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Citrone/Buhl Autosport Teaming-Up With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

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Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

BROWNSBURG, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – The new NTT INDYCAR SERIES team formed by Steelers minority owner Robert Citrone, his son Nick, former INDYCAR driver Robbie Buhl and Buhl’s brother Tom (Citrone/Buhl Autosport) are teaming up with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) to hit the track in 2020.

RLL announced today that Spencer Pigot is returning to the team in 2020 to compete in the GMR Grand Prix on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 9 and the Indianapolis 500 on May 24th.  Pigot made three starts for RLL in 2016 and won Championships on the “Road to Indy” Ladder series in 2014 (Pro Mazda) and 2015 (Indy Lights).

“I’m very excited to join Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with Citrone/Buhl Autosport for this year’s GMR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500,” said Pigot.  “I ran my first INDYCAR SERIES race and Indy 500 with RLL in 2016 so it will be nice to return to a team with some familiar faces.  I can’t thank everyone at RLL and Citrone/Buhl Autosport enough for their efforts in putting this deal together and the opportunity to compete in another Indy 500.  I can’t wait for May!”

“I’m very pleased to have Spencer back with us again for the month of May,” said Bobby Rahal, co-owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.  “There is no question in my mind that he can contribute to the overall performance of the team based upon his strong performance last May and at other events throughout the season.  Spencer is a team player and has a bright future in my opinion.”

“Nick, myself and our whole family are excited to be part of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team and to have Spencer as the driver is incredible,” said Robert Citrone, co-owner of Citrone/Buhl Autosport.  “We have been lifelong INDYCAR fans and we have wanted to get involved with the sport for many years.  We thought this was the best way to learn and gain experience at the highest level and have been incredibly impressed with all of the people we have met at RLL.”

“Rob, Nick and I love INDYCAR racing,” said Robbie Buhl, co-owner of Citrone/Buhl Autosport.  “We all want to win and the set-up allows us to learn in an accelerated way.  Getting to see more of how the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team operates and getting to see the depth of both the engineering and commercial side is exciting.  We feel great about out partnership.”

“We are looking forward to working with Citrone/Buhl Autosport on this entry,” said Rahal.  “It’s an exciting time for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and having a new team enter the sport is proof of that.”

“Bobby and my family share a Pittsburgh connection with his dealership group based there and with my family’s involvement in the Pittsburgh Steelers,” said Citrone, founder of Discovery Capital Management.  “Being involved in sports and knowing how enjoyable, challenging and tough that is and how the quality of the organization is really the key.  I think the Steelers have that with the quality of the organization with the Rooney family and we have that same feeling with the Rahal family and RLL.”

IndyCar

Palou quickest in first Markham practice

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Penske Entertainment: James Black

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

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IndyCar

Incomplete race track moves IndyCar Markham practice to Saturday

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Photo by Travis Hinkle | IMS Photo

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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IndyCar

Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing win Portland Grand Prix

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Photo: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens

PORTLAND, OR (August 9, 2026) – Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing are closing in on another NTT IndyCar Series Championship after winning Sunday’s Only Bulls Portland Grand Prix.

Palou started second and passed Felix Rosenqvist during the first round of pit stops by staying out an extra lap and using the ‘overcut’ to get the lead and then dominated, leading 60 of 110-laps to grab his sixth victory of 2026.

“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” said Palou, who started second. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap.”

“We had to do something different than Felix,” said Barry Wanser, team manager for the No. 10 Honda. “We had to go longer than him.  It takes a lot of performance by Alex and certainly the Honda engine to give us the fuel mileage to jump in one more and do the overcut. That helped us. We had a pretty smooth pit stop and got the jump there.”

Rosenqvist, who started on the pole in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Grateful Dead Honda, closed to within a second late but couldn’t get back to the front.

“He got us in a sequence,” said Rosenqvist, the 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner.  “I got kind of twisted up leaving my box because I was so close to the Schumacher crew. I think between the overcut and that, we kind of lost the position. From there on we just sat in second.”

Andretti Global’s Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG Honda to lockout the podium for the manufacturer.

“Great day for us,” said Power. “Great day for Andretti. Didn’t quite have the pace I think the top two guys. Probably about a tenth off. Just seriously fast pace all day. Qualifying laps, really good quality. Such a quality field now.”

The victory for Palou increased his Championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season.

“Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing,” said Palou. “That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”

The next NTT IndyCar Series race is the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the streets of Markham, Ontario.

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