News for the Week of April 2 – April 8, 2018
The Open Wheel’s Phoenix photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s Parker Hall’s photo gallery from Verizon IndyCar Series action at the 2018 Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/8/2018)
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Newgarden beats out Wickens for the win at Phoenix – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden used fresh tires and a late pass on Robert Wickens to win the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway. The full Top 5 was Newgarden, Wickens, Rossi, Dixon, and Hunter-Reay. Rossi made an incredible 53 passes while most of the field made single digit passes and Bourdais had the second most with 24. Fittipaldi, Power, Kaiser, and Jones all made significant contact to go out of the race. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/7/2018)
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Report: Davison to drive Foyt/Byrd entry in Indy 500 effort – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports James Davison and David Byrd have landed a deal with AJ Foyt Racing to enter a car for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Full story at the link. – RACER – (4/7/2018)
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Kimball tops the charts in final practice at Phoenix – Carlin’s Charlie Kimball topped the charts in the final practice session at ISM Raceway with a lap at 177.142mph. The rest of the Top 5 was Dixon, Kanaan, Rossi, and Chaves. Pigot made contact with the wall in the session. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/7/2018)
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Bourdais wins the pole at Phoenix – Dale Coyne Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais won the pole for the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway with a two-lap average of 188.539mph. The rest of the Top 5 was Pagenaud, Power, Rossi, and Hinchcliffe. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2018)
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INDYCAR names Servia as part-time pace car driver – “Servia is already signed to compete in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil next month in an alignment between Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and successful sports-car operation Scuderia Corsa. Other racing opportunities could develop for the 43-year-old from Spain during the remainder of the 2018 season, but he has agreed to a part-time run as the series’ pace car driver, beginning with Saturday night’s Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway.” Full story at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2018)
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Pagenaud fastest in Practice 1 at Phoenix – Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud was fastest in Practice 1 at ISM Raceway with a lap at 182.375mph. The rest of the Top 5 was Kanaan, Bourdais, Hunter-Reay, and Rossi. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2018)
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Shank adds new team co-owner, now known as Meyer Shank Racing – “Meyer Shank Racing is pleased to announce that Jim Meyer has joined the organization as co-owner with Mike Shank. The recently completed transaction will see the team build towards a strong future for both its IMSA and IndyCar programs…Meyer Shank Racing will also contest a select schedule of Verizon IndyCar Series events in 2018 with driver Jack Harvey in the No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda entry.” Full release at the link. – Meyer Shank Racing – (4/6/2018)
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Mario Andretti: A Night to Remember – INDYCAR honored Mario Andretti on Thursday night in Phoenix on the 25th anniversary of his final IndyCar victory and the stream from that presentation is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2018)
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The Open Wheel’s Phoenix preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/5/2018)
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Juncos makes Binder’s schedule addition of Belle Isle official – “Juncos Racing announced today that Rene Binder will add the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear to his Verizon IndyCar series schedule for the 2018 season. Binder will now compete in six races total, including his recent debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Austrian Rene Binder previously made his Verizon IndyCar Series debut at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Binder is set to compete again at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Barber, the streets of Toronto, and on the road course at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.” Full release at the link. – Juncos Racing – (4/4/2018)
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Miller’s Mailbag 4/4/18 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (4/4/2018)
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Trackside podcast 4/3/18 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 4/3/18 is a great listen as always. Leigh Diffey and Robin Miller are guests on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (4/4/2018)
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Bumping will occur if Indy 500 entries exceed 33 cars – The Indianapolis Star’s Jim Ayello reports INDYCAR does not intend to expand the traditional 33 car field for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race should there be more than 33 entries. “Honestly,” Miles told the Indianapolis Star, “It never even occurred to us to go beyond 33. There will be qualifying, and there will be 33 cars. … It’s one of the traditions. Eleven rows of three is a symbol of the event, a bit like milk for the champion. Exceptions have been very infrequent and due to special circumstances.” Full story at the link. – Indianapolis Star – (4/3/2018)
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Phoenix entry list is posted – The official INDYCAR entry list for the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/3/2018)
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Phoenix spotter guide is posted – The official INDYCAR spotter guide for the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix at ISM Raceway is available at the link. There are plenty of new liveries for this weekend. – INDYCAR – (4/3/2018)
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Green Savoree helpful in Portland track upgrade planning – RACER’s Marshall Pruett has an excellent piece on how promoter Green Savoree has been a great resource for the only semi-permanent Portland International Raceway. “Overall the work with them is going great,” PIR track manager EC Mueller told RACER. “It’s good to work with an organization that is currently already doing the temporary circuits at St. Pete and Toronto, and then they have their permanent circuit in Mid-Ohio. They know how to put on a great show and bring the awareness to the cities they’re in, and that’s picking up momentum.” Full story at the link. – RACER – (4/2/2018)
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Fuzzy’s Vodka announces 2018 Indy 500-themed commemorative bottles – Fuzzy’s Vodka has continued their annual tradition of an Indianapolis 500 Mile Race-themed bottle for 2018 and has revealed a total of five bottles in honor of A.J. Foyt. Check them out at the link. – Fuzzy’s Vodka – (3/30/2018)
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Binder adds Belle Isle to Juncos plans – Rene Binder told Motorsport.com he will race for Juncos Racing in the double header at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park. That brings Binder’s season total to six races. Full story at the link. – Motorsport.com – (3/28/2018)
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ECR reveals Danica’s Indy 500 livery – Ed Carpenter Racing has revealed the GoDaddy livery to be featured on their No. 13 car for Danica Patrick in the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. See the livery on our No. 13 livery page here. – Ed Carpenter Racing – (3/28/2018)
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