Sonsio Grand Prix brings IndyCars back to IMS
The roar of engines returns to Speedway tomorrow for the Sonsio Grand Prix weekend.
Why it matters: The Grand Prix is when May really kicks into high gear at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 85-lap race runs through the 14 turns of the 2.439-mile road course at IMS, bringing drivers and excitement to the track — two weeks before the main event.
Driving the news: Gates open at 7:30am Friday for a full day of action on the track.
Highlights include practice and qualifying for Saturday's NTT IndyCar race.
Race day starts at 9am Saturday with a variety of lower-series races before the main event at 4:30pm.
Pro tip: Stay through the checkered flag for a post-race track walk, where fans can stroll along the straightaway, snap pictures at the Yard of Bricks and take part in the victory celebration.
The intrigue: IndyCar series' current points leader Alex Palou is looking for a three-peat, having won the event the last two years.
Yes, but: Christian Lundgaard is also off to a hot start this season and gave Palou a run for his money on the road course last year.
Fun fact: The road course at IMS was originally built for Formula One racing, which competed on it from 2000–2007.
The IndyCar Grand Prix began in 2014 on a modified version of that original circuit, which incorporates parts of the infamous IMS oval.
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