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NTT IndyCar Series Coming To Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course This Weekend

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Chris Jones/IndyCar Series

LEXINGTON, OHIO (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – The NTT IndyCar Series is racing this weekend at The Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Mid-Ohio is the closest track the NTT IndyCar Series gets to Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, just a 2-and-a-half-hour drive from Downtown.

This will be the 35th IndyCar race held at Mid-Ohio.  Alexander Rossi is the defending race winner.

“We’ve been hosting this event for a number of years,” Mid-Ohio President Craig Rust told Pittsburgh Racing Now.  “It’s a staple on the NTT IndyCar Series and it’s always a great event here.  We’re excited about it.”

The IndyCar race is not the only event being held at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn natural terrain road course.

“We’re running Indy Lights over the three days,” said Rust.  “We also have Indy Pro 2000, USF 2000 and basically they’re feeder series.  A lot of the drivers you see today in the IndyCar Series started in the feeder series.”

In addition to the “Road to Indy” feeder series, you’re going to see some trucks this weekend at Mid-Ohio.

“We also have something new this year, Robbie Gordon’s Stadium SUPER Trucks,” said Rust.  “This is something brand new for us.  We have not run them here before, but they put on a great show.  We’re excited to add them to the schedule.”

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If you’re interested in spending the weekend at the track, tent and motorhome camping is available but take your party decorations with you.

“We do a promotion every year with Honda, where it’s actually a contest to decorate your motorhome,” said Rust.  “The drivers go around and act as judges.  This year it’s ‘family gras’, kind of like a family mardi gras theme.  We change that theme every year.”

Last year’s “Pirate” theme would have hit close to home for Pittsburghers.

Meyer Shank Racing’s Jack Harvey visits with several campers at their Pirate theme campsite at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in 2018

The family atmosphere is a big part of the Mid-Ohio weekend and it also friendly to the budget as kids 12 & under get in for free all weekend.  There is an autograph session on Friday and another way to get up-close and personal with the teams and drivers.

“I suggest people purchase a Paddock Pass,” said Rust.  “That gets you inside the Paddock where the teams work on the cars.  It really is one of the motorsports series that is very accessible to the fans, so it is really a fun thing to do.  If you want to spend time with the family, 12 & Under are free and they also can get into the paddock area, so it really is a family event.”

Rust encourages all fans to get their tickets and especially their camping early because camping is subject to sell out.  The easiest way to take care of that is by going onto the track website, www.midohio.com, or by calling 419-884-4000.  You can also view the complete on track schedule and fan activities on the website.

“We get huge crowds for the Honda Indy 200,” said Rust.  “People start coming in Thursday afternoon and getting parked so they’re ready to go Friday morning.  Over the three days there’s basically something on track at all times.  We’d love for the Pittsburgh area sports fans to take the drive over whether it’s for the weekend, a day or for Sunday’s main event.”

IndyCar

Chip Ganassi Racing unveils new look for Scott Dixon’s No. 9 PNC Bank Honda

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PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (February 5, 2025) – Scott Dixon’s No. 9 PNC Bank Honda is sporting a new look for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season.

The familiar Orange, Blue and White PNC colors return with the biggest change along the sidepods of the No. 9 Honda, which are now orange and then the colors transition to blue over the rear wheel arches and rear wing.

“I’m excited. It was a long off-season,” said Dixon, who is second only to INDYCAR legend A.J. Foyt in wins (Dixon – 58; Foyt – 67.) and Series Championships (Dixon – 6; Foyt – 7). “We definitely have some big areas and some low-hanging fruit where I think we can make some big shifts and some big changes for a positive effect for the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. I’m looking forward to that.”

Dixon is on-track to break Mario Andretti’s all-time starts record with his 407th start at the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25, 2025.

PNC Bank returns to the No. 9, amassing 2-Championships, 17-Wins and 46-Podiums, as primary sponsor for seven seasons, after serving as an associate sponsor of CGR for decades.

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“Being shoulder-to-shoulder in an INDYCAR partnership with PNC has been extraordinary because the things that make them a great bank are also what makes Scott and the team so consistent,” said Mike Hull, Managing Director CGR.  “They all do the little things brilliantly, which is why the partnership with PNC is so perfect. We are happy to return with the orange and blue once again of PNC Bank on the No. 9.”

PNC’s community commitment will continue in 2025 in multiple ways.  Dixon again this season will appear at early childhood education centers to demonstrate the importance of reading to inspire a love of learning as part of PNC’s ‘Grow Up Great’ – it’s signature philanthropic initiative focused on improving high-quality early childhood education across the country.

PNC Bank’s ‘Day at the Track’ program will again provide STEM students with the opportunity to get an up-close look at the high-performance operations of CGR’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES team.

Dixon is facing some stiff competition for his seventh title and it is coming from inside the same building as teammate Alex Palou will be battling for his third-straight title.  Together CGR will attempt to score the team’s sixth Championship in the last eight years and its 17th INDYCAR Championship, which would tie it for most all-time.

Dixon and his PNC Bank CGR Honda team will start the season February 28 – March 2, 2025 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding.

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DHL Chip Ganassi Racing unveils Alex Palou’s 2025 Honda livery

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DHL Chip Ganassi Racing

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (January 29, 2025) – Three-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion Alex Palou’s DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda will have a bit of a different look as he goes for his third straight Championship in 2025.

The No. 10’s updated livery feature’s the famous Postyellow and DHL Red, with additional yellow areas and larger DHL branding further cementing an already iconic look for DHL, CGR and Palou.

“Our first season with Chip Ganassi Racing and the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Honda was nothing short of spectacular,” said Mike Parra, Head of Global Sponsorship DHL. “We take immense pride in seeing our vibrant colors emblazoned on the car, symbolizing our commitment to delivering with speed and passion around the world. As Alex Palou defends his title, we are excited to inspire our fans, customers, and employees to reach new heights with us in what promises to be another thrilling chapter of our partnership.”

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Palou is itching to get back behind the wheel and continue his impressive performance of three Championships in five seasons, four with CGR.

“I’m looking forward to the 2025 season with the No. 10 DHL Honda team. The competition will be tough. We won the last championship with only two wins, so that shows how competitive it is in INDYCAR. The goal is to try and repeat that, improve a bit, and try to win the Indianapolis 500.”

The green flag drops on the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding weekend, February 28 – March 2, 2025.   Tickets are available at gpstpete.com

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Fox Sports drops the accelerator on INDYCAR promotion

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Fox Sports

LOS ANGELES, CA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Fox Sports, the new television partner for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, is aggressively getting the word out that INDYCAR has a new home for 2025.

Sunday Fox Sports debuted the first promotional ad during the network’s NFL coverage, featuring two-time Series Champion and two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden.

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This is the first of three promotional ads that Fox Sports will be rolling out between now and the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on March 2, 2025.  The remaining two spots will feature three-time and reigning series Champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing and the series most-popular driver Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren.

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