IndyCar
Racing Notebook – Thursday, February 27 – Spencer Pigot To Drive For Rahal Letterman Lanigan with Citrone-Buhl; New INDYCAR Promo And More
PITTSBURGH, PA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Thursday’s Pittsburgh Racing Now Racing Notebook has a sponsorship update for one of A.J. Foyt’s INDYCARS plus an update on the new INDYCAR team partly owned by Steelers minority owner Robert Citrone and James Hinchcliffe is going to do some Television this year when he’s not driving and Kurt Busch is getting help for his Vet Tix program.
Chase Elliott Going After “Bounty” On Kyle Busch:
- Chase Elliott is going after the $100,000 “Bounty” on Kyle Busch. NASCAR Cup Series Driver Kevin Harvick put a $50,000 bounty on Busch after his win last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after some other drivers said Busch was “cherry picking” the NASCAR Gander Outdoors and R.V. Truck Series competition. Gander Outdoors and R.V. Truck Series CEO Marcus Lemonis upped the ante, matching Harvick’s $50,000 to double the bonus to any full-time Cup Series racer up to the challenge.
Challenge accepted. I’ll see you all in Atlanta. @KyleBusch @KevinHarvick @marcuslemonis. Thanks to @GMSRacingLLC and @HootersRacing!!! #GameOn #di9 https://t.co/hQR0ZhtKyh
— Chase Elliott (@chaseelliott) February 27, 2020
ripKurrent To Sponsor Kimball and A.J. Foyt Racing:
- AJ Foyt Racing has signed ripKurrent, an energy services company, as the primary sponsor of Charlie Kimball’s No. 4 Chevrolet for the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Moreover, ripKurrent will have a season-long presence on the car as an associate marketing partner. Based in Boca Raton, Florida, ripKurrent is expanding its involvement in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES after having sponsored Kimball’s car at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway last August. Kimball was a guest on The Pittsburgh Racing Now Podcast two weeks ago.
Spencer Pigot To Drive For Rahal Letterman Lanigan with Citrone/Buhl Autosport:
- The new INDYCAR team formed by Steelers minority owner Robert Citrone, his son and the Buhl brothers are teaming up with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing for their new effort. Spencer Pigot is going to drive the Honda-powered car in the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on May 9 and the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Pigot, 26, earned back-to-back Championships in the INDYCAR ladder series in 2014 (Pro Mazda) and 2015 (Indy Lights). Pigot spent the last two seasons with Ed Carpenter Racing. Read more at: Citrone/Buhl Autosport Teaming-Up With Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Releases New Promotional Campaign:
- The NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener is just a few weeks away and the series has unveiled a new brand campaign to showcase what it takes to compete. Narrated by Matt Damon and created in partnership with Chicago-based agency Schafer Condon Carter the video focuses on the athletes’ unique skill set and mentality. The video features 5-Time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion Scott Dixon, driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, along with 2-Time Series Champion Josef Newgarden, defending Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, 2016 500 winner Alexander Rossi and rising starts Colton Herta and Patricio O’Ward.
James Hinchcliffe To Work For NBC And IndyCar Radio:
- NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver James Hinchcliffe is joining to be doing some broadcast work when he is not behind the wheel of the Genesys Andretti Autosport Honda. Hinchcliffe announced today plans to work for NBC TV and INDYCAR radio when he schedule permits. Hinchcliffe is scheduled to run the GMR Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500 and the Genesys 600 at Texas Motor Speedway in June.
Excited for the chance to share some insights with the fans of our sport! Thanks @NBCSN @IndyCaronNBC for the opportunity! https://t.co/5BW9HpEjar
— James Hinchcliffe (@Hinchtown) February 27, 2020
Jimmie Johnson Teaming Up With Kurt Busch For Vet Tix Campaign:
- Seven-time NASCAR Champion Jimmie Johnson and the Jimmie Johnson Foundation are teaming up with Monster Energy Chip Ganassi Racing driver Kurt Busch for his season-long effort to get Veterans and Military Families to this weekend’s race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. Busch talked about the Vet Tix program when he was a guest on the Daytona 500 Edition of the Pittsburgh Racing Now Podcast and also said there is a link where fans and corporations can make donations to help too.
Anyone interested in making a donation of their own can use this link. Thanks everyone! https://t.co/ZSD9XhoW2x
— Kurt Busch (@KurtBusch) February 27, 2020
IndyCar
Racing Notebook: IndyCar unveils DC race layout; announces single-car Fast Six qualifying in Texas and more
The NTT IndyCar Series is changing their Fast Six qualifying for the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington plus the Series unveils the race course for the Freedom 250 in Washington D.C. Blue Envelopes with Indianapolis 500 tickets were mailed on Wednesday to fans around the Country. Conor Daly joins Dreyer and Reinbold Racing for Indy 500.
IndyCar unveils Washington D.C. layout
- The NTT IndyCar Series unveiled the course layout for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. the Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature a sweeping .4-mile frontstretch along Pennsylvania Avenue, framed by the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. The pit lane area of the track will be adjacent to the track, on Pennsylvania Avenue, between Turns 1 and 2 on the circuit design. The IndyCar field will also race by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives.
Single car Fast Six qualifying in Arlington
- IndyCar also announced plans for single-car Firestone Fast Six qualifying at the inaugural Grand Prix of Arlington. The “knockout” format of Segments 1 and 2 will remain unchanged, the Firestone Fast Six segment will be adjusted to single-car, single-lap qualifying beginning with the sixth-fastest qualifier from Segment 2 and working toward the fastest from the previous round. With the update for the Streets of Arlington event, FOX Sports has agreed to expand its coverage of qualifying to a robust, two-hour window.
Indianapolis 500 tickets mailed
- Race Day tickets for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 were mailed Wednesday, March 11 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office. 33,000 Blue Envelopes were mailed to all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and 32 countries around the world. Tickets for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24, the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 9 and all other Month of May events are available at IMS.com/Tickets or via the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700.
Conor Daly joins DRR for Indy 500
- Conor Daly is joining Dreyer and Reinbold racing for the 110th Indianapolis 500. DRR and Daly made the announcement in partnership with Kingspan, a worldwide leader in high-performance building materials. Daly has 5 Top 10’s in twelve starts in the 500.
IndyCar
Josef Newgarden wins IndyCar Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix
AVONDALE, AZ (March 7, 2026) – Josef Newgarden is reminding everyone that he and the No. 2 Chevrolet are the team to beat on short ovals in the NTT IndyCar Series after winning Saturday’s Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway.
Newgarden only led 8-laps but charged to victory after taking fresh tires following a late caution when the leaders elected to stay on the track.
“We took tires, and the thing was like a rocket ship when it needed to be, right at the end of the race,” said an elated Newgarden in Victory Lane. “Hats off to the whole crew. I’m pumped.”
Newgarden’s charge was set-up when Andretti Global’s Will Power and Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen were battling for the lead on lap 207. The front wing of Rasmussen’s No. 21 Splenda Stevia Chevrolet’s made contact with the right rear tire of Power’s No. 26 TWG Ai Honda, cutting Power’s tire and triggering the final caution.
Rasmussen and second place Kyle Kirkwood elected to keep track position and stayed on the track along with pole sitter David Malukas, Meyer Shank Racing’s Marcus Armstrong, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon and others.
Newgarden and crew elected to go for new tires, along with several others racing around him, as the speed difference between new and old tires were significant.
Rasmussen, who was one of the best cars in the field all day, led the restart on lap 218 but his car was damaged in the incident with Power and clearly was not as strong.
Kirkwood passed Rasmussen for the lead on lap 242 as Newgarden and his fresh tires were busy picking off Dixon, Armstrong and Malukas on their older tires.
“In the middle of the race, I don’t know that I was fully believing that we had the capability to win,” explained Newgarden. “We just kept working through it, and I’m like, ‘Look, if we get another opportunity, we’re going to be aggressive, we’re going to be on the offense.’
Newgarden certainly was on offense passing Kirkwood for the lead for good on lap 244 en route to his 33rd career win and first of 2026.
Kirkwood hung on for second and said they considered taking tires.
“We thought about it, but we were talking about it, and the pits opened,” said Kirkwood. “(Staying out) was the right thing to do at the time.”
Newgarden’s victory vaulted him to the top of the Championship standings, thanks in part to Alex Palou crashing out of the event early.
Palou, the defending and four-time series Champion, didn’t know Rinus Veekay had his nose beside the No. 10 DHL Honda and as Palou slid out towards the wall the pair made contact, turning the No. 10 into the wall. Palou finished 24th, his worst finish since he placed 25th last June in Detroit after contact eliminated him from that race. VeeKay suffered damage but was able to continue after losing a few laps in the pits for repairs.
Rasmussen faded to 14th in the end after leading 69-laps.
“We were the class of the field today – best car out there,” said Rasmussen. “It’s so frustrating because we should have won the race today.”
New up for the NTT IndyCar Series is the inaugural Java House Grand Prix of Arlington on Sunday, March 15 in Arlington, Texas. The temporary street circuit travels around AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, and Globe Life Field, the home of the Texas Rangers.
IndyCar
David Malukas wins first career IndyCar pole at Phoenix
AVONDALE, AZ (March 6, 2026) – David Malukas is on the pole position for Saturday’s NTT IndyCar Series Good Ranchers 250 at Phoenix Raceway.
Malukas’ two-lap qualifying average of 175.383 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet was just .1963-seconds quicker than teammate Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Xpel Chevrolet as Team Penske locked out the front row.
“I think the track got in our favor a little bit,” explained Malukas. “It seemed like it (track conditions) was getting a bit worse. It feels so good. What a way to start our Phoenix race day tomorrow.”
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing is off to a great start after locking out Row 2 with Graham Rahal posting the third fastest average at 173.993 in the No. 15 Fifth Third Bank Honda.
Rahal’s RLL teammate rookie Mick Schumacher – competing in his first-ever oval race – surprised everyone by qualifying fourth at 173.667 in the No. 47 Honda.
“We knew what we had to do, and we managed to put a good couple of laps together,” said Schumacher, who’s first IndyCar race ended early after being the innocent victim of a Lap 1 crash.
“I’m excited to run the race,” said Schumacher. “It’s going to be a whole different situation in the race with traffic and everything, so it’s going to be tough.”
A disappointing qualifying effort for Chip Ganassi Racing as defending series Champion Alex Palou lines up 10th on the grid in the No. 10 DHL Honda with Scott Dixon five spots behind at 15th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. Their teammate Kyffin Simpson starts 19th. Surprising for a team that tested at Phoenix.
Andretti Global’s Will Power crashed on his qualifying attempt continuing his early season struggles with his new team.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist did not make a qualifying attempt after crashing his SiriusXM Honda during the first practice.
Saturday’s Good Ranchers 250 will be televised by Fox and can be heard on the IndyCar Radio network starting at 3 p.m. ET

