IndyCar
Ganassi’s Felix Rosenqvist Racing For IndyCar Rookie-Of-The-Year Title
MONTEREY, CA (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist is looking to win the NTT IndyCar Series Rookie-Of-The-Year title at this weekend’s Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
Rosenqvist, 27, leads Dale Coyne Racing’s Santino Ferrucci by 26-points and Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta by 49-points in the rookie standing going into this weekend.
“It’s cool that there is a battle going on between Santino, Colton and I for Laguna,” said Rosenqvist. “I think Colton and I have had similar years where it took off a bit too fast, and then the reality of IndyCar struck us, and a change of approach was needed. I have definitely calmed down during the year, trying to take what’s there every weekend instead of forcing myself into errors trying to go for the top spot at any cost.”
Rosenqvist has earned the top spot in the rookie standings by virtue of nine top-10 finishes, which include five top-5 finishes. Rosenqvist currently sits eighth in the overall Championship standings.
“The speed has been there from the start, but it’s just so much more needed to take the points every weekend,” said Rosenqvist. “Speed alone will not give you success in this championship. Having raced all over the planet, I would say that IndyCar is the toughest beast yet to master for me.”
Rosenqvist is looking forward to racing at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. The Swede’s best performances this season have been on the permanent road courses. Rosenqvist has reeled off five consecutive top-10 finishes on the road courses including two runner-up finishes at Portland and Mid-Ohio.
“I’ve been on quite a streak on the road courses lately and I feel hungry for that first win and Laguna would be just the right place to get it done,” said Rosenqvist.
Rosenqvist is looking to become the first rookie of the year for CGR since Juan Pablo Montoya won the award in 1999, and fourth overall. Alex Zanardi (1996) and Eddie Cheever (1990) were the other winners for CGR.
“Being with Chip Ganassi Racing for my rookie season has been more helpful than anything,” said Rosenqvist. “The team has given me access to everything in order to become ready to win races. I think the field is so tight these days that literally anyone can be fast, but what CGR does differently is getting all the details right, and that’s why they normally come out on top.”
Track action gets underway on Thursday with a full-day test session from 12:15 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET. There will be two 45-minute practice sessions on Friday: 1:30 p.m. ET and 5:10 p.m. ET, a practice on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. ET and Firestone Fast Six Qualifying at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday’s 90-lap, 203.22-mile race will be televised live on NBC beginning with a pre-race show at 2:30 p.m. ET and the green flag waving at 3:15 p.m. The race can be heard on the Advance Auto Parts IndyCar Radio Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM 205, Sirius 98).
MOORESVILLE, NC (May 7, 2024) Team Penske has suspended four members involved in the push-to-pass cheating scandal including team President Tim Cindric.
Managing Director Ron Ruzewski, No. 2 Race Engineer Luke Mason and Senior Data Engineer Robbie Atkinson join Cindric on the sidelines for the next two NTT INDYCAR SERIES races, this weekend’s Sonsio Grand Prix on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES discovered that Team Penske installed software that bypassed the push-to-pass system at the season opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and stripped race-winner Josef Newgarden of the victory and third-place winner Scott McLaughlin of his podium finish. The Series said the software was discovered prior to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
INDYCAR’s subsequent investigation and penalties were announced prior to last week’s race at Barber Motorsports Park and the series said it was over and done with, but not for Penske.
Team Owner Roger Penske, who also owns the series and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, met with several team owners and team principals at Barber but apparently felt he needed to take further action.
“After a full and comprehensive analysis of the information, Team Penske has determined that there were significant failures in our processes and internal communications,” Team Penske said in a statement.
“I recognize the magnitude of whaat occurred and the impact it continues to have on the sport to which I’ve dedicated so many decades,” said Team Owner Roger Penske in the same statement. “Everyone at Team Penske along with our fans and business partners should know that I apologize for the errors that were made and I deeply regret them.”
LEEDS, AL (April 28, 2024) Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin put an emotional week in the rear-view mirror by winning Sunday’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix presented by AmFirst.
McLaughlin employed a three-stop, flat-out pedal to the floor strategy while several others attempted a two-stop strategy. McLaughlin’s move paid off with the victory, his second in-a-row at Barber.
McLaughlin, who led 58 of the 90 laps after earning the NTT P1 Award in qualifying Saturday, took the lead for the final time on Lap 76 after his final pit stop.
“Definitely one of my best drives in terms of execution and just knocking out the laps,” said McLaughlin, who had his third-place finish at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding stripped earlier in the week for illegal push-to-pass software and using it. “Very happy we could advance to the checkered flag there and bring home a W for Team Penske and for Roger (Penske).”
Will Power made it Team Penske 1-2 by finishing second in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet, 1.3194 seconds behind McLaughlin.
“It was a hard-fought 1-2 for Penske,” Power said. “We were certainly fast, but obviously a lot of strategy played into that. We were able to use our speed to come out in front again.”
Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist rounded out the podium by finishing third in the No. 8 American Legion Honda, the best finish of his young career.
“Man, it was amazing,” said Lundqvist of his sixth career start. “I think for the first time ever I was not on the save fuel strategy. I was not the one being passed, which was nice.”
The next race for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 11 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, which kicks off the Month of May activities at IMS culminating in the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26 on the IMS oval.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 24, 2024) Scott Dixon and the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing team are leading the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship standings after Team Penske was penalized for violating the series ‘push-to-pass’ parameters.
INDYCAR disqualified Josef Newgarden’s win and Scott McLaughlin’s third place finish in the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and docked Will Power 10-Championship points for the infractions.
Dixon’s epic win in this past Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach vaulted him into second position in the Championship standings, 12-points behind Newgarden. That changed following Wednesday’s penalties.
Dixon now holds a 2-point lead over Andretti Global’s Colton Herta and a 12-point lead over teammate and reigning INDYCAR Champion Alex Palou.
Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward sits in fourth position, 15-points back, following his elevation to winner at St. Pete. Power sits in fifth position, 20-points behind Dixon despite the 10-point reduction.
Dixon heads into this weekend’s Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park having never won at the picturesque 2.3-mile, 17-turn road course in Birmingham Alabama.
“Barber has been interesting,” said Dixon, a six-time series Champion. “Second six times. Never won there. The goal was always to try and step on the top step again.”
Dixon is hoping a recent test will help him park the No. 9 Honda in victory lane.
“We had a really good test at Barber,” added Dixon. “Only probably half of the grid did, so it will be interesting to see how that applies.”
The first 75-minute practice session gets underway on Friday from 2:40 p.m. to 3:55 p.m. and will be live-streamed on Peacock.
McLaughlin is the defending race winner.
Team Penske Suspends Cindric and Three Others Involved In Push-to-Pass Violation
Dewease and Hammaker Get First Wins for New Car Owners at Williams Grove Speedway
Mother Nature winning the weekend as local tracks cancel events
McLaughlin goes back-to-back at Barber Motorsports Park
Macri Gets Third Straight Kauffman Classic at Port Royal; Amantea and Craig Perigo Also Score
Borden Thrills at Port Royal; Robinson, Covert, and Hart also Score
Team Penske Penalized for St. Pete Infractions. Newgarden Stripped Of Win
Historic Stock Cars to run at Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix
Spithaler, Norris, Krummert, and Christian Schneider take Opening Night Wins at Lernerville Speedway
