Competing in his fourth full-time season in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Alex Palou is set to achieve a milestone start. By competing in this weekend’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach at the Streets of Long Beach, California, the driver of the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara-Honda will achieve career start No. 50 in the IndyCar circuit.
A native of Sant Antoni de Vilamjaor, Catalonia, Spain, Palou made his inaugural presence in the IndyCar circuit at the start of the 2020 season, where he was signed by Dale Coyne Racing in conjunction with Team Goh. By then, he entered the sport with an extensive racing background that included starts in the GP3 Series, All-Japan F3 Championship region, World Series Formula V8 3.5, FIA Formula 2, European F3, Super Formula and Super GT. He was also coming off an eventful season in 2019, where he competed for McLaren Customer Racing Japan in the Super GT GT300 class and TCS Nakajima Racing for Super Formula in Japan, where he achieved a single victory and a third-place result in the championship standings.
Making his maiden IndyCar start at Texas Motor Speedway in June 2020 amid a shortened season due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Palou finished 23rd after being involved in an early incident. Two races later, he achieved his maiden podium result after finishing third during the first of a Road America doubleheader feature in July. The Spaniard would proceed to finish seventh in the second Road America doubleheader feature before recording his third top-10 result of the season in the second of an IndyCar Harvest Grand Prix doubleheader feature at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in October. With an average-finishing result of 14.7 throughout the 14-race schedule, Palou ended up in 16th place in the final standings.
In 2021, Palou was signed by Chip Ganassi Racing to pilot the No. 10 Dallara-Honda. His maiden start with Ganassi commenced on a high note by fending off former champion Will Power to score his maiden IndyCar victory at Barber Motorsports Park in April and claim an early lead in the championship standings. He then achieved his maiden pole position at Texas Motor Speedway during a doubleheader feature in May while also achieving three additional podiums and a total of five top-10 results during the following seven events. This included a strong runner-up finish behind Helio Castroneves in the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Palou then claimed his second career victory in IndyCar competition at Road America in June following a late overtake on former champion Josef Newgarden as he also reassumed the points lead over title rival Pato O’Ward. Another four races later, where he earned two top-10 results before sustaining back-to-back DNFs at Indy and at the World Wide Technology Raceway in August that made him lose the lead in the standings, Palou responded back with vengeance after winning for the third time in his career at Portland International Raceway in September. After finishing second at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Palou entered the season-finale event at the Streets of Long Beach with a 35-point advantage over Pato O’Ward and 48 over Newgarden. With a fourth-place result during the finale, Palou secured his maiden IndyCar Series championship by 38 points over Newgarden and 62 over O’Ward. By then, he became the third different competitor representing Chip Ganassi Racing and the first Spaniard to win an IndyCar title.
Palou’s quest to defend his title in 2022 commenced on a strong note by finishing in the runner-up spot behind Scott McLaughlin at the Streets of St. Petersburg in February. He then finished seventh at Texas in March and third at the Streets of Long Beach in April before achieving another runner-up result at Barber Motorsports Park in May. After finishing no higher than ninth during the following four events, which included an 18th-place result during the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500, the reigning champion captured his third runner-up result of the season at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course behind McLaughlin.
In mid-July, Palou was surrounded by controversy after he disputed a report he had been re-signed by Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2023 season by announcing through social media of his intentions to join McLaren Racing for the upcoming racing season. Chip Ganassi Racing would then respond to the report by reiterating their claim to Palou’s contract and their intention of filing a lawsuit against the Spaniard. By September, however, both parties reached a settlement that would result with Palou remaining at Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2023 season while also planning a McLaren Formula One test during the off-season period. From the Exhibition Place in Toronto in July through Portland in September, Palou recorded five top-10 results, including a podium result at Nashville Street Circuit in August. By then, however, his hopes to defend his series title were diminished. Nonetheless, he managed to secure his first elusive victory of the season during the finale at Laguna Seca as he capped off the season in fifth place in the final standings.
Through 49 previous starts in the IndyCar Series, Palou has achieved one championship, four victories, one pole, 16 podiums, 333 laps led and an average-finishing result of 9.6. He is currently ranked in fifth place in the championship standings and is coming off his first podium result of this season after finishing third at Texas Motor Speedway.
Palou is scheduled to make his 50th career start in the NTT INDYCAR Series at the Streets of Long Beach for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 16, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
Ryan Hunter-Reay has joined forces with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (DRR) to pilot the team’s No. 23 entry in this year’s 107th annual running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will occur on May 28 during Memorial Day weekend.
The 42-year-old Hunter-Reay from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, makes his return to the IndyCar competition since announcing his retirement from full-time competition at the conclusion of the 2021 season, where he had spent the bulk of his racing career competing for Andretti Autosport.
Making his IndyCar debut in 2003 for American Spirit Team Johansson, Hunter-Reay notched his first career victory at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit in Australia towards the conclusion of the season. He then proceeded to score a total of 18 victories, 47 podiums, seven poles, over 1,500 laps led in 282 career starts (18 seasons). His biggest accomplishments in the IndyCar circuit include winning the 2012 series championship and the 2014 Indianapolis 500 following a late battle and bold overtake on multi-Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves prior to the final lap. His last series victory to date occurred in the 2018 season finale at Sonoma Raceway.
The 2023 season is set to mark Hunter-Reay’s 15th start in the Greatest Spectacle of Racing. To go along with his lone 500 victory in 2014, he has notched six top-10 results and started in the top three twice in the event. Hunter-Reay’s entrance will make him the ninth former 500 winner to compete in this year’s field of 33 competitors, a list that will feature Castroneves, Scott Dixon, reigning Indy 500 champion Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato.
“I’ve been eager to share this news for quite some time,” Hunter-Reay said. “This partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing presents a unique opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get back on track at IMS. I feel laser-focused and energized. The Indy 500 isn’t just a motor race. For me, it’s a way of life.”
“I was incredibly attracted to the fact that DRR is a streamlined program that puts all of its energy into the Month of May,” Hunter-Reay added. “I guess you can say I’m going back to my roots, considering how I started my INDYCAR career with smaller teams that took the fight to the bigger efforts and won. If you look at DRR’s record at Indy and their impressive recent results, the pool of talented engineers and crew, it’s a perfect fit.”
Hunter-Reay’s partnership with Dreyer & Reinbold comes nearly four months after Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced a joint effort with Cusick Motorsports to field the No. 24 entry for Stefan Wilson for the Indy event this upcoming May. The 2023 season will also mark DRR’s 24th consecutive season of fielding at least one entry for the Indy 500.
“I am thrilled to have Ryan Hunter-Reay join our lineup for the 2023 Indianapolis 500,” Dennis Reinbold, team owner of DRR, said. “Ryan is a proven winner at the Speedway, winning in 2014, and is a tremendously talented driver who is a great addition to our team for this year’s ‘500.’”
With his one-race plan for the 2023 season set, Hunter-Reay will compete in the 107th annual running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The event is scheduled to occur on May 28 with the event’s broadcast to commence at 11 a.m. ET on NBC.
The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will be vying for the Memorial Day ‘Double Duty’ challenge by competing in both the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2024.
In an announcement made on Thursday, January 12, Larson, who pilots the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup circuit, will also be piloting a Chevrolet entry for Arrow McLaren in the NTT IndyCar Series for the 108th running of the Indy 500. Larson’s McLaren entry will be back by his Cup Series owner Rick Hendrick, who will co-own the entry, and sponsored by HendrickCars.com.
The announcement comes as Larson, who will attempt to make his IndyCar debut next season, is coming off his eighth full-time season in NASCAR’s premier series and second driving for Hendrick Motorsports. Having won the 2021 Cup title on a strength of 10 victories and during his first season at HMS, Larson achieved three victories before finishing in seventh place in the 2022 final standings. He also achieved a total of four poles, 13 top-five results, 19 top-10 results, 635 laps led and an average-finishing result of 14.1 throughout the previous Cup season.
“I’m super excited,” Larson, a 19-time Cup winner, said. “Competing at the Indianapolis 500 is a dream of mine and something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time – since I was a child before I ever began competing in sprint cars. To do it with McLaren and Mr. Hendrick especially is a dream come true. I’m grateful for the opportunity and am really looking forward to it even though it’s still about a year-and-a-half away. I’m really looking forward to competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Charlotte 600 and maybe even get a win or two that day.”
In announcing his plans for the ‘Double Duty’ challenge, Larson will attempt to become the fifth competitor to accomplish the feat that was first started by the late John Andretti in 1994 and was soon followed by Robby Gordon, Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch.
Busch is the latest competitor to pull the ‘Doubly Duty’ feat in 2014, where he competed between Andretti Autosport and Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart, who competed in the double twice (1999 and 2001), is the lone competitor to successfully complete the double’s 1,100 miles of racing between the two events in the same day after finishing sixth at Indy with Chip Ganassi Racing before finishing third at Charlotte with Joe Gibbs Racing.
Like Larson, the 2024 ‘Double Duty’ bid will also mark a new first for team owner Rick Hendrick, who will own an IndyCar entry for the first time in his career. The 2023 season is also set to mark Hendrick’s 40th season as an owner in NASCAR’s premier series, where he has accumulated an all-time record 14 championships and 291 victories. He has also accumulated 239 poles, 1,190 top-five results, 2,045 top-10 results and 77,317 laps led.
“Having the opportunity to support Kyle, partner with an elite team like Arrow McLaren and promote HendrickCars.com in one of the world’s great auto racing events is truly unique,” Hendrick said. “All of us are competitors. Putting Kyle in top-level equipment and allowing ample time for him to prepare for such a difficult challenge was important. It’s going to be very, very special to field a Chevrolet in the Indy 500 as a car owner. A collaboration like this was what we needed to make it happen, and fortunately the stars aligned. We’re 100% committed to doing it right and look forward to working with Zak [Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing] and his organization.”
Like Larson and Hendrick Motorsports, the 2024 season will also mark McLaren’s first participation in the ‘Double Duty’ challenge in a storied career highlighted with 12 drivers’ championships, eighth constructors’ titles and 183 victories in Formula One competition. The McLaren manufacturer has also made a total of three trips to Victory Lane in the Indy 500 three times, with the first occurring in 1972 with Mark Donohue. After achieving a second Indy 500 victory with Johnny Rutherford in 1974, McLaren’s latest Indy 500 victory occurred in 1976 with Rutherford.
The Arrow McLaren team, which has been rebranded from Arrow McLaren SP, is set to field three full-time entries in this year’s IndyCar season for drivers Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi. The 2013 Indy 500 champion Tony Kanaan is also set to pilot a fourth Arrow McLaren entry for this year’s 107th running of the Indy 500.
“Adding Kyle Larson with a HendrickCars.com partnership to the Indy 500 lineup in 2024 is exciting for our Arrow McLaren team as well as for race fans,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “He’s a complete driver, known for racing anything on wheels, so I’m looking forward to seeing what Kyle can do in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car. It’s been great working with Rick Hendrick and [Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman] Jeff Gordon to pull this together, so a big thank you to them for what’s to come in May 2024.”
Additional details regarding Larson’s number and car livery for the Indy 500 remains to be determined.
With his plans for the 2024 Memorial Day weekend set, Larson’s 2023 Cup Series season is set to commence at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for the second annual Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum, which will occur on February 5 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. This event will be followed by the 65th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, which will occur on February 19 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.
In a major off-season blockbuster move for McLaren Racing, NTT Data will be joining forces with Arrow McLaren SP on a multiyear basis that will include serving as a key primary sponsor for Felix Rosenqvist for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The team was also proud to reveal that the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion Tony Kanaan will be piloting a fourth AMSP entry sponsored by NTT Data for the 107th running of the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway that will occur on May 28, 2023.
The move comes after months of speculation towards AMSP’s fourth competitor choice for the 2023 Indy 500 and as the team prepares to field three full-time entries for the upcoming IndyCar season for its drivers Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, who announced his move to the team in June following a seven-year run with Andretti Autosport.
As part of the multiyear deal, NTT Data will serve as the Official IT Services Partner for AMSP’s operations while serving as an associate sponsor for O’Ward and Rossi. The global technology and business solutions provider was previously the Official IT Services Partner for Chip Ganassi Racing and was a key partner for the organization since 2013. It has also been serving as a title sponsor for the IndyCar Series since 2019.
“NTT DATA joining our great group of partners is a huge boost for Arrow McLaren SP,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, said. “I’m thrilled they will be representing our No. 6 car as a Lead Partner and a major sponsor for our fourth entry in the Indy 500, piloted by Tony Kanaan. Tony proved last year he can compete with the best of them, and I’m excited to see him put on a show with our team next May.”
“We welcome the opportunity to partner with McLaren, a long-term and valued client, and to demonstrate how sponsorships simultaneously build awareness and enhance business-to-business relationships,” Bob Pryor, CEO of NTT Data Services, added. “NTT DATA is also proud of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ growth with a strong international stable of drivers, great leadership from Penske Entertainment, and a passionate fan base attracted to the highly competitive product – where any driver can win in any weekend.”
For Kanaan, the 2023 Indy 500 is set to mark his 22nd consecutive appearance competing in one of the most prestigious motorsport events across the world and his first competing under the McLaren banner. He spent the previous two seasons as a part-time competitor for Chip Ganassi Racing, where he finished 10th during the 2021 Indy 500 before notching a strong third-place effort during this past season’s event. He claimed his first and lone Indy 500 victory to date in 2013, which occurred after 12 previous attempts.
Through a total of 388 career starts in IndyCar competition, Kanaan has achieved one championship (2004), 17 victories, 13 poles, 79 podiums and 4,077 laps led.
“I feel extremely lucky to get another shot racing in the Indianapolis 500,” Kanaan said. “I’m excited to work with Pato, Felix and Alexander and race with the Arrow McLaren SP team. My biggest battle in last year’s race was against these three drivers so working with them and driving with them will be exciting for all of us.”
In addition to Kanaan’s Indy 500 entry, NTT Data will be sponsoring Rosenqvist’s No. 6 Dallara-Chevrolet for 10 IndyCar events in 2023, which will commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5 and conclude at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on September 10. The new partnership deal with AMSP reunites NTT Data with Rosenqvist, who was previously sponsored by the IT solutions provider when he competed for Chip Ganassi Racing in 2019 and 2020. It also comes nearly two months after Rosenqvist was announced to remain with the organization for the upcoming season.
The 30-year-old Rosenqvist from Värnamo, Sweden, is coming off a strong 2022 season with AMSP, where he achieved a single podium result at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July along with nine additional top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule before finishing in eighth place in the final driver’s standings, one spot behind teammate O’Ward.
“I look forward to representing NTT DATA once again,” Rosenqvist said. “They’re a great partner and are committed to the series. I welcome them to the McLaren Racing family and am ready to start the season off in St. Petersburg, racing the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. It will also be great to race alongside Tony and learn from him as we prepare for the Indy 500.”
The new partnership between NTT Data and Arrow McLaren SP is set to commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5, which will also commence the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season. The event’s coverage is scheduled to occur at noon ET on NBC.
Colton Herta has renewed his contract with Andretti Autosport to remain as a full-time NTT IndyCar Series competitor for the organization along with sponsor Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, through the 2027 season.
The contract extension will keep the 22-year-old second-generation competitor from Valencia, Santa Clarita, California, as the driver of the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Dallara-Honda sponsored by Gainbridge for a third full-time season and beyond, beginning in 2023. He is coming off his fourth full-time season in the IndyCar circuit, where he recorded his lone victory of the 2022 campaign in the GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in May. Coupled with an additional podium at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July along with a total of seven top-10 results throughout the 17-race schedule, Herta concluded the 2022 season in 10th place in the final driver’s standings.
“I’m super happy and grateful for everything the entire Andretti and Gainbridge teams have done for me,” Herta said. “This is a huge step for me professionally, and I’m so glad it can be with a top team like Andretti Autosport. We have big goals and a lot of work ahead of us, but I can’t be happier to do it with this team and represent Gainbridge.”
After making his inaugural presence in the IndyCar circuit at Sonoma Raceway with Harding Racing in September 2018, Herta embarked in his first full-time campaign in the series during the following season for Harding Steinbrenner Racing. He claimed his maiden IndyCar victory at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, in March before proceeding to win the season-finale event at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Herta then joined Andretti Autosport for the 2020 season, where he has since notched five victories, nine podiums, six poles and 620 laps led. His best points result to this date is third place, which occurred in 2020.
Through a total of 65 career starts in the IndyCar Series, Herta has achieved seven victories, 11 podiums, nine poles, 764 laps led and an average-finishing result of 11.0.
“We’re really pleased to confirm that Colton and Gainbridge will remain with Andretti Autosport for years to come,” Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO of Andretti Autosport, said. “Colton is a true talent in a race car and has natural determination that makes him want to win. He’s a strong competitor and a good teammate. I’m looking forward to seeing what Colton and Andretti can continue to achieve together. We’ve been really proud to represent Gainbridge, and to have given them their first racing victory with Colton in 2020 — and four more since,” added Andretti. “On and off the track we share a commitment to compete at the top level and look forward to seeing Colton return to victory lane in the yellow and black Gainbridge colors.”
The 2023 season will also mark the fifth year of sponsorship for Gainbridge with Herta and the sixth overall for the Group 1001 company in IndyCar, which first joined forces with Andretti Autosport in 2018 with a mission to inspire STEM learning and career explorations through its presence in the IndyCar Series.
“Gainbridge is proud to continue its successful relationship with Andretti through this new contract extension with Colton,” Dan Towriss, CEO and President of Group 1001, the parent company of Gainbridge, added. “We have high hopes for both Colton and Gainbridge and believe they’re destined to become household names. With his natural talent and winning spirit, Colton won’t stop until he changes the landscape of racing. He’s the perfect representative for Gainbridge, who is changing the landscape of financial services. With his natural talent and winning spirit, Colton won’t stop until he changes the landscape of racing. He’s the perfect representative for Gainbridge, who is changing the landscape of financial services.”
For the 2023 season, Herta will be one of four full-time competitors representing Andretti Autosport in the IndyCar grid along with Romain Grosjean, Devlin DeFrancesco and newcomer Kyle Kirkwood. Marco Andretti is scheduled to pilot a fifth Andretti Autosport entry in the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May.
With his plans for the future set, Herta’s 2023 IndyCar season is scheduled to commence at the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 5. The event’s coverage will occur at noon ET on NBC.
Three days following the conclusion of the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season, the future fates for both Felix Rosenqvist and Alex Palou were revealed. For Rosenqvist, he will be remaining as a full-time driver for Arrow McLaren SP and be part of the team’s three-car expansion for next season. Palou, meanwhile, will continue to pilot the No 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.
The news comes following a summer-long swirl highlighting both competitors and organizations that started in July when Palou initially disputed the news of CGR retaining him for 2023 by announcing his intentions of joining McLaren in 2023. Palou’s news of being placed as an option for McLaren prompted Ganassi to file a civil action lawsuit against the Spaniard who won the 2021 IndyCar championship in Ganassi’s No. 10 entry, which lasted throughout the summer. The contract dispute between Palou and CGR also began to affect Rosenqvist’s future with McLaren and AMSP, in spite of the Swedish competitor signing a contract extension to remain at McLaren, but with no specific series announced.
With the news on Wednesday that Palou and CGR have reached a resolution to their contract dispute, Rosenqvist, who also appeared to be remaining in IndyCar with McLaren for next season, will compete in his third season for AMSP in 2023. The news means that Rosenqvist completes AMSP’s three-driver lineup that includes Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi, who was announced to be joining the organization in June while being replaced at Andretti Autosport by Kyle Kirkwood.
“There’s no better way to enter the off-season than with this news!” Rosenqvist said. “I love this team, and I’m so happy to continue working with all the incredible people I’ve gotten to know over the past two seasons. With everything the team has in the pipeline, the continuing relationship with Pato and the addition of Alex Rossi, we are going to bring our A-game for 2023. It will be the most exciting season for me so far. Let it be March already!”
Rosenqvist, who last visited Victory Lane in the IndyCar circuit since Road America in July 2020, is coming off a strong 2022 campaign, where he finished in eighth place in the final drivers’ standings with 393 points on the strength of two poles and his maiden podium with McLaren after finishing third at the Exhibition Place in Toronto, Canada, in July. He also piloted the No. 7 AMSP Dallara-Chevrolet to a total of 10 top-10 results and an average-finishing result of 11.8 throughout the 17-race schedule. His eighth-place result in this year’s final standings marked an improvement of 13 spots from the previous season, where he finished no higher than sixth place on the track and missed two races in June following a hard accident during the first of a Belle Isle Street Circuit doubleheader feature on Saturday, June 12. His 2021 average-finishing result was 16.4.
“I’m delighted that Felix will again be racing with AMSP through 2023,” Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, added. “He had a strong 2022 season, and I look forward to seeing what he, Alex Rossi and Pato O’Ward can do when they join forces in papaya. It’s also great to have Alex Palou joining the McLaren Racing family in our Testing of Previous Cars programme.”
For Palou, the 2023 season will also mark his third campaign with Chip Ganassi Racing. The Spaniard, who won the 2021 IndyCar title with Ganassi on the strength of his first three career victories, capped off the 2022 season by capturing his first elusive checkered flag of the season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California. The victory along with six podiums, 173 laps led and an average-finishing result of 8.0 throughout the 17-race schedule were enough for Palou to conclude the season in fifth place in the final standings despite tying Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin for fourth place with 510 points.
Photo by Tim Jarrold for SpeedwayMedia.com.
Following the news, Palou, who will still participate in a McLaren F1 testing session at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in Spain this week, took to social media to confirm his racing plans for next season.
I’m excited to announce that @CGRTeams and I have come to an agreement and I’ll be back in the No. 10 car next season!
With both drivers’ plans for next season set, they turn their attention to contend for the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series championship. The 2023 schedule remains to be determined.
Faced with a long shot but not out of the picture, Scott McLaughlin kept his 2022 NTT IndyCar Series championship hopes alive with a dominant win in the Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway on Sunday, September 4.
The 29-year-old McLaughlin from Hamilton, New Zealand, commenced his dominant weekend by qualifying on pole position on Saturday. During the main event on Sunday, he led a race-high 104 of the 110-scheduled laps and prevailed during a restart with 22 laps remaining to fend off teammate Will Power and Scott Dixon to capture the third IndyCar career victory of his career and of this season. The victory decreased McLaughlin’s deficit to teammate and points leader Will Power from 54 to 41 as he will be one of five competitors entering next weekend’s season finale at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca with a mathematical opportunity to contend for the title.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Scott McLaughlin claimed his third pole position of the season after posting a pole-winning lap at 121.412 mph in 58.2349 seconds. Teammate Josef Newgarden initially posted the second-best qualifying lap at 121.249 mph in 58.3129 seconds, but he dropped six spots on the starting grid to eighth for an unapproved engine change stemming from the previous IndyCar event at World Wide Technology Raceway. As a result, teammate and points leader Will Power started on the front row alongside McLaughlin after posting his best qualifying lap at 121.016 mph in 58.4482 seconds.
When the green flag waved and the race commenced, McLaughlin muscled ahead with an early advantage through the first three turns while rookie Christian Lundgaard made a move to overtake Will Power for the runner-up spot. As the field proceeded through the twists and turns around Portland for a full lap and while Romain Grosjean went off the track, McLaughlin led the first lap ahead of Lundgaard, Power, Pato O’Ward and Alex Palou.
Through the first five scheduled laps, McLaughlin was leading by more than two seconds over Lundgaard followed by Power, O’Ward and Palou while David Malukas, Felix Rosenqvist, Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi and Graham Rahal were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Josef Newgarden was back in 11th ahead of Rinus VeeKay, rookie Callum Ilott, Scott Dixon and rookie Kyle Kirkwood. Jack Harvey was in 16th followed by Conor Daly, Helio Castroneves, Marcus Ericsson and rookie Devlin DeFrancesco while Simon Pagenaud, Takuma Sato, Romain Grosjean, Dalton Kellett and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the 25-car field.
Five laps later and 10 laps into the event, McLaughlin continued to lead by three seconds over Lundgaard while Power, O’Ward and Palou retained their spots in the top five. By then, Simon Pagenaud pitted for a new set of alternate Firestone tires to his No. 60 SiriusXM Dallara-Honda. Another two laps later, Grosjean pitted for alternate tires to his No. 28 DHL Dallara-Honda.
By Lap 15, names like Dixon, Kirkwood, Jack Harvey, Newgarden, Helio Castroneves and Jimmie Johnson pitted for alternate tires as the cycle of tire strategies proceeded. During the following lap, Palou and VeeKay also pitted followed by David Malukas, Colton Herta, Rosenqvist, Alexander Rossi and Conor Daly.
At the Lap 20 mark, McLaughlin remained as the leader by more than three seconds over Lundgaard followed by Graham Rahal, Ilott and Ericsson. By then, O’Ward pitted his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet under green. Another lap later, McLaughlin surrendered the lead to pit his No. 3 Freightliner Dallara-Chevrolet.
Once the remaining competitors who had yet to pit pitted, among which included Lundgaard, Rahal and Ilott, McLaughlin cycled his way back to the lead on Lap 24. By then, Ericsson was in second while Power, Lundgaard and O’Ward were in the top five. Palou carved his No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants Dallara-Honda to sixth followed by Newgarden, Rahal, Herta, Rossi and Ilott, who was stalling Scott Dixon and VeeKay while running in the final top-10 spot.
Through the first 35 scheduled laps, McLaughlin was leading by more than eight seconds over teammate Power followed by Lundgaard, O’Ward and Palou while Newgarden, Rahal, Herta, Rossi and Dixon were in the top 10. By then, Ericsson pitted his No. 8 PNC Bank Dallara-Honda three laps earlier for alternative tires. Meanwhile, Grosjean, who was in 22nd, was given a penalty for shorcutting the course.
Ten laps later, McLaughlin stabilized his advantage to more than six seconds over teammate Power. While Lundgaard and O’Ward were in third and fourth, Newgarden navigated his No. 2 Hitachi Dallara-Chevrolet into the top five as he was in fifth followed by Rahal, Herta, Rossi, Dixon and VeeKay. By then, Palou, who was initially battling for sixth with Rahal, pitted along with Pagenaud, Grosjean, Rosenqvist, Jack Harvey and Kirkwood. Newgarden would pit during Laps 46 along with Dixon, Castroneves, Jimmie Johnson, Lundgaard and VeeKay.
Nearing the Lap 50 mark, McLaughlin surrendered the lead to pit for a second time followed by O’Ward while Rahal emerged with the lead. By then, Herta, Malukas, Conor Daly and David Malukas also pitted. Once Lap 50 struck, McLaughlin cycled his way back to the lead after Rahal pitted his No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara-Honda under green.
At the halfway mark on Lap 55, McLaughlin was the leader by six seconds over teammate Power followed by O’Ward and a tight battle for fourth place between Newgarden and Lundgaard. Rahal was in sixth ahead of Rossi, Dixon and Herta while VeeKay battled and overtook Palou for 10th place. Meanwhile, Ericsson and DeFrancesco made a pit stop under green along with Sato.
With 40 laps remaining, McLaughlin retained the lead by four seconds over teammate Power, who had O’Ward closing in in a bid for the runner-up spot as Power was also catching the lapped No. 48 Carvana Dallara-Honda driven by Jimmie Johnson. Newgarden remained in fourth as he started to catch teammate Power and O’Ward while Lundgaard, Rahal, Rossi, Dixon, Herta and VeeKay occupied the top 10. Behind, Palou retained 11th ahead of Callum Ilott while Kirkwood, Rosenqvist and Malukas were in the top 15.
Two laps later, Conor Daly was the first retiree of the event after his No. 20 BitNile Dallara-Chevrolet caught on fire while trying to exit his pit stall upon a completed service.
Another five laps later and with 32 laps remaining, McLaughlin stabilized his advantage to more than three seconds over teammate Power, who was able to pull away from O’Ward and Newgarden with no lapped traffic interfering in his charge towards teammate McLaughlin. By then, names like Rossi, Lundgaard, Dixon, VeeKay, Palou, Kirkwood, Jack Harvey and Castroneves pitted. During the pit stops, Lundgaard stalled his No. 30 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Dallara-Honda in his pit lane.
During the following lap, McLaughlin led teammates Power and Newgarden along with O’Ward, Rahal, Herta, Ilott and Malukas to pit road for service. Once the pit stops were complete with less than 30 laps remaining, McLaughlin, who despite endured a slow pit stop while trying to navigate his way around Rosenqvist, was back ahead by a second over teammate Power while third-place O’Ward trailed by two seconds. Ericsson, who has yet to pit, was in fourth while Newgarden was mired in fifth.
Then with 27 laps remaining, the first caution of the event flew when VeeKay turned to the left and sent Jimmie Johnson into the outside wall in Turn 1 as Johnson’s long afternoon came to an end with a wrecked No. 48 Honda.
Down to the final 22 laps of the event, the race restarted under green as McLaughlin retained the lead. Entering the first turn, O’Ward made a bold move beneath Power as both made contact, but Power fended off O’Ward to remain in second as the field jumbled up through the first three turns. In the midst of the scramble, Dixon moved his No. 9 PNC Bank Dallara-Honda to fourth place after overtaking both Newgarden and Rossi.
A lap later, O’Ward, who continued with minimal damage to his No. 5 Chevrolet, was penalized and forced to surrender third place to Dixon for blocking Dixon while making his move and eventual contact with Power during the restart.
With less than 20 laps remaining, McLaughlin was the leader by less than two seconds over teammate Power while third-place Dixon trailed by nearly three seconds. O’Ward and Rahal were in the top five while Herta, Rossi and Lundgaard overtook Newgarden, who was on the black Firestone tires, for spots in the top 10.
Shortly after, Lundgaard’s strong run was spoiled after he got loose and ran into a sponsor signage in Turn 1, which remained lodged in front of his car as he plummeted below the leaderboard and went a full lap with the barrier before pitting.
With 10 laps remaining, McLaughlin continued to lead by more than a second over teammate Power and more than two seconds over Dixon, all of whom broke away from the field led by fourth-place O’Ward, who trailed by more than seven seconds. Rahal was in fifth while Herta, Rossi, Newgarden, Ilott and Rosenqvist, who overtook Palou, were in the top 10.
Down to the final five laps of the event, the top-three competitors led by McLaughlin followed by teammate Power and Dixon were nine seconds ahead of fourth-place O’Ward, who was starting to be intimidated by Rahal for fourth place while Andretti Autosport teammates Herta and Rossi battled for sixth in front of Newgarden.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, McLaughlin remained as the leader by more than a second over teammate Power, who had Dixon closing in as he made a final bid for the runner-up spot. With Power unable to close the gap for a final lap through the circuit, McLaughlin was able to navigate his way back to the frontstretch and claim his third checkered flag of the 2022 season.
With the victory, McLaughlin, who made his inaugural presence in the IndyCar circuit less than two years ago, notched his third career victory in the IndyCar Series along with his third of the season as he added Portland with the Streets of St. Petersburg and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to his race-winning resume in IndyCars. He also recorded the ninth victory of the season for Team Penske and the 11th for Chevrolet, which is within striking distance of sealing the manufacturer title over Honda.
The Portland victory also kept McLaughlin’s championship hopes of this season alive as he now trails teammate Power by 41 points after jumping from sixth to fifth in the standings.
“I don’t think the car felt really good in that first stint,” McLaughlin said on NBC. “As the race went on, it got a little bit worse.[I] Just had to really concentrate on where I wanted the strengths in the car and work with those, and then the weaknesses are just trying to make the best of them. The Freightliner Chevy, all weekend, has been fast. It’s been right there where we needed it and the team, the Thristy Threes [pit crew], got the job done in the pits. I’m really proud of them. We did exactly what we needed to do this weekend, and that was win and get max points and keep ourselves in the [championship] fight. Yeah, we’re in a long shot. I don’t care, but we’re a shot. I’m looking forward to it.”
Teammate Power, who came into Portland with a three-point advantage in the championship standings, held off Dixon to finish in the runner-up spot and leaves Portland with a 20-point lead in the standings over both teammate Newgarden and Dixon. Power will only need to finish in the top three next weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca to clinch his second IndyCar championship. Ericsson, who salvaged an 11th-place run at Portland, trails Power by 39 points while McLaughlin trails by 41, all of whom remain mathematically eligible to contend for the 2022 IndyCar title.
“The red [tires] was a lot better for us,” Power said. “The black [tires] just never really came on. [I] Never even really got a good balance with it. It was a tough decision because those reds had a lot of laps on them, but I still feel like we would’ve been quicker over the stint. It was the right move. [It] Would’ve been real tough on those restarts without it. Good call by the guys. Good strategy all day. It’s another day. We just did everything we could. I just want to win this championship for the guys that have been with me for more than a decade. It’s a lot less selfish for me this time around because [the crew] deserve it. I feel their pain over the years of losing so many. I would love to win it for them. [The points lead is] still very tough. Ganassi’s tested [at Laguna Seca]. We’re sin the best position. We got the best shot, so we’ll do everything we can.”
“We got to stop getting these Most Improved [accolade] through races,” Dixon said. “It’s definitely frustrating. Starting 16th with the competition we have now and no real cautions, man, we had to drive through the field. We’re still in the fight. Twenty points back. Tied with Josef [Newgarden] there. It was definitely an interesting race. We tried as hard as possible on that last run, but a huge weekend for PNC Bank. Honda, kudos to them for the super-easy fuel mileage that we had to get, so that was definitely a positive…Anything is possible. We’ve seen it. We’ve won [the championship] on tie-breakers before. We’re in it and we will never give up as a team until it’s over. It’s gonna be an interesting [finale]. Ultimately, if we can be in it, we’re gonna throw everything that we can do.”
O’Ward, who has been eliminated from the title battle, nursed his wounded No. 5 Chevrolet to a fourth-place result ahead of Rahal while Herta, Rossi, Newgarden, Callum Ilott and Felix Rosenqvist finished in the top 10 on the track. Alex Palou was also eliminated from title contention with a 12th-place run as he will not defend his series title.
There were seven lead changes for five different leaders. The race featured one caution for four laps.
Results.
1. Scott McLaughlin, 104 laps led
2. Will Power, two laps led
3. Scott Dixon
4. Pato O’Ward
5. Graham Rahal, two laps led
6. Colton Herta
7. Alexander Rossi
8. Josef Newgarden
9. Callum Ilott, one lap led
10. Felix Rosenqvist
11. Marcus Ericsson
12. Alex Palou
13. Kyle Kirkwood
14. David Malukas
15. Jack Harvey
16. Devlin DeFrancesco
17. Helio Castroneves
18. Takuma Sato
19. Romain Grosjean
20. Rinus VeeKay
21. Christian Lundgaard, one lap led
22. Dalton Kellett, one lap down
23. Simon Pagenaud, 10 laps down
24. Jimmie Johnson – OUT, Contact
25. Conor Daly – OUT, Mechanical
The 2022 NTT IndyCar Series season is set to conclude next weekend at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California, for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey and where a champion will be crowned. The event is scheduled to occur on Sunday, September 11, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
After finishing outside of the podium in the previous three NTT IndyCar Series scheduled events, Josef Newgarden drew himself back into championship contention after winning the rain-delayed Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway on Saturday, August 20.
The two-time IndyCar champion from Hendersonville, Tennessee, led twice for 78 of 260-scheduled laps and utilized an executed pit strategy along with an overtake on teammate Scott McLaughlin for the lead with 36 laps remaining to perfection as he muscled away from McLaughlin and David Malukas to capture his fifth checkered flag of the 2022 IndyCar season and draw within striking distance of teammate Will Power for the lead in the championship standings.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Friday, Will Power, who earned his 67th IndyCar career pole and tied Mario Andretti for the most pole in the series all-time, led the field to the green flag after posting a pole-winning, two-lap average speed of 182.727 mph. Joining him on the front row was his championship rival Marcus Ericsson, who posted a two-lap average speed of 182.070 mph.
When the green flag waved and the race commenced, Power rocketed with an early advantage ahead of Ericsson, Scott McLaughlin and the field as he went on to lead the first lap. Meanwhile, Alex Palou was being overtaken by Takuma Sato and Devlin DeFrancesco as he fell back to ninth while Pato O’Ward challenged Scott Dixon for fifth place.
Through the first 10 scheduled laps, Power was leading by eight-tenths of a second over Ericsson followed by McLaughlin, Josef Newgarden and Pato O’Ward while Dixon, Takuma Sato, DeFrancesco, Palou and Alexander Rossi were in the top 10. David Malukas was in 11th followed by Colton Herta, Felix Rosenqvist, Conor Daly and Jack Harvey while Simon Pagenuad, Callum Ilott, Romain Grosjean, Graham Rahal and Kyle Kirkwood were in the top 20. Helio Castroneves, rookie Christian Lundgaard, Rinus VeeKay, Dalton Kellet, Ed Carpenter and Jimmie Johnson completed the 26-car field.
Ten laps later, Power continued to lead by nine-tenths of a second over Ericsson while McLaughlin, Newgarden and O’Ward remained in the top five. Dixon, winner of the previous IndyCar event at Nashville Street Circuit, remained in sixth while Sato, DeFrancesco, Palou and Rossi retained their spots in the top 10.
Another 10 laps later, Power, who was catching Jimmie Johnson to lap him, remained as the leader by six-tenths of a second second over Ericsson and more than a second over teammate McLaughlin. Teammate Newgarden trailed by more than a second in fourth while O’Ward retained fifth while more than two seconds behind.
At the Lap 45 mark, Power, who lapped Johnson earlier, kept his No. 12 Verizon 5G Dallara-Chevrolet out in front by half a second over Ericsson’s No. 8 Bryant Dallara-Honda and seven-tenths of a second over teammate McLaughlin’s No. 3 Odyssey Battery Dallara-Chevrolet. The No. 2 PPG Dallara-Chevrolet piloted by Newgarden remained in fourth while the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet piloted by O’Ward retained fifth.
A few laps later, Jack Harvey was the first competitor to pit under green while back on the track, O’Ward overtook Newgarden for fourth place. Meanwhile, Power retained the lead ahead of Ericsson and McLaughlin.
Past the Lap 50 mark, Rinus VeeKay pitted along with his teammate/owner Ed Carpenter, who was a lap behind the leaders. Then near the Lap 60 mark, names like Dixon, Simon Pagenaud, Ilott and Castroneves pitted along with Sato, Lundgaard, Herta and Kirkwood. By then, VeeKay, who was serving a penalty on pit road for speeding during his initial stop, parked his No. 21 BitNile Dallara-Chevrolet in his pit stall due to an electrical issue, an issue that knocked him out of race-winning contention.
By Lap 65 and with the first cycle of green flag pit stops complete, Power cycled his way back to the lead followed by teammate McLaughlin, O’Ward, Ericsson and Newgarden. Dixon was in sixth while Sato, Palou, Harvey and DeFrancesco were in the top 10.
Through the first 75 scheduled laps, Power remained as the leader by four-tenths of a second over teammate McLaughlin and nearly eight-tenths of a second over O’Ward while Ericsson and Newgarden remained in the top five. Meanwhile, Callum Ilott was serving a 30-second penalty on pit road for making contact with his crew member that stemmed from his previous pit stop while exiting his pit stall.
At the Lap 100 mark, Power was leading by approximately half a second over teammates McLaughlin and Newgarden while O’Ward and Ericsson were in the top five. Sato, Dixon, Palou, Harvey and DeFrancesco were in the top 10 while Rossi, Malukas, Herta, Daly, Rosenqvist, Rahal, Pagenaud, Grosjean, Kirkwood and Lundgaard occupied the top 20. By then, Castroneves and Ed Carpenter pitted under green as Jimmie Johnson was mired back in 22nd.
At the halfway mark on Lap 130 and with the second round of green flag pit stops occurring, Takuma Sato, who pitted earlier while on a differing strategy, was leading by more than two seconds over Power, the first competitor on fresh tires, followed by McLaughlin, OWard and Grosjean while Ericsson, Newgarden, Dixon, Palou and Harvey were in the top 10. By then, Rossi, who coasted his car to pit road after running out of fuel, remained stalled on pit road as he was unable to re-fire his car.
Then on Lap 144, the first caution flew when Jack Harvey shot up the racetrack and scrubbed the outside wall in Turn 4. During the caution period, some including the race leader Sato along with McLaughlin and Newgarden pitted while the rest led by Power remained on the track.
When the event restarted on Lap 157, Power briefly led the field entering the first turn until O’Ward rocketed his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Dallara-Chevrolet into the lead through Turns 1 and 2.
With 100 laps remaining, O’Ward was out in front by four-tenths of a second over Power followed by Ericsson, McLaughlin and Newgarden while Palou, Dixon, Sato, Herta and Malukas were in the top 10. Meanwhile, Graham Rahal was in 11th followed by Felix Rosenqvist, DeFrancesco, Grosjean and Conor Daly while Kirkwood, Pagenaud, Castroneves, Lundgaard and Dalton Kellett were in the top 20 ahead of Johnson.
A few laps later, Newgarden, who pitted prior to the restart, used the fresh Firestone tires to his advantage as he rocketed from fifth to third while overtaking McLaughlin and Ericsson. He then blasted by teammate Power for the runner-up spot before overtaking O’Ward for the lead with 95 laps remaining.
With 85 laps remaining, Newgarden was leading by nearly seven seconds over O’Ward while teammate McLaughlin trailed by more than seven seconds. Power and Ericsson were in the top five while Palou, Dixon, Sato, Malukas and Herta were in the top 10.
Fifteen laps later and with 70 laps remaining, Newgarden continued to lead by more than four seconds over teammate McLaughlin, who had overtaken O’Ward for position as Power and Ericsson were in the top five. By then, another round of green flag pit stops ensued as Palou and Dixon pitted.
At the Lap 200 mark and with 60 laps remaining, Newgarden was leading by three seconds over teammate McLaughlin followed by Malukas, Sato and Rahal. By then, Arrow McLaren SP teammates O’Ward and Rosenqvist pitted under green.
By Laps 206 and 207, teammates Newgarden and McLaughlin pitted under green as Malukas made his way into the lead followed by Sato, Rahal and Herta. Once Newgarden returned to the track, however, he was quickly overtaken by teammate McLaughlin for position.
On Lap 212, Malukas, who was the initial leader, pitted under green along with Herta and Rahal. Once Rahal pitted on Lap 213, McLaughlin emerged with the lead followed by teammate Newgarden. Meanwhile, O’Ward was in third followed by Power and Malukas.
Then with 47 laps remaining, the caution flew due to weather conditions and potential rain looming near the circuit. Four laps later, the field led by McLaughlin was brought down to pit road and the race was red-flagged as the rainy conditions continued and began to increase with lightning reported near the track.
Following an extensive rain delay, the red flag was withdrawn and the field returned under cautious pace under the lights. During the caution period, names like Palou, Dixon, Johnson, Conor Daly, Ericsson and Kirkwood pitted while the rest led by McLaughlin remained on the track.
With 36 laps remaining, the race proceeded under green. At the start, McLaughlin retained the lead through the first two turns, but Newgarden executed his move entering Turn 3 as he reassumed the top spot.
Down to the final 30 laps of the event, Newgarden was leading by nearly four-tenths of a second over teammate McLaughlin while third-place O’Ward trailed by more than two seconds. Power was in fourth followed by Malukas while Sato, Ericsson, Dixon, Palou and Rahal were in the top 10.
Ten laps later, Newgarden stabilized his advantage to half a second over teammate McLaughlin while David Malukas started to close in and challenge third-place O’Ward for the final podium spot. Meanwhile, Sato completed the top five while Power fell back to sixth.
Another four laps later, Malukas capitalized on a strong run through Turns 1 and 2 to overtake O’Ward and move into third place while Newgarden continued to lead by half a second over teammate McLaughlin.
With 10 laps remaining, Newgarden slightly increased his advantage to nearly seven-tenths of a second over teammate McLaughlin while third-place Malukas trailed by more than a second as he started to track McLaughlin for the runner-up spot. Meanwhile, Sato started to close in and challenge O’Ward for fourth place while Power remained in sixth, one spot ahead of title rivals Ericsson and Dixon.
Down to the final five laps of the event, Newgarden stabilized his advantage to six-tenths of a second over McLaughlin while Malukas was only three-tenths of a second behind McLaughlin for the runner-up spot.
When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Newgarden remained as the leader by eight-tenths of a second over teammate McLaughlin and a hard-charging Malukas. In turn 1, Malukas executed a bold pass to the outside of McLaughlin to move into the runner-up spot. Despite his late charge, it was not enough to close in on Newgarden as Newgarden cycled back to the frontstretch and streaked across the finish line for his fifth checkered flag of the season.
In addition to claiming his fifth victory of the 2022 season, Newgarden recorded his fourth victory at Gateway, the eighth of the season for Team Penske, the 10th of the season for Chevrolet and his 25th career win in the NTT IndyCar Series. The victory also vaulted Newgarden from fourth to second in the standings as he now trails teammate Will Power by three points with two scheduled events remaining and in his quest to win his third IndyCar title.
Photo by Simon Scoggins for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“All I can say is that, I think, this No. 2 car crew has been very patient with me,” Newgarden said on USA Network. “I’ve lost my cool probably a couple of times closed doors out of frustration for us. We’ve had small miscues, timing-wise. That’s not really anybody’s fault. Just sometimes wrong time, wrong place. I feel like that’s been happening a lot this year. It kind of happened again tonight. We put ourselves in position. It’s time to close and there was just a barrier that got in front of us again, but fortunately, we were able to get back out. I was so happy we could finish this race. Scott McLaughlin wanted to win, too. I love that about him. We each want to win, but he drove me super fair at the end, and we had a good fight. It’s a big night for everyone at Team Penske.””
While Newgarden celebrated in Victory Lane, David Malukas celebrated in pit road with his crew as he achieved his maiden podium in the IndyCar circuit by settling in second place while McLaughlin, who was leading prior to the red flag period, ended up in third place.
“We ended getting around O’Ward and then, we ended up getting past the lapped car and [the crew] said, ‘You see [McLaughlin] in front and I just see two Penskes [cars] and I was like, ‘Oh my god! They’re Penskes!’” Malukas said. “They were tough to even get any sort of suck to get close to them. Unfortunately, two laps to go, that was the lap I decided to do the outside lane, and it worked so well. So if I’d done it a bit sooner, maybe we could have had done something for Newgarden. Overall that’s a win for me, a win for the team. They deserve that so much…It feels so good to finally get [a podium]. There’s still two more races to go. It’s only up from here.”
“That’s racing,” McLaughlin said. “That’s oval racing. We love it. Want more of it. Good points for us today. The car felt awesome. Glad we put on a show for the fans. A lot of people stayed out tonight, so it’s fantastic. We’re going to the moon. I’m feeling good. I’m loving IndyCar. Really proud of everything. I’m just really proud to be able to do it for the team. Pit stops have been unreal. I’m working with some really good people. Excited for what the future holds.”
Pato O’Ward fended off Takuma Sato to finish fourth while points leader Power settled in sixth ahead of Ericsson, Dixon, Palou and Rahal, all of whom finished in the top 10 on the track.
There were 13 lead changes for 10 different leaders. The race featured two cautions for 22 laps.
With two races remaining in the 2022 schedule, Will Power continues to lead the standings by three points over teammate Josef Newgarden, 14 over Scott Dixon, 17 over Marcus Ericsson, 43 over Alex Palou, 54 over Scott McLaughlin and 58 over Pato O’Ward.
Results.
1. Josef Newgarden, 78 laps led
2. David Malukas, four laps led
3. Scott McLaughlin, 12 laps led
4. Pato O’Ward, 10 laps led
5. Takuma Sato, 22 laps led
6. Will Power, 128 laps led
7. Marcus Ericsson, one lap led
8. Scott Dixon
9. Alex Palou
10. Graham Rahal, two laps led
11. Colton Herta, one lap down
12. Devlin DeFrancesco, one lap down
13. Romain Grosjean, one lap down, two laps led
14. Jimmie Johnson, one lap down
15. Helio Castroneves, one lap down
16. Felix Rosenqvist, one lap down, one lap led
17. Kyle Kirkwood, two laps down
18. Dalton Kellett, two laps down
19. Christian Lundgaard, two laps down
20. Simon Pagenaud, three laps down
21. Callum Ilott, three laps down
22. Ed Carpenter, four laps down
23. Conor Daly, 16 laps down
24. Jack Harvey, 21 laps down
25. Alexander Rossi, 34 laps down
26. Rinus VeeKay – OUT, Mechanical
Next on the 2022 NTT IndyCar Series schedule is the penultimate event of the season at Portland International Raceway for the Grand Prix of Portland. The event is scheduled to occur on September 4 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing has retained rookie Christian Lundgaard on a new multi-year contract extension, beginning in the 2023 NTT IndyCar Series season.
The 21-year-old Lundgaard from Hedensted, Denmark, is currently embarking in his maiden season in the IndyCar circuit, where he achieved his maiden podium after finishing in second place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in late July. He also achieved his maiden start in the top three after posting the third-fastest qualifying time during the previous IndyCar event at Nashville Street Circuit in early August.
To go along with a total of six top-10 results through the first 14-scheduled events and despite being ranked in 15th place in the drivers’ standings, he currently leads the IndyCar Rookie-of-the-Year standings with 272 points, where he is 41 points ahead of David Malukas and 91 ahead of Callum Ilott.
“I have to say a big thanks to [team co-owners] Bobby [Rahal], David [Letterman] and Mike [Lanigan] for giving me this opportunity to extend my time with the team,” Lundgaard said. “We’ve had some good results lately, and I’m sure this has also helped their decision. First of all, I’m just happy and super excited that they gave me this opportunity. A year ago at the [Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course], we qualified well [fourth] and they decided that they wanted me for a full season [in 2022]. We’ve made the most of the opportunity so far. I’m sure there are times when we could have performed better but now we have the opportunity to continue this progress.”
“We’ve been to a lot of tracks so far and have come back to some and finished on the podium, which I hope to continue,” Lundgaard added. “Qualifying third in Nashville was a big milestone for me. Making the Fast Six – and not being at the end of the Fast Six but actually having a shot at competing for the pole – was a great experience for me. We didn’t quite finish where we wanted [eighth] but it was good to have that experience and now everyone is making the most of it. I’m happy for everyone at the team, my family and the sponsors and investors, everyone that has made this possible. I’m looking forward to continuing to build momentum.”
Prior to this season, Lundgaard made his IndyCar debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in August 2021, where he qualified fourth and finished 12th while competing for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. His transition to full-time IndyCar competition occurred following an extensive racing background that commenced with karting before winning the 2017 SMP F4 and F4 Spanish Championships. He went on to compete in Formula 3 in 2019 before spending the following two seasons in Formula 2 for ART Grand Prix, where he accumulated two victories and a best points result of seventh place in 2020.
“I am so pleased with Christian’s progress with the team and within the series,” Bobby Rahal said. “He has shown that he can be a force to be reckoned with in these races. He works well within the team, and we are pleased that we are continuing for the next several years because I believe he will continue to improve and be a potential winner in the very near future.”
“Christian has done a great job acclimatizing to the variety of challenges and new experiences this season,” Mike Lanigan added. “His approach and professionalism continues to impress us and his performance, especially in the second half of the season, speaks volumes about his potential. We are very happy to have him as part of the team for the years ahead.”
With his plans for next season set, Lundgaard’s quest to capture the 2022 IndyCar Rookie-of-the-Year title continues through the final three events of the season, beginning this upcoming weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500. The event is scheduled to occur on Saturday, August 20, at 6 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Ed Carpenter Racing announced that Rinus VeeKay has signed a multi-year contract extension to return as the driver of ECR’s No. 21 Dallara-Chevrolet in the NTT IndyCar Series, beginning in 2023.
The 21-year-old VeeKay from Hoofddorp, Netherlands, is currently campaigning in his third full-time season in the IndyCar circuit, all with ECR, where he is ranked in 11th place in the drivers’ standings on a strength of a single podium result after finishing third at Barber Motorsports Park from pole position in May and a total of six top-10 results.
“I am very excited to continue with Ed Carpenter Racing for what will be my fourth year in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” VeeKay said. “Ed Carpenter gave me the opportunity to drive for the team when I came out of Indy Lights and has let me showcase my talents in an Indy car ever since. The continuity at ECR is great. There have barely been any changes in my time here, and it’s very nice to have the same group of people around me all the time. We have been stepping up our game every season, and with the support of Todd Ault and BitNile, we can really move forward as we head into 2023.”
VeeKay, whose racing career started with karts, made his inaugural presence in the IndyCar circuit at the start of the 2020 season when he was signed by Ed Carpenter Racing to pilot the No. 21 Chevrolet. By then, he was the 2018 champion of the F3 Asian Winter Series, the reigning Pro Mazda champion and runner-up in the 2019 Indy Lights championship standings.
In his first full-time campaign in the IndyCar Series, VeeKay achieved his maiden podium after finishing third in the first of an IndyCar Harvest GP doubleheader weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in October as he went on to capture the 2020 IndyCar Rookie-of-the-Year title. Five events into the 2021 season, he notched his first IndyCar career victory in the GMR Grand Prix on Indy’s road course in May. To go along with a runner-up result in first of a Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader feature on The Raceway at Belle Isle, Michigan, in June, he went on to finish 12th in the final standings, two spots better than 2020 (14th).
Through 42 previous starts in the IndyCar Series, VeeKay has achieved a single victory, two poles, four podiums, 180 laps led and an average-finishing result of 13.3.
“I am so happy to be able to extend our relationship with Rinus,” Ed Carpenter, ECR team owner, added. “He is an extremely versatile and talented driver. It has been and remains our hope to build our team to new heights with Rinus helping lead the charge. Our goals and expectations are to win races and to compete for championships. With Rinus’s growth and the support from BitNile and Todd Ault, we are primed for success.”
With his plans for the future set, VeeKay is set to compete in the upcoming Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville Street Circuit on Sunday, August 7, with the event’s coverage scheduled to commence at 3 p.m. ET on NBC.
