INDYCAR News for the Month of March 2020

Report: October the target for potential future postponements – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports INDYCAR is looking at alternate dates over the first four weekends in October for St. Petersburg as well as Detroit and Texas should those events be postponed. Full story at the link. – RACER – (3/31/2020)

Report: INDYCAR scraps double points for finale – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports INDYCAR has decided to not award double points at the NTT INDYCAR SERIES finale in 2020 due to the revised schedule. Full story at the link. – RACER – (3/31/2020)

Karam wins INDYCAR iRacing Challenge at Watkins Glen – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s Sage Karam won the INDYCAR iRacing Challenge American Red Cross Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International on Saturday in a dominant win from pole. The full Top 5 was Karam, Rosenqvist, McLaughlin, and Askew. View a replay of the race here. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (3/28/2020)

INDYCAR confirms Watkins Glen as track and adds Johnson as driver for iRacing event – “The INDYCAR iRacing Challenge, a virtual racing event featuring a full field of NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, begins this weekend with Saturday’s American Red Cross Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International beginning at 4 p.m. ET. The event, which will last approximately 90 minutes, will be streamed through INDYCAR.com while INDYCAR’s YouTube and Facebook platforms as well as iRacing’s Twitch will serve as additional outlets for viewing. The NBC broadcasting team of Leigh Diffey, Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy will be calling the action. The pre-race activities will be highlighted by iconic national anthem singer Jim Cornelison adding his voice as he has for the past three Indianapolis 500s. The entry list of 25 drivers includes series champions Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Sebastien Bourdais, Tony Kanaan, four Indianapolis 500 winners and collectively has registered 140 series victories. The Team Penske trio of Newgarden, Pagenaud and Power, along with the A.J. Foyt Racing duo of Bourdais and Kanaan, have combined for nine series championships led by Bourdais’ four and two by Newgarden.” View the updated entry list here. – INDYCAR – (3/27/2020)

Revised 2020 Road to Indy schedule – “Following the schedule announcement today from Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires’ sanctioning body INDYCAR, Andersen Promotions has also confirmed a revised 2020 calendar to run in conjunction with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. To recover the two races lost at Barber Motorsports Park and Circuit of The Americas, triple header rounds for all three levels – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship – will take place at Road America and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, helping to reduce costs to teams while maintaining an 18-race event schedule.” Full release at the link. – Indy Lights – (3/26/2020)

Revised 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule after Month of May postponement – The revised 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule after the scheduled postponement of each of the Month of May races is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (3/26/2020)

104th Indy 500 moved to August & GMR Grand Prix moved to July 4th – “The Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge has been rescheduled for Sunday, Aug. 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, officials from INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) announced today. The 104th edition of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will air live on NBC, with the official green flag time to be announced at a later date. The GMR Grand Prix will transition to Saturday, July 4 on the IMS road course as part of a historic double-header featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR. This first-of-its-kind racing event also will be televised by NBC on Independence Day. The Indianapolis 500 was originally scheduled for Sunday, May 24, in its traditional spot on the calendar during Memorial Day weekend. The GMR Grand Prix was scheduled to be run on Saturday, May 9.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (3/26/2020)

Road to Indy iRacing series announced – “Competitors representing all three levels of the world’s leading driver development platform will return to racing virtually this week when the Ricmotech Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires iRacing eSeries kicks off a five-race schedule on Saturday, March 28. The green flag for the 45-minute race is set for 1:04 pm EDT and is a precursor to the debut of the six-race INDYCAR iRacing Challenge scheduled for 4:00 pm on Saturdays.” View the entry list here. – Indy Lights – (3/26/2020)

Genesys unveils No. 29 livery for Hinch – Genesys has unveiled the Andretti Autosport No. 29 livery to be driven by James Hinchcliffe part-time this season in the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. View the livery on our No. 29 livery page here. – Genesys – (3/26/2020)

INDYCAR releases entry list for iRacing event this weekend – “A full field of NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers, including reigning series champion Josef Newgarden and 2019 Indianapolis 500 winner Simon Pagenaud, is set to compete virtually in the inaugural INDYCAR iRacing Challenge on Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. ET. The entry list represents 15 different teams or organizations currently competing in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and a field of drivers that has amassed 140 NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories and nine series championships. Newgarden, a two-time series titlist, will be joined in the field by fellow series champions Will Power and Pagenaud of Team Penske along with Sebastien Bourdais and Tony Kanaan of AJ Foyt Racing.” View the entry list here. – INDYCAR – (3/26/2020)

Miller’s Mailbag 3/25/20 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (3/25/2020)

Trackside podcast 3/24/20 – 107.5 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 3/24/20 is a great listen as always. Simon Pagenaud and Donald Davidson are guests on the show. – 107.5 The Fan – (3/25/2020)

INDYCAR announces iRacing plans with first race on March 28th – “INDYCAR is going racing again, virtually that is. INDYCAR and iRacing, the world’s premier motorsports racing simulation, are partnering to currently stage six virtual races featuring a lineup of current and former NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers and possibly some special guests beginning Saturday, March 28. The inaugural INDYCAR iRacing Challenge race will be selected by bracket voting by fans starting today, March 20th. The opening race will be followed by Barber Motorsports Park (April 4), driver’s choice (April 11), random draw (April 18), Circuit of The Americas (April 26) and a non-INDYCAR “dream” track (May 2).” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (3/20/2020)

The Open Wheel’s Indy Lights St. Pete livery guide – The Open Wheel’s one page of all the Indy Lights liveries from the single practice session on the Streets of St. Petersburg is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (3/20/2020)

’20 Acura GP of Long Beach officially cancelled – “The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach today announced that it will not be able to conduct the 2020 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach at a date later in the year. The Grand Prix Association also announced a ticket credit/refund policy for 2020 Acura Grand Prix ticket holders…The first option allows ticket holders to receive a credit for tickets purchased which will apply to the same level of admission to the 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach event. The credit will come with a Price Protection Plan which will not only protect them against any price increase for the 2021 Acura Grand Prix but also guarantee they can purchase the same level of ticket for the 2022 event at the 2020 price. The second option gives ticket holders a full refund (less the processing fee) by April 30, 2020. The 2021 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will take place April 16-18.” Full release at the link. – Acura GP of Long Beach – (3/18/2020)

AJ Foyt Racing temporarily closes shops due to COVID-19 – “With the invasion of the Coronavirus or COVID-19, not only is our country navigating uncharted territory, but so is the rest of the world. Many people will face unprecedented hardship due to the drastic but necessary measures being taken to confront the spread of this insidious disease. As our government addresses ways to lessen those hardships, Americans are doing their part by following the directives to stay home and stay safe. After consulting with his father, Larry Foyt communicated to the AJ Foyt Racing employees that their pay will not be interrupted despite temporarily closing the team’s race shop in Indianapolis and the team’s headquarters in Waller, Texas.” Full release at the link. – AJ Foyt Racing – (3/18/2020)

Miller’s Mailbag 3/18/20 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (3/18/2020)

Trackside podcast 3/17/20 – 107.5 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 3/17/20 is a great listen as always. Conor Daly and Nate Ryan are guests on the show. – 107.5 The Fan – (3/18/2020)

INDYCAR & IMS issue Month of May statement – A joint statement from INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway: “We are aware of the CDC’s interim guidance suggesting the postponement of events involving more than 50 people over the next eight weeks. Our priority is to do our part in protecting the public health while still conducting the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge as scheduled on May 24. This continues to be a dynamic situation which we are monitoring constantly in coordination with federal, state, local and public health officials. We are planning for all contingencies and will be prepared to run the GMR Grand Prix and Indy 500 as the COVID-19 situation permits.” – INDYCAR – (3/16/2020)

The Open Wheel’s “Race Day” St. Pete photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s INDYCAR photo gallery of what was set to be race day at the 2020 Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. A collection of photos of what was the circuit the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires were set to open their seasons on before INDYCAR was forced to postpone the start of their 2020 season until May due to COVID-19. View the gallery at the link. – The Open Wheel – (3/15/2020)

INDYCAR announces cancellation of all events through the end of April – “After careful consideration, including regular communication with our event promoters, health officials, and the city administrations in our respective race markets regarding COVID-19, we have made the decision to cancel all NTT INDYCAR Series events through April. This begins with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg which was to begin today and run through Sunday, March 15 and continues through the AutoNation INDYCAR Challenge at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas which was to take place April 24-26. Although we are disappointed to delay the start to this INDYCAR season and will miss our incredible fans who support us each year in St. Petersburg, Birmingham, Long Beach, and Austin, the safety of our fans, participants, staff, partners, and media will always remain our top priority. We will continue to coordinate with public health experts and government officials as we determine the appropriate plans for resuming our schedule.” – INDYCAR – (3/13/2020)

Malukas leads Lights practice at St. Pete – HMD Motorsports’ David Malukas led the only Indy Lights practice of the weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg with a lap of 1:06.552. The full Top 5 was Malukas, Kirkwood, Lindh, Frost, and Megennis. Full results here. – The Open Wheel – (3/13/2020)

Revised St. Pete schedule now available – The revised weekend schedule for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is available at the link. – Firestone GP – (3/13/2020)

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach postponed – “In light of the announcement from the City of Long Beach prohibiting all large-scale events in the City through April 30, 2020, the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will not take place as scheduled on April 17-19. While we recognize that this is a serious inconvenience for our loyal attendees, sponsors and other clients, nevertheless, this action is consistent with our primary objective of assuring the public’s safety and well-being at our event. We are in conversation with the City of Long Beach, various race sanctioning bodies and the Long Beach Convention Center to discuss the viability of rescheduling this event at a later time in the year. If that is not possible, then we look forward to presenting the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 16-18, 2021. Further details about possible refunds or credits will be forthcoming.” Full release at the link. – Acura GP of Long Beach – (3/13/2020)

INDYCAR/St. Pete joint statement as of 3/12 3PM – “INDYCAR and Green Savoree Racing Promotions, in conjunction with the city of St. Petersburg, announced Thursday that all activities surrounding Sunday’s season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be closed to spectators and limited to essential personnel only. This protocol is being put in place to protect the health and welfare of the fans, drivers, teams, workers and officials, as we mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19. The race weekend will operate from Friday through Sunday, with INDYCAR on-track sessions limited to Saturday and Sunday. The activities also include Road To Indy, IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup, and SRO Motorsports Group America on a condensed schedule. A press release with full details, including a revised schedule, will be issued with additional details later today.” – INDYCAR – (3/12/2020)

Firestone GP of St. Pete 3/12 3PM – City of St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman announced at 3:00PM ET Thursday afternoon that the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be held with a condensed schedule and no fans in attendance. More details to come. – Dave Furst – (3/12/2020)

Firestone GP of St. Pete closed to all spectators – City of St. Petersburg mayor Rick Kriseman announced on Thursday morning that the City has made the decision to close the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to all spectators. The race itself is under consideration to be delayed. A five year extension of the race was announced this morning as well. More details to come. – NBC Sports – (3/12/2020)

Meyer Shank Racing and Justice Brothers Inc. announce partnership – “With the NTT INDYCAR Series season about to kick off this weekend in St. Petersburg, Florida, Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) is excited to welcome on board Justice Brothers Inc. to both of its IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and NTT INDYCAR Series programs for 2020. Justice Brothers, Inc. manufactures and distributes car care products, fleet, farm and industrial lubricants and cleaners to consumers worldwide. Justice Brothers has been an innovator in the development of better products to solve problems in the automotive industry.” Full release at the link. – Meyer Shank Racing – (3/12/2020)

Trackside podcast 3/11/20 – 107.5 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 3/11/20 is a great listen as always. – 107.5 The Fan – (3/12/2020)

St. Pete Lights entry list – The official entry list for the Indy Lights Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by Andersen Interior Contracting on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida is available at the link. – Indy Lights – (3/11/2020)

St. Pete spotter guide – The official INDYCAR spotter guide for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (3/11/2020)

St. Pete entry list – The official INDYCAR entry list for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (3/11/2020)

Andretti No. 88 transporter catches fire in transit to St. Pete – The Andretti Autosport transporter dedicated to the team’s No. 88 entry for Colton Herta caught fire in St. Petersburg in transit for the opening race of the season this weekend. Here is the statement from Andretti Autosport: “At this time, damages to the 88 car appear to be minor and cosmetic, caused by heat, smoke and/or water. We have no current reason to believe that any competition or mechanical aspects of the 88 car have been damaged or compromised.” Full story and Twitter thread at the link. – Andretti Autosport – (3/11/2020)

Miller’s Mailbag 3/11/20 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (3/11/2020)

Andretti adds Charpentier for No. 48 Lights entry for first three race weekends – “Andretti Autosport announced today that Tristan Charpentier will drive the team’s fourth Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires entry for three race weekends in 2020. Charpentier will pilot the No. 48 machine for Andretti Autosport for the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, at Barber Motorsports Park and again for the road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.” Full release at the link. – Andretti Autosport – (3/10/2020)

Carlin announces Nasr will drive No. 31 at St. Pete – Carlin announced on Tuesday that Felipe Nasr will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut this weekend at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in the team’s No. 31 entry. – Carlin – (3/10/2020)

Carlin announces Daly will drive No. 59 at non-Indy 500 ovals – Carlin announced on Tuesday that Conor Daly will drive the team’s No. 59 entry when Max Chilton isn’t in the car at all NTT INDYCAR SERIES oval events outside of the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. That news confirms a full NTT INDYCAR SERIES season for Daly as he will drive for Ed Carpenter Racing in all other events. – Carlin – (3/10/2020)

SiriusXM expands INDYCAR coverage – “SiriusXM, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, is expanding its coverage for the 2020 season. In addition to delivering live flag-to-flag broadcasts of every race all season long, SiriusXM will debut a new weekly show featuring current and former INDYCAR drivers…In addition to airing live coverage of every race, SiriusXM will debut a new show dedicated to INDYCAR that will air weekly throughout the season. Brick by Brick will debut Wednesday and air each Wednesday (6-7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM’s exclusive Dan Patrick Radio channel (SiriusXM channel 211). The show will be hosted by former NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver AJ Allmendinger and veteran motorsports broadcaster Jack Arute.” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (3/10/2020)

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and WIX Filters expand partnership – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and WIX Filters have announced an expanded partnership making WIX Filters the team’s chief technical partner in 2020 including primary sponsorship at two NTT INDYCAR SERIES races. View the livery on our No. 24 livery page here. – Dreyer & Reinbold Racing – (3/10/2020)

Kirkwood tops Lights test on Homestead road course – Andretti Autosport’s Kyle Kirkwood was fastest in the Indy Lights test on the road course at Homestead-Miami Raceway on Monday with a lap of 1:14.3331. The full Top 5 was Kirkwood, Sowery, Lindh, Malukas, and Megennis. Full results at the link. – Indy Lights – (3/9/2020)

DragonSpeed unveils new livery for No. 81 – DragonSpeed LLC has unveiled their new FlexBox livery for the team’s No. 81 entry in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES ahead of the race weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg. View the livery on our No. 81 livery page here. – DragonSpeed LLC – (3/9/2020)

Belardi announces Sowery for ’20 Lights program – “Veteran Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires driver, Toby Sowery, will be joining Belardi Auto Racing for the 2020 Indy Lights season as he continues his quest to capture the series championship.” Full release at the link. – Indy Lights – (3/9/2020)

Belardi confirms Lindh as Lights driver for ’20 – “Rasmus Lindh has joined the 2014 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires champions, Belardi Auto Racing, to compete for the 2020 series championship. Lindh will be piloting the No. 10 Dallara IL-15.” Full release at the link. – Indy Lights – (3/9/2020)

Report: Arrow McLaren SP acquired rights to No. 48 from DRR – Adam Stern reports Arrow McLaren SP has acquired the rights to use the number 48 entry in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES from Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. The team will use that number when Jimmie Johnson tests with them at Barber Motorsports Park. – Adam Stern – (3/6/2020)

IMS sends out initial Indy 500 ticket mailing – “Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge fans soon will see the most anticipated color of late winter – light blue – in their mailboxes, yet another sign the magical Month of May is just around the corner. The initial ticket mailing, sent in the famous light-blue envelopes from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office, started today for the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (3/5/2020)

Lights spring training entry list – The official entry list for the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires spring training test on the road course at Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 9 is available at the link. There are nine car and driver combinations entered in the test. – Indy Lights – (3/4/2020)

Johnson to test with Arrow McLaren SP at Barber – Jimmie Johnson tweeted on Wednesday afternoon that Arrow McLaren SP has offered to have him test one of their NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars at Barber Motorsports Park next month. – Jimmie Johnson – (3/4/2020)

Carlin fastest again with Chilton this time at Tuesday Sebring test – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Carlin was fastest for the second day in a row at the NTT INDYCAR SERIES test at Sebring International Raceway on Tuesday with Max Chilton. Full story at the link. – RACER – (3/4/2020)

Miller’s Mailbag 3/4/20 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (3/4/2020)

Trackside podcast 3/3/20 – 107.5 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 3/3/20 is a great listen as always. – 107.5 The Fan – (3/4/2020)

Nasr and Carlin fastest at Monday Sebring test – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Felipe Nasr was fastest in the Carlin No. 31 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES test at Sebring International Raceway on Monday. Full story at the link. – RACER – (3/3/2020)

Pennzoil becomes title sponsor of IndyCar Radio Network – “Excited to welcome our new title sponsor today as we become the “Pennzoil IndyCar Radio Network”. Welcome aboard @Pennzoil. Lots of history, traditions & commitment to excellence with IMS and INDYCAR.” Full story at the link. – IndyCar Radio – (3/2/2020)

DragonSpeed to test Allen with Hanley at Sebring – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports DragonSpeed LLC will test James Allen alongside Ben Hanley in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES test at Sebring International Raceway on Monday. Full story at the link. – RACER – (3/2/2020)

Richmond announces open test plans – “Richmond Raceway will host the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for an open test on Wednesday, March 25. The test will be held the week following the season-opening race, the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. For the first time in 11 years, Richmond will welcome fans to view INDYCAR athletes taking their first laps at America’s Premier Short Track “under the lights” from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. The full-field test is scheduled from 1:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., with an hour dinner break. Five-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon of Chip Ganassi Racing and 2019 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden of Team Penske will return for the open test after taking the first laps at Richmond in a decade during last fall’s Firestone tire test.” Full release at the link. – Richmond Raceway – (2/28/2020)

INDYCAR announces expanded Canadian television coverage – “Sportsnet’s multiplatform coverage of the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season is revving up, delivering Canadians a robust schedule of the biggest events and more than 160 hours of racing coverage on Sportsnet 360, Sportsnet World and livestreaming on Sportsnet NOW+. This season, Sportsnet 360 will be the home of INDYCAR in Canada, airing 10 of the season’s premier races, including the Honda Indy Toronto. The season begins March 13-15 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on the city streets of St. Petersburg, Fla. In addition to the races, practice and qualifying coverage will be available exclusively on Sportsnet NOW+.” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (2/28/2020)

HMD adds Serravalle to ’20 Lights program with initial five weekend deal – “With the start of the 2020 Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Championship season quickly approaching, HMD Motorsports has added a third driver to their growing lineup. 17-year-old Canadian standout Antonio Serravalle, one of Canada’s top prospects for a bright career in the NTT IndyCar Series, will be moving up the Road to Indy ladder system and will pilot the Ferrari & Associates / Tycoon Capital #11 HMD Motorsports entry. With plans to compete in five weekends, Serravalle will be joining HMD Motorsports at upcoming tests at Barber Motorsports Park and the series sanctioned Spring Training test at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. Kicking the season off at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the Canadian is slated to compete in the top rung of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires ladder until his home event in Toronto and hopes to complete the full season pending current partnership negotiations.” Full release at the link. – HMD Motorsports – (2/28/2020)

NBC adds Hinch to 2020 broadcast team – “Current INDYCAR driver for Andretti Autosport and fan-favorite James Hinchcliffe has joined NBC Sports as a motorsports analyst for 2020. He will serve as a driver analyst for a majority of NBC Sports’ 2020 INDYCAR race coverage, providing reports from pit road and will make his debut at the season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., the weekend of March 13-15. Hinchcliffe’s on-air schedule will include the Grand Prix of Long Beach on the streets of Long Beach, Calif.; his home race, the Honda Indy Toronto on the streets of Toronto; and the season finale at Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif. He will also be part of NBC Sports’ comprehensive coverage in the week prior to competing in the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 on NBC.” Full release at the link. – NBC Sports – (2/27/2020)

INDYCAR reveals “A Different Breed” brand campaign – “INDYCAR unveils its brand campaign – “A Different Breed” – for the 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season showcasing the extraordinary mindset of its athletes and features narration by Academy Award-winning actor Matt Damon.” Watch the accompanying video at the link. – INDYCAR – (2/27/2020)

RLL announces Citrone/Buhl Autosport partnership with Pigot for IMS races – “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Spencer Pigot, who made three starts for the team in 2016, will return to RLL in 2020 for the GMR Grand Prix on May 9 and the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 in a Honda-powered car entered by Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing with Citrone/Buhl Autosport (CBA). CBA was formed in early 2020 by former Indy car driver Robbie Buhl and his brother and business partner Tom, and Robert Citrone, founder of Discovery Capital Management and the largest minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and his son Nick, a Data Analytics Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Penguins NHL team. Robbie and Tom own Buhl Sport Detroit, a motorsports marketing company that operates a rallycross team and an advanced driver training program called Teen Street Skills.” Full release at the link. – RLL – (2/27/2020)

AJ Foyt Racing unveils ripKurrent livery for No. 4 at Indy 500 – “AJ Foyt Racing has signed ripKurrent, an energy services company, as the primary sponsor of Charlie Kimball’s No. 4 Chevrolet for the 104th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Moreover, ripKurrent will have a season-long presence on the car as an associate marketing partner.” View the livery on our No. 4 livery page here. Full release at the link. – AJ Foyt Racing – (2/27/2020)

Trackside podcast 2/26/20 – 107.5 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 2/26/20 is a great listen as always. – 107.5 The Fan – (2/27/2020)

Texas Motor Speedway announces multi-year title sponsorship for Genesys 600 – “Genesys®, the global leader in cloud customer experience and contact center solutions, continues its ascent in the world of motorsports partnerships with a multi-year agreement with Texas Motor Speedway. The company will serve as the title sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES race dubbed the Genesys 600.” – Texas Motor Speedway – (2/26/2020)

Miller’s Mailbag 2/26/20 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (2/26/2020)

INDYCAR News From Last Month