OCTOBER 7, 2020

(Photo by Matt Fraver/INDYCAR)
Will Power (No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet Turbo V6/Dallara) led all 75 laps of Race 2 of the INDYCAR Harvest GP on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course to claim his second victory of the season and 39th of his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career. “Just so happy to have Verizon, Chevy in Victory Lane again,” said Power, who won by .8932 of a second over Colton Herta (No. 88 Capstone Turbine #ShiftToGreen Honda Turbo V6/Dallara) in the caution-free race. Alexander Rossi (No. 27 Andretti Autosport AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda Turbo V6/Dallara) finished third. “We had two Hondas trying to attack us (toward the end of the race), but the Chevy had very good power and drivability, so I’m over the moon to get another win.” It is the ninth time in his career that Power has won from the pole, including four times on the IMS road course (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020). The win tied Al Unser for fifth on the all-time Indy car victory list. Earlier in the day, Power claimed his fourth NTT P1 Award of the season and 61st pole of his career. Power is now six behind leader Mario Andretti on the all-time Indy car list.

(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)
Josef Newgarden (No. 1 Team Penske Hitachi Chevrolet Turbo V6/Dallara) started on the outside of the front row in Race 1 of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Harvet GP doubleheader and led 34 of the 85 laps on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and won the caution-free sprint by 14.2940 seconds. But that was just part of the story, because it was a terrific road race start-to-finish, and the level of driving talent on display was indeed impressive. The competition in INDYCAR is probably the best we've ever seen right at this very moment. “Awesome day. We had a rocket ship. Team Chevy did an amazing job, and you can’t ask for more as a driver,” said Newgarden, who registered his third win of the season and first on the road course, is chasing Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing PNC Bank Honda Turbo V6/Dallara) for the series championship. “It’s still a bit of a hill but we made a little smaller today, which is really good news. We needed three perfect races to finish. This is one of them down. Two to go.” Alexander Rossi (No. 27 Andretti Autosport AutoNation/NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda Turbo V6/Dallara) was second, and rookie Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Sonax Chevrolet Turbo V6/Dallara) who started from the pole, finished a season-high third. The 20-year-old from The Netherlands led 15 laps. 

(Road America)

The Sports Car Club America® (SCCA®) National Championship Runoffs® will take place at Road America, October 9-11. Road racing champions will be crowned next week at "America's National Park of Speed" as drivers from around the country participate in the 57th running of the pinnacle amateur road-racing event in the U.S. The event determines the best drivers of the season within each of the 26 classes of competition and this year nearly 600 entries are expected, making the Runoffs the largest annual amateur road-racing event in the world. The Runoffs is a winner-take-all championship for SCCA's Club racers and is open to any of the club's competition drivers who qualified for the event. Although contingency prize money is up for grabs, in reality, to win the SCCA National Championship Runoffs is a chance for bragging rights in the highly competitive world of sports car racing. For many drivers, winning the Runoffs is the peak of their racing career, but for some, it is a steppingstone to a profession behind the wheel. Some notable past Runoffs winners include Skip Barber, Paul Newman, Bobby Rahal, Graham Rahal, Roger Penske and Jimmy Vasser. Road America's fan-friendly paddock will be loaded with racers fielding a huge variety of cars including  Corvettes and Mustangs; open-wheel formula cars; historic Triumphs and Austin Healeys; even Toyotas, Mazdas and BMWs. A lap around Road America's 4.048-mile circuit includes 14 turns, three high-speed straights and 170' of elevation changes offering the ultimate challenge for any sports car racer. Tickets are available at www.roadamerica.com and fans are encouraged to purchase tickets early and print them at home to enjoy contactless entry at the gate. Gates open at 7 a.m. daily and races run rain or shine. Kids 16 and under are free with a paying adult. Parking, paddock access and grandstand seating are also free with ticket purchase. 

(Road America)

The NASCAR Cup Series will run at Road America - "America's National Park of Speed" - on the Fourth of July in 2021. "Since we welcomed the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2010, our fans have been asking for the NASCAR Cup Series, and we are very proud to make it happen on the Fourth of July," said Road America's President and General Manager, Mike Kertscher. "The weekend is going to be memorable and exciting for everyone as we celebrate Independence Day at America's National Park of Speed. We encourage new and returning fans to get their tickets and campsites early because we intend to host four full days of on-track action. Our entire staff is excited to welcome the teams, drivers, and new visitors to show them that Road America is the ideal facility to come for the experience and stay for the race." Most NASCAR fans are not old enough to remember the first time NASCAR racing came to Wisconsin. The date was Sunday, August 12, 1956, and at the urging of Carl Kiekhaefer of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, the Grand National Division (now NASCAR Cup) ran the 37th event of 56 that counted towards the championship battle. Many of the 26 drivers who took the green flag that day read like a who's who of the early days in NASCAR racing - Lee Petty, Junior Johnson, Buck Baker, and Fireball Roberts were a few notables, but Tim Flock took the checkered flag - in the rain - driving a Mercury, at a speed of a top speed of 71.4 mph. The layout of the historic 4.048-mile road course has remain unchanged since it opened in 1955, and the NASCAR Cup Series drivers will face a formidable challenge on the high-speed, 14-turn natural terrain circuit. Tickets are now available, and additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Anyone 16 years old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate. Start times and broadcast details are still being determined and will be announced at a later date.

(Honda)

Honda Performance Development (HPD) is developing a 2.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 hybrid power unit capable of producing more than 900HP that will be ready for the start of the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. The hybrid formula is part of a multi-year extension INDYCAR has reached with Honda and Chevrolet, which promises a continuation of manufacturer competition in North America's pinnacle open-wheel racing series well into the next decade. The commitment also provides opportunities for additional manufacturers to join the series, which Honda strongly supports. "Honda welcomes this step to the future by INDYCAR, action that mirrors Honda's efforts to develop and manufacture high performance, electrified products that will meet industry challenges and delight our customers," said Ted Klaus, president of Honda Performance Development. "At Honda, we race to develop our people, to innovate technologies and to engage fans. We are proud of our uninterrupted, 27-year leadership in INDYCAR, and look forward to delivering a next-generation Honda 2.4-liter hybrid power unit with more than 900 horsepower." The INDYCAR announcement aligns Honda's North American racing programs with the company's product development activities. Globally, Honda expects two-thirds of its new vehicles sales to be electrified by 2030. A racer himself, company founder Soichiro Honda believed in competition – at the highest levels – as a means of improving Honda's people and products. In North America, American Honda and Honda Performance Development have been leaders in Indy car racing since the formation of HPD in 1993. Honda and HPD entered Indy car competition in 1994, winning its first manufacturers' and drivers' championships in 1996. No other manufacturer has matched Honda's success in Indy car, which includes 252 victories from 457 races, 16 drivers' titles, eight manufacturers' championships and 13 Indianapolis 500 victories. 

(Photo by Walt Kuhn/INDYCAR)
Chevrolet has also agreed to a new, multi-year extension of their existing engine partnership with INDYCAR that will extend well into the end of the decade, providing stability and innovation for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. “To be able to announce a long-term, multi-year extension with our great partners at Chevrolet is phenomenal,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “It’s an exciting time in INDYCAR with the innovations in the car, the new 2.4-liter engine, and hybrid technology.” Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of the 2.4-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 with hybrid technology will be delayed to the year 2023. Working in partnership with Chevrolet and Honda, the new engine will give the most exciting and competitive racing series in the world an additional 100 horsepower, ultimately producing over 900. "Chevrolet has enjoyed great success since joining the NTT INDYCAR Series in 2012 with our 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 engine,” said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors. “We are thrilled to be moving forward with INDYCAR because it’s the perfect showcase for our engine technology, in the only open-wheel racing series in America, a high-tech, growing series that Roger Penske and his team are absolutely taking to the next level.” The newly designed powertrain system also will provide a departure from the traditional, manual handheld starters and will let drivers restart the car quickly should it stall on the track. This will benefit the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team as it reduces exposure time on track and adds to the fan experience by potentially reducing the number of caution flags on track.