verizon indycar series Tag

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor DETROIT — For the first time in nearly five years, Marco Andretti will lead the Verizon IndyCar Series field to the green flag this afternoon in Detroit. Andretti laid down a quick time of 1:14.8514 – the only circuit completed under the 1:15 mark – to lead Group 2 and claim the Verizon P1 Award for Saturday’s Dual 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at Belle Isle Park. The time came in Andretti’s final lap, knocking fast rookie Robert Wickens off the pole as theRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor Helio Castroneves entered Sunday’s 102nd Indianapolis 500 knowing it could potentially be his final Verizon IndyCar Series start After exiting early following a Lap 146 crash, the three-time winner prays it’s anything but it. “Please Roger (Penske), can I come back?” Castroneves told ABC’s broadcast shortly after his incident. Castroneves is one of Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s most decorated drivers, sitting one win behind the all-time mark for Indy 500 victories with three triumphs (2001, ’02, ’09) in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ For the past nineRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Journalist INDIANAPOLIS—A win in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil completes Will Power’s bucket list, but he’s not done yet. Three years after finishing second at Indy to Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015, Power soldiered through a 500-mile race filled with restarts, cautions and an eight-lap shoot with a threesome of cars trying to stretch their fuel mileage. Stefan Wilson and Jack Harvey blasted to the lead while Power tried to fight off pole-sitter Ed Carpenter, who led a race-high 65 laps. “I knewRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Journalist Ed Carpenter was disappointed, but optimistic after securing a second-place finish in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The 37-year-old Hoosier led a race-high 65 laps but ultimately came up 3.15 seconds shy of Team Penske’s Will Power when the checkered flag flew. The result was bittersweet, but a few worth celebrating. “At the end of the day we had a chance to go fight one of the best teams and drivers for the 500,” he said. “It’s something I’m proud of.Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor With the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 serving as the first of two double-points races of the year, there’s a lot more than just a place on the Borg Warner trophy at stake for the Verizon IndyCar Series field. But while he can’t ignore the potential risk, defending series champion Josef Newgarden isn’t worrying about points heading into what could potentially be a career-defining race. “You really don’t think about it here until after the fact,” Newgarden said. “It’s one of those things that’s in the backRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor INDIANAPOLIS — After a host of cheers, a few fist pumps and two heavy doses of heartbreak, qualifying for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 is complete. And let me tell you, there’s a lot to unpack. There were surprises aplenty, both positive (see: the first team on these rankings) and negative – just ask the driver of the No. 5 Honda. Some teams lived up to or even exceeded expectations, while others were left deep in the field after a slog ofRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor INDIANAPOLIS – Danica Patrick’s Verizon IndyCar Series return has gone better than most anticipated thus far. Saturday’s qualifying run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway exceeded even her own expectations. Patrick laid down a four-lap average speed of 227.610 mph in her lone qualifying attempt to slot in ninth during the opening day of time trials for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. The run guarantees the Illinoisan a shot at the pole in Sunday’s ‘Fast Nine’ qualifying round. “This exceeded it,” Patrick said of herRead More

By Aaron Bearden, IndyCar Editor INDIANAPOLIS — Now that they’ve implemented their new aero kits, the Verizon IndyCar Series are setting their sights on a power boost. INDYCAR announced Saturday that the American open wheel series will make the switch to 2.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines in 2021. The new regulations will stay in place through 2026, with an aim of reaching more than 900 horsepower during push-to-pass overtake activation. “Our drivers have been asking for more horsepower and thanks to the hard work of Chevrolet, Honda and the INDYCAR engine group,Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Simon Pagenaud’s yellow Menards livery is already the brightest in the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock. But after another unfortunate run-in – this time on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – the Frenchman fears he may need to resort to an even brighter hue for his No. 22 Chevrolet. “I guess my car isn’t bright enough,” Pagenaud joked after the race. “It seems like people keep running into it.” Pagenaud rolled off seventh in the INDYCAR Grand Prix, but quickly found himself mired at the back ofRead More

By Aaron Bearden, Contributing Writer Zachary Claman de Melo isn’t sure if he’ll be in the No. 19 Honda for the Indianapolis 500. But the rookie made his case for a Month of May drive with his best Verizon IndyCar Series performance to date on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Claman de Melo avoided any on-track incidents and put together a consistent drive to earn a career-best 12th-place finish in Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix. “I’m really happy with the result,” he told Motorsports Tribune. “We probably could have beenRead More