simon pagenaud Tag

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer TORONTO — Verizon IndyCar Series rookie Robert Wickens has had a season to remember so far in 2018. Scoring a podium finish in his home country’s race only added to that as the No. 6 Lucas Oil Honda crossed the finish line third in Sunday’s Honda Indy Toronto on the streets near Exhibition Place. Wickens started tenth alongside fellow Canadian and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammate James Hinchcliffe and moved to eighth on the start after passing Hinchcliffe and Jordan King. Wickens was one of the earliestRead More

By INDYCAR TORONTO – A week after issues bedeviled his chances, Scott Dixon was the model of cool, calm and consistency in winning the Honda Indy Toronto. In doing so, the Chip Ganassi Racing driver extended his Verizon IndyCar Series championship lead and added to his career legacy. Dixon, in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, won by 5.2701 seconds over Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud to pick up his third victory of the 2018 season and push his points advantage to 62 over Josef Newgarden. The triumph was also theRead More

By INDYCAR TORONTO (Saturday, July 14, 2018) – Josef Newgarden took greatest advantage of constantly changing conditions in Honda Indy Toronto qualifying to win the Verizon P1 Award and pole position for the 34th Indy car race to be conducted at Exhibition Place on Sunday. The reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion and defending Toronto winner was the last driver to take the track in the Firestone Fast Six, the third and final round of knockout qualifying on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary street course. Newgarden’s final lap in the six-minute climacticRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer ELKHART LAKE, Wisconsin — Spencer Pigot had a hard fought battle during Sunday’s Kohler Grand Prix at Road America but in his first full season in Verizon IndyCar Series competition, the Floridian would have to settle for eighth at the track where he made his Skip Barber national debut. Starting tenth, Pigot was shuffled back a few positions following front row starter Will Power’s mechanical trouble on the first lap. Pigot was stuck behind the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner’s car on the main straight and severalRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Journalist Racing is a moving target. You might hit close to the bullseye a few times, but often you find yourself collecting points around the dartboard. Enter Texas Motor Speedway, which has been one of the hardest marks for the Verizon IndyCar Series to hit since switching to the Dallara DW-12/V6 Turbocharged engine package 2012. Also, throw in the track’s resurfacing and reconfiguration which saw the banking in  Turns 1 and 2 reduced from 24 to 20 degrees and you have a challenge to nail downRead More

By INDYCAR FORT WORTH, Texas – The “Iceman” remained cool in the heat of Texas. Scott Dixon bided his time and notched yet another accomplishment in his legendary career when he won the DXC Technology 600 under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway. For the four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion, it was career win No. 43, moving Dixon ahead of Michael Andretti and into sole possession of third place on the all-time victory list. Only fellow greats A.J. Foyt (67) and Mario Andretti (52) have more Indy car wins. “It’sRead More

By David Morgan, IndyCar Contributor FORT WORTH, Texas – On a boiling hot afternoon in the Lone Star State, Team Penske flexed their muscle in qualifying for Saturday night’s DXC Technology 600 as they snagged the top three starting positions with Josef Newgarden on pole, Simon Pagenaud joining him on the front row, and Will Power in third. The three Team Penske Chevrolets were the only ones to crack 220 mph in qualifying as Newgarden laid down the fastest lap of the three at 23.480 seconds, 220.613 mph. Pagenaud’s fast lapRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — After a punctured tire relegated Alexander Rossi to a 32nd place starting position in Sunday’s Indianapolis 500, Rossi clawed his way through the field and finished fourth in a performance that brought the crowd to its feet. Rossi was 28th after the opening lap and climbed to 23rd before the opening round of pit stops. Restarts then became critical as the Californian gained 11 positions from Lap 54 to Lap 77. However, Rossi’s best performance was on Lap 145 where he passed Scott Dixon,Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Pole Day has come and gone in preparation for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. There were surprises and interesting happenings during the day so let’s take a look at them. First of all, Ed Carpenter scored his third Indianapolis 500 pole with a four-lap average of 229.618 mph, almost a full mph higher than Simon Pagenaud starting second. It was interesting to see Helio Castroneves fall so much on his Fast Nine qualifying attempt. The fastest driver in yesterday’s runs, the speedRead More

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is like a second home to Ed Carpenter. The Verizon IndyCar Series team owner/driver, who grew up and still lives in Indianapolis, showed his lasting affinity for the cathedral of motorsports by winning the Verizon P1 Award in pole day qualifying for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Driving the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet for his namesake team, Carpenter thrilled the hometown crowd by putting together a sensational four-lap, 10-mile run at 229.618 mph in the Fast Nine Shootout featuringRead More