verizon indycar series Tag

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 Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer A pit mistake relegated Sebastien Bourdais to 13th after a dominant opening to Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix. The 39-year-old Frenchman’s day nearly started off-color as his No. 18 Sealmaster Honda stalled on the grid. His Dale Coyne Vasser Sullivan Racing crew managed to get him re-fired, and he assumed his position at the front of the field. There were fears that the early motor woes would spell trouble for Bourdais, but the veteran led the race’s opening 40 laps before theRead More

By Josh Farmer, Contributing Writer Robert Wickens claimed his first Verizon IndyCar series podium in his first oval start after leading a chunk of Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix. The driver of the No. 6 Lucas Oil Honda for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports led 44 laps and paced the field with less than 10 laps to go before giving way to Josef Newgarden within the final three laps. “It’s a dream come true,” he said. “All I wanted to do was finish every lap of my ovalRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer Defending Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires champion Kyle Kaiser was expecting more from the track that gave him his first Indy Lights win in 2016. His first Verizon IndyCar Series race was one spent learning as much as he could, but unfortunately wall contact ended his night early Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway. Kaiser qualified 14th in his No. 32 Juncos Racing Chevrolet and stayed midfield during his race, running as high as 11th before his firstRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDYCAR has announced that beginning with the 2019 season, Verizon IndyCar Series races will air on NBC and NBC Sports in a three-year deal. Eight IndyCar races, including the 103rd Indianapolis 500 and its qualifications, will be on NBC next year with the remaining races on NBC Sports. Currently five races are broadcast on network TV. The biggest change besides network is offering NBC Sports Gold, where fans can watch practice, qualifying, and all support series practice, qualifying and races for a nominal fee. Previously thoseRead More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer Controversial? Yes. Risky? Yes. Intentional? No. Robert Wickens and Alexander Rossi reminded all of us what Verizon IndyCar Series drivers are made of on Sunday at the end of the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. A late race caution came out when Max Chilton stalled his car after reversing it, prompting the field to bunch up behind the pace car. The field were given word that the green flag was coming out with two laps to go and Rossi got a good start. Wickens defendedRead 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