By: Spencer Neff
August 26, 2023
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES begins a three-race stretch to end the 2023 season the weekend.
On Sunday, 28 cars will compete in the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline and Axalta. It will be the 15th race on the 1.25-mile Worldwide Technology Raceway (Gateway).
This is also the fifth and final oval track race of the season. Before the 15th of 17 races on the schedule, here’s a look at the major storylines.
Headlines
Two weeks ago, Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon earned his first victory of the season by winning the Gallagher Grand Prix.
After earning his 54th career win, the six-time INDYCAR Champion now has a victory in 19 consecutive seasons and 21 overall, both series records.
Dixon now is 101 points back of teammate Alex Palou. Palou can clinch the championship with a victory in Sunday’s 260-lap race.
By doing so, he would also clinch the $1 million PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge for winning on all three track disciplines (road course, street course and oval).
It would be the 2021 INDYCAR Champion’s first oval win. His previous best finish is second at the 2021 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainrbdge.
Team Penske’s Joe Newgarden will look to make history of his own, having won the last five oval races, including all four in 2023. He’s won four times at the track, including the last three and is the only driver with multiple victories there.
While Newgarden and Palou look to add to the record books, several drivers will be among those trying to make an impression for 2024.
Linus Lundqvist will make his NTT INDYCAR SERIES oval debut on Sunday. As Simon pagenaud reovers from his July crashat mid-Ohio, the 2022 INDY NXT (Lights) Champion will again pilot the No. 60.
“We’ve been through some challenging race formats – Nashville a street course, Indy a road course, and now St. Louis, an oval,” he noted earlier this week.
“I will be learning once again.”
Conor Daly will pilot the No. 30 for Rahal Letterman Lanigan after the team parted ways with Jack Harvey.
Making their final starts of 2023 will be Owner/Driver Ed Carpenter and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Takuma Sato. In 2019, Sato beat Carpenter by .0399 of a second to win this race. It is the closest finish in WWTR Gateway’s history.
Fast Facts
Race weekend: Saturday, Aug. 26 – Sunday, Aug. 27
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axaltaand Valvoline 260 laps / 325 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: OUTFRONT Showdown 75 laps /93.75 miles
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Eight sets primary, two sets alternate to beused during the event weekend. Teams will be required to start the race on primary tires, and alternate tires will not be allowed to be used in qualifying. Teams participating in the high-line session will get one additional set of primary tires. Teams must use one set of primary and oneset of new (sticker) alternate tires for at least two laps in the race. INDY NXT by Firestone:Three sets to be used during the one-day event.
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Event website: http://www.wwtraceway.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
Matthew Brabham (No. 83 Andretti Autosport)
2022 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet), 49.2539 seconds, 182.727 mph (two laps)
2022 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Linus Lundqvist (No. 26 HMD Motorsports) 56.1590 seconds, 160.259 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying lap record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Will Power, 23.7206, 189.709 mph, Aug. 25. 2017
INDY NXT by Firestone
Juan Piedrahita, 27.8890, 161.354 mph, Aug. 26, 2017
NBC race telecast: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline, 3:30p.m. ET Sunday, Aug. 27, NBC (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Dillon Welch and Georgia Henneberry are the pit reporters.
Peacock Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC’s racetelecast of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be simulcast on the streaming service. The INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown will bestreamed on Peacock, with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR LIVE.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst DaveyHamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (3:30 p.m.ET Sunday), the INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown (3:20 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT May DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
SATURDAY, AUG. 26
8:55-9:40 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, INDYCAR LIVE
10-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1, Peacock
11:45 a.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown Qualifying, INDYCAR LIVE
1 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT P1 Award qualifying (single car/cumulative timeof two laps), Peacock
2:30 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown “Drivers Start Your Engines”
2:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone OUTFRONT Showdown (75 laps / 93.75 miles)
4-4:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES high-line session (Two groups/15 minutes)
4:45-5:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, Peacock
SUNDAY, AUG. 27
2:30 p.m. – NBC on air
2:31 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
2:36 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta & Valvoline (260 laps/325miles), NBC (Live)
Header Image By James Black/INDYCAR
IndyCar1909.com 