News for the Week of July 23 – July 29, 2018
Rossi wins from pole at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course from pole with a brilliant drive on a two-stop strategy. The rest of the Top 5 was Wickens, Power, Newgarden, and Dixon. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (7/29/2018)
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Mid-Ohio starting lineups with tire designations – The official INDYCAR starting lineup with Firestone tire designations for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (7/29/2018)
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O’Ward sweeps Lights weekend at Mid-Ohio with Race 2 win – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward swept the Indy Lights weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a Race 2 win from pole. The rest of the Top 5 was Herta, Norman, Urrutia, and Kellett. O’Ward leads the championship by 32 points over Herta with three races to go. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (7/29/2018)
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The Open Wheel’s Mid-Ohio photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery of the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indy Lights action from the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. Much more to come over the course of the weekend. – The Open Wheel – (7/29/2018)
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The Open Wheel’s Honda 200 at Mid-Ohio livery gallery – The Open Wheel’s gallery of all the Verizon IndyCar Series liveries at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (7/28/2018)
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Iowa Speedway lists 2019 IndyCar date as Saturday – Iowa Speedway’s website lists the date of the track’s 2019 “Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300” as Saturday July 20th. – Iowa Speedway – (7/28/2018)
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O’Ward wins Lights Race 1 at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward won Indy Lights Race 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course after leading start to finish from pole. The rest of the Top 5 was Herta, Kellett, Franzoni, and Norman. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (7/28/2018)
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Andretti says Alonso/McLaren deal needs done in “next week or so” – AUTOWEEK’s Bruce Martin has published an excellent story with Michael Andretti giving an update on where things stand with McLaren, Fernando Alonso, and the IndyCar Series in 2019. Andretti rules out a partial season for Alonso as he’s interested in a full season or nothing. Andretti also details how fast this needs to be resolved. “There are still a lot of things in the air; a lot of things still have to happen,” Andretti told AUTOWEEK. “As I told you a couple of weeks ago, we are getting to a critical time and we have to get some things done in the next week or so.” Full story at the link. – AUTOWEEK – (7/28/2018)
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Rossi earns pole at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi won the pole for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1:04.6802. The rest of the Firestone Fast 6 order was Power, Hunter-Reay, Newgarden, Wickens, and Chilton. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (7/28/2018)
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Mid-Ohio qualifying groups – The official INDYCAR qualifying groups for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course are available at the link. – INDYCAR – (7/28/2018)
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Rahal tops final practice before qualifying at Mid-Ohio – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal’s lap of 1:05.2067 was fastest in Practice 3 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The rest of the Top 5 was Newgarden, Power, Rossi, and Dixon. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (7/28/2018)
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O’Ward grabs Lights Race 2 pole at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward won the pole for Indy Lights Race 2 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1:11.1591. The rest of the Top 5 was Telitz, Herta, Franzoni, and Urrutia. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (7/28/2018)
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Ferrucci on site at Mid-Ohio hoping for IndyCar return – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Santino Ferrucci has set his sights on racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series after his well publicized fallout in Formula 2. The American driver is in attendance for the race weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “It‘s no surprise that I’m back here and looking,” Ferrucci told RACER. “The atmosphere here is nicer and way more friendly, plus I can drive out to about half the races. The IndyCar is a great car to drive.” Full story at the link. – RACER – (7/27/2018)
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Hunter-Reay leads Practice 2 at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay’s lap of 1:05.1950 topped Practice 2 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. The rest of the Top 5 was Power, Rahal, Pigot, and Rossi. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (7/27/2018)
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O’Ward takes Lights Race 1 pole at Mid-Ohio – Andretti Autosport’s Patricio O’Ward won the pole for Indy Lights Race 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1:11.3118. The rest of the Top 5 was Norman, Herta, Telitz, Urrutia. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (7/27/2018)
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Bourdais fastest in Practice 1 at Mid-Ohio – Dale Coyne Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais was fastest in Practice 1 for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1:05.5784. The rest of the Top 5 was Newgarden, Dixon, Sato, and Pigot. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (7/27/2018)
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Herta tops Lights practice at Mid-Ohio – Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta topped the only Indy Lights practice session of the weekend at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with a lap of 1:12.5332. The rest of the Top 5 was O’Ward, Norman, Kellett, and Franzoni. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (7/27/2018)
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Report: Alonso may test an IndyCar this fall – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Fernando Alonso may have the opportunity to test a Verizon IndyCar Series car this fall. “But he may test [an Indy car] later this fall,” McLaren CEO Zak Brown told RACER. “His calendar is pretty hectic so we’re trying to find a gap. He would be mega in IndyCar and I think he would love IndyCar racing.” Full story at the link. – RACER – (7/26/2018)
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The Open Wheel’s Mid-Ohio preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of the INDYCAR weekend at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (7/26/2018)
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Fittipaldi details recovery before Mid-Ohio comeback – Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star has an excellent piece on Pietro Fittipaldi’s recovery from two broken legs in May ahead of his Verizon IndyCar Series return at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this weekend. Full story at the link. – Indianapolis Star – (7/26/2018)
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Miller’s Mailbag 7/25/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (7/25/2018)
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Trackside podcast 7/24/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 7/24/18 is a great listen as always. Michael Shank and Mike Hull are guests on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (7/25/2018)
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Mid-Ohio spotter guide – The spotter guide for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (7/24/2018)
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Mid-Ohio entry list – The entry list for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (7/24/2018)
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Lights entry list for Mid-Ohio – The entry list for the Indy Lights Cooper Tires Mid-Ohio Grand Prix Powered by Mazda at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is available at the link. – Indy Lights – (7/24/2018)
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Harding announces Daly will drive No. 88 at Mid-Ohio – “Conor Daly will return to the #88 Harding Racing Chevrolet next weekend for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Last Tuesday, the 26 year-old American tested with the team at the Lexington, Ohio track.” Full release at the link. – Harding Racing – (7/24/2018)
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Hinch announces engagement – James Hinchcliffe has announced his engagement to actress Becky Dalton. View his predictably amusing announcement at the link. – James Hinchcliffe – (7/23/2018)
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Andretti/Rossi Indy 500 car to be sold at Mecum Monterey – The Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian car Alexander Rossi drove to the win in the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race will be up for auction at Mecum Auctions in Monterey, California in August. Full listing at the link. – Mecum Auctions – (7/23/2018)
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RLL announces No. 15 car to have Fifth Third Bank livery at Mid-Ohio – “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Fifth Third Bank will be the primary sponsor of Graham Rahal’s Verizon IndyCar Series entry at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 29. It is the home race for Rahal, who grew up in nearby New Albany, Ohio as well as the home race for the team, who have a race shop in Hilliard, Ohio.” Full release at the link. See the livery on our No. 15 livery page here. – RLL – (7/19/2018)
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Report: Wickens fastest in Mid-Ohio testing – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Schmidt Peterson Motorsports’ Robert Wickens was fastest in Verizon IndyCar Series testing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Tuesday. Full story and unofficial results at the link. – RACER – (7/18/2018)
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Sonoma President has interesting quotes on INDYCAR departure – Sonoma Raceway President and General Manager Steve Page has some interesting quotes on INDYCAR’s deal with WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and subsequent departure from Sonoma Raceway in an article by Lori Carter of The Press Democrat. “From a quarter-million-dollar loss to renting the track for six figures to someone, it will contribute to our bottom line in a positive way,” Page told The Press Democrat. “We love promoting races. We enjoy hosting an IndyCar race. It’s just not an economically viable business.” Full story and more quotes at the link. – The Press Democrat – (7/18/2018)
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INDYCAR officially announces Laguna Seca as venue for ’19 finale – “INDYCAR and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca announced that the historic Northern California road course with deep Indy car roots will return to the schedule in 2019. The three-year agreement, approved today by the Monterey County Board of Supervisors overseeing operation of the facility, calls for Laguna Seca to be the host site of the final race of the 2019 Verizon IndyCar Series season. Next year’s race weekend will be Sept. 20-22. The remainder of the series schedule will be announced later.” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (7/17/2018)
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Fittipaldi back testing with Coyne at Mid-Ohio – Dale Coyne Racing has announced Pietro Fittipaldi is back testing with the team in a Verizon IndyCar Series test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Tuesday. See the pictures from the team at the link. – Dale Coyne Racing – (7/17/2018)
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