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INDYCAR Racing Series News and Results

The latest INDYCAR open-wheel racing series news and race results.

Ryan Hunter-Reays welcome first child

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indycar-logoRyan Hunter-Reay’s memorable 2012 got an additional memory with the birth of his first child with wife Beccy – Ryden Hunter-Reay on Dec. 28.

Ryden weighed in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces and 19.5 inches

“I thought we would be dealing with this in mid-January, so it was unexpected,” Hunter-Reay said. “His name is Ryden because my wife Beccy really wanted him to have the initials RHR. He’s amazing. It was such an amazing experience. He was born on Dec. 28, which is my car number, so I guess it was meant to be. The first time through is a magic experience but as a dad standing alongside, it was very nerve-racking.”

Source: INDYCAR

Ryan Hunter-Reay joins Rolex 24 field

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indycar-logoHunter-Reay is the latest IZOD IndyCar Series driver confirmed for the race on the 3.56-mile, 12-turn circuit at Daytona International Speedway. Other competitors include Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, James Hinchcliffe, Sebastien Bourdais, Simon Pagenaud and Justin Wilson.

Hunter-Reay will drive the No. 10 Velocity Worldwide Corvette Dallara Daytona Prototype along with Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor. Teams in all classes will test Jan. 4-6.

Hunter-Reay, 32, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., will compete in the Rolex 24 At Daytona for the seventh consecutive year, and the event will mark his 16th Grand-Am race. He co-drove the winning car in the 2007 season-ending 1,000-mile endurance race at Miller Motorsports Park outside Salt Lake City.

“I look forward to once again be driving for Wayne and working with the team that catapulted my career resurgence in 2006,” said Hunter-Reay, who has a best finish of third in the 2010 Rolex 24. “After winning the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series championship with Team Chevy, I’m delighted to be an integral part of Chevrolet’s biggest U.S. endurance event of the year.

“This will be my seventh Rolex 24 and I have come close to victory in the past with a podium. But joining this team and driving a Corvette DP alongside Max Angelelli and Jordan Taylor should provide the best opportunity, yet, at competing for the overall win and getting on the top step.”

Last year, Hunter-Reay teamed with Marco Andretti, Michael Valiante and Scott Mayer for a 10th-place finish in a Starworks Motorsport car.

“I’ve known Ryan for years and have always thought he was a tremendously underrated driver,” team owner Wayne Taylor said. “He proved to the world what he’s truly made of by winning the IndyCar championship last season. It’s very important for our mutual partner General Motors to have him with a top team in the Daytona 24-hour.”

Source: INDYCAR

Firestone to Remain Sole IZOD IndyCar Series Tire Supplier Through 2018

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Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and INDYCAR announced that Bridgestone Americas’ Firestone brand will remain the sole tire supplier to the IZOD IndyCar Series through the 2018 race season.

“Firestone performance and safety have been synonymous with Indy car racing for more than 100 years,” said Al Speyer, executive director, Firestone Racing. “We are excited about the opportunity to continue the ongoing success of this series by extending the Firestone brand’s history in the sport through the 2018 season. We treasure the relationships we have fostered with the league, drivers, owners and various other partners involved with the sport through the years, and look forward to continuing our legacy of high performance for which Firestone tires are known.”

Firestone has supplied tires to the IZOD IndyCar Series since the league began in 1996, and this announcement confirms the Firestone brand’s participation in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in 2016. As part of the partnership extension, the Firestone brand will increase its commitment to and investments in the series to help maximize the growth potential of the series.

“The Firestone brand’s significant contributions to IZOD IndyCar Series racing are the result of more than 100 years of experience competing in this sport, most recently as part of a continuous 22-year partnership,” said Jeff Belskus, interim president and CEO, INDYCAR. “The agreement expands our opportunity to continue working together to provide on-track excitement for our fans and grow the sport through coordinated and consistent off-track promotions. This is an important relationship for both Firestone and INDYCAR and we are very pleased to continue the association.”

The expanded agreement begins in 2014, and includes tires and technical support, investments in advertising, event promotions, at-track signage, hospitality, race title sponsorships and other programs. Specific details of the agreement and relationship will be announced next year.

The title sponsorship and official tire status of the Firestone Indy Lights series will run through 2013.

“Our partnership with the IZOD IndyCar Series is based on mutual respect and benefit to all parties. Our agreement to move forward together is a manifestation of the business value we both realize from this partnership as well as the legacy of safety and performance that we have built together over a century of experience,” said Speyer.

“We are proud to continue our tradition of exceptional support for the IndyCar Series. One of our future aims is to help grow interest, so we look forward to welcoming a new generation of fans to the sport while at the same time energizing the existing loyal fan base. Fans are the true end customer for both INDYCAR and Firestone, and their engagement is fundamental to our mutual future success.”

In addition to the partnership with the IZOD IndyCar Series, the Firestone brand will be the official tire of the race season kickoff — the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in Long Beach, Calif.

In keeping with tradition, Firestone will remain the Official Tire of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Firestone also will continue as the title sponsor of the Firestone 550 at Texas Motor Speedway in June.

Source: INDYCAR ♦ Photo: Brian Groce

INDYCAR: #TheOffseason: Episode 2

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What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, Josef Newgarden stumbles on a new feature of the INDYCAR conference room.

INDYCAR: #TheOffseason: Episode 1

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What happens when the stars of INDYCAR aren’t racing? INDYCAR will give you a look at what happens when drivers get out of their cars and step into The Offseason, a mini-series starring Will Power, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and Josef Newgarden. This week, the drivers pitch in around the INDYCAR office.

Pro Mazda Championship Replaces Star Mazda Championship

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INDYCAR, sanctioning body of the Mazda Road to Indy development series, announced the creation of the Pro Mazda Championship. The series will be owned and operated by Andersen Promotions – administrator of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda – and will fill the opening vacated by the Star Mazda Championship.

A key level on the Mazda Road to Indy bridging the gap between USF2000 and Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda operated under the leadership of founder Gary Rodrigues, who recently announced that the series would conclude following a 22-year run. Graduates of Star Mazda include IZOD IndyCar Series drivers Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe, Raphael Matos and Graham Rahal, and rising stars Conor Daly and Tristan Vautier amongst many others.

“Everyone at INDYCAR is excited about Dan Andersen and his team taking over as the Pro Mazda Championship,” said Jason Penix, Director of Grassroots Initiatives for INDYCAR. “Andersen Promotions has a proven track record of success in junior formula racing, whether it be as a team or as a series owner. All you need to do is look at the success of the USF2000 Championship to know that the former Star Mazda series will be in very capable hands. INDYCAR would also like to thank Gary Rodrigues and his family for all their efforts over the last 22 years. We look forward to watching Dan build upon the success that Gary was able to have and we are confident that this puts the Mazda Road to Indy program in a great position to continue its unparalleled growth in the years to come.”

The Pro Mazda Championship will utilize the same equipment as the former Star Mazda Series including the 260-horsepower Mazda “Renesis” rotary engine. The full 2013 schedule will be unveiled next week. The tradition of awarding a scholarship from Mazda for the series’ champion to advance to Firestone Indy Lights competition the following year will remain in place, and a full prize money and award summary will be available in the coming days. Bill Van De Sandt, INDYCAR’s Director of Operations, will remain as race director for the series.

“Everyone with the Mazda Motorsports team is thrilled that Andersen Promotions is taking over with the Pro Mazda Championship,” said John Doonan, Director Mazda Motorsports, Mazda North American Operations. “Dan [Andersen] and his family-run organization are former Star Mazda team owners and have done an amazing job in developing the USF2000 Championship. They are the ideal team to further advance the two decades of hard work and success of Gary Rodrigues and his family. We expect a seamless transition in 2013.”

Andersen Promotions is led by Dan Andersen, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, who founded and led the original USF2000 Championship from 1991 to 2001, turning it into one of the top open-wheel development series in the world. After an eight-year absence, Andersen revived the series in 2010 as part of the Mazda Road to Indy. He has also been a successful team owner in USF2000, Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights and currently owns and operates an extensive karting venture and test track in Palmetto, Fla.

“I would like to say thank you to Gary and the entire Rodrigues family for all of the effort they put into this series over the years,” said Andersen. “As a former multi-car team owner in the series, I am well-acquainted with the program and the value that it has for racers climbing the ladder. I am delighted to have the opportunity to add this development level to the Andersen Promotions’ family. We will do our best to continue to help the careers of young drivers as they climb the Mazda Road to Indy ladder. I would also like to thank Mazda and INDYCAR for working this out quickly and allowing the series to continue at the high level it has been operating.”

Source: INDYCAR

Lotus Released From Contract with INDYCAR for 2013

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INDYCAR announced today that it has released Lotus from its contract to supply engines to the IZOD IndyCar Series.

“We appreciate the effort that Lotus made in helping return manufacturer competition to the IZOD IndyCar Series,” said Brian Barnhart, president of operations and strategy, INDYCAR. “However, Lotus has made a business decision not to return in 2013 and asked for its release. We wish them well and would welcome their participation again in the future.”

Aslam Farikullah, Lotus Chief Operating Officer, said, “Lotus is grateful to INDYCAR for the opportunity to compete during the 2012 season and for the support provided throughout. The decision not to continue was not an easy one and Lotus does not discount the possibility to re-enter the series at some time in the future. For the time being, Lotus will focus on core business activities as a leading sports car manufacturer and world class engineering consultancy.”

The series will move forward with Chevrolet and Honda as engine manufacturers for the 2013 season. Per the IZOD IndyCar Series rules, each engine manufacturer must be able to supply 60 percent of the field of entrants.

Source: INDYCAR

Josef Newgarden on Naptown Buzz #88

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Brian Groce talks with INDYCAR Driver Josef Newgarden on Naptown Buzz #88 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 11, 2012.

Topics include the 2012 INDYCAR season overview, the 2013 INDYCAR season preview and our usual fun questions regarding food, video games and Josef’s first trip to the Indianapolis Zoo (or any zoo for that matter).

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[Read more…] about Josef Newgarden on Naptown Buzz #88

Edmonton is off of the 2013 INDYCAR Schedule

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INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights, announced today it will not return to Edmonton in 2013.

“When we finalized our schedule for the upcoming 2013 season, it unfortunately did not include Edmonton,” said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. “We thank the city of Edmonton and all the fans for their support of the event over the last eight years.”

Bernard added:  “More importantly this has not affected our plans for a minimum of 19 races next season, and we remain optimistic that we will return to having two races in Canada as early as 2014.  We anticipate announcing our full 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series schedule the first week of October.”

INDYCAR Update for July 2, 2012

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2012 IZOD INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE TO REMAIN AT 15 RACES

“After carefully considering all possible options for an additional race, we felt it was in our best interest to keep our schedule at its current 15-event lineup,” said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. “We want to make sure that when we add events to our roster they have long-term potential and are given every opportunity to be successfully promoted. The more we explored, the more we felt like we were rushing what could be good, long-lasting opportunities for the sport.

The 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season finale will be held Sept. 15 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. Officials announced today that the race distance will be extended to 500 miles. Auto Club Speedway last played host to a 500-mile Indy car race in 2002, which was won by Jimmy Vasser.

“We wanted to do something special to enhance the excitement to the season finale and renew the tradition of 500-mile open-wheel races in Southern California,” said Bernard. “We think it’s something our fans will enjoy and adds another element to what is already shaping up to be an exciting championship battle.”

INDYCAR TO RE-INTRODUCE PUSH-TO-PASS FOR REMAINING IZOD INDYCAR SERIES ROAD/STREET EVENTS

Push to pass will return to the IZOD IndyCar Series for the five remaining road/street course events on the 2012 schedule, beginning with the Honda Indy Toronto on July 6-8.

The overtake assist feature, introduced to the series in 2009, allows a driver to add turbocharger boost and additional RPM with the press of a button on the steering wheel to complete a pass.

“It will be similar to what it was in the past because we know that model worked,” said Will Phillips, vice president of technology, INDYCAR.

The additional boost is added for a pre-determined amount of time which will be determined by INDYCAR depending on the circuit. The sanctioning body will also determine the total amount of time available, recharge time and any delay in the system prior to each activation, though the engine manufacturers may adjust the settings below the requirements to optimize their engine’s performance.

Push to pass will not engage until a certain throttle position is reached and will disengage if the driver lifts or presses the button again.

As part of the introduction of push-to-pass, the base turbocharger boost level will decrease to 150 kPa. When the system is engaged, the boost increases to 160 kPa on the 2.2-liter V6 engines supplied by Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus.

INDYCAR APPROVES LOTUS’ REQUEST TO MODIFY IZOD INDYCAR SERIES ENGINE

INDYCAR  approved Lotus’ request to modify homologated parts to improve performance of its 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engine pursuant to engine technical regulations established before the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

At mid-season and again at the end of the year, manufacturers whose engines are statistically more than 2½ percent deficient in power may, at the discretion of INDYCAR, make improvements to components to be homologated. Alterations are intended to put the engine within the 2½ percent window, and they will be introduced on only new engines being sent to the track.

Manufacturers must present data to support their case, which is reviewed along with relevant data collected by the sanctioning body’s engine support engineers. Manufacturers provide which components they seek to modify, along with projected gains and their scheduled introduction.

Lotus’ first modification is scheduled to be introduced at a July 2 test at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course with the No. 78 Lotus-HVM Racing car driven by Simona de Silvestro. Subsequent modifications are scheduled to be incorporated for the Honda Indy Toronto on July 6-8, the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (Aug. 26-28) and the Grand Prix of Baltimore (Sept. 2-4).

INDYCAR director of engine development Trevor Knowles said Chevrolet and Honda have been apprised of Lotus’ modification schedule. Old parts remain homologated until 2013.

The engine rules will be stable through the 2016 IZOD IndyCar Series season, with any corrections or modifications decided by INDYCAR after consultation with the INDYCAR Engine Committee.

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS
as of June 24, 2012

  1. Will Power       286
  2. Ryan Hunter-Reay       283
  3. Scott Dixon       271
  4. Helio Castroneves       261
  5. James Hinchcliffe       256
  6. Simon Pagenaud (R)       246
  7. Tony Kanaan       235
  8. Dario Franchitti       216
  9. Ryan Briscoe       205
  10. Graham Rahal       193

IZOD INDYCAR SERIES MANUFACTURERS CHAMPIONSHIP
as of June 24, 2012

  1. Chevrolet       72
  2. Honda       62
  3. Lotus       36

SUNOCO ROOKIE OF THE YEAR STANDINGS
as of June 24, 2012

  1. Simon Pagenaud       246
  2. Josef Newgarden       126
  3. Katherine Legge       103
  4. Bryan Clauson       13
  5. Wade Cunningham       13
  6. Jean Alesi       13

2012 INDYCAR SCHEDULE AND RESULTS

# Date Race Winner/Time
1
Mar 25
Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Helio Castroneves #3
2
Apr 1
Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Will Power #12
3
Apr 15
Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach
Will Power #12
4
Apr 29
Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300
Will Power #12
5
May 27
Indianapolis 500
Dario Franchitti #10
6
Jun 3
Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix
Scott Dixon #9
7
Jun 9
Firestone 550
Justin Wilson #18
8
Jun 16
Milwaukee IndyFest
Ryan Hunter-Reay #28
9
Jun 23
Iowa Corn Indy 250
Ryan Hunter-Reay #28
10
Jul 8
Honda Indy Toronto
1:00 PM
11
Jul 22
Edmonton Indy
2:45 PM
12
Aug 5
Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio
1:00 PM
13
Aug 19
Indy Qingdao 600
Cancelled
14
Aug 26
Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma
4:30 PM
15
Sep 2
Grand Prix of Baltimore
2:30 PM
16
Sep 15
IZOD IndyCar World Championships
8:00 PM