JULY 5, 2023

(Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

When the Grant Park 220 turned topsy-turvy at the 49-lap mark, the change didn’t slow New Zealander Shane van Gisbergen, the first driver to win a race in his first NASCAR Cup Series start since Johnny Rutherford accomplished the feat 60 years ago. Driving the No. 91 Enhance Health Chevrolet under the aegis of Trackhouse Racing’s Project 91 program, the three-time Supercars champion charged from eighth on a Lap 61 restart to the front of the field and won the series’ first street race on the Chicago Street Course in overtime. Asked whether he thought victory was possible in his NASCAR debut, van Gisbergen chuckled. “No, of course not, but you always dream of it,” he said. “Thank you so much to the Trackhouse team and (sponsor) Enhance Health, Project 91. What an experience in the crowd out here. This was so cool. This is what you dream of. Hopefully, I can come and do more.” What changed the tenor of the race dramatically was NASCAR’s decision near the midpoint of the event to shorten the race from the scheduled 100 laps to 75, putting a large group of cars that had pitted on Lap 43 inside their fuel window. After the previously dominant cars of Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson and Tyler Reddick pitted with others for tires and fuel on Lap 47 – van Gisbergen among them – Justin Haley (No. 31 Chevrolet), Austin Dillon (No. 3 RCR Chevrolet) and Chase Elliott (No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet) led the field to green on a single-file restart on Lap 49. At the time van Gisbergen was 18th, but not for long. “Wow, when we had that back strategy back to 18th, I started to worry a bit, but the racing was really good,” said van Gisbergen. “Everyone was respectful. It was tough, but a lot of fun.” The Kiwi passed Haley for the lead on Lap 71 and beat him to the finish line by 1.259 seconds after the sliding car of Bubba Wallace (No. 23 Toyota) knocked Ricky Stenhouse (No. 47 Chevrolet) into the Turn 1 tire barrier to cause the ninth caution on Lap 74 and force overtime. The decision to shorten the race was a saving grace for Elliott, who had crashed during qualifying and started from the rear of the field in a backup car. Elliott held third after the final restart. “Once they changed that race distance, we got pretty fortunate to end up being able to make it on gas,” Elliott said. “We kind of inadvertently flipped the strategy.” Watch the Extended Race Highlights from Motorsports on NBC here. (Thank you to Reid Spencer/NASCAR Wire Service) Editor-in-Chief's Note: I don't consider what went on in Chicago a "NASCAR" race. It reminded me more of the "Motor City 100" Trans-Am sprint races that took place on the old, original downtown Detroit Grand Prix circuit. Those races had the factories squaring off - mainly Chevrolet vs. Ford - with the best road racers of the day behind the wheel in a knock-down, drag-out battle for supremacy and Monday morning bragging rights. It was great racing, and so was the racing in Chicago. -PMD

(Photo of Alex Palou - winner of the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio - By Joe Skibinski for Penske Entertainment)

Alex Palou (No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing The American Legion Honda) won his third consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course to extend his championship lead to a staggering 110 points. Palou’s victory in The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2023 Accord Hybrid helped him become only the second driver since the 2016 season to score a three-peat. That other driver was Scott Dixon, the six-time series champion who opened 2020 with such a streak. And if Palou needed more confidence as the season moves to its second half, he should know that the last three times an INDYCAR SERIES driver won three races in succession – Dixon in 2013 and ’20, Simon Pagenaud in 2016 – the Astor Challenge Cup followed at year’s end. Palou is on a major roll, having won four of the past five races. Palou conceded this stretch of success is “the best moment of my career so far.” Palou won this race by 5.0242 seconds over Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing PNC Bank Honda). And the streak has a good chance to continue, because Palou finished third in last year’s Honda Indy Toronto, the next race on the schedule (July 16). “I know we can have some good couple of races coming up now, and we’ll still try and maximize (points), do the best we can and win when we can,” Palou said. “So, yeah, try and get (the car) on top.” Watch Extended race Highlights from Motorsports on NBC here. (Thank you to INDYCAR Media)

(Photo of Scott Dixon by Travis Hinkle for Penske Entertainment)

Scott Dixon (No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing PNC Bank Honda) finished 5.0242 seconds behind Palou. Dixon did everything he could to remain in contention for a championship that would tie A.J. Foyt’s all-time record. With Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) finishing eighth after a difficult three-stop charge from the 25th starting position, Dixon jumped to second in the standings. (Thank you to INDYCAR Media)

(Photo of Will Power by Travis Hinkle for Penske Entertainment)

Will Power (No. 12 Team Penske Verizon Chevrolet) finished third, his third podium of the season. (Thank you to INDYCAR Media)

(Photo of Louis Foster by Joe Skibinski for Penske Entertainment)

The pass for the lead was bold and risky amid a track getting wetter by the lap, but INDY NXT by Firestone rookie Louis Foster knew he had to make it. Foster (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Copart/USF Pro Championship) locked up his right front tire in the bid to overtake race leader Christian Rasmussen approaching Turn 4 late in the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio, and he made it stick. Foster then had to hold off a couple of challenges in the four-lap shootout that followed to win his first series race. Foster became the sixth driver in the season’s first seven races to reach victory lane. “It’s been a long time coming, for sure,” Foster said of his first series win. “I’m so thankful to get it finally.” Kyffin Simpson finished second with Rasmussen third as HMD Motorsports took the other steps on the podium. Simpson’s No. 21 program is backed by Chip Ganassi Racing, Rasmussen’s No. 6 car is connected to Dale Coyne Racing. 

(Formula1.com)

Max Verstappen (No. 1 Red Bull Racing) completed a clean sweep of pole positions and race wins at the Austrian Grand Prix with another dominant display in Sunday’s main event, leading home Charles Leclerc (No. 16 Scuderia Ferrari) and teammate Sergio Perez (No. 11 Red Bull Racing). Despite an action-packed encounter at the Red Bull Ring that saw several drivers penalized over track limits Verstappen - one of few drivers to stay out during an early Virtual Safety Car period – could not be stopped en route to his fifth win in a row and seventh of the season. Leclerc briefly led the way after taking advantage of the VSC, but he fell back behind Verstappen as the pair worked through their opposing tire plans and the Red Bull showed its raw pace – underlined by a late and successful bid for the fastest lap bonus point. Perez delivered a fine recovery from 15th on the grid to end a difficult run and take his first podium since the Miami Grand Prix four races ago, overhauling Carlos Sainz (No. 55 Scuderia Ferrari) in the closing stages and making the most of the Ferrari driver’s time penalty for track limits. Watch the Race Highlights here. (Thank you to Formula1.com)

Our dearly departed billboard at Road America. As most of you know, Peter coined the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" and gifted it to the track. -WG

The overall vision of Road America grew out of the dreams of Clif Tufte, a highway engineer, who chose 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland outside the Village of Elkhart Lake for the track. The natural topography of the glacial Kettle Moraine area was utilized for the track and for fan viewing areas, sweeping around rolling hills and plunging through ravines. Since opening in 1955, countless facility improvements have been made over the years, but the 4.048-mile, 14-turn road course itself is virtually the same today as it was when it was first laid out. Now in 2023, an entirely new track surface stands ready for racers and enthusiasts alike. - Road America

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG