2015 Pocono Qualifying Day

 

GOOD THINGS ABOUT TODAY AT POCONO:

1. Alex got to see Josef (more on that in a future post)

2. We got to meet Sage's dog Max!  (He was so cute and gave lots of kisses)

3. There were drivers everywhere signing autographs and taking photos with the fans, or riding around on scooters (I think we counted Graham Rahal 10 times)

4. Alex finally got to go in the garages this year because they removed the age limit (Thanks Pocono!)

5. All the really cool vintage cars racing on the infield track

6. The weather was really nice (although we still got sunburned, so don't forget your sunscreen)


NOT SO GOOD THINGS ABOUT TODAY AT POCONO:

1. Charlie Kimball crashed in qualifying (but he wasn't hurt, which was definitely good)

2.  We didn't get to see Tricky at the track today  (I hope we see you tomorrow Tricky!)



Qualifying and practice

 

We had a really good view for qualifying and practice (we were right across from Josef's pit) and it was really cool how we could see almost the whole track even though we were on a lower level!
Alex was really happy for Josef when he got fourth, which was only behind three Penske drivers. 
Congrats to Helio for the pole, it will be another addition to the  Penske P1 display on the back of their truck!

And thanks to the Holmatro crew for making sure Kimball was okay and for cleaning up so quickly so that qualifying could continue. 
Although when you were cleaning you blew the sand into Jarod and our dad (actually, that was pretty funny)

Thanks Pocono for a great day and we can't wait until the race tomorrow!!

15 Days till Indycars at Pocono

The ABC Supply 500 at Pocono is in only 15 days!!!

 

Can

#15 Graham Rahal

win his third race of the season.

 and join his dad, Bobby (1988) as a Pocono winner?

 

 

 

To take the season points lead away from Juan Pablo Montoya Graham will need much better results than he's had in his previous two trips to the Tricky Triangle.

 

 

He finished 18th in 2013 and

19th in 2014 when he spun in Turn 2 on lap 157

to bring out the only caution of the race.

 

Good Luck, Graham.

We'd love to see a tight season points race

come down to the last race of the season.

 

 

Indycar Mid Ohio 2015

For the fourth time in 5 Indycar races an American won!
Justin Wilson finished second for his best finish with Andretti Autosport.
Tristan Vautier was the biggest mover of the race.
Poor Charlie Kimball got hit and spun...a lot. 
Sage Karam spun to bring out the final caution which changed the outcome of the race for a lot of drivers.

And did we mention,

Graham Rahal won at his home track,
where his dad won in 1985 and 1986.
 He is now just 9 points behind Juan Montoya in the Indycar Championship!!!






 

The top 10 Finishers

1. Graham Rahal   His 2nd win and 6th podium of the season have him second in points.

2. Justin Wilson  His best finish in 7 tries at Mid Ohio.
 

3. Simon Pagenaud  Tied his best finish driving for Penske.
 

4. Scott Dixon   Only his 3rd non-podium finish in 9 races at Mid Ohio.
   

5. Tony Kanaan  Has 9 Top 10 finishes in 14 races this season.

6.  Tristan Vautier  Led 10 Laps, has two top tens in 9 races this season.

7.  Ryan Hunter-Reay  Crashed in final practice but still qualified a strong 7th.

8.  Jack Hawksworth  His 5th Top 10 of the season.  Currently 17th in points.

9.  Carlos Munoz   His 2nd Top 10 in his 2 starts at Mid Ohio.

10. Marco Andretti  His 85th Top 10 in 165 career Indycar races.
 

Top Ten included...

*  3 Chevys and 7 Hondas
*  All 4 Andretti cars 
*  Only one Penske

Shout out to...

Charlie Kimball for persistence after being spun off course several times he kept coming back and trying to improve his position at the track he won at in 2013.

 

Indycar Offseason News #2

 

Indycar Offseason #2!!!

 

Lets begin.

 

*  2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kannan's image was unveiled on the Borg Warner trophy on Dec. 2nd.

 *  Paul Page, chief radio announcer for IMS Radio Network from 1977 to'87, will return to that position in 2014.  Our mom is excited about that.

 

*  Josef Newgarden and Graham Rahal had a Tricycle Showdown on the Pat McCarthy show.   (It starts at the 6 minute point in the video.)  Very funny....and you can probably guess we've watched it many times since it has Josef in it.
 

*  The 2014 Indycar tv schedule was released and the great news is that their will be more Month of May of network tv in 2014!

*  Sebring Raceway in Florida has been busy the past few weeks with teams testing for 2014.  Ganassi racing was there this week with Alex Tagliani filling in in the #10 car.  Prior to Thanksgiving Penske Racing tested there including their new driver Juan Pablo Montoya.   Andretti Autosport, Dale Coyne Racing and RLL drivers have also tested there in recent weeks.
And to keep Alexandra happy we need to mention that Josef will be testing there on Dec. 18th and 19th with Sarah Fisher Hartman racing.

 



Indycar Happenings

Wonder what's been happening in the world of Indycars?

 

Look below!

*  Juan Pablo Montoya, 1999 CART Champion and 2000 Indy 500 winner, will be returning to Indycar after years in F1 and Nascar.  He will drive a third car for Penske Racing joining Helio Castroneves and Will Power.

*  Tire Testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last week. 

*  Graham Rahal and Ryan Briscoe tested on the road course at IMS in anticipation of a possible Indycar road race there in 2014.

*  Jack Hawksworth, winner of the most recent IndyLights race at Baltimore tested for Rahal Letterman racing today.

*  Boo Hoo.  The Grand Prix of Baltimore will not be back in 2014 or 2015.   We loved this race and were so looking forward to going back!

Columbus Ohio Zoo Fundraiser

                                 

 

 The Mid-Ohio track is partnering with The Graham Rahal Foundation and offering special Honda Indy 200 race tickets with partial proceeds helping the Columbus Zoo to celebrate Jack Hanna’s (Graham Rahal's godfather) 35-year partnering with the Columbus Ohio Zoo.
 

Indycar News

THUMBS UP!

*  Ryan Hunter-Reay won the ESPY for Driver of the Year on July 17th at the 21st annual event. (He was the first Indycar driver since Jimmy Vasser, in 1997 to win the award)
CONGRATULATIONS RYAN!!!

The Graham Rahal Foundation

 

 

Some Indycar drivers are involved in different charities, but  Graham Rahal started his own, The Graham Rahal Foundation
 

 

*Graham Rahal started the Graham Rahal Foundation in 2009 after the death of his team owner and friend, Paul Newman.  He was inspired by Mr. Newman's charities. 

*Graham's foundation benefits Alex's Lemonade Stand for Childhood Cancer and the Serious Fun Children’s Network.

 

*He involves his racing in his charity, like in summer 2012 he hosted a helmet design contest and he wore the winning design in the season finale. 

*He has hosted a driver's golf tournament prior to the Indy 500 the past two years.

*He will be hosting an Alex's Lemonade Stand ambassador at the Pocono Indycar 400 in July.

*Beyond his charity he also auctioned of his helmet, gloves, and shoes to benefit the Dan Wheldon Memorial Foundation in 2011.  His generous gesture began a wave of athletes donating items to be auctioned and eventually over $600,000 was raised.

*As of May 2013 Graham and his girlfriend still run the charity 'from their kitchen table', but have raised about one million dollars!