Race Weekend Central

Scott Dixon Wins 4th IndyCar Championship

Scott Dixon at Sonoma celebrating his win and championship (credit: INDYCAR)

(Photo credit: INDYCAR Media)

Starting a lowly ninth on the grid, Scott Dixon and his team made the right calls to put him out in front and from there, Dixon cruised to his third win of the season. That third win would be the tie-breaker between he and Juan Pablo Montoya in claiming the championship. Once Dixon got out …

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Pace Laps: Missing Expectations, Flying Fists, and Surprise Contenders

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Sprint Cup Series: Oh, What Might Have Been… Watkins Glen is sold every year as the last regular season “wild card” race, the last place an underdog can work his way into the Chase under the right circumstances. There were high hopes entering the weekend for defending winner AJ Allmendinger, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Sage Karam’s Spin Brings Drama

2015 Indycar Sage Karam Head Shot With Helmet

Photo Credit: IndyCar

One might not have expected the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio to be a race filled with drama. In fact, after the grid had been set by qualifying, it would not have been outlandish to think that the finishing order would not be all that much different. Consider that the sum total for caution flags …

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IndyCar Breakdown: 2015 Hondy Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio

Graham Rahal Mid Ohio John Cote 2015

Photo Credit: John Cote

In a Nutshell: At a track where cautions have been scant over the past few years, the yellow flags proved to be the element that changed strategy and shook up the field. Graham Rahal, who had started in 13th, benefitted from a timely caution as he made his way to pit road, ultimately coming out with …

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Happiness Is… 483 Points, Ohio & Hungaroring

Kyle Busch celebrates his win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

The feeling after the Brickyard 400 seems to be a hangover without the fun of having drank. It’s like there’s something that should have happened but didn’t and now there’s just the empty blankness of moving on and continuing in some sort of rut. Nothing to take away from Kyle Busch’s win; that dude is …

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IndyCar Recap: 2015 ABC Supply Co. Inc. Wisconsin 250 at Milwaukee

Bourdais Milwaukee Chris Owens

Photo Credit: Chris Jones

In a Nutshell: For much of the race on the flat 1-mile track, two-time race-winner Josef Newgarden looked to be running away to victory. Though Ryan Briscoe posed a serious challenge, a terrible pit stop pushed him back in the field and Newgarden maintained the lead. Then, the yellow flags changed things. Two yellow flags …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Wrapping Up IndyCar’s Last Month

Indycar 2015 Indy Montoya On Track Credit Mark Reed

Photo Credit: Mark Reed

Toni Montgomery: Can we have a quick refresh – what races have they run since our last chat? Toronto and Texas. Did we chat after Detroit last?  Wait – it was before Indy, wasn’t it? OK, that helps – got my bearings. Huston Ladner: I thought we hit upon Indy, but perhaps not. I’d say go with …

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IndyCar Breakdown: 2015 Firestone 600 at Texas

Scott Dixon cruised away late to win the Firestone 600 IndyCar Series at Texas Motor Speedway. There was no pack racing, no incidents, but lots of drama at the Fort Worth race track regardless. Keep reading to find out why. How it happened The engineering staff at Chip Ganassi Racing insisted on a higher downforce …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Checking in at Halfway

Indycar 2015 Indy Montoya On Track Fist Pump Credit Mark Reed

Photo Credit: Mark Reed

With the conclusion of the Chevrolet Duel in Detroit this past weekend, the IndyCar series has reached its season midpoint. That’s right, the season is already half over, which is both surprising and not. Consider that Formula 1 started a couple weeks prior to IndyCar and that they’re only one-third of the way into their …

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IndyCar Preview: The 99th Indianapolis 500

Indycar 2015 St. Pete Will Power On Track Credit Shawn Gritzmacher

(Photo: Shawn Gritzmacher/INDYCAR)

The 99th Indianapolis 500 For everything that the Verizon IndyCar Series has been through over the years, it’s crown jewel, the Indianapolis 500, still stands tall as the most prestigious and well-known auto-racing event in the world.  This Sunday, for the 99th time, the Indianapolis 500 will be contested in front of a crowd estimated …

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Open-Wheel Wednesday: Roundtable Discussion of the Goings-On at Indy

2015ims13442 3 4

Photo Credit: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Matt Stallknecht: Can I just say how excited I am to be going to Indy this weekend?! Huston Ladner: I hope you’re going as a paramedic, looks like you might have work. Toni Montgomery: I’d be excited though, too. Aaron Bearden: I’m happy for you! If things don’t get worked out, the race could be tragic, though. It’s been …

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Pace Laps: Manufacturer Advantages, Standalone Races, & Different Faces

Nhra 2015 Atlanta Winners Hector Arana Jason Line Tim Wilkerson Antron Brown Courtesy Nhra Media

Photo Credit: NHRA Media

Sprint Cup Series: All-Star Snoozer – While the question of whether or not the All-Star Race has outlived its usefulness is a valid one, the bigger question resides with how it should remain should it continue. One comment that seemed appropriate regarding the race is that, to truly be an all-star race, drivers from all levels …

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