Each year, top-tier Indycar drivers return to their roots for the Dan Wheldon Pro-Am Karting Challenge at the 1 mile New Castle Motorsports Park. The event raises money for the Alzheimer's Association, a cause that Dan dearly supported. This year, the event also raised money for the Wilson Family Foundation.
Each kart team has 3 amateur drivers and one pro driver. The amateur drivers take the first three 15-minute stints, and then the pro drivers battle it out to the finish line. This year, the likes of Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Ed Carpenter, Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe, back for his first race since his accident at Indianapolis, took to bumping, bruising and some trash talking in 6 hp karts.
A really cool part was when Dan's Wheldon's son, 6-year old Sebastien paced the field to the green and his youngest son, Oliver waved the green and checkered flags. Cutest moment was when Oliver gave his big brother the thumbs up as he drove past. After the race the Wheldon boys helped Poppy and Tilly Dixon hand out the trophies to the winners.
Our favorite shot from the Robopong weekend at New Castle Motorsports Park.
The first three stints of the race were dominated by the 27 car. Josef Newgardens team stayed in the top four the whole first three stints and Scott Dixon was lagging behind mid pack. (Pay attention, he's sort of important.) The teams could buy back a lap that they lost for $100. All the teams that were a lap down did, so that it came down to a full out sprint involving all the pros. Marco Andretti, in the dominant 27 car, took the early lead but was sidelined late in the race when he was tapped off course and did his first front-flip in a go-kart. Josef Newgarden stopped to check to see that Marco was unhurt, and then Marco got out from under the car, flipped it back over and managed to finish the race. Matthew Brabham and Sage Karam fought for the lead and didn't notice Scott Dixon until he and Will Power got by them on the final lap.
Matthew Brabham came home third.
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