Colton Herta Tag

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer The 31st annual Performance Racing Industry trade show kicked off in Indianapolis on Thursday with the usual fanfare one would expected for the last motorsports event of the 2018 calendar year. Here’s some notes about happenings at the show on Thursday. The opening breakfast featured Al Unser Sr. and Al Unser Jr. talking about their careers with the recently retired Dave Despain in front of a capacity crowd at the Sagamore Ballroom. The first press conference of the show took place with NGK Spark Plugs/NTK SensorsRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer After much speculation, Harding Racing’s plans for the 2019 IndyCar Series season have now been confirmed. The Speedway, IN squad will join forces with Steinbrenner Racing to form Harding-Steinbrenner Racing, a two-car team with rookie drivers Patricio (Pato) O’Ward and Colton Herta in car Nos. 8 and 88, respectively. O’Ward and Herta raced for the Harding team at the recent Grand Prix in Sonoma where O’Ward qualified fifth and finished ninth while Herta qualified 19th and finished 20th. The team has yet to announce an engineRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — Welcome to the Verizon IndyCar Series, rookies. The Harding Racing duo of Colton Herta and Patricio O’Ward exceeded expectations in their debuts on Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. Both drivers finished on the lead lap, with O’Ward finishing ninth and Herta coming home 20th. Race strategist Brian Barnhart was proud of both by bringing his entries home with a clean car and lead lap finishes, stating that it was crucial of allowing the duo an opportunity to compete at the highest level before theRead More

By Luis Torres, Staff Writer SONOMA, California — It was a share of laughs and soaking in the greatest opportunity that a racer has worked their heart and soul for – reaching the highest ladder in American open wheel racing. That was the story behind Harding Racing teammates and INDYCAR debutants Colton Herta and Patricio O’Ward’s Friday press conference at Sonoma Raceway. The Road to Indy alumni were teammates at Andretti Autosport in Indy Lights, and just wrapped up an intense championship battle which wrapped up two weeks ago at PortlandRead More

By Road to Indy PORTLAND, Ore. – Patricio O’Ward, from Monterey, Mexico, concluded a topsy-turvy day at Portland International Raceway by claiming a well-earned victory for Andretti Autosport in this afternoon’s Cooper Tires Indy Lights Grand Prix of Portland Powered by Mazda. It was enough to clinch this year’s Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tire title – and a scholarship valued at $1M to guarantee entry into three Verizon IndyCar Series races in 2019, including the Indianapolis 500 – with one race remaining. Colton Herta, from Valencia, Calif., tried hisRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer PORTLAND, Oregon — Friday practice has come and gone for the Verizon IndyCar Series ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix of Portland and the time sheets saw numerous names flying up and down in unexpected places. While it’s expected to see Sebastien Bourdais near the top and he in fact led the opening session, the midfield was full of happy surprises. Santino Ferrucci was 12th fastest in the opening session in his first IndyCar race since the Chevrolet Duel in Detroit. Ahead of Ferrucci was Jack HarveyRead More

By Road to Indy PALMETTO, Fla. – The Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires season will conclude this weekend in the Pacific Northwest when all three feeder categories for the Verizon IndyCar Series – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – return to Portland International Raceway after a lengthy hiatus. Two races for each series will be held on the 1.967-mile, 12-turn road course situated just a few miles from downtownRead More

By Road to Indy MADISON, Ill. – This afternoon’s Mazda St. Louis Indy Lights Oval Challenge Presented by Cooper Tires at Gateway Motorsports Park might have attracted only seven starters, but it provided a thrilling 75-lap race as Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Norman came from behind to claim a magnificent first-ever Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory over Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing stablemate Colton Herta. Championship leader Patricio O’Ward was unable to quite match his two teammates, but his disappointment was tempered by the fact that his sixth consecutive podium finish meantRead More

By Road to Indy PALMETTO, Fla. – The two highest rungs on the Mazda Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel development ladder will return to action this weekend at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. The unique, egg-shaped 1.25-mile oval situated just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Mo., will host one race apiece on Saturday for Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires and the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The events will take on a little more significance with additional points on offer forRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor LEXINGTON, Ohio — The Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires doubleheader at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course played out much like the season prior to it in 2018. Colton Herta was nipping at his heels, but Patricio O’Ward held on to score consecutive trips to victory lane. O’Ward held off another late surge from Herta to claim Sunday’s Cooper Tires Indy Lights Mid-Ohio Grand Prix Race 2 – his seventh win of the 2018 season (vs. Herta’s four), and fourth triumph in the past five races. HertaRead More