lead. None worked, as Herta’s speed and consistency were too much.

The only time Herta didn’t lead the race came when Grosjean was at the front on Lap 19 and from Laps 69-71 during pit cycles.

Palou kept the race close around the midway point, pulling to within one second of Herta as both drivers’ Firestone tires wore during a stint. But Herta had extended his lead to 5.4 seconds by Lap 75.

“There was always pressure there from Alex behind me,” Herta said. “Even at the beginning of the stints when I was a little bit better, he was still there. And he closed it back up at the end of the stints. I think he was a little better that time.

“I’m just happy to have done it. This place is so awesome – it’s my favorite track in North America by far. To win here means so much.”

About the only drama for Herta over the closing laps came with 14 laps remaining when he couldn’t avoid what appeared to be a rabbit or a squirrel running across the track. But the wildlife collision did no damage to his machine, and he marched home to victory.

Grosjean’s charge kept the race lively over the closing laps. It appeared with 10 laps to go the Frenchman may have been able to shave enough time per lap to pass Palou and possibly catch Herta for the win. But traffic and tire wear blunted that effort, and Grosjean ended up 1.734 seconds behind Palou.

While the Drivers’ Championship will go to the wire at Long Beach, Honda today clinched the Manufacturers Award for the fourth consecutive season.

Highlights Include Return to Toronto, New Doubleheader in Iowa, Earlier Start, Powerful Finish, Record Appearances on NBC

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021) – INDYCAR has announced a 17-race schedule for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, which will feature its bold and daring athletes competing against the thrilling backdrop of unprecedented coverage on network television, an earlier start date, a re-energized summer of fan favorites and a turbocharged stretch run.

In the United States, a record 14 events will air on the NBC broadcast network, one more than previously announced in July. It is the most single-season appearances on network television in INDYCAR SERIES history. Two additional races will appear on USA Network while Peacock Premium, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, will provide live coverage of all 17 races in addition to practices and qualifying.

“This schedule continues to build on the growth and momentum the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has achieved, especially in 2021,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said. “Our terrific partnership with NBC Sports has led to a fantastic opportunity to place an unparalleled 14 events on broadcast television while completing the rest of the schedule with USA Network and Peacock.

“Our drivers and teams will give the fans a strong, earlier start with six consecutive races on NBC, building even more anticipation for the crown jewel of the Indianapolis 500 in May. Our summer schedule also is full of action, with no extended breaks in the calendar, leading into the crowning of a champion on the West Coast with our last two races also on NBC.”

The 2022 calendar is benchmarked by the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29. This year’s “500” on NBC was the most-watched edition of the race since the 100th Running in 2016.

“We’re incredibly excited about our 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, highlighted by the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 and a record 14 INDYCAR races on the NBC broadcast network that will bring added exposure to the series,” said Mike Perman, VP, Programming, NBC Sports. “With more races than ever on NBC, plus comprehensive live coverage of every minute of the 2022 season on Peacock with practices, qualifying and race simulstreams, we look forward to continuing to grow the sport and super-serve INDYCAR fans across the country.”

Traditions Return

NBC will feature the first six races of 2022, as fans won’t have to wait long for INDYCAR action following the 2021 season finale. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship will begin at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, which will host the series’ season opener for the 11th time, Sunday, Feb. 27. It is the first February start for the INDYCAR SERIES since 2004 and the earliest the season has started since the opener on the Streets of St. Petersburg on Feb. 23, 2003.

The action-packed oval at Texas Motor Speedway moves to March for the first time, Sunday, March 20. It is the second consecutive year that the series will race at the “Great American Speedway” ahead of the Indianapolis 500, placing a crucial oval on the early part of the schedule.

The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach returns to the spring calendar, Sunday, April 10, appearing on network television for the first time in 15 years. It is the 38th year the INDYCAR SERIES has raced on the iconic streets of Southern California as the event celebrates its 47th edition.

Barber Motorsports Park hosts its 12th Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Sunday, May 1. Then, the series moves into the traditional Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a series of events featured on NBC: the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 14; Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying weekend, Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22; before the 106th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 29.

The Raceway at Belle Isle Park returns with its traditional post-“500” date Sunday, June 5, followed by the series’ 33rd visit to ultra-fast Road America on Sunday June 12 and another Fourth of July holiday celebration Sunday, July 3 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Over half of the events on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule have been on the calendar for 19 or more years. Mid-Ohio joins Long Beach in longevity as it hosts the series for a 38th year in 2022.

Fantastic Finish

The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship will finish with a flurry of eight races in the final nine weeks of the season, with six events on NBC.

This jam-packed second half of the season starts with the long-awaited return to the Streets of Toronto on Sunday, July 17, for the series’ 36th Honda Indy Toronto. The season continues with a high-speed oval doubleheader Saturday and Sunday, July 23-24 at Iowa Speedway. With partnership from Hy-Vee, it will mark the 16th and 17th INDYCAR SERIES events at the track known as “The Fastest Short Track on the Planet.”

“Iowa Speedway has traditionally produced some of most intense racing the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has to offer,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “It is great to see that this short oval, where we’ve seen up to 955 on-track passes in a single race, is back on the schedule. Combined with the rest of the calendar and a growing paddock, which has produced as many as 28 entries at non-Indy 500 events this year, the 2022 season will be as compelling and competitive as ever.”

Another historic NASCAR-INDYCAR Brickyard weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway will see the NTT INDYCAR SERIES featured Saturday, July 30 followed by another wildly popular visit to the Streets of Nashville on Sunday, Aug. 7. In 2021, the inaugural Big Machine Music City Grand Prix played to packed grandstands and drew the largest cable television audience for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in over two decades.

The series’ final oval of 2022 will come Saturday, Aug. 20 at World Wide Technology Raceway before back-to-back races on the classic American road courses of Portland International Raceway and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to finish the season. The 28th Grand Prix of Portland is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 4 while the 25th Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey returns to crown the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, Sunday, Sept. 11.

“This is an excellent schedule for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship,” Miles said. “This calendar provides a level of balance between temporary street circuits, road courses and ovals, and that variety and required versatility from our drivers are important, distinguishing attributes of NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing.

“The continuity among our events and the growth in the number of teams showcase our strong positioning and continued momentum.”

Start times for 2022 events will be announced at a later date.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021) – Colton Herta won the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey from the pole in 2019, the last time this NTT INDYCAR SERIES event took place at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

He’s halfway toward that dominant equation again at the track that could be nicknamed “Herta House.”

Herta earned the NTT P1 Award on Saturday with a top lap of 1 minute, 10.7994 seconds during the Firestone Fast Six in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda fielded by Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian. It was his seventh career pole and series high-tying third top spot of the season.

“I’m glad we ended up doing three (laps in final stint of qualifying) because I guess two wasn’t enough,” Herta said. “I really got to nail that third lap. The Gainbridge car was awesome, awesome being powered by Honda. What an amazing track. I love this place so much. Two for two for poles here.”

Herta has two poles and one victory at the 11-turn, 2.238-mile circuit that features the famous “Corkscrew” turn complex. His father, Bryan, who serves as his strategist, won INDYCAR SERIES races in 1998 and 1999 at this track, both also from the pole. Bryan Herta also won the pole here in 1997.

Live coverage of the 95-lap race starts at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network. A 30-minute warmup session will precede the race at noon (ET), live on Peacock Premium.

Andretti Autosport found a silver lining in a challenging season by seizing the front row, as Herta’s teammate Alexander Rossi qualified second at 1:10.9951 in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda.

2014 series champion Will Power will start third after a top qualifying lap of 1:11.1317 in the No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske Chevrolet. Power appeared to qualify second, but his quickest lap was nullified after race officials deemed he didn’t slow during a local yellow triggered near the end of the session when Pato O’Ward spun in the Corkscrew turn.

Championship leader Alex Palou will start fourth in the No. 10 NTT Data Honda after a best lap of 1:11.3317. Palou leads second-place O’Ward by 25 points with two races remaining in the season.

Oliver Askew burnished his credentials while auditioning for a full-time ride in 2022 by qualifying fifth – tying his career best – at 1:11.8937 in the No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda.

O’Ward will start sixth. His best lap in the Firestone Fast Six was nullified due to a penalty for his spin at the Corkscrew, with his second-best lap of 1:24.2715 standing up. But it still marked a significant recovery for the Mexican as he fights for the Astor Challenge Cup. O’Ward was 14th-quickest in the first practice Friday and dropped to 20th in pre-qualifying practice Saturday morning.

Among the other three drivers still mathematically eligible for the season championship, Chip Ganassi teammates Marcus Ericsson and Scott Dixon will start seventh and eighth, respectively. Ericsson is 75 points behind Palou in fifth in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, while six-time series champion Dixon is fourth, 49 points behind Palou, in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda.

Qualifying struggles continued for the second straight race for two-time series champion Josef Newgarden. He will start 17th in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, failing to advance from the first round of qualifying after leading practice Friday and registering the 10th-quickest time in practice this morning.

Newgarden was fast in practice last weekend at Portland but struggled in qualifying, rallying to a fifth-place finish after starting 18th. He is third in the standings, 34 points behind Palou.

Any driver 55 points or more behind the leader after this race will be eliminated from championship contention entering the season-ending Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, Sept. 26 at Long Beach, California.

MONTEREY, Calif. (Friday, Sept. 17, 2021) – Josef Newgarden isn’t going down without a big fight.

Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Newgarden led practice Friday for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, turning a top lap of 1 minute, 11.7125 seconds in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet after losing ground to championship leader Alex Palou last weekend at Portland International Raceway.

“Overall, we unloaded pretty good,” Newgarden said. “Small differences here or there, but for the most part globally it felt like the car was in the window. Just got to look after it.

“Obviously, things can change quickly. In Portland, we were pretty sorted out in practice one, we choked in qualifying and were pretty far off the pace. That’s the number one thing for us in the 2 car, have a consistent run all the way through. If we can do that, we’ll be in the fight.”

Newgarden enters this penultimate event of the season third in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings, 34 points behind leader Palou. It’s far from impossible he can rally for a third career title, but he’ll need to leapfrog Palou and second-place Pato O’Ward – 25 points behind Palou – to wear the crown. Titles can be captured at the top south african online casino where you can compare the best players.

Colton Herta was second at 1:11.7927 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda before going off course just past the famous Corkscrew turn complex in the final minute of the 45-minute session on the 11-turn, 2.238-mile road course on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula of Northern California. 2019 Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey winner Herta made no contact and continued to the pits.

“I think it’s tough to do a 45-minute session on one set of tires,” Herta said. “Waiting for most of it, waiting to see what kind of lap times guys were doing.

“Compared to when we were at the test, I think the track was a lot better. It was quite nice. Even though it seemed like it was similar temperature, seemed to be a little bit more grip today.”

Track activity resumes with a 45-minute practice at 1:45 p.m. (ET) Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at 5:05 p.m. (ET). Both sessions will be streamed live on Peacock Premium.

You can expect a wide selection of games at the best au online casino with game guides on how to play.

Palou was third overall in the practice at 1:11.9750 in the No. 10 NTT Data Honda. Ed Jones was fourth at 1:12.0166 in the No. 18 SealMaster Honda, while 2016 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alexander Rossi rounded out the top five at 1:12.0625 in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda.

Among the other three drivers mathematically eligible to win the Astor Challenge Cup as season champion, Marcus Ericsson (fifth, 75 points behind) was 10th at 1:12.3564 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon (fourth, 49 points behind) ended up 11th at 1:12.4415 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Grow Up Great Honda, while O’Ward was 14th at 1:12.4982 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Herta wasn’t the only driver to go off track while pushing for lap time toward the end of the session.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves nudged the tire barrier in Turn 2, also known as the Andretti Hairpin, with the nose of his No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Honda with about 18 minutes remaining. Then Rossi went off in Turn 3 and continued, while Sebastien Bourdais spun and continued in the No. 14 ROKiT/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet.

Rookie of the Year points leader Scott McLaughlin also slowed in the final minute approaching the Corkscrew turn complex.

Live coverage of the 95-lap race starts at 3 p.m. (ET) Sunday on NBC, Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
FIRESTONE GRAND PRIX OF MONTEREY
WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA
MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA
SEPT. 17-19

RACE 15 OF 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES SEASON

Team Chevy heads to penultimate race in thick of title chase
Every point at Laguna Seca counts for Pato O’Ward, Josef Newgarden

DETROIT (Sept. 15, 2021) – The focus will be on three drivers, including two powered by Chevrolet’s V-6 engine, as the tight NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship chase heads into its penultimate event this weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

Pato O’Ward, driver of the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, is 25 points out of first place following the crash-marred event Sept. 12 at Portland, Oregon, while two-time Series champion Josef Newgarden, competing in the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet, trails front-runner Alex Palou by 34 points.

A maximum 54 points are available in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on Sept. 19 and the finale Sept. 26 on the temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California. Basically, the title is up for grabs.

Two 45-minute practice sessions, qualifications and a 30-minute race day warm-up precede the 90-lap contest on the 2.238-mile, 11-turn road course that features a 300-foot elevation change and the famous “Corkscrew” in Turns 8 and 8A.

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES returned to the venue in 2019 after a 14-year absence. The event was not contested in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

O’Ward, 21, a two-time winner and three-time pole sitter this season, will make his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES start at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. He recorded one victory in five Indy Pro 2000 races in 2015-16 at the track.

“We are up against some great competitors for the championship, but we will come back the next two races and fight down to the last lap in Long Beach,” he said. “No pressure.”

Newgarden is the most seasoned of the title contenders, winning the championship in 2017 and ’19 and finishing a close second in the truncated 2020 season. He’s seeking to become the 13th three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion.

“Going into Laguna Seca 34 points out of the lead is definitely doable. We are in the fight for the championship and that’s all we can ask,” said Newgarden, who qualified fourth and finished eighth in the 2019 race at Laguna Seca. “We have to hit on all cylinders these next two weeks and I’m confident in this team to be at a championship level.”

Scott McLaughlin’s ninth-place finish at Portland – his second consecutive top 10 and fifth of the season — gave the driver of the No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet the inside track to the INDYCAR Rookie of the Year award.

Callum Ilott, who made his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut at Portland in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, will remain behind the wheel for the final two races. Ilott, 22, of the United Kingdom, was the 2020 Formula 2 championship runner-up and is a Ferrari Formula One test driver.

“We have all been working hard together over the past few weeks to build our program, so it feels great to carry this relationship as a team for the rest of the season,” team co-owner Ricardo Juncos said.

NBC will telecast the 90-lap Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 19. Practice sessions and qualifications will stream on Peacock Premium. The race, qualifications and practice will also be broadcast live on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, Sirius 211, XM 205, Indycar.com, and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA.

Team Chevy will be represented by:
A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing
Arrow McLaren SP
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP
Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP
Carlin
Max Chilton, No. 59 Carlin
Ed Carpenter Racing
Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek
Juncos Hollinger Racing
Callum Ilott, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing
Team Penske
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon 5G Team Penske
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske
Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results since 2012
2021 ­– 6 wins, 7 poles in 14 races
Wins – Pato O’Ward (Texas2, Detroit2); Rinus VeeKay (Indy RC1); Josef Newgarden (Mid-Ohio, St. Louis); Will Power (Indy RC2). Pole – Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Detroit1, Indy RC2); Josef Newgarden (Detroit2, Road America, Mid-Ohio); Will Power (St. Louis).
2020 – 7 wins, 11 poles in 14 races
Wins – Simon Pagenaud (Iowa1); Josef Newgarden (Iowa2, St. Louis2, Indy RC2, St. Petersburg); Will Power (Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3, St. Petersburg). Poles – Josef Newgarden (Texas, Road America1, Iowa2), Will Power (Indianapolis road course, St. Louis1, Mid-Ohio1, Indy RC3; St. Petersburg), Pato O’Ward (Road America2), Conor Daly (Iowa1), Rinus VeeKay (Indy road course October)
2019 – 9 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Driver/owner championship (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske); Indianapolis 500 win (Simon Pagenaud)
2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Indianapolis 500 win (Will Power)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 14 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 95 wins, 106 earned poles in 163 races

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
GRAND PRIX OF PORTLAND
PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
PORTLAND, OREGON
TEAM CHEVY RACE RECAP
SEPTEMBER. 12, 2021

JOSEF NEWGARDEN TOPS CHEVY CONTINGENT AT PORTLAND

PORTLAND (September 12,2021) – Two-time NTT INDYCAR Series champion Josef Newgarden battled from his 18th place starting position to finish fifth in today’s Grand Prix of Portland on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile Portland International Raceway that opened in 1961.

The top-five finish keeps Newgarden in championship contention leaving Oregon third in the standings, 34 points out of the lead with two races remaining in the season.

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, finished a disappointing 14th when ill-timed yellow flags jumbled strategies for everyone. O’Ward is in the thick of the championship hunt leaving Portland second in points, 25 behind race winner and points leader Alex Palou.

A multi-car crash in turn one, lap one jumbled the running order significantly that NTT INDYCAR officials had to carefully sort out prior to the restart. Fourth-place starter Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet driver Felix Rosenqvist was relegated to the back of the field with the other three starters from the front two rows of the field. With great strategy, Rosenqvist battled back to finish sixth.

Rookie-of-the-year contender Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, finished ninth to give Chevrolet three of the top-nine finishers.

Alexander Rossi and Scott Dixon completed the podium.

Team Chevy drivers finished as follows:
5th – Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske
6th – Felix Rosenqvist, No. 7 Arrow Mclaren Sp
9th – Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 PPG Team Penske
14th – Pato O’ward, No. 5 Arrow Mclaren Sp
16th – Conor Daly, No. 20 U.S. Air Force
17th – Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Sonax/Autogeek
18th – Sebastien Bourdais, No. 14 ROKiT AJ Foyt Racing
19th – Max Chilton, No. 59 Carlin
21st – Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Team Penske
25th – Callum Ilott, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing
26th – Dalton Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators AJ Foyt Racing

Team Chevy drivers in top—10 point standings:
2nd Pato O’Ward
3rd Josef Newgarden
8th Will Power
9th Simon Pagenaud

Next Sunday, September 19, 2021, the Chevrolet NTT INDYCAR teams and drivers head to the scenic Weathertech Laguna Seca Raceway, Monterey California.

DRIVER QUOTES:

FELIX ROSENQVIST, NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET, FINISHED 6TH: “Portland weekend is over and was eventful as always; especially in Turn 1, where we knew it was going to be crazy. We got unlucky at the start of the race when we avoided the collision that was about to happen in Turn 1. I didn’t really have a choice but to go straight. The way the rules are written, you get penalized if you go straight compared to the guys who stayed on the track. I couldn’t have really done anything so it was out of my hands, which is a shame. We were in third and came out 18th after the reorder.

The No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP team did a great job. We didn’t let that get us down, kept pushing, had really good pit stops, pit sequences, and the in and out laps were nailed every time. We kept getting ahead of cars each pit sequence and ended up with a sixth-place finish. I think we had a different kind of pace this weekend and it’s coming together more and more every weekend. Let’s ride out this wave and get some podiums the next two weeks.”

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN, NO.3 PPG TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, FINISHED 9TH: “Pretty good day for us in the PPG Chevy. I led my first INDYCAR races so that was pretty cool. I thought we might get in the top-three, but unfortunately a mid-race yellow put us behind the two-stoppers. Our strategy was pretty aggressive, potentially put us in the top-six or so, but made a couple of little errors that cost us on the out-lap. Getting better and better. Leading our first laps just shows our promise. Good points. We will keep pressing on to Laguna and Long Beach in the next couple of weeks.”

PATO O’WARD, NO. 5 ARROW MCLAREN SP CHEVROLET FINISHED 14TH: “Today was obviously very tough. It just wasn’t our day. We got unlucky with some of the yellows and this race favored the alternate strategy, which you can see when you look at the results. It just goes to show how exciting of a sport INDYCAR is at every race. We gave it everything we had all weekend. The No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP crew was solid on every stop. We are up against some great competitors for the championship but we will come back the next two races and fight down to the last lap in Long Beach.”

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (NO. 14 ROKIT CHEVROLET): “Obviously a bit of a sore day here for us at Portland International Raceway. Man, it looked like it was going to be a great day and after avoiding the chaos at the start and getting the lucky break with the reordering and getting fifth out of that, it seemed like we were going to do really good. Unfortunately, we were on the three-stopper with Pato and Ericsson and those guys and the yellows fell at exactly the wrong time for the three-stoppers like us and at the perfect time for the guys that suffered at the beginning of the race on the two-stopper and we could never recover from that. On top of that, we got tangled with Oliver Askew – more of my fault than his fault – and we were fighting with Veekay and he ended up just not quite giving me enough room to be able to make the lap. I was on the curb and just tapped the brakes when I saw him turn and just caught his left rear tire trying to get out of it. Just a shame we’re not getting much out of this weekend when we clearly had some pace, had a pretty decent qualifying and just a shame that we couldn’t transform the essay and we couldn’t get some good points again.”

DALTON Kellett, No. 4 K-Line Insulators USA AJ FOYT RACING, ChevroleT, FINISHED 26TH: “I’m so gutted for the No. 4 K-Line Insulators USA Chevy team. We were having a great race going and got a little lucky off the start with that melee and the way that the order was reshuffled. Gained some good positions and was able to hold on and be competitive. The pace felt strong compared to where we were in qualifying, so really happy with that. It’s just a shame how this race ended early for us. Looks like we had an electrical issue. We haven’t diagnosed that yet, still waiting for the car to come back. We’ll figure out what it was and make sure it doesn’t happen again. This has been a tough weekend with it kind of being up and down for qualifying, things like that. The race performance, was happy with that. That’s a positive we have to take out of this weekend and just diagnose the mechanical issue and go from there. ”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.