Latest news with #INDYCARSERIES
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Improving Foyt Team Closing In on Elusive Win with Steady Speed
INDYCAR The race is on for a driver other than Alex Palou or Kyle Kirkwood to win an NTT INDYCAR SERIES race this season. AJ Foyt Racing has two of the top contenders. Santino Ferrucci and David Malukas have quietly put together some of the series' best results over the past month, each scoring 111 points over the past four races. Only Kirkwood (142 points), Palou (138) and Pato O'Ward (127) have scored more in that span. Remember, that stretch includes a superspeedway, a street circuit, a short oval and a road course. Ferrucci and Malukas each have a recent second-place finish, including Malukas in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, and they have combined to post six top-seven finishes in eight opportunities. They both placed in the top five at Indy, with Ferrucci in fifth as he extended his record streak of top-10 finishes in the event to seven. It had been 25 years since two Foyt drivers finished in the top five at Indy (Eliseo Salazar and Jeff Ward finished third and fourth, respectively, in 2000). In last weekend's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR, Ferrucci also continued his season streak of top-five finishes by ending up third. He finished second in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear and delivered fifth-place finishes not only at Indy but in the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline at World Wide Technology Raceway, as well. Malukas' recent surge is evident in qualifying sessions. He has started in the top seven in each of the past four races, highlighted by a front-row roll-off in the Detroit street race. Malukas qualified fourth at WWTR and started seventh in the '500' and at Road America. The two drivers have combined to lead 87 laps over the past four races. The recent surge has Ferrucci ninth in the standings – that's where he finished last season, too – and Malukas 12th. A month ago, they were 15th and 19th, respectively. 'It's obviously going very well,' team president Larry Foyt said at Road America. 'The first half of (this) race looked like nothing was going our way with David starting up close to the front but having to go all the way to the back (due to contact) and Santino having a stall in the pits. It didn't look like it was going to be our day. 'But everybody (on the crew) just stayed in it, and the drivers did a great job. This was such a crazy (race). Everybody was trying to figure out what the (best) strategy was, and our guys nailed it.' Ferrucci has the same number of points as Colton Herta of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian, and they are within striking distance of Team Penske's top two performers. Scott McLaughlin leads them by six points, Will Power by 13. Ferrucci joked it's his qualifying efforts that are slowing him down this season. His average starting position is 17.4, a stark contrast to his average finishing position (10.2). That's 7.2 positions gained per race . 'We're performing,' Ferrucci said on the FOX broadcast. 'We're back to where we were at the end of last year. I feel lit. I've just got to get my qualifying performance up. Until then, I like padding my passing stats.' Ferrucci ranks second to Christian Rasmussen in total passes for position this season. They also were the only drivers to accumulate 50-plus total passes in the past two races combined. 'Obviously, starting 18th (at Road America) is not ideal,' he said. While Malukas is 12th in the standings, he only trails Ferrucci and Herta by 10 points, which is remarkable given the slow start he had in his first season with this organization. His average finish in the first five races was 17.4. At Road America, Malukas' race became more challenging when he ran deep into Turn 3 and hit the Arrow McLaren car of Christian Lundgaard. The contact resulted in Malukas spinning off track, requiring the restart assistance of the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team. The combination of the quick service and long track distance kept him on the lead lap, and he rallied to finish seventh, his second-best result of the season. '(It was) a lot of fun, a lot of passing, and we finished right where we started,' the driver of the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet said. 'So, good recovery (and) really good job from the team.' Larry Foyt said the competitiveness of the series makes it difficult to make gains, but there is plenty of evidence to show the team is doing just that. In the second half of the season, its goal is to earn the team's first victory since 2013, when Takuma Sato won at Long Beach. 'It's so tough right now, which makes even a (top-three finish) feel like a win,' Foyt said. 'It's still not (a win), and we still want to break through and get back in victory lane. That's still the goal, but what this team is doing right now, I couldn't be happier.'
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Bobby Rahal Named Grand Marshal of Mid-Ohio Event
INDYCAR Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and American Honda Motor Co., Inc. announced June 25 that Bobby Rahal, the 1985 and 1986 INDYCAR SERIES race winner at the Ohio road course, will serve as the honorary grand marshal of The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on Sunday, July 6. As grand marshal, Rahal will announce the most famous words in racing, 'Drivers, start your engines!' and participate in pre-race ceremonies for the 90-lap NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at Mid-Ohio (1 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Ohio native Rahal's connection to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course runs deep. In addition to his two INDYCAR SERIES wins at the track, three-time INDYCAR SERIES champion Rahal finished on the podium a remarkable eight of his 16 career starts on his home circuit, including in his last two races in 1997 and 1998. 'It's a great honor to be the grand marshal for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio,' Rahal said. 'Mid-Ohio played an important role in my personal and professional life. I went to the first-ever race there with my father in 1962 and made annual trips there after that, sometimes twice a year. I got my first win at Mid-Ohio in my SCCA class in 1974, won both IROC races I competed in there, won the Lumberman's race and, of course, the two INDYCAR races in 1985 and 1986.' Rahal also has won at Mid-Ohio as a team owner in 2015 with his son, Graham Rahal, taking the checkered flag at The Honda Indy 200 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing shop was once located in nearby Hilliard, Ohio, in the same building which formerly housed Truesports Racing. Rahal drove for Truesports when entering the INDYCAR SERIES in 1982 and won the Indianapolis 500 with the Jim Trueman-owned team in 1986. Rahal is in a very select group of individuals who have won the Indianapolis 500 both as a driver and as an owner/entrant (2004 and 2020 as an owner). 'Being by (Jim) Trueman's side when he bought the track in 1980 and winning the IMSA race with him in 1983, as well as winning the INDYCAR races there and seeing Graham win there in 2015, are some of my greatest memories at one of my favorite tracks,' Bobby Rahal said. 'It was a privilege to drive on such a great circuit all those years.' Visit for ticket information for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2026 Passport on July 4-6, the 42nd running of Ohio's biggest racing event. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the weekend of nine races across five different racing series, including INDY NXT by Firestone. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. recommended
Fox Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Packers RB Josh Jacobs rides in fastest seat ahead of XPEL Grand Prix
Josh Jacobs has hit high speeds plenty of times on the gridiron, helping him earn three Pro Bowl nods in his career. But the Green Bay Packers running back traveled at a speed he's never hit on the field before on Sunday. Jacobs rode in the fastest seat in sports ahead of Sunday's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. He joined the likes of Tom Brady, Alex Rodriguez and others to ride in the fastest seat in sports prior to an INDYCAR race this season. "Man, I'm excited," Jacobs told FOX Sports before getting into the two-seater. "Hopefully, we can top it out. "It's been a great experience," Jacobs added. "I got to meet a lot of the guys. Scotty [McLaughlin] is a really cool guy. Just talking to him about the ins and outs. A lot goes into this. It's interesting to see firsthand." Jacobs seemed to play it cool as he rode at high speed ahead of Sunday's race, going with the flow of the car. As Jacobs looked comfortable in the fastest seat in sports, he's preparing to have a strong second season with the Packers. He rushed for 1,329 yards on 4.4 yards per carry and a league-leading 15 touchdowns in 2024, helping him receive a Pro Bowl nod. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Qualifying Notes: Kyle Moyer Lands New Job with Arrow McLaren
INDYCAR Kyle Moyer's time as a free agent didn't last long. The veteran team manager who was one of three executives released last month by Team Penske has been hand-picked by Arrow McLaren Team Principal Tony Kanaan to join the Indianapolis-based NTT INDYCAR SERIES program. Moyer will be the organization's director of competition beginning with next week's test at Iowa Speedway. Kanaan and Moyer worked together for years at Andretti Global when Kanaan was a driver. Moyer was the team manager when Kanaan won the INDYCAR SERIES championship in 2004. Moyer left Michael Andretti's team in 2015 to join Roger Penske's organization. Moyer, along with Team President Tim Cindric and Managing Director Ron Ruzewski, were released by Team Penske in advance of the recent Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after the cars of defending champion Josef Newgarden and Will Power were found with unapproved modifications ahead of qualifying. At Arrow McLaren, Moyer will replace Kanaan as the race strategist for Nolan Siegel, allowing Kanaan to work with all three Arrow McLaren drivers on race weekends. Kanaan told the Associated Press that almost every team in the paddock tried to hire Moyer, but the relationship the two of them have gave McLaren the edge. 'Kyle is one of the best strategists in the paddock, so talking about his qualities, not just about him as a human being, he knows a lot about racing,' Kanaan told the AP. 'Kyle probably is one of the top guys of knowledge of INDYCAR. He's been around it his entire life.' Moyer grew up in Monrovia, Indiana, and was brought into the sport by the Bettenhausen family. Kirkwood Credits Decision Making to Surge Series points leader Alex Palou had the spotlight for most of the first half of the season. A dominant start featured five wins in six races, including an Indy 500 victory, and made him the undisputed championship favorite. But lately, Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood has turning heads – and is turning the title tide. Kirkwood has surged to third in the standings, 75 points behind Palou, thanks to wins in the only three races Palou hasn't claimed. Kirkwood had just two wins in his first 53 series races. He now has three wins in the past six races. 'I think he's always been there,' Colton Herta said of his teammate heading into Sunday's XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR (1:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). 'Maybe he's gotten a little bit better at how to race and when to go fast in races, and that just comes (with experience). But I think he's driving pretty similar to last year. He just had bad luck with penalties last year.' Kirkwood agrees the difference isn't raw speed but decision making. He cited last year's fifth-place finish at Road America as an example of when pushed too hard early in the race trying to stave off eventual third-place finisher Scott McLaughlin. The effort backfired and opened the door for McLaughlin and Palou to pass. 'I realized later it was inevitable,' Kirkwood said. 'I pushed too hard too early.' We'll see what he learned from last year. Dixon Penalized for Impeding DeFrancesco Six-time series champion Scott Dixon said he was trying to create a gap to maximize his chances of advancing in qualifying, but race officials said Dixon impeded the hot lap of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Devlin DeFrancesco during the first round of qualifying. The penalty proved costly to the Chip Ganassi Racing veteran. Rather than advancing to the Fast 12 and perhaps earning a top-10 starting position, Dixon lost his two fastest laps and was reduced to the 25th starting position. Only three times in his career has he started farther back, including 26th earlier this year in the Children's of Alabama INDYCAR Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park. He finished 12th in that race. 'It is what it is, man,' he said in ending an interview with FOX's Kevin Lee on pit road. recommended
Fox Sports
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Prepares To Introduce Innovative New Car for 2028
INDYCAR INDYCAR is providing a status update on the new race car the series will introduce and implement for the 2028 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, which was also shared with team owners today at Road America. Extensive planning and collaborative design work continues for the new chassis, with thorough on-track testing scheduled for early 2026. Dallara will produce the chassis, which will feature a look designed to appeal to a new generation of fans while keeping styling cues recognized by all as an INDYCAR SERIES car. Dallara has produced chassis for the series since 1997 and has been the series' exclusive chassis supplier since 2008. 'The time has come for a new NTT INDYCAR SERIES chassis," INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. 'The DW12 served the series so well, as it provided a combination of phenomenal, wheel-to-wheel racing and critical enhancements to safety. But recent significant updates to the car – from the aeroscreen to the hybrid power unit – have helped advance the need for a completely new car. We are pleased by what our engineers and Dallara have collaboratively designed and believe it will appeal to the fans and paddock while also upholding our standards of safety and enhancing INDYCAR's on-track competition well into the future.' Three areas – competition, powertrain development and safety – are pillars of the engineering, design and development of the new car. The new car will enhance the ultra-competitive nature of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES by being even better suited for racing on all four types of circuits the series visits – superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. Evolution of the new chassis has included work by Dallara and recently developed simulation technology, aimed at enhancing overall raceability. Working in tandem with Dallara and other component suppliers, the overall car design includes a projected weight reduction of 85-100 pounds compared to the current INDYCAR SERIES chassis. Plans also include a move to a 2.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 internal combustion engine, which is expected to provide more torque and power over the current engine formula. Xtrac, an exclusive supplier for INDYCAR since 2000, will continue to provide transmissions for the new chassis. Development for 2028 includes a gearbox that will shed 25 pounds from the currently used unit and one that will share components with a future INDY NXT by Firestone gearbox – streamlining components for teams also involved in INDYCAR's development series. Low-voltage hybrid engine technology, introduced to series competition with a successful launch in July 2024, will continue to evolve in the new car with longer deployment, more horsepower gain and overall improved performance. Performance Friction Corporation (PFC) once again will be the exclusive supplier of brake system components for the series, as it has since 2017. Safety also will continue to be a focus of Dallara's design, in close collaboration with INDYCAR technical and medical response officials. The new car will bolster safety to new benchmarks with an ergonomic driver cockpit to improve seating position, an integrated aeroscreen and a new roll hoop. The existing chassis was retrofitted with the aeroscreen upon that revolutionary safety device's introduction in 2020. Renderings and more information about the new car, along with additional partners, will be announced at a later date. This new car update and plan continues the upward trajectory of North America's premier open-wheel series. Recent milestones include FOX viewership results of a 27% year-over-year gain while averaging 2 million viewers for the 2025 season, a partnership renewal with longtime tire supplier Firestone, the announcement of the INDYCAR Grand Prix of Arlington in partnership with the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers and city of Arlington, Texas, starting in 2026 and the acquisition of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach by Penske Entertainment. The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the XPEL Grand Prix at Road America Presented by AMR. Coverage of Round 9 of the 17-race 2025 championship begins at 1:30 p.m. ET Sunday, June 22 on FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app. Coverage also available via the award winning INDYCAR Radio Network on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. recommended in this topic
