IndyCar
Ganassi’s Scott Dixon To Test IndyCar Aeroscreen At Indianapolis Motor Speedway Today
SPEEDWAY, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon is going to be behind the wheel today when the NTT Indycar Series holds its first on-track test of their new Aeroscreen.
IndyCar announced in May that the sanctioning body and Red Bull Advanced Technologies formed a partnership to develop the Aeroscreen to enhance driver cockpit protection.
The Aeroscreen makes its on-track debut tomorrow 👀🤩
Who's excited? pic.twitter.com/Bj1JqS5wfH
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) October 1, 2019
The Aeroscreen is being developed the reduce the risk of driver injury from debris or other objects sticking the cockpit area. The driver safety innovation that will surround the cockpit consists of a ballistic Aeroscreen anchored by titanium framework.
Dixon took part in a simulator test of a prototype at the Dallara Research Center in Speedway this past July.
“I think the technology game moves very quickly in our sport, and I think INDYCAR has always been at the forefront of moving safety additions along,” said Dixon at the test. “I’m very happy to try and help push this forward and be one of the drivers that can help define areas that may be tricky.”
The test included having Dixon conduct simulated laps around five NTT IndyCar Series tracks, including Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The others were Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Barber Motorsports Park and the Long Beach (Calif.) street circuit. The simulation included 20 laps on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval and a half-dozen laps on each of the other tracks.
Scott Dixon Tests Aeroscreen Prototype At Dallara Research Center In Speedway Indiana. Photo by Joe Skibinski/Indycar Series.
While the polycarbonate laminated screen was not in place for this test, Dixon said he experienced no visibility issues with the framework of the prototype. He said he only noticed the chassis centerline piece, but it was no more of a distraction than the Advanced Frontal Protection device used on Indy cars the past six races (two ovals, two street circuits and two permanent road courses).
“It was very similar to (the AFP),” Dixon said. “So, everything was pretty smooth.”
In addition to visibility, INDYCAR officials wanted Dixon’s opinion on the change in center of gravity the Aeroscreen creates and the varying loads associated with it. Dixon also got to experience entry and exit from the cockpit, although he couldn’t put weight on the 3D-printed mock-up produced by Roush.
“I think every step of the process has been done very well,” Dixon said. “It’s not throwing things (at the wall) and seeing what sticks; most of it has been proven previously and getting to this portion on the simulator covers a lot of the bases we’ll see when we get to the real world maybe in 30 or 60 days with the first generation (of the Aeroscreen).”
That real world test takes place today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with Dixon and 2014 Indycar Series Champion Will Power of Team Penske turning laps.
It’s a party now. @CGRindycar joins @Team_Penske on pit lane at @IMS, where we’re set for a full day of testing. @scottdixon9 // @12WillPower pic.twitter.com/lXqbN92LC3
— NTT IndyCar Series (@IndyCar) October 2, 2019
This will be the first of three on-track tests over the next three weeks. Additional tests are scheduled for Barber Motorsports Park on October 7 and at the Richmond Raceway on Tuesday October 15.
The Aeroscreen will be implemented for the 2020 NTT IndyCar Season.
WASHINGTON D.C. (August 22, 2026) – Alex Palou’s blistering lap of 56.8993 seconds in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda puts the four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion on the pole position for Sunday’s Freedom 250 on the streets of Washington D.C.
“Incredible,” said Palou. “My car was on rails. Super-fun lap, super-fun car to drive. Couldn’t be happier. Looking forward to tomorrow. Tomorrow is going to be a long day, man, 250 miles.”
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood lines up second after a lap of 57.4661 in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda.
“P1 both first and second group, and the last one Alex Palou is just a legend and goes faster on his one-lap dash than he did the whole rest of the run, I think,” Kirkwood said. “He made us look silly out there.”
Scott McLaughlin spoiled the Honda party up front, putting the No. 3 PPG Chevrolet third on the grid after a fast lap of 57.4200.
Palou’s CGR teammates Scott Dixon and Kyffin Simpson did not fare as well as their teammate.
Dixon was on a lap that would have allowed him to transfer into the next round of qualifying, when Simpson hit the wall, triggering a red flag which cancelled Dixon’s lap. The No. 9 PNC Bank Honda will start 14th.
Bringing out the red flag penalized Simpson of his two fastest laps so the No. 8 Sunoco Honda will start last in 25th.
Coverage of the Freedom 250 starts at 11:30 a.m. on Fox and IndyCar Radio with the green flag waving in our nation’s capital at 1 p.m.
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 15, 2026) – The NTT IndyCar Series is making it’s first visit to a new street circuit in Markham, Ontario but a familiar face topped the speed charts after the first practice.
Four-time Series Champion Alex Palou turned the fastest lap around the 12-turn, 2.19-mile temporary street course, a 1-minute, 14.9915-seconds (100.811 mph) lap in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
A.J. Foyt Racing rookie Caio Collett was second quick with a 1-minute, 15.0454-seconds (100.739) in the No. 4 Chevrolet.
Louis Foster was third quick in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at 1:15.0278 (100.702) followed by Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin 1:15.2981 (100.401). Will Power rounded out the Top 5 at 1:15.3152 (100.378).
Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammates were not as strong. Six-time Series Champion Scott Dixon was 20th at 1:16.4583 (98.877) in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. Kyffin Simpson was 24th at 1.17.3893 (97.688) in the No. 8 Sunoco Honda. Simpson made contact with the wall at Turn 6, causing damage to the rear suspension. Simpson limped to pits for repair and returned to action later in the session.
Practice 2 is set for 2:30 p.m. as delayed track construction forced officials to cancel Friday’s activities and condense Saturday’s schedule. NTT P1 Pole Qualifying is set for 6:30 p.m. ET
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 14, 2026) – Issues with the completion of the temporary street circuit in Markham Ontario has forced the NTT INDYCAR SERIES first practice to be moved to Saturday as all of Friday’s on-track activity had to be scrubbed from the schedule.
“INDYCAR is incredibly disappointed that our promoter was not able to complete the track build on time, despite significant support from our team on site,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Ontario has always been a magnificent market for our sport and the number of spectators that attended today is a shining example of that. New events can always pose logistical challenges and we join in the frustration of our loyal fans and apologize.”
Green Savoree Promotions also issued a statement.
“Ensuring the safety of the drivers and the completion of the certification process of competing on a brand-new racetrack delayed all on-track activities today. Today’s sessions have been rescheduled to Saturday, August 15, to allow for further track preparations.”
“We greatly appreciate all the fans who made it out to the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham today and chose to spend the day with us. The attendance and support were overwhelming.”
The revamped schedule calls for the first practice to take place at 10:00 a.m. followed by a second practice at 2:30 p.m. and P1 Pole Qualifying at 6:30 p.m.
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