All posts by Joey Barnes

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief The Renault Sport F1 Team has appointed Oliver Rowland as its latest development driver for the 2017 season. Competing in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with DAMS this year, the team will push the 24-year-old through simulator programs with future dates setup on track. “My aim has always been to get a role in Formula 1 so it’s great to see all my hard work pay off,” said Rowland via team release. “The Renault Sport Academy was the perfect training ground and the role of DevelopmentRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief There are few races that draw the desire out of race drivers more than the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The same could be said for the journalists covering the sport. I’ve been privileged to cover several events across NASCAR, IndyCar and even Formula 1, but what was experienced this weekend was a one of a kind moment in my still relatively young career. Covering the 100th Indianapolis 500 last year, the enormous crowds and interest wasn’t all that surprising – especially considering the milestoneRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – JR Hildebrand suffered a broken bone in his left hand after a collision on the last lap of the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, which opens the possibility of missing the next round at Barber Motorsports Park in two weeks. The 29-year-old Californian was attempting to get by Mikhail Aleshin before the two eventually wrecked. After undergoing treatment from INDYCAR medical director Dr. Geoffrey Billows, it was determined that a re-evaluation is needed later this week in Indianapolis before being clearedRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – Andretti Autosport has announced that Jack Harvey will pilot a fifth car for the 101st Indianapolis 500. The two-time Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires championship runner-up will make his Verizon IndyCar Series debut in the No. 50 AutoNation Honda “The Indy 500 is easily the biggest race I have entered in my career so far,” said Harvey, the 2015 Freedom 100 winner at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It is one of the most iconic races in the world and I feel extremely privilegedRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – Make it three in a row for Helio Castroneves. The 41-year-old Brazilian scored the Verizon P1 Award for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with a scorching lap of 1 minute, 6.2254 seconds (106.980 mph), breaking the previous lap record held by him in 2015. Driving the No. 3 Auto Club of Southern California for Team Penske, Castroneves, the 2002 winner of the event, was ecstatic to score the 48th pole of his career – fourth all-time behind Bobby Unser –Read More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – Sam Schmidt will go faceoff against racing icon Mario Andretti at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13. The duo will take the fight in semi-autonomous cars on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile permanent road course prior to the INDYCAR Grand Prix. Schmidt fell victim to a crash while testing an Indy car in 2000, having been paralyzed ever since. He teamed with Arrow Electronics and will pilot the Corvette Z06 SAM – a car modified with sensors and innovative technology that allows him toRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief The 2017 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for action this weekend and our friends from Mobil 1 The Grid brought together some of the most talented drivers from the Verizon IndyCar Series to preview the 43rd edition of North America’s most famed street circuit. Video Credit: Mobil 1 The GridRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Chip Ganassi Racing announced that NTT Data will be the primary sponsor of Scott Dixon’s No. 9 Honda for this weekend’s Grand Prix of Long Beach. The current full-time sponsor for Tony Kanaan, the addition of putting their colors on Dixon’s car will showcase two entries for the second race of the Verizon IndyCar Series for NTT Data. “Having the opportunity to be represented by two of the all-time greats in INDYCAR is something that doesn’t come along too often,” said  John McCain, CEO of NTTRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Antonio Giovinazzi is set to continue his duties with the Sauber F1 Team as Pascal Wehrlein’s replacement for the Chinese Grand Prix, with a possibility of the Bahrain Grand Prix as well. The team said the following: “Pascal Wehrlein will again be replaced by Antonio Giovinazzi to ensure that the German will be back in the cockpit of the Sauber C36-Ferrari, in best physical shape, at the earliest possible opportunity – either the Bahrain Grand Prix or the Russian Grand Prix.” Wehrlein participated in the openingRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Amid positive feedback on the computer generated images of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series car design, the series has elected to show off a bit more. The 2018 universal aero kit is something INDYCAR has been building towards for some time now, and will attach to the Dallara IR-12 chassis in a seamless transition. As the images show, INDYCAR is pushing for an aggressive and more traditional look on its new Indy car. The concept is expected to produce more downforce from the under the carRead More