Latest news with #INDYCAR
Fox Sports
14 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
David Malukas Stays on Upswing with Fast Qualifying Performance
INDYCAR David Malukas is on the move in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The 24-year-old driver piloting the No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises entered this hectic Month of May in the 18th position in the season standings. Three races later, he is 10th – and charging. Malukas earned the second starting spot for Sunday's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear, which is where he stood after the official results of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge were posted. Clearly, the Chicago native has momentum. 'We're starting off (in Detroit) where we finished (in Indianapolis),' Malukas said, smiling. 'We're still in that (second spot), but that's a really good (qualifying) session. As soon as we unloaded the car, we knew we were (going to) have a good run. 'I've just been really happy.' Malukas felt he had a car quick enough to beat Colton Herta, the driver of the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian who won the 15th pole of his career, but Herta edged him by .1713 of a second over the nine-turn, 1.645-mile downtown street circuit. Malukas said 'just a few tweaks' to the car's setup likely would have made a difference for him to swap positions with Herta. Malukas did outqualify Andretti Global's Kyle Kirkwood, who edged him for the INDY NXT by Firestone championship in 2021. Kirkwood won 10 of the 20 races that season; Malukas won seven, Linus Lundqvist three. Kirkwood will start third in Sunday's race in the No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda. Malukas still doesn't have a pole in his 51 events in this series, although this will be the third time he has started a race from the second position. The other two front-row starts came last year on oval tracks – World Wide Technology Raceway and the Milwaukee Mile – while driving for Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian. This was Malukas' first appearance in the Firestone Fast Six qualifying round since earning the sixth starting position in last year's Ontario Honda Dealers Indy Toronto. He finished sixth in that race. Malukas said this momentum has been building for some time as he and the Foyt crew have gotten to know one another in their first season together. Specifically, Malukas singled out the recent tips he has received from Derek Miller, one of Chevrolet's trackside engineers. 'I think having that whole month (in Indianapolis), being with the (team) guys, understanding what we want (out of the car setup),' Malukas said of the reason for the competitive rise. 'Having Clarience Technologies on board with us – those guys have been ecstatic. I think the mood has really lifted us up, and we can see this momentum carrying (on). 'Man, what a good car, what a good group of guys here, what a good run here.' Malukas also doesn't have a race win in this series, although as with pole pursuits, he has been close. His best result was a second-place finish in the 2022 race at World Wide Technology Raceway when he split a pair of Team Penske drivers in a late-race shootout. Josef Newgarden scored his third consecutive win in the event that year. Sunday might offer Malukas' best chance to break through and become a race winner in this series. He is extremely fond of this circuit, although a 23rd-place finish in the 2023 race is his only start on it. 'Man, it's just so technical,' he said. 'It's something that I love, and I think (Saturday's) cooler temperatures are something that I've always been suited to ever since go-karting as a little kid. Yeah, everything kind of lined up for us today.' It's worth noting that Malukas' first appearance in a Firestone Fast Six round came on Detroit's Belle Isle circuit in 2022. He qualified sixth that afternoon for Dale Coyne Racing w/HMD Motorsports. He likes the mojo of the Motor City, which could be just the lift he needs to win the 100-lap race (12:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). 'That was kind of the first big transition for me, knowing that I actually had a strong opportunity to be quick and get good results here in INDYCAR,' he said. 'So, Detroit is my turnaround (event).' recommended
Fox Sports
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Dennis Hauger Edges Andretti Teammate Lochie Hughes for Detroit Pole
INDYCAR The INDY NXT by Firestone duel between Andretti Global teammates Dennis Hauger and Lochie Hughes continued to heat up Saturday as Hauger edged fellow series rookie Hughes for the pole at the Detroit Grand Prix. Hauger earned his third pole in five races this season – Hughes grabbed the other two – with a series-record lap of 1 minute, 4.9896 seconds in the No. 28 Rental Group car. That broke the series track record of 1:05.1079 set last June by eventual series champion Louis Foster, also of Andretti Global. SEE: Qualifying Results 'It was so messy, but I pushed to the limit and got the pole,' Hauger said. 'That was intense.' Hughes was second at 1:05.0516 in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship machine, also under Foster's track record. There was a gap of nearly one second to third on the starting grid for the 45-lap race Sunday (10:30 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network), as 17-year-old rookie Max Taylor qualified third at 1:05.9554 in the No. 18 HMD Motorsports car in just his second start in the INDYCAR development series. 2024 Rookie of the Year Caio Collet qualified fourth at 1:05.6249 in the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine. Salvador de Alba was the third Andretti Global driver in the top five with his top lap of 1:05.9772 in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car. Callum Hedge rounded out the first three rows by qualifying sixth at 1:06.1315 in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports car. There was plenty of suspense throughout qualifying. The session was split into two groups of drivers, with Hughes in the first group and Hauger in the second to build the drama. Hauger leads his teammate by 15 points atop the series standings after four races, and they are the only drivers to win races this season – Hauger has three victories, Hughes one. Hughes laid down his huge lap on his final trip around the treacherous, nine-turn, 1.645-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit, finally getting clear track on the tight, bumpy circuit for his last qualifying run. Hauger was working up his response when James Roe suffered his second crash of the weekend with about seven minutes left in the session, with his No. 29 Topcon car receiving heavy right front damage after wall impact. Roe was unhurt. There were only three minutes, 56 seconds left in the session when the track reopened, and Hauger and his group hustled back on the circuit to complete as many laps as possible. Hauger dropped to 1:05.287 on his second-to-last lap, just behind Hughes, but grabbed the pole with his track-record lap on his final trip around the circuit. 'That was just so nerve-wracking with the red flag because tire temperatures weren't there on the first two laps, and they came on the last one,' Hauger said. 'I hit the wall on the second-to-last lap, I almost crashed in Turn 1 on the last lap.' recommended
Fox Sports
5 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: David Malukas Gets Up-Close View of Practice Dustup
INDYCAR David Malukas had a surreal moment during Friday's NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. While easing off the throttle to find space for a clean lap around the tight, 1.645-mile downtown street circuit, Malukas briefly felt as if he was in a virtual world – like iRacing rather than the real-life cockpit of his No. 4 Clarience Technologies Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Enterprises. That illusion hit when, out of his peripheral vision, he noticed an unusual scene: Kyle Kirkwood's No. 27 Siemens AWS Honda being pushed down the track by Will Power's No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. 'I totally do that video game,' Malukas said. 'It was pretty cool to see them blast through and driving by going in the air. I was like, 'What the hell is going on?' I couldn't believe it. I thought something was wrong, and Power was towing him across like the 'Cars' movie. It was interesting at first, but then I realized it was not.' With qualifying simulations hinging on a clear, traffic-free lap, frustration was inevitable. Malukas slowed, Kirkwood got bottled up, and Power came barreling in. "Everyone is going slow around here,' Kirkwood said. 'The track isn't big enough to fit all the cars, and he got frustrated.' Power took matters into his own hands, literally, by pushing Kirkwood's car and then shoving him aside. 'I came around, and he (Kirkwood) slowed up in the middle and I made contact,' Power said. 'So, I thought I may as well get a gap now, so I just pushed him by the car in front, then booted him out of the way and got a nice gap. If I hadn't touched him already, I thought: 'Oh, well, I'm already touching him, I might as well keep pushing.' Kirkwood, who had a similar run-in with Santino Ferrucci during last year's practice, was less amused. 'It's whatever, I guess,' Kirkwood said. 'Does it give him the right to push my car through a couple of corners and almost cause a wreck? I don't think so ... Everyone's stopped. I don't know. I'm not upset. I don't care. I'll move on. I've never seen that before.' Despite the chaos, Kirkwood emerged fastest in the session with a lap of 1 minute, 1.7509 seconds. Power was third at 1:02.3862. 'Andretti has always done a great job preparing street course cars, and this is another example of that,' Kirkwood said. 'Hopefully we can continue this pace throughout the weekend.' Kirkwood earned NTT P1 Award honors on the streets of Long Beach and led 46 of 90 laps in victory in the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on April 13. He's the only driver not named Alex Palou to win a race this season. Hamilton Returns to Booth with New Knowledge Davey Hamilton's two-week 'vacation' from the INDYCAR Radio Network booth turned into one of the most hands-on learning experiences of his broadcast career. Swapping his analyst headset for a strategist's one, former INDYCAR SERIES driver Hamilton called the shots for Jack Harvey's No. 24 DRR CUSICK INVST Chevrolet during the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. 'It was a learning curve,' Hamilton said. 'I was a little nervous coming into it. We got Jack from the back to the front. I worked hard. I think I overstudied a little bit, to be really honest with you.' Harvey began the race from the 26th starting position. Hamilton guided Harvey to stay out under an early-race caution, launching him up to fifth place on Lap 24 as one of just six drivers on that alternate call. The strategy worked well until a brake issue entering pit road derailed the run, dropping Harvey to a 22nd-place finish. While the race result may not have yielded a top finish, Hamilton walked away with a far greater understanding of today's NTT INDYCAR SERIES landscape that will enhance his storytelling and analysis from the booth, starting in this weekend's Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear. 'That's really going to help me a lot,' Hamilton said. 'I learned so much that's going to relate to the fan now that I can tell about the cars and what they're going through. I feel my strategy is going to be better in the radio booth now than it was before because you've got to take gambles starting in the back and risk it to take those gambles.' The strategist stint gave Hamilton an updated, first-hand view of the current generation of INDYCAR machinery. 'These cars, the hybrids, the aero settings, the extra weight – there's so many things,' Hamilton said. 'It kind of got me really up to speed.' Team Penske Keeps Indy 500 Timing Stand Personnel Team Penske is maintaining the same personnel on its three timing stands this weekend in Detroit as it did for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, where several leadership changes were made prior to the May 25 race. The changes stemmed from a rule violation in which two of the team's entries were found in violation of INDYCAR rules during '500' qualifying weekend. Team President Tim Cindric, INDYCAR Managing Director Ron Ruzewski and INDYCAR General Manager Kyle Moyer were released from the team, and all three also served as respective race strategists for Josef Newgarden, Power and Scott McLaughlin. Team Penske shuffled the timing stands for all three cars for the '500,' and those movements are in place for Sunday's 100-lap race. For Newgarden, Luke Mason is serving as strategist and Raul Prados from the Porsche Penske Motorsport sports car team is serving as the lead engineer. Ben Bretzman has moved from engineer to strategist for McLaughlin, with Malcolm Finch as the lead engineer. Porsche Penske Motorsport Managing Director Jonathan Diuguid is serving as Power's strategist, while Dave Faustino remains as Power's lead engineer. The short turnaround between races, plus IMSA's race at the same Detroit street course, enables a seamless integration of personnel from Penske's sports car program into the INDYCAR operation. McLaughlin was second fastest Friday while Power and Newgarden were third and fourth, respectively. 'Sort of a normal week,' Newgarden said. 'We prepped as much as we can.' Palou on F1 Drivers' Minds in Spain Alex Palou became the first Spaniard to win the '500.' With Formula One competing in Spain this weekend, Spanish drivers Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz Jr. expressed admiration for their countryman and his accomplishments. 'I always rated Alex very highly because I was his teammate in cadet, and he was very quick in cadet karting,' Sainz said. 'What he's doing in America is something really admirable. I think to dominate in the way he's dominating, you have to be very good at what you're doing. Then Formula One is a completely different discipline, different world, but I don't have anything else but respect and admiration for what Alex is doing in Indy.' Alonso made three '500' attempts, qualifying for the race twice, and believes Palou is elevating the country to new heights. 'Great for Spain,' Alonso said. 'Great for him to have the Indy 500 now after winning the INDYCAR (championship) for a few consecutive seasons and now leading the championship, as well. 'So, he's doing great there. I know that most of the drivers dream about a Formula One seat and having a career here. But he had the opportunity in INDYCAR, and he maximized every single day there. He's a legend in INDYCAR, and he will be a legend always in INDYCAR. So, I think he's not missing Formula One, and I'm very happy for him because he's a very, very talented driver. 'We are just following him from here with a lot of respect and as a fan, because I was watching on Sunday the race and just hoping that he would finally make it – and he did it. So, happy for him.' VeeKay Believes DCR Changes Will Boost Results Michael Cannon returns to Dale Coyne Racing after spending six years (2014-19) engineering for the organization. He served as an engineer in recent seasons for Chip Ganassi Racing and AJ Foyt Racing. Cannon will engineer Rinus VeeKay's No. 18 askROI Honda in part of a personnel shakeup that also returns Mike Colliver to the team to lead engineer Jacob Abel's No. 51 Blue Oval SK Honda. 'He's synonymous with success in INDYCAR,' VeeKay said of Cannon. 'Really good to have him around. He seems like he's at home. A lot of people already knew him in the team. I'm really excited. I think everybody's a little bit more afraid of this team now.' VeeKay is 12th in points with three top-10 finishes this season. He believes Cannon can take his team to the next level with all his experience and knowledge. That showed Friday with VeeKay ending up ninth in practice. 'He has a lot of info,' VeeKay said. 'Like this season, we were kind of struggling with our brakes. He's already found one solution and has a backup solution to that solution. He has a backup to the backup solution. He just knows a lot of stuff. He's done everything 10 times.' Grid Penalties for Rahal and Dixon Scott Dixon's No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda had an unapproved engine change prior to last Sunday's '500.' As a result, the team was in violation of Rule 16.1.2.3.2 because this his fifth engine used this season. Graham Rahal also changed engines on Miller Lite Carb Day, violating Rule 16.1.5.4: Once an Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Engine is fitted to the Car, removal prior to the Indianapolis 500 Race is an Unapproved Engine Change-Out, unless it is replaced for Repair. Both will serve six-position grid penalties for Sunday's 100-lap race. Teammates Rossi, Rasmussen Reach Different Milestones Alexander Rossi and Christian Rasmussen enter this weekend's race with very different trajectories but shared momentum from standout moments in last Sunday's '500.' Rossi led 14 laps, surpassing 1,000 INDYCAR SERIES career laps led, with 1,010 in 153 career races. However, his day was cut short by a mechanical failure after 73 laps, resulting in a 28th-place finish in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet. Rossi has been consistent on the streets of Detroit, finishing fifth in both races since the series returned to the downtown course. 'We need to minimize mistakes, execute in every session, and if we do that, there's no reason we can't be fighting for the podium,' Rossi said. Rasmussen, a second-year driver, made headlines by leading his first career INDYCAR SERIES laps – eight in total, at Indianapolis. He passed Rossi on the Lap 29 to lead his first career lap in the No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet. 'Taking the early restart in second, I was thinking to myself, the smart thing here would probably be to stay in second,' Rasmussen said. 'Just stay behind and save some fuel. But coming to the green, I just couldn't help myself, so I came storming by Alex (Rossi). It was a cool experience and obviously special.' Energized by his Indy performances, Rasmussen eyes a good weekend in Detroit. 'Coming off a strong Indy 500, I'm really excited for the rest of the season,' Rasmussen said. 'The No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet crew has some solid momentum, and we're ready to build on that.' Country Star Wright To Sing Anthem, Perform at WWTR Country music singer Chase Wright was named as the national anthem singer for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline on Sunday evening, June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway. The Indiana native also will pay tribute to St. Louis-area first responders and relief workers by performing a free concert. Wright offered the gesture following last week's tornado that affected the region. Odds and Ends Andretti Global added Siemens to serve as the primary sponsor on Marcus Ericsson's No. 28 Siemens Honda at this event. The company sponsored Kirkwood for the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and continues to sponsor Kirkwood this weekend, along with Amazon Web Services. Andretti Global, Team Penske and Arrow McLaren had eight of the top 12 times on Friday. Chip Ganassi Racing was led by Palou, who was 15th fastest. Dixon was 18th and Kyffin Simpson 20th in the No. 8 Ridgeline Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Next up is practice at 9 a.m. ET on Saturday, followed by NTT P1 Award qualifying at noon. Both sessions will air on FS1, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. recommended
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox News
'Plower' move? Kyle Kirkwood eyes INDYCAR action after Will Power's push-and-pass
DETROIT – Will Power chuckled a little watching the replay, but whether INDYCAR officials find humor in his new push-to-pass maneuver in practice Friday is still to be seen. The Detroit Grand Prix street course is notoriously tight in some areas, and Power got into the back of Kyle Kirkwood and decided to just keep pushing him until he got to a point where he could pass Kirkwood. The contact did slight damage to the underwing of Kirkwood's car but Kirkwood still posted the fastest time by the end of the opening INDYCAR practice. "He stopped in the middle [of the turn] and I tried to go, and he didn't and I thought I might as well move him out of the way and get a gap and then finish my run," Power said. "I just moved him ... I don't have a problem with him. I didn't even know who it was. "I was just in the back of someone and I was like, 'He's off-throttle and I'll keep pushing him until he gets passed this [other] car, move him out of the way and go.'" Kirkwood wasn't mad but also said he hopes for some sort of sanction (which typically is a reduction of practice time). INDYCAR officials had not said anything as of Friday night if Power will lose any time Saturday. "Does it give him the right to push my car through a couple of corners and almost cause a wreck?" Kirkwood said. "I don't think so. ... I expect INDYCAR to do the right thing with that. I'm sure they'll do something. Who knows what? I have never seen that before." Kirkwood did have some fun (we think) on social media. "I get Will's frustration," Kirkwood said. "Everyone's stopped. I'm frustrated, too. But the difference is I'm not pushing guys, I'm not running into the back of guys. Everyone knows Will to get animated sometimes and that's another moment of it." The Andretti driver is the only driver not named Alex Palou to win this year. "We're fast, so I'm not frustrated," Andretti said. "We're quick. We're a team that is going to come here and try to win and do everything in our power to win, and we're not going to let anybody ruffle our feathers." Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Fox Sports
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
'Plower' move? Kyle Kirkwood eyes INDYCAR action after Will Power's push-and-pass
DETROIT – Will Power chuckled a little watching the replay, but whether INDYCAR officials find humor in his new push-to-pass maneuver in practice Friday is still to be seen. The Detroit Grand Prix street course is notoriously tight in some areas, and Power got into the back of Kyle Kirkwood and decided to just keep pushing him until he got to a point where he could pass Kirkwood. The contact did slight damage to the underwing of Kirkwood's car but Kirkwood still posted the fastest time by the end of the opening INDYCAR practice. "He stopped in the middle [of the turn] and I tried to go, and he didn't and I thought I might as well move him out of the way and get a gap and then finish my run," Power said. "I just moved him ... I don't have a problem with him. I didn't even know who it was. "I was just in the back of someone and I was like, 'He's off-throttle and I'll keep pushing him until he gets passed this [other] car, move him out of the way and go.'" Kirkwood wasn't mad but also said he hopes for some sort of sanction (which typically is a reduction of practice time). INDYCAR officials had not said anything as of Friday night if Power will lose any time Saturday. "Does it give him the right to push my car through a couple of corners and almost cause a wreck?" Kirkwood said. "I don't think so. ... I expect INDYCAR to do the right thing with that. I'm sure they'll do something. Who knows what? I have never seen that before." Kirkwood did have some fun (we think) on social media. "I get Will's frustration," Kirkwood said. "Everyone's stopped. I'm frustrated, too. But the difference is I'm not pushing guys, I'm not running into the back of guys. Everyone knows Will to get animated sometimes and that's another moment of it." The Andretti driver is the only driver not named Alex Palou to win this year. "We're fast, so I'm not frustrated," Andretti said. "We're quick. We're a team that is going to come here and try to win and do everything in our power to win, and we're not going to let anybody ruffle our feathers." recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
