Josef Newgarden to Continue Racing No. 2 PPG Chevrolet in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES
MOORESVILLE, NC (July 21, 2024) – The 40-plus year partnership between Team Penske and PPG – one of the longest-running business relationships in motorsports history – will continue in 2024 and beyond with today’s announcement of a multi-year extension of PPG’s sponsorship across the team’s NASCAR and INDYCAR programs.
The distinctive blue-and-white PPG paint scheme will continue to be featured in NTT INDYCAR SERIES competition as two-time series champion and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner, Josef Newgarden, will race the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet in 2024 and into the future. Under the partnership extension, PPG will continue to serve as an associate partner on the No. 12 Chevrolet driven by two-time INDYCAR champion Will Power, and the No. 3 Chevrolet driven by six-time INDYCAR SERIES race winner Scott McLaughlin. PPG will also continue as a Team Penske partner in the NASCAR Cup Series, serving as an associate sponsor of the No. 2 Ford Mustang driven by 2022 DAYTONA 500 champion Austin Cindric, the No. 12 Ford Mustang driven by reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney, and the No. 22 Ford Mustang driven by two-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano.
“Our relationship with PPG was really one of the first business-to-business partnerships of its kind in motorsports,” said Team Penske President Tim Cindric. “It began over 40 years ago and we are really proud of everything we have accomplished together on and off the race track. Their commitment to motorsports has been far-reaching. We are looking forward to continuing to wear their colors in the winner’s circle for years to come.”
The Team Penske and PPG partnership began with the 1984 INDYCAR SERIES season. Over the last 40-plus years, Team Penske and PPG have amassed unparalleled successes together. Notable accomplishments include, 17 Indianapolis 500 victories, 11 INDYCAR titles, four NASCAR Cup Series championships, three DAYTONA 500 wins, seven NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, four Australian SuperCars Championship triumphs and a Bathurst 1000 victory.
“I am honored and excited to continue representing PPG in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said Newgarden. “They are a legacy partner not only of Team Penske, but of the series as well. A company with terrific products deserves a beautiful paint scheme and the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet certainly has that. Fans love it as much as we do. I have a lot of wins with PPG and I am looking forward to plenty more in the future.”
Building on the partnership with Team Penske, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) also announced today that PPG has extended its title sponsorship of the NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400, a crown jewel of the NASCAR season, for multiple years. In addition, PPG will continue as the Official Paint and Finishing Supplier of IMS.
“We are excited to build upon our extensive history with Team Penske, INDYCAR, and IMS,” said Tim Knavish, PPG chairman and chief executive officer. “To be able to expand and strengthen these relationships speaks to the commitment and success we’ve had together. I look forward to seeing the PPG name on Team Penske cars and at the Brickyard 400 for years to come.”
Team Penske’s most recent NASCAR victory at IMS came with Cindric in 2021 on the famed facility’s road course behind the wheel of the No. 22 PPG Ford Mustang. Team Penske and PPG have visited victory lane together 13 times across INDYCAR and NASCAR competition as a primary partner.
“For more than four decades, PPG has been one of the most trusted, innovative and dedicated partners in motorsports,” said Roger Penske. “We look forward to building on our long-term relationship with PPG at Team Penske for many years to come. We are also excited about the opportunities that lie ahead as we continue to feature PPG and their commitment to enhancing our communities across INDYCAR and at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”
ABOUT PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $17.7 billion in 2022. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial, and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.
ABOUT TEAM PENSKE
Team Penske is one of the most successful teams in the history of professional sports. Cars owned and prepared by Team Penske have produced more than 630 major race wins, over 690 pole positions and 44 championships across open-wheel, stock car and sports car racing competition. Over the course of its 58-year history, the team has also earned 20 Indianapolis 500 victories, three Daytona 500 Championships, a Formula 1 win, victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring, along with a win in Australia’s legendary Bathurst 1000 race. In 2024, Team Penske currently competes in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the NASCAR Cup Series. Through a Team Penske global partnership, Porsche Penske Motorsport races in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the World Endurance Championship this season.
DAMS Lucas Oil scored a points finish with Juan Manuel Correa in the Sprint Race on Saturday, showing strong race pace throughout the weekend at the Hungaroring.
Having qualified 19th, Correa fitted the hard tyres, which paid off in the latter stages of the event, as he moved up 11 places to secure the final points paying position, while Jak Crawford opted for the soft rubber, moving up 13 spots to finish just behind in 9th.
On Sunday, Correa and Crawford started on the soft tyre with both making six overtakes on the opening tour of the circuit, before pitting on Lap 7 as the Safety Car came out. However, a slow double-stacked pit stop and another intervention from the Safety Car late on allowed alternative strategy runners to close in, meaning the duo finished 16th and 17th respectively.
“I was pleased to pick up the final point in the Sprint Race, gaining 11 places certainly made for an entertaining afternoon. We started the Feature Race well but then during the first pit stop which frustratingly cost us several positions. We have a great race car, but we need to do better on a Friday to make sure we can score the big points throughout the event.”
“The weekend started great with P2 in Free Practice, but in qualifying we missed the window for the soft tyres, meaning we failed to maximise our performance. It was a strong Sprint Race for both of us on different strategies, showing that our race pace is good as I only narrowly missed out on the points. We’ve got one round to go until the summer break, so we’ll try and finish on a high.”
“It was another event when we had an impressive race car, as shown by both drivers, especially in Saturday’s event, but we missed out on the big points due to qualifying. We’re pleased with the recovery in the Sprint Race, for both drivers to make up so many places, with JM securing the final point. In the Feature Race, the Safety Car forced us to double stack the two cars, but JM stalled and Jak had to wait behind. It had been a positive start with both cars gaining multiple positions, but it was a very tricky race after that. We will aim to bounce back in Spa before the summer break next weekend.”
Drivers’ Championship
1. Isack Hadjar 140 2. Paul Aron 122 3. Gabriel Bortoleto 110 -7. Jak Crawford 84 -16. Juan Manuel Correa 31
Teams’ Championship
Invicta Racing 184
Campos Racing 178
MP Motorsport 175
Hitech Pulse-Eight 147
-7. DAMS Lucas Oil 115
About DAMS DAMS is a professional racing team founded in 1988 by Jean-Paul Driot, currently competing in FIA Formula 2, F1’s main feeder series. Ahead of the 2022 season, ex-F1 driver Charles Pic took control of the team. So far, 33 DAMS drivers have reached F1, with many more going on to become professional racing drivers. In its history, DAMS has won 15 drivers’ titles, 16 teams’ championships and has scored over 170 race victories.
Prock, S. Torrence, Enders & Herrera all take No. 1 spots at NHRA Northwest Nationals
SEATTLE (July 20, 2024) – Funny Car points leader Austin Prock stayed red-hot in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at Pacific Raceways, winning his fourth straight specialty race and fifth this season for John Force Racing on Saturday as part of the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals.
Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) also won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, while Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Prock, Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Herrera all qualified No. 1 at the 11th of 20 races during the 2024 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series season.
Prock went 3.993-seconds at 320.13 mph in his 11,000-horsepower Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Camaro SS to defeat veteran Ron Capps in the finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, continuing his domination in the bonus race. He’s now won the challenge five times this year, advanced to six finals and earned 17 bonus championship points in the process.
Prock also made the quickest run in every qualifying session this weekend in Seattle, putting down impressive laps in a variety of weather conditions. At the site of his first professional victory, Prock will aim to pick up his fourth win in what’s already been an incredible 2024 season.
“This team has been very, very consistent. It’s definitely been a fun race car to drive,” Prock said. “We were low in all four qualifying sessions this weekend, and then ended up winning the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as well, so another great start for the weekend.
“The biggest deal about the Challenge is those points that stay with you when the points reset, and they are huge. You see so many people win or lose a championship by one or five points and other people are accumulating them than them as well, but we’ve definitely been doing a good job of getting them.”
Capps qualified second with a 3.886 at 331.53 and Paul Lee is third after going 3.917 at 327.03.
In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley claimed his third Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge win of the season on Saturday in Seattle, taking down defending world champion Doug Kalitta in the final round with a run of 3.890 at 315.49 in his 11,000-horsepower Scag Power Equipment/Toyota dragster. The third specialty race victory paces the Top Fuel field, a year after he dominated the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, and puts Ashley in another strong position for Sunday eliminations. He defeated Antron Brown earlier in the day and then got past the points leader for the Saturday win.
“This is really meaningful, especially this time of the year because we’re getting closer and closer to the Countdown,” Ashley said. “The way the points are, they get added after the [Countdown points] reset, so these points and qualifying bonus points are super important. Any time we can get a win in competition, whether it’s on race day, or the Mission Foods Challenge, I think it’s really beneficial for us.
“I think we had a really good start to the year but then there was a stretch recently over the last four or five races where we’ve been struggling. We had a good bounce back in Norwalk, then we ended up qualifying No. 2 here. We’re working on some things, testing out some things, just adjusting the tune up, so I’m pretty happy with where we’re at, and a win like this is good for the team.”
Defending event winner Steve Torrence easily held on to the No. 1 spot for the second time this season and 39th in his career thanks to Friday’s 3.688 at a track-record 335.32. Torrence made a solid run to close out qualifying as well, as the four-time world champ has his sights set on his first victory of the 2024 campaign.
“I feel confident; that last run was a good, clean run down through there that we needed,” Torrence said. “We probably could have run quicker but we needed to get good information to go A to B and set up for tomorrow because we’ll have some of these conditions that are very similar. We put ourselves in a good position as No. 1.”
Ashley also qualified second with a 3.694 at 331.04, while Brittany Force took third with a 3.701 at 333.08.
Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield, who has won back-to-back national events, now has a Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory to his credit, going 6.557 at 208.10 in his Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Janac Brothers car to beat a red-lighting Mason McGaha in the final round. It was a strong turnaround on Saturday for Stanfield, who struggled on Friday but rebounded over the final two qualifying sessions in a big way. He took down Deric Kramer in the opening round and then earned the victory when McGaha went red on the starting line.
“I really enjoy the #2fast2Tasty Challenge. We won the championship (for the bonus race) last year and to just now get our first one, it’s taken us a minute but it’s a blast and it’s good to have some continued success,” Stanfield said. “We’ve had a really good race car and I’ve been driving decent, so hopefully we can continue to build on race day.”
His teammate, reigning world champion Erica Enders, stayed atop the loaded category thanks to Friday’s impressive 6.500 at 209.98 in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage/Melling Performance/Scag Power Equipment car. It hands the six-time world champion her fifth No. 1 spot this season and 39th in her career, and Enders, who opens eliminations against Val Smeland, will look for a big Sunday as she seeks her 50th national event win. Eric Latino took the second spot with Friday’s run of 6.518 at 209.82, while McGaha’s 6.520 at 209.85 gave him the third spot.
“We knew we weren’t going to improve on our run from last night, so we were definitely working on a few other things with the race car, just preparing for the Countdown [to the Championship], just trying to get things in order,” Enders said. “That’s at the forefront of our minds, but the weather conditions were obviously not as conducive for great runs today as they were last night.
“We’ve had some really great success here in the past, so I’m hopeful that that trend continues and we can finally get that 50th [win] off our back. It’s a huge milestone for me and for women but I just want to get back in the winner’s circle. That’s my main goal.”
Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera enjoyed another terrific day at Pacific Raceways, holding on to the No. 1 qualifier position and also picking up the win in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge over rival Matt Smith, going 6.745 at 200.32 on his RevZilla/Mission Foods/Vance & Hines Suzuki. Smith went red in the final round matchup of the specialty race, handing the victory to Herrera, who claimed his third victory this season in the bonus race, but also his first in two months.
He again made four strong runs in qualifying, also taking the No. 1 spot for the fourth time this season on the strength of Friday’s 6.734 at 201.22. It’s also the 18th in his career as Herrera looks to win his 12th consecutive race and seventh straight this season.
“It was a little hot today for sure, so we were battling the track a little bit, but we made a few changes to the transmission to accommodate the heat, and it paid off in the in the final against Matt Smith,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, he went red or it probably would have been a really good race.
“Tomorrow I think we’ll have to go at least another [6.]70 and it might even dip in the [6.]60s. It just depends on what the weather’s going to do. It’s an early start, so tomorrow is going to be good.”
Chase Van Sant took second after going 6.742 at 199.44 and Smith is third with a run of 6.755 at 201.43.
Eliminations for the NHRA Northwest Nationals begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday at Pacific Raceways.
KENT, Wash. — Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 35th annual NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways, the 11th of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.
Top Fuel — 1. Steve Torrence, 3.688 seconds, 335.32 mph vs. 14. Ron Smith, 4.349, 275.51; 2. Justin Ashley, 3.694, 331.04 vs. 13. Shawn Langdon, 4.146, 184.98; 3. Brittany Force, 3.701, 333.08 vs. 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.911, 317.79; 4. Doug Kalitta, 3.710, 326.40 vs. 11. Billy Torrence, 3.872, 315.19; 5. Jasmine Salinas, 3.734, 332.43 vs. 10. Tony Stewart, 3.778, 319.90; 6. Shawn Reed, 3.736, 325.61 vs. 9. Clay Millican, 3.768, 319.60; 7. Antron Brown, 3.746, 329.42 vs. 8. Josh Hart, 3.748, 329.99.
Funny Car — 1. Austin Prock, Chevy Camaro, 3.838, 328.62 vs. Bye; 2. Ron Capps, Toyota GR Supra, 3.886, 331.53 vs. 15. Gary Densham, Ford Mustang, 5.114, 153.14; 3. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 3.917, 327.03 vs. 14. Jeff Diehl, Toyota Camry, 4.282, 244.21; 4. J.R. Todd, GR Supra, 3.919, 326.48 vs. 13. Buddy Hull, Charger, 4.076, 312.57; 5. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.975, 319.52 vs. 12. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 4.072, 302.48; 6. Matt Hagan, Charger, 4.018, 318.32 vs. 11. Dave Richards, Camry, 4.072, 315.27; 7. Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 4.027, 318.99 vs. 10. Blake Alexander, Mustang, 4.069, 308.85; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 4.046, 311.27 vs. 9. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.050, 308.00.
Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.500, 209.98 vs. 16. Val Smeland, Camaro, 6.610, 209.33; 2. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.518, 209.92 vs. 15. Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.583, 209.85; 3. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.520, 210.18 vs. 14. Kenny Delco, Camaro, 6.573, 209.65; 4. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.521, 210.93 vs. 13. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.556, 210.28; 5. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.527, 209.59 vs. 12. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.548, 211.06; 6. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.532, 211.13 vs. 11. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.537, 210.14; 7. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.532, 209.69 vs. 10. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.534, 209.69; 8. Cory Reed, Camaro, 6.533, 209.82 vs. 9. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.534, 211.00.
Did Not Qualify: 17. Joey Grose, 6.657, 207.85.
Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.734, 201.22 vs. 12. Eiji Kawakami, Suzuki, 7.122, 185.59; 2. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 6.742, 199.94 vs. 11. Brandon Litten, EBR, 7.073, 184.77; 3. Matt Smith, Buell, 6.755, 201.43 vs. 10. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.872, 199.02; 4. Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.756, 199.88 vs. 9. Chris Bostick, Suzuki, 6.812, 197.19; 5. Angie Smith, Buell, 6.765, 201.43 vs. 8. John Hall, Beull, 6.807, 199.73; 6. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 6.792, 197.33 vs. 7. Jianna Evaristo, Buell, 6.802, 200.86.
TORRENCE CLAIMS NO. 1 QUALIFIER FOR NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS Justin Ashley wins #2Fast2Tasty challenge in strong day for Team Toyota
KENT, Wash. (July 20, 2024) – In his quest to defend his Northwest Nationals title, Steve Torrence claimed the No. 1 qualifying spot for tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways just outside of Seattle. The three-time Top Fuel world champion posted a blistering 3.688 elapsed time under the lights on Friday, earning his second No. 1 qualifier of the season and the 39th of his career. Torrence goes for career win number 55 tomorrow.
Justin Ashley followed Torrence by qualifying in the No. 2 seed for tomorrow’s eliminations, missing out on the top spot by just 0.006 seconds. Doug Kalitta was the other Toyota Top Fuel Dragster in the top-five seeds, claiming the No. 4 spot. Ashley also defeated Kalitta in the Top Fuel Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Saturday evening, his third challenge win of the season.
In Funny Car, Ron Capps is in excellent position to capture his first victory of the 2024 season, earning the No. 2 qualifying position for tomorrow. Capps goes into Sunday just three round wins away from 900 in his historic career. J.R Todd is close behind Capps in the No. 4 spot and Alexis DeJoria enters tomorrow in 7th.
Tomorrow’s eliminations at Pacific Raceways begin at 10:30 a.m. PST with live TV coverage beginning at 4 p.m. EST on FOX.
Toyota Post-Qualifying Recap NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series NHRA Northwest Nationals Pacific Raceways Race 11 of 20
TOYOTA TOP FUEL QUALIFYING POSITIONS
Name
Car
Qualifying Position
First Round Opponent
Steve Torrence
CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
1st
R. Smith
Justin Ashley
SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
2nd
S. Langdon
Doug Kalitta
Mac Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
4th
B. Torrence
Antron Brown
Matco Tools Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
7th
J. Hart
Billy Torrence
CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
11th
D. Kalitta
Shawn Langdon
Kalitta Air Careers Toyota Top Fuel Dragster
13th
J. Ashley
TOYOTA FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING POSITIONS
Name
Car
Qualifying Position
First Round Opponent
Austin Prock
Cornwell Tools Chevrolet Funny Car
1st*
Bye
Ron Capps
NAPA Auto Care Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
2nd
G. Densham
J.R. Todd
DHL Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
4th
B. Hull
Alexis DeJoria
Bandero Tequila Toyota GR Supra Funny Car
7th
B. Alexander
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
STEVE TORRENCE, CAPCO Contractors Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, Torrence Racing
TF Qualifying Result: 1st
Will you be able to sustain the momentum you have from qualifying?
“That’s a good start for these CAPCO boys, but what we’re really looking for is a good finish. We’ve gone a whole calendar year without a winners’ circle celebration and, man, that’s too long!”
JUSTIN ASHLEY, SCAG Power Equipment Toyota Top Fuel Dragster, SCAG Racing
TF Qualifying Result: 2nd
What’s the feeling in winning the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge?
“Well quite a bit (of pride). Let’s be honest, tomorrow is a completely different day. I actually expect the conditions to be the same as they were now, today, but I hear it’s going to be a bit cooler and there’s going to be some cloud cover, so it’ll be a totally different day. Nonetheless, we have a lot of pride. We wanted to win this race for everybody at SCAG Power Equipment, Philips, Toyota and all of the wonderful partners we have. This team works incredibly hard. They’ve been grinding. We’ve been constantly trying to find ways to improve, and honestly, you have to in this Top Fuel field as it’s so deep and so talented, top to bottom. Really appreciate Mission Foods for putting this whole deal on. We’ll definitely take the win, definitely take the championship points. Mike Green (crew chief), Tommy DeLago (co-crew chief), all of the guys. Great job.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.
Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.
SHANE van GISBERGEN No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro
Shane van Gisbergen qualified 23rd for the Pennzoil 250.
On lap one, a mid-pack wreck occurred, collecting multiple cars, but the No. 97 team was able to avoid the carnage, restarting the race in 11th. Van Gisbergen entered the top 10 on lap nine. The No. 97 team opted to pit under caution before the stage one break as Van Gisbergen reported to be battling a very loose race car. He returned to the field in 25th and ultimately ended stage one in 16th.
Van Gisbergen was scored 16th to begin stage two. The No. 97 team maintained position throughout the stage, and Van Gisbergen raced his way into the top 10 towards the end of the run. The No. 97 team opted to pit for adjustments, new tires and fuel with three laps remaining while under caution, placing him in ninth on the restart. Van Gisbergen took the green-and-white checkered flag in seventh.
The No. 97 team started the final stage in sixth place. After an early caution to start the stage, the No. 97 team opted to stay out and restarted from the fifth position, with 29 laps remaining in the race. Van Gisbergen battled hard to maintain position and raced in the top five for over 15 laps. A caution flew with 15 laps to go, and the No. 97 team opted to come to pit road for new tires and fuel. Van Gisbergen restarted the final stage 12th with 11 laps remaining. The New Zealand native quickly made his way up to fifth with nine laps remaining and took the checkered flag in fourth.
“Wow, what a race! We just continued to get better and better throughout the stages, and I got more confident through the race. We were running up front with good guys and got super good restarts, the whole race was amazing! Proud of my No. 97 Kaulig Racing Team. These guys works super hard, and it’s so special to race at a place like this and get a fourth-place finish.” – Shane van Gisbergen
DANIEL DYE No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Chevrolet Camaro
Daniel Dye qualified 22nd for the Pennzoil 250.
Taking the green flag, Dye reported the No. 10 fired off strong. On lap one, a mid-field wreck collected several competitors. Avoiding the chaos, Dye was able to gain a few positions. As the race resumed, Dye experienced a tight condition through the run. The No. 10 team opted to stay out to the end of the stage for track position, completing the stage in the 17th position.
Dye made strides in stage two by learning a better approach to passing traffic. He had maneuvered into the top 15 before a late-stage caution came out. He pitted but lost six positions due to jack issues. He returned to the field and relayed the No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Chevrolet was still a little too tight. He completed the stage in 19th.
Starting stage three, Dye was stuck deep in the pack but held steady and progressed through the field in his No. 10 Black Widow Trucks Camaro. His persistence paid off, as he was able to gain positions as the stage neared end. Ultimately, he took the checkered flag while scoring an NXS career-best finish of seventh.
“Fun day of learning, and cool to get another top-ten run. Cool to race at such a historic racetrack and do well. Thanks to everyone at Kaulig Racing and our partners, including Black Widow Trucks, for all the support and hard work!” – Daniel Dye
AJ ALLMENDINGER No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro
AJ Allmendinger qualified eighth for the Pennzoil 250.
Allmendinger was scored in seventh when the first caution came early on lap two. The No. 16 was hit in the door but suffered no additional damage. After the restart, Allmendinger reported his balance was okay but he lacked confidence in the rear of the car. When the caution waved on lap 18, Allmendinger was scored in seventh. The team stayed out to restart in second on lap 21. The No. 16 fell to third on the restart but regained second place on lap 27 and went on to finish the opening stage in second.
During the stage break, the No. 16 came to pit road for four tires, fuel, and track bar and chassis adjustments. Allmendinger restarted in 12th place on lap 35, and by lap 51, he had taken over sixth place. When the caution came on lap 56, Allmendinger reported the only place he was struggling was with the rear on the entry of turn four. The No. 16 came to pit road for further work on the same adjustments made at the end of stage one. Allmendinger restarted in sixth place for a one-lap shootout to the stage end. The No. 16 finished stage two in fourth place.
Allmendinger came to pit road during the stage break and restarted in second place on lap 65 after gaining two positions on pit road. When the caution came out on lap 68, the No. 16 stayed out and restarted in second place on the outside lane. On the first lap green, Allmendinger took the lead over the No. 98 and No. 00. Allmendinger led four laps before falling back to third place when the caution came out on lap 86. On lap 90, Allmendinger restarted in third place and quickly reported his No. 16 Chevy was now too tight. Allmendinger went on to finish in eighth place.
“Really solid day for our No. 16 team. Happy with the speed we had today. We didn’t have quite enough to win. We made a strategy call to try and win the race that didn’t work out.” – AJ Allmendinger
JOSH WILLIAMS No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet Camaro
Josh Williams qualified 19th for the Pennzoil 250.
Williams avoided a first-lap incident and picked up 10 spots — as well as some grass on the No. 11’s grille — to restart from ninth on lap eight. He lost one spot before the caution came out on lap 18, and he stayed out during the yellow to restart from fourth with 10 laps to go in stage one. The No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Camaro dealt with mid-corner tightness as the run continued, and Williams finished stage one in 15th.
Williams brought the No. 11 Chevy down pit road for tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. Having to restart at the end of the line due to an uncontrolled tire during the pit stop, Williams fired off for stage two from 34th on lap 34. He immediately began moving up through the field, running in 22nd on lap 41. The Chevy’s handling began loosening up, and Williams’ forward progress halted. A late-stage caution set up a one-lap shootout to the end of the middle stint, and during the yellow, Williams pitted for fuel, tires and another track bar adjustment. He restarted and finished stage two in 23rd.
Williams took the green flag for the final stage in 22nd on lap 66 and took 19th before another wreck brought out the caution on lap 68. Williams re-fired from 21st on lap 72, but with 16 laps remaining, he was involved in a wreck that ended his day. Williams finished 36th.
“I had a whole speech prepared until I talked with [Anthony Alfredo] in there. Things happen… I figured he would stay up against the fence until everyone got past him, but if you cut a tire here, you just have zero control.” – Josh Williams
About Kaulig Racing
Kaulig Racing™ is a full-time, multi-car NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) team, owned by award winning entrepreneur, Matt Kaulig. Established in 2016, Kaulig Racing™ has earned 23 NXS wins, made the NXS Playoffs consecutively each season since the playoff system started, and won two regular-season championships. In 2021, the team competed in select NCS events, before expanding to a two-car, full-time NCS team in 2022 and adding a third, part-time entry during the 2023 season. Since its first NCS start in 2021, the team has earned two wins. Kaulig Racing is currently fielding two full-time entries in the NCS and continues to field three full-time NXS entries, with a part-time fourth entry at select events. To learn more about the team, visit kauligracing.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, July 20, 2024) – NASCAR’s return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval was worth the wait, if Riley Herbst’s thrilling victory Saturday in the Pennzoil 250 presented by Advance Auto Parts was any indication.
Herbst prevailed in a wild final two laps to win the first NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the fabled 2.5-mile oval since 2019, edging Cole Custer and Aric Almirola to open race competition on Brickyard Weekend. The NASCAR Cup Series will race on the oval for the first time since 2020 with the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
“This is Indianapolis; this is the most famous racetrack in the world,” Herbst said. “It’s an honor just to walk in this place, let alone win.
“This is hallowed ground. Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, the Cup Series, the go-kart track out back, this is the Brickyard. This is the coolest racetrack in the world. This is pretty sweet.”
Herbst, who started second in the No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, held off Stewart-Haas Racing teammate and pole sitter Cole Custer by .167 of a second for his second career Xfinity Series victory. Almirola was third in the No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing, .224 of a second behind the winner after a sizzling three-way fight for the lead on the last two laps of the 100-lap race.
The 1-2 finish for Stewart-Haas Racing – co-owned by two-time Brickyard 400 winner Tony Stewart and Gene Haas – was bittersweet as the team is disbanding after this season.
“Proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Herbst said. “Obviously, the news of us shutting down, these guys could have given up on me, gone to other teams, but they stuck behind me and Cole.”
Herbst lost the lead to Custer on a restart on Lap 90, and it appeared Custer might cruise to victory. He built a lead of 1.384 seconds by Lap 95. But Herbst began to chip away, trimming that lead to .649 of a second on Lap 97 and .270 of a second on Lap 98.
Almirola also was gaining ground on the two leaders and took the lead on the front straightaway at the end of Lap 99 on a breathtaking move with the white flag in the air. Herbst and Custer were racing side-by-side for the lead low on the straightaway, and Almirola moved within inches of the wall to clear the dueling pair and slice down across the noses of their Fords for the top spot.
On the final lap, Herbst chased Almirola, dove under him for the lead in the short chute between Turns 3 and 4 and held on to the checkered flag. It was the last of 12 lead changes in the race.
“When he (Herbst) was within a car length or so from behind, I was just so tight,” Almirola said of his car’s handling. “I got to the bottom, but I was just so tight. They were the class of the field. They ran the 00 (Custer) down. Those two cars were certainly better than us.”
Herbst and Custer combined to lead 77 of the 100 laps, with Custer out front for a race-high 47 and Herbst 30.
Indianapolis 500 veteran Conor Daly finished 14th in the No. 26 Polkadot Toyota of Sam Hunt Racing after running in the top 10 for a portion of the race.
In two rounds of qualifying for the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG, Tyler Reddick continued the strong form he showed in leading practice Friday by winning the pole for the 160-lap NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday.
Reddick turned a top lap of 181.932 mph in the No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota of 23XI Racing, co-owned by basketball superstar Michael Jordan and Cup Series star Denny Hamlin. This is Reddick’s second Cup Series pole at IMS, as he won the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard from the pole in 2022 on the IMS road course.
This is the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has raced its Next Gen car, which debuted in 2022, on the IMS oval. The Cup Series last raced on the fabled oval in 2020.
“Round two, I knew what the target lap time was,” Reddick said. “I did not feel great about my Turn 1, but the rest of the lap this The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry was really stout.
“It’s really cool. I’ve been very fortunate to come here and have a lot of speed on the road course, and it’s great to be back on the oval here and have that speed again. Excited for tomorrow.”
Reddick’s boss, Hamlin, qualified second at 181.492 in the No. 11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing. Hamlin seeks his first Brickyard 400 start in his 16th start on the IMS oval.
2020 Cup Series champion Chase Elliott will start third in the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet fielded by Hendrick Motorsports after his best lap of 181.803. Teammate William Byron will join him in Row 2 after his qualifying lap of 180.155 in the No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet.
2021 Cup Series champion Kyle Larson helped Hendrick Motorsports put three cars in the top five qualifying spots with his best lap of 181.298 in the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet. Larson is racing on the IMS oval for the second time this season, as he earned Rookie of the Year honors in the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after qualifying fifth and finishing 18th in a Hendrick-Arrow McLaren entry.
Ty Gibbs filled Row 3 after qualifying sixth at 180.043 in the No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota of Joe Gibbs Racing.
The Brickyard 400 presented by PPG starts at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday. Visit IMS.com to buy tickets or for more information.
Ford Performance Notes and Quotes NASCAR Xfinity Series Penzoil 250 Post Race | Indianapolis Motor Speedway Saturday, July 20, 2024
UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st – Riley Herbst
2nd – Cole Custer
11th – Ryan Sieg
16th – Matt DiBenedetto
22nd – Kyle Sieg
26th – David Starr
29th – Blaine Perkins
38th – Josh Berry
Riley Herbst Puts Ford in Victory Lane at Indianapolis; Mustang Finishes 1-2
Riley Herbst won the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250 Presented by Advance Auto Parts, his first victory of the season and ninth top-10 finish in 2024.
The win marks the second straight for Ford and Stewart-Haas Racing following Cole Custer’s win at Pocono a week ago.
Custer (second) posted his third top-10 finish in four races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was an all-Ford front row with Custer on the pole and Herbst second.
Ford also swept the stages with Herbst winning Stage 1 and Ryan Sieg winning Stage 2.
Custer leads the point standings by 56 points over Justin Allgaier.
RILEY HERBST, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 1st)
WALK US THROUGH THAT LAST LAP FOR THE WIN:
“This is Indianapolis. This is the most famous racetrack in the world and it is an honor just to walk in this place, let alone win. We had speed all year and I felt like we could win but I just messed up on the restarts a little bit. It was a good fight. I thought I had Cole clear and then he slid bottom of three with the 20 and I thought it was going to be tough. I just continued to work. It has been a pretty tough week on me mentally to be honest with you. I am proud of these guys and everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. Obviously the news of us shutting down, these guys could have given up on me, gone to different teams, but they stuck behind me. That is back-to-back wins for Stewart-Haas Racing. Thank you so much Monster Energy. Thank you to everybody in Las Vegas, my family. I am going to go drink beer and turn my phone off for three weeks.”
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO WIN HERE WITH YOUR FAMILY HERE?
“This is hallowed ground. This is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Every person in the world wants to race here, and I won here. I don’t care if it is the Xfinity Series, the Cup Series or the go-kart track out back. This is the Brickyard. This is the coolest racetrack in the world. I love you guys. This is pretty sweet.”
COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 2nd)
HOW BAD DID YOU WANT THAT?
“I mean, you could see us beating doors down the front stretch. You are going to do everything it takes to win Indy. I was doing everything I could to get this thing to turn. I needed one less lap. I felt like it was kind of a disadvantage to lead all day. If you were in second you would get your car looser which would save your tires throughout a run. Whereas if you were leading you would just get so tight after 15 laps. What an awesome day for SHR. Two cars at the front all day. We qualified 1-2 and finished 1-2, an unbelievable day for SHR. I hope we keep this rolling.”
AND A BIG DAY FOR YOU AND A BIG WEEKEND:
“For sure. This is a great way to kick everything off. Riley drove a great race there and it was fun racing with him. I wish we just had one less lap and we would have been kissing the bricks.”
JOSH BERRY, No. 15 Klutch Vodka Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Retired early after accident on Lap 1)
“It looked like Sam (Mayer) got three-wide middle and got loose and we all stacked and couldn’t see and so we all kind of stacked up and wrecked. Obviously disappointing. We had a good qualifying effort being in the top 10, we were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time there. I just want to thank everyone at AM Racing and Klutch Vodka for having me the last couple of weeks. I hate that we didn’t get the results that we should have. The car was pretty solid in practice and qualified well and I was excited to see how we could do today.”
ALMIROLA, CREED EARN TOP-FIVES IN WILD FINISH IN INDIANAPOLIS Fourth-straight Xfinity Series top-five for Almirola
INDIANAPOLIS (July 20, 2024) – Aric Almirola was half a lap away from claiming a marquee victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway but settled for third place in a dramatic last-lap battle in the Xfinity Series race Saturday afternoon. The driver of the No. 20 GR Supra was in contention for the win all day long but had to overcome adversity after a spin late in the race to claim the third-place result at the end. This is the fourth consecutive top-five for Almirola in just his sixth Xfinity Series start this season for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Almirola’s teammate, Sheldon Creed, also ended up in the top-five by finishing in the fifth position when the checkered flag flew. Like his teammate, Creed was in or around the top-10 most of the afternoon, and with the help of intuitive pit strategy, battled his way to the top-five at the race’s conclusion. The result is the ninth top-five for Creed this season.
INDYCAR driver and Indiana native Conor Daly also impressed throughout the day in his first NASCAR Xfinity Series oval start. Daly was running seventh prior to a late race caution. With several pit strategies in play, Daly battled through the closing laps and ended his strong run with a career-best 14th.
With the Olympic Break, the Xfinity Series is off for four weeks before returning to action at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, August 17.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap NASCAR Xfinity Series Indianapolis Motor Speedway Race 20 of 33 – 250 Miles, 100 Laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Riley Herbst*
2nd, Cole Custer*
3rd, ARIC ALMIROLA
4th, Shane van Gisbergen*
5th, SHELDON CREED
14th, CONOR DALY
17th, JOE GRAF JR.
33rd, CHANDLER SMITH
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
Take us through your day and that finish.
“I thought that was our only chance if we were going to steal one. The Stewart-Haas (Racing) cars were the class of the field all weekend. I thought that was my chance to try, when they (Riley Herbst and Cole Custer) got side-by-side and make something happen. I thought it was going to work out. I thought I was going to get clean air and was going to be okay, but Riley’s car was so good, and he got to my left rear and got me tight. It happened earlier in that run. I’d get so tight when he’d get to my left rear. Hats off to those guys, they did a great job. Proud of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing. Tyler (Allen, crew chief) and the all the guys on this 20 team. They just did as great job. Proud of the effort and dang, that hurts.”
SHELDON CREED, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
Where did you come from there at the end?
“Just a good call by my crew chief, Sam McAuley, to get tires there. And yeah, picked the right lane that rolled well. And just having tires against some of the cars at the end meant something. I was able to get in line and go forward there at the end, which was great as we were battling all day. Just slow. The car handled well all day, just a little too slow all day.”
How sketchy was it out there today?
“Yeah, dirty air was not fun, especially when you were two or three-wide. Just tried to manage that and obviously, we’ve seen a few wrecks there. Yeah, just put ourselves in position for another top-five run, which is great. But yeah, I want to go lead laps and win races, so we have to find a little bit. Yeah, it’s great to have the consistency we’ve had the last so many weeks and get ready for the Playoffs, so that’s good.”
CONOR DALY, No. 26 Polkadot Toyota GR Supra, Sam Hunt Racing
Finishing Position: 14th
This has got to be a new position where you can repair damage.
“Dude, I was literally in between the wall and two vehicles and thought, this NASCAR thing was fun while it lasted, but the wheels were still somewhat straight. The car was really fast. I honestly had a tremendous time. I think I got moved out of the way a little bit which I expected, but for the most part, I really enjoyed the racing. Racing with Shane (van Gisbergen) was really fun. He’s awesome to race with – the other guys in this series too. It was really fun to race up front with these guys. I watch every week and I enjoy watching the series. This Toyota was fast. It has a lot of character to it now.”
Did you take a moment to take in racing here on the oval, not in an INDYCAR?
“Yeah, honestly. I think my experience here helped – but it is such a different car and there were so many moments that literally just ambushed me. I just didn’t know. I just hadn’t been moved with just air. Austin Hill got to my left rear and didn’t touch me at all, and I was almost crashing. It was just one of those things that was just difficult. This team did a great job. They gave me a great car. We maybe overtightened it at the end, but super thankful for Polkadot, Sam Hunt (team owner) for letting me be a part of his program, and Toyota for letting me be part of their group.”
When you were running with that front group, what kind of confidence did that give you?
“Honestly, when we were seventh, I thought we were stuck behind three of these guys. I thought we were much better. If we could have just cleared (Justin) Allgaier, I think we had much more momentum on that stint – let’s say it ran all the way to the checkered – I thought we were going to be in really good shape. A bit of a gamble to take two tires at the end, which was tough because I had never experienced a car with just two tires. Definitely tightened me up more than I expected, so just part of a new experience.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.
Toyota directly employs more than 49,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 34 million cars and trucks at our nine manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 10th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 28 electrified options.
Through its Driving Possibilities initiative, the Toyota USA Foundation has committed to creating innovative educational programs within, and in partnership with, historically underserved and diverse communities near the company’s U.S. operating sites.
With his racing status for next season currently unknown, Riley Herbst peddled to the meddle and prevailed in a final lap battle with teammate Cole Custer and Aric Almirola to score a monstrous NASCAR Xfinity Series victory in the Pennzoil 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, July 20.
The 25-year-old Herbst from Las Vegas, Nevada, led four times for 30 of 100-scheduled laps in an event where he shared the front row with teammate/pole-sitter Cole Custer and implemented an early strategic pit call to claim the first stage victory and gain valuable Playoff points while on old tires. After spending a majority of the event racing towards the front, Herbst, who executed a bold three-wide pass for the lead on both Aric Almirola and AJ Allmendinger amid a late-race restart with 35 laps remaining, retained the lead during another restart with 29 laps remaining and held a steady advantage over teammate Cole Custer when his momentum was stalled due to another caution for a multi-car wreck with 17 laps remaining.
Opting to remain on the track on old tires compared to a majority of the field, Herbst quickly lost the lead to Custer during the final restart with 11 laps remaining. Despite also losing the runner-up spot to Almirola, Herbst regained the spot amid light contact two laps later and spent the next seven laps methodically gaining ground on Custer with a strong race car amid the draft. Then as Herbst attempted to side-draft and snatch the lead from Custer through the frontstretch, Almirola threw himself into the picture by overtaking both in a three-wide pass at the start of the final lap. Herbst, however, quickly dispatched Custer and closed back in on Almirola through two turns before he executed his pass while side-drafting Almirola prior to Turn 4. With the lead in his grasp, Herbst, who nearly spun but regained control of his car prior to entering the frontstretch, fended off both Almirola and a hard-charging Custer to grab his first elusive Xfinity Series victory of the 2024 season and lock himself into the Playoffs.
With on-track qualifying that determined the starting lineup occurring on Saturday, Cole Custer notched his fifth Xfinity pole position of the 2024 season after he posted a pole-winning lap at 167.582 mph in 53.705 seconds. Joining him on the front row was teammate Riley Herbst, who posted the second-best qualifying lap at 166.942 mph in 53.911 seconds.
Prior to the event, Sheldon Creed dropped to the rear of the field due to an engine change to his No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota Supra. Austin Hill and Parker Kligerman also dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to their respective entries.
When the green flag waved and the race started, teammates Cole Custer and Riley Herbst dueled for the lead through the first two turns before Custer mustered his No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang ahead of the field while clearing Herbst in the process prior to hitting the backstretch. Shortly after, Aric Almirola made his way into the runner-up spot over Herbst, who was trying to block Almirola, as Anthony Alfredo and Brandon Jones trailed in the top five.
Then as the field entered Turn 3, the event’s first caution flew when Sam Mayer, who was trying to fend off AJ Allmendinger and Carson Kvapil for sixth place, slipped underneath Allmendinger as Allmendinger made a bold move to Mayer’s outside prior to the turn, which resulted with Mayer spinning through the turn before he was hit by a sliding Chandler Smith and backed his No. 1 Huck’s Market Chevrolet Camaro both against the outside wall and into the path of Josh Berry, with Jeb Burton, Conor Daly, Justin Allgaier, Leland Honeyman, Jeremy Clements, Parker Retzlaff and rookie Jesse Love all sustaining damage to their respective entries.
Following an extensive cleanup of the wreckage, the race restarted under green on the seventh lap. At the start, teammates Custer and Herbst dueled for a second time for the lead through the first two turns and they remained dead even through the backstretch. As Almirola tried to navigate his way past Custer, who led the first lap under caution, Herbst started to muscle ahead from the outside lane through Turns 3 and 4, but Custer gained the draft from the inside lane to retain the lead for the next lap as he was followed by Almirola. With Custer leading Almirola, Jones and Alfredo would overtake Herbst through the backstretch. Amid a series of on-track battles around the venue, Custer proceeded to lead at the Lap 10 mark by four-tenths of a second over Almirola.
Through the first 15 scheduled laps, Custer retained the lead by a tenth of a second over a hard-charging Almirola, who kept gaining a draft while trying to close in on Custer for more through the straightaways. Behind, third-place Justin Allgaier trailed by four seconds as he was ahead of teammate Brandon Jones and Herbst while Kvapil, Allmendinger, Alfredo, Ryan Sieg and Josh Williams were racing in the top 10. Meanwhile, Matt DiBenedetto occupied 11th place ahead of Daniel Dye, rookie Shane van Gisbergen, Austin Hill and Parker Kligerman while Kyle Sieg, Kyle Weatherman, Brennan Poole, Parker Retzlaff and Sheldon Creed were mired in the top 20.
A lap later, the event’s second caution flew due to Chandler Smith, the fastest competitor during Friday’s practice session who was trying to continue after being involved in the opening lap wreck, falling off the pace due to losing fuel pressure to his No. 81 QuickTie Toyota Supra as he was also unable to limp back to pit road. During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Custer pitted for service while the rest led by Herbst and including Allmendinger, Ryan Sieg, Josh Williams, Matt DiBenedetto, Daniel Dye, Parker Kligerman and Brennan Poole remained on the track.
The start of the next restart period on Lap 20 featured Herbst and Allmendinger dueling for the lead entering the first turn and they made contact in Turn 2 before they continued to duel in front of a stacked two-by-two through the backstretch. Then Ryan Sieg drafted Herbst into the lead as he cleared Allmendinger and muscled away prior to exiting the backstretch. With Herbst leading Sieg and Allmendinger for the following lap and through the frontstretch, Matt DiBenedetto trailed in fourth place along with Kligerman, Josh Williams and the rest of the field.
By Lap 25, Herbst stretched his advantage to more than a second over both Ryan Sieg and Allmendinger while Kligerman and DiBenedetto continued to run in the top five. Meanwhile, Brandon Jones, who restarted 18th and whose pit crew discovered a puncture that was removed from a tire when he pitted during the previous caution period, had carved his way into sixth place as he was the first competitor running on the track on fresh tires while Retzlaff, Allgaier, Custer and Almirola followed suit in the top 10.
When the first stage period concluded on Lap 30, Herbst claimed his second Xfinity stage victory of the 2024 season. Allmendinger settled in second place ahead of Ryan Sieg while Jones muscled his No. 9 Menards Chevrolet Camaro up to fourth place. Teammate Allgaier settled in fifth place ahead of Custer, who had also charged his way back towards the front, as Kligerman, Almirola, Kvapil and DiBenedetto were scored in the top 10.
Under the stage break, a majority of the field, including those who did not pit during the previous caution period, led by Herbst pitted while the rest, including those who pitted recently, led by Jones remained on the track. During the pit stops, Kligerman was penalized for an uncontrolled tire penalty while both Retzlaff and Josh Williams were both penalized.
The second stage period started on Lap 34 as teammates Jones and Allgaier occupied the front row. At the start and as the field started to fan out, Jones managed to muscle ahead of teammate Allgaier through the first turn and he would retain the lead through Turn 2 and the backstretch while Custer, Almirola and Kvapil battled for third place. With Austin Hill trying to join the battle as a flurry of on-track battles ensued, Jones retained the lead ahead of Allgaier through the frontstretch and for the following lap.
Through the Lap 40 mark, Jones continued to lead as he was out in front of a four-car breakaway from the pack that included teammate Allgaier, Custer and Almirola. In the process, Herbst was in sixth place and trying to gain a draft on Kvapil for more. A lap later, Allgaier gained a run beneath Jones and overtook him for the lead through the backstretch. Soon after, however, Custer, who followed Allgaier in the process, battled Allgaier for the lead through Turn 3 and the frontstretch before he muscled ahead along with Jones as Almirola also followed suit. This resulted with Allgaier slipping to fourth place by Lap 42.
Within the Lap 45 range, Custer was leading by half a second over Almirola, who overtook Jones for the runner-up spot a lap earlier, while Allgaier trailed the lead by a second in fourth place. Meanwhile, Herbst navigated his way back into fifth place ahead of Kvapil and Hill while Ryan Sieg and Creed followed suit in the top 10 ahead of van Gisbergen, Conor Daly, Alfredo, Joe Graf Jr. and DiBenedetto.
At the halfway mark on Lap 50, Custer extended his advantage to nearly two seconds over Almirola while Herbst, Allgaier and Jones followed suit in the top five. While Kvapil, Allmendinger, Ryan Sieg, Hill and Creed were in the top 10, van Gisbergen occupied 11th place ahead of Conor Daly, Graf, Dye and Anthony Alfredo while a total of 35 of 38 starters were scored on the lead lap.
Four laps later, the caution flew due to smoke billowing out of the No. 44 Macc Door Systems Chevrolet Camaro as Poole was dealing with a potential power steering pump failure. During the caution period, nearly the entire field led by Custer pitted while Ryan Sieg, Leland Honeyman and Garret Smithley remained on the track. Following the pit stops, Herbst exited pit road first ahead of teammate Custer, Almirola, Allmendinger, Allgaier, Hill, van Gisbergen, Jones, Creed and Conor Daly. Not long after, Smithley voluntarily opted to restart at the rear of the field, which left Sieg and Honeyman restarting on the front row, but on old tires compared to the field.
The start of the next restart period with a single lap remaining in the second stage period featured Sieg muscling his No. 39 SciAps Ford Mustang ahead as he was drafted into the lead by Herbst. With the field fanning out through the first two turns, Custer got loose as he made light contact with Honeyman as he slipped out of the top five. Amid the contact that involved Custer, the field continued to fan out and jostle for late spots through the backstretch while Sieg was trying to fend off Herbst and Almirola for two final turns.
When the field returned to the frontstretch, Sieg managed to block and fend off both Almirola and Herbst to claim his first Xfinity stage victory of the 2024 season as the second stage period concluded on Lap 60. Almirola edged Herbst to claim second place while Allmendinger, Allgaier, Custer, van Gisbergen, Hill, Honeyman and Creed were scored in the top 10.
During the stage break, select few led by Sieg and Honeyman pitted while the rest of the field led by Almirola remained on the track.
With 35 laps remaining, the final stage period commenced as Almirola and Allmendinger occupied the front row ahead of Herbst and Allgaier. At the start, Almirola and Allmendinger dueled for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch as Almirola side-drafted Allmendinger to stall his momentum. In the process, Herbst went three wide on both Almirola and Allmendinger to move his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang into the lead as he retained the top spot for two corners and led the next lap. While Herbst made the biggest gain through the backstretch, Almirola was drifting out of the top five while Custer and Allgaier were moving their way up towards the front. Shane van Gisbergen would then make his way up to fifth place as he battled Austin Hill and Almirola through the frontstretch.
A lap later, however, the caution flew when Almirola, who was mired in sixth place, got tapped by Hill in Turn 1 and did two 360 spins through the turn, though he managed to keep his No. 20 He Gets Us Toyota Supra off the wall and be dodged by oncoming traffic as he limped back to pit road with flat-spotted tires.
With the race restarting under green with 29 laps remaining, Herbst and Allmendinger dueled for the lead through the first two turns and the backstretch. Herbst then got loose entering Turn 3, which caused him to go high as he avoided Allmendinger while sliding sideways as Allmendinger assumed the lead while Herbst slipped to a side-by-side battle with teammate Custer for the runner-up spot. By the following lap, Custer moved into second place while Herbst settled in third place ahead of Allgaier, van Gisbergen and Hill as the rest of the field behind fanned out.
With 25 laps remaining, Allmendinger was leading by a tenth of a second over a hard-charging Custer, who was using the draft to gain runs on Allmendinger through the straightaways. Then in Turn 1, Custer made his move beneath Allmendinger’s No. 16 Celsius Chevrolet Camaro and assumed the lead. Custer, however, briefly lost his momentum in the backstretch, which allowed Allmendinger to fight back and duel with Custer through the backstretch until Herbst gave teammate Custer a draft that allowed Custer to drive his No. 00 Haas Ford Mustang away with the lead in his grasp just past the backstretch. Shortly after, teammate Herbst overtook Allmendinger from the outside lane to claim second place while Allmendinger was trying to fend off Allgaier for third place. Despite losing third place to Allgaier not long after, Allmendinger reassumed the spot from Allgaier with 23 laps remaining as both van Gisbergen and Hill tried to close in on Allgaier for fourth place.
Down to the final 20 laps of the event, Custer was leading by a tenth of a second over teammate Herbst, who was closing in on his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate through the straightaways amid the draft. Then entering the backstretch, Herbst gained a run underneath Custer and assumed the lead in his No. 98 Monster Energy Ford Mustang. Herbst would stabilize his advantage to three-tenths of a second over teammate Custer during the following lap as he was also trying to muscle away and break the draft off of Custer.
Three laps later, the caution flew for a vicious multi-car wreck that started when Daniel Dye made contact with Alfredo that got Dye loose towards the apron in Turns 1 and 2 while Alfredo, who scraped the outside wall, fell off the pace with a flat tire to his No. 5 Dude Mint Chill Chevrolet Camaro and made contact with the outside wall again entering the backstretch. In the process, Retzlaff rammed into the rear of Alfredo, who would proceed to hit the inside SAFER Barrier, at full pace as Josh Williams also rammed into Retzlaff’s wrecked No. 31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet Camaro before he hit the backstretch’s outside wall head on, thus leaving all three with wrecked race cars.
During the caution period, some led by Herbst and including Custer, Allmendinger, Jesse Love, Almirola and DiBenedetto remained on the track while the rest led by Allgaier pitted.
Down to the final 11 laps of the event, the race restarted under green. At the start, Custer cleared Herbst amid two turns to assume the lead. Behind, Almirola wasted no time navigating his way past Allmendinger and Herbst to move into the runner-up spot. With Custer stretching his advantage to a second over Almirola with 10 laps remaining, the rest of the field behind fanned out and jostled as both Almirola and Herbst tried to close in.
With nine laps remaining, Herbst got Almirola loose in Turn 1 and towards the outside wall, which allowed Herbst to reassume the runner-up spot as he set his sights on catching teammate Custer for the lead. Despite trailing teammate Custer by a second with eight laps remaining, Herbst started to close in while logging in faster lap times than Custer while Almirola, Allmendinger and van Gisbergen trailed in the top five.
With five laps remaining, Custer continued to lead by a second over teammate Herbst, who was not getting closer to Custer and slowly losing valuable lap time as Almirola started to close in on Herbst for the runner-up spot. A lap later, however, Herbst chopped off three-tenths of a second off of teammate Custer’s advantage in his quest to catch him, where he would then trail by six-tenths of a second to Custer with three laps remaining, while van Gisbergen occupied fourth place ahead of Creed, Allmendinger and Hill.
Then with two laps remaining, Herbst, who spent the previous two laps methodically gaining ground, gained all the ground he needed to get close to Custer’s rear bumper through the backstretch before he planned his move through Turns 3 and 4. As he made his move beneath Custer and dueled with him while also making contact with him through the frontstretch to gain the lead, however, Almirola gained a massive draft on both and he assumed the lead with a bold three-wide move from the outside lane before he started the final lap of the race.
With Almirola leading, Herbst quickly assumed the runner-up spot just past the frontstretch while Custer drifted back to third place. Herbst then kept the latter close enough in front of him amid the draft and gained the momentum to close back in through the first two turns and the backstretch. Then in Turn 3, Herbst got to Almirola’s left-rear quarter panel, which got Almirola slightly loose, as Herbst side-drafted and snatched the lead entering Turn 4 as he also saved his car from spinning sideways in the process. While Custer regained the momentum to challenge Almirola for the runner-up spot entering the frontstretch, Herbst managed to motor away and streak across the finish line in first place to claim his first Xfinity victory of the 2024 season by a tenth of a second over teammate Custer.
With the victory, Riley Herbst scored his second Xfinity Series career win in his 162nd series start and his first since winning his first series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his home track, in October 2023. In addition, the Las Vegas native became the sixth competitor overall to win on Indy’s oval-shaped circuit as he recorded the second consecutive victory of the season for both Stewart-Haas Racing and the Ford nameplate.
Herbst’s Indianapolis victory also makes him the eighth Xfinity Series regular to win in this year’s regular-season stretch as he is guaranteed a spot into the 2024 Playoffs, where he will contend to win his first NASCAR national touring series championship.
Photo by Adam Lovelace for SpeedwayMedia.com.
“This is Indianapolis,” Herbst said on USA Network. “This is the most famous racetrack in the world. It’s an honor just to walk in this place, let alone win. Man, we’ve had speed all year. I felt like we could win. I just messed up on the restarts a little bit. It was a good fight. I thought I had Cole [Custer] clear and then, [my spotter] said bottom of three [wide] with [Almirola] and I was like, ‘Oh, this is gonna be tough.’ I just continue to work, continue to work, continue to work. It’s bee a pretty tough week on me mentally, to be honest to you. Proud of these guys, proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing. These [No. 98] guys could’ve given up on me, gone to different teams, but they’ve stuck behind me and Cole. That’s back-to-back wins for Stewart-Haas Racing. This is fun. I’m gonna go drink beer and turn my phone off for three weeks.”
“This is hallowed ground, honestly,” Herbst added “This is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Every person in the world wants to race here and I won here. I don’t care if it’s the Xfinity Series, this is the Cup Series, it’s the go-kart track out back. This is the Brickyard. This is Indianapolis. This is the coolest racetrack in the world and I love you [fans]. This is pretty sweet!”
Behind Herbst, teammate Cole Custer edged Aric Almirola to claim the runner-up spot a week after he won at Pocono Raceway, with both Herbst and Custer delivering the first 1-2 finish for Stewart-Haas Racing’s in the team’s final season of competition.
“You could see us beating doors down the frontstretch,” Custer, who led a race-high 47 laps, said. “That was…You’re gonna do everything it takes to win Indy. I was doing everything I could to try and get this [car] to turn. I just needed one less lap. What an awesome day for [Stewart-Haas Racing]. Two cars at the front all day. We qualified one, two. Finished one, two. Unbelievable day for [Stewart-Haas Racing] and hopefully, keep this thing rolling.”
“[Stewart-Haas Racing drivers] were the class of the field,” Almirola, who led five laps and rallied from his late spin, said. “Those two cars were certainly better than us, but I knew if they got racing, it was gonna be an opportunity to steal it. I got to the lead and thought [I] was gonna be able to steal it. I just got too tight off of [Turn] 3 and [Herbst] got back inside of me. Those guys deserve it. Proud of them and happy for those guys. It was fun to get back in a race car and challenge for a win.”
Rookie Shane van Gisbergen motored his No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet Camaro to a stellar fourth-place result in his first NASCAR oval start at Indianapolis while Sheldon Creed ended up in fifth place.
Austin Hill, Daniel Dye, AJ Allmendinger, Justin Allgaier and Carson Kvapil completed the top 10 in the final running order.
There were 12 lead changes for six different leaders. The race featured seven cautions for 29 laps. In addition, 29 of 38 starters finished on the lead lap.
Following the 20th event of the 2024 Xfinity Series season, Cole Custer continues to lead the regular-season standings by 56 points over Justin Allgaier, 87 over Austin Hill, 100 over Chandler Smith and 143 over teammate Riley Herbst.
Results.
1. Riley Herbst, 30 laps led, Stage 1 winner
2. Cole Custer, 47 laps led
3. Aric Almirola, five laps led
4. Shane van Gisbergen
5. Sheldon Creed
6. Austin Hill
7. Daniel Dye
8. AJ Allmendinger, four laps led
9. Justin Allgaier
10. Carson Kvapil
11. Ryan Sieg, four laps led, Stage 2 winner
12. Parker Kligerman
13. Jesse Love
14. Conor Daly
15. Brandon Jones, 10 laps led
16. Matt DiBenedetto
17. Joe Graf Jr.
18. Sammy Smith
19. Jeb Burton
20. Leland Honeyman
21. Brennan Poole
22. Kyle Sieg
23. Ryan Ellis
24. Joey Gase
25. Kyle Weatherman
26. David Starr
27. Josh Bilicki
28. BJ McLeod
29. Blaine Perkins
30. Jeremy Clements, one lap down
31. Garrett Smithley, three laps down
32. Greg Van Alst – OUT, Ignition
33. Chandler Smith, 14 laps down
34. Anthony Alfredo – OUT, Accident
35. Parker Retzlaff – OUT, Accident
36. Josh Williams – OUT, Accident
37. Sam Mayer – OUT, Accident
38. Josh Berry – OUT, Accident
With the Paris Summer Olympics set to occur for the next two weekends, the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ teams and competitors will be returning to action at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan, for the Cabo Wabo 250. The event is scheduled to occur on August 17 and air at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.
CHEVROLET IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES ONTARIO HONDA DEALERS INDY TORONTO STREETS OF TORONTO TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING REPORT JULY 20, 2024
TEAM PENSKE’S SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN AND JUNCOS HOLLINGER RACING’S ROMAIN GROSJEAN LED TEAM CHEVY IN QUALIFYING ON THE STREETS OF TORONTO
Chevrolet will have five drivers representing the Bowtie brand starting in the top-10 of Sunday’s 85-lap Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto after the conclusion of qualifying Saturday on the Streets of Toronto.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (fourth) and Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Romain Grosjean (fifth) represented the Bowtie brand in Saturday’s Firestone Fast Six qualifying.
Grosjean (third) and Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (fifth) represented Chevrolet in the Firestone Fast Six after transferring from the Fast 12 and finishing in the top six.
Will Power (first) of Team Penske, and Grosjean (fifth) and Agustin Canapino (sixth) of Juncos Hollinger Racing, finished in the top six of Group 2 and transferred to represent Team Chevy in the Fast 12.
Making his first appearance in the Fast 12 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Canapino’s starting position of 10th is career-best in the series so far.
McLaughlin (second), Ed Carpenter Racing’s Christian Rasmussen (third), Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden (sixth) finished in the top six of Group 1 and transferred to represent Chevrolet in the Fast 12.
Will Power of Team Penske led second practice for Team Chevy, finishing third with his fastest lap of 1:00.8014 and only 0.2251 seconds behind the leader.
Race day Sunday sees a warm-up for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES starting at 10 a.m. ET, with the green flag dropping on the 85-lap, 151.81-mile Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto live on Peacock at 1 p.m. ET. Additional coverage is broadcast via INDYCAR Radio and SiriusXM Channel 218.
TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 QUALIFYING RESULT: Pos. Driver 4th Scott McLaughlin (0:59.9082) 5th Romain Grosjean (1:00.0012) 7th Josef Newgarden (0:59.8796) 9th Will Power (1:00.1310) 10th Agustin Canapino (1:00.2873)
TEAM CHEVY TOP-10 SECOND PRACTICE RESULT: Pos. Driver 3rd Will Power (1:00.8014) 6th Scott McLaughlin (1:00.8696) 7th Rinus VeeKay (1:00.9607) 8th Josef Newgarden (1:00.9636)
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (Quotes):
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“Just mistimed it. It was just an error in our calculations. Just a bit unfortunate. We were out way too long on reds [greens], way too heavy with fuel when the tires were at their optimum and ended up running three laps at the same pace. But you know when you’re out there on reds [greens] and people are coming out on sticker tires and you’re just catching traffic, there’s nothing you can do. So, it’s kind of just terrible for us because now we start buried in the pack and that’s never good here but we’ll make due for tomorrow.”
“Obviously, we’ve had great race pace all year long, I don’t think that’s going to change, we’re fighting some balance issues here this weekend. We’ve been on the back foot since FP1 And we were just trying to get some things changed but to be honest that’s how it goes on some street courses, so we’ll get it all tuned up and we’ll be good to go.”
Sting Ray Robb, No. 41 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet:
“Just speed, we didn’t have any speed. I don’t really know what it is that we’re struggling with — something that we just haven’t figured out yet. We’ve been trying different setups the last two days and this one didn’t work for us. So, we’ll probably unwind that a little bit and hopefully figure out something in the warm up tomorrow because right now we’re missing a lot.”
Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“It’s been a tough weekend. Obviously, qualifying was really frustrating with cars getting in the way right in the peak of the window of the tires to be able to transfer. We were less than a tenth and a half to transfer, so I think we would have been okay without those implications. It is frustrating, knowing that we could have started further up, but we will be rolling off P14. Historically, this hasn’t been one of our best tracks. It will be a tough one, but we will give it our best and see what the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet can do.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“We’ve been working to get it to a more comfortable window all weekend. The car actually felt quite good there, we just didn’t have the pace, so we will look into it. Not exactly sure where we are losing everything yet. A little bit of a confusing session to be honest.
“It is tough without Alex (Rossi). He is a huge resource for me as a new driver for the team. We miss him a lot. Wishing Alex all the best. Ultimately, our group is still moving forward, as normal. We are doing our best to put the No. 6 car as far up the grid as possible. That doesn’t change.”
“Difficult qualifying session for us. It’s not where we wanted to be, but we’re getting the car into a happy window and we’re getting there. We’re making progress, so we’ll continue to look into what we need to improve and see what we can do tomorrow. I think we’ll be stronger in the race. We’ve always been able to move forward, and I have faith in the No. 6 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and the crew. I’m looking forward to Sunday.”
Théo Pourchaire, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:
“I was obviously not expecting to be here, so I am dealing with a good amount of jet lag. It was a bit of a stressful situation to get here, but we made it and I think we did okay. The No. 7 Ryde Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was good, and I adapted quickly. We only did nine laps, and I worked to try to learn the track the first time out with the new hybrid system, as well. I think we can be confident for tomorrow because the package looks pretty strong. It is not going to be easy, but I think we can grab some positions and complete every lap. I want to get this car as close to the front as I can for Alex (Rossi).”
Gavin Ward, Team Principal at Arrow McLaren:
“It was just a huge effort from the team and from Théo (Pourchaire) to get here in time for qualifying. It was important to get those laps in, and they will help us throughout the rest of the weekend. We’ll try to get him up to speed filling in on the No. 7 Ryde Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for Alex (Rossi), who we are hoping has a speedy recovery. We’re obviously thinking about him, too. It has been a weekend of adversity, and then to have Pato’s (O’Ward) qualifying spoiled by being blocked was obviously disappointing. He will line up next to his championship rival, so we’re going to try to beat him from there. I’m not sure if we had the pace to take it to the Andretti cars today. We’ll be looking into ways to improve our street course package coming here next year but also for the rest of this weekend.”
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing:
“We thought (Théo Pourchaire) was the best driver, simple as that. He’s done an excellent job driving for us. He knows the team, obviously. We’re throwing him into the deep end here learning a new circuit in qualifying. But he’s a pro. We enjoy our time with him. Looking forward to getting him back in the car.”
He has been good on street courses this year, but what kind of challenges and what expectations are fair for him given the challenge:
“I think expectations have got to be pretty low. He’s going to be going out there and in ten minutes he has to learn a track and try and put a lap time down. I think he’ll get there in the race. He’ll learn quickly, and we’ll see. It’s unfortunate what happened to Alex (Ross) and hopefully he has a speedy recovery.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:
“I am obviously very happy with that qualifying, second Fast 12 in a row for me! Super positive and just shows the direction we are headed, both myself as a driver and also the team as well. I am very proud of the GuyCare Chevy boys and what they have been able to do for me! We knew going into the Fast 12 we were going to be at a disadvantage as we used an extra set of greens in the first round, but we are still happy with 12th on the grid. We’ll see what we can do tomorrow during the race!”
Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet:
“That was a really messy qualifying session, so many cars in the same place on track. I am upset with where we are starting because we had a solid weekend leading up to qualifying and were quick in both practices. The positive is we know we have a good car, we just have to make sure we make the most of it tomorrow.”
Romain Grosjean, No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:
“I think we can be very proud of what we’re doing. It’s changed a lot. (The hybrid) has changed the car a lot. We reacted very well from a tough Friday and tough Saturday morning, but I’m proud of what we did. I wanted more. I wanted to be in the Fast Six. I wanted to hunt for pole. I made a mistake on my first set, and the second set of tires kind of went off at the end of the lap. It is what it is. I think we can be proud of that. With four Andrettis and Meyers Shank (Racing), one Penske and us, so I think Juncos can be very proud of everything we’ve been doing and now we just work towards a good race tomorrow.”
You talk about a good race tomorrow, when you came in today you chugged a whole bottle of Gatorade, you have ice packs down your suit. Tomorrow is going to be fairly similar conditions, and physical. How draining could we expect this race to be inside the racecar?
“It’s a tough one. It’s bumpy. It’s hot. It’s a lot of different tarmacs. I guess the winter can be harder (on the streets), at least that’s what they say. It makes the roads quite tricky, but we should be good tomorrow.”
Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet:
“Thankful for the team, for Team Chevy. We were really close many, many times. Finally, we did it, so really happy. We are going to start in P9, P8. Maybe, two more and I’d go the Fast Six!”
What are the street courses like for you in year two? Are you enjoying the challenge?
“Yes, of course I am improving a lot. I remember one year and a half ago was my first open wheel race, so this year I feel much more comfortable. The team is growing a lot. I think we are having a really good year. The pace is there. Hopefully, tomorrow we can do a good race and achieve a good result.”
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“It’s just tight. You’ve got to be perfect. The team had a really good car. Definitely had a super fast car. I think they could have been higher up. So, it’s a shame to be seventh. That’s not a bad spot. I think we can win from there. It’s definitely up close to the front enough, so I’m excited to drive this Hitachi Chevy car with this team.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“The car was pretty good. I don’t think we’ve been the quickest car all weekend, but I think we didn’t overachieve, we just did a solid qualifying run. For us to be in the Fast Six, top Chevy, that’s a great achievement, but we’ve got a lot going for tomorrow. I’m sure with this Gallagher pit stop crew and strategy team, we’ll be up front tomorrow.”
Will Power, No. 12 Team Penske Chevrolet:
“It’s so tight, qualifying is so tight in INDYCAR. A few tenths or hundredths of a second can be the difference in two to three positions on the grid. Very happy with the Verizon Chevrolet. This is a tough race to win but I think we have the race pace to where, if we get a few breaks on strategy, we can be right in the game.”
THÉO POURCHAIRE, DRIVER OF THE NO. 7 ARROW MCLAREN CHEVROLET – Qualifying End of Day Press Conference:
THE MODERATOR: Also joined by Theo Pourchaire. Welcome back.
THEO POURCHAIRE: That was crazy. I want one thing right now, a bed with air conditioner and sleep (laughter).
THE MODERATOR: Obviously preparing for his sixth career start in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Nine total laps in the qualifying session. Tell us about the last 24 hours you’ve been through.
THEO POURCHAIRE: Sure, I would say the last 15 or 18 hours maybe is crazy. It was about midnight in France when Tony Kanaan called me. Of course, I saw practice one. I’m watching INDYCAR every session. I saw the crash of Alex. I didn’t know he was injured. I was like, yeah, he was getting out of the car. I was at the restaurant. I told my girlfriend, Maybe McLaren is going to call me if he’s injured. Half an hour later, Tony is calling me. This is strange.
Theo, can you come as quick as possible? We need you right now in Toronto.
It’s midnight in France, Tony. I’m not sure I can find a flight and come quick.
But yeah, I’m here. Nine laps in quali. I wish Alex a speedy recovery. I know he broke a thumb. It’s not easy to come here straight in quali, but it’s fine. I’m happy.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll take a couple more questions.
Q. Theo, can you take us through your flight over here. Were you watching video, onboard cameras? First time at this track.
THEO POURCHAIRE: It’s a very difficult track, very bumpy. Tony called me and I told him, I’m fine, I want to race, of course. I told him, If the race engineers can send me as quick as possible onboards, data, that would be good. That’s what they did.
In the plane — actually not in the plane. I just didn’t sleep in France. I went at 5 in the morning at the airport, was watching all night the onboard data. In the plane I decided to sleep a little bit. That was not easy. Still, I could sleep maybe like four hours, five hours.
Yeah, I mean, that’s crazy because I was still in Indianapolis three days ago. Decided to come back to France because it’s summer in France and I was not racing in Indy any more.
But then, yeah, it’s unfortunate what happened to Alex (Rossi). As I said, I wish him a speedy recovery. I think his broken thumb is painful, but it’s not a big, big injury. Maybe he will be back soon, so it’s good.
Q. You’re feeling when you left pit lane, what’s going through your mind at that moment?
THEO POURCHAIRE: I mean, I just tried to learn again a bit everything. I know there’s now the hybrid system, which I could try in Milwaukee, but it’s an oval. The steering wheel layout is a bit different on the No. 7 car from Alex. I had to learn a bit the new steering wheel.
It was fine. I think I adapted pretty quickly. Tomorrow the warm-up will be very important for me to do again as much laps as possible, and in the race try to learn, try to come back and gain some positions.
I don’t expect much. I just want to race and bring the car home.
Q. Looking ahead, you had a test on an oval. Would you welcome the idea if it was needed to replace Rossi at the Gateway race?
THEO POURCHAIRE: Of course, of course. I mean, I’m here for the team. They gave me the opportunity to show myself in INDYCAR. Of course, I was disappointed when I learned that they were replacing me. But it’s part of the game, part of the sport.
I know them very well. When I came back today, everybody was happy. It was good also to see all the people in the team, the mechanics, the engineers, everybody. So it’s a bit like my family in INDYCAR. I know them very well.
In case Alex is not ready, will be still here waiting. If the team calls me, of course. I’m not going to refuse racing. I love INDYCAR. It’s a great championship. I was home waiting for more than probably four, five weeks. So right now I’m just super happy to drive. It feels like a dream.
Q. Did you get any chance to use the hybrid at all in the nine laps you did?
THEO POURCHAIRE: Sure, sure, I used it. I mean, it gives more power, for sure. It can change a little bit the balance of the car. I had so much to learn from the track, especially the track is very tough. It’s quite warm. Physically it’s not going to be easy for me tomorrow. I will give my best.
The hybrid system, it’s fun. It’s fun to play with. I think in the race it’s going to be important to be smart with it, with the push to pass as well. Yeah, let’s see. Really can’t wait to be tomorrow starting the race. I just love INDYCAR, I love racing.
Q. You’ve only had the hybrid assist in testing a very limited time. Now you’re expected to go out there tomorrow and use it in a race. How big a challenge is that? There’s still a lot of veteran drivers that haven’t figured out the right way to use it yet.
THEO POURCHAIRE: Yeah, it’s going to be tough to be able to use it properly, yeah, to be consistent during the race. But I think Arrow McLaren did a great job on that side. We have a pretty strong procedure. I think the team will help me a lot on that side.
I will just have to follow what they are telling me to do. I think the most important from my side is also the driving, to drive well, do a good strategy and it will be fine.
Q. What was the most challenging part of the all-night trip?
THEO POURCHAIRE: The most challenging part is the stress first. It’s very stressful. I didn’t drive a race car since before Laguna Seca. I knew it was going to be tight to drive in quali. It’s quali. quali, you have 10 minutes and you have to do the job. You have to be really quick, learn the track. I knew there was a hybrid system in the car I had to manage.
It was very stressful. The jet lag. I just came back from Indy to France, and now France to Toronto. I don’t really know where I am actually. I mean, it’s part of the life of a racing driver. I enjoy it. I’m super happy to be here. Even if I’m tired, I’m super happy.
About Chevrolet
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