IndyCar

IndyCar Road America preview

Can today's lame IndyCars beat the track record set by Dario Franchitti in a 16-year old CART IndyCar. AR1.com was there in 2000, and to hear those 1,000 HP Hondas, Toyotas and Fords scream down the Moraine Sweep made the hair stand up on the back of your neck
Can today's lame IndyCars beat the track record set by Dario Franchitti in a 16-year old CART IndyCar? AR1.com was there in 2000, and to hear those 1,000 HP Hondas, Toyotas and Fords scream down the Moraine Sweep made the hair stand up on the back of your neck

Track: Road America, a 4.048-mile, 14-turn permanent road course (clockwise)

Race distance: 50 laps / 202.4 miles

Entry List: KOHLER Grand Prix (PDF)

Push-to-pass parameters: 10 activations for 20 seconds each

Firestone tire allotment: Eight sets primary, three sets alternate (Weekend)

Twitter: @RoadAmerica @IndyCar, #KOHLERGP, #IndyCar

Event website: www.roadamerica.com

INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2007 (most recent) race winner: Sebastien Bourdais (No. 1 McDonald’s Racing Team-Newman/Haas Racing)

2007 (most recent) pole winner: Sebastien Bourdais (No. 1 McDonald’s Racing Team-Newman/Haas Racing), 1:41.535, 143.525 mph

Qualifying record: Dario Franchitti, 1:39.866, 145.924 mph, Aug. 19, 2000

NBCSN television broadcasts: Practice, noon ET Friday, June 24 (live); Qualifying, 5:30 p.m. ET Saturday, June 25 (tape delayed); Race, 12:30 p.m. ET Sunday, June 26 (live). Leigh Diffey is the lead announcer for the NBCSN broadcasts this weekend alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. Pit reporters are Marty Snider, Kevin Lee, Katie Hargitt and Robin Miller.

Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers with Dave Furst and Rob Howden reporting from the pits. All Verizon IndyCar Series races are broadcast live on network affiliates, Sirius 212, XM 209, IndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app. All Verizon IndyCar Series practice and qualifying sessions are available on IIndyCar.com, indycarradio.com and on the INDYCAR Mobile app.

Video streaming: All practice sessions for the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series season not covered by television will be available on RaceControl.IndyCar.com. Live coverage of qualifying for the Verizon P1 Award will be streamed on RaceControl.IndyCar.com.

INDYCAR Mobile app: Verizon Wireless puts fans around the world in the driver's seat with its INDYCAR Mobile app. The app has been enhanced with new features to keep fans in the know of the latest race-day action. Exclusive features of the INDYCAR Mobile app for Verizon Wireless customers will stream live through the app and includes enhanced real-time leaderboard and car telemetry; the ability to follow the race in real time with the interactive 3D track; live in-car camera video streaming for select drivers during Verizon IndyCar Series races; live driver and pit crew radio transmissions during races and live Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network audio streaming during all track activities.

At-track schedule (all times local):

Friday, June 24
11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice #1, NBCSN (Live)
3 – 4:15 p.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice #2, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (Live)

Saturday, June 25
11 – 11:45 a.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series practice #3, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (Live)
3 p.m. – Qualifying for the Verizon P1 Award (three rounds of knockout qualifying), NBCSN (5:30 p.m. ET, same-day delay)

Sunday, June 26
8 – 8:30 a.m. – Verizon IndyCar Series warmup, RaceControl.IndyCar.com (Live)
11:32 a.m. – Driver Introductions
12:07 p.m. – Command to Start Engines
12:15 p.m. – KOHLER Grand Prix (50 laps/202.4 miles), NBCSN (Live)

Race notes:

  • There have been six different winners in the eight previous Verizon IndyCar Series races in 2016: Juan Pablo Montoya (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Phoenix International Raceway), Simon Pagenaud (Streets of Long Beach, Barber Motorsports Park and Grand Prix of Indianapolis), Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis 500), Sebastien Bourdais (Raceway at Belle Isle-1) and Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle-2). Dixon’s win at Phoenix on April 2 tied him for fourth on the all-time Indy car victory list with Al Unser at 39. He is the active leader in wins. Bourdais’ win at Belle Isle on June 4 tied him with Bobby Unser for sixth on the all-time list with 35 wins.

    • The KOHLER Grand Prix will be the first Indy car event conducted at Road America since 2007 and the 26th Indy car race at the track since it hosted its first Indy car event in 1982.

    • The KOHLER Grand Prix will be the seventh race on a road/street course in 2016. The first six races were won by Montoya (St. Petersburg), Pagenaud (Long Beach, Barber and Grand Prix of Indianapolis), Bourdais (Belle Isle 1) and Power (Belle Isle 2).

  • Nine drivers entered this weekend have previously raced Indy cars at Road America: Bourdais, Helio Castroneves, Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Montoya, Pagenaud, Power and Graham Rahal. Three of those drivers have led laps at the track (Bourdais 92, Montoya 52 and Castroneves 24).

    • Bourdais is the only driver in the field that has won an Indy car race at Road America, winning the final Champ Car race at the track in 2007. Bourdais has finished on the podium in all four of his previous starts at Road America. Mario Andretti, Michael Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi have the most wins by an Indy car driver at the track (3).

    • Six drivers have won the Road America race from the pole: Mario Andretti (1983, 1984 and 1987), Danny Sullivan (1989), Paul Tracy (1993), Jacques Villeneuve (1995), Bruno Junqueira (2003) and Bourdais (2007).

    • Drivers who have won at Road America have gone on to win the Indy car championship six times: Mario Andretti (1984), Michael Andretti (1991), Villeneuve (1995), Alex Zanardi (1997), Cristiano da Matta (2002) and Bourdais (2007).

    • Team Penske has won three times at Road America (1989, 1992 and 1993) and is one of two current teams to win at the track. Chip Ganassi Racing has won twice at Road America (1997 and 2001). Newman/Haas Racing won a record 10 times at Road America.

    • Four rookies – Max Chilton, Conor Daly, Spencer Pigot and Rossi – are entered. Rossi leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings by 65 points over Daly with Chilton 103 points behind.

    • Kanaan seeks to start his 258th consecutive race this weekend, which would extend his Indy car record streak that began in June 2001 at Portland. Teammate Scott Dixon has made 199 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the third-longest streak in Indy car racing.

    • Castroneves will attempt to make his 320th career Indy car start, which would tie him with Al Unser for fourth on the all-time list.

    • The 2016 season is the second in which aerodynamic bodywork component kits are used. The aero kits, produced by engine manufacturers Chevrolet and Honda for their respective supplied teams, are the latest technical innovation to enhance on-track performance through competitive aerodynamic development. Each manufacturer produces two kits for teams – one for short ovals/road courses/street courses and another for superspeedway ovals – but within each kit, teams have multiple component options available.

    • The second season of aero kit competition complements the fifth year of engine manufacturer competition between Chevrolet and Honda with their 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 engines. It will be another season testing speed and durability to determine the manufacturer champion.

KOHLER GRAND PRIX PRE-EVENT QUOTES:

Vasser chases Fernandez up the hill out of turn 5 in 2000
Vasser chases Fernandez up the hill out of turn 5 in 2000. Back then the crowds were still huge but the hammer Tony George brought to work everyday was eventually too much

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA (No. 2 DeVilbiss Team Penske Chevrolet): “We’re still looking for consistency this season and a chance to build some momentum heading into the second half of the season. It would be great to get a good result at Road America, so that we can build on that for the July races. I haven’t raced at Road America in quite a while. We had a teammate test there last week and it will be interesting to see what did and didn’t work well for them. It’s a challenging track that tests both the speed and agility of our DeVilbiss Chevrolet. I’m really looking forward to it."

HELIO CASTRONEVES (No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet): “It’s going to be fantastic to go back to Road America. We haven’t raced there in a number of years, but I’m excited to get out there and see how the Hitachi Chevrolet performs. It’s a big track, but track position, as usual, will be important. My Hitachi team is ready for the second half of the season. There is still quite a bit out there for us. I think it will be an exciting second half with the way the schedule is set up and we’ll see competitive racing."

JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): “I'm so excited to go back to Road America. This has been my favorite road course in the country from the moment I first went there in 2004. It's the kind of track that Indy cars are built for. I hope that it's a great race and it stays on the calendar for a long time."

MIKHAIL ALESHIN (No. 7 SMP Racing Schmidt Peterson Honda): “I’m happy to come back to INDYCAR after a successful Le Mans race. I’ve never been to Road America before but I watched some on-board camera footage and the track looks pretty cool. There are a couple of very fast turns which is always exciting. I just hope that I will get some sleep before the weekend starts."

MAX CHILTON (No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet): "After my first experience at Road America last Wednesday, I am super excited to finally get back this weekend to race it. It has a great flow to it and reminds me of my favorite circuit, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. It’s old-school, fast, hilly and rewarding. I can't wait to meet all of the fans who will be excited after such a long break from Verizon IndyCar Series racing. Hopefully they’ll enjoy the many overtaking opportunities."

SCOTT DIXON (No. 9 Clorox Chevrolet, 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series champion): “I know for a fact that Road America is on the top of all the drivers’ lists, and we have been waiting to come back for quite some time. I think my last visit there was in 2002 with CART, and it was great to be back at the track testing again last season. This course is just amazing to drive and I’m sure every single driver will say so. If they don’t, they are just flat-out lying to you. The test we had last year drew thousands of people, so we are really looking forward to returning there and putting on a good show for all the fans in the area."

TONY KANAAN (No. 10 NTT Data Chevrolet): “I can’t wait to get back to Road America this weekend. This is one of the best tracks in the U.S. in my opinion. I was able to test there last week with the No. 10 NTT Data Chevrolet and it felt really good to be back after so long. The track is just so much fun to drive and definitely one of my favorites. If the attendance at our tests over the past year are any indication of the fan turnout, I think we’re in for a great crowd."

SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS (No. 11 Team Hydroxycut – KVSH Racing Chevrolet): “I am really looking forward to racing at Road America again. It’s my favorite road course in the United States and like a lot of the tracks in Europe. I raced there four times back in the CART and Champ Car days and finished on the podium every time. At one point I was wondering if I would ever win there and finally did in my last race back in 2007. KVSH Racing had a good race car at the only permanent road course we’ve raced on this year at Barber, so the Hydroxycut machine should be fast right off the truck. Hopefully, we can keep my streak of podiums at Road America alive or even get our second win of the season."

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): “Even though I haven’t raced there in a while, I enjoy the track at Road America. I find it very challenging. Some drivers have tested there and some haven’t. We had a teammate there, so what worked for them will give us a starting point and we’ll go from there. The weather didn’t work at Texas, but we’re still looking to build on the Detroit win. The whole Verizon Chevrolet team is excited to get the second half of the season started."

TAKUMA SATO (No. 14 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Honda): “Road America is very impressive and a great, fun track as expected. I’ve heard so many positive stories about this circuit since I joined the IndyCar Series, and I know everyone as well as the fans wanted INDYCAR to go back there. It was a nice experience that we had a great crowd show up at the test day last fall. I had a lot of fun driving this superb track and I’m looking forward to racing there."

GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 15 Gehl/D-A Lubricant Honda): “Road America is my favorite track, and the favorite of many drivers. It’s the best track at 4 miles long, with elevation changes and many challenging, interesting parts. If you ask my dad or many drivers, they will tell you it’s the best, pure road course. It's another track that I went to a lot as a kid when my dad was racing. It was definitely one of my favorites as a kid. Racing-wise, my results there have been up and down. In Champ Car in 2007 we were on the podium, and in Atlantics we had a mechanical problem and lost the championship, so it’s been up and down. I’m definitely looking forward to being back there and hopefully get better results this time around. A fun thing for me is the fact that we have the Gehl car coming back and that will be as special for me as returning to Road America. Testing went really well and I do anticipate that we should be very competitive. We didn’t get to work on our car that much that day because we were doing a lot of testing for INDYCAR so we’re going to arrive there, change a couple of things and I think we should be pretty good."

CONOR DALY (No. 18 Jonathan Byrd’s Hospitality Honda): “I think every driver can’t wait to get there. It’s going to be an incredible race. We’ve always wanted to go back there for many years. I can’t wait to get out there. I’ve won two races there, finished second in a sports car there so I feel pretty good about it. We just have to do the same in an Indy car and try to get ourselves back on the podium. Obviously we need to focus back on the road courses and get back to work on that. In the last three road or street course races we haven’t finished outside the top six so we have to keep that rolling." (Any particular parts of the track that you can’t wait to drive in an Indy car?): “I think the carousel is obviously a very impressive corner for our car. I can’t wait to get there and to experience the downforce. Really, the whole track, there’s not one place you can pick out there that’s better than the other. It flows together really well."

GABBY CHAVES (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Honda): “Road America is one of my favorite tracks. I haven’t been there since 2009. It’s where I won the Formula BMW Americas Championship so I’m definitely very excited to get back there and to compete with Dale Coyne Racing. We’ll try and keep our momentum going forward after a strong first 71 laps in Texas. I’m just really excited to see what we can do out there. It’s going to be a fun track to drive and certainly one of the most enjoyable circuits that we go to this year. I’m very much looking forward to getting back there and having a good weekend."

SPENCER PIGOT (No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet): “It doesn't get much better than driving an Indy car around Road America. We had a very good test there last week and I can't wait to get back for the race with the Ed Carpenter Racing crew. It's an amazing track and I think it's going to provide some great racing for the fans."

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series championship leader): “I’m definitely excited to race at Road America. It’s a challenging circuit, but a really fun place with the Indy car. This event has been in the past and remains a classic event on our schedule. At the test session, we had the opportunity to see Brad Keselowski drive my No. 22 Menards Chevy and I thought it was great to see how excited he was about the handling, power-to-downforce ratio we experience in these cars. It was a terrific experience and maybe we will get to swap rides, I'd love to do that. We head into the second half of the schedule now; our focus remains on winning races. We’ll continue to race smart, but attacking is the best way to defend, in my opinion."

CARLOS MUNOZ (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda): “Road America is a track the series hasn’t been to in a long time and I tested last week for the first time. It is a long track – a different track, for sure. I am excited to try something new. We’ll see how it goes. We have to keep our momentum going through the weekend and keep collecting the championship points."

MARCO ANDRETTI (No. 27 United Fiber & Data/Snapple Honda): “We had a solid test at Road America last week and I am looking forward to getting the United Fiber & Data car back on track. This track is my favorite permanent road course to drive. I think it should be a great race with a lot of passing into Turn 5 and through Turns 12 and (Turn) 1."

RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 28 DHL Honda): “I’m really looking forward to INDYCAR’s long-awaited return to Road America. Outside of Indy, this place has always been my favorite racetrack, so it’s been tough being away for so many years. It’s been 12 years since I last raced here, and I can’t wait to get the DHL Honda on track for the race this weekend."

JACK HAWKSWORTH (No. 41 ABC Supply AJ Foyt Racing Honda): “I love Road America. It's very quick, has a variety of corners and is the only track we go to that is over 4 miles in length. I had a fantastic time racing there in 2014 (in sports cars), made even better by the fact that I had a very quick car."

CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 Tresiba Chevrolet): “Since the return was announced last year, I think everyone, from drivers to fans, has been really excited to head to Elkhart Lake for the race. We had the chance to test there in September and get a feel for it, but I know there’s so much more to learn in a short time this weekend. You just feel the speed at the end of every straight and going into those long corners; it’s unlike anything else on the schedule. After a weekend off, the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team will be working hard to make the most of the KOHLER Grand Prix and earn some points for the Verizon IndyCar Series championship."

ALEXANDER ROSSI (No. 98 Castrol Edge/Curb Honda): “In the past, Road America has always been a race that I look forward to and this year is no exception. It is one of the flagship tracks not only in America, but globally, and I am so excited that the Verizon IndyCar Series is returning this year. We had a positive test there last week, so we will be doing everything we can to make sure the No. 98 car is at the sharp end (of the field). It is going to be an incredible event."