Latest news with #Synk275
Fox Sports
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Gearing Up: Toronto Favors Andretti Global, Chip Ganassi Racing
INDYCAR Alex Palou enters Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto with a commanding 129-point lead over Pato O'Ward as the NTT INDYCAR SERIES heads into the fourth and final street race of the 2025 season. The duo split victories last weekend at Iowa Speedway, with O'Ward earning his first victory of the season in Saturday's Synk 275 powered by Sukup while Palou captured his series-leading seventh win in Sunday's Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup. Despite dominating this season, Palou has yet to win on Toronto's 1.786-mile temporary street circuit. In three career starts, he has been eliminated in the opening round of qualifying each time, starting 22nd, 15th and 18th, respectively. But the three-time series champion has impressively raced through the field to finish sixth, second and fourth. On the other hand, O'Ward has struggled on street circuits in 2025. His average finish across the three prior street races is 10.33. In three Toronto appearances, the Arrow McLaren driver has finished 11th, eighth and 17th. Sunday's 90-lap event could be a damage-mitigation race for O'Ward and his Chevrolet counterparts. His Iowa win marked the first win for Chevrolet this season while Honda has claimed 11 of the 12 races, including all three on street circuits and six of the nine podium finishes. This season's street races began with Palou edging Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon in Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding on March 2. Kyle Kirkwood then topped Palou in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13 and Santino Ferrucci's No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on June 1. Kirkwood leads all drivers with a 2.33 average finish on street circuits this season. However, a disastrous Iowa weekend, including a crash in practice and another crash in Race 1 – he finished 26th and 18th in the races -- cost him 67 points and dropped him from second to fourth in the standings. He trails Palou by 180 points. On the bright side, Kirkwood finished runner-up to teammate Colton Herta (shown in photo) last year in Toronto. History favors CGR and Andretti Global this weekend. Their drivers swept the Toronto podium last year and have combined for nine of the last 12 top-three finishes at Exhibition Place. Gaining ground on Palou and Dixon in Round 13 of the 2025 season won't be easy. Dixon's seventh-place average finish on street courses this season ranks third behind Kirkwood and Christian Lundgaard (sixth-place average). Lundgaard, who is fifth in the standings, earned his only INDYCAR SERIES victory here in 2023 while driving for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and with three consecutive top-eight finishes in Toronto eyes a second Arrow McLaren win in three races. The first practice in Toronto is 3:05 p.m. ET Friday on FS2, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. The series returns to the track at 10:30 a.m Saturday for the second practice session in advance of the three-round knockout NTT P1 Award qualifying session scheduled to begin at 2:35 p.m. Both Saturday sessions will air on FS1, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. Sunday's schedule features the pre-race warmup at 8:30 a.m. ET (FS1, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network) before the 90-lap race at noon on FOX, FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. recommended Item 1 of 1
Fox Sports
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Power Rankings: Alex Palou Solidifies Top Spot
INDYCAR Pato O'Ward and Alex Palou split victories in the Sukup INDYCAR Race Weekend at Iowa Speedway, an event offering 550 laps of racing across two grueling races in as many days. Chevrolet swept the podium in Saturday's Synk 275 powered by Sukup, while Honda responded with a podium sweep of its own in Sunday's Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup. As the series heads north for Sunday's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto (noon Et, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), three drivers re-enter the Power Rankings. 10. David Malukas (No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR) Malukas returned strong after missing the rankings post-Mid-Ohio. He finished 12th in Race 1 but climbed to fourth in Race 2, notching his third top-seven finish in the past seven events, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. This marks his fifth time in the Power Rankings top 10 over the last six race weekends. 9. Christian Rasmussen (No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR) The second-year driver impressed with top-10 finishes in both Iowa races – he was sixth in Race 1 and eighth in Race 2 -- making him one of just six drivers to do so. This is his second appearance in the rankings, having last been ranked 10th after World Wide Technology Raceway. All four of his top-10 finishes this season have come on ovals. 8. Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet; Last Rank: NR) Newgarden led a combined 304 laps at Iowa, including 232 in Race 1 where he finished second. However, ill-timed cautions in Race 2 shuffled him back to 10th. Despite Iowa's promise, recent results -- 22nd, 9th, 25th, 25th, and 27th -- keep his ranking modest. Still, this is his first Power Rankings appearance since he was fourth after the season opener at St. Petersburg. 7. Christian Lundgaard (No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 7) Lundgaard rebounded from a 21st-place finish in Race 1 to finish sixth in Race 2, marking his second top-six result in the last three races. He also stood on the podium at Mid-Ohio with a third-place finish, his fourth podium of the year. 6. Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda; Last Rank: 5) Rosenqvist continues a steady stretch with three top-seven results in the last four events. Highlights include a second-place finish at Road America and sixth at Mid-Ohio, keeping him solidly in the conversation near the top half of the rankings. ↓5. Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 SukUp Honda; Last Rank: 3) Kirkwood slips for the second straight weekend after a rough Iowa outing. A practice crash Saturday morning foreshadowed a 26th-place result in Race 1 and a tough 18th-place finish in Race 2. Still, his five top-eight finishes in the last eight races -- including three wins -- keep him in the top five. 4. Marcus Armstrong (No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda; Last Rank: 6) Armstrong matched his career-best finish with a third-place result in Race 2 at Iowa, his second podium of the career (Detroit 2024). He's surged from 16th to seventh in the points standings over the last six races, earning top-10s in all of them. This is his highest Power Rankings position to date. 3. Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 2) Dixon followed up his Mid-Ohio victory with a runner-up finish to teammate Palou in Sunday's Iowa race, giving Chip Ganassi Racing its second 1-2 finish in three events. With five consecutive top-10 finishes, Dixon remains firmly among the championship contenders. ↑2. Pato O'Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet; Last Rank: 4) O'Ward finally broke through for his first win of the season in Iowa Race 1 and followed it with a solid fifth-place finish in Race 2. He now has eight top-seven finishes in the last nine races, including four top-two results. Notably, he also ranked second in the Power Rankings after Iowa last season. ↔1. Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; Last Rank: 1) Palou earned his seventh win of the season, which marks the first time since Al Unser Jr. in 1994 that a driver has won seven of the opening 12 races to a season. Unser won the championship by 47 points over Team Penske teammate Emerson Fittipaldi that season. Palou has scored nine top-two finishes this season and holds a commanding 129-point lead over O'Ward entering Toronto. recommended Item 1 of 3
Indianapolis Star
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
Sting Ray Robb's trailer catches fire on interstate after Iowa doubleheader. What we know
Sting Ray Robb crashed out of the second race at Iowa Speedway during IndyCar's doubleheader weekend. And his hauler caught fire on the way home, the team announced. It was a tough IndyCar weekend for Sting Ray Robb and his No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing team at Iowa Speedway, and it continued on the drive back to the team's shop. A video surfaced on social media Sunday evening of the Juncos Hollinger trailer stopped with firetrucks behind it. The team confirmed Monday that the trailer caught fire. "Our hauler caught fire on I-74 while heading back to the shop," the statement read. "It was a scary moment for the team, but, thankfully everyone is safe, and that's what matters most. "We've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, messages, and well wishes from fans, fellow teams, IndyCar officials, and the entire racing community. It's a reminder of the incredible family we have in the sport." The team said it did not yet know the damage, seemingly leaving the possibility it may not be ready for on-track action Friday in Toronto. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. "We're assessing the damage and will be working hard to get back on track," the team said. Robb finished 22nd in Saturday's Synk 275 to start the doubleheader weekend after he qualified 24th (178.885 mph). He then finished 23rd in Sunday's Farm to Finish 275 after crashing on Lap 50. He also qualified 24th (177.683 mph).
Fox Sports
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Alex Palou Runs Season Win Total to Seven at Iowa Speedway
INDYCAR Alex Palou's historic NTT INDYCAR SERIES season continued Sunday with a win in the Farm to Finish 275 powered by Sukup at Iowa Speedway. The driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda won his seventh win of the season, becoming the first driver since Al Unser Jr. in 1994 to win this many times in the first 12 races of the season. Five races remain as Palou chases the all-time record of 10 held by A.J. Foyt (1964) and Al Unser (1970). Palou also gave Honda its 11th win in 12 races this season. Chevrolet's victory came Saturday when Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward won the Synk 275 powered by Sukup. This story will be updated. recommended Item 1 of 3
Indianapolis Star
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
How will Pato O'Ward celebrate Synk 275 win? Gifting Josef Newgarden Kit-Kats: 'A lot of salt to get rid of'
NEWTON, Iowa — For Pato O'Ward, Saturday's win in the Synk 275 was deeply personal. Don't mind the fact that win No. 8 of his career came on his 100th start, or that Iowa Speedway became the first track in his IndyCar career where he's snagged a second win — with that first one three years ago in Corn Country coming in his 50th IndyCar start — or that he goes to bed 20 points closer to championship leader Alex Palou. Because after 16 runner-up finishes in his career, six times to Josef Newgarden, the young Mexican driver wasn't about to surrender the late-race lead he inherited at the close of the race's final pitstop exchange, certainly not to the Team Penske driver who led the first 232 laps and took the checkered flag stalking O'Ward's rear-wing, seething as he drove. 'He's the guy that I've been most around, especially to win races. If it wasn't for him, I would have a lot more wins,' O'Ward said, chuckling and leaning back in his chair as he spoke. 'But he's a tough competitor. I think this year for him has been quite different to what it's been in the past. 'I see him very differently, to be honest: like his attitude and everything is definitely not the Josef that I've always praised, I would say.' When asked by IndyStar to elaborate — "Was there, for example, a particularly tense post-race moment between the two?" — IndyCar's superstar driver simply smiled and offered this: 'I'm gonna ask Kit-Kat to send a care package to his home, because he's got a lot of salt to get rid of.' 'I've studied him. I know how to race him. He gets what he gives, and if he was flirting with fire there, then that's what he got, and that's what I was going to give him,' O'Ward continued. 'Because you get to these points in your career, and for me, especially today when I was behind him, I said, 'Today is the day that's going to change.' 'Because obviously (Josef) has a lot more experience than I do, but I think over the years, I've grown to realize that I'm pretty handy, at least on certain ovals. And I believe our package is very strong, and it's important to capitalize when we can get those wins.' As pivotal, emotional and cherished as many of O'Ward's seven previous wins in his IndyCar career have been, some might argue that a few of his close calls have similarly defined and shaped his first chapter or two in the sport, too. That late-race sprint out of the pits in 2020 at World Wide Technology Raceway that he lost by mere inches. His thorough throttling of the field at Texas Motor Speedway, where he at one point lapped the rest of the field, but where he also lost a back-and-forth, lap-by-lap, side-by-side battle by virtue of an ill-timed race-ending caution. The 2024 St. Pete season opener he never got to celebrate, but nonetheless owns the trophy and the win in the record books. The devastating Indianapolis 500 heartbreaker that left him in tears, where he led at the close of Lap 199, only to watch a blur of red and yellow breeze by on the outside through Turn 3 of Lap 200. All those runner-up finishes and more have come at the hands of Newgarden, the two-time series champ and two-time 500 winner who O'Ward spoke glowingly of early in his career and who not long ago appeared to be creating a publicly playful "older brother, younger brother" dynamic simultaneously as they became IndyCar's biggest stars. At least on O'Ward's side, much of that shine has clearly worn off, but as the Arrow McLaren driver explained, that doesn't take away from the way in which Newgarden, and Team Penske, have become the class of the field at IndyCar's annual stop in Newton, Iowa. That fact, he said, shaped the way in which O'Ward patiently, methodically drove and studied himself through the opening stages of Saturday's 275-lap race. For one, O'Ward said he wasn't surprised to see Newgarden pop into the pits first for the final exchange of the race on Lap 233, as he allowed Saturday's polesitter to burn ever so slightly more fuel while running out front for the first 232 laps. Not only did that put Newgarden at risk of getting caught a lap down by an untimely caution, but when O'Ward did finally pit two laps later, the 26-year-old knew doing so would, if executed properly, give him clean air and the chance to pop out of the pits with some cushion to the No. 2 Chevy trailing behind. Then it would be up to him to hold off the six-time Iowa Speedway winner. 'Hand him over to the world': How Pato O'Ward became IndyCar's biggest star And so O'Ward tore out of the pits for the final time like a bat out of hell, cognizant of the fact he'd spun earlier in the morning in practice doing just that, but also supremely focused on nothing but the task at hand and the opportunity in his lap — particularly after Newgarden's final stop ran a hair long due to the smallest of delays getting his left-front tire secured. 'Yeah, if we were just a little quicker, then we (pass him),' Newgarden said, stone-faced, steely eyed as he spoke. 'It just takes one bobble. 'We just needed to maintain position. That was going to be the key.' As he had referenced earlier in the day in the wake of securing pole for the first of two races in the doubleheader weekend, Newgarden entered the weekend staunchly of the belief IndyCar had gone the wrong direction in its package decision — one with high downforce and lower engine boost — brought in an attempt to remedy what last year at Iowa Speedway was single-track racing due to the lack of a second runnable lane. That frustration seeped into his dejection Saturday evening, as he settled for his second podium of the year in a season that for him, and Team Penske, is yet to include a win. Climbing to 14th in points from 19th, snapping a streak of three consecutive DNFs and grabbing just his fourth top 10 of the year offered little consolation for the 31-time IndyCar race-winner. '(Pato) pushed me up in (Turn) 3 on the restart when I had a good run. You're going for the win, so I almost — I can't fault him,' Newgarden said. 'But with this package, I was flat out. Couldn't do anything different. He got position, and that was that. 'I was just kind of managing risk today. A day like today was going, I wish I would have done a little bit more, but we've got tomorrow, so we'll see what we can bring.' History in IndyNXT: Myles Rowe becomes first Black driver to win IndyCar or NASCAR race at Iowa Speedway The difference in the pair shone in the way in which O'Ward has handled close calls in 2025 — a season where at the halfway mark, he had finished runner up three times without picking up a win. His most consistent season on race days, O'Ward said, has seemed to coincide with a run of his worst season-long qualifying performances — leaving him so often in damage control mode trying to salvage top 10s or top 5s as he watched Palou gobble up first- and second-place finishes left and right. Even as he sat in Newgarden's rearview mirror for nearly 150 consecutive laps — much of that with a gap that ping-ponged either side of half-a-second — O'Ward didn't feel as if he needed this win. There was no desperation, something he said he began to see come alive in one of IndyCar's fiercest modern-day competitors as Newgarden tried to slice and squeeze his way back to the lead to no avail. 'How bad did I need it? I wanted it,' O'Ward said. 'I wouldn't necessarily say that if I didn't get it, it was going to be the end of the world. We've been chipping away at it, and if it wasn't a win, I think it was going to be a second place. 'Josef, he was poised to get another win. He's dominated here. But like I said, we've had a lot of battles, a lot of 1-2 finishes, and in a lot of those, I've been the two. It's just way nicer and a way better feeling when you're No. 1. Yeah, I know how to race him. He's probably the guy that I know how he races the most and the one that I've studied the most, because he's the one that I've been behind the most.'
