Welcome Chip Ganassi Racing's New Driver Kyffin Simpson To The 2024 5-Car Team

Kyffin Simpson earned his first career pole and broke the track record at the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America on Jun 17, 2023. The Chip Ganassi Racing development driver from the Cayman Islands turned a top lap of 1 minute, 49.1028 seconds in the No. 21 HMD Motorsports with CGR car. That time was nearly three seconds quicker than the previous record, 1:52.0034 set by Colton Herta in 2017. The entire 14-turn, 4.014-mile circuit was repaved last fall, hiking speeds dramatically. Image Credit: James Black via PEC (2023)

Welcome Chip Ganassi Racing's New Driver Kyffin Simpson To The 2024 5-Car Team 

Just a little background may be in order for folks to understand how some of the driver pipeline works and, to be honest, this isn't all bad. Nobody lives in a perfect world where performance merit is the only value to a competitive enterprise.

First, let's just observe that Kyffin Simpson was born October 9th, 2004, Bridgetown, Barbados to a very well-to-do family who's invested in petroleum retail infrastructure, automobile sales, distribution and manufacturing - Simpson Group of Companies. This has helped Kyffin to become associated with Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) as a development driver since he was able to bring a sizable amount of sponsorship through Ridgeline Lubricants (rumored to be around $10 Million dollars) in 2022 going forward. Ridgeline Lubricants was the featured livery on the No. 10 of Alex Palou and the No' 11 of Marcus Armstrong  throughout the 2022 and 2023 racing seasons.

Ultimately, a driver has to drive and to this end Kyffin Simpson has performed well enough to be able to ride the wave of sponsorship he brings that will place him along side great company. The CGR Paddock, with his inclusion, will feature (technically) three "Rookies" - along with six-time IndyCar Series Champion Scott Dixon and two-time IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou ... Rookie Kyffin Simpson joins 2022 INDY NXT Series Champion and Rookie Linus Lundqvist and 2023 INDYCAR Rookie-Of-The-Year and 2024 Indianapolis 500 Rookie Marcus Armstrong. This has to be one of the most loaded INDYCAR paddocks of all-time.

While Kyffin may have only notched moderate success in upper level open wheel racing to this time of being only 18 years old, he has several titles in Karting here in the Americas and in Europe. 

“We welcome Kyffin as a teammate to our INDYCAR program. He has been integrated into a Chip Ganassi Racing multi-year defined development program which now provides the opportunity at open-wheel’s highest level,” said Chip Ganassi Racing Managing Director Mike Hull. “He has already tested an INDYCAR with more to follow as an INDY NXT graduate. In addition, he is already a proven winner in IMSA at the 12 Hours of Sebring in LMP2 and on an LMP2 global stage in the ASLM and ELMS series.”

Before advancing to INDY NXT and sports car competition, Simpson won the 2021 Formula Regional Americas Championship as well, after earning seven wins, two pole positions and 13 total podiums.

Welcome Kyffin Simpson to the 2024 NTT INDYCAR Championship Series paddock.

 
NTT INDYCAR SERIES News Conference
Monday, September 18, 2023
Kyffin Simpson - Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. The dust certainly has barely settled on the 2023 season, but a lot of teams looking ahead to 2024. Chip Ganassi Racing finding itself celebrating 15 INDYCAR SERIES championships, but this morning made the announcement that Kyffin Simpson will make the move to a full-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule next year.

Kyffin joined Chip Ganassi Racing as a development driver in May of 2022. Since then it's been two seasons in INDY NXT. He'll join the likes of Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Marcus Armstrong and Linus Lundqvist for a pretty impressive presence in the paddock area.

Kyffin joins us from Indianapolis this morning. Certainly this was a goal. What was that like to know that it was a done deal, signed, sealed, delivered, now you got that Chip Ganassi Racing Honda shirt on for a long time now?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, it's awesome. Just couldn't be happier about it. It's always been my dream to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. To be able to do it with Chip Ganassi Racing, 15-time champions, five 500 wins, it's pretty incredible.

THE MODERATOR: I know you tested a Ganassi car almost a year ago now. What do you make of that test and how eager are you to get going once again?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I'm super excited. I can't wait to get back in the car. Driving that car last year at Sebring was one of the most fun things I've ever done. I just can't wait to get back in it and get back in the car with a great team, as well.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions for Kyffin Simpson.

Q. Kyffin, I'm curious, this year you kind of drove all over the place. Asia Le Mans, IMSA, INDY NXT. In what area do you feel like you've grown as a driver within your race craft this past year doing all these things?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I think it's helped me in a lot of ways doing all these different series. Racing sports cars I think has helped a lot with my fuel saving and pit stops, 'cause obviously we don't do that in INDY NXT, you're just pushing flat out for 35 laps or however long the race is.

I think doing all that this year was very helpful, but also just general race craft, being in close races with other drivers has been very helpful, just doing lots of racing this year.

Q. Being a development driver with Ganassi in 2022, starting in May of 2022 to now, in what ways has that helped better prepare you for the role to step in as opposed to what would have been for most guys being independent for the whole time, not being in a development situation?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, I think it's been very helpful being able to work with the team, learn the team, learn how they do things. Also just learn all the engineers and mechanics. Just meeting them has been very helpful.

I think that will be something that helps me a lot going into this next year. I think it will be very exciting to work with them even closer than I have previously.

Q. You're going to be going up against a teammate for Rookie of the Year in Linus. How do you think that's going to be? You're going to be teammates, working close together, but that's bragging rights for a rookie title.

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I don't really have any expectations set for myself right now. It would be great to win Rookie of the Year. Yeah, I don't have anything specifically set for myself right now.

Q. Kyffin, it will be the first year as a rookie driver in a team such as Chip Ganassi. How much pressure do you have with that deal that you have to face?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I don't feel too much pressure. I know it's with a great team. I know that the car's going to be good, so I'm just going to be focused on doing my job as best as I can, learning everything I can from my teammates 'cause obviously they've got a lot of experience in Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, as well Marcus Armstrong, who won Rookie of the Year this year.

Q. Your goal, apart from being the Rookie of the Year, which will it be?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: It would be great to be Rookie of the Year, but I don't have any expectations set for myself. Just want to learn as much as I can. If results come with that, then that's great.

THE MODERATOR: Back to the test that you had almost a year ago now, Kyffin. What stood out about hopping in the Chip Ganassi Racing car?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Well, it was the only INDYCAR I've ever driven, so I can't compare it to other team's cars. Comparing it to the INDY NXT, which I've had a couple years' experience in, I just thought it was all around a much better car. It's got more aero, more power. There's more that you can do with the dampers, as well. Just all around drives better.

It was just a ton of fun to drive. I can't wait to get it on a real high-speed track rather than Sebring.

THE MODERATOR: If you're going to hop in any machinery in INDYCAR, hop into the Chip Ganassi Racing machine. That's certainly the way to go.

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, for sure.

Q. Knowing you've raced so many different things this year alone, let alone these last couple years, coming into INDYCAR, what do you feel your biggest strength as a driver is?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I don't know what my biggest strength will be in this car, as I've not done too many laps in it. The last time I drove it was a year ago now. I feel like I've progressed a lot since then. I'm not sure what it will be when I get into it the next time.

I feel like I'm usually quite good with tire management. I hope that shows to be a strength in this car, as well, because I've heard it's something that's quite difficult.

The Detroit Grand Prix was a new venue to both the INDY NXT as well as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES - it would be fun to see just which Chip Ganassi Racing team member come in at P1 in 2024. In 2023, Alex Palou was P1, Scott Dixon was P4, and Marcus Armstrong was P8 while Linus Lundqvist was sitting on the sidelines unable to ride the rollercoaster streets of Detroit. Image Credit: Joe Skibinski via PEC (2023)

Q. From season one to season two in INDY NXT, I know you stepped up with a couple podiums. I imagine your points finish with missing a race, not picking up points at Barber, doesn't show exactly where you would have finished in a full season. What do you feel you learned the most from season one to two in the INDY NXT series?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I just feel like I got a lot more comfortable with the car. I felt like I was a lot more on top of the car in testing and being able to get the car to where I wanted it balance-wise and just general feel-wise.

I think that was a big thing that helped me this year in INDY NXT. It's just kind of the thing that comes with experience. Hopefully when I make the jump to INDYCAR, having experienced teammates can help me out with that.

Q. We've had younger drivers in the series before. Colton Herta won before he turned 19. You turn 19 in a couple weeks. Not out of the ordinary to have a driver yet to have turned 20 in the series. I'm sure you'll encounter some folks that will wonder if you're too young, if you could use some more experience in INDY NXT for another year. What do you feel your message is for folks who wonder if you're ready to make this leap into Chip Ganassi Racing?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I feel like I'm ready. I feel like I've made a lot of progress this year. I feel like making that next step, I'll be able to make good progress in INDYCAR, as well.

Mike and Chip also have faith in me. That helps a lot. It helps me believe that I really can do this.

THE MODERATOR: Those two have a pretty good eye for talent, no question about that.

Q. Through this season, how much have been chattering with the Ganassi team both in the workshop and paddock? How much time have you been able to spend with the guys you're going to be working with full-time in 2024?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: It's been great working with them. I've been able to spend quite a lot of time with them. I was able to go into the Texas race this year. I spent the whole 500 with them.

Even more than that, I tend to always try to spend as much time as I can on race weekends with them, even if I'm there racing in my own series. I try to get over to the timing stand for the races usually and, if I can, qualifying as well. I think all of that's been very helpful.

Great to see the American Legion getting additional sponsorship notoriety through the paddock growth of another car to a 2023 four car team for the 2024 season. Image Credit: Travis Hinkle via PEC (2023)

Q. When the development deal was signed, a multi-year deal, was it always considered there would be an INDYCAR seat two years down the line or is this a development that's only recently come along, like you started talks with Chip and Mike, and hence the deal came about?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: There was no guarantee I would be in an INDYCAR seat this year, but I was always hoping that I could be. It was just kind of something that I tried to make happen, and here we are.

Q. Given the amount of time since your most recent test, when these talks started taking place about going to a full-time ride next year, was some of the parameters being like you need to get as much test mileage possible before, or did you go into this knowing that you would likely sign a deal having only had that January test and not running INDYCAR before you signed your first INDYCAR contract?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, we don't really know when I'll be able to test next. This season has been very busy, and they've been busy chasing the championship. They don't usually like to test too much during the year. Also they've been very busy with the hybrid test getting ready for next year.

I'm sure I'll get more seat time in the INDYCAR, but with the one day I have, they were very happy with it. Hopefully next time I get in an INDYCAR I can do the same if not better.

Q. Do you get to do much simulator work with the team, as well?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, I've gotten to do some simulator work. I've got a bit more planned during the off-season, which has been great so far. It's been great working with a couple different engineers. I think that it's been very helpful, helping me get ready for next year.

Q. Given you've raced with the Cayman Islands license, but also have the Barbados one as well, have you decided which one you're going to use next season?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I believe I'm going with the Cayman license. They haven't had a motorsport federation down there before, so I wasn't able to use a Cayman Islands license. But I believe they almost got that set up, so I should be able to use that for next year.

Q. Based on the INDY NXT results, you have this relationship with Ganassi already, had you not had that relationship, would you have been confident to talk to other INDYCAR teams to pitch for a seat, or has this been more about impressing teams in other ways outside of your INDY NXT results?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I think if I hadn't been with Chip Ganassi Racing, I probably would have been looking for an INDYCAR seat this year. But I think definitely being with Chip Ganassi Racing has helped me be able to find a seat, for sure.

Q. I wonder about when you're named driver for Chip Ganassi Racing in the series, do you get an encouraging talk from Chip himself? If so, what goes with that?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I did actually get a text from Chip this morning. He was just encouraging me, giving me some advice for this upcoming year.

Q. It was mentioned West Coast. The Thermal Club is just down the road. Have you ever been here before? If not, what are you thinking, what are your expectations about it?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I've only heard good things about that track, honestly, talking to other drivers that drove there this year. I'm really looking forward to going. It looks like a really fun track. I'm excited to get out there.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're not wasting any time. You want to talk about maybe moving to Indianapolis, finding a place, getting involved with the team a little bit more.

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, I just moved out here in June. It's been great getting settled in, working closer with the team, just being out here by all the drivers, as well, is cool.

THE MODERATOR: What is the next step for you as far as getting more involved with the team and certainly testing, all that sort of thing?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Eventually I'll be spending more time with my engineer, whenever I find out who that will be, and spending more time working with them closer. Hopefully I'll be able to find that out soon.

Yeah, I haven't been told that yet.

Q. When Linus was signed, he wasn't sure if he was actually getting the previous chassis that Marcus raced on or not. Do you know if you're going to be driving that chassis or if this is a new build that Ganassi brought in as the fifth entry?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: I don't know anything to do with what car I'll be driving or number or crew chief or engineer or anything like that. Those are questions for the team because I just don't have answers yet.

Q. You've got this kind of long-term relationship with HPD, which provided a scholarship to SUPER FORMULA, but you chose to stay in America instead and do INDY NXT. Have you continued having that relationship with them, and has that helped going into a Honda-powered team for 2024?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, I worked with them in '21 with Formula Regional. I've tried to keep that relationship over the last couple of years. They've been great helping me out getting me an engine for next year.

I'm excited to be driving a Honda again.

Q. Now that you're saying your testing program isn't certain right now, what is your mindset about oval racing, given also that INDY NXT doesn't have too many ovals? How do you look forward to oval racing?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Yeah, I'm looking forward to jumping in the INDYCAR on an oval. I think oval racing in INDYCAR seems to be quite a lot different than how it goes in INDY NXT just with the cars being so different. They seem to drive very different on ovals. I think it will be a very big learning experience the first time I get on an oval, even if it's one I've been to before.

I think that will be an exciting part of this year.

THE MODERATOR: Kyffin, what is on your plate the rest of the week as a driver now for Chip Ganassi Racing?

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Actually I fly to Belgium this afternoon to compete at Spa for the European Le Mans Series. I'll have a busy week doing that.

THE MODERATOR: Like anyone would. That's awesome. Good luck out there. We'll wrap it up. But congratulations on the announcement for 2024. Can't wait to see you out on the racetrack.

KYFFIN SIMPSON: Thank you.
[ht: FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports]

According to the press release announcement on Kyffin joining in on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Simpson's signing completes CGR's driver lineup for 2024, seemingly taking the team out of consideration for a veteran looking to try and land an Indy 500-only deal with the team that has consistently been the fastest in the field in recent years.

Given Honda Performance Development's firm ceiling of running 15 full-time IndyCar entries in recent years, Simpson's promotion to full-time status and CGR's five-car lineup would seem to only further complicate Andretti Autosport's decision on whether to drop down to three full-time entries, or to stick at four despite losing their fourth Leaders Circle entry by just a single point after the controversial end to Devlin DeFrancesco's season-finale that left the team one point short of $1 million or more in guaranteed prize money next season.

Again, WELCOME Kyffin Simpson - wishing the best of starts in IndyCar. 

  ... notes from The EDJE



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TAGS: Kyffin Simpson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda, Ridgeline Lubricants, Barbados, Formula Regional Americas, Rookies, 2024, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT, The Thermal Club, ZOOM Call, The EDJE

Marcus Armstrong Leads Rookie-Of-The-Year Points Race Going Into The Streets Of Nashville

Rookie-Of-The-Year prospect Marcus Armstrong attending one of his first Media Luncheons here on the grounds of the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks - Motorsports Journal (2023)

Marcus Armstrong Leads Rookie-Of-The-Year Points Race Going Into The Streets Of Nashville

Chip Ganassi Racing's Marcus Armstrong goes into Nashville with Coffee and vegetables on his breath and a 24 point lead in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season points race at a venue that suits his driving style. Further, the team that gave this New Zealand native his seat in a Honda-Powered Dallara IndyCar has never lost a race at this 13th event venue on the 17 race event 2023 schedule. All Marcus has to do is survive the Music City Grand Prix ... as a Vegan racing in a BBQ town.

Marcus is a young driver with some pretty amazing skills and desire to compete. He has teammates that - one is the most successful and accomplished New Zealand born driver 6-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Scott Dixon (#3 in season points race) - one who is a past champion of 2021 looking to repeat, currently riding a wave of wins and podiums to a 80 point lead with only five races left, Spaniard Alex Palou - and lastly a Swedish driver who is currently 4th in the season points championship and won the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 last season, Marcus Ericsson - yes, a second Marcus. 

With this as the template background, a ZOOM Call news conference was held and here are the video proceedings with transcript.

NTT INDYCAR SERIES ZOOM Call News Conference - Nashville

Tuesday, August 1, 2023 - Press Conference - Marcus Armstrong

THE MODERATOR: Hi, everyone. Obviously another big week ahead for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Sunday it's the Music City Grand Prix on the unpredictable streets of Nashville.

Our guest today has some good momentum. Nine days ago picked up a season- and career-best seventh on the streets of Toronto. Leads the Rookie of the Year standings with a 24-point advantage. He heads to Nashville with a team that has already won in Nashville both previous occasions, Chip Ganassi Racing. None other than Marcus Armstrong.

Thanks for doing this, Marcus.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Thanks for having here.

THE MODERATOR: Toronto, the team had all four cars in the top 11. What was the vibe of your group coming out of Toronto?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, Toronto was fairly uneventful on my side really (smiling). I mean, I was slightly disappointed really with my own performance leading up to the race. I knew that we had good pace, so we would make it towards the end during the race despite starting I think 10th.

But, yeah, I thought in the race we had good pace. Again, slightly uneventful. It would have been nice to have a bit more pace, like I saw Scott pass me at one point on a different strategy, going extremely fast. I feel like there's a long way to go before we can really nail it like him.

But in a general sense, I thought there was no real mistakes. Certainly we are building some momentum, like you said, just due to the fact that we haven't really been making mistakes as a group, as the No. 11 team.

Also personally, I don't feel like I've made any errors. It's just been sort of learning and trying to get as many laps under my belt in order to be in a better position towards the end of the season.

THE MODERATOR: To that understand, heading to Nashville next, certainly you have the capability of tapping into the resources there at CGR. Can you keep the momentum up a little bit? Sometimes a race that maybe isn't as exciting for you personally isn't so bad because you rack up another top 10, which you've done a lot certainly this year.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yes, Nashville is clearly I used the word 'eventful' before, but this one is certainly that just due to the nature of the circuit. So many variables involved.

Yes, CGR has won the races, which is not many, two at Nashville, which is always nice to know. Certainly we've got to get everything right. I feel like we have a lot to work on, which is in a way quite comforting because I feel like, despite having had top 10s in the previous races, we haven't really done that great of a job, or personally I don't feel like I have.

Nashville provides an opportunity to try to learn from the things I did wrong at Toronto, which was a similar layout. Like I said, the continuity of street course racing is I think quite useful for me.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. The move to CGR, having a coach such as Dario Franchitti, how has that been for you?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, Dario has been really, really great. I think I've probably been on the phone to him about five times over the course of the last five days, so... He's great in every aspect really.

He certainly points me in the right direction. I often say that he needs to be more harsh with me, like tell me what I'm doing wrong, because clearly I need to improve on stuff. But he seems to be very positive all the time about what we have been doing as a group and what I've been doing and how I'm progressing.

He's very observant. He understands the sport probably better than anyone. Equal with Scott Dixon, let's say. So for him to be on my stand for the majority of the races this year, and also just to have a very good personal relationship with him is clearly an advantage.

Yeah, we're always trying to find things to improve, whether that be driving or whether that be managing the people around me. I feel like, yeah, it's a huge advantage having him.

Q. This is the fifth street course you would have been on. Different than Europe and F2. Have you found that more challenging for you as a driver?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: The circuits here are obviously bumpy. Not sure how to sugarcoat that (smiling). It provides challenges that you can differentiate yourself to others really.

If I compare to, like, racing at Monaco or Baku or even Macau to a certain extent, they feel like road courses compared to a lot of these street courses just because they're very smooth.

Monaco, it's resurfaced every year. There's not a single bump on the track. The grip is like driving around (indiscernible). The biggest challenge is the fact that the wall is so close.

Here there's the bumps, which creates obviously a big challenge on how to position the car. It obviously gives an advantage to the guys that know the circuits very well because there's so much character on the circuit that it actually takes time to find the sweet spot of where you need to place the car.

I feel like that's probably the biggest challenge, is not necessarily doing a good job with the difficulty of the layout and the bumps and everything. It's more so just understanding it very quickly because I have Scott Dixon who was doing those circuits before I was born. I sort of need to learn quickly so I can start near the front. Normally towards the end of the race we're well and truly on the pace. It's just a matter of getting there quicker.

Q. Your year is going pretty good. Are you feeling fizzed about it?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, no, it's been awesome. I follow obviously The Crowd Goes Wild in NZ, which is kind of cool. No, I'm fizzing for this weekend, a whole lot of things happening aside from the race as well. Some meet-and-greets with some cool people. I know that the vibe in Nashville is pretty insane. That goes a long way really.

I know often people call it the Vegas of the eastern side of America. I actually went there in 2021 to watch the very first race in Nashville. It was extraordinary. I thought it was such a cool event.

All the things outside of the racing itself is really great, which draws a big crowd. With that I draw inspiration, and I hope I can do a good job in front of them all.

Q. Obviously you have the opportunity for this race coming up. How do you feel about that? Is it kind of cool being there, your first year? I don't know what I'm trying to say.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, yeah, no, it's a very cool opportunity.

As a team I think we've been successful on these types of circuits. Obviously my teammates, Alex, Marcus and Scott, I think apart from Scott, I know that Marcus won the first race on the street course. Alex has obviously won a few races, probably on street courses. The package is there, which is very reassuring, to be honest. Gives me a lot of motivation to do a good job really because I know the car is capable of it.

Yeah, I'm ready to go.

Q. With the increased pressure of each step in racing you take comes a lot of responsibility. Are you still having fun?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, no, it's really great when you have a team around you. There's a great team synergy, let's say, where everyone is helping each other. There's certainly no blame game. I feel like that's one of the reasons why as a group we're so strong, is because everyone is helping each other, but we're also honest with each other.

There's a great group of people. Every personality, I'm learning so much from everyone really. Everyone has been here a long time. They've had a lot of success. Whether it be my engineers, mechanics, teammates, they've all had success. The fact that they're so willing to offer information to me is a massive advantage.

THE MODERATOR: You were talking about Alex Palou. He finished on the podium last year, so a lot of experience there.

Q. Have you ever raced over a bridge before?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: That's a good question (smiling). I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. I'm going to say no for argument's sake.

Q. Nashville is the only track in America that I can think of where you're racing over a bridge. What do you think of that unique aspect of it? It will be changed in the future. For the time being, what do you think of how unique that is?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: There's a lot of unique things about the Nashville circuit. The bridge itself, I know it's very picturesque, let's say.

It doesn't make a big difference to my life, honestly, racing over a bridge unless there are bumps on the other side of it. Honestly, I don't really look at the outside view of the circuit. I'm more focused on the layout itself. But I know that it looks pretty cool.

I would say the biggest challenge with the Nashville circuit is the titan twisty parts of the circuit which is probably less extravagant from the TV screen, but it certainly is a big challenge from inside the cockpit.

I know these bridges are long. Like the straights are long, which means we'll be entering into reasonably tight corners at very high speeds for a street course. That provides challenges of itself. Also the fact that the racing is so close here, it's fairly chaotic as we go into these braking zones at high speed.

Q. Because all these tracks are all new on especially the street courses, you don't have a chance to test. How valuable is the simulator?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Sim is very important. I've done more hours on a simulator than I could possibly imagine. Doing simulator in Europe when I know the circuits is one thing. Doing it here preparing a new circuit in America is a totally different game because I'm obviously seeing it for the first time.

I prepare a lot more, I would say, from my sim sessions this season than I have in the past just because I sort of need to make the most of that time.

Also the team is very helpful, let's say, by allowing me to go normally last of the four drivers. That means that I get a whole lot of data to look at for what it's my turn to drive.

Q. Even though your careers have gone in different paths, you're going to share a racetrack next weekend with Shane van Gisbergen. How exciting is it what he was able to do for New Zealand in the Chicago NASCAR event?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I think it's so cool. I know him very well. To see what he did at the Chicago race not long ago was very special.

But honestly, I wasn't surprised because I've seen him, apart from when he was competing with McLaughlin, who dominated Supercars and Porsche Carrera Cup over on our side of the world, I also did some training with him at the beginning of the year in a Porsche Cup car. I know that he's super fast. I think it was really cool to see him succeed so quickly.

I expect him to be quick at Indianapolis. No pressure, Shane (smiling). I think it's so cool. I find it really intriguing as to why New Zealand has so many successful racing drivers really. I think there should be maybe an investigation of some sort of what they do down in New Zealand. If you listed all the top guys, it's pretty remarkable.

The fact that Shane has come over here and started doing well is great, but there's more. There's more great guys coming through. Yeah, it's awesome.

Q. We know how Scott McLaughlin got so excited at the end, how he documented that on his social media. Did you have a chance to watch the end of the Chicago street race? How excited did you get, if so?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, I was on a plane leaving Mid-Ohio. Everyone on the plane were basically racing people. We were watching it all together on the runway waiting for the takeoff. I think there was a late safety car just as we were taking off. We were all like, Oh, well, he might not win now. Then we landed and found out he did. Yeah, it was cool.

Q. We've seen some really good stints from you this year. What do you need to do better to nail an entire weekend? Has qualifying been a consequence of trying to learn the ultimate tire?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: No, I don't think so. I think learning tires is a particular skill of mine just due to the fact that I spent so many years on a very demanding Pirelli, let's say.

I would say it's more so getting to the pace quicker. Like I said before, learning the circuits. Circuits have a lot of character. When you come back time and time again, like the other guys have, it's quite difficult to arrive straightaway and be as quick as them. I make big steps through the weekend from FP1 to the end of Q2, then the race.

I feel like I just need to be, yeah, on the pace in FP1, then make smaller steps onwards. For the moment, I'm having to find big chunks from session to session.

I understand that that's part of it, but I feel like we have everything. We have all the ingredients to do a very good job in quallie. We just need to get there quicker and chip away at the small details leading into the final laps of quallie, yeah.

Q. What's next year looking like for you? What's the target for your 2024?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Well, I mean, I haven't exactly kept it a secret, but I'd love to stay here at Chip Ganassi Racing. I think I've been reasonably vocal about trying ovals for the first time. It would be a dream come true to compete at the Indy 500.

At the moment my focus is on just getting good results because my own results is going to help me in the long-term. Yeah, it's not really in my hands on the contractual side, let's say. All I can do is just compete at the maximum of my ability, try and stay present, which is fairly easy seeing as though it's going well. The team, it's a very enjoyable environment.

I feel like it's all training in the right direction. I just have to keep pumping out some good results.

Q. With being in a shared ride this season, is it hard to find a rhythm or keep momentum going?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I mean, in a way I would love to sort of have the continuity of constantly racing, just chipping away at everything.

It isn't difficult to sort of step in and out. I think throughout a season you always gain momentum and start to get into a rhythm.

Obviously the two disciplines are very different, oval racing and street course racing. Whether or not one complements the other, I'm yet to find out.

In any case, I'm at the races. I'm sitting on the stand. I'm doing everything but driving the car, so... I don't feel like it's messing with my own performance, if that's what you're asking. If anything, it's helping it because I actually get the time to sit back and chitchat with people that I wouldn't normally get the chance to do, talk a bit more personally, let's say, with my teammates and everyone that I work with just due to the fact that I have more time on my hands.

INDYCAR weekends are very compact. You have a lot to do in a short amount of time. So having these weekends to actually sit back and communicate with everyone I think has been extremely beneficial, just to give myself a good perspective of the situation and why one guy is doing so well and what they all do differently.

I think it's been great either way.

Q. Is there any advantage, Toronto was your last race, where the other guys in the paddock are focusing on Iowa? Do you shut off Toronto and focus on Nashville quickly or do you try to learn when you're at Iowa?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, I mean, I'm pretty much focused on the next circuit as soon as the race ends. I think in one way it's good. They have to get straightaway back in the car, and I can get into the gym and do my normal prep. From a training standpoint, it's quite good compared to them being constantly on a plane.

Yeah, I guess I've lost my train of thought. Sorry (smiling).

Q. What is the ultimate goal for the end of the season? Do you feel a podium is the next step, a top five? Do you feel a podium is achievable? Rookie of the Year?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I think it's possible that we will have some very good results the next couple of races. I've said that from the beginning of the season really, straightaway right after the pre-season test, there will be a time this year where I feel like everything's going really well and I can achieve the result that I want.

I feel like we will be able to compete for a podium, as we did at Road America. My target isn't necessarily on, I want to win a race other I want to get podium, but I certainly want to be fast enough to win a race, then certainly be in the leading pack. Get into a good rhythm, sort of arrive at the next race weekend hitting the ground running and be at the pointy end.

Once I get over that hurdle of learning the nuances of this championship, I think that will help me a lot in the future.

THE MODERATOR: You talk about ovals. What is the most intriguing thing to you as you sit on the pit stand and watch your teammates go out?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I mean, I was listening -- I'm good friends with Jamie Chadwick, who has just sort of gone through the first experience of an oval. We were both sort of chatting about it.

It's a race car. There's pedals and a steering wheel. We still don't know what we don't know on what it requires to be better than someone else, if you actually think about it.

What I find intriguing is just how one guy can get momentum at one part of a race and just create such a pace deficit compared to everyone else. That I'm still trying to figure out how we can manage that.

Also watching the way that Scott drives compared to everyone really in the team, there's so many different ways to achieve the same lap time. There's just so many styles. I feel like that's intriguing.

And, yeah, I think the way that everyone achieves the same lap time in totally different ways, that's quite interesting to me. I just sort of want to experience it and understand what I feel it needs and what I feel I need to do to get the best lap time.

Q. Obviously Chip Ganassi Racing are going into this weekend having had four podiums of the six we've had in Nashville. In terms of your consistency this year, you're leading the Rookie of the Year standings only doing a partial schedule, what do you put that down to? Is that just the team you have around you and the consistency of the results?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: The reason we're leading the rookie championship?

Q. Yeah.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Well, I haven't looked closely at the rookie championship really. I think that due to the fact that I'm just trying to get really good race results, to be up there with the top guys, that's sort of helped me to just - what's the word - chip away at it and get a lot of points.

I feel like it's obviously a disadvantage not doing the whole season, considering that you everyone get points for finishing last year in America. I don't get any if I don't start the race, unfortunately.

No, I mean, yes, I'm extremely lucky to have three great teammates. I think that's probably underestimated in the paddock just because I can learn from them and just understand what works in this car and what doesn't quicker than other people.

Yeah, it's a big advantage them being very communicative with me and open just to share information about anything. Like when we're in the engineering room, I'll ask point-blank, Scott, what are you doing here? He'll tell me without any hesitancy. That's a big advantage I would say, yeah. I hope they continue to share it with me.

Q. In terms of this weekend, a track you've never raced at before, in an ideal world what would be your aim for the weekend? What would you be happy with in terms of results?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: That's difficult to say really. Like I said before, I'd like to be there or thereabouts in the first practice, just chip away at the pace because I know we're always going to progress properly through the weekend.

I think for the race itself, staying out of trouble would be a big one, seeing it's fairly chaotic judging from the past couple years. Then being at the pointy end, whether that be a podium or a top five I couldn't tell you if I'm happy because it's all relative. If I'm leading the whole race and I end up finishing fifth because I lose it on the last lap, I'll be pretty angry. But it's all relative (smiling).

Q. You talked about pumping out results. You also pump out content with the podcast. Most drivers go into extracurricular stuff after their career. Do you feel a responsibility to keep doing this podcast? Is that something that is a distraction at all or something you enjoy doing?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yeah, we do a podcast that is yeah, I mean, pretty much as Kiwi as you could get. Me and my mate from New Zealand, now Clement Novalak, a driver from F2 does it, chitchat. We have one with James Hinchcliffe coming up soon.

Initially we started it because it was quite a fun use of our time when we were sitting in London between races. Obviously I moved to America since. We will continue to do it. It's a lot of fun. That's the point.

It's also cool to - for lack of a better phrase - bro down with other drivers, get to know them a bit better. It's been difficult to nail down a few of the INDYCAR drivers, I'll be honest, for the podcast. That's a work in progress (smiling).

Q. This year in your first eight races you've had as many top eight finishes as you had last year in F2. Being in Europe there's a bit of randomness in your results. Would you agree with that assessment of INDYCAR, the results count for more than it did in F2?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: We also won three races last year in F2, which obviously I haven't won three races this year.

But you're right, I feel like getting a result in INDYCAR, it is directly -- your performance directly correlates to your results in INDYCAR. I think many times in F2 I've had races where I felt like I was the fastest on track, and I'd end up finishing P12 just because of some massive tire deg in the last 10 laps or something like that.

But, yeah, being top 10s I think in INDYCAR is one thing. Being top three is another. There's still a big step to be made to be consistently with Alex and Scott, the other Marcus. There's a step to be made to being inside the top three. I think you can't understate how high the level is right at the very pointy end of INDYCAR.

I'm just going to keep trying to find bits and pieces to get that.

Q. In terms of trying to get some oval experience before you race on one, was Indy next on the radar? Was Gateway a possibility for you? Do you solely want to keep all your oval knowledge with the top crews?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Well, that's not really up to me. But, yeah, Takuma is doing Gateway. It would be great to get some oval experience before next year. That would be ideal, let's say. But like I said, it's out of my control. All I can do is perform well on the race weekends I'm doing. Yeah, let's see.

Q. In qualifying this year you've been very consistent. I think you just missed Fast 12 twice. You never reached the Fast Six. What do you think is lacking for you?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Like I said before, I think it's important to arrive at the weekend quicker for the first prepractice, then we can chip away at the small things to ultimately be in the top six in quallie. I think you need to be already quick in FP1, make small steps all the way through to that session.

At the moment I'm learning the circuit. I'm learning a few bits and pieces, which means I have to find chunks of time through the weekend, which, yeah, puts me on the back foot a little bit. I think if we can arrive a bit quicker in FP1, we have certainly a better chance of being there for Q3, the Fast Six.

Q. How are you feeling about ovals for 2024? Did you ever think about competing in Gateway?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Well, I feel like people want me to do Gateway (smiling).

No, obviously Takuma is doing the ovals this year. Like I said before, I would love to try ovals and start learning about them. It's certainly going to be a learning curve, whether it be big or small, on how I need to attack ovals.

It would be a great thing to try as soon as possible, but that's not in my control. All I can do is perform well on the tracks I'm doing.

THE MODERATOR: I know you're a foodie, you like coffee. Have you scouted out places to go to?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I have. I've actually made - not me personally - but we have made bookings at you're favorite restaurants that we have yet to go to. Already last month, it was, I think. I don't want to miss out.

We've got about a crew of 10 to 12 people with us this weekend. Wherever we go there's going to be a lot of Kiwi accents. I know we as a group are big granola lovers, so we're big breakfast people. We're going to scout the best granola bowls in all of Nashville. If you have any suggestions, I'd be very open (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: I do, but I can't help you out on granola because it's all grits in Nashville. You have to have a bowl of cheesy grits.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: What's that?

THE MODERATOR: What's the best way to describe it? Almost like a rice-ish bowl, you put a little butter and cheese in it. It's nothing like granola.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I'll be honest, mate. That doesn't sound like something I'd like (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Hominy, if you're familiar with that, made out of corn. Anyway... I don't want to name restaurants, but what I've food are you looking for?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: I don't eat meat. That's a bit of an issue. I don't know specifically where we're booked, but I know we have. There's a rooftop bar somewhere with a nice restaurant. There's some places on the strip, I believe. We'll be going to more vegan or vegetarian or Mediterranean restaurants.

We're big Lebanese lovers, Greek food, all that. I feel like you should listen to my podcast because we talk about this extensively.

THE MODERATOR: I do. I'm heartbroken that you're going into a great area of barbecue, ribs, pork, you name it, and you're going vegetarian.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: How can I compensate for the fact I don't eat meat in Nashville?

THE MODERATOR: Whiskey and beer. I don't know. I got nothing on that.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Geez.

Q. How do you prepare yourself, do you have a routine for getting in the zone before races?

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Yep. That's a good question. I am not very superstitious like a lot of other drivers. Actually seems that no one is superstitious in America. In Europe, it's a thing where everyone has a routine they do before the race. If they don't do it, they don't perform well. I'm the opposite to that. I'm fairly laid back.

I will always get in the car from the same side, which I guess isn't really a superstition, but it's just comfortable. I always warm up before I get in the car. It's easy to pull a muscle or something driving these beasts. To warm up properly.

I drink a lot of coffee before I drive because I like coffee, if I didn't already disclose that earlier. Yeah, I'm pretty laid back, man. I just like to warm up properly, be feeling loose. It's always a competition between me and Dixon to see who can get changed at the last minute and still make it in the car for the green light.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, everyone for joining us. He will not be competing with any meat eaters this weekend in Nashville, but he will be competing in the Music City Grand Prix. Thanks for doing this.

MARCUS ARMSTRONG: Thanks for having me, mate.

[ht: FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports]

Expectations for the third annual Big Machine Music City Grand Prix race in Nashville:

1. Cleaner Race: Officials are hoping for a cleaner race compared to the previous two years, which were marred with wrecks and numerous cautions.
2. Improved Safety Measures: IndyCar officials have likely implemented additional safety measures and had conversations with the drivers to encourage better driving practices and reduce the number of incidents.
3. Earlier Start Time: The race will start at 11:30 a.m. CT on Sunday, which is earlier than the 2 pm start time of the previous two years.
4. Increased Ticket Sales: Ticket sales are reported to be ahead of last year, indicating a strong interest in the event from fans.
5. Festival Atmosphere: The Music City Grand Prix is promoted as a festival, and attendees can expect to enjoy various musical performances alongside the racing action.
6. Musical Lineup: This year's event features performances by artists such as Motley Crue’s Vince Neil, Chris Janson, Gavin DeGraw, Flo Rida, Jay DeMarcus of Rascal Flatts, Tim Dugger, and others.

Overall, organizers aim to create a thrilling racing experience for fans while providing a lively festival atmosphere with musical entertainment. With the lessons learned from the past races, they hope to deliver a more seamless and enjoyable event for all attendees.

IndyCar Nashville: Start Times, How To Watch, Entry List & More >>>

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: Streets Of Nashville, The Music City Grand Prix, NTT INDYCAR SERIES, 2023, Rookie-Of-The-Year, Marcus Armstrong, New Zealand, Vegan, BBQ Town, Coffee, Chip Ganassi Racing, The EDJE

"Less Is More" Describes The Intrigue In The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

Australian born Will Power ascends the throne as king in the House Of Penske as he ascends a throne in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to become the all-time record-holder in the number of pre-race pole positions achieved - eclipsing Mario Andretti's 67 Pole positions (1997 Michigan International Raceway) at number 68 - in the highest level of professional open-wheel racing out of North America. Here Power is about to climb out of his Team Penske prepared Chevrolet-Powered, Firestone clad Dallara while he zips up his driving suit before meeting the media for photos and interviews. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022) 

"Less Is More" Describes The Intrigue In The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship Season

Yes! House Of Penske driver Will Power won a second series season championship in his stellar professional open-wheel racing career.  

Many, including Will himself, attributes the application of a different attitude he decided to bring to the work process and the track each event weekend during the course of a 17 race season that just concluded at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey. This overarching template in his professional approach could be labelled ... Less Is More.

The Lord of the House Of Penske, Roger Penske, congratulates the Verizon 5G team in it's accomplishment to help Will Power achieve capturing his 68th NTT P1 Pole Award setting a record that, if history is any indicator, may last another nearly 30 years. Mario Andretti set the mark of 67 P1 Pole Awards in 1993 at the age of 54, whereas Will Power set this modern day mark as he is in his 41st year circling the Sun ... where will his record-setting mark end? Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

For example, take the results found at the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey ... after he smoked the field in the three round Knockout Qualifications format and landed a record-setting 68th NTT P1 Pole Award - Chip Ganassi Racing's Alex Palou wins the race followed by Penske Racing's Josef Newgarden who started P25 and is P2 ... Will Power finishes P3, he didn't have to win at all costs and captures his 2nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship with only one win in 17 races, but always finishing and finishing high - Less Is More.

It became a talking-point throughout this season that Will seemed to be sporting a less intense, less critical, less abrasive presence (to himself) as he would pursue his duties as one of three very expert drivers racing open-wheel cars for Team Penske. Power's House Of Penske teammates are second year driver and 2021 Indianapolis 500 as well as NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year New Zealand born Scott McLaughlin and American born two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, claiming titles in 2017 his first season with Team Penske and again in 2019 Josef Newgarden.

In the post-race interview, Will probably summed it up best when he answered this query:

Q. I wanted to ask when you decided to go to this playing the long game thing, were they fully behind you doing that, or were there days when Dave or Robby or Ron were like, s--- we could have won that race?

WILL POWER: "Look, you're never disappointed. Looking from a championship perspective, every time you get a podium, that's not the day you're looking back on it. You're looking back on the day you finished 19th like at Road America. They're the days that lose championships. Top threes don't. We got a lot of them this year. Anytime I got a top four, I was pretty happy.

But in the past I would have been really pissed off. When your teammates are winning, that was a big change. It's like, I don't care. I'm going to weather their storm while they're having a good run, and just -- that in itself was a mental change. It's like, I'm not getting pissed off with a top four, where before I would have been, just after the race, just seething." - Less Is More.

Will Power begins his run down the front straight after negotiating Turn 11 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. This is the last time these cars will be racing on this surface since the famed track that features a turn known as "The Corkscrew" will all be repaved and become a track with a different, grippier personality. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Throughout the season, especially just beyond the halfway point, the story wasn't how many multiple times a driver won the NTT P1 Pole Award position to start the race(s) in an event weekend, no, the story was far from this occurrence, since there wasn't a repeat pole winner through the first nine race events in a seventeen race season. No repeat P1 Pole Award in 9 race events - Less Is More.

Speaking of competitiveness, especially given the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing platform formula applied for potentials of equal performance, Will Power noted in the following exchange:

Q. When you look at it today and just using Dixon as the example as someone who qualifies midfield and you're just further up the road, again, it's that same thing, the series is so equal, people look at it and go, he's midfield but it's thousands of seconds separating you guys in qualifying.

WILL POWER: It is. When we were at Portland, It was like seven tenths covered 20 cars. Seven tenths covering 20 cars. You're never going to see that in something like Formula 1. Never. It's the ultimate driver's series. It's the ultimate driver's series." - Less Is More.

In this post Portland driver's ranking by points, it is interesting to note that the driver that will not have a mathematical chance at winning the season championship is the reigning 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Alex Palou. At the time he was going to compete in the last race of the season, he had contract commitments with two teams, his current contract with Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP. At the end of the season, Alex is hoping to be in a position where Less Is More. UPDATE - Alex Palou agrees to remain at Chip Ganassi Racing driving the No. 10 Honda-Dallara for the 2023 season with the added provision that he is free to participate in a Formula 1 driver's test outside of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES obligations - Less Became More. Image Credit: NCIS (2022)

Take this example of the competition between teams. 

Before the last race of the 2022 season in Monterey, California, a very proper and kind mutual admiration society broke out in a ZOOM Call between the top operations managers of the two teams that had drivers that were mathematically viable to win the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship. 

To be clear, Penske Racing's Tim Cindric and Chip Ganassi Racing's (CGR) Mike Hull had a lot of professional clout at stake in the then upcoming challenge to close out the season. Will Power led the points chase at the time with a tied 20 point margin over two drivers, his teammate Josef Newgarden and CGR 6 time NTT INDYCAR Champion Scott Dixon. The other two drivers in contention in order are CGR's and winner of INDYCAR's biggest event prize, the 106th Indianapolis 500, Marcus Ericsson at 39 points behind and another Team Penske teammate second season driver Scott McLaughlin at 41 points to overcome. 

Again, a lot of professional clout to manage.

<<< Pre-Finale ZOOM Call Press Conference >>>

The most interesting part of the conversation Tim and Mike shared with each other was found in the following exchange:

Q. Because of what's at stake here, the respect level, the rivalry, is it a situation where the two of you can be friendly but you can't really be friends until maybe your careers are over?

MIKE HULL: My career is closer than Tim's into being over, I'll say that (smiling).

TIM CINDRIC: If we don't win on Sunday, Mike, I might call you for a job (laughter).

MIKE HULL: Or vice versa. Maybe I'll think about a second career.

Tim and I had a go at each other a few years at Edmonton. That taught me something. It taught me that I was too intense. Since that time I've learned that the respect comes in the results.

Tim, I hope I don't have to call you up. I've got your number. I hope you don't see a call from me Sunday afternoon at 4:00 (smiling).

I'm just thankful and looking forward to this thing. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be in a position to be able to say that.

I know you're the same. You grew up around motor racing. I did, too, in different decades. We're now in the same decade together and this is a lot of fun.

ENDS

With all that was on the line, both needed their drivers to win the race, an impossibility, but in the end these two giants in racing didn't have to call one another for a job - they just split the difference. 

Mike Hull took the race win with the reigning 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Champion Alex Palou, and while Tim Cindric didn't win the race, he placed two drivers on the podium with Josef Newgarden at P2 and Will Power at P3 thereby secures the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship, with 16 points to spare, and will take home the Astor Cup for the second time - Less Is More.

The Astor Cup, the grand prize for winning the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season Championship, sits atop the famed turn known as The Corkscrew. Will Power holds this prize the day after he finished on the Podium at P3 to finish the 2022 season (a season for the ages) by just 16 points away from his nearest competitor after beginning the race weekend with a 20 point margin - Less Is More. Image Credit: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca via FB/META (2022)

Think about the NTT INDYCAR SERIES sanctioning body itself. 

This was a year that was able to see many high points. All broadcasts and live streaming were carried exclusively through NBC Universal broadcast properties. The growing popularity of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES was reflected in the most-watched season in six years on television, with viewership up 5 percent over 2021. The season averaged a Total Audience Delivery of 1.30 million viewers across NBC, USA Network, Peacock and NBC Sports digital platforms, the best in NBC Sports history.

Half of the season’s 16 races on television delivered more than 1 million viewers, the highest mark since 2008. A record 14 of 17 races were on NBC network television in 2022, and selected series races also were televised by Telemundo Deportes on Universo.

This was the most streamed INDYCAR season on record as well, with exponential growth compared to 2021. A series race, the Honda Indy Toronto, was streamed exclusively for the first time, and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was the most streamed INDYCAR SERIES race ever. 

Having a single corporate broadcast/streaming partner with many recognizable portals allowed fans to find a presentation of an INDYCAR event featured on most any weekend during the season as opposed to having to look up which broadcast partner might be carrying content ... so access was assumptively simple as being at one's controller or fingertips - Less Is More.

Lastly, there was a grand event venue success though the focus on sponsorship and promotion by a primary sponsor to the race weekend. 

Perhaps the biggest success story of the 2022 schedule was the revitalization of INDYCAR racing at Iowa Speedway after a one-year COVID Protocol hiatus. The Hy-Vee INDYCAR Race Weekend featured a doubleheader for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and a single event for Indy Lights on the fast oval. A successful promotion with enthusiastic title partner Hy-Vee, which included four concerts with country and pop music superstars at the track, resulted in big crowds despite stifling summer heat. 

A single stand-out sponsor based upon the marketing of high-turnover consumer goods, that took control of all of the trappings of an INDYCAR event weekend, beyond being just a title sponsor, delivered measurable results - Less Is More.

[ht: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Penske Entertainment, NCIS, The Comeback]

Another 2023 @IndyCar schedule nugget...

According to multiple sources, the series plans to hold its open two-day preseason test Feb. 2-3 at The Thermal Club in southern California.

Venue includes multiple track layouts around 2 miles & sits 40 minutes east of Palm Springs.

— Nathan Brown (@By_NathanBrown) September 19, 2022

Looking forward to next season, are we seeing additional opportunities to implement a lesser path so as to deliver more and more benefits to the drivers, teams, sponsors and the overall series sanctioning body? 

With the announcement that the NTT INDYCAR SERIES plans on holding a test at Southern California's premiere private racing facility in the Coachella Valley town of Thermal - The Thermal Club, utilized by MotoAmerica, BMW, Truspeed Autosport,  GMG Motorsports, various driver development operations, and of course ... just plain motorsports enthusiast who would rather drive a car than drive a ball (as in golf). 

A pre-season test by INDYCAR on "Private Pavements" located at a private racing facility as opposed to a recognized event track raced during a championship season - Less Is More.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: NTT INDYCAR SERIES, 2022, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, Will Power, Roger Penske, Team Penske, House Of Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, Mike Hull, Tim Cindric, The Thermal Club, The EDJE