Showing posts with label Alex Palou. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Palou. Show all posts

Monday, July 28, 2025

Maximum Points Effort By Palou Almost Closes Out A Historic 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

Java House Grand Prix of Monterey race start on full send. Image Credit: Ralph Garcia - Motorsports Journal (2025)

Maximum Points Effort By Palou Almost Closes Out A Historic 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

To be clear, at the beginning of this 13th race of a 17 race season at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, there was a small chance at having the balance of the 2025 season have an actual fight for points to close this season out. 

With a maximum points effort by the chief challenger to points leader and winner of 7 races in 12 events (already an unheard of level in dominance during the car specific formula era) Chip Ganassi Racing's driver of the No. 10 DHL Honda Alex Palou, Pato O'Ward, driving the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, sitting 99 points behind in this achievement tally, would need to score every point available this weekend while Palou would have to finish on down the order. 

Total points available can be pretty confusing to some so here’s how the points system works in a race, explained as if we’re discussing it over a business lunch (with a couple of beers and a decent burger - medium-rare). If you win the race, you earn 50 points - a significant reward. Second place secures 40 points, and third place takes 35. The points then decrease gradually by a varying point margin, with 25th place and beyond receive a locked-in 5 points each for participation. This structure encourages fierce competition while still recognizing everyone who finishes.

To further motivate bold and strategic driving, additional points are available. Secure pole position, and you gain 1 extra point. Lead at least one lap, and you earn yet another 1 point. If you lead the most laps in a race, you’ll add 2 points to your tally. These bonuses emphasize the value of strong qualifying and calculated race execution. Clear enough?

Maximum effort points for a win? Start from P1 earned during the three round knockout qualifications structure - one point | lead a lap - one point | lead most laps - two points | win the race is fifty points ... so we are lookin' at 54 points. 

If Pato O'Ward was able to make these final four races of the season a championship points race, he would need Maximum Points effort of 54 points for all four races to garner 216 points. Then Pato needs Alex Palou to not earn 99 points over these next four races. So - 98 divided by 4 equals 24.75 points on a pure mathematical average - Alex needs to finish P6 or better without any bonus points. 

Ed Carpenter Racing's Alexander Rossi in his No. 20 Java House Chevrolet taking the drop into Turn 8b, the Corkscrew, with the Pacific Ocean under a fog bank off on the horizon, during knockout qualifications at the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey. Image Credit: ECR via FB/META (2025) 

Welcome to the newly sponsored Java House Grand Prix of Monterey held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca - where the rubber meets the now worked in and weathered track surface laid down before the 2023 season that is getting back to the "go-kart" feel of the original track surface.

“It's looking a little bit more like older Laguna Seca, which I like,” said Andretti Global driver Colton Herta, the 2019 and 2021 winner, to RACER. “I think it opens up the passing a lot more, and the raceability of the racetrack is going to be a lot better. It seems like there's more deg [degradation] than previous years by a good chunk."


<<< to be continued >>>





Only three races remain:






... notes from The EDJE








TAGS: INDYCAR 2025, Alex Palou, Pato O'Ward, Chip Ganassi Racing, Arrow McLaren, WeatherTech Raceway, points chase, maximum effort, championship fight, race points, Java House Grand Prix of Monterey, The EDJE

Monday, July 21, 2025

Palou’s Dominance And Power’s Contract Drama: The 2025 INDYCAR Season Unfolds Post R13 Toronto

2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season winds down with only four races - two dedicated road courses and two oval tracks - left to decide who's best and who's left. Interesting to see the teams in the top 10 in the points championship shows Ganassi Racing, Arrow McLaren, Andretti Global, and Meyer Shank Racing each with two drivers where Team Penske has only one and the surprise showing of AJ Foyt Racing also with one driver in the ranking. This observation leaves Ed Carpenter Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, and first season PREMA Racing out swinging and scratching their heads as to what do they need to do to be a Top 10 competitor. Image Credit: NICS Screengrab via FB/META (2025)

Palou’s Dominance And Power’s Contract Drama: The 2025 INDYCAR Season Unfolds Post R13 Toronto

With only four races remaining in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the championship battle has taken an intriguing turn following the Toronto event. Alex Palou holds a commanding lead with 536 points, positioning him as the frontrunner for a potential three-peat and a fourth title. A recent analysis from the Motorsports and Car Culture Committee of the MPG suggests that Pato O'Ward, trailing by 99 points, faces a steep challenge to overtake Palou, needing victories in all remaining races - each worth 50 points - while Palou finishes 12th or worse, a scenario deemed highly improbable by Motorsports Journal Managing Editor Edmund Jenks.

SELFIE ... Podium Style! Winner of the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto Arrow McLaren driver Pato O'Ward grabs a phone and snaps the picture with P2 Dale Coyne Racing's Rinus Veekay and P3 Chip Ganassi Racing's (first podium) Kyffin Simpson. Image Credit NICS via FB/META (2025)

The standings underscore Palou’s consistency, with O'Ward and Kyle Kirkwood, 173 points back, struggling to close the gap. Scott Dixon, 174 points adrift, and Christian Lundgaard, 219 points behind, also appear out of contention barring extraordinary circumstances. Critics argue that Palou’s lead, bolstered by Chip Ganassi Racing’s strategic prowess, makes his championship defense nearly unassailable. O’Ward’s Arrow McLaren team will need flawless execution and a significant dip in Palou’s form to shift this momentum, a feat that seems unlikely with the season winding down.

Will Power does not seem too concerned about his chances at keeping another year on contract with Team Penske while delivering the most consistent performance season of any Team Penske driver in 2025. Image Credit: Christopher Owens via FB/META (2025) 

Adding intrigue to the season is a subplot surrounding Will Power’s future with Team Penske. With his current contract nearing its end, Power’s position is under scrutiny, especially as rumors swirl about David Malukas as a potential replacement for 2026 - with four races left in 2025, Power is at 263 points vs Malukas at 259 points. This uncertainty has heightened the stakes for Power, who must prove his worth in the final races held at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Portland International Raceway, Milwaukee Mile, and the finale held in Nashville at Nashville Superspeedway to secure a new deal.

Despite the pressure, Power has emerged as Team Penske’s most consistent and highest points-scoring driver in 2025, again, amassing 263 points - 24 points ahead of teammate Scott McLaughlin, who stands at 239 - and DNF season-prone Josef Newgarden at 213. This unexpected dominance has fueled speculation about whether Power can leverage his performance to sway the team’s decision, adding a layer of tension to the championship narrative - with the backdrop of Team Penske rule-breaking that led to firings at the top level of management - as the driver market chatter intensifies.

Much more champagne has to flow on O'Ward at P1 in the next four races for this season's championship to become an actual points race as long as Palou runs and finishes down in double digit positions (which is very doubtful, at best). Image Credit: Christopher Owens via FB/META (2025) 

As the season heads into its final stretch on July 21, 2025, the focus remains split between Palou’s seemingly inevitable title and the off-track drama surrounding Power. With only four races left, the combination of on-track competition and contract negotiations promises a dramatic conclusion to an already compelling INDYCAR season.


Practice for the Java House Grand Prix of Monterey at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca kicks off on Friday at 5 p.m. ET (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), marking the 14th of 17 races in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The 95-lap race, a critical event with only four races remaining, is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. on FOX. A Spanish-language telecast will also be available on FOX Deportes, adding to the anticipation as the championship battle intensifies.

... notes from The EDJE


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TAGS: Alex Palou, Pato O'Ward, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, #IndyCarOnFOX, Will Power, Team Penske, David Malukas, 2025 season, Toronto event, Chip Ganassi Racing, Arrow McLaren, Scott McLaughlin, contract negotiations, #motorsports, racing analysis, The EDJE

Wednesday, July 16, 2025

INDYCAR's Kyle Kirkwood Eyes Victory At Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto

Kyle Kirkwood soon after he captured the NTT P1 Pole Award for the 2025 Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach. As stated by Kyle before AGPLB weekend, "Long Beach has been one of the best tracks for Andretti Global. I think Toronto and Detroit are starting to grow on that. Street courses in general, really, really good. Long Beach has been a top one for the team. We're always excited. That place just produces a lot of good energy with the amount of fans, et cetera, et cetera." Image Credit: Ralph Garcia (2025)

INDYCAR's Kyle Kirkwood Eyes Victory At Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto

As the NTT INDYCAR SERIES gears up for its final street course event of the 2025 season, the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood expressed high confidence during a ZOOM press conference held on Wednesday, July 16. Fresh off a challenging weekend in Iowa, the 26-year-old driver is eager to leverage his team’s street course prowess and chase a third victory of the season on the iconic streets of Toronto.

Kirkwood, who finished as the runner-up to teammate Colton Herta in last year’s Toronto race, highlighted the team’s dominance at the event in 2024. “Colton was fastest in every single session all the way up to the race,” Kirkwood noted, recalling Andretti Global’s 1-2 finish. “We had a lot of control at this place.” With two street course wins already in 2025, Kirkwood sees Toronto as a prime opportunity to close out the season’s street circuit schedule on a high note.

Motorsport Journal's Edmund Jenks asked a couple of pre-Toronto race weekend questions that went as follows:


Motorsports Journal: I know this seems to be like flogging a talking point. This is now the second year that the hybrid will be at Toronto. I wanted to get your reflection on the nuances of working the hybrid system and the re-gen and how that works out at Toronto. Do you feel it gives you any advantages?

KYLE KIRKWOOD: Certainly it's a new aspect for drivers and teams to get right. It's created in no doubts some headaches for us trying to figure it out. The good team does it well, right? I think we did it really well last year. We clearly got a handle on it.

This year I haven't seen numbers, but I'm sure they increase the energy limit that you can have for a given lap. That means we will need to change up the strategy a little bit so you can utilize it the best way.

It's still a work in progress, we're still building, figuring out as much as we can about the system.

Honestly, I love it. I think it's a good thing that there's something new in the series and we're building on it and we have to focus on it. It is worth quite a bit of lap time to get it right.

It is very driver-involved. Yes, the team can get it right, they can tell me what to do, but if I don't get it right in the car, if I do something wrong, that means I'm hurting everybody in general, right?

It's created a fun dynamic that the team has to figure it out, then the driver still has to apply it and learn how to use it themselves.

Now we're, what, a year and a bit in since we first had it. I'd say we've gotten a really good handle on it and it will be interesting to see how it plays out this weekend with the added energy.

Motorsports Journal: You seem to do really well with street courses, hybrid and everything. Seems like you have it all melded in. Good drivers love to watch other good drivers do well. You want to applaud them, recognizing how a season like Alex Palou is having, you have to applaud it because it is so tremendous. How much super glue will it take to keep him out about two races so that this becomes a points race again?

KYLE KIRKWOOD: He's really strong. I don't know. You might have to weld him to something. I'm not sure if super glue is going to stop him.

I'm sure we can get a bunch of drivers together to lock him in a room or something for a weekend. I don't think that's going to do much in this championship race.

Motorsports Journal: It's going to take ... some violence?

KYLE KIRKWOOD: Again, to your point, as racing drivers, we like to see each other succeed. Of course, we don't want to see failures within ourselves. In some ways when somebody's doing something like Palou has done, it's an incredible thing. I think maybe the viewers don't recognize as much as they should of what somebody like that is doing in this series.

In most case scenarios, what we've done this season prior to Iowa would be an amazing championship run. We'd be leading the championship in most seasons. This season he's just done something incredible, right?

I think people shouldn't look at it as a negative, like it's making it boring. That's not the case. What you're witnessing is greatness in action. We're doing everything we can to try and come back to him, which we've done a good job to do, but it still hasn't been enough.

Yeah, it's incredible. So in many ways, yeah, it would be nice if he took a couple weekends off and we can come back to him. You know what, I love racing. I think he's a wonderful person. I hope we have a lot of good races in the future with each other.
ENDS

While Kyle Kirkwood enters INDY Toronto at P4 (-180 points) in the season championship points race with only five more races to run, Kyle hope to stand atop the podium and spray champagne as he did here at the season's most admired street race weekend on the streets of Long Beach as it celebrated its 50th year of "Rites Of Spring" motorsports contest. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal (2025)

Representing this weekend with Silver Gold Bull (full livery on track), a Canadian company partnered with Andretti Global, Kirkwood expressed enthusiasm for the alignment. “It’s a cool alliance,” he said. “This clearly makes a ton of sense for them given that it is in Canada. It will be exciting to try to go for another win with them.” The partnership, now over a year strong, adds extra motivation for Kirkwood to perform in front of the Canadian crowd.


Despite a disappointing outing in Iowa, where a crash and a poorly timed caution derailed his weekend, Kirkwood remains undeterred. “Last weekend was an anomaly for us,” he admitted, acknowledging the 180-point gap to championship leader Alex Palou. “That seems unattainable from this point, but as long as it’s mathematically possible to beat him, we’re going to keep trying to get wins.” Kirkwood emphasized the importance of moving forward, focusing on Toronto’s potential to be Andretti’s “best event of the year.”

The Toronto street circuit, with its unique blend of different pavements and slick conditions, presents a challenge Kirkwood likened to a hockey rink. “Every corner gives you a different balance,” he said. “It’s a fun place to drive… It seems impossible to pass, but you get on the front or back straight, and it creates really good passing opportunities.” Andretti’s strong track record at street courses like Long Beach, St. Petersburg, Detroit, and Toronto fuels Kirkwood’s optimism, with the team’s data-driven preparation and simulator work setting the stage for a competitive weekend.

Kirkwood also reflected on the team’s progress under the leadership of owner Dan Towriss. “Dan and everyone around him has kind of taken the bull by the horns,” he said, playfully nodding to Silver Gold Bull. “That is the reason why we’ve been good at so many races this season.” Towriss’s hands-on approach, including strategic meetings to bolster the team’s championship aspirations, has elevated Andretti Global’s performance, making them a “force to be reckoned with.”

The dynamic within the Andretti driver lineup - Kirkwood, Herta, and Marcus Ericsson - further strengthens their prospects. “We love to see each other succeed,” Kirkwood said, dismissing any notions of rivalry. “We share it all. That’s what propels us forward.” This collaborative spirit was evident in last year’s Toronto race, where the team prioritized a 1-2 finish over individual glory.

Looking ahead, Kirkwood acknowledged the strategic challenges posed by the extended race distance and the limitations of the alternate street course tire, which offers high grip but limited durability. “Getting nailed down, trying to run the best strategy with that, hoping it’s not a lottery… We’re going to try to turn what might be a challenge hopefully into a positive for us,” he said.

Beyond the track, Kirkwood expressed his affection for Toronto, praising its culture, food, and vibrant atmosphere. “I love going to Toronto,” he said. “The city is great. The food is phenomenal. It’s definitely high on the bucket list.” With dinner plans at some of the city’s top restaurants, Kirkwood is set to enjoy the off-track experience as much as the on-track action.

As the only international race on the INDYCAR calendar, Toronto holds a special place, though Kirkwood deferred to series officials on the prospect of adding more global events. “I love the races that we go to now,” he said. “I don’t understand the dynamics or anything that goes into racing at a new venue out of the country.”

With his sights set on a P1 finish, Kirkwood’s preparation blends rigorous data analysis with the physical demands of an athlete. “It’s important that you feed yourself like an athlete because you want to perform like an athlete,” he said, underscoring the sport’s intensity. After a season of highs, like his Detroit win, and lows, like Iowa, Kirkwood views Toronto as a potential turning point to finish the 2025 season strong.


As Andretti Global rolls into Toronto with unmatched confidence, Kirkwood and his teammates are poised to capitalize on their street course dominance. With the support of Silver Gold Bull and the leadership of Dan Towriss, Kirkwood aims to add another chapter to Andretti’s storied history at Exhibition Place, proving that even in a season dominated by Alex Palou, Andretti Global remains a formidable contender.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global, Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Street Course, Silver Gold Bull, Colton Herta, Dan Towriss, Toronto Street Circuit, INDYCAR 2025, Alex Palou, Team Dynamics, Championship Race, Iowa Crash, Detroit Win, The EDJE

Monday, May 26, 2025

NTT INDYCAR Hybrid Re-Gen Punch Reveals Insights During Indy 500 Qualifications

Alex Palou - 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Day After Photoshoot. Image Credit: Travis Hinkle via Penske Entertainment (2025)

NTT INDYCAR Hybrid Re-Gen Punch Reveals Insights During Indy 500 Qualifications

The 2025 Indianapolis 500 qualifications, spanning nearly 40 hours and involving 34 cars, provided the first real-world insights into the performance and strategic implications of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ new hybrid regeneration system. The weekend’s intense sessions highlighted how the electric hybrid power unit influences racing dynamics, challenging initial assumptions and revealing its nuanced role in competition.

Throughout the qualifications, the hybrid system’s additional 70+ horsepower was a focal point for FOX Sports commentators Will Buxton, James Hinchcliffe, and Townsend Bell. They frequently speculated that the extra power could propel drivers into the top 12 positions or the Firestone Fast Six, potentially overtaking competitors by boosting lap speeds. 

However, the flogging of this performance expectation was repeatedly unmet. Even when drivers posted competitive first laps, the hybrid’s power deployment did not consistently deliver the anticipated speed surges to climb/overtake in the order, prompting a reevaluation of its impact.

Robert Shwartzman - Indianapolis 500 Front Row Photo Shoot - Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2025)

In a post-qualifications interview, FOX Sports race announcer Will Buxton offered deeper perspective after speaking with drivers, particularly the top two qualifiers: veteran Takuma Sato and rookie Robert Shwartzman.

He found that despite Sato’s extensive INDYCAR experience and Shwartzman’s lack of oval racing background, both secured the front row, showcasing the hybrid system’s adaptability. Shwartzman revealed that he and Sato opted for higher downforce setups, prioritizing car stability over minimal drag. This approach allowed them to maintain precise control, extracting performance through “fingertip feel” rather than pushing the car to its limits with a looser, riskier setup.

Takuma Sato - Indianapolis 500 Front Row Photo Shoot - Image Credit: Titus Slaughter via Penske Entertainment (2025)

Buxton noted that most drivers adopted a similar hybrid deployment strategy during qualifications, using a gradual trickle of power across each lap. Sato, however, deviated slightly, hinting at a unique approach that contributed to his pole position. The real intrigue, Buxton emphasized, lies in how the hybrid system will influence race day strategy. Unlike the Push-to-Pass system, which provided a temporary horsepower boost, the hybrid’s regenerative energy can be accumulated by lifting off the throttle, particularly in traffic, and deployed strategically on straights or out of corners.

This dynamic introduces a strategic layer reminiscent of Formula 1’s Drag Reduction System (DRS). The race leader, unable to regenerate energy as effectively as trailing cars, may become vulnerable to overtakes. Conversely, drivers in the pack can leverage recharged energy for bursts of speed, potentially reshaping race dynamics. 

“This is a step into the unknown,” Buxton remarked, underscoring that none of the 33 drivers have raced with this system before on a superspeedway oval, making the 2025 Indy 500 groundbreaking in the reliability and advantage functions of the Hybrid-Powered Dallara platform.

Compared to previous performance-enhancing racing technologies like F1’s DRS or INDYCAR’s Push-to-Pass, the hybrid regeneration system appears less transformative in delivering raw speed. Its primary benefits seem to lie in mitigating tire degradation and managing weight distribution, subtly enhancing car balance rather than providing a dramatic power advantage.

Alex Palou & Family at the yard of bricks start/finish line of Indianapolis Motor Speedway  - 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Day After Photoshoot - Image Credit: Chris Owens via Penske Entertainment (2025)

Following the Indy 500, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou emerged victorious, solidifying his dominance in the 2025 season. After six races of the 17-race championship, Palou, the only driver since A.J. Foyt in 1979 to win five of the first six races, has clearly mastered the hybrid regeneration system’s subtle advantages, leveraging its strategic nuances to claim his first oval race and INDY 500 crown to further cement his legacy in INDYCAR’s hybrid era. 

Proving, that, ultimately, the driver controls the outcome of his own finish.


With his closest competitor of Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward at -112 point deficit, Alex Palou is well on his way - with 306 points in six of seventeen races scheduled - to a fourth INDYCAR SERIES Championship in five years (2021, 2023, 2024). 

Welcome the Hybrid-Powered age of NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship season racing.

Post Script >>>

Pato O'Ward has an opinion on the real value of HYBRID-Powered engines in NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing. O'Ward in the pits at the Chevrolet Grand Prix Of Detroit - Image Credit: Aaron Skillman via NICS (2025)













TAGS: NTT INDYCAR SERIES, hybrid regeneration system, #INDY500, #IndyCarOnFOX, #HYBRID, Re-Gen Punch, Pato O'Ward, Alex Palou, The EDJE

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

FOX TV Reveals Shiny New Toy Of INDYCAR During Super Bowl LIX

 

Super Bowl LIX Fox Sports ad campaign is artistic, informative and just a little bit edgy and most everyone likes it. Image Composite: Edmund Jenks via NICS (2025)


FOX TV Reveals Shiny New Toy Of INDYCAR During Super Bowl LIX

In front of the largest crowd of viewers ever recorded by the venerable ratings organization, Nielsen - rated at 126 million viewers, FOX TV revealed, as if they were running the auctions in Arizona by removing a car cover with flair, their biggest commitment to motor culture in 2025 - the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

In an evening that could have been marked through its disappointments of lopsided score - niche market music performer missing the ability to seize the audience - lack of buzz-worthy $8 Million per 30 second commercials & etc., FOX TV promotions department previewed and made a star out of its recent season long broadcast rights agreement with Penske Entertainment and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.


The NTT INDYCAR SERIES emerged as one of the biggest winners of this weekend's FOX Sports Super Bowl broadcast, thanks to a series of high-impact, well written, and tightly produced three-spot ad campaign. The campaign, which introduced the open-wheel racing series to a much broader sports & culture focused audience, was widely praised by fans and industry insiders alike.

What was one of the most noticeable aspects of the campaign theme was that there was a heavy focus on capturing the unique personalities of the racers, highlighting their extraordinary skill, courage, and commitment, wrapped in the tagline, "The Fastest Racing on Earth," reinforcing IndyCar’s identity as a premier professional motorsports spectacle. The commercials were truly engaging even if one was not originally a motor culture maven.


The campaign's success coincides with a major shift in IndyCar’s broadcast landscape, as Roger Penske and Mark Miles secured a landmark all-network deal with FOX beginning this year here in 2025. This agreement is expected to significantly elevate the sport’s visibility and accessibility, positioning it for a new era of growth.

The campaign also stands out for its strategic execution across multiple platforms, including broadcast, web, and social media. It marks a significant step forward in IndyCar’s marketing efforts, reminiscent of past high-profile campaigns. Industry veterans who have been involved in IndyCar advertising and marketing since the early 1990s noted the effectiveness of the new approach, comparing it to earlier efforts that celebrated the emotional projection of the sport.


Now that this marker has been set, it would be immensely enjoyable to have this approach and assets applied to not only the drivers in the series, but to have it applied to the other two stars of this most dynamic set of trials over the course of a championship season - racing platform technology & racing venues and the styles of team effort it takes to compete at this level on temporary street circuits, dedicated road courses, small and high-speed endurance oval tracks.

If a little bit is good, more is better ... as we look forward with anticipation to seeing more content, revealed with flair, from this group of very talented communications artists at FOX Sports and their collaborators Special Group.

... notes from The EDJE


P.S.
One suspects that since FOX TV owned the rights to broadcasting the Super Bowl, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES ads, produced by the creative team at FOX Sports and Special Group, were aired for free.


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TAGS: FOX TV, FOX Sports, Special Group Agency, NTT, INDYCAR SERIES, Championship, Pato O'Ward, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Super Bowl LIX, The EDJE


Monday, May 30, 2022

Chip Ganassi Racing Defines Tour-De-Force At The 106th Running Of The INDY500

Post 3-Round Qualifications at the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race for 2022 - from left to right - Defending 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion, Alex Palou, 7-Time NASCAR Champion/retiree and INDY500 Rookie Jimmie Johnson, 6-Time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion and NTT P1 Pole Award winner for the 106th Running of the INDY500 Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing team owner Chip Ganassi, NTT INDYCAR retiree NTT INDYCAR Champion/INDY500 Winner Tony Kanaan, Formula 1 retiree and second year CGR team driver (and 2022 winner of the INDY500) Marcus Ericsson. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment via FB/META (2022)

Chip Ganassi Racing Defines Tour-De-Force At The 106th Running Of The INDY500

In a motorsports event environment that has recently become the cornerstone in what can be termed "The House Of Penske", the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Memorial Day weekend, played host to one of the strongest showings in team work and performance to be witnessed during The Greatest Spectacle In Racing.


Swede. former Formula 1 driver, and third year Chip Ganassi Racing's Marcus Ericsson became the second person of Swedish decent to win the Indianapolis 500 in the one-hundred and twelve year history of this 106th 500 mile challenge. 

Chip Ganassi Racing's second year driver from Sweden, Marcus Ericsson, pours the winner's milk over himself in celebration on left ... on right, former Chip Ganassi Racing's driver from Sweden, Kenny Brach, congratulates a student he mentored throughout his career. Image Credit: Foto: TT via FB/META (2022)

Many may remember the name of Kenny Brach from the open wheel days of the IRL (Indianapolis Racing League) and CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) sanctioning bodies during the late 1990's. While driving for A. J. Foyt during his second year with the team, after capturing an IRL Series Season Championship in 1998, Kenny won the 1999 83rd Running Of The Indianapolis 500.

It turns out that Kenny was also a person of great influence through the early years in the pursuits of Marcus Ericsson as a race car driver through Karting, and later through conversations about driving the oval races in America. Further, it is noted that during his career, he was a driver on a Chip Ganassi Racing team in 2002 along with Bruno Junqueira, Jeff Ward, and amazingly ... Scott Dixon.

In the 2022 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Press Conference, Marcus was able to field a congratulatory ZOOM Call participation from Kenny where Marcus shared that while he languished racing with the uncompetitive teams in F1, he felt that he would love to race in INDYCAR because it was more competitive and that he was comfortable with the very high-speed corners presented throughout the circuits they raced on in F1, more so than many of the other drivers he competed with. He always imagined to himself that he might be good at oval racing if given a decent chance to grow and learn.

The team work on display from Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) showed itself all during this month of May from each of the five drivers and teams entered in the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. 

Chip Ganassi Racing Brain Trust Post-Race Press Conference - Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi, & Mike O'Gara

The other members of the CGR Team begins with the other three full-time drivers that include six-time NTT INDYCAR Series Champion and INDY500 winner (2008) Scott Dixon, defending 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series Champion Alex Palou, second-year and seven-time NASCAR Series Champion (coming out of retirement to learn to race in INDYCAR including the INDY500) Jimmie Johnson, then the addition of a one-race specialist entrant - past NTT INDYCAR Series Champion and INDY500 winner Tony Kanaan. 

The style and intention of these professionals ... as a functioning team as opposed to five separate and singular units ... showed itself in how evenly matched the performance of the drivers, as a group, throughout the 6-Practices and the 3-Rounds of qualifications to set the 33 car field. 

No other team, as a group, represented themselves better. After all, CGR captured the NTT P1 Pole Position Award through having Scott Dixon post the fastest four lap qualifications speed to capture the pole starting position (his fifth) recorded in the 106th running history of the INDY500 event at 234.046mph.followed by his teammate Alex Palou at 233.499mph which, in itself, came very close to Scott Brayton's run of 233.718 set in 1996 that had been the fastest four lap qualifications speed for pole position recorded until 2022.

The fastest four-lap qualifying style run of all time at Indy, was set by Arie Luyendyk, also in 1996, although because this run was not set on Pole Day, Luyendyk was only able to post a speed that earned him a 21st position on the grid.

Jimmie Johnson came close to earning the distinction of "Rookie Of The Year" for the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. He led laps and ran high in the order before his late RED Flag crash. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Paul Hurley (2022)

Before the race, in practice and through qualifications, all five CGR cars and the group that supported them set performance speeds that had them at the top of the 33 car field as a consistent dominate force to a level that may never be matched. Combined Practice (6 sessions) CGR drivers were Dixon P2, Johnson P3, Palou P4, Ericsson P9, Kanaan P20. Qualifications ended with Dixon P1, Palou P2, Ericsson P5, Kanaan P6, Johnson P12.

During the race, especially throughout the first couple of pitstops, it looked as though the two leading drivers of CGR would just go out and control the race through swapping the lead with each other to save fuel and maintain field pace. First Dixon would be in the lead a few laps, then Palou would pass and tow Dixon for a few laps, then Dixon would tow Palou, and so on, and so on. Nothing is predictable here at this 112 year old motor culture and event center facility, however.

Alex Palou gave up his early race leading performance on an unforced timing error having to do with rules governing Full Course YELLOW Flag pitlane closures. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Matt Fraver (2022)

The first chink in this seemingly perfect strategy came on Lap 68 when Callum Illot driving the No. 77 Chevrolet-Powered Juncos Hollinger Racing Dallara hit the wall on an unforced driving error (the second incident at this same corner, Corner 2 - Rinus VeeKay driving the No. 21 Chevrolet-Powered Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara spun on Lap 39) setting up an opportune time to pit for the field leading Alex Palou. The problem here was that Palou was force to drive through since the Full Course YELLOW Flag dropped just feet before the No. 9 of Alex Palou was able to cross the limit line that defines pitlane, having the Pits be closed to all cars during a full course caution period for safety purposes. On the next lap around, the No. 9 car was so low on fuel, Alex had to come in for a splash sending him to the back of the field for restart on Lap 77.

This left Scott Dixon at the front of the field without a team mate to perform this cooperative strategy of swapping the lead. Conor Daly, driving in a competitive Chevrolet-Powered Ed Carpenter Racing prepared car, did step up a couple of times, but realized that, when leading, he was giving a fuel mileage tow advantage to the Honda-Powered GCR prepared car.

The next issue in preventing a Chip Ganassi Racing team victory came on another driver error, this one forced, when Scott Dixon came in for his final pitstop on Lap 175. Scott came in over the limit line too fast and violated the pitlane speed limit that is allowed within the whole of the pitlane and after getting his car serviced, Dixon had to drive around a full lap then come through pitlane again, as a drive-through penalty, forcing Dixon to rejoin the field one-lap down, at or near the back on Lap 177.

Now what? 

After the field performed its pitstops, this left the lead first to Pato O'Ward for two laps, then CGR team mate Tony Kanaan for five laps, then another CGR team mate Alex Palou for three laps, then interrupted by Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti for three laps, then back to a dual CGR team mate stint run until the end of the race with Jimmie Johnson (the only Rookie to lead laps in this race) for two laps, and finally Marcus Ericsson for the final 11 laps. 


Marcus Ericsson in champion vanity shoot with hat, wreath, and Borg Warner trophy at the yard of bricks station - well earned. As Mike Hull, Managing Director of Chip Ganassi Racing, observed during the post-race press conference, "It's really difficult to teach somebody to win. There's a lot of race drivers that say if this, if that. This guy doesn't say 'if'. He said, Let's work together and make it happen." Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Doug Mathews (2022)

Were it not for a late race crash for Jimmie Johnson that brought out a Lap 195 RED Flag and set up the final dash to the end of 200 laps, Jimmie Johnson may have been named "Rookie Of The Year" for finishing high and leading laps. Again, the team work and domination by CGR was "in everyone's senses/face." This was truly a "all hands on deck" team effort.


In the end, the team effort displayed by the personnel in support of five drivers and cars had each of the drivers lead laps and lead the vast majority of laps during the 200 Lap affair at leading a total of 163 Laps in the eventual winning of the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. Scott Dixon walks away as the driver to lead the most laps, at 655, in the overall history in the 106 races run over the 112 years this 500 mile test has been held.

When it comes to Chip Ganassi Racing's Marcus Ericsson P1, Tony Kanaan P3, Alex Palou P9, Scott Dixon P21, and Jimmie Johnson P28 ... Tour-De-Force in team work and effort sums this Memorial Day motor culture tradition quite nicely, n'est-ce pas?

UPDATE From American Legion  (click GETTR image) 
[As Suggested/Almost Predicted Here At The EDJE]


... notes from The EDJE

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Post Script:


During the 2022 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Press Conference which was additionally attended by writers on a virtual ZOOM Call, Tony Kanaan also mentioned that his car was also a best of the field at the end, just not enough to pass Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward or Tony's CGR team mate Marcus Ericsson, but that he had placed himself in the best possible position to win his second INDY500 ... all it would take would be a bump, a cut tire, a two car accident into the wall and there he sat in P3 with a lead against the field to cross the Start/Finish Line and "Yard Of Bricks" to deliver Chip Ganassi Racing its fifth (5th) Indianapolis 500 victory in it's history of competition. 

TRANSCRIPT:
Q. With two laps to go, restart, the Indy 500 victory is right there in front of you, all you got to do is pass this guy. What is it like in the cockpit, in your head, to have that kind of shot and come up short?

PATO O'WARD: You clinch. You clinch a lot every corner (smiling), yeah (smiling).

Q. That's it?

PATO O'WARD: You go flat and you hope to God the car doesn't snap.

Q. How about you, Tony?

TONY KANAAN: I had the best seat in the house. I'm like, C'mon, Pato, go, go, go.

PATO O'WARD: You liar (laughter).

TONY KANAAN: If you guys crash, I would win (laughter). Go, go. May be my teammate, but I didn't take him out (laughter).

He's smart enough not to do it. I was like, Oh, I guess we're finishing third.
ENDS

Chip Ganassi pointed out during the post-race press conference in an answer to a question on having Tony back for another try at winning the INDY500, "In his retirement we've made him the vice president of entertainment (smiling). And he can drive, too, yeah. He can still win this race. You saw today with his performance. Led a little bit. Kanaan is a veteran. He's a wily veteran. He knows his way around this place, no question. So we're not throwing him out yet."


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TAGS: Chip Ganassi Racing, CGR, Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Jimmie Johnson, Tour-De-Force, Team Work, INDY500, The Greatest Spectacle In Racing, The EDJE