Race Weekend Central

2021 IndyCar Summer Break Update: Race Win Contenders

Rinus VeeKay and Sebastien Bourdais at Mid-Ohio

(Photo by Matt Fraver/INDYCAR)

In the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series, some drivers have lived up to the pre-season moniker of being a race win contender. Some have gone above and beyond, while others seem to have a black cloud following them wherever they go. Let’s take a look at how the drivers picked as race win contenders before this …

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Random Predictions for the 2021 Indianapolis 500

Alex Palou leading Carb Day practice at Indianapolis

(Photo by Karl Zemlin/INDYCAR)

Note: The following predictions are not based on any scientific method nor are there any rhyme or reason for many of them. These are simply for fun. The 2021 Indianapolis 500 will be the largest gathering of people for a sporting event since the start of the current pandemic. With an estimated 135,000 people attending, …

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2021 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying Live Report

Scott Dixon in Saturday Morning Indianapolis 500 Pre-Qualifying Practice

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

Welcome! This will serve as a live update hub for qualifying for the 105th Indianapolis 500 on May 30th. All 35 cars drew their spot in the qualifying order Friday evening and will go out one at a time for their four lap qualifying run. The updates will come as cars complete their runs with …

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What Mattered Friday at the GMR Grand Prix

Friday Practice at the GMR Grand Prix

(Photo by Walter Kuhn/INDYCAR)

In his third NTT IndyCar Series race weekend, Romain Grosjean proved that there could indeed be redemption for the Frenchman. The No. 51 Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing Honda will start Saturday’s (May 15) race from pole position ahead of Josef Newgarden’s No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet in a Firestone Fast Six made …

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2021 IndyCar Quarter-Season Update: Race Win Contenders

Ryan Hunter-Reay leading Rinus VeeKay and Takuma Sato at Texas

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

After the first four races of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series, some of the race win contenders have proven themselves accurate in their placing in this category. Some are knocking on the door, so let’s take a look at this group from our preseason predictions. Pato O’Ward finally got his first IndyCar win at the …

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What Mattered for IndyCar at St. Petersburg

Colton and Bryan Herta talk shop

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

After finishing 22nd and 23rd last week respectively, Colton Herta and Josef Newgarden managed to get their NTT IndyCar Series championship aspirations going properly at Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg by winning and finishing second, respectively. The biggest difference for the two, however? Bonus points. Herta won the pole position and led the …

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Colton Herta Scores Fifth Career IndyCar Pole at St. Petersburg

Colton Herta Celebrating Pole Position at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Colton Herta’s first pole of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series season was after a near-perfect qualifying session ahead of Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Herta’s pole-winning lap of 1 minute, 0.321 seconds averaged 107.425 mph around the 1.8 mile street circuit in St. Petersburg for the No. 26 Gainbridge …

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Friday St. Petersburg IndyCar Notebook

Felix Rosenqvist practices at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR)

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida — Barber Motorsports Park was a tale of two races for Arrow McLaren SP, but the streets of St. Petersburg offer a chance for Felix Rosenqvist to forget last week and Pato O’Ward to figure out how to finally nail an IndyCar race win. For Rosenqvist, his race basically ended in the …

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Street Circuit Connoisseurs: The IndyCar Drivers Who Excel on City Streets

Josef Newgarden Passing Alex Palou and Colton Herta at St. Petersburg

(Photo by Chris Jones/INDYCAR Media)

After dashing around the sweeping hills of Barber Motorsports Park last weekend, the NTT IndyCar Series travels to St. Petersburg, Florida this weekend for 110 laps on the narrow street circuit in the sweltering sun. While Barber’s blind crests and swooping off-camber turns are no walk in the park for the drivers—even catching out two-time …

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IndyCar Techbench Tuesday: Streets of St. Petersburg

Sebastien Bourdais races on the streets of St. Petersburg

(Photo by James Black/INDYCAR)

A street circuit with an airport runway for a main straightaway makes for an interesting technical challenge for race engineers in the NTT IndyCar Series. The streets of St. Petersburg, Florida and the east-west runway of the Albert Whitted Airport is the venue for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the second round of …

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IndyCar Bigger Picture Outlook from Barber Motorsports Park

Pato O'Ward overtakes Alex Palou at Barber Motorsports Park

(Photo by Chris Owens/INDYCAR)

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama — Championship defenses are extremely difficult to come by in the NTT IndyCar Series, so much so that it hasn’t happened since Dario Franchitti won the 2011 title. Scott Dixon started his defense of his 2020 title with another podium finish at Barber Motorsports Park in Sunday’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama …

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2021 IndyCar Series Season Preview: Race Win Contenders

Ryan Hunter-Reay tests at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

(Photo by James Black/INDYCAR)

While the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series grid has a handful of drivers that will be genuine championship contenders, there are some in the field who should not be counted out for a race win or two, or maybe they could surprise everyone and be a championship contender. This preview will feature those drivers who should …

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