IndyCar
Alex Palou dominates INDYCAR Million Dollar Challenge at Thermal
THERMAL, CA (March 24, 2024) – Alex Palou and his No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing team led every lap en route to victory in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Sprint for the Purse exhibition at The Thermal Club, claiming a cool $500,000 payday.
“Amazing to get the win, to get the money, just that feeling of winning again,” said Palou. “It’s what we needed.”
“Today was like a little Sunday drive out there in front all by himself,” said team owner Chip Ganassi. “He didn’t even break a sweat.”
Palou started on the pole position in the No. 10 Ridgeline Lubricants/DHL Honda and watched in his mirrors as his competitors elected to conserve tire wear on the dusty, sandy track in the hopes of challenging the reigning Series Champion in the second of two 10-lap segments.
“It’s always tough to try and manage the tires. ‘Am I doing too much? Am I not doing enough?’,” questioned Palou. “Honestly, once you saw during the main race, especially McLaughlin and Felix, were saving tires, I was like, Okay, that’s the best thing that they could have done for us.”
Palou cruised to a 5.7929-second victory over the No. 3 XPEL Team Penske Chevrolet of Scott McLaughlin, who earned $350,000 for his runner-up finish.
“The first 10 laps was about trying to get some position, which I did, to get to the second, maybe set myself up for a pass after the restart,” said McLaughlin. “Alex is a pretty smart driver, as we know. I knew he’d be doing exactly what I was doing. Ultimately I didn’t have enough pace for Alex either.
It is what it is. We’ll keep working. Alex has been fast all week and they deserve the win.”
Felix Rosenqvist finished third in just his second event with Meyer Shank Racing, taking home $250,000 for his efforts.
“I’m super happy we were able to have this week because it’s kind of been a mix of a race and a test for us, just trying different things, getting to know each other more,” explained Rosenqvist. “We’ve been quick, but I feel like every time we’re out there, we’re just learning something new. This has been a huge learning experience. Also some cash at the end of the day. Super proud of Meyer Shank Racing.”
Andretti Global’s Colton Herta took the tire saving to the extreme immediately taking it easy in the first 10-lap segment, where he finished 12-seconds behind Palou, but it paid off in the second segment as the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda restarted 9th and raced up to fourth.
“I think our strategy worked,” said Herta. “We were talking about it on pure pace, maybe we can move up six spots at most. If we get a little lucky and cars have some problems, but if we save the tires, we might get a little more. Obviously, the tire advantage was pretty big, so we were able to pick off everybody on the way up there.”
Palou’s teammates Marcus Armstrong finished fifth to pick up $50,000 for he and the No. 11 Ridgeline CGR Honda team and Linus Lundqvist finished sixth in the No. 8 American Legion Honda.
Missing from the CGR was Scott Dixon and the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda squad, who failed to transfer from the first heat race. Dixon made contact with Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Romain Grosjean on the opening lap and was penalized for avoidable contact. Dixon later apologized for the contact which caught him off-guard when Grosjean slowed earlier than expected.
The next points-paying NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday, April 21 on the streets of Long Beach, California.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (May 7, 2024) – Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Linus Lundqvist is looking to build on his career best finish last weekend at Barber as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES take to the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for this Saturday’s Sonsio Indy Grand Prix.
Lundqvist and the No. 8 American Legion Honda finished third at Barber Motorsports Park and feel that was just the beginning of things to come for the squad.
“Happy to see all the 8 crew getting together and getting a little bit of success,” said Lundqvist. “Obviously happy for the whole team. Obviously I wouldn’t say it was a regular occurrence the last couple years, but they’ve been up there multiple times. Now the next step is to try to bring them back to the top step.”
Lundqvist heads into this Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix having already raced on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway so the learning curve is not as steep as previous weekends.
“I think it’s just general comfort going back to a place where firstly I’ve had some history racing there in Indy Lights, did pretty well,” explains Lundqvist. “More so having an INDYCAR race under your belt on that track, you kind of know what to expect.”
Lundqvist realizes he is on a team deep with resources and talent but knows he doesn’t need to push the envelope so to speak.
“I’m still working through different setups for me to be 100% comfortable in,” said Lundqvist. “Right now, even if the car theoretically should be the fastest, I’m not really yet at the comfort level to drive it that way. You lose more out of the driver that you would potentially gain from the car, if you know what I mean. It’s about finding that sweet spot. As my confidence grows in the car, what I’m asking for, they can kind of follow along and hopefully spice things up.”
Lundqvist said his Ganassi team is not putting any extra pressure on him despite the success of that car the last few year when it was piloted by Marcus Ericsson.
“It’s a process,” said Lundqvist. “It’s a process that neither me or the team want to rush through. We’re not driving around at 90%, but it’s still not something that we’re overly stressed about. We know once everything clicks, we’ll be right up there.”
Part of the process is learning from those around him like his teammates, six-time series Champion Scott Dixon and two-time series Champion Alex Palou.
“The things I can learn from them is too long to touch on here,” said a smiling Lundqvist. “They have had tremendous success. I think they won both races here last year, with Alex in the spring, Scott at the second race. They know how to win around that place. Then obviously the data and the video. We’re going to chat to them and see what they did.”
A native of Sweden, Lundqvist is honored to be carrying the colors of the American Legion and promoting their message to ‘Be The One’ to help end Veteran suicide.
“I’m extremely proud to be representing the American Legion,” said Lundqvist. “It kind of comes from two aspects. Firstly, the American Legion livery, even though its short history in INDYCAR, has had tremendous success, won races, won championships. It’s very cool as a racing driver to kind of bring that forward.”
“Secondly, the mission,” explained Lundqvist. “Everything that American Legion works for, especially the mission ‘Be the One’, it’s something bigger than racing. At the end of the day you’re saving lives. I think that’s one of the greatest honors that one can have.”
Practice for the Sonsio Grand Prix takes place Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. with a second practice from 1:10 p.m. to 2:10 p.m. followed by three-rounds of knockout-style Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award at 4:20 p.m.
Saturday’s schedule features a morning warm-up from 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. followed by the Sonsio Grand Prix at 3 p.m. The race will be televised by NBC and can be heard on the INDYCAR Radio Network.
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.
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Borden Thrills at Port Royal; Robinson, Covert, and Hart also Score
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