All posts by Aaron Bearden

By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor Defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden seemed poised for another podium to open the Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Then the Tennessean did something that’s been rare for him in recent years. He made a mistake. Newgarden was battling Sebastien Bourdais for third on Lap 56 of the 85-lap INDYCAR Grand Prix when an ill-advised dive under the Frenchman in Turn 12 led the Team Penske ace into a spin that resulted in a full-course yellow and a drop to the back of the field.Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Parker Thompson and Exclusive Autosport had their breakout performance in a dominant Barber Motorsports Park drive. Sunday’s triumph at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) felt even sweeter. “I think this one feels even better, because at Barber the crew and I expected to win with starting on pole and having as strong of a car as we did,” Thompson told Motorsports Tribune. “Here with a tough start yesterday, we had a mechanical part failure at no part to Elite Engines or Exclusive Autosport, that set us back. ItRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Kyle Kirkwood ended his first Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the place young drivers dream of reaching. Victory lane. Kirkwood dominated early and held on through two late restarts to claim a wire-to-wire win in Sunday’s Royal Purple Synthetic Motor Oil Grand Prix of Indianapolis. The result was his second victory in four 2018 starts, allowing him to keep the points lead. Despite leading from start to finish, the Cape Motorsports star claimed the race was moreRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Scott Dixon led the way in the morning warmup ahead of the fifth-annual INDYCAR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dixon’s top lap of 1:10.8157 stood .0214 seconds ahead of polesitter Will Power to lead the way in the final on-track session for the Verizon IndyCar Series ahead of this afternoon’s race. Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jordan King and Max Chilton rounded out the top five, with Tony Kanaan, Zachary Claman de Melo, Josef Newgarden, Sebastien Bourdais and Simon Pagenaud completing the top 10. Two cars found issue during the brief session. TheRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Alfonso Celis Jr. is set for his Verizon IndyCar Series debut. Juncos Racing announced Thursday that Celis, 21, will pilot their No. 32 Chevrolet in the June 24 Kohler Grand Prix at Road America. As a result, the Mexican driver will forego the rest of his scheduled Indy Lights season. “Although this comes as a surprise for our Indy Lights team, this is another step forward with our IndyCar program,” Junos Racing owner Ricardo Juncos said. “Alfonso (Celis Jr.) has proved he is ready to make this moveRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Zachary Claman de Melo will be back in the No. 19 Paysafe Honda for Dale Coyne Racing (DCR) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – at least for the road course race. DCR announced Thursday that Claman de Melo will replace the injured Pietro Fittipaldi in this weekend’s INDYCAR Grand Prix, adding an additional race to the Canadian’s schedule after three prior starts this season. He was originally slated to be out of the car until Detroit. The call-up comes after Fittipaldi was injured in a qualifying crash forRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — It was only a matter of time. After four races that ended in disappointment, Acura Team Penske finally made good on their promising team lineup with a dominant drive to victory in the Acura Sports Car Challenge at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Helio Castroneves and Ricky Taylor led the way, with Taylor securing the victory after a long closing stint. The pairing of Juan Pablo Montoya and Dane Cameron followed to give Penske the top two positions at race’s end. Afterwards, the 28-year-oldRead More

By Aaron Bearden. Contributing Writer LEXINGTON, Ohio — The Acura Team Penske domination continued into Sunday morning at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, as Helio Castroneves led a sweep of the top two spots by the organization’s two entries in the morning warmup for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Castroneves’ lap of 1:14.124 in the No. 7 Acura ARX-05 stood as the quickest time in the session, with teammate Dane Cameron following in the No. 6 Acura ARC-05 with a 1:14.389. The two Team Penske entires have paced every session and will roll off onRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — The rain-postponed Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama was chaotic for all involved, but few endured as many ups and downs at Marco Andretti. Andretti’s topsy-turvy Alabama affair started with a strong seventh-place qualifying effort, but the challenge of the rain and Barber Motorsports Park course threw Andretti off-course shortly into Sunday’s initial 23-lap effort. With track position lost and heavy rains descending upon the circuit, Andretti’s Andretti Herta Autosport team hinged their bets on strategy. They brought Andretti’s No. 98 HondaRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Simon Pagenaud isn’t one to confront drivers on pit road. Before Monday’s Verizon IndyCar Series race he hadn’t ever done it. He made an exception for Gabby Chaves after the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. “I think that’s the first time I’ve gone to a driver to complain and to tell him how I feel,” Pagenaud said. He called me a word that I didn’t really enjoy including being French, I don’t know. I think he needs to think about thisRead More