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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato Wins IndyCar Race At Gateway

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Chris Jones/IndyCar Series

MADISON, IL (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato went from zero to hero in less than a week on the NTT IndyCar Series circuit.

Sato won Saturday night’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway, one week after fellow IndyCar drivers, fan and media blamed Sato for a multi-car crash on lap one at Pocono Raceway.

Sato started fifth on the grid and on the first lap in turn 1 had contact with another car and fell to last place but never gave up and rallied to a 0.0399-second victory over owner/driver Ed Carpenter.

“A difficult start,” said Sato.  “I was sandwiched, then go backwards.”

Sato called the victory the most satisfying win of his career, next to the 2017 Indianapolis 500 win.

“This win is so special,” said Sato.  “Beside Indy 500, nothing like it.  Last week, it was very difficult to judge.  A lot of people judged from only TV, one angle.  It looked like I turned into Alex, which wasn’t true.  The team got logging system, onboard footage, that shows very clear evidence I wasn’t move.  I hold my line, I drove straight.”

The RLL team stood behind the veteran driver in the week between Pocono and Gateway, going as far as issuing a statement of support after all of the backlash.  Sato was glad his team had his back and he paid them back with a victory.

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“It is just unbelievable support from the team,” said Sato.  “I’m so happy.  So proud to be a part of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.  Some people say they never seen do that kind of statement.”

Carpenter rebounded from a less than stellar qualifying effort to needing a couple of hundred feet to win.

“Even just another straightaway, I maybe could have gotten Takuma,” said Carpenter, who started 17th. “We were really good on the long runs. We kept our heads down and never gave up.”

AJ Foyt Racing’s Tony Kanaan, who started 20th, rounded out the podium with a third-place finish.

“We knew we had a strong car,” said Kanaan.  “We played the strategy right, we got a little bit of luck on our side – finally – and once we got to the front, we showed the that we belong there.”

Points-leader Josef Newgarden finished seventh but his closest pursuer, Alexander Rossi, finished 13th allowing fifth-place finisher Simon Pagenaud to leapfrog Rossi in the Championship standings.  Newgarden leads Pagenaud by 38-points going into the next weekend’s Grand Prix of Portland.

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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