INDYCAR News for the Week of April 8 – April 14, 2019

The Open Wheel’s Sunday Long Beach photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery of Sunday NTT IndyCar Series action at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/14/2019)

Rossi wins for second straight year at Long Beach – Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi won from pole in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach for the second consecutive year. The full Top 5 order was Rossi, Newgarden, Dixon, Rahal, and Hunter-Reay. Rahal was penalized for blocking Dixon on the final lap and lost his spot on the podium. Full race results here. – INDYCAR – (4/14/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Long Beach livery guide – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery of all the NTT IndyCar Series liveries at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/14/2019)

Herta fastest in warmup at Long Beach – Harding Steinbrenner Racing’s Colton Herta posted the fastest time of the morning warmup for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a lap of 1:07.1053. The full Top 5 order was Herta, Andretti, Hunter-Reay, Rahal, and Sato. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/14/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Saturday Long Beach photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery of Saturday NTT IndyCar Series action at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/13/2019)

Rossi takes pole at Long Beach – Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi won the pole for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a lap of 1:06.4811. The full Firestone Fast 6 order was Rossi, Dixon, Power, Newgarden, Pagenaud, and Rahal. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (4/13/2019)

Rossi paces Practice 3 at Long Beach – Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi was fastest in Practice 3 for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a lap of 1:07.0588. The full Top 5 was Rossi, Rahal, Dixon, Hunter-Reay, and Pagenaud. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/13/2019)

Dixon quickest in Practice 2 at Long Beach – Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon posted the quickest lap of Practice 2 for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a lap of 1:07.7940. The full Top 5 was Dixon, Hunter-Reay, Rosenqvist, Newgarden, and O’Ward. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/12/2019)

Andretti to field car for Jarett Andretti at Freedom 100 – “Third-generation racer Jarett Andretti will see a dream come true May 24 when he climbs into an Andretti Autosport Indy Lights machine for the Freedom 100 – his first career Indy Lights race. Jarett is the son of John Andretti, grandson of Aldo Andretti and great nephew of Mario Andretti.” Full release at the link. – Indy Lights – (4/12/2019)

Hunter-Reay tops Practice 1 at Long Beach – Andretti Autosport’s Ryan Hunter-Reay topped Practice 1 for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach with a lap of 1:07.9335. The full Top 5 was Hunter-Reay, Dixon, Herta, Rahal, and Rossi. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (4/12/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Long Beach preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of this weekend’s NTT IndyCar Series Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/11/2019)

IMS announces exclusive beverage deal with PepsiCo – “Officials from PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ: PEP) and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced a multiyear partnership Thursday, April 11 in which Pepsi and MTN DEW become the Official Soda Beverages of IMS and Aquafina the Official Water of IMS starting with the 2019 season. PepsiCo products will be served exclusively at concession stands and in suites throughout the historic facility starting with the INDYCAR Grand Prix and 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May.” Full release at the link. – IMS – (4/11/2019)

Road America offers free entry for first responders – “REV Group and Road America have teamed up to pay tribute to first responders with free entry to the inaugural NTT IndyCar Series REV Group Grand Prix, June 20-23. Taking place at Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI, all active-duty first responders will be treated to a packed weekend of activities, including the NTT IndyCar Series feature race. A unique race experience is also planned to further honor the men and women who answer the call to protect and serve our communities.” Full release at the link. – REV Group Grand Prix – (4/11/2019)

HSR unveils King Taco livery for Long Beach – Harding Steinbrenner Racing has unveiled their new King Taco livery for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. See the livery on our No. 88 livery page here. – Harding Steinbrenner Racing – (4/10/2019)

MSR entry to feature Acura branding at Long Beach – Meyer Shank Racing’s No. 60 entry for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach will feature Acura branding in lieu of Honda. See the livery on our No. 60 livery page here. Full release at the link. – Meyer Shank Racing – (4/10/2019)

Long Beach entry list – The official INDYCAR entry list for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/10/2019)

Long Beach spotter guide – The official INDYCAR spotter guide for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/10/2019)

Alonso tests at Texas – McLaren and Fernando Alonso tested at Texas Motor Speedway on Tuesday. “It was definitely quite special,” Alonso told IndyCar.com “The oval is very different to (Indianapolis Motor Speedway), so you feel really the banking and you feel the compression on the body. It’s definitely physically different, the feeling you get, so that was interesting.” Full story at the link. – INDYCAR – (4/10/2019)

Miller’s Mailbag 4/10/19 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (4/10/2019)

Trackside podcast 4/9/19 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 4/9/19 is a great listen as always. – 1070 The Fan – (4/10/2019)

HSR announces King Taco as primary sponsor for Long Beach – “Long-time Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach sponsor King Taco will grow their partnership with Harding Steinbrenner Racing this weekend. The Mexican fast food company will serve as primary sponsor of Valencia, native Colton Herta’s #88 Honda-powered Indy car on the 1.968-mile temporary street course around the Long Beach Convention Center. King Taco is a current season-long associate sponsor of the Harding Steinbrenner #88.” Full release at the link. – Harding Steinbrenner Racing – (4/8/2019)

McLaren unveils ’19 Indy 500 livery – “McLaren Racing today unveiled the official livery for the #66 car that will contest the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday May 26 2019, where Fernando Alonso will attempt to secure the Triple Crown of motorsport. The car, built at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, UK, sports the unique McLaren papaya orange, which echoes the colour chosen by Bruce McLaren for the team’s first Formula 1 Grand Prix entry in 1966 and reflects the livery of the McLaren Formula 1 team’s MCL34.” See the livery on our No. 66 livery page here. Full release at the link. – McLaren – (4/8/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Sunday Barber photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s Sunday race day photo gallery of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/7/2019)

Sato wins from pole in dominant victory at Barber – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Takuma Sato won the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park from pole in dominant fashion. The full Top 5 was Sato, Dixon, Bourdais, Newgarden, and Rossi. Full race results here. – INDYCAR – (4/7/2019)

The Open Wheel’s Friday & Saturday Barber photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s practice and qualifying photo gallery of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (4/6/2019)

Sato wins pole as RLL takes front row at Barber – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing secured a front row lock out in Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama qualifying at Barber Motorsports Park as Takuma Sato won the pole over Graham Rahal with a lap of 1:08.5934. The full Firestone Fast 6 was Sato, Rahal, Dixon, Hinchcliffe, Bourdais, and Pigot. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (4/6/2019)

Gateway announces NASCAR trucks to pair with INDYCAR in ’20 – “Gateway Motorsports Park officials today confirmed that its NTT IndyCar Series 500 and NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series 200 will take place on the same weekend in 2020. NASCAR released the 2020 Truck Series schedule earlier this week and announced the seventh annual Gateway Truck Series event will take place on Friday, August 21, 2020. The fourth annual Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline for the NTT IndyCar Series will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2020.” Full release at the link. – Gateway MSP – (4/5/2019)

DragonSpeed announces IndyCar reserve driver – Per the Indianapolis Star’s Jim Ayello DragonSpeed LLC has announced 22 year old James Allen “will join its IndyCar program as a development driver, testing at several tracks this season alongside regular driver Ben Hanley.” – Jim Ayello – (4/5/2019)

HSR announces GESS as primary sponsor for Barber – “GESS International is joining Harding Steinbrenner Racing as primary sponsor of the #88 Honda-powered Indy car for this weekend’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and as an associate sponsor of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. An energy service company with twenty-one years of energy efficiency and renewable energy experience, Gess International hopes to continue Colton Herta’s winning momentum following his first-place finish at the Circuit of the Americas in the INDYCAR Classic.” Check it out on our No. 88 livery page here. Full release at the link. – Harding Steinbrenner Racing – (4/4/2019)

NBC adds Dale Jr. to Indy 500 broadcast team – “Dale Earnhardt Jr., one of racing’s most popular personalities and an NBC Sports motorsports analyst, will attend his first Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, as a member of NBC Sports’ broadcast team when the 103rd iteration of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing airs on NBC for the first time…In addition to Earnhardt Jr., NBC Sports motorsports host Krista Voda and reporter Rutledge Wood will contribute to the network’s Indy 500 presentation.” Full release at the link. – NBC Sports – (4/3/2019)

INDYCAR News From Last Week