IndyCar Detroit GP Preview

Ryan Hunter-Reay celebrates the win in race 2 last year

Race weekend: Friday, May 31 – Sunday, June 2

Track: Raceway at Belle Isle Park, a 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street course (clockwise)

Race distance: 70 laps / 164.5 miles (both races)

Entry List: Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear (PDF)

Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation. (for each race)

Firestone tire allotment: Nine sets primary, four sets alternate (weekend). Teams must use one set of primary and alternate tires in each race.

Twitter: @DetroitGP @IndyCar, #DetroitGP, #IndyCar

Event website: http://www.DetroitGP.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2018 race winners: Race 1: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda); Race 2: Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 28 DHL Honda)

2018 NTT P1 Award winners: Race 1: Marco Andretti (No. 98 AutoNation/Curb Honda) 1:14.8514, 113.024 mph; Race 2: Alexander Rossi (No. 27 Ruoff Home Mortgage Honda) 1:33.3143, 90.661 mph

Qualifying lap record: Takuma Sato, 1:13.6732, 114.831 mph, June 4, 2017

NBC Sports weekend broadcasts: Race 1 Qualifying: noon ET Saturday, NBCSN (taped); Race 1: 3 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC (live); Race 2 Qualifying: 10:30 a.m. ET Sunday, NBCSN (live); Race 2: 3 p.m. ET Sunday, NBC (live)

Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer for NBC broadcasts alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. Marty Snider, Kevin Lee, Kelli Stavast and Robin Miller are the pit reporters.

[adinserter name="GOOGLE AD"]Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Anders Krohn with Jake Query and Nick Yeoman in the turns. All NTT IndyCar Series races are broadcast live on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network, Sirius 82, XM 82, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. Live coverage of NTT IndyCar Series qualifying is available on Sirius 218, XM 82, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app.

NBC Sports Gold livestreaming: All NTT IndyCar Series practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on INDYCAR Pass on NBC Sports Gold, NBC Sports' direct-to-consumer livestreaming product that will put more INDYCAR programming content at viewers' fingertips than ever before. In addition, full-broadcast, same-day replays of NTT IndyCar Series races, livestreams of Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races, edited cutdowns of NTT IndyCar Series and Indy Lights races and more will be available.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, May 31

10:55 a.m. – 11:40 a.m. – NTT IndyCar Series practice #1

2:50 – 3:35 p.m. – NTT IndyCar Series practice #2

3:40 – 4:20 p.m. – NTT IndyCar Series warmup/pit stop practice

Saturday, June 1

Hunter-Reay cooling off in the Detroit Water Fountain

10:45 – 11:15 a.m. – Race 1 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (two groups/12 minutes each), NBCSN, noon ET (taped)

2:59 p.m. – Driver introductions

3:43 p.m. – Command to start engines

3:50 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #1 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live)

Sunday, June 2

10:45 – 11:15 a.m. – Race 2 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (two groups/12 minutes each), NBCSN (live)

2:55 p.m. – Driver introductions

3:43 p.m. – Command to start engines

3:50 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #2 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live)

Race notes:

* There have been five different winners in six NTT IndyCar Series races in 2019. Josef Newgarden (Streets of St. Petersburg), Colton Herta (Circuit of The Americas), Takuma Sato (Barber Motorsports Park), Alexander Rossi (Streets of Long Beach) and Simon Pagenaud (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Indianapolis Motor Speedway) have won races in 2019. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.

* There have been seven different winners in the last 10 NTT IndyCar Series races (Alexander Rossi, Will Power, Takuma Sato, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta and Simon Pagenaud) The only repeat winners in that stretch are Rossi (2 wins – Pocono in 2018 and Long Beach 2019), Sato (2 wins – Portland 2018 and Barber 2019) and Pagenaud (INDYCAR Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 in 2019)

* There have been five different NTT P1 Award winners in 2019. Will Power (Streets of St. Petersburg and Circuit of The Americas), Takuma Sato (Barber Motorsports Park), Alexander Rossi (Streets of Long Beach), Felix Rosenqvist (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course) and Simon Pagenaud (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) have won poles in 2019. The record for most pole winners in a season is 12 set in the 1999 CART season.

* The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit will be the 26th and 27th Indy car races conducted at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park and the 29th and 30th Indy car races held in Detroit. A 2.5-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit hosted CART events from 1989-1991.

* Sebastien Bourdais, Scott Dixon, Will Power and Graham Rahal have each won twice at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, the most by an active Indy car driver at the track. Helio Castroneves won three times at Belle Isle, the most of any driver. In addition to Bourdais, Dixon, Power and Rahal, other previous Belle Isle winners entered include Tony Kanaan (2007), Simon Pagenaud (2013 Race 2) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (2018 Race 2).

* There have been 18 different pole winners in the previous 25 races. Pole winners entered in this year's race are: Marco Andretti (2018 Race 1), Alexander Rossi (2018 Race 2), Graham Rahal (2017 Race 1), Takuma Sato (2014 Race 2, 2017 Race 2), Simon Pagenaud (2016 – both races), Will Power (2015 Race 1) and Scott Dixon (2008 and 2012).

* Four drivers have won the Belle Isle race from the pole: Graham Rahal (2017, Race 1), Scott Dixon (2012), Helio Castroneves (2001) and Robby Gordon (1995).

* The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Detroit four times. Will Power won Race 2 in 2014, Alex Zanardi won on Belle Isle in 1998, Bobby Rahal won at Belle Isle in 1992 and Emerson Fittipaldi won in downtown Detroit in 1989.

* Since 1995, seven drivers have won the seventh race of the season and won the championship. They are: Dario Franchitti (2009, Iowa), Scott Dixon (2008, Texas; 2003, Richmond), Sebastien Bourdais (2005, Edmonton), Sam Hornish Jr. (2006, Richmond), Cristiano da Matta (2002, Chicago), Greg Ray (1999, Dover), Kenny Brack (1998, Charlotte) and Tony Stewart (1997, Charlotte). Ten drivers have won the eighth race of the season and won the championship. They are: Franchitti (2011, Milwaukee; 2007, Iowa), Bourdais (2007, Edmonton; 2005, San Jose), Hornish (2006, Kansas; 2002, Richmond), Tony Kanaan (2004, Nashville), da Matta (2002, Toronto), Buddy Lazier (2000, Kentucky), Gil de Ferran (2000, Portland), Ray (1999, Pikes Peak), Alex Zanardi (1998, Detroit) and Brack (1998, Pikes Peak).

* Tony Kanaan has competed in 17 previous races at Belle Isle, most of any driver. Twelve drivers entered have led laps at the track (Scott Dixon 122, Graham Rahal 109, Simon Pagenaud 93, Alexander Rossi 47, Will Power 47, Marco Andretti 46, Ryan Hunter-Reay 45, Takuma Sato 44, Sebastien Bourdais 38, Kanaan 30, James Hinchcliffe 11 and Josef Newgarden 7.)

* The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix will be the sixth and seventh races on a road/street course in 2019. Josef Newgarden (Streets of St. Petersburg), Colton Herta (Circuit of The Americas), Takuma Sato (Barber Motorsports Park), Alexander Rossi (Streets of Long Beach) and Simon Pagenaud (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course) have each won one road/street race thus far this season.

* Four drivers will race NTT IndyCar Series cars at the Raceway at Belle Isle for the first time: Marcus Ericsson, Colton Herta, Patricio O'Ward and Felix Rosenqvist.

* Tony Kanaan seeks to start his 307th and 308th consecutive races this weekend, which would extend his Indy car record streak that began in June 2001 at Portland.

* Scott Dixon has made 247 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the second-longest streak in Indy car racing. Marco Andretti has made 223 consecutive starts, which is the third-longest streak in Indy car racing.

* Scott Dixon, the longest-tenured driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, is third on the all-time Indy car victory list with 44 wins. Sebastien Bourdais is sixth on the all-time list with 37 wins and Will Power is tied with Bobby Unser for seventh on the all-time list with 35 wins.

* Drivers may engage their "push-to-pass" for a total of 150 seconds during each race, with a maximum duration of 15 seconds for any one activation. The push-to-pass is not available on the initial race start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. The feature increases the power of the engine by approximately 60 horsepower.

CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX PRE-EVENT QUOTES:

JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet): "Those that have really been paying attention to NTT IndyCar Series racing could tell that Simon (Pagenaud) was on the verge of a breakout run. We saw it in Indianapolis, and I think he and the (No.) 22 team are going to be strong contenders for the title for the rest of the season. We want to have the championship battle come down to the Team Penske cars and it certainly appears that the three of us will have a shot at Laguna Seca. To win at Detroit this weekend is going to take the 'A game' from the No. 2 Hitachi Chevy team. It's a tough place that hasn't been my best track in the past, but there is no track on the circuit where I think this team can't win."

MATHEUS LEIST (No. 4 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): "Very excited to get back to a street course in INDYCAR. With the good momentum coming out of the month of May, I'm looking forward to having a great time in Detroit with the ABC Supply No. 4 team. I had a great time there last year, especially because it's a track that I love. I think most of the drivers don't like it as much as I do, but I like all of the street courses. I can't wait to get out there and do some laps. I'm looking forward to the doubleheader this weekend where we'll try to get some top-10s and some good points."

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): "The double in Detroit always seems daunting a week after the month of May wraps up, but this year I'm excited to get there. Our May ended with a strong effort by the whole Arrow SPM team, and we want to carry that into Detroit. We've had good cars there in the past but don't seem to have the hardware to show for it, so looking to change that this year."

MARCUS ERICSSON (No. 7 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): "I'm excited to go racing again. I think we had a good month of May, without much results to show, but a lot of promise and a lot of potential from it. I'm looking forward to building on that at another new track in Detroit. It will be fun as well with a doubleheader, and hopefully, we can have a good weekend and score some good results for the Arrow SPM team."

Dixon won race 1 last year

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, 2018 Detroit Race 1 winner): "Detroit is one of the most challenging weekends of the season. It's one of those tough weekends you do all your training for. Two races in two days. Two qualifying sessions in two days. And all that coming right after the dust is settling from the Indianapolis 500. There's a lot going on and it's a great event. In seven days the championship can really turn, going from double points in Indy to a double race weekend in Detroit. But that's what it's all about, and the PNC Bank team will be up for it."

FELIX ROSENQVIST (No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda): "What an experience last weekend in my first Indianapolis 500, and now we get to come to Detroit. I love road and street racing, and I've made no secret about that being a discipline where I can have a big impact with our results. We've shown good pace and had some bright spots already this year that I know we can build off of with this NTT DATA team. The team has worked very hard getting everything turned around and ready from Indy to this weekend. No days off for the crew. I can't wait to get started at Belle Isle."

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): "The month of May in Indianapolis takes a lot out of you, both mentally and physically. You can't let up after the Indy 500, though, because we have another huge weekend in Detroit. Outside of Indy, this is the race we want to win. It means so much to Roger (Penske), the Penske Corporation and the city. Unfortunately, we just haven't had the success we want over the last few years. It's a bit puzzling, too, because these types of circuits really fit the wheelhouse of myself and the Verizon Chevy team. We are all running on a little momentum with our strong runs at Indy; all of us in the top five with Simon (Pagenaud) winning was a big day for Team Penske."

TONY KANAAN (No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet): "I'm looking forward to Detroit. It's a race I won in the past and had a few podiums, so extremely excited especially after a good month of May as a team. I hope we can keep the momentum going."

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 15 Fifth Third Bank / United Rentals Honda): "Detroit has always been one of my favorites. It's one of those races we get pumped up for and get excited to go to and be a part of. I'm excited to turn the page and get there. I think we'll be pretty strong. I remember vividly coming to the race as a kid. It's always been a great event but Mr. Penske, Bud Denker and everyone have done a great job. We came back and it was bumpy and since then, the paving job they have done is amazing. The restoration of the fountain and everything they have done has transformed the entire place. Between my dad winning the first race on Belle Isle (in 1992) and the almost-perfect weekend I had in 2017, Dad and I have a lot of pride in coming here. It's probably the only place in my entire career that I can say that I have more wins at than my dad at any sort of venue, because he's won everywhere else. Detroit is a special place for me. It will be a good weekend with the doubleheader races and a big opportunity to get some points and have a really strong run."

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (No. 18 SealMaster Honda): "Roger (Penske) and his staff have done a great job with the Detroit Grand Prix. Every year it just gets better, even if the weather doesn't always cooperate. The atmosphere is fantastic, the improvements to the facility are great, and the staff is courteous and helpful. It's just a great event. The weekend is unique with two races, which is tough on the team, but it's the same for everyone. Obviously, I've had some success there winning races in 2015 and 2016. I haven't really qualified well, which we have to improve on because qualifying is so important on that circuit. Unfortunately, Indy didn't go the way we wanted, but the SealMaster Honda No. 18 team always works hard and never gives up. If we can have two strong performances this weekend on Belle Isle, we can make up a lot of ground in the standings."

SANTINO FERRUCCI (No. 19 Cly-Del Manufacturing Honda): "After picking up my best career finish in the NTT IndyCar Series as a rookie at the Indianapolis 500 last weekend, I can't wait to head to Detroit this weekend, to a track that I've actually raced at before, where I made my series debut last year. We're carrying momentum from our last two races and we were fast in Detroit last year, so I don't see why we can't continue our top-10 progress. I'm really looking forward to the doubleheader weekend."

ED JONES (No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet): "Looking ahead to Detroit this weekend, I'm excited to get back there! I had two really good results there last year and hope to do the same this year. Although the result from the (Indy) 500 wasn't what we would have liked, as a team we have shown really good form the past month. Hopefully, we can carry that on and keep moving forward."

SPENCER PIGOT (No. 21 Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet): "Detroit was my first race with Ed Carpenter Racing back in 2016, so it's almost an anniversary to go back there. I enjoy the challenges of Belle Isle and I'm excited to have the chance to race there again, especially as it's Chevrolet's home track. No doubt it's going to be a tough weekend with two races coming off a busy month of May, but Ed Carpenter Racing is up for the challenge. Our Indianapolis 500 did not finish quite as we were hoping for, so it will be good to be back in the car this weekend and get back after it!"

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 22 DXC Technology Team Penske Chevrolet, 2019 NTT IndyCar Series points leader): "Winning the Indianapolis 500 was one of the biggest days of my life and something I will forever be proud of. But the season isn't over. We need to start looking at Detroit and the rest of the season, as there are other goals to achieve when it comes to other wins and the championship. And now I'm leading the championship, so it's fantastic. I told (engineer) Ben Bretzman before the month of May, knowing our momentum, that we can win the next two and be in the championship, and it happened. So we're going to go into Detroit with a really good street car. We've done a lot of work on that car, and I think we're going to be strong there. So I'm excited. I love that track. That's the place where I won my first Indy car race in 2013, so we'll try to make it happen again."

ZACH VEACH (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda): "After such a solid day at the Indy 500, even though we got caught up in something out of our control, I'm really looking forward to continuing our drive at Detroit. It's been a place I've really enjoyed racing at, and after being close to two top-10s last year, we're ready to improve on that and fight up front."

ALEXANDER ROSSI (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda): "We're really excited to get back to work in Detroit and carry the momentum forward from a strong race last weekend. We have some unfinished business here based on Race 2 last year and we will be looking to get two strong results to hopefully leave here in the lead of the championship."

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 DHL Honda, 2018 Detroit Race 2 winner): "I think it goes without saying our Detroit race weekend a year ago was a pretty special one with first- and second-place finishes – not to mention drinking champagne in the fountain. I've been looking forward to returning to Belle Isle for quite some time now. Hopefully, we can pick up where we left off and get this (No.) 28 DHL team back on the top step of the podium."

TAKUMA SATO (No. 30 Mi-Jack / Panasonic Honda): "After the month of May, we get used to the speed and smoothness, then we go to one of the bumpiest tracks in the series. But we love Detroit. I personally like Detroit and have some great memories with podiums and poles and the team has good history too, so this year I think we can come back much more competitive. I think last year we missed the little things. Hopefully this year we can carry great momentum after the month of May. It's an important race for the rest of the season because last year everything started really hooking up after Detroit and we have been able to build on that. I would say our team is more comfortable with the street-course setup and is working better. The trend is still there this year. I think we will be in great shape."

PATRICIO O'WARD (No. 31 Carlin Chevrolet): "I'm excited to get back in the car this weekend. I actually got to race in Detroit in 2017 and it was an event that I really enjoyed in IMSA, so I'm looking forward to going back with the big boys in an Indy car. I hope it's a good weekend for us, especially after such a tough end to our month of May. We've had a lot of speed, but unfortunately, we've just had a lot of bad luck and struggles. I really hope that we can turn that around at the doubleheader this weekend in Detroit and get some solid results."

MAX CHILTON (No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet): "We had a tough end to our month of May, so I'm looking forward to resetting and getting back into the swing of things in Detroit this weekend. I've always enjoyed racing on Belle Isle – it's a very physical and bumpy circuit, but the racing is always great and the fans really embrace the series. I've loved seeing how the city of Detroit gets behind the race and really turns the doubleheader into a huge city-wide event. It's no secret that these two races make for a long, physical weekend for us as drivers, but I'm up to the challenge and I know the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet will come off the truck strong ."

COLTON HERTA (No. 88 GESS Capstone Honda): "I'm excited to get back in the No. 88 GESS Capstone Honda so soon after the 103^rd Indianapolis 500. It's nice to have the back-to-back races to get focused right away for the Detroit Grand Prix this weekend. We've been getting faster as the season progresses, so hopefully, we have no problem getting up to speed as this will be a new track for me and it's such a tough track."

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 98 AutoNation / Curb Honda): "The AutoNation car had really good pace last year in Detroit and we hope to roll off strong again and capitalize with a good race result. Last year, we were so close to a podium and finished fourth and ninth, so this year we are really hungry for the win. "