IndyCar Category

By Christopher DeHarde, Contributing Writer On April 2nd, the Verizon IndyCar Series returns to Phoenix International Raceway for the first time since 2005, and it is with this upcoming race that we will take a look back at the start of another era in open wheel racing’s history at Phoenix. CART was formed in late 1978 as a response to USAC’s rejection of a change in philosophy for top level open wheel racing in America. As such, CART proceeded to host its own races in 1979 that were sanctioned byRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Contributing Writer In the midst of the excitement that is the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, the fact that 2016 also marks the 20th anniversary of the open-wheel split is not lost on me. Speaking as someone who lived through the formation of CART, the glory days in the 1980s and 1990s, and the slow painful death of the series, I have a vested interest in what happens next. Will the Media attention around the 100th running be enough to bring growth in viewership? Will the growthRead More

TORRANCE, California (February 2, 2016) – Honda today announced that the company has renewed its commitment to INDYCAR, signing a new multi-year agreement to continue participation as a manufacturer in the Verizon IndyCar Series through 2017, with an option to extend the agreement through the 2020 season. American Honda and its racing subsidiary, Honda Performance Development, have been a part of open-wheel racing in North America since the founding of HPD in 1993. The company entered Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) competition at the start of the 1994 season. InRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar Correspondent SPEEDWAY, Ind. -Simon Pagenaud should feel like he has more pressure on his shoulders as the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season draws closer than he did  in a winless 2015 campaign. Not so fast, apparently. “I think I just feel better, actually. I feel more ready for the situation,” said Pagenaud. “I think last year there were so many unknowns, you know. I was coming from a team where I was number one for three years with great teammates, but it wasn’t like three teammatesRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar Correspondent SPEEDWAY, Ind. – It hasn’t been the case that Graham Rahal is the senior figure of the drivers in a race team. Until this year, that is. Rahal has a new teammate for at least three races this year with 2015 Indy Lights champion Spencer Pigot. Pigot, four and a half years Rahal’s junior, is the only change that has come to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. “These things are going to happen, right? I mean over time, you’re going to get that,” Rahal said. “Yeah,Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar Correspondent SPEEDWAY, Ind. – There’s been quite a shakeup in the world of Josef Newgarden. CFH Racing went back to its old former self of Ed Carpenter Racing after the decline in the price of oil inhibited Wink Hartman’s ability to be a co-owner of the team. But despite the ownership issues facing ECR, Newgarden isn’t worried about 2016. “There’s definitely been team differences each year, and I think I’m probably more relaxed this year than any season, for one reason or another, I don’t knowRead More

By Adam Tate, Managing Editor IndyCar stalwart Chip Ganassi Racing has just signed former Marussia Formula One driver Max Chilton for the 2016 IndyCar season. The move effectively replaces Sage Karam and once again brings Ganassi up to four cars. Chilton will drive the No. 8 Chevrolet alongside Ganassi’s strong line up of current champion and long time team leader Scott Dixon, veteran Tony Kanaan and Charlie Kimball. Chilton who in addition to his two season for F1 backmarker Marussia has also contested GP2, Le Mans and most recently Indy Lights, whereRead More

By Josh Farmer, Journalist Ryan Hunter-Reay was the highest finishing IndyCar driver in the 2016 Rolex 24 at Daytona with a 3rd place finish. The 2012 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, along with VisitFlordia.com Racing teammates Ryan Dalziel and Marc Goossens, held on after a tough 24 race for the Daytona Beach, Florida based team. The #90 Corvette Prototype suffered from handling issues throughout the day and became the benefactor when several of the front runners had problems and wound up scoring their career best finish at Daytona. “We just keptRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Contributing Writer With a little less than two months remaining in the Verizon IndyCar Series’ agonizingly long off-season, teams are preparing in earnest for the 2016 season. When the green flag waves at St. Pete on March 13, expect a field that looks remarkably similar to 2015. There was no major driver movement within the top teams and we should see some familiar faces in victory lane along the way. Some of the changes that we will see include the return of Mikail Aleshin to the Schmidt-PerersonRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief CFH Racing announced that owners Sarah Fisher and Wink Hartman have removed themselves as owners of the team, dissolving it and re-introducing Ed Carpenter Racing for the 2016 IndyCar season. Hartman’s oil company has taken a major hit since prices have reduced and as such hurt his chances to continue involvement with the team going forward. Fisher will stay involved with the team, working with current partners and assisting in sponsor development. Entering 2015 the trio of Hartmen, Fisher, and driver/owner Ed Carpenter decided to mergeRead More