Did danica patrick win an indycar race

The Florida-born driver joined the team at the start of 2023, his sophomore year in the IndyCar Series, and earned two victories at Long Beach and Nashville, driving the Andretti’s #27 Honda-powered entry. He finished up the year with five additional top 10s, a pole and led 88 laps en route to 11th in the championship standings. “I am thrilled to be able to continue with Andretti Global for years to come,” said Kirkwood. “We have built something special within the team this year and I’m excited to see what we can do next season in the #27 AutoNation Honda. "It’s fantastic that I will now have the opportunity to work with the same group – it’s a luxury I haven’t had the privilege of having since my karting days. "Now we can put our heads down and fully focus on winning races and becoming a strong Championship contender. "I have such a huge respect for this team and it will be an honor to continue to call myself an IndyCar driver for Andretti Global.” Kyle … [Read more...] about IndyCar race winner Kirkwood signs extension with Andretti Global

It was business as usual for Max Verstappen as the reigning World Champion wrapped up the Constructors’ Championship for Red Bull with his 13th win of this season at the Japanese Grand Prix. The Dutchman was matchless at the Suzuka circuit as he romped to the victory by almost 20 seconds ahead of the McLarens of Lando Norris with Oscar Piastri third. His 26 points meant Red Bull won the Constructors’ Championship as they took an unassailable lead in the standings. However, it was a tale of two Red Bulls as Sergio Perez, twice pitting for a new front wing after hitting rivals, retired his RB19 from last place on lap 15 due to crash damage. The story of his race included two new front wings, two penalties, and a strange retired-unretired-retired situation. The Max Verstappen show resumes at Suzuka On a sweltering hot and windy Sunday at the Suzuka circuit, Max Verstappen lined up on pole position while Logan Sargeant, facing a 10-second penalty for Williams breaching the third … [Read more...] about Japanese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen wins the race and the teams’ title, Perez implodes

The 26-year-old Florida-born American Swede hasn’t competed in North America’s premier open wheel championship since 2021 but could be poised for a return to the grid in 2024. Askew , along with newly crowned Indy NXT champion Christian Rasmussen, are both testing with ECR at the 2.3-mile, 17-turn natural terrain road course. And the aim is to use the opportunity to springboard into the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet entry alongside Rinus VeeKay for next year. “There's nothing that would make me happier than a redo at what meant the world to me -- and what still does -- in IndyCar,” Askew told Motorsport.com. “I really want to go back and cause some mischief.” The outing for Askew comes 729 days since his last IndyCar start, which came in the season finale on the Streets of Long Beach Sept. 26, 2021. Oliver Askew, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda Photo by: Barry Cantrell / Motorsport Images A potential pairing alongside VeeKay would provide ECR with one … [Read more...] about Askew hopeful ECR test leads to IndyCar return

The writing had been on the wall for several years, but the inevitable separation of the IndyCar Series and Texas Motor Speedway finally came with the arrival of the 2024 schedule. A relationship that began in 1997, the two transitioned through nearly every phase possible in the best and worst ways. The reality, though, is that things have been turbulent for an extended amount of time and both parties are at fault for its failure. In many ways, it’s fitting how everything started – with four-time Indianapolis 500 winner and Texas native AJ Foyt backhanding Arie Luyendyk in Victory Lane after the inaugural event in 1997. Factor in timing and scoring issues that delayed final results until the next day and it also signaled the end of the United States Auto Club’s involvement in the championship. When the series needed to bolster its schedule in the early days and an ideal market to crown a champion, the 1.5-mile superspeedway stepped up and hosted races in summer and fall from … [Read more...] about Has IndyCar’s Texas loss come at the right time?

The 1.5-mile superspeedway has played host to North America's premier open-wheel championship every year since 1997, including two events per year from 1998-2004 that also featured season finales. A visit in June was traditionally held for the majority of the tenure, including when TMS was called upon to help jump-start the IndyCar season in 2020. In 2021, the date shifted to a double-header in May. Then, the target moved 20 March in 2022 before settling on April 2 earlier this season. Read Also: IndyCar reveals 2024 schedule as Milwaukee Mile returns Texas Motor Speedway Executive Vice President & General Manager Mark Faber provided a statement on not hosting an IndyCar Series race next season. "Despite the best efforts by both Texas Motor Speedway and IndyCar, we have been unable to reach agreement on a date that works for both parties for 2024," Faber said. "We know this is as disappointing to our open-wheel race fans as it is to us, but we have a great … [Read more...] about Texas cites date clash in being dropped from 2024 IndyCar schedule

The 23-year-old Dane is fresh off a banner season in Indy NXT, where he claimed five wins, eight podiums and sat on the pole five times en route to winning the championship. He won’t be alone for next Monday’s on-track trial, sharing the seat with 2019 Indy NXT title winner Oliver Askew, who hasn’t competed in IndyCar since 2021. While there are aspirations to find a seat on the grid for next season, Rasmussen remains tempered in his approach. “For the time being, that's all it is, is a test,” Rasmussen said. “It's going to be me and Oliver Askew and we'll see what that leads to.” The opportunity couldn’t come at a better venue as the 17-turn, 2.3-mile natural terrain road course was where Rasmussen ignited his title push, going flag-to-flag to win his first race of the 2023 back in April. “I love coming to Barber,” Rasmussen said. “It's going to be intense. That's a physical track, but I'll be up for the challenge and am looking forward to it.” Read Also: The … [Read more...] about Rasmussen braces for upcoming Barber test with Ed Carpenter Racing

Linus Lundqvist converted his pole into an early lead as a four-wide battle for second into Turn 1 filtered down to two, the Andretti Autosport pair of Matt Brabham and Christian Rasmussen, who battled through Turns 2 and 3 and into 7. Then Rasmussen dropped a wheel in the dirt as they ran alongside each other, and fell back. He soon came under pressure from Danial Frost, Race 1 winner in another HMD / Coyne car, because Hunter McElrea had been the big loser on the opening lap, starting on the front row but winding up fifth in another Andretti machine. Behind him ran the Force Indy machine of Trans-Am legend Ernie Francis Jr, who had taken advantage of hesitations and clashes in the midfield to rise from 10 th on the grid to sixth. After 10 of the 35 laps, Lundqvist had a 2.3sec margin over Brabham, who in turn had 3.3 over Rasmussen. The Dane now had a 2sec margin over Frost who was having to watch his mirrors for the recovering McElrea. On Lap 12, McElrea got the pass done … [Read more...] about Indy Lights Indy GP: Lundqvist clinches win in interrupted Race 2

On the approach to turn two at the Sochi Autodrom, drivers pass within about 250 metres of a restaurant called La Punto. There for 300 roubles you can buy a cocktail of tequila, sambuca and tabasco sauce which they call ‘Sample B’. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free The name is a reference to the site’s former purpose: It was the home of Russia’s state-run doping programme, where urine ‘B samples’ from athletes were switched so drugs cheats could compete undetected. So in the grand scheme of things, far worse crimes against sport have been committed in Sochi than when Valtteri Bottas waved Lewis Hamilton by on the 24th lap of Sunday’s Formula 1 race so he could win. Not that you’d know it from the borderline hysterical reaction on social media. Mercedes outmanoeuvre Vettel From the moment the five red lights vanished Mercedes gave Ferrari a lesson in team tactics, including those of the less-than-savoury kind. At Monza, Ferrari locked out the front row … [Read more...] about No backsies for Bottas: Hamilton wins on Mercedes team orders

Mercedes’ use of team orders in the Russian Grand Prix has been backed by one of their rival teams. Valtteri Bottas was told to let Lewis Hamilton past, allowing the championship leader to win the race and extend his points advantage over Sebastian Vettel. Advert | Become a Supporter & go ad-free Hamilton said accepting a win from his team mate “didn’t feel good” and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also said he was reluctant to impose orders on his drivers. But Force India team principal Otmar Szafnauer backed Wolff’s decision. “I think he did the right thing,” said Szafnauer. “I would have done exactly the same because you don’t know what tomorrow brings.” “You can easily have some kind of car or power train failure and then you’re 25 points gone. Someone can take you out inadvertently at the start. Probably not, [but] definitely possible in five races. “If you don’t finish two of them, there’s a battle for the championship. So I think you’ve got to take … [Read more...] about Mercedes “did the right thing” with team orders, says rival