Practice Shots: Unpredictability Is Predictable at Mid-Ohio
The most challenging stretch of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES began Friday with the first day of on-track activity at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Before this month ends, teams will have competed in five races at four venues in three different parts of North America (the Midwest, Canada and the West Coast).
Here are three observations about the first practice of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport, plus other notes of interest: This is Alex Palou's track until proven otherwise. In four starts with Chip Ganassi Racing on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile road course, the Spaniard has finished third, second, first and second for an average finish of 2.0. The series points leader was third on Friday's speed chart, which should be concerning to those trying to cut into his commanding 93-point standings lead. Palou has a series-leading six race wins this season, and he and Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood, who delivered Friday's fastest lap, are the only race winners this season. Palou doesn't have to qualify up front Saturday to win Sunday. His average starting position here with CGR is only 4.75. Mid-Ohio has always been a roller-coaster ride for drivers. Friday, it sent several off track. Colton Herta of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian slid off twice, the first time well wide of Turn 1. Later, he went rear-first off Turn 6. Rookie Jacob Abel of Dale Coyne Racing spun at the exit of Turn 1. Arrow McLaren's Nolan Siegel (Turn 12), AJ Foyt Racing's David Malukas (Turn 9), Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin (Turn 4) and Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward (Turn 4) also went off the road. Malukas mentioned a slick track. Maybe that was it. The track was resurfaced two years ago. Turn 4 is one of the track's signature corners and one of the best places to pass. But for safety reasons, the profile of the corner has been modified since last year's NTT INDYCAR SERES race. Previously, there was a big drop-off into the gravel trap, an area affectionately known as 'China Beach.' But that drop-off contributed to the dramatic flips of Michael Andretti (1998) and Simon Pagenaud (2023), among other rough rides. The transition from track to gravel is now about the same level, and the rest of Turn 4 has been flattened out, which removes the ramp effect that previously existed.
So Many Winners (Poles and Race)
There are many reasons why drivers love competing at Mid-Ohio, and one is the success so many of them have experienced.
There are nine drivers in this NTT INDYCAR SERIES field who have won series races here – the most by any venue on this year's calendar. Certainly, eight different winners in the past eight years are the most of any venue on the schedule.
Qualifying has been similarly competitive in recent years. Different drivers have won the NTT P1 Award each of the past four years – Josef Newgarden (2021), O'Ward (2022), Herta (2023) and Palou (2024).
In all, seven drivers racing this weekend have won NTT P1 Awards at this track, led by Will Power and his five poles. Scott Dixon and Alexander Rossi are the other former Mid-Ohio pole winners.
Qualifying for Sunday's The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport is at 2:30 p.m. ET Saturday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Odds and Ends A year certainly can fly by fast. Last year at this event, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES raced with hybrid technology for the first time. O'Ward won the race. Last month, World Wide Technology Raceway became the first track to experience the series' hybrid technology a second time as the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline moved forward in this year's schedule by two months. Marcus Ericsson has a different engineer for the first time as an Andretti Global driver. Dave Seyffert has been tabbed to finish out the season with the No. 28 FOX INDYCAR Honda, replacing Olivier Boisson. Seyffert was an assistant engineer with Meyer Shank Racing when Helio Castroneves won the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in 2021. He also stepped in for Jeremy Milless on Kirkwood's car last month at World Wide Technology Raceway, and the combination won the race. Ericsson should be optimistic about his chances this weekend. He has finished in the top six of four of the past five races at Mid-Ohio. He finished second to Newgarden in 2021 and was fifth a year ago. Felix Rosenqvist's No. 60 SiriusXM Honda is carrying a special livery this weekend, highlighting legendary English hard rock singer Ozzy Osbourne. Ed Carpenter Racing's Christian Rasmussen will start Sunday's race six positions beyond where he qualifies due to serving a penalty for an unapproved engine change following last week's team test at Iowa Speedway.
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