IndyCar
Racing Notebook – Wednesday, February 5
PITTSBURGH, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Wednesday’s Racing Notebook finds Team Penske bringing Supercars Champ to Indy for GP, plus Graham Rahal’s No. 15 United Rentals Honda gets a new Patriotic look. NASCAR is changing their Hall of Fame process and the Super DIRTcar Series kicks off the DIRTcar Nationals tonight in Florida.
Team Penske Bringing Supercars Scott McLaughlin To Indy:
- Team Penske is bringing defending Virgin Australia Supercars Champion Scott McLaughlin to the NTT IndyCar Series GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. McLaughlin tested with Team Penske last month at Sebring International Raceway and will test next week at IndyCar Spring Training at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). McLaughlin will attempt to win his third consecutive Supercars title in 2020 with DJR Team Penske. The GMR Grand Prix takes place Saturday, May 9th.
Graham Rahal’s United Rentals Honda Gets A New Paint Job:
- Graham Rahal’s No. 15 United Rentals Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda will be sporting a new look in 2020. The car has always had a patriotic scheme but Rahal took to his Twitter account to show everyone the new livery:
American Beauty. Dressed in the Red, White & Blue. @UnitedRentals and @RLLRacing really hooked up the 15 car this year. Looking forward to getting this patriotic rocket on the track.#TurnsForTroops #INDYCAR pic.twitter.com/EfHYfFs8gk
— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) February 5, 2020
Super DIRTcar Series DIRTcar Nationals Start Tonight:
- The Super DIRTcar Series kicks off five-nights of racing at Volusia Speedway Park. DIRTcar Hall of Famer and defending Lernerville modified Champion Brian Swartzlander is carrying the Western PA color along with Rick Regalski and Ralph McBride. The Super DIRTcar Series runs in conjunction with the World of Outlaws Morton Buildings Late Models for four out of the five nights of racing. The Late Model events are full points shows and pay $10,000-to-win. The Super DIRTcar Series purse has been raised as well. Tuesday-Friday the 30-lap Features pay $3,000-to-win and $250-to-start. The finale on Saturday, February 15 awards $5,000 to the winner of the 40-lap Feature with $300 to take the green flag. Also tonight at Volusia, George Hobaugh, Tim Shaffer and John Garvin will be racing with the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Cars.
NASCAR Modifies Hall of Fame Process:
- NASCAR is changing the process to get into their Hall of Fame. reducing the annual number of inductees from five to three and splitting potential nominees into two ballots – one for contemporary stars and one for the sport’s pioneers. Starting with the upcoming Class of 2021, the existing Nomination Committee will provide 10 nominees for the Modern Era Ballot. A new Honors Committee – largely comprised of all living Hall of Famers, Landmark Award winners and Squier-Hall Award winners – will evaluate and provide five nominees for the Pioneer Ballot.
LONG BEACH, CA (April 19, 2026) – A great pit stop helped Alex Palou pass Felix Rosenqvist in the pits and Palou did the rest, winning Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
“Incredible,” said Palou, who picked up his third win of the season and 22nd of his IndyCar career. “Feel so, so lucky with the opportunity I had to win the 500 last year, the Long Beach GP this year, it just feels like I’m living on this amazing cloud of happiness.”
Rosenqvist was out front when the caution flag flew on Lap 57 for debris in turn four, which set up the showdown between the Meyer Shank Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing pit crews.
“This full-course yellow put everything on that pit stop,” said Palou. “The guys did an incredible job once again.”
“Having the pit location and the pit crew we have, it certainly was on the top of our minds coming down pit lane knowing we have a shot at getting the win here,” said Barry Wanser, No. 10 Team Manager. “Again, the guys came through.”
“That last pit cycle was kind of the defining moment,” said Rosenqvist, who led a race-high 51-laps. “I don’t even think we had that bad of a stop. We had to come around the 14. I don’t know if Alex had an open in. Details like that matter. It didn’t seem like a super slow stop, but he probably nailed it or his crew.”
Despite falling short of a win, Rosenqvist said there were plenty of positives to take away from the team’s trip to the West Coast.
“I think all in all we got to be happy as a weekend for us at Meyer Shank Racing. We had a win yesterday with Nick in IMSA. We had a pole there as well, then a pole here and a P2. We just fell short of a grand slam.”
Scott Dixon finished third in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, giving team owner Chip Ganassi two cars on the podium and the 6-time series Champion his best finish of the season
“Huge weekend for the Ganassi cars,” said Dixon. “I think probably one of the best for qualifying between all us, which was really good. It was nice just to have a clean weekend, no major issues, no damage, no mess-ups or anything like that. That was a lot of fun.”
Palou and Dixon’s teammate Kyffin Simpson brought the No. 8 Sunoco Honda home in tenth place, so all three CGR cars finished in the Top 10.
Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood finished fourth after starting third and gave up the Championship lead to Palou. Kirkwood now trails the four-time Series Champion by 17-points.
Pato O’Ward rounded out the Top 5 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
Next up for the IndyCar Series is two days of testing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 28-29 as teams get ready for the Indianapolis 500.
The next race is the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 9, on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at IMS, which kicks off the Month of May.
LONG BEACH, CA (April 18,, 2026) – Felix Rosenqvist is on the pole position for Sunday’s NTT IndyCar Series Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach after turning a fast lap of of 1 minute, 7.4635 seconds in the No. 60 SiriusXM/Acura Honda.
The pole capped a great day for Meyer Shank Racing who on the IMSA race on Saturday.
“So great to put it on pole here and it’s been a long time, so it feels good,” said Rosenqvist. “But what a day for Meyer Shank Racing with the win in the IMSA race today and now the pole for the IndyCar race.”
Pato O’Ward, Rosenqvist’s good friend and former teammate, will start from the front row after qualifying a season-best second at 1:07.5076 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
“That was nerve-wracking to watch my ole buddy Pato do his run, and I wasn’t sure if we’d get it,” said Rosenqvist. “But the SiriusXM Green Day Acura has been great and hope we can have a good day tomorrow.”
“This is by far the best qualifying day I’ve had,” said O’Ward. “I’ve been happy with the car I’ve been given from practice one. Hats off to Arrow McLaren and Team Chevy. I know we’re leading their pack.”
Four-time Series Champion Alex Palou will start from the third position in the No. 10 OpenAI Chip Ganassi Racing Honda with 2026 Championship points leader Kyle Kirkwood right beside in the No. 27 JM Bullion/Gold.com Andretti Global Honda.
David Malukas will start fifth in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, the best qualifying car for Team Penske.
Six-time Series Champion Scott Dixon will start sixth in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The qualifying effort was Dixon’s best of 2026.
Next up is a 30-minute warmup Sunday at 1 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
The 90-lap race around the 11-turn, 1.968-mile iconic temporary street circuit starts at 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).
LONG BEACH, CA (April 18, 2026) Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood is picking up right where he left off at Long Beach. The 2025 winner of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach was quickest in the second NTT IndyCar Series practice session at the iconic street circuit.
Kirkwood’s fast lap of 1-minute, 7.5417-seconds was 0.2333-seconds quicker than Team Penske’s David Malukas.
Saturday’s practice session was sort of similar to Friday’s session as Andretti Global and Team Penske were 1-2 on the timing chart, except Friday’s session was led by Will Power, who beat out Scott McLaughlin for the top spot.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou was fourth quickest on both days in the No. 10 OpenAI Honda.
Knockout style qualifying takes place at 6:30 p.m. ET with the Firestone Fast Six shifting to single car attempts.
Pittsburgh’s Pennsylvania Motor Speedway cancels Saturday night program
Lernerville Speedway and Tri-City Raceway Park hoping to get seasons started Friday night
Kofoid Wins A Close One
Chase Elliott snags second NASCAR Cup victory at Texas
Dietz is Ready for Outlaws
Ganassi 2026 Trading Cards to support PNC’s Grow Up Great partner DonorsChoose
Smith Holds off Dietz in Possee Thriller; Blair Blitzes Late Model Foes at Port Royal
Ryan Blaney charges to NASCAR Cup pole position at Bristol
Alex Palou wins Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach; Scott Dixon finishes 3rd
