Indycar Grand Prix at Watkins Glen 2017

 The forecast called for a 100% chance of rain so we were expecting an exciting Indycar race in the wet.  It didn't rain, but the Indycars still put on an exciting race.  One young American, Alexander Rossi won for the first time on a road course, and another, Josef Newgarden, hit the pit exit wall and saw his points lead dwindle to just three.  A lot of the strategy came down to car set up for the impending rain that never came.  Those cars that set up for a more wet race were hindered on the straightaways by too much downforce.

 

POLE SITTER:   Alexander Rossi (first career pole)

TOP TEN

1. Alexander Rossi: Coming on very strong at the end of the season.  Sixth in points.
2. Scott Dixon: His second P2 in a row after a few weeks off the podium.
3. Ryan Hunter Reay: His third podium of the year, tying his best finish of the season.

4. Helio Castroneves: Has finished in the Top 10 in all but one race this season.

5. Graham Rahal: His sixth Top 3 in the last 10 races.

6. Will Power: A solid finish has him still in championship contention.

7. Charlie Kimball: His second 7th in a row gives him 5 Top 10s this season.

8. Max Chilton: His sixth Top 10 in 2017.

9. Simon Pagenaud: His lowest finish in the last nine races.

10. Carlos Munoz:  His third Top 10 in a row.

Different Teams:   Andretti Autosport (2), Ganassi (3), Penske (3), Rahal Letterman, A. J. Foyt Racing

Different Countries:   USA (4), New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Britain, France, Colombia

 4 Chevys   6 Hondas

  

FUN FACTS

 Average Speed:  118.865 mph

Time:  1  hour 42 minutes  4 seconds

Margin of Victory:  0.9514 seconds

Lead Changes:  8 among 6 drivers
Rossi (32), Castroneves (13), Pigot (8), Hunter Reay (4), Dixon (2), Newgarden (1) 

Total Passes:  150 total 141 for position

Fastest Lap:   144.572 by Sebastien Bourdais

4 Cautions for 9 Laps

Most Improved:  Max Chilton 11 positions

Penalties: 2
Charlie Kimball - pit safety infraction
Takuma Sato - Failure to obey race control

Josef Newgarden wins in Indycar at Gateway

Josef Newgarden wins at
Gateway Motorsports Park!!

For the third time in the last four races Josef stood atop the podium at the end of the Indycar weekend.  A daring pass of his teammate, Simon Pagenaud, that saw the two touch wheels, gave him the lead and he held off Scott Dixon for his fourth win of the season.

Love racing @IndyCar's under the lights, and awesome to be back racing @GatewayMSP. Thanks to all the race fans who came out! Good night.

— Josef Newgarden (@josefnewgarden) August 27, 2017

Laps completed:  248
Laps Led:  170
Average Speed:  139.465 mph
Margin of Victory:  0.6850 seconds
Pit Stops:  4

Josef had the fastest lap of the race at 182.691 mph.

Josef was 2nd in the first practice and 1st in the final practice.
He qualified 2nd.


Josef is still 1st!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
in the Indycar season standings
31 points
ahead of Scott Dixon.


Up next for Josef
the Indycar Grand Prix at the Glen.

2016 Finish:  2nd

GO JOSEF!  GO JOSEF!  GO JOSEF!

posted by Alexandra (age 10) 

Indycars Return to Gateway Motorsports Park 2017

Josef Newgarden made a fantastic pass on the inside of his teammate, Simon Pagenaud, with just over 30 laps to go then held on for the win.  He extended his championship points lead over Scott Dixon who finished second in the race.
 

 

   

Polesitter:  Will Power

TOP 10

  1. Josef Newgarden: Third win in four races has him 31 points up in the season championship.
2. Scott Dixon: Took advantage of Josef's pass of Pagenaud to move into second place.
3. Simon Pagenaud: Was furious with his teammate for the late race bump and pace for the lead.

4. Helio Castroneves: Had a 1st and 2nd in his two previous races at Gateway.

5. Conor Daly: His best finish of the season driving for A.J. Foyt

6. Alexandra Rossi: His fourth Top 6 in the last four races. 

7. Charlie Kimball: Only his fourth Top 10 of the year.

8. James Hinchcliffe: His 7th Top 10 in fifteen races this season.

9. Carlos Munoz: His highest finish since the second race of the season.

10. Sebastien Bourdais:  Great to see him get a Top 10 in his first race back since his injury at Indianapolis in May.

Different Teams:   Penske (3), Ganassi (2), A. J. Foyt(2), Andretti, Schmidt Peterson, Dale Coyne

Different Countries:   USA (4), New Zealand, France (2), Brazil, Canada, Colombia

 5 Chevys   5 Hondas

  

FUN FACTS

 Average Speed:  139.465 mph

Time:  2 hour 13 minutes  22 seconds

Margin of Victory:  0.685 seconds

Lead Changes:  11 among 6 drivers
Newgarden (170), Castroneves (52) , Pagenaud (13), Bourdais (5), Power (5), Chilton (3)

Total Passes: 173 total. 91 for position

Fastest Lap:   182.691 by Josef Newgarden

5 Cautions for 43 Laps

Most Improved:  Charlie Kimball, 11 positions

Penalties: 2
 Tony Kanaan (Closed Pit)
Graham Rahal (Pit Safety Infraction)

Josef Newgarden Pocono 2017 Update

Josef finished 2nd
at the Pocono 500
after starting 14th

 

Josef Newgarden couldn't find speed in practice or qualifying and ended up starting 14th in the ABC Supply 500.  He vaulted up 7 positions on the first lap and spent much of the day running in the Top 10.  By lap 160 he had managed to firmly put himself in the Top 5 where he followed Will Power to the front.
Power anticipated Josef's move to the inside on the final laps and so Newgarden couldn't get around and had to settle for second.

Laps completed:  200 of 200
Laps Led:  4
Average Speed:  183.727 mph
Time Back from Winner:  0.5268 seconds
Pit Stops:  7



Josef is now 1st....1st !!!!
 in the Indycar season standings,
18 points ahead of second place, Scott Dixon.

post by Alexandra (age 10)

Indycar Pocono 500 2017

Will Power came from a lap down to win the Pocono 500 after holding off teammate Josef Newgarden in the final laps.

Takuma Sato started on pole for the second time this year but quickly dropped toward the back as the Indycars ran 6 wide on the front straightaway.  Ryan Hunter Reay and Helio Castroneves quickly sliced their way through the field after starting in the back due to qualifying crashes on Saturday.

There were a mesmerizing 590 passes including 42 lead changes among 10 drivers (7 Hondas and 3 Chevys), but in the end it was two of the Chevy powered Penske drivers going for the win.

 

 

 

  

TOP 10

1.  Will Power: His second win in a row at the Tricky Triangle.
2. Josef Newgarden: Couldn't quite get his third win in a row, but extended his points lead with three races to go.

3. Alexander Rossi: His second podium in last three races moved up to 8th in season points.
4. Simon Pagenaud: Only driver to have completed all the laps so far this season.

5. Tony Kanaan: His third Top 5 this season.

6. Scott Dixon: Has finished out of the Top 5 in 6 of the last 7 races, but is still 2nd in points.

7. Helio Castroneves: He has only finished out of the Top 10 once this season.

8. Ryan Hunter Reay: Cleared to drive on race morning after spending the night in the hospital after a hard crash in qualifying, RHR impressed by charging to the front and leading the race.

9. Graham Rahal: Has finished in the Top 10 in the last 8 races, and had a exciting back and forth battle with Tony Kanaan for the lead during the race.

10. Carlos Munoz:  His first Top 10 since the Indy 500.  The second race in a row one of the A.J. Foyt cars finished in 10th.

Different Teams: 5  (Penske (4), Andretti (2), Ganassi (2), RLL, A. J. Foyt)

Different Countries: 6   Australia, USA (4), France, Brazil, (2) New Zealand, Colombia

5 Chevys  5 Hondas

  

FUN FACTS

 Average Speed:  183.737 mph

Time: 2 hour 43 minutes 17 seconds

Margin of Victory:  0.5268 seconds

Lead Changes:  42 among 10 drivers
Dixon (51), Rossi (44), Power (34), Kanaan (32), Hunter-Reay (12), Rahal (9), Andretti (9), Newgarden (4), Hinchcliffe (3), Hildebrand (2)

Total Passes: 590 total 524 for position

Fastest Lap:  218.325 by Tony Kanaan

3 Cautions for 17 Laps

Most Improved: Helio Castroneves 13 positions

Penalties:: 3
James Hinchcliffe (Pit Safety Infraction), Max Chilton (Work in a Closed Pit), Conor Daly (Full Service in a closed pit)