IndyCar Category

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter JR Hildebrand looked pretty sporty following this last weekend’s ‘Prix View’ open test at the Phoenix International Raceway. The 29-year-old from Sausalito, California, has not driven full-time in the Verizon IndyCar Series since 2013, but you wouldn’t know that if you were trackside last weekend. Driving his No. 21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet, Hildebrand blistered the 1.022-mile oval with a lap of 19.0401 seconds (193.234 mph) – the fastest in the track’s 53-year history. While the lap will not count for any official records, it isRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Steak ‘n Shake will return for a third year sponsoring Graham Rahal in the Verizon IndyCar Series as part of a four-race deal. The fast food chain will serve as Rahal’s primary sponsor in four races this year – the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio and the Bomarito Auto Group 500 at Gateway Motorsports Park. Maxim Magazine will also serve as an associate sponsor. Both Maxim andRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Age: 29 Years in IndyCar: 7 Wins: 0 Podiums: 1 Laps led: 80 2016 Team: Ed Carpenter Racing (part time) 2017 Team: Ed Carpenter Racing (full time) Persistence and resilience have led to a return to a full-time Verizon IndyCar Series ride for JR Hildebrand. Hildebrand has served the de facto test driver for Ed Carpenter Racing along with racing at the previous three Indianapolis 500s and the previous two IndyCar Grand Prixs on the Speedway’s road course. With the departure of Josef Newgarden toRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. — The Verizon IndyCar Series returned to action this weekend with a two-day test at the Phoenix International Raceway, which saw the stars and the cars pound the pavement in a highly anticipated return from a five-month absence. Daly’s debut goes up in smoke Conor Daly’s afternoon session ended early as his No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet suffered an oil leak after logging just seven laps. His engine was repaired and he took part in the evening session. His fellow new AJ FoytRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Age: 37 Years in IndyCar: 11 Podiums: 52 Wins: 35 Championships: 4 Laps led: 2,227 2016 Team: KV Racing 2017 Team: Dale Coyne Racing Sebastien Bourdais has all the makings of a return to top form in 2017. During his three-year stint at KV Racing, the four-time Champ Car Champion scored wins at Toronto (2014), Detroit and Milwaukee (2015) and Detroit in (2016). He ended the 2017 season 14th in the standings but scored nearly as many points as he did the last two years when he finishedRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter AVONDALE, Ariz. — Alexander Rossi became the first to crash at this weekend’s Verizon IndyCar Series open test at Phoenix International Raceway. The driver of the No. 98 Napa Auto Parts Honda was on his second lap when he got loose at the apex of Turns 1 and 2 and backed into the Turn 2 wall, just moments after setting the second quickest lap of the session at 184.551 mph (19.9360 seconds). The defending Indianapolis 500 winner walked away unhurt from the crash. The AndrettiRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Staff Writer In sharp contrast to some of his contemporaries, who can be found at the race track week-in and week-out, two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Gordon Johncock rarely speaks about, or even thinks about, racing these days. He makes precious few personal appearances, only occasionally grants interviews, and is likely to refer you to IMS historian, Donald Davidson, for questions about his racing stats. Now 80 years old, Johncock routinely puts in a full day of work at Quigley Lumber, the business that he owns in SouthRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief AVONDALE, Ariz. – Finally, Indy cars are back on track! The Verizon IndyCar Series started the 2017 season on Friday with testing at Phoenix International Raceway with some welcomed surprises that put optimism in effect for the year to come. Some new faces in fresh places, but maybe none more exciting than Josef Newgarden taking to the 1-mile oval in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet. He finished P1 on the scoring pylon in the year’s first test session during the afternoon at 190.129 mph, butRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Age: 21 Years in IndyCar: Rookie 2016 Team: Carlin in Indy Lights (Champion) 2017 Team: Dale Coyne Racing The 2017 Verizon IndyCar Season will prove to be a major step in Ed Jones’ racing career. The Dubai-based Brit has raced for Carlin the last two seasons in Indy Lights, winning the championship in 2016 after finishing third in 2015. Jones claimed the Indy Lights championship on the heels of wins at Barber Motorsports Park (race one) and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway RoadRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Tony Stewart will be returning to the Indianapolis 500 in May, but not as a driver. Team One Cure, an arm of the Tony Stewart Foundation, will serve as the primary sponsor of the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda alongside the team’s full-time drivers James Hinchcliffe and Mikhail Aleshin. A driver was not announced. Team One Cure supports the Flint Animal Cancer Center at Colorado State University which researches cancer treatments for humans and animals. Stewart, a devout philanthropist and animal lover, was takenRead More