News for the Week of April 24, 2017 – April 30, 2017

The Open Wheel’s Phoenix photo gallery – Check out The Open Wheel’s Parker Hall’s photo gallery from the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/30/2017)

Pagenaud earns first oval win at Phoenix – Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud won his first career oval race in the Verizon IndyCar Series in the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway. The rest of the Top 5 was Power, Hildebrand, Castroneves, and Dixon. This incident dramatically affected the race as Aleshin, Andretti, Bourdais, Chilton, and Rahal all went out on Lap 1. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/29/2017)

Castroneves sets track record and wins pole at Phoenix – Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves broke his own track record and won the pole for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway with a 2-lap average of 194.905mph. The rest of the Top 5 was Power, Hildebrand, Newgarden, and Pagenaud. Kanaan was the first Honda driver in P6. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/28/2017)

Andretti visor cam from Phoenix – INDYCAR’s excellent visor cam series continues with Marco Andretti at Phoenix International Raceway. Check it out at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/28/2017)

Newgarden fastest in only practice session at Phoenix – Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden’s lap at 192.108mph was the fastest lap of the only Verizon IndyCar Series practice session for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway. The rest of the Top 5 was Hildebrand, Castroneves, Pagenaud, and Power. Ed Carpenter (fuel leak and subsequent fuel cell replacement) and Marco Andretti (electrical) each ran a limited number of laps due to mechanical issues. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/28/2017)

Qualification order for Phoenix – The qualification attempt order for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/28/2017)

Castroneves and Kanaan honored at “Celebrating Legends” event in Phoenix – Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan were honored at a “Celebrating Legends” event at the Heard Museum in Phoenix on Thursday nights celebrating their 20 years driving Indy cars. A recap and video of the event is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/28/2017)

Oberto livery to feature on Andretti No. 27 at Phoenix – “Seattle-based all natural beef jerky company Oberto, along with Circle K, will take over the paint scheme of Marco Andretti’s No. 27 Honda-powered Indy car for Saturday’s 250-lap Verizon IndyCar Series race at Phoenix International Raceway.” See the livery on our No. 27 livery page here. – Andretti Autosport – (4/28/2017)

The Open Wheel’s Phoenix preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of the Verizon IndyCar Series weekend at Phoenix International Raceway is available at the link. It features all of the relevant weekend information, historical stats, predictions, fantasy advice, and more. – The Open Wheel – (4/27/2017)

A.J. Foyt to miss Phoenix following surgery – RACER’s Robin Miller reports A.J. Foyt will not be in attendance at this weekend’s Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway following stem cell treatments and surgery on his right foot. He is expected to be back for Indianapolis. Full story at the link. – RACER – (4/27/2017)

Phoenix spotter guide is posted – The spotter guide for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/26/2017)

NBCSN’s Barber broadcast gets 0.39 final TV rating – “The Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by America’s First continues to be a favorite of fans attending in person and watching on television. Sunday’s race telecast on NBCSN drew a rating 50 percent higher than the 2016 telecast. Weekend attendance at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham totaled 82,745 and resulted in a 10 percent increase in ticket revenue. The final TV rating was 0.39, up from a 0.26 rating in 2016.” Full story from INDYCAR at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/26/2017)

IMS grandstands will be smoke-free starting in October 2017 – “The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced today that its grandstands will be entirely smoke-free beginning with the 2017 Red Bull Air Race. In addition, leading up to the Air Race, the track will provide limited smoke-free family grandstands at select Month of May events and at the Brickyard 400.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (4/26/2017)

IMS Museum free to fans during INDYCAR GP weekend – “Admission to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will be free for INDYCAR Grand Prix ticket holders during the two-day event, May 12-13 at IMS. A General Admission ticket must be present for entry to the Museum, located in the IMS infield, between Turns 1 and 2 of the oval, just inside Gate 2. The IMS Museum features race cars and other memorabilia from every era of the Indianapolis 500, as well as cars and artifacts from many other forms of racing… Kids 15 and under are free both days of the INDYCAR Grand Prix weekend—and at all IMS racing events— in general admission areas when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Fans will be allowed to walk on the track after the race Saturday, sharing in the celebration, experiencing the famous IMS circuit and kissing the famous Yard of Bricks.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (4/26/2017)

Miller’s Mailbag 4/26/17 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (4/26/2017)

Trackside podcast 4/25/17 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 4/25/17 is a great listen as always. Ed Carpenter is a guest on the show. – 1070 The Fan – (4/26/2017)

Phoenix entry list is posted – The entry list for the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix at Phoenix International Raceway is available at the link. It features all 21 full-time Verizon IndyCar Series car/driver combinations. – INDYCAR – (4/25/2017)

Pruett’s 4/25/17 Indy 500 car count update – RACER’s Marshall Pruett has posted an excellent update on the current car count for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Check it out at the link. – RACER – (4/25/2017)

Hildebrand cleared and confirmed to return at Phoenix – “Ed Carpenter Racing’s two drivers could not be more ready for the first oval race of the Verizon IndyCar Series season, contested this Saturday night at Phoenix International Raceway. Ed Carpenter will climb back behind the wheel of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet for his first race since August of 2016, while Hildebrand regains control of the sister No. 21 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet after being sidelined for one race with a broken hand…Hildebrand has received the all-clear from his doctors to return to Verizon IndyCar Series competition.” Full release at the link. – ECR – (4/25/2017)

NBCSN gets 0.30 overnight TV rating for Barber – NBCSN’s TV broadcast of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park drew a 0.30 overnight TV rating. The race drew a 0.26 on the same weekend and channel last year. – ShowBuzzDaily – (4/25/2017)

McLaren unveils partial Indy 500 livery – McLaren posted a partial livery unveil of the car Fernando Alonso will drive for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. It is the same “papaya orange” color that returned to their F1 cars this year and that is synonymous with McLaren’s history. Check it out on our No. 29 (yet to be officially confirmed) livery page here. – @McLarenIndy – (4/25/2017)

Midwest Fertility Specialists to sponsor SPM No. 77 for Howard at Indy 500 – “During National Infertility Awareness Week, Midwest Fertility Specialists is encouraging those who have experienced fertility issues to start a conversation and reduce the stigma around this condition. The practice is partnering with Indy 500 driver Jay Howard and his wife Courtney, two Midwest Fertility patients who fought a long battle with infertility. Howard will race in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 this year in the No. 77 Team One Cure car in partnership with the Tony Stewart Foundation and under the banner of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.” Full release link. – RACER – (4/25/2017)

Pacers’ Larry Bird delivers NBA ASG bid in an IndyCar – “With Indiana Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird at the wheel of a specially themed IndyCar, Pacers Sports & Entertainment today officially delivered its bid for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game to NBA Headquarters in midtown Manhattan. Bird piloted the IndyCar down five blocks of Fifth Avenue and handed off the bid documents to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver at the league offices.” Full story at the link. – NBA – (4/24/2017)

RACER confirms more details of Andretti/Alonso Indy 500 effort – RACER’s Marshall Pruett has a nice update on Andretti Autosport’s Indy 500 plans as Fernando Alonso was in the Andretti shop on Monday for his seat fitting. Andretti Autosport technical director Eric Bretzman will be Alonso’s race engineer for Indy. Zach Eakin will have the same role for the team’s entry for Jack Harvey. Full report and pictures of Alonso’s seat fitting at the link. – RACER – (4/24/2017)

Newgarden grabs his first Penske win at Barber – Josef Newgarden grabbed his first win with Team Penske at the 2017 Honda Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park. The rest of the Top 5 was Dixon, Pagenaud, Castroneves, and Rossi. Power led 60 laps before being forced to pit from the lead on Lap 76 due to a tire going down. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/23/2017)

Herta wins Lights Race 2 at Barber – Andretti Autosport’s Colton Herta led every lap and won Indy Lights Race 2 at Barber Motorsports Park in dominant fashion. The rest of the Top 5 was Kaiser, Jamin, Alberico, and Telitz. Claman De Melo and O’Ward made contact in Turn 2 on the first lap ending their races early. Urrutia finished in P13 after making contact with Blackstock early in the race. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (4/23/2017)

Report: Buddy Lazier to drive in Indy 500 effort – RACER’s Robin Miller reports Buddy Lazier will again drive for a team he puts together for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. “I love Indy, that’s the curse, but we want to keep this thing going until Flinn is ready,” Lazier told RACER. “It’s late coming together, but of course that’s our MO, isn’t it? But it’s come a long way in the last 10 days and the bottom line is that it’s looking good for next month.” Full report at the link. – RACER – (4/22/2017)

Power takes the pole at Barber – Team Penske’s Will Power won the pole for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park with a lap of 1:06.9614. The rest of the Firestone Fast Six order was Castroneves, Pagenaud, Dixon, Hunter-Reay, and Hinchcliffe. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (4/22/2017)

Jamin wins Lights Race 1 at Barber – Andretti Autosport rookie Nico Jamin grabbed his first career Indy Lights win in Race 1 at Barber Motorsports Park. The rest of the Top 5 was Kaiser, Alberico, Leist, and Claman De Melo. Championship leader Colton Herta was involved in an incident at the start and finished in P10. 2016 runner-up Santi Urrutia suffered damage after being run into at the start and finished last in P15. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (4/22/2017)

Penske unveils Fitzgerald livery for Montoya for Indy 500 – “Team Penske announced today that Fitzgerald Glider Kits, North America’s leading truck glider kit assembler, is building on its partnership with the team in NASCAR to become a primary sponsor for three Verizon IndyCar Series races in 2017, including the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 28 with driver Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya will be pursuing his third Indianapolis 500 victory after winning the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 2015 while driving for Team Penske.” See the livery on our No. 22 livery page here. – Team Penske – (4/22/2017)

Alonso to test at IMS on 5/3 – “Two-time Formula One World Champion Fernando Alonso will begin on-track preparation for his Indianapolis 500 debut with a test session Wednesday, May 3 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The test will take place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) on the 2.5-mile oval. This will be the first career laps on an oval for 2005 and 2006 World Champion Alonso, who drives in Formula One for McLaren Honda…Fans can watch testing for free from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. from the Turn 2 viewing mounds, Museum parking lot and South Terrace Grandstands.” – IMS Press Release – (4/20/2017)

Gateway announces spectators are welcome at 5/2 INDYCAR test – “All Verizon IndyCar Series teams are expected to test at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois on Tuesday, May 2 in preparation for the August 26 Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Presented By Valvoline (#Bommarito500). INDYCAR teams will test from noon to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Indy Lights teams will test at 9 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Spectator gates will open at 11 a.m. Adult spectator grandstand admission is $20. Kids 15 and under are free. Parking is free.” Full release at the link. – Gateway Motorsports Park – (4/20/2017)

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