IndyCar
Scott Dixon Vying For Sixth INDYCAR Championship
St. Petersburg, FL (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon is racing towards his sixth NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship at this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Dixon, who has led the points standings since the start of the year, holds a 32-point lead over Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden going into Sunday’s race on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary course that runs through the streets of St. Petersburg and a section of the Albert Whitted Airport.
“As always, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points title comes down to the last race,” said Dixon, a five-time series Champion.
This is the 17th INDYCAR race on the streets of St. Petersburg and the first time that the Championship will be decided at the track. The temporary street circuit routinely hosts the season-opening race and has done so since 2011 but was cancelled earlier this year due to the Coronavirus.
Newgarden is the defending race winner and the defending series Champion. Newgarden also won the Championship in 2017.
“It’s going to certainly be a tough battle with Scott Dixon this weekend because he has been so strong and consistent all year,” said Dixon. “We can’t afford to make mistakes, so strategy and execution will be critical. We feel really good with the momentum we have right now, but you can never count out a guy like Dixon.”
Getting a win at St. Petersburg has been a challenge for Dixon, who has never won at the circuit but has four runner-up finishes including last year.
It’s also been a challenge for Dixon to get the No. 9 Honda up front as of late. Dixon opened the season with three straight wins but has been in a bit of a tailspin since spinning out at Mid-Ohio in August. Dixon has seen his points lead fall from as many as 117 to 32.
“It was definitely a trying last few race weekends between Mid-Ohio and Indy,” said Dixon. “I’m still mad at myself for making that mistake at Mid-Ohio and letting those points get away. For whatever reason, we were just struggling to get comfortable with the balance of the car the last few races and that’s one of the key things we’ll be working on for St. Petersburg.”
Qualifying takes place at 3 p-m on Saturday with the race Sunday at 2:30 p.m. on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
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.
Riggs rules New Hampshire, Ankrum survives to claim final Chase berth
Alex Palou powers to IndyCar Freedom 250 Pole Position in D.C.
Spithaler Sprints to Mercer Win
Newlywed Reft Wins At PPMS
Logano Wins at Richmond as Chase Picture Takes Shape
Michael Norris wins his 5th Jook George Steel City Classic
Kvapil Hangs On To Win Pennzoil 250 in Top-Four Sweep by JR Motorsports
Newlywed Reft Wins At PPMS
Troutman Gets First Win For Foster In Schaltenbrand Memorial At Lernerville; Cipriano, Flick, and Schneider Also Win.
