News for the Week of June 18 – June 24, 2018

Newgarden wins from pole at Road America – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America in dominant fashion after starting from pole. The rest of the Top 5 was Hunter-Reay, Dixon, Sato, and Wickens. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (6/24/2018)

Road America announces 3 year extension with INDYCAR – ” INDYCAR and Road America have agreed to a three-year extension for the Verizon IndyCar Series to continue racing at the historic permanent road course in east central Wisconsin. George Bruggenthies, Road America president and general manager, made the announcement prior to Sunday’s KOHLER Grand Prix, which was the 28th Indy car race on the circuit dating to the first event in 1982. INDYCAR, which returned to Road America in 2016 following a nine-year hiatus, will continue to stage its event through at least 2021. The 2019 race weekend is scheduled for June 21-23″ Full release at the link. – Road America – (6/24/2018)

KOHLER Grand Prix starting lineup with tire designations – The official INDYCAR starting lineup with tire designations for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/24/2018)

Franzoni earns first Lights win in Race 2 at Road America – Juncos Racing’s Victor Franzoni won Indy Lights Race 2 at Road America for his first career win in Indy Lights. The rest of the Top 5 was Herta, Telitz, O’Ward, and Norman. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (6/24/2018)

Newgarden takes the pole at Road America – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won the pole for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America with a lap of 1:43.2026. The rest of the Firestone Fast 6 was Power, Hunter-Reay, Rossi, Wickens, and Bourdais. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (6/23/2018)

Herta takes Lights Race 1 win at Road America – Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta won Indy Lights Race 1 at Road America for his fourth straight win in the series. The rest of the Top 5 was O’Ward, Franzoni, Urrutia, and Telitz. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (6/23/2018)

Wickens quickest in Practice 3 at Road America – Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ Robert Wickens topped in Practice 3 for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America with a lap of 1:42.627. The rest of the Top 5 was Hunter-Reay, Pagenaud, Rossi, and Rahal. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (6/23/2018)

O’Ward takes Lights Race 2 pole at Road America – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward won the pole for Indy Lights Race 2 at Road America with a lap of 1:52.6078. The rest of the Top 5 was Franzoni, Urrutia, Herta, and Telitz. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (6/23/2018)

Phoenix off the INDYCAR schedule in ’19 – Michael Knight reports ISM Raceway won’t be on the INDYCAR schedule in 2019. Includes quotes from ISM Raceway president Bryan Sperber “We have enjoyed having INDYCAR at our venue for the full three years of our agreement. The series officials and teams have been tremendous partners. INDYCAR will not be on our schedule in 2019, we’re currently taking a pause to review schedule options for the future.” – Michael Knight – (6/23/2018)

Franzoni wins Lights Race 1 pole at Road America – Juncos Racing’s Victor Franzoni won the pole for Indy Lights Race 1 at Road America with a lap of 1:53.1884. The rest of the Top 5 was Urrutia, Herta, O’Ward, and Telitz. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (6/22/2018)

Newgarden fastest again in Practice 2 at Road America – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden was fastest in Practice 2 for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America for the second session of the day with a lap of 1:42.627. The rest of the Top 5 was Wickens, Bourdais, Power, and Pagenaud. Celis had a big incident in the session. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (6/22/2018)

Newgarden tops opening practice at Road America – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden was fastest in the opening practice for the KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America with a lap of 1:43.047. The rest of the Top 5 Sato, Rossi, Wickens, and Andretti. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (6/22/2018)

O’Ward fastest in Lights Practice 1 at Road America – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward was fastest in Indy Lights Practice 1 at Road America with a lap of 1:53.7809. The rest of the Top 5 was Telitz, Herta, Franzoni, and Urrutia. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (6/22/2018)

KOHLER Grand Prix spotter guide is posted – The official INDYCAR spotter guide for the Verizon IndyCar Series KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/21/2018)

Pruett’s loaded 6/21/18 silly season report for ’19 – RACER’s Marshall Pruett’s June silly season report for the 2019 season is absolutely loaded with interesting information. Includes tidbits on McLaren’s interest in Scott Dixon, McLaren funding, Alonso possibilities, Felix Rosenqvist, Colton Herta, the Penske drivers, and much more. Check out the full must-read report at the link. – RACER – (6/21/2018)

The Open Wheel’s Road America preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of the INDYCAR weekend at Road America is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (6/21/2018)

Lee Greenwood announced as national anthem performer at Road America – “Country Music Award winning singer, Lee Greenwood, will perform the song that has become a part of America’s cultural landscape “God Bless the USA” right before the National Anthem and prior to the start of the Verizon IndyCar Series KOHLER Grand Prix on Sunday, June 24.” Full release at the link. – Road America – (6/20/2018)

KOHLER Grand Prix entry list is posted – The official INDYCAR entry list for the Verizon IndyCar Series KOHLER Grand Prix at Road America is available at the link. It features 23 entries as Alfonso Celis Jr. makes his series debut in the Juncos Racing No. 32. – INDYCAR – (6/20/2018)

Miller’s Mailbag 6/20/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (6/20/2018)

Trackside podcast 6/19/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 6/19/18 is a great listen as always. – 1070 The Fan – (6/20/2018)

Lights entry list for Road America – The entry list for the Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America Presented by Cooper Tires is available at the link. There are seven entries for the event. – Indy Lights – (6/19/2018)

Report: IMS to build dirt track for USAC race over Brickyard weekend – RACER’s Robin Miller reports Indianapolis Motor Speedway will build a quarter mile dirt track complete with bleachers with a 5000 spectator capacity for a USAC midget race on the Thursday or Friday of the NASCAR weekend at IMS. Full story at the link. – RACER – (6/19/2018)

Chaves to drive in IMSA race at Watkins Glen – “Young open wheel pilot Gabby Chaves will make his return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar competition next weekend as he joins Mustang Sampling Racing for the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen. Chaves will team up with Filipe Albuquerque and Christian Fittipaldi in the No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac Prototype as the team pursues a third consecutive victory in the prestigious event. Chaves will be filling in for Joao Barbosa for the Watkins Glen event weekend after Barbosa recently suffered a wrist injury while bicycling earlier this month.” Full release at the link. – Action Express Racing – (6/19/2018)

Dixon’s attempt on American Ninja Warrior airs – Scott Dixon’s attempt on the popular NBC television show American Ninja Warrior aired on Monday night. Watch his attempt at the link. – American Ninja Warrior – (6/19/2018)

INDYCAR offers new aero piece for Pocono – “INDYCAR and chassis manufacturer Dallara will offer Verizon IndyCar Series teams the opportunity to add front downforce to cars for the final superspeedway oval race on the 2018 schedule, the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway. A front wing extension has been developed that is intended to increase front downforce by at least 3 percent while ensuring adequate aerodynamic stability. Teams will have the flexibility to use the extension as they see fit, creating adjustability on both sides of the front wing.” Full story at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/18/2018)

Alonso takes overall win at Le Mans, Indy 500 priority for “Triple Crown” – Fernando Alonso was part of the winning driver combination for TOYOTA GAZOO Racing embodies to take the overall win at Le Mans over the weekend. Now Alonso needs only to win the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race to complete his goal of winning the “Triple Crown” of auto racing. “I will make my mind up after the summer what I will do next year, but after winning Le Mans, Indy comes into play with a high priority,” Alonso said after winning Le Mans. “Let’s see if it is next year or the following year. Let’s see what the future of F1 will be.” Full story at the link. – ESPN – (6/18/2018)

Matthew Brabham wins Legends Pro-Am at IMS – Matthew Brabham won the Indy Legends Charity Pro-Am at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday. Full story at the link. – RACER – (6/18/2018)

Report: Tirico to host NBC broadcast of 103rd Indy 500 – Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star reports Mike Tirico will host NBC’s television broadcast of the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2019. Full report at the link. – Indianapolis Star – (6/15/2018)

Report: Alonso talks not the only reason for Andretti F1 visit – Joe Saward reports for Motorsport Week that negotiations with Fernando Alonso weren’t the only reason for Andretti Autosport boss Michael Andretti’s trip to the Formula 1 race in Montreal last weekend. Saward says Andretti visited with F1 ownership group Liberty Media and the financially beleaguered Force India team on the trip. Force India is in dire need of a takeover and Michael Andretti wasn’t the only Andretti Autosport executive to to make the trip. Full report at the link. – Motorsport Week – (6/13/2018)

Negotiations still in progress for Texas to remain on schedule for ’19 – Drew Davison of the Star-Telegram reports Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage wants INDYCAR to return to the track in 2019 but a deal is not in place quite yet. Gossage still wants the track to have the first race after the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. “I would certainly fix that,” Gossage told the Star-Telegram. “It’d be good for Indycar; it’d be good for Texas Motor Speedway.” Full story at the link. – Star-Telegram – (6/13/2018)

Fire damage to Leist’s car “cosmetic” – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports the damage to the AJ Foyt Racing car for Matheus Leist was minimal after his dramatic fire during the DXC Technology 600 at Texas Motor Speedway. “It could have been way worse for sure,” team president Larry Foyt RACER. “We’ll have the tub tested and twisted to make sure. The roll hoop piece that was on fire isn’t part of the main tub structure; it’s a bolt-on and it comes off. Integrity wise, where the engine mounts to the tub, it’s all fine. It was a lot of cosmetic stuff.” Full story at the link. – RACER – (6/13/2018)

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