Aaron Bearden Tag

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Rinus Veekay wasn’t surprised when he struggled in the first of two Pro Mazda Championship race at Barber Motorsports Park. Based on his history at the track, he expected it. “This was my worst weekend last year,” Veekay told Motorsports Tribune. “So let’s just move on and dominate the rest of the season.” Veekay rose from seventh to claim a relatively quiet fifth-place run in the Race 1 of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, keeping his car clean and salvaging a decent points day afterRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Will Power led the way in an eventful opening Saturday practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series at Barber Motorsports Park. Power’s top time of 1:07.3430 stood as the quickest circuit in the third practice session for Sunday’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, giving Chevrolet the top time in the run. The 2014 IndyCar champion is searching for this third triumph on the Alabama road course, having won back-to-back races at the circuit in 2011 and ’12. Honda’s Robert Wickens, Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi roundedRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer The Verizon IndyCar Series is a tour lauded for the challenge of its schedule. From street circuits and road courses to high speed ovals both big and small, the drivers that contest the championship are tasked with finding consistency in a field and schedule rife with parity and variables. IndyCar’s depth and difficulty have been proven with the tour’s early 2018 results. There have been three different winners – all from different organizations – and only one driver has managed a podium in each of the open three races.Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer JR Hildebrand will be back in the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock for the Month of May. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced Thursday that Hildebrand, 30, will pilot the team’s second entry in the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. The Californian will pilot the No. 66 entry in the event, returning to the organization where he made his IndyCar debut in 2010. The effort will be sponsored by Salesforce, a cloud-based platform for customer relationship management. Thursday’s announcement marks the first time in seven years thatRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer (New)Garden of Eden There are a few places in the Verizon IndyCar Series that some would consider paradise. For the sport’s oldest supporters, no location compares to victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. West Coast fans often point to the prestigious Long Beach street circuit. Some prefer the history of tracks like Road America, while others like the sheer excitement of ovals like Texas Motor Speedway. For Roger Penske, though? Recently it’s been wherever Josef Newgarden is found. The Tennessean joined Team Penske as the sport’s hottest free agent goingRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Danica Patrick won’t be the only fast female attempting to qualify her way into the Indianapolis 500 field this year. Pippa Mann’s coming back for her seventh Month of May. Mann announced on her personal website Tuesday that she’ll return to Dale Coyne Racing this May, attempting to qualify for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. Mann, 34, will pilot the No. 63 Honda with sponsorship from Donate Life Indiana. “I am honored to have been asked to drive the Donate Life car this May,Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Reversal of Fortune Last season Sebastien Bourdais could only watch as Josef Newgarden drove off with a championship he appeared poised to contend for before misfortune befell him at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May. In St. Petersburg he kicked off another championship chase in victory lane after the misfortune of others. Bourdais completed an emotional comeback with a victory in Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg – the season-opening race for the Verizon IndyCar Series. “This is emotional because I was able from aRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer With the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season rapidly approaching, Motorsports Tribune is previewing each of the teams competing on the tour. The site’s IndyCar staff will break each team down, laying out their results from the previous season while previewing the year to come for the organization and their driver(s).  Team: Chip Ganassi Racing Drivers: Scott Dixon, Ed Jones What Happened Last Year: Chip Ganassi Racing’s first year back under the Honda banner was a relatively quiet one, and ultimately the final year of the organization as aRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer The details for the final leg of the Danica Double have been revealed. Ed Carpenter Racing announced on Wednesday that Danica Patrick will compete for the organization in May’s 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500, confirming the news Patrick herself let slip during February’s Daytona 500 Media Tour. Patrick will pilot the No. 13 Chevrolet, running with the familiar green livery of longtime sponsor GoDaddy. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – to be the team to power Danica in her final race, and to doRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Ahead of each Verizon IndyCar Series race weekend, Motorsports Tribune offers an in-depth look at the details and storylines going into the weekend’s event(s). Verizon IndyCar Series Race(s): Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (110 laps, 198 miles) Circuit: Streets of St. Petersburg (St. Petersburg, Fla.) Track Details: Clockwise – 14 turns, 1.80 miles Track Record: 107.561 mph (Will Power, 2016) What Happened Last Year: Sebastien Bourdais overcame a disastrous qualifying crash to rise from last to first and claim his first win in St. Pete, establishing himself and DaleRead More