By: Spencer Neff
June 16,2023
Following a week off, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES returns to action this weekend. The eighth round of the 17 races that will comprise the 2023 championship, the Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America, is scheduled for Sunday in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsint.
Although the circuit began hosting INDYCAR in 1982, there will be a new challenge for teams and drivers. For the first time since 1995, the surface of the 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course went through a repave during the offseason
Before opening practice this afternoon, here’s a look at the latest news from around the paddock.
Headlines
After starting the year with five different winners in as many races, the last two have produced the first repeat winners of the season. On May 28, Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden won the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge after winning at Texas Motor Speedway.
12 days ago, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou earned his second win in three races, as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course winner dominated the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. Heading into the race, the driver of the No. 10 leads the points standings by 51 over teammate Marcus Ericsson.
Newgarden (2022) and Palou (2021) have won the last two races at Road America. Additionally, Newgarden has won the 2018 race as well as three pole positions (2018,2020-Race 1 and 2021).
Among the 27-car grid will be Ryan Hunter-Reay. The 2012 Series Champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner was hired by Ed Carpenter Racing following their decision to part ways with Conor Daly.
“I am looking forward to Road America! Obviously, it’s a tough situation, especially mid-season. A lot has happened in a short amount of time and it’s going to be a huge undertaking. I’ve been out of the car, at least in terms of turning right, for a year and a half.,” Hunter-Reay stated this week.
“It’s a new track surface, new team, new car and a new group of people to work with! I look forward to the challenge, but I am also a realist. I am approaching this from a pretty disciplined standpoint and curbing some expectations. There’s a lot to digest and consider, but we are plugging away, taking it hour by hour, day by day and looking forward to the race weekend ahead.”
Fast Facts
Race weekend: Friday, June 16 – Sunday, June 18
Track: Road America, a 4.014-mile, 14-turn permanent road course (clockwise) in Elkhart Lake,Wisconsin
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 55 laps / 220.77 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: 20laps / 80.28 miles or 55 minutes
Push-to-pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximumtime of 20 seconds per activation. INDY NXT by Firestone: 150 seconds of total time with amaximum time of 15 seconds per activation
Firestone tire allotment: Seven sets primary, four sets alternate for use during the raceweekend. One additional set of primary tires may be used by teams fielding a rookie driver.Teams must use one set of primary and one set of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least twolaps in the race.
Twitter: @RoadAmerica @INDYCAR, #SonsioGP, #INDYCAR
Event website: http://www.roadamerica.com
INDYCAR website: http://www.indycar.com
2022 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES-Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet)
INDY NXT by Firestone-Christian Rasmussen (No. 28 Andretti Autosport)
2022 NTT P1 Award winner: Alexander Rossi (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda)1:44.8656, 137.799 mph
Qualifying lap record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES-Dario Franchitti, 1:39.866, 145.924 mph, Aug. 19, 2000
INDY NXT by Firestone-Colton Herta, 1:52.0034, 129.018 mph, June 24, 2017
USA Network race telecast: 1 p.m. ET Sunday, June 18, USA (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for USA’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
Peacock live streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying willstream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. NBC’s Sonsio GrandPrix at Road America presented by AMR race telecast also will be simulcast on the streamingservice. The INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America will be streamed on Peacockwith practice and qualifying shown on INDYCAR LIVE.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analystDavey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Alex Wollf, Joel Sebastianelli and Georgia Henneberry are the pit reporters. The Sonsio Grand Prix atRoad America presented by AMR race (1 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prixat Road America (11:05 a.m. Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT byFirestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160,racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times Central Time):
Friday, June 16
1:50-2:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 1, INDYCAR Live
3-4:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1, Peacock
Saturday, June 17
8:50-9:35 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Practice 2, INDYCAR Live
9:55-10:55 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes of green flag or 60 totalminutes), Peacock
12:15-12:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Qualifying (10 minutes of green flag running or 17minutes), INDYCAR Live
12:55-2:25 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (Three rounds of knockout qualifying withsegments lengthened by two minutes – Segments 1 and 2 – 12 minutes; Firestone Fast Six –eight minutes), Peacock
Sunday, June 18
9:15-9:45 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Final Practice, Peacock
10:10 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America Command To Start Engines
10:15 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix at Road America (20 laps/55 minutes), Peacock
11:45 a.m. – Driver Introductions
12:23 p.m. – Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR Command To Start Engines
12:30 p.m. – Sonsio Grand Prix at Road America presented by AMR (55 laps/222.64 miles), USANetwork (live)
Header Image By Travis Hinkle/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 