New look for Blomqvist as he heads into the weekend with No. 66 AutoNation / SiriusXM livery
Pataskala, Ohio (6 May 2024) – The most-anticipated month of every NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule gets underway this weekend, as Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) packs up and heads to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a month that starts with Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix (3:00pm ET, NBC, SiriusXM Ch. 218) and culminates with the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 26.
Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) leads the charge for the Ohio-based team as the veteran driver has made the most of his new surroundings after joining MSR for the 2024 campaign. The Swedish driver has led the squad to its first-ever INDYCAR pole and is the first driver in team history to start the year with three consecutive top-five qualifying results.
Rosenqvist has parlayed those starting spots into quality results as well and sits fifth in the championship standings after three races. He is one of five drivers to have finished in the top-10 in each of the year’s three races and is one of just four to have multiple top-five results this season.
INDYCAR rookie, Tom Blomqvist heads into the weekend with a new look on his No. 66 machine – sporting a dual partnership between AutoNation and SiriusXM (No. 66 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda). Blomqvist has improved his qualifying results through each of the year’s first three events, including a run at Barber Motorsports Park that saw him advance to the Fast 12 qualifying session for the first time in his young career.
Blomqvist heads into the IMS weekend with a sense of familiarity having tested at the Speedway as well as a venue he has raced at in IMSA competition in 2023.
Both MSR and Rosenqvist have had success on the Indy road course and will be looking to add to that record with strong results this weekend. MSR scored it’s first-ever INDYCAR SERIES podium at the IMS road course back in 2019 and followed that up with a second podium run in 2022 which saw Simon Pagenaud come from 20th on the starting grid to finish 2nd. MSR has also shown well in qualifying, earning four top-seven starting spots.
Rosenqvist has made 10 starts on the road course, and scored his first-ever INDYCAR pole position in 2019 along with a second pole in 2022. He has five top-10 results on the track and has finished on the lead lap on nine of the 10 starts.
Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix will air on NBC and Peacock starting at 3 p.m. ET. Friday’s qualifying will be shown live on Peacock beginning at 4:20 p.m. ET. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 218.
Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:
Felix Rosenqvist: “I’m super excited to officially start the Month of May. Living here in Indy you can tell that people are ready to go. It’s a classic build up for the 500. I felt pretty good after Barber, which was our first road course, so although I don’t totally know what to expect this weekend, I think if Barber was any indicator we should be in good shape. We have some good momentum from the last few weeks, so we just need to keep that going. I like the Indy GP, I had my first ever pole there back in 2019 and it’s a good track for me in general.”
Tom Blomqvist: “The precursor to the big month! I’m enjoying not having much time between events and now we’re heading into May. It’s important to execute a solid weekend as it gets everyone in the right mindset heading into the 500. I’m excited for this event. It’s a track I know and have tested at in an INDYCAR. Looking to build on the performance in Barber and I’m confident we can have a solid weekend.”
