Race Weekend Central

Alex Palou Crashes in Indianapolis 500 Qualifying

Alex Palou on Fast Friday at Indianapolis

(Photo by Karl Zemlin/INDYCAR)

In his second qualifying attempt of the first day of Indianapolis 500 qualifying, Alex Palou slid and crashed into the turn 2 wall. After turning two laps of 231.959 and 231.288 mph, the No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda lost traction with the rear of the car and despite Palou’s best efforts, the right side …

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2021 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Live Report

Scott Dixon in Saturday Morning Indianapolis 500 Pre-Qualifying Practice

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

Welcome! This will serve as a live update hub for qualifying for the 105th Indianapolis 500 on May 30th. All 35 cars drew their spot in the qualifying order Friday evening and will go out one at a time for their four lap qualifying run. The updates will come as cars complete their runs with …

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Scott Dixon Fastest on Fast Friday at Indianapolis

Scott Dixon practicing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

Scott Dixon staked his claim for a spot in the Fast Nine shootout at the Indianapolis 500 by clocking the fastest speed around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Fast Friday. The 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner went around the 2.5 mile oval at an average speed of 233.302 mph, taking 38.5766 seconds for that fastest lap. …

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A Statistical Deep Dive Into Jimmie Johnson’s GMR Grand Prix

Jimmie Johnson at the GMR Grand Prix

(Photo by Walter Kuhn/INDYCAR)

In Jimmie Johnson’s first NTT IndyCar Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Johnson showed some decent improvement but is still learning about racing an open-wheel car. The seven-time NASCAR champion’s fastest lap of the race was a 1 minute, 12.5976 second lap. Yes, this was last of all drivers, yes he was …

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What Mattered at the IndyCar GMR Grand Prix

Rinua VeeKay, Romain Grosjean and Alex Palou celebrate their podium finishes at Indianapolis

(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)

So much for respecting your elders, right? Don’t mention that in the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series. In five IndyCar races this year, two were won by 20-year-olds (Rinus VeeKay and Pato O’Ward), one by a 21-year-old (Colton Herta, who is now 22), one by a 24-year-old (Alex Palou) and Scott Dixon, who is 40. Dixon’s …

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Graham Rahal’s Strategy Pays Off for Fifth at GMR Grand Prix

Graham Rahal at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course

(Photo by Matt Fraver/INDYCAR)

After a collision on the first lap of the race significantly damaged his right side pod, Graham Rahal had a mountain to climb in Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. After making two pit stops under the first (and only) full course yellow of the race, the No. 15 Rahal …

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2021 IndyCar Quarter-Season Update: Championship Contenders

Scott Dixon leads the field at Texas

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

With a quarter of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season out of the way, let’s take a look at how the six drivers predicted before the season to be championship contenders are doing. So far in 2021, only one driver has finished all four IndyCar races in the top five, and that’s Scott Dixon. The …

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What Mattered: IndyCar at Texas

Scott Dixon leading at Texas

(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR Media)

Pato O’Ward’s glass ceiling has finally shattered. After uncertainty climbing the motorsports ladder in North America, the young Mexican racer finally made it to victory lane as an NTT IndyCar Series racer after winning Sunday’s XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway. O’Ward’s journey to winning on Sunday involved quick hands, massive cojones and faith in …

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Scott Dixon Goes Back-to-Back in Texas; McLaughlin Nabs 2nd

Scott Dixon, IndyCar

Scott Dixon at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. (Photo Credit: Chris Owens/Courtesy of IndyCar.)

Scott Dixon dominated the Genesys 300 en route to leading a 1-2 finish for the series’ two New Zealanders; Scott McLaughlin chased his fellow countryman, finishing only two tenths of a second behind. Dixon passed teammate Alex Palou for the lead on the third lap of the 212 lap race, and maintained control over the …

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IndyCar Techbench Tuesday: Texas Motor Speedway

Scott Dixon pitting at the 2020 Genesys 300 at Texas

(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)

The NTT IndyCar Series’s first oval visit of the 2021 season is a doubleheader at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) with the Genesys 300 on Saturday (May 1) and the XPEL 375 on Sunday (May 2). This is the first doubleheader Texas has hosted since the twin races in 2011 and since then, a lot has …

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What Mattered for IndyCar at St. Petersburg

Colton and Bryan Herta talk shop

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

After finishing 22nd and 23rd last week respectively, Colton Herta and Josef Newgarden managed to get their NTT IndyCar Series championship aspirations going properly at Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg by winning and finishing second, respectively. The biggest difference for the two, however? Bonus points. Herta won the pole position and led the …

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A Statistical Deep Dive in Jimmie Johnson’s 1st IndyCar Street Race

Jimmie Johnson giving feedback at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

Before Sunday, Jimmie Johnson had never raced on a street circuit. Aiming to learn, Johnson did all of that and more in Sunday’s (April 25) Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the second race of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season. The No. 48 Carvana Honda started 23rd and ran as high as 21st following …

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