simon pagenaud Tag

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Expect the unexpected. This year has seen a massive improvement from Honda as they have won five out of eight races and heading into a newly-reconfigured Texas Motor Speedway, the Verizon IndyCar Series had no idea what to expect into Saturday’s Rainguard Water Sealers 600. Well, looking at the practice and qualifying recaps, it was a complete tossup until final practice. In the first practice session, Honda had the top six times as Scott Dixon led Charlie Kimball, Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal,Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer In Friday practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series’ Chevrolet Grand Prix of Detroit doubleheader weekend, Graham Rahal and Helio Castroneves were all alone at the top of the time sheet as both drivers were fastest in each of the two practice sessions. Not only that, but they were second fastest in the session where they weren’t fastest. In opening practice, Rahal went around the 2.35 mile Belle Isle street circuit with a time of 1 min 15.3328 seconds while Castroneves was justRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana — In the last complete day of practice before the 101st Indianapolis 500, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Max Chilton was the fastest car on track. The former Formula One driver turned a fastest lap of 228.592 mph in a day that saw more laps turned than any other day of practice so far with 2,705 laps completed. Chilton knew that this wasn’t a full six hour session like what was had during the week and had to get in the carRead More

By INDYCAR AVONDALE, Arizona (Saturday, April 29, 2017) – Simon Pagenaud picked one of the Verizon IndyCar Series tracks richest in open-wheel history to earn his first oval victory. The reigning series champion drove away from the field in the final half of the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix Raceway, winning by 9.1028 seconds over teammate Will Power and assuming the points lead after four races of the 2017 season. DESERT DIAMOND WEST VALLEY PHOENIX GRAND PRIX: Box score Driving the No. 1 Menards Team PenskeRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Well, he certainly was the driver to watch at Barber Motorsports Park and Sunday proved it for Josef Newgarden as he won the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, the third race in the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season. The newest driver at Team Penske, The Tennessee native considers Barber to be his home track, and by scoring his second win and third podium in the last three years at Barber, showed that he’s got the inside scoop onRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – Make it three in a row for Helio Castroneves. The 41-year-old Brazilian scored the Verizon P1 Award for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach with a scorching lap of 1 minute, 6.2254 seconds (106.980 mph), breaking the previous lap record held by him in 2015. Driving the No. 3 Auto Club of Southern California for Team Penske, Castroneves, the 2002 winner of the event, was ecstatic to score the 48th pole of his career – fourth all-time behind Bobby Unser –Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer Simon Pagenaud is the man to watch out for at the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and not just because the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series champion won comes in as the defending race winner. Top to bottom, he has one of the more impressive results listings over the last decade at the beach, only rivaled by Team Penske teammate Will Power. 2007: 14th (Team Australia, rookie year – Champ Car era) 2012: Second 2013: Eighth 2014: Fifth 2015: Fourth 2016: FirstRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, IndyCar & Road to Indy Writer ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Honda continued their dominance of Verizon IndyCar Series practice in preparation for Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg by taking the top six positions on the time sheet. The No. 9 GE LED Lighting Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon topped the charts with a lap of 1 minute, 01.6240 seconds (105.154 mph) ahead of James Hinchcliffe in the Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’s No. 5 ARROW Honda. Third was the No. 98 NAPA Auto Parts Honda ofRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Age: 32 Years in IndyCar: 6 Wins: 9 Podiums: 20 Career Laps led: 718 2016-17 Team: Team Penske Simon Pagenaud has emerged as one of the sport’s greats after winning  2017 Verizon IndyCar Series championship. Coming off a less than stellar finish of 11th in the 2015 points in his debut season for Team Penske, the Frenchman was unstoppable right from the green flag at St. Petersburg. Three straight wins at Long Beach, Barber and the IndyCar Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway RoadRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Simon Pagenaud is ready to attack and defend his crown when the Verizon IndyCar Series gets back in action on the Streets of St. Petersburg this weekend. Six months removed from winning his first title, Pagenaud has a feeling of satisfaction of clearing this hurdle in his career. “It has been a relief,” he said. “It also helped me grow into a different position mentally. I feel a lot more clear in my head because I’m not stressing about getting my first championship. “We alwaysRead More