(Mark Brown/Getty Images)
Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Team Penske DEX Imaging Chevrolet) delivered on the promise he showed to Team Penske when it signed him straight from touring cars to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, earning his first career victory Sunday in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. McLaughlin - the NTT P1 Award winner - won by .5095 of a second over reigning series champion Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing NTT DATA Honda), who applied heavy pressure to McLaughlin over the closing laps as they raced among and through slower traffic. New Zealand native McLaughlin made his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut at this event in 2020 after winning three straight Australian V8 Supercars championships and then raced in his first full season of open-wheel competition in 2021. He finished 14th in the standings, with a best finish of second, and earned series Rookie of the Year honors despite the strain of not seeing his family since 2020 due to pandemic-related global travel restrictions. McLaughlin sat in front of his winning car in Victory Lane, celebrating with his family via video conference on his phone. “Thank you to Roger Penske, everyone,” McLaughlin said. “Yeah, DEX Imaging jumping on board, trusting me, and then Roger Penske and Tim Cindric giving me the opportunity to come here. I miss my mom and dad dearly and my family. Wish you guys were here. What a day.” Will Power finished third in the No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet, 2.461 seconds behind his winning teammate. Colton Herta (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Gainbridge Honda) finished fourth, while Romain Grosjean (No. 28 Andretti Autosport DHL Honda) rounded out the top five in his first start for Andretti Autosport. Watch the race highlights here. (Thank you to Curt Cavin/ INDYCAR Media)
Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Team Penske DEX Imaging Chevrolet) delivered on the promise he showed to Team Penske when it signed him straight from touring cars to race in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, earning his first career victory Sunday in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding. McLaughlin - the NTT P1 Award winner - won by .5095 of a second over reigning series champion Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing NTT DATA Honda), who applied heavy pressure to McLaughlin over the closing laps as they raced among and through slower traffic. New Zealand native McLaughlin made his NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut at this event in 2020 after winning three straight Australian V8 Supercars championships and then raced in his first full season of open-wheel competition in 2021. He finished 14th in the standings, with a best finish of second, and earned series Rookie of the Year honors despite the strain of not seeing his family since 2020 due to pandemic-related global travel restrictions. McLaughlin sat in front of his winning car in Victory Lane, celebrating with his family via video conference on his phone. “Thank you to Roger Penske, everyone,” McLaughlin said. “Yeah, DEX Imaging jumping on board, trusting me, and then Roger Penske and Tim Cindric giving me the opportunity to come here. I miss my mom and dad dearly and my family. Wish you guys were here. What a day.” Will Power finished third in the No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet, 2.461 seconds behind his winning teammate. Colton Herta (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Gainbridge Honda) finished fourth, while Romain Grosjean (No. 28 Andretti Autosport DHL Honda) rounded out the top five in his first start for Andretti Autosport. Watch the race highlights here. (Thank you to Curt Cavin/ INDYCAR Media)
(INDYCAR)
Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing NTT DATA Honda) applied heavy pressure to McLaughlin over the closing laps to finish second.
Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing NTT DATA Honda) applied heavy pressure to McLaughlin over the closing laps to finish second.
(Photo by Joe Skibinski/INDYCAR)
For the second consecutive year, Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) got his season started with a podium finish. Last year, he finished second to Palou in the opener at Barber Motorsports Park. Sunday, he finished third after starting the race on the front row with McLaughlin. Power said he is relaxed as he pursues his first series championship since 2014, and his sassiness in Sunday’s post-race news conference suggested that. “I just find myself more relaxed the older I’ve got,” he said. “I never really swear on the radio or get mad in the car. I am very sarcastic in these press conferences for fun because my brother is a comedian and we’ve spent our whole life doing this, like just saying things sarcastically just in the family. I hope no one takes it too badly.” (Thank you to Curt Cavin from INDYCAR for all of the info.)
For the second consecutive year, Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) got his season started with a podium finish. Last year, he finished second to Palou in the opener at Barber Motorsports Park. Sunday, he finished third after starting the race on the front row with McLaughlin. Power said he is relaxed as he pursues his first series championship since 2014, and his sassiness in Sunday’s post-race news conference suggested that. “I just find myself more relaxed the older I’ve got,” he said. “I never really swear on the radio or get mad in the car. I am very sarcastic in these press conferences for fun because my brother is a comedian and we’ve spent our whole life doing this, like just saying things sarcastically just in the family. I hope no one takes it too badly.” (Thank you to Curt Cavin from INDYCAR for all of the info.)
(Trans Am)
Chris Dyson returned to Sebring International Raceway hoping to capture back-to-back victories in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli season opener. Dyson did so in style, running an immaculate race in his No. 20 Gym Weed/Altwell Ford Mustang, leading from flag to flag in a dominant victory. Dyson had captured the Motul Pole Award in Friday night’s qualifying session with a record-breaking lap time of 1:57.838. “It was fantastic coming out here two years in a row and taking the opening race win,” said winner Chris Dyson. “In the beginning, I just tried to hit my marks, and we just started to gap the field. I couldn’t be happier for everyone on the team; I’ve got to thank everyone at CD Racing. I’m so grateful to have Altwell and Gym Weed on the car this weekend. Putting them in Victory Lane is a great way to start the year.” Early in the event, Wally Dallenbach (No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang) and Boris Said battled in second and third, but a mid-race issue took Said’s No. 2 Weaver Racing Technique Dodge Challenger out of contention. “What a blast, today brought back so many memories,” said second-place finisher Dallenbach. “I had so much fun racing with these guys at the start of the race. These cars are my favorite racecars to drive out of everything I've ever driven. I’ve been excited since I first talked about coming back to do some Trans Am racing. The guys did a great job with the car. It was a blast, I’m just so glad to be back racing in this series.” Ken Thwaits (No. 7 Franklin Road Apparel Camaro) finished third. (Thank you to Trans Am Media)
Chris Dyson returned to Sebring International Raceway hoping to capture back-to-back victories in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli season opener. Dyson did so in style, running an immaculate race in his No. 20 Gym Weed/Altwell Ford Mustang, leading from flag to flag in a dominant victory. Dyson had captured the Motul Pole Award in Friday night’s qualifying session with a record-breaking lap time of 1:57.838. “It was fantastic coming out here two years in a row and taking the opening race win,” said winner Chris Dyson. “In the beginning, I just tried to hit my marks, and we just started to gap the field. I couldn’t be happier for everyone on the team; I’ve got to thank everyone at CD Racing. I’m so grateful to have Altwell and Gym Weed on the car this weekend. Putting them in Victory Lane is a great way to start the year.” Early in the event, Wally Dallenbach (No. 4 Ultimate Headers Ford Mustang) and Boris Said battled in second and third, but a mid-race issue took Said’s No. 2 Weaver Racing Technique Dodge Challenger out of contention. “What a blast, today brought back so many memories,” said second-place finisher Dallenbach. “I had so much fun racing with these guys at the start of the race. These cars are my favorite racecars to drive out of everything I've ever driven. I’ve been excited since I first talked about coming back to do some Trans Am racing. The guys did a great job with the car. It was a blast, I’m just so glad to be back racing in this series.” Ken Thwaits (No. 7 Franklin Road Apparel Camaro) finished third. (Thank you to Trans Am Media)
(Alfa Romeo F1 Team Orlen images)
This is the 2022 Alfa Romeo F1 car.
This is the 2022 Alfa Romeo F1 car.
(James Gilbert/Getty Images)Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) held off a charging Austin Dillon (No. 3 RCR Chevrolet) by .195 seconds at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., to notch his first victory of the season, his second at the 2-mile track and the 17th of his career. In a race that featured 12 cautions for 59 laps, Larson, who started from the rear of the field because of unapproved adjustments to his Camaro, took the lead from Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford) on Lap 167 of 200 and held it for 27 of the final 34 circuits on the way to the victory. Watch highlights here. (Thank you to Reid Spencer/NASCAR Wire Service.)
(Indianapolis Motor Speedway)
From the Indianapolis Motor Speedway press release:
Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California. He was 79.
From the Indianapolis Motor Speedway press release:
Danny Ongais, the Hawaiian driver admired by fans and competitors for his speed and bravery in an Indianapolis 500 career spanning three decades, died Feb. 26 of congestive heart complications in Anaheim Hills, California. He was 79.
The versatile Ongais made 11 Indianapolis 500 starts between 1977 and 1996, with four top-10 finishes. His best years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway came with Interscope Racing and its eye-catching No. 25 Parnelli and Penske chassis powered by Cosworth engines, with a best finish of fourth in 1979 and a top start of second next to pole sitter Tom Sneva in 1978.
Ongais is the only native of Hawaii to start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Fans included his heritage in his nickname “The Flyin’ Hawaiian,” and nicknames “On-Gas” and “On the Gas” were word plays on his last name.
Born May 21, 1942 in Kahului, Hawaii, Ongais began one of the most versatile careers of any driver in his era as a teenager, earning a Hawaii state title in motorcycle racing in 1960. Ongais also began drag racing in the early 60s and became one of the top straight-line competitors in America into the early 1970s. He finished runner-up to Mike Snively in the Top Fuel class at the 1966 NHRA U.S. Nationals after beating the legendary Don “The Snake” Prudhomme in the semifinals at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Ongais then won the Funny Car class in the 1969 NHRA U.S. Nationals at IRP, drag racing’s most prestigious event, in a distinctive blue Ford Mach 1 Mustang fielded by Mickey Thompson. That victory came one year after Thompson tried to enter Ongais into the 1968 Indianapolis 500, but Ongais was denied because he had almost no experience in open-wheel race cars. Thompson and Ongais also teamed up to set nearly 300 national and international speed records on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a Mach 1 Mustang during the 1960s.
Ongais’ success in straight-line competition led him to be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2000 in the Drag Racing category.
Service in the U.S. Army in the early 1960s exposed Ongais to sports car racing in Europe, and he moved from dragstrips to ovals and road courses in the mid-1970s. Ongais dominated in SCCA competition in 1974, catching the eye of young media mogul Ted Field, who had recently founded the Interscope Records label. Ongais and Field teamed up with success in Formula 5000 and the INDYCAR SERIES in the late 1970s. He also competed in four Formula One races in 1977 and 1978, including two starts with Interscope, with a best finish of seventh in 1977 at the Canadian Grand Prix. The best season for Ongais and the Interscope team came in 1978, when he won five races and eight poles en route to an eighth-place finish in the USAC standings. That 1978 season also included Ongais starting in the middle of the first all-200-mph front row at Indianapolis, between pole sitter Sneva and rookie Rick Mears. Ongais and Field’s success with the Interscope team also extended to sports car racing, with Field also driving. They teamed up with the legendary Hurley Haywood to win the Rolex 24 At Daytona in 1979 in the Interscope Porsche 935 prototype.
While Ongais was known for his blazing speed at Indianapolis and elsewhere, he also attracted attention for surviving some of the most violent crashes of his era. Ongais suffered serious injuries in a head-on crash in the 1981 Indianapolis 500, missing the rest of the season to recover. In 1985, he also survived a spectacular barrel roll at Michigan International Speedway after hitting the back of the slower car of Phil Krueger on the backstretch. Ongais crashed in practice and suffered a concussion in 1987 at Indianapolis while driving for Team Penske, forcing him to miss the race. Al Unser was named as Ongais’ replacement and drove to his fourth “500” victory in a backup car that was a show car earlier in May in a hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania.
The tragic circumstances of an accident also led to Ongais’ final start at Indianapolis, in 1996. Pole sitter Scott Brayton suffered fatal injuries in a post-qualifying practice crash, and team owner John Menard hired Ongais as the replacement driver. Ongais, racing at age 54 in his first “500” since 1986, finished a creditable seventh after starting from the rear of the field.
Ongais’ final attempt at Indianapolis came in 1998, when he failed to qualify in a Team Pelfrey car. Ongais’ Indy 500 career ended with him leading in four races for 79 total laps. He also recorded the fastest lap of the race, 192.678 mph, as a rookie in 1977.