News for the Month of November 2018

ZCD to test Lights with Belardi – Zachary Claman De Melo will drive for Belardi Auto Racing in an Indy Lights test at Homestead-Miami Speedway next week. – Belardi Auto Racing – (11/29/2018)

Power’s likeness to be unveiled on Borg-Warner Trophy on 12/5 – “His eyes, intense and piercing, are the first thing people notice about Will Power. As the sculptor tasked with creating a likeness of Power’s face in miniature sterling silver, William Behrends was fascinated by those eyes…Behrends has finished putting Power’s facial likeness on the Borg-Warner Trophy, which will be unveiled Dec. 5 in a ceremony at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. It’s Behrends’ 29th face on the famous Indianapolis 500 trophy, and already among his favorites.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (11/29/2018)

Miller’s Mailbag 11/28/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (11/28/2018)

Trackside podcast 11/27/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 11/27/18 is a great listen as always. Adam Stern is a guest on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (11/28/2018)

Speedway named official fuel and convenience store of INDYCAR and IMS – “Hulman & Company announced a multiyear agreement Tuesday with Speedway LLC, making the national convenience store chain the Official Fuel and Official Convenience Store of INDYCAR, the IndyCar Series, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500 beginning in 2019. Speedway LLC (Speedway) is the nation’s second largest company-owned and -operated convenience store chain with almost 4,000 retail convenience stores across the United States. Headquartered in Enon, Ohio, Speedway is a subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) and has locations in 35 states. The IndyCar Series will conduct 11 races in those states in 2019.” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (11/27/2018)

Johnson expresses interest in IndyCar road course races – Motorsport.com’s David Malsher reports Jimmie Johnson has expressed an interest in racing in an IndyCar Series race on a road course in the future. “I’m not overly excited about those fast ovals, but I think with my status and relationships I could put together some road course races in IndyCar” Johnson told assembled media during his ride swap with Fernando Alonso at Bahrain International Circuit. Full story at the link. – Motorsport.com – (11/26/2018)

RLL adds third car for King for ’19 Indy 500 – “Rahal Letterman Lanigan (RLL) Racing announced today that the team will enter a Honda-powered car for British driver Jordan King in the 103rd Indianapolis 500 on May 26, 2019. It will be the first Indianapolis 500 for the native of Warwickshire, England who competed in the 11 road and street course races for Ed Carpenter Racing in 2018.” Full release at the link. (Sorry we missed this when it was announced last week. – Ed.) – RLL – (11/21/2018)

Miller’s Mailbag 11/21/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. Marshall Pruett fills in while Robin Miller is in recovery. – RACER – (11/21/2018)

Trackside podcast 11/20/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 11/20/18 is a great listen as always. Dan Andersen is a guest on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (11/21/2018)

Coyne announces Ferrucci for ’19 – “After making a strong impression in his four IndyCar Series starts this past year, American Santino Ferrucci will be returning to Dale Coyne Racing for 2019 to take on his first full season of IndyCar Racing alongside team veteran Sebastien Bourdais.” Full release at the link. – DCR – (11/20/2018)

Foreigner named headline band for Carb Day – “Foreigner, one of the biggest-selling bands in history and creator of some of rock’s most enduring hits, will headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 24, 2019 to conclude one of the most exciting days in the Month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The concert starts at 3:30 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 4 of the IMS oval. An opening artist will be announced in the coming weeks.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (11/15/2018)

Miller’s Mailbag 11/14/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. Marshall Pruett fills in while Robin Miller is in recovery. – RACER – (11/14/2018)

Trackside podcast 11/13/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 11/13/18 is a great listen as always. Kyle Kirkwood and Leigh Diffey are guests on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (11/14/2018)

Andretti announces Norman Lights return for ’19 – Andretti Autosport announced on Monday that driver Ryan Norman will continue with the team for a third season in Indy lights in 2019. Full announcement at the link. – Andretti Autosport – (11/12/2018)

McLaren and Alonso confirm ’19 Indy 500 entry – “McLaren Racing announces today that it will contest the 103rd Running of the Indianapolis 500, on Sunday 26 May 2019, with Fernando Alonso at the wheel. Competing in his second Indy 500, Fernando will attempt to become only the second driver ever to secure world motorsport’s unofficial Triple Crown: victories at the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Indianapolis 500. The feat was achieved by Graham Hill in 1972 with his win at Le Mans. McLaren and Fernando competed at the 2017 Indianapolis 500, which the Spaniard led for several periods before being forced to retire in the closing stages of the race. McLaren has won the Indy 500 three times: once in 1972 supplying a private entry and twice as a works entry, in 1974 and 1976, with Johnny Rutherford. In 2019, it will return as McLaren Racing.” Full release at the link. – McLaren – (11/11/2018)

Trackside podcast 11/7/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 11/7/18 is a great listen as always. Donald Davidson and Marcus Ericsson are guests on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (11/8/2018)

Anderson Promotions announces over $2M in RTI prize money for ’19 champions – “The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires enters its 10th year in 2019 and continues to set the standard as one of the most successful driver development programs in the world, providing a scholarship-funded path to reach the Verizon IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500. Andersen Promotions today confirmed the champion’s prize packages for each of the three series – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship – as the globally recognized platform prepares for the new season. When Andersen Promotions took over operations of Indy Lights in 2014, it set in place an unprecedented prize – its champion would be guaranteed a three-race IndyCar Series program. This tradition will continue in 2019 with an increased champion’s purse of $1.1 million built on a three-race IndyCar program including the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2020.” Full release at the link. – Indy Lights – (11/5/2018)

INDYCAR Media created to manage INDYCAR’s international media rights – “Hulman & Company announced Monday the formation of INDYCAR Media, which becomes the in-house global distribution arm of INDYCAR’s international media rights. INDYCAR Media has already begun to arrange the distribution of media rights for the 2019 IndyCar Series season and beyond. Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Company, which owns INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, oversaw the development of a similar program for the ATP Tour in men’s professional tennis and that program stands as a model. INDYCAR Media will secure deals with more than two dozen licensees representing more than 100 countries broadcasting IndyCar Series races.” Full release at the link. – INDYCAR – (11/5/2018)

Hulman George passes at age 83 – “Hulman & Company and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Chairman of the Board Emeritus Mari Hulman George, who touched the lives of millions through her deep passion for auto racing, stewardship of the Racing Capital of the World and decades of compassionate philanthropy, died Nov. 3 in Indianapolis with her family by her side. She was 83. Mari served as IMS chairman from 1988-2016, but motorsports and the world-renowned racetrack were among the cornerstones of her life since her father, Anton “Tony” Hulman Jr., purchased the facility in November 1945 and saved it from almost certain demolition after World War II. She was a pioneer as co-owner of a team that raced at the highest levels of Midwestern auto racing, in the 1950s and 1960s, a rarity for a woman at the time.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (11/3/2018)

RLL names Phillips as president – “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Piers Phillips has joined the team as president. Phillips will report directly to team ownership and oversee operations for the team’s involvement in the IndyCar Series, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Series. Most recently, Phillips spent the past three seasons at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports as general manager.” Full release at the link. – RLL – (11/1/2018)

Andretti Autosport announces Marco as investor in No. 98 entry – “Veteran IndyCar driver Marco Andretti will be taking an enhanced role in the No. 98 team’s entry come 2019 as the U.S. Concrete-branded Honda will officially be entered by Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco Andretti & Curb-Agajanian.” Full release at the link. – Andretti Autosport – (11/1/2018)

Australia’s Gold Coast interested in INDYCAR return – RACER’s Mark Glendenning reports the Gold Coast wants to discuss a possible INDYCAR return in 2020. “I am opening discussions between Indy and Queensland about the prospect of launching an Indy [event] on the Gold Coast in 2020,” said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. “It’s early days, but it would be wonderful if we can get this signature event back in Australia.” Full story at the link. – RACER – (10/31/2018)

Trackside podcast 10/30/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 10/30/18 is a great listen as always. Felix Rosenqvist and Ed Carpenter are guests on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (10/31/2018)

SPM release on adding Ericsson for ’19 – “Schmidt Peterson Motorsports announced today that Marcus Ericsson will pilot the No. 7 Honda for the 2019 IndyCar Series season. The current Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team driver will make the move to the North American open-wheel racing series following the conclusion of Formula One’s season later this year in Abu Dhabi.” Full release at the link. – SPM – (10/30/2018)

SPM confirms Ericsson as full-time teammate to Hinch in No. 7 – David Malsher reports for Motorsport.com that current Formula 1 driver Marcus Ericsson will drive for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports full-time in 2019 in the team’s No. 7 car alongside James Hinchcliffe. “It’s a great honor to be picked as one of the drivers at Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and IndyCar for the 2019 season,” said Ericsson. “It feels like a perfect step for me and my career after five years in F1.” The No. 6 car will be retained for Robert Wickens “when he wants to and is able to return” according to the team. Full story at the link. – Motorsport.com – (10/30/2018)

Three teams complete Firestone tire test at COTA – RACER’s Marshall Pruett has posted an update on the IndyCar Series Firestone tire test at Circuit of The Americas on Monday. Alexander Rossi tested for Andretti Autosport, Tony Kanaan tested for AJ Foyt Racing, and RC Enerson tested for Carlin. See video from the test here. Full story at the link. – RACER – (10/30/2018)

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