Allmendinger remains undefeated on Charlotte road course
CONCORD, N.C. — (AP) — It took two overtimes Saturday for AJ Allmendinger to remain undefeated on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway and seize the momentum for the next round of the Xfinity Series playoffs. Allmendinger has won four consecutive races on the hybrid road course/oval, as well as back-to-back races following last week's win at Talladega Superspeedway. The win was the fifth of the season for Allmendinger, who said “we stole that one” after collecting the checkered flag for the 10th time in his career in an Xfinity Series road course race. The playoff field was trimmed from 12 to eight, with reigning Xfinity Series champion Daniel Hemric, Ryan Sieg, Riley Herbst and Jeremy Clements eliminated. Ty Gibbs finished second and was followed by Gragson and then James Davison in his first NASCAR race of the season.
wftv.comDixon eyes record-tying 7th championship after Nashville win
More important, Dixon jumped to second in the points standings and trails series leader Will Power by six points with three races remaining. O'Ward came to Nashville fifth in the standings but dropped to seventh and likely out of the championship picture with a 24th-place finish. But like teammate Dixon, Ericsson had a poor qualifying effort and struggled to come through the field from 18th. He'll enter the Xfinity Series race on The Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Oct. 8, driving for Big Machine Racing. Andretti is coming off the championship in the second season of Tony Stewart's Superstar Racing Experience all-star series.
wftv.comRossi salvages top finish in another tough 500 for Andretti
Alexander Rossi salvaged one solid result for Andretti Autosport. Four finished 19th or worse, but Rossi drove from 20th to an Andretti-best fifth. Not good enough for the team owner, who conceded the IndyCar title with 11 races remaining this season.
news.yahoo.comBlistering speeds at fastest Indy 500 qualifying since 1996
IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing Jimmie Johnson prepares to climb into his car during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Friday, May 20, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — The rain held off long enough for a full round of Indianapolis 500 qualifying on a soupy day that saw blistering speeds — some of the fastest in race history, and fastest in 26 years — and controversy at Andretti Autosport. Arie Luyendyk set the four-lap qualifying record in 1996 at 236.986, and VeeKay's average was third fastest of all time behind Luyendyk and Scott Brayton's mark of 233.718. In an early Saturday morning practice, Johnson turned a lap at 233.961 mph — 14th fastest in track history. The schedule adjustment created a seven-hour window for 33 drivers to complete a four-lap qualifying run.
wftv.comA happier Andretti returns to Indy 500 as part-time racer
IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing Marco Andretti climbs into his car during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Thursday, May 19, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Marco Andretti doesn't want to be at the track if he's not racing. Andretti walked away from his full-time ride after the 2020 season and only returned for last year's Indianapolis 500. “I think I’m more like my grandfather, I just enjoy driving,” Marco Andretti said. Marco finished an unremarkable 19th last season, and this year's Indy 500 will be his first IndyCar event in a year.
wftv.comPower extends pole-winning run to 13th consecutive seasons
It pushed Power past Bobby Unser and Helio Castroneves. “It was very important to me to get a pole,” said Power, who isn't convinced he can catch Andretti's mark. Pato O'Ward, who trails championship leader Alex Palou headed into Saturday's night race outside of St. Louis, qualified fifth. Palou qualified 12th but will actually start 21st because of a nine-spot penalty for an unapproved engine change. It's the third unapproved engine change this season for Palou and second this month.
wftv.comIndyCar title race flips to O'Ward in wild race at Gateway
The IndyCar championship flipped leaders Saturday night when Alex Palou was collected in an early three-car accident that moved Pato O’Ward to the point following O’Ward’s runner-up finish to winner Josef Newgarden at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Buzzing again: Indy 500 is biggest sports event of pandemic
IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing Fans yell from the stands as rain delayed the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 28, 2021. He has just one Indy 500 victory, in 2008, and three runner-up finishes. I feel like there’s a lot of emphasis on IndyCar championships but the Indy 500 is the Indy 500.”Dixon and the four Chip Ganassi Racing entries are the most consistent at Indianapolis leading into the 500. Newgarden is now a two-time IndyCar champion but still seeking his first Indy 500 victory. And that's a very different question.”ODDS AND ENDS: Scott Dixon is the 13-4 favorite to win the Indy 500.
wftv.comParty Time: Indy 500 is biggest sporting event of pandemic
IndyCar Indy 500 Auto Racing Fans yell from the stands as rain delayed the start of the final practice session for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Friday, May 28, 2021. He has just one Indy 500 victory, in 2008, and three runner-up finishes. “Our cars are good every Sunday,” said an unconcerned Penske, winner of a record 18 Indy 500s. Newgarden is now a two-time IndyCar champion but still seeking his first Indy 500 victory. And that's a very different question.”ODDS AND ENDS: Scott Dixon is the 13-4 favorite to win the Indy 500.
wftv.comNewgarden wins IndyCar finale but can't deny Dixon 6th title
Newgarden won the season finale, using a spectacular two-car pass for the lead in a valiant effort to win a second consecutive title. Dixon has won two of the last three championships, a run interrupted last year when Newgarden won his second title. Newgarden tied Dixon with his series-best fourth win of the season but Newgarden was in too large of a hole to catch his rival. It came to a close in front of a sold-out 20,000 spectators, the largest crowd of the season for IndyCar. There was nothing Newgarden could do, even on a day he did everything he had to, to deny Dixon a sixth championship.
IndyCar back in St. Pete seven months later to finish season
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – IndyCar opened the second week of March giddy to finally start its season. The entire industry left St. Pete in March unsure how IndyCar could survive. Yet here IndyCar is, back on the St. Pete streets preparing to crown a champion in Sunday's season finale. Now this cruel 2020 season closes right back at St. Pete, the only street course to survive the schedule disruptions and where it all fell apart in March. Askew missed two races but returned for St. Pete, his final race in another unpopular firing by Arrow McLaren.
Dixon beats Sato at Gateway in reverse finish of Indy 500
Sato held off Dixon last Sunday for his second Indy 500 victory in four years. Dixon had 20 laps to chase Sato down, but a late caution ended the race under yellow. Sato returned to the track in third, passed O'Ward with a bold outside move then set his sights on Dixon. Dixon beat Sato by 0.1404 seconds for his fourth win of the season and 50th overall and praised his Chip Ganassi Racing team. That was a textbook Scott Dixon race.
NBC poised to bring unprecedented Indy 500 to huge audience
But the Indy 500 is the Indy 500, Tirico continued, and there's never been one like this year. There will be no Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade on Saturday. I often say the most magical moment, at least for me, is the 30 minutes leading up tot he green flag at the Indianapolis 500 each year, Boles said. This is the race event that even the pandemic isn't going to stop, said Leigh Diffey, who will handle the race call once the green flag drops. For the Indy 500 to happen this year is just reward for the series and our production group, people you will never know their names or faces.
An Andretti wins first Indy 500 pole for family in 33 years
Marco Andretti sits in his pit box before the start of qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, Aug. 16, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS Marco Andretti has won the pole for the Indianapolis 500 in a lightning-fast first step toward snapping the infamous Andretti Curse at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Mario Andretti won his third and final pole for the Indy 500 in 1987, when grandson Marco was an infant. Mario Andretti scored the only Indy 500 win for the family in 1969; Michael Andretti fell short in 16 tries and the Aug. 23 race will be Marco Andretti's 15th attempt. Andretti will sit on the front row alongside two former Indy 500 winners.
Marco Andretti breaks 233 mph on 'Fast Friday' at Indy
Marco Andretti packs up his gear following practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)INDIANAPOLIS The horsepower boost sent speeds skyrocketing over 233 mph early on Fast Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Andretti Autosport cars quickly jumped to the top of the board with Marco Andretti logging a lap of 233.491 miles per hour (375.77 kilometres per hour). It's the fastest lap in a practice which is considered unofficial since Sebastien Bourdais went 233.116 mph in 2017. The first thing you need is speed and then you need to put the four laps together," Andretti said.
Back on track: IndyCar delayed debut all-in-one Texas affair
FILE - In this June 8, 2019, file photo, Josef Newgarden does a burnout after winning the IndyCar auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. IndyCar opens its pandemic-delayed season with an all-in-one-day show Saturday on the fast high-banked 1 -mile oval at Texas Motor Speedway, more than eight months after the 2019 finale. Only Indianapolis Motor Speedway has hosted IndyCar races longer than TMS, which has had races each year since opening in 1997, including the season finales from 1999-2004. Hinchcliffe put together a three-race deal with Andretti Autosport that includes the Indianapolis 500 after he abruptly lost his ride with Arrow McLaren last year. Kanaan is closing out his IndyCar career with the TK Farewell Tour," racing at oval tracks and the Indianapolis 500.