2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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mike robers
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by mike robers »

Ok, i'll change the name to MR Motorsports.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by Klon »

AutoFiction wrote:Kay Lon Involved in IndyCar?

Rumours of an appearance of former ARWS race winner Kay Lon in IndyCar have been fueled by marketing material for the Best 600 In The World, to be held on September 6 at Texas Motor Speedway. Radio channels around Fort Worth have been given advertisement spots that are to be played in the Summer, announcing that the "Best In The World will appear at the Best 600 In The World at the Best Oval In The World."

Whilst the spot does not reveal the exact nature of the involvement, it is speculated that it will not be a minor role. A driving role, however, is considered very unlikely, given as the German has publicly expressed his disdain for oval racing, calling it a "lottery" before. Current speculation in the paddock involve giving the starting command or a demonstration run with a Best In The World-run car of a different series or even an unique supporting race funded by Kay Lon.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by Ataxia »

Robert Kubica All-American Racers
1-20: Takes the drive
21-100: Zero interest in IndyCar
48! Kubica turns down the offer.

Jenson Button All-American Racers
No interest really. I mean IndyCar, there’s some great drivers racing there but it scares the shite out of me. I’m amazed that they still race. Very brave guys but I wouldn’t touch that.


Nicolas Steele will pilot the provisional AAR entry.

Katherine Legge MR Motorsports
1-80: Indy 500
81-100: nah
2! She takes the drive, should the team summon the requisite sponsorship.

SPONSORSHIP

Pirtek Stewart-Haas Racing - signs (80%)
UPS Stewart-Haas Racing - signs (20%)
Stewart-Haas Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Menards SPM Christopherson Racing - signs (100%)
SPM Christopherson Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Tracker Boats Dreyer & Reinbold Racing - signs (70%)

AutoNation MR Motorsports - signs (40%)

Panasonic Ed Carpenter Racing (1st), All American Racers (7th) - signs with ECR (20%)

IHG Rewards Club Juncos Racing (1st), MR Motorsports (2nd) - signs with Juncos (50%)
Mi-Jack Juncos Racing - signs (50%)
Juncos Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Tide Pods All-American Racers - signs (80%)

Shell McLaren Racing - signs (90%)

Geico Voeckler with Team Penske - signs (70%)

IZOD Ed Carpenter Racing (2nd), Coyne Team Pelfrey (1st) - signs with ECR (50%)

Midas Coyne Team Pelfrey - signs (50%)

Netshoes Grace Autosport - signs (40%)
Grace Autosport have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Flex-Box Ed Carpenter Racing, Voeckler with Team Penske - signs with Voeckler (30%)
Voeckler with Team Penske have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Alpinestars Dreyer & Reinbold Racing - signs (20%)
Citrix Dreyer & Reinbold Racing - signs (10%)
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Room & Board Coyne Team Pelfrey, Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Pelfrey (30%)
Coyne Team Pelfrey have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Direct Supply Ed Carpenter Racing - signs (20%)

Bosch All American Racers - signs (20%)
All American Racers have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Stalkit Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)
Anytime Fitness Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)
Pet Supplies Plus Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)
Indy Star Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)
AutoZone Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)
Duracell Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)

SAP Lazier Partners Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, McLaren - signs with McLaren (10%)
McLaren Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

DC Solar Ed Carpenter Racing - signs with Ed Carpenter Racing (10%)
Ed Carpenter Racing have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

FxPro Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (20%)
RCA Lazier Partners Racing - signs with Lazier (10%)

Hisense MR Motorsports - signs with MR (30%)
Next Era MR Motorsports - signs with MR (30%)
MR Motorsports have a complete entry for the 2020 Indy 500.

Round up:

Coyne Team Pelfrey - (Z. Veach / 20%), Midas / 50%, Room & Board / 30% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing - Tracker / 70%, Alpinestars / 20%, Citrix / 10% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Ed Carpenter Racing - IZOD / 50%, Panasonic / 20%, Direct Supply / 20%, DC Solar / 10% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Grace Autosport - (P. Mann / 60%), Netshoes / 40% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Harding Racing - (R. Binder / 60%) - [||||||||||||||||||||] 60%
Juncos Racing - IHG Rewards Club / 50%, Mi-Jack / 50% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Lazier Partners Racing - Stalkit / 10%, Anytime Fitness / 10%, Indy Star / 10%, Pet Supplies Plus / 10%, Autozone / 10%, Duracell / 10%, FxPro / 20%, RCA / 10% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 90%
McLaren Racing - Shell / 90%, SAP / 10% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
SPM Christopherson Racing - Menards / 100% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Stewart-Haas Racing - Pirtek / 80%, UPS / 20% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Voeckler with Team Penske - Geico / 70%, Flex-Box / 30% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
MR Motorsports - AutoNation / 40%, Hisense / 30%, Next Era / 30% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
All American Racers - Tide / 80%, Bosch / 20% - [||||||||||||||||||||] 100%
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by CaptainGetz12 »

Nicolas Steele wrote:Schnass better not call me back again...


(Are you taking livery requests yet? As AAR I'd probably do something like This or This, whatever is easier to put together :) )
Klon wrote:What did poor André do to you for him to be insulted like that?
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by Ataxia »

Round 2 - Camping World Grand Prix of Alabama - Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama
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Qualifying
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Race Results
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Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by TomWazzleshaw »

Dale Coyne Racing will purchase the third Honda upgrade, as well as two levels of Marketing
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by Rated »

Grace Autosport will once again run #77 for the Indy 500.
BORDAS BORDAS BORDAS
mike robers
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by mike robers »

MR Motorsports will be running the #99 for Kat at Indy.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 1: ST PETE

Post by Ataxia »

Sponsor Bids: Round 2

Lazier Partners Racing
Bid 1: Furniture Row
Bid 2: Oberto
Bid 3: SKF
Bid 4: Castrol Edge

Harding Racing
Bid 1: GoPro
Bid 2: Xfinity
Bid 3: Gap Guard
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 3: Long Beach

Post by Ataxia »

Round 3 - 44th Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach - Long Beach, California
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Qualifying

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Race Results

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Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - Round 3: Long Beach

Post by Ataxia »

Image

Let's get this show back on the road, shall we?

Step 1) I need confirmation from the current team owners that they're willing to continue. I'd also like to fill the vacant AJ Foyt and Cassidy Racing slots.

A. J. Foyt Enterprises (Aislabie)
Andretti Autosport (Pinkd56 & GertrandBachot)
Cassidy Racing (Hermann95)
Chip Ganassi Racing (pi314159)
Dale Coyne Racing (Wazzle)
Ed Carpenter Racing (Dom)
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (SeedStriker)
Schmidt Peterson Motorsport (pasta_maldonado)
Team Penske (kevinbotz)

I'll leave Indy 500 entries as they are because they've all got enough sponsors.
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Aislabie »

AJ Foyt dibs?
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by pi314159 »

Happy to see this series return. I'll continue with Ganassi.
pasta_maldonado wrote:The stewards have recommended that Alan Jones learns to drive.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by pasta_maldonado »

Good to see IndyCar back!

I’ll continue with SPM.
Klon wrote:more liek Nick Ass-idy amirite?
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Hermann95 »

If possible, I'd like to take over Cassidy Racing.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Ataxia »

Aislabie wrote:AJ Foyt dibs?


Done

Hermann95 wrote:If possible, I'd like to take over Cassidy Racing.


...and done.
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Dom_Wings »

I'll continue with ECR
Join the GPR Discord server! https://discord.com/invite/6YDQ3aV
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by TomWazzleshaw »

I'll stay at the helm of DCR
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Ataxia »

Slight change in schedule - switched Fontana for a trip to Phoenix.

Round 4 - Qualcomm Grand Prix of Phoenix - ISM Raceway, Phoenix, Arizona

>> FULL RESULTS <<

indycar.com wrote:Guerrieri wins fierce Phoenix encounter, long-time leader Dixon undone by damage

Rahal Letterman Lanigan's Esteban Guerrieri bagged his first IndyCar race win in a hectic Phoenix race, holding off team-mate Graham Rahal for victory.

Guerrieri made solid progress in the opening half of the race from his starting berth of ninth, but collected the lead of the race during the second caution period produced by the colliding Penske pair of Simon Pagenaud and Thomas de Bock.

Scott Dixon had led through the majority of the race's first half, but was collected by de Bock moments after his second stop - precipitating the Belgian's contact with team-mate Pagenaud - to force another visit to the pits with damage.

After the final cycle of scheduled stops had shaken out, that handed the lead to Guerrieri, who originally had Cassidy Racing's Nicholas Latifi behind him before the hard-charging Rahal cleared the Canadian driver.

Rahal then closed in on Guerrieri, having made phenomenal progress through the field throughout the race from his disappointing P25 starting slot, but was unable to mount an assault on his team-mate.

Latifi finished third from Carlin's Ed Jones, as Massa completed the top five over Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Pato O'Ward.


RACER wrote:Meyer Shank, Juncos vying for full-time entries?

The Meyer Shank Racing and Juncos Racing teams are looking at securing full-time IndyCar entries for 2021, according to paddock sources.

This comes as Team Penske and Chip Ganassi Racing are expected to drop an entry each for next season, having struggled to keep four cars competitive at any given time.

The Jim Meyer and Michael Shank partnership has grown in strength across the previous pair of IMSA SportsCar Championship seasons, and Shank has been looking for a reprieve to IndyCar having endured a difficult attempt to qualify for last year's Indy 500 with AJ Allmendinger.

Meyer Shank is reportedly looking at a two-car entry for 2021, while Juncos will apparently opt for a one-car entry - likely in conjunction with the Calinetic team after the Jamaican outfit's F1 program was bought out by MRT.

It is also believed that NASCAR team owner Gene Haas, who also previously owned an F1 team, is looking to run a car next season with support from an existing team.
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Stareagle »

With Ataxia's permission, we're going to briskly move through the end of the 2020 season in order to get IndyCar aligned with IMSA for 2021, heading into the great Penske-France merger that will bring NASCAR, IndyCar, and IMSA into the same sanctioning body (NAMSA) starting in 2022.

That announcement was made at IMS on May 1, 2020, to kick off the Month of May festivities, including the Liquor Locker Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 10, qualifying for the 500 on the 16th and 17th and the 102nd Indianapolis 500 on the 24th. There will also be two IndyLights races - one on the GP circuit and the Freedom 100 on the main track.

Here's where the series is at the moment.

At the moment, we have 26 full-time teams, 12 Indy 500-only teams, and "TBA" for Ashley Cassidy. At the moment, I'm going to treat Ashley as a 500-only entry. If that needs to be corrected or anyone wants to add a 500 entry, let me know ASAP.

We're also going to finish the IndyLight series for 2019 with the current drivers, at which point I'll ask if anyone has drivers they want to be entered in the 2020 series.

The end result of this is that starting in 2021, IndyCar will run in the background of my sports car series and Tesla Trophy presented by SpaceX series until someone wants to take it on full time. The same will happen with NASCAR starting in 2022.

let me know if you have any questions, concerns, or comments and we'll get ready for the Liquor Locker Grand Prix of Indianapolis!
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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If anyone is thinking about a last-minute entry for the Indy 500, here are the top-5 finishers in the 2019 Indy Lights series:
  1. Oliver Askew, Carlin, 234 points
  2. Mitchell Macklin, Peak Motorsports Canada, 194 points
  3. Sennan Fielding, Belardi Auto Racing, 163 points
  4. John Davis, Juncos Racing, 160 points
  5. Ed Howitzer, Eaglesport/All American Racers, 150 points
Askew finished with three wins, eight podiums, and nine top-5 finishes. His only glitch came when, after winning the pole, his gearbox failed on the first lap in Montreal. The damage was contained when Macklin and Fielding were involved in a five-car crash early in the race.

Carlin also won the team championship, with Peak Motorsports Canada overhauling Eaglesport for second thanks to Macklin winning the final two races.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

Post by Ataxia »

Stareagle wrote: 21 May 2022, 23:21
At the moment, we have 26 full-time teams, 12 Indy 500-only teams, and "TBA" for Ashley Cassidy. At the moment, I'm going to treat Ashley as a 500-only entry. If that needs to be corrected or anyone wants to add a 500 entry, let me know ASAP.
Just on that, she was only a TBA because there was an expected clash with an ARWS round. That's not come to pass, so she's in for the full-season.
Mitch Hedberg wrote:I want to be a race car passenger: just a guy who bugs the driver. Say man, can I turn on the radio? You should slow down. Why do we gotta keep going in circles? Man, you really like Tide...
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: IndyCar management has announced, after a late agreement between IndyCar representatives (Roger Penske) and track representatives (also Roger Penske), that the Chevrolet Detroit Grands Prix doubleheader will be held on its customary date on the weekend after the Indianapolis 500.

Penske also confirmed rumors the races will be leaving Belle Isle in 2022 and returning to downtown Detroit. The new course will use segments of the track that hosted F1 (1982-1988) and CART (1989-91) races late in the last century.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: Newgarden Dances In The Rain

Josef Newgarden regained the IndyCar points lead with a dominating performance on a wet Indianapolis Road Course on Sunday afternoon.

During a race that started with light showers, dried out around the midway point, and finished in a real Midwestern gully washer, Newgarden was imperious. After qualifying second, he beat pole-sitter Will Power to the first turn and drove off into the distance. He led from flag to flag, with Power - the only other driver still on the lead lap - finishing 55 seconds behind.

"I have to give Firestone a ton of credit - I had fantastic grip on wets, intermediates and slicks," Newgarden said. "Maybe we got a special batch, because no one could stay with us."

Newgarden's teammates at Chip Ganassi Racing, Patricio O'Ward and Simon Pagenaud finished third and fifth, with Ashley Cassidy taking fourth. Scott Dixon, the highest-finishing Mazda driver, was sixth.

Ryan McReynolds capped off a frustrating Sunday for Schmidt Peterson Racing with a seventh-place finish after starting third. Teammate Jack Christopherson Jr. started seventh, but only lasted eight laps before a gearbox failure left him in 26th.

Graham Rahal, who came in as the points leader, ended up eighth, the last car one lap down. Thomas De Bock (9th), Antonio Felix da Costa (10th), Esteban Guerrieri (11th), Sergio Sette Camara (12th), Ryan Hunter-Reay (13th), James Hinchcliffe (14th) and Ryan Tveter (15th) all finished two laps down.

Carlos Munoz (16th), Jack Harvey (17th), and Marco Andretti (18th) were the other drivers to finish.

Alexander Rossi was contending for a top-10 finish but had an engine failure with 11 laps left and ended up 19th. Nicholas Latifi (20th) burned up his brakes trying to get through the field after a qualifying penalty forced him to start last on the grid, while Felipe Massa (21st) was still on the lead lap when he was knocked out with suspension damage after Collin Pratchett (22nd) spun in the rain. Robert Wickens had a wishbone failure, while Ed Jones and Matheus Leist both spun off during a period of heavy rain.

Newgarden's second win and third podium in five races put him at 168 points, 16 ahead of Rahal, and 36 ahead of O'Ward. Sette Camara and Power are tied for fourth on 129 points.

Of course, that can all change wildly over the next two weeks, with 38 cars expected to attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

Things start with two days of practice on Wednesday and Thursday followed by Fast Friday and full-field qualifying on Saturday. Sunday will feature the Last Chance for the Last Row session, with Saturday's slowest eight teams battling for the final three spots, before the Fast Nine Shootout decides the first three rows.

Carb Day will be run on Friday again this year, with the race on Sunday.

Shortly after Power clinched the pole on Saturday, David Malukas (HMD Motorsports) continued his domination of the Indy Lights series with a six-second win over Tomasz Gabrysiak. Jonas Söderström made it a 2-3 finish for Menlo Park Motorsports while Lisa Keto and Missy Stewart put their Nighthawk Motorsports cars in 4th and 5th.

Malukas has been on pole and set the fastest laps in all three races this season. After breezing to a 38-second win over HMD teammate Linus Lundqvist at Barber Park, he made his only mistake of the season at Long Beach, spinning into a barrier while leading. Justin Case took that win for Menlo Park ahead of Jake Dennis (Andretti Autosport), Stewart and Keto for Nighthawk, and Abbi Pulling (Menlo Park).

Malukas owns the series points lead on 72, seven ahead of Case. Gabrysiak, Stewart, and Dennis are separated by six points for the final podium spot. They race again a week from Saturday, with the Freedom 100 coming the day before the 500.

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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: Formula 1 Comes Back To Indy

The Formula 1 series will probably never return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway - the memories of 2005 will never be erased.

Their drivers, on the other hand, like the place just fine.

On Wednesday, the first day of practice for next weekend's Indianapolis 500, a pair of F1 stars topped the speed charts. On a hot day, Felipe Massa (Andretti Autosport) had the day's fastest lap at 225.01 mph while Daniel Riccardo (Stewart-Haas) was second at 224.81. Dan Greenlaw (Voeckler-Penske) was third at 224.37 and Jack Christopherson Jr. (Schmidt-Peterson) took fourth at 223.94.

Penske teammates Will Power and Thomas De Bock were fifth and sixth with Simon Pagenaud in 11th, but the day wasn't as successful for the top two teams in the points race - Chip Ganassi Racing and Rahal Letterman Lanigan.

Ganassi's best runner on the day was series points leader Josef Newgarden in eighth, but Carlos Munoz finished 13th and Ryan Hunter-Reay and Patricio O'Ward were 19th and 20th. RHL had Esteban Guerrieri in ninth, but team leader Graham Rahal was 23rd at 220.36.

Riccardo wasn't the only one-off driver to have a big day. Pippa Mann was 10th, Jack Christopherson Sr. was 14th, Zach Veach was 16th and Rhys Davies was 17th. Nicholas Steele (26th), Katherine Legge (28th), Rene Binder (29th), and Takuma Sato (31st) also would have made the 33-car field.

While three of the six drivers outside the top 33 were also part-timers - Buddy Lazier, Spencer Pigot, and J.R. Hildebrand - three full-time drivers were outside the qualifying spots, including two from massive teams. Ed Jones struggling for Carlin isn't a shock, but James Hinchcliffe (Penske) was 35th at 218.12 - 0.66 mph behind 33rd-place Sage Karam. Meanwhile, Marco Andretti was completely uncompetitive while struggling with his setup. His best lap of 216.30 was almost nine mph behind Massa, his Andretti Autosport teammate.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: Ladies' Night At The Brickyard

Ashley Cassidy setting the fastest speed in Thursday's Indy 500 practice session isn't a huge surprise.

After all, Cassidy won the 500 in 2015 and she finished fourth on the road course four days ago.

But when you combine her top spot with Pippa Mann putting up the second-fastest lap, things get more interesting.

Mann's 224.56-mph lap took the top spot away from Felipe Massa (224.20) with 20 minutes left in the session, but Cassidy left it even later, putting up a 225.73 in the final seconds. The pole speed is expected to be over 230, thanks to the 90-horsepower boost teams will get starting on Fast Friday, but Cassidy's margin above the field was startling.

Graham Rahal (224.18) took the fourth spot, well ahead of the 23rd-place he managed on Wednesday, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan teammate Esteban Guerrieri (223.73) was fifth.

Will Power (223.70), Josef Newgarden (223.61), Alexander Rossi (222.91), Scott Dixon (222.88), and Dan Greenlaw (221.63) rounded out the top 10.

Ed Jones was another driver who jumped up the table, taking his Carlin from 37th to 25th, while Ryan McReynolds went the other way, dropping from 12th to 32nd. McReynolds lost more than 2 mph from Wednesday's top speed, but the most disappointing day went to Cassidy Racing's second driver, Nicholas Latifi. He battled engine and handling problems all day, and never put up a time faster than 217.43, more than eight mph slower than his own teammate.

Daniel Riccardo also dropped quite a bit, going from 2nd to 16th, but a Stewart-Haas spokesperson said he was experimenting with race setups since he knows he has the speed to qualify.

Meanwhile, Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe failed to make the top 33 for the second day in a row. They were closer, finishing within 0.35 mph of 33rd-place Spencer Pigot, but both look like strong candidates for Sunday's Last Chance For The Last Row shootout.

The cars will be running in qualifying trim tomorrow and will have an extra incentive to post at least one big lap. Saturday's first round of qualifying will be run in reverse order of Friday's timesheet, so the 39th-fastest driver tomorrow will be running their four laps early the next morning.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: From Buddy to Esteban

Former Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier is back on top of the pylon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This time, though, it is the last place he wants to be.

Lazier's best lap on Fast Friday - 225.37 mph - would have put him second on Thursday's timesheet, but with the engines boosted for qualifying, he was dead last.

That means, with the reverse grid for Saturday's qualifying, Lazier will make his four-lap attempt first, ahead of Nicholas Latifi, Zach Veach, and two Team Penske members - James Hinchcliffe and Simon Pagenaud. Marco Andretti will go off ninth after posting the 30th best time of the day - the first time he's been in the top 33 this week.

The final 10 drivers, who will have the advantage of knowing what time they have to beat, will be Felipe Massa, Scott Dixon, Ryan McReynolds, Daniel Riccardo, Thomas De Bock, Antonio Felix da Costa, Pippa Mann, Ashley Cassidy, Josef Newgarden and, finally, Esteban Guerrieri, whose 231.82-mph lap was a full half-mile faster than Newgarden and more than 7.5 miles faster than Lazier.

With cool, cloudy conditions expected on Saturday and Sunday, rain shouldn't be an issue for Saturday's 39 attempts or Sunday's Final Chance for the Final Row and Fast Nine shootouts.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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American Racing News wrote: Newgarden lights up Qualifying Day

Josef Newgarden doesn’t have the pole for the Indianapolis 500 quite yet, but he’s got both hands on the trophy.

Newgarden posted a blistering 231.906 average speed in Saturday's first round of qualifying, earning him the top seed in Sunday’s Fast Nine shootout.

He’ll be joined by the only other two drivers to break 230 mph on the day, Jack Christopherson Sr. and Will Power.

Takuma Sato grabbed the fourth seed, followed by Sergio Sette Camara, giving Ed Carpenter Racing two drivers in the pole shootout. Carpenter himself will also be in action on Sunday, as his 225.111 left him in 31st and facing the Final Chance for the Final Row contest.

Antonio Felix da Costa was sixth, ahead of Felipe Massa, Ryan McReynolds and Thomas De Bock.

Meanwhile, Carpenter will be joined by Buddy Lazier, Nicholas Steele, Zach Veach, Spencer Pigot, Ed Jones, J.R. Hildebrand, Rene Binder and Nicholas Latifi in a nine-way contest for the last three spots.

In between, the fourth through 10th rows are set for the 500.
Row 4: Rhys Davies, Patricio O’Ward, Esteban Guerrieri
Row 5: Katherine Legge, Dan Greenlaw, Daniel Riccardo
Row 6: Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud, Ashley Cassidy
Row 7: Ryan Hunter-Reay, Jack Harvey, Jack Christopherson Jr.
Row 8: Alexander Rossi, Pippa Mann, Carlos Munoz
Row 9: Collin Pratchett, Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe
Row 10: Graham Rahal, Sage Karam, Matheus Leist

At the start of the day, pundits guessed, given the weather conditions, it was going to take a lap of 231 mph to win the provisional pole and over 225 mph to avoid Sunday’s last-row shootout. That turned out to be close, although a 225.000 wouldn’t have been enough.

Lazier started the day and gave himself a chance with a four-lap average of 224.902, but Latifi was next with a 219.411. Hinchcliffe, going fourth, was the first to break 225 mph and Team Penske teammate Pagenaud was next with a 226.479.

Harvey was the second to break 226, but the first big moment came when Andretti took the 10th run of the day. A slight bobble on the third lap cost him a better time, but at 225.446, he was third behind Pagenaud and Harvey and probably safely in the field.

Moments later, though, Andretti’s fate had been forgotten. The elder Christopherson had shown signs of speed all week, but he stunned the crowd with a 230.877 run that almost certainly locked him into a high seed on Sunday.

Davies couldn’t quite match that, but he put his McLaren into second place with a 227.425. With only 12 drivers having posted times, it was already clear it was going to be a very fast day.

Sette Camara kept the streak alive, following Davies with a 229.043, but Jones broke the spell by failing to reach 224.

Starting 18th, O’Ward became the fourth driver over 227 mph, and Ganassi teammate Hunter-Reay followed by putting himself comfortably into the field with a 226.635.

Sato jumped into second with a 229.510, locking up his spot for Sunday’s shootout. After a poor time from J.R. Hildebrand, both Greenlaw and Legge punched their tickets for the 500 with 227-mph runs.

Next up were A.J. Foyt’s drivers, both of whom have struggled all season. Pratchett and Leist each broke 225 mph, but they were going to have a nervous wait.

After Carlos Munoz also put up a 225-mph run, Power became the second driver to break 230 mph, knocking Sato out of second place. Rahal, though, barely broke 225, leaving him to worry about coming back on Sunday.

That brought up Jack Christophersen Jr., suddenly under the pressure of matching his father’s epic effort. He didn’t come close, but he knew his 226.253 would still see him safely in the middle of the pack.

That brought up the final 10 qualifiers, all of whom would be hoping for a top-9 spot and a chance at Sunday’s pole.

Massa gave himself a chance with a 228.386, but Andretti Autosport teammate Dixon only managed a 226.501. McReynolds’ 227.752 didn’t look good enough, and Riccardo’s 227.088 definitely left him as a spectator on Sunday.

De Bock followed with a 227.638, leaving him seventh with five racers left, and he dropped another spot after da Costa’s 228.532.

Mann, always a fan favorite, nearly hit the wall on her second lap and finished with a 225.812, good for 20th place with three drivers left.

Like Mann, Cassidy had trouble with the suddenly gusty winds, and her 226.466 didn’t pose a threat to the leaders.

Newgarden, though, was over 232 mph on his first two laps before settling for a 231.906, beating Christophersen’s time by over a full mile per hour.

That only left Guerrieri, who had stunned the crowd with his 231.82-mph lap on Fast Friday. He needed to be even quicker for four laps on Saturday to take the provisional pole away from Newgarden, and he overdrove the car before settling for a 227.261 and 12th spot.
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American Racing News wrote: Power To The Pole
Will Power will be on the pole for next Sunday's Indianapolis 500, having won the Fast Nine Shootout by over a full mile an hour.

Starting seventh, Power put up a four-lap average of 230.494, easily beating Felipe Massa's 229.006. Josef Newgarden - the fastest qualifier on Saturday - finished third at 228.801.

The speeds were surprisingly low, with only five of the nine drivers breaking 227 mph. Thomas De Bock went first and a second-lap wiggle left him at 224.081. Ryan McReynolds went next and put up a competitive 228.232 before Massa broke 229. Antonio Felix da Costa barely broke 226 and Sergio Sette Camara only managed 225.785. Takuma Sato's 227.352 put him into third, but Power followed with the only 230-mph set of the day.

Jack Christopherson couldn't match his shocking 230.877 from Saturday, losing almost exactly four miles an hour, and Newgarden wasn't fast enough to threaten Power.

So the first row will be Power, Massa, and Newgarden, with McReynolds, Sato, and Christopherson on Row 2. Da Costa, Camara and De Bock will start on Row 3.

The day's first event - the Last Chance for the Last Row - provided a bit of drama. Ed Carpenter was the first of nine drivers, and he posted a 226.388 that would have put him in the seventh row on Saturday. Buddy Lazier struggled to break 221 mph and Nicholas Steele's 223.326 didn't look likely to stand up.

Next, Zach Veach posted a 229.027 - a speed that would have placed him third in the Fast Nine Shootout an hour later.

Spencer Pigot was fifth with a 225.702, putting him firmly on the bubble with four drivers left. Ed Jones didn't even break 220, but J.R. Hildebrand was ahead of Pigot for three laps before falling back to 225.359. Rene Binder's 223.095 wasn't close, but Nicholas Latifi finished his four laps in 2:29.738 - 225.369 mph - leaving him a quarter-second short of taking the 33rd spot away from Pigot.
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American Racing News wrote: Dixon's Milk Just As Sweet The Second Time Around

Scott Dixon passed Josef Newgarden with three laps remaining and held on to win his second Indianapolis 500 on Sunday.

Dixon won by five seconds after Newgarden brushed the wall in a last-lap effort to make the winning pass. Simon Pagenaud was third and Ashley Cassidy finished fourth ahead of pole-sitter Will Power.

Patricio O'Ward was sixth ahead of one-off drivers Jack Christopherson Sr. and Pippa Mann, while Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti finished out the top 10.

Ryan McReynolds led at the halfway point but hit the wall on Lap 111 - the same mistake that took out frontrunners like Thomas De Bock, Sergio Sette Camara, and Daniel Riccardo.

Takuma Sato led several laps early but went out with a gearbox problem on lap 52.

The driver taking the most damage on the day, though, was Graham Rahal. He was first in the standings heading into May, but finished eighth on the IMS road course, qualified 28th for the 500, and finished 31st in the race after hitting the wall while trying to pass a slower car. He leaves the Brickyard in ninth place, 111 points behind Newgarden.

With double points on offer for the 500, the standings have taken on a new look as the series heads to Detroit for next weekend's doubleheader. Newgarden has extended his lead to 59 points over Power, with O'Ward nine points further back in third. Cassidy is up to fourth with Pagenaud in fifth and Dixon in sixth.

Hunter-Reay, De Bock, Rahal and Sette Camara finish out the top 10.

On Saturday, Justin Case won the IndyLights Freedom 100 to take a two-point lead in the standings over David Malukas, who finished third.
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American Racing News wrote:
Power, Newgarden Dominate Detroit

Josef Newgarden and Will Power are threatening to turn the 2020 IndyCar season into a two-car race.

Power won Saturday's race in the annual doubleheader on Belle Isle, then finished third on Sunday, while Newgarden finished second in both races, one week after a second-place finish at the Indy 500.

Scott Dixon, who won his second 500 a week ago, found himself the victim of Belle Isle's concrete on Saturday, finishing 25th in the 26-car field, but bounced back to win on Sunday. He's leading the standings on ovals, but Sunday's victory only moved him up to 10th in the road-course standings.

Newgarden's hot streak - he won on Indy's road course and qualified third for the 500 before his three straight seconds - has given him 364 points, 59 ahead of Power. Lisa Cassidy has moved into third after three straight top-10 finishes, but is 108 points behind Newgarden, with Dixon another eight back at 248.

Patricio O'Ward (242) is fifth, Thomas De Bock (235) sits in sixth, Simon Pagenaud (232) gives Team Penske three drivers in the top seven, while Ryan Hunter-Reay (213), Sergio Sette Camara (193), and Esteban Guerrieri (191) finish the top 10.

Graham Rahal's bizarre slump continues. After finishing 31st at the 500 after a 24th-lap crash, he finished 22nd and 20th in Detroit to fall to 11th in the standings.

Chip Ganassi Racing holds a slim 237-233 lead over Team Penske in the team standings, with Cassidy Racing moving into third at 193. After failing to qualify for the 500, Nicholas Latifi bounced back with a pair of 4th-place finishes to help Cassidy pass Rahal Letterman Lanigan.

In IndyLights, David Malukas dominated Saturday's race to regain the points lead from Justin Case, then hung onto it after a carnage-filled race on Sunday. The top three in points - Malukas, Case, and Jonas Soderstrom - finished 17th, 16th, and 15th, respectively, while Lisa Keto, who won the pole and finished third on Saturday, ended up 18th.

When the dust settled, Nighthawk Racing's Missy Stuart finished 1.5 seconds ahead of Linus Lundqvist (HMD Motorsports) to become the season's first winner other than Malukas or Case. It was a popular win for the young Scot, who joined the Detroit-based team in 2019 after forming racing and personal partnerships with Lisa Keto. Lisa's brother Matt finished a season-best fourth, allowing Nighthawk to move one point ahead of HMD - 80-79 - for second place in the team standings. Menlo Park has a comfortable lead with 98 points.

In the driver's standings, Sunday's mayhem brought Malukus (130 points) and Case (123) back to the pack. Stuart's win moved her into third with 106 points, while Soderstrom (99) is a point ahead of Menlo Park teammate Tomasz Gabrysiak.
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American Racing News wrote: Canada Brings Power Closer To Second Title

Will Power must wonder if he'll ever win a second IndyCar championship.

After all, 2019 was the sixth time he's gone into the season's final race with the points lead. He's come up short in five of the six, winning his only title in 2014 - a year he clinched the championship with three races left in the season.

Thanks to a dominant performance in the series' Canadian swing - June races at Toronto, Mosport, and Montreal - Power is giving himself another shot at the trophy.

Power followed up a win in Toronto with second-place finishes at Mosport and Montreal to move past Josef Newgarden for first place. Newgarden led by 59 points after a pair of second-place finishes in Detroit and was still ahead after another second on a wet day in Toronto.

However, he only lasted 31 laps at Mosport before a broken gearbox left him in 24th place, and a blown tire put him 18th in a Montreal downpour. With Power picking up two more podium finishes - his fourth and fifth in his last six races - Newgarden now finds himself looking at an 11-point deficit.

Canada, though, didn't change one thing - this is still a two-car race for the title. A win at Mosport and a third in Montreal moved Ashley Cassidy into third place with 349 points, but she's 88 behind Power. Scott Dixon is one point behind her after a win in Montreal - his third of the season - but Patricio O'Ward is another 43 points back in the fifth.

To put Power's Canadian performance into perspective, Dixon (sixth in Montreal and ninth at Mosport) was the only other driver to post three top-10 finishes.

Power's hot streak has also helped Team Penske take a 299-293 lead over Ganassi Racing in the team standings, with Cassidy Racing in third at 276.

While the top-tier circuit was touring Canada, the Indy Lights series went to Wisconsin for a wild shootout at the Milwaukee Mile. For the second race in a row, it was a young Brit picking up the victory, as Abbi Pulling qualified on the pole and held on to win in a race that saw five leaders in the last 20 laps.

With six cars still within 10 seconds of the lead on lap 98 of 100, the front pack caught up to Alex Peroni - the last driver on the lead lap. Peroni moved up the track to block the lead trio of Robert Megennis, Justin Case, and David Malukas. At the same time, Pulling, Lisa Keto, and Missy Stewart went for a pass in the low groove. Megennis touched wheels with Peroni, sending both cars into the wall.

Case and Malukas managed to avoid the wreck, with the latter missing Stewart's front wing by inches. The race finished under yellow, with the 17-year-old Pulling becoming the youngest winner in series history. Malukas maintained a 149-145 lead over Case in the standings, with Stewart third at 123.
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American Racing News wrote:
Power's Great Lakes dominance moves him closer to championship

If Will Power finally wins his second IndyCar championship, he'll have the state of Michigan to thank.

After posting a win and a third-place finish in the Belle Isle doubleheader in June, Power won Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. The victory moved Power into a 12-point lead over Josef Newgarden - 548-536 - with five races left in the season. Scott Dixon finished 10th in the Irish Hills to fall 90 points behind Power, while Ashley Cassidy's 11th-place finish left her in fourth place at 450 points.

Dixon and Cassidy had given themselves an outside chance of breaking into the championship battle with wins at Iowa and Mid-Ohio respectively, but couldn't stay close to Power at MIS. Newgarden won the pole but finished fourth behind Felipe Massa and Graham Rahal. Massa was the only driver to finish on the same lap as Power.

Newgarden hasn't won a race since the Indy Grand Prix in early May, but he's stayed in the race with six podiums in those nine races. Dixon (four), Power (three), and Cassidy (two) have won all nine races, leaving fifth-place Patricio O'Ward (361 points) and sixth-place Massa (352) hopelessly far behind.

Three of the top four have also led their teams into an extremely close race for the team championship. Power's Team Penske leads Newgarden's Chip Ganassi Racing by three points - 362-359 - with Team Cassidy at 358. Dixon and Andretti Autosport are in fourth, but with only 304 points.

While Power was dominating on a superspeedway in the Great Lakes, an accident in the Pacific Northwest had a huge impact on the Indy Lights title race. Point leader Justin Case and third-place Missy Stewart collided early in the race at Portland International Raceway and David Malukus took advantage by adding the victory and fastest lap to his pole position. He now leads Case by 12 points - 205-193 - with two races left. Case's Menlo Park Motorsports teammate Jonas Soderstrom finished third in Portland to move into a podium position in the season standings with 174 points.

Nighthawk Racing's Lisa Keto (161 points) and Stewart (152) - who will be sharing an IMSA ride in 2021 - round out the top 5.
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Re: 2020 Airbnb IndyCar Series - THE RETURN

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God, Indycar IRL should return to michigan...its their second spiritual home, dammit...
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Kinnikuniverse wrote: 12 Jun 2022, 11:41 God, Indycar IRL should return to michigan...its their second spiritual home, dammit...
100% agree. I think IndyCar should mostly avoid ovals, but they need to be back at MIS.
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American Racing News wrote: Newgarden Dominates The Glen To Regain Points Lead

Josef Newgarden spent most of the summer on IndyCar podiums but struggled to reach the top step.

Sunday, he ended his nine-race winless streak in style, putting up a Grand Chelem at Watkins Glen to regain the series point lead.

Newgarden beat Ashley Cassidy to the pole in torrential rain on Saturday, then beat her teammate, Nicholas Latifi, by 20 seconds on a slightly less wet Sunday. Scott Dixon was third ahead of Cassidy, Felipe Massa, and points-leader Will Power.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and Jack Christopherson Jr. were the only other drivers to finish on the last lap.

By scoring the maximum 53 points for the weekend, Newgarden moved to 589, 13 ahead of Power. Dixon (493) and Cassidy (482) still have mathematical hopes of a championship, especially with 100 points available for a win in the season finale at Laguna Seca, while Massa (382) will be hoping to stay ahead of Patricio O'Ward (379) for fifth.

The series heads south for a pair of oval races at Homestead and Texas before finishing at Sonoma and Laguna Seca.
IndyCar Insider wrote: Big Changes Coming For 2021 Grid?

With the 2020 season winding down, we're hearing a lot of rumors about what the 2021 grid might look like, and the changes won't be small.

First, let's get this out of the way. Yes, IndyCar sources confirm a current team has requested the #44 for a Lewis Hamilton entry. However, it is understood to be a negotiating tactic, not confirmation of a deal.

With or without Hamilton, it should be a busy winter. Not only could there be one or two new teams, it's also possible every current team will make at least one change to their lineup. Cassidy Racing, currently leading the team standings, is expected to keep Ashley Cassidy and Nicholas Latifi but could add a third car.

A.J. Foyt Enterprises is expected to replace Collin Pratchett and Matheus Leist, while Marco Andretti has already announced he's moving to IMSA full-time in 2021. With Sergio Sette Camara heading to F1, Carpenter Racing will have an open seat in the #21 but is expected to give Robert Wickens a full-time drive in the #20 after being pleased with his performance this season on road courses.

Meanwhile, the strong performance of Latifi and Felipe Massa and the rumored 18-race schedule with only two ovals point to more former F1 drivers joining the series. Daniel Riccardo is one name being heard, especially after his Indy 500 appearance this season, but he's not likely to be alone.

David Malukus is expected to get a full-time drive whether or not he hangs on to the Indy Lights title, but the one-year deal with IMSA means most of the top drivers in the Lights field are headed for the new-look sports-car series in 2021. However, at least one major IndyCar team is expected to try to make a deal with Menlo Park Motorsports to send one of their drivers to IMSA in exchange for Justin Case's contract. One possibility would be Case taking the #28 car being vacated by Andretti, with Alexander Rossi heading to sports cars and Colton Herta taking over the #98.
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American Racing News wrote: Championship In Doubt After Newgarden Crash in Texas
A blown Firestone tire has put the 2020 IndyCar championship in play as the series heads to California for the season's final two races.

Josef Newgarden's failed Firehawk radial left him with a 21st-place finish at the Best In The World 600, shrinking his lead from 23 points over Will Power to seven - 639-632. With 150 points available in the last two races, Scott Dixon still has an outside chance at 572 points, while Ashley Cassidy (538) will need two wins and a lot of help.

Felipe Massa (431), BITW winner Thomas de Bock (430), Patricio O'Ward (423), Ryan Hunter-Reay (379), Simon Pagenaud (373), and Graham Rahal (372) will try to hold on to their top-10 spots at Sonoma and Laguna Seca.

Meanwhile, every driver in the field will be trying to help their team make a little more money in the final standings. Team Cassidy leads Team Penske 446-430, with Chip Ganassi Racing only a point back at 429. Andretti Autosport (368) is hoping to hold off Rahal Letterman Langan (344) for fourth, while Ed Carpenter Racing (302) and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (291) going for sixth.

Dixon took the first half of the oval doubleheader at Homestead, beating Newgarden by two seconds with Felipe Massa the only other driver still on the last lap. Power was able to keep the damage to a minimum, finishing fifth behind pole-sitter O'Ward.

Cassidy was seventh, making any title run even more unlikely, but Team Cassidy maintained a 415-410 lead over Chip Ganassi Racing for the team title. Team Penske was third at 401.

At the Best In The World 600 at Texas Motor Speedway, the race was preceded by a parade of BITW cars on the TMS roval.

The grid was unusual, to say the least. Felipe Massa continued his strong run on ovals by taking the pole ahead of Jack Harvey, Esteban Guerrieri, Graham Rahal, and Carlos Munoz. On a windy day, Newgarden qualified sixth, Cassidy was ninth, Power was 14th and Dixon was 17th.

As usual in Texas, the mechanical toll was high. Newgarden blew a tire on the 178th lap, hitting the wall, but none of the title contenders could take advantage. Cassidy was 5th, Dixon was 6th and Power was 7th, but they were all multiple laps behind race-winner Thomas de Bock, who gave Team Penske its fourth win of the season.

Rahal and Munoz continued their strong weekends, finishing 2nd and 3rd, with Nicholas Latifi in fourth. Pole-sitter Massa ended up 18th after a gearbox failure.

Dixon's strong finishes in Florida and Texas locked up the Foyt Trophy for the best seasonal performance on oval tracks. Newgarden, Power, and Cassidy will take the battle for the Gurney Trophy to Sonoma and Laguna Seca.
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American Racing News wrote: Cassidy Wins At Sonoma To Keep Title Hope Alive

Ashley Cassidy is almost certainly not going to win the 2020 IndyCar championship.

But her victory Sunday at Sonoma means she still has a chance going into the double-point finale at Laguna Seca.

Cassidy's 52 points, including two for the pole, leave her with 590 for the season, 90 behind series leader Josef Newgarden. A victory, pole position, and fastest lap at Laguna Seca would give her 696 points. That would still require Newgarden to finish 21st or worse, with Will Power also finishing outside the top 15, but it is better than no chance at all.

Her chances would be a lot better if not for Newgarden's incredible consistency. He finished second for the eighth time this season, giving him 12 podiums in 19 races.

Yet that might not be enough. Power's fourth-place finish puts him on 664 points, 16 behind Newgarden, which means victory in the finale would give him the championship.

Scott Dixon is also mathematically alive, but his ninth-place finish left him only four points ahead of Cassidy going to a course that will favor her.

Felipe Massa finished third, giving Andretti Autosport two drivers in the top 5 for the season in a year where Marco Andretti (19th) and Alexander Rossi (22nd) have failed to keep pace.

Antonio Felix da Costa finished fifth, the first top-five finish for Carlin in nine races, and Robert Wickens finished seventh to move into 12th place in the road course standings. In a season where many drivers have failed to show they are ready for this level, Wickens has certainly earned more than the road-course-only deal he currently has with Ed Carpenter Racing.

Nicholas Latifi was 11th, allowing Team Cassidy to expand their lead to 26 points over Chip Ganassi Racing in the team standings, with Team Penske a further six points behind.

On Saturday, the Indy Lights championship picture was jumbled when points leaders David Malukas and Justin Case dropped out in the first 10 laps. A blown tire on Lap 8 shredded Case's suspension, but Malukas was out two laps later with an engine failure. Malukas's HMD Motorsports teammate Linus Lundqvist took the victory by 1.4 seconds over Case's teammate Jonas Soderstrom, with Nighthawk Racing's Lisa Keto another 1.7 seconds back.

That leaves four drivers with a chance at the championship, although the lack of a double-points finale means Malukas only needs a podium finish at Laguna Seca to clinch the title. He currently leads Soderstrom 213-200, with Case at 195 and Keto at 183.

Soderstrom's second-place finish was enough to clinch the team championship for Menlo Park Motorsports. They will not be defending the title, though, as they are leaving the series to focus on electric-car racing.
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American Racing News wrote: Newgarden Cruises to First IndyCar Championship

In the end, Josef Newgarden did what he'd been doing all year.

He had a fast car, he stayed out of trouble and he finished on the podium. This time, though, the trophy was a lot bigger and the champagne tasted even better.

Newgarden finished third in the Mazda SKYACTIV Grand Prix of California - his 13th podium in a 19-race season - to clinch his first IndyCar championship. He finished with 750 points, 26 more than Will Power, who felt just short yet again.

In the nine IndyCar seasons run since 2010, Power has gone into the final race eight times with a chance at the title. He won in 2014, having clinched the championship with two races to go, but has failed every other time. This was his fifth second-place finish, joining 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2016. He finished third in 2015 and 2019 and fourth in 2013.

Power finished fifth, one spot ahead of fellow title contender Ashley Cassidy, who finished a career-best third in the season standings. She also relegated Power to another runner-up finish, as she and Nicholas Latifi led Team Cassidy to the team championship, beating Team Penske 516-494, with Newgarden's Ganassi Racing third at 486.

Scott Dixon, the series champ in 2013 and 2015, finished fourth in the individual standings and helped Andretti Autosport to fourth in the team competition.

While Newgarden was having a drama-free ride to the title, his Ganassi teammate Patricio O'Ward was having a nightmarish afternoon. O'Ward appeared to have Rookie of the Year wrapped up, but his gearbox only lasted 10 laps. It shouldn't have mattered, but Antonio Felix da Costa took his Carlin to second place, setting fastest lap in the process. That gave him 82 points for the day and 462 for the season, one more than O'Ward.

The actual race was won by Alexander Rossi, who hadn't had a top-10 finish since a 9th in the season opener in St. Petersburg. The 100-point victory only got him to 16th in the standings, although he was 13th in road-course points.

Robert Wickens won the pole and finished fifth, moving him into eighth place with 289 road-course points - a performance that is almost certain to get him a full-time drive in 2021.

Newgarden also won the Dan Gurney Trophy by finishing with 505 road-course points, 28 more than Power. Dixon won the A.J. Fout Trophy with 280 points on ovals, 33 more than Power.

Rossi's win gave Andretti Autosport a sweep at Laguna Seca, coming one day after Jake Dennis's win in the Indy Lights race. Abbi Pulling finished second ahead of Linus Lundqvist, with David Malukas wrapping up his series championship in fourth.

Pulling's Menlo Park Motorsports teammates Justin Case and Jonas Soderstrom finished second and third in the final standings, giving them a lopsided win in the team championship. With MPM leaving the series to concentrate on electric racing, only Pulling will be back for 2021. She has signed with Nighthawk Racing, which finished third in the team standings behind Lundqvist and Malukas' HMD Motorsports.

Pulling (Milwaukee), Cassidy (three wins), and Nighthawk's Missy Stewart (Detroit) meant there were three female winners in the top two tiers of American open-wheel racing in 2020, while Stewart's teammate Lisa Keto finished fourth in the point standings with two poles and four podium finishes.

Most silly-season experts are expecting radically different lineups in both series in 2021.
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