Author: Mike Haag

Courtesy of NASCAR DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR today announced sweeping changes to the lineup of tracks that make up the playoffs as part of its 2018 national series schedules. Next season, the final regular season race in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series will be contested at iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the Round of 16 kicks off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. NASCAR has added a second short track to the playoff slate, as the historic ¾-mile Richmond International Raceway hosts the second playoff race for the first time, and Charlotte Motor Speedway serves as the first cutoff race,…

INDIANAPOLIS – Fans at Indianapolis Motor Speedway were treated to a thrilling dress rehearsal for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil with this afternoon’s practice on the 2.5-mile oval. A total of 2,705 laps were completed by the 33 entries in the session that featured large groups of cars running together in full race trim, dicing and passing all around the circuit. It was the busiest practice day this year, even though the track was open for only 3.5 hours compared to the six hours available on practice days last week. Chip Ganassi Racing’s…

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 1 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, 2017 championship leader): “We didn’t have the speed in qualifying. We haven’t had the speed last week at all to compete. It was unfortunate and a bit of a mystery. Yesterday, I said the mysteries of Indianapolis sometimes. It’s what makes this place legendary, I guess. We made a lot of changes last night, mostly on obviously bodywork, because it’s a different package than qualifying, and also a new engine to go for the race. It’s a weapon, that engine, to put in there. They put a…

INDIANAPOLIS – In what has become an annual Indianapolis 500 tradition, the 33 participating Verizon IndyCar Series drivers will fan out across North America on Tuesday of race week to spread the word about “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” This year, the field for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil is scheduled to visit 21 cities in less than 24 hours. Drivers will meet with local media to discuss the race and partake in activities to increase the already-surging interest in the Indy 500, the world’s largest single-day sporting event set for May…

INDIANAPOLIS – Scott Dixon thrilled Indianapolis 500 qualifying fans like they haven’t been in more than two decades, capturing the pole position for the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil with the fastest average speed since 1996. The four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion and fourth-winningest driver in Indy car history completed four on-the-edge laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval at 232.164 mph. The 10-mile run in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was the best speed seen at IMS since Arie Luyendyk set the track record of 236.986 mph in second-day qualifying on May 12,…

SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 1 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series champion, 2017 championship leader): “The Menards Chevrolet had great balance again but speed is still a little lacking. I’m not really sure what we are missing, if anything. It’s a mystery of Indianapolis, I guess. Not every day can be your day. We’ll keep our heads down and get it ready to go for the race. It’s a long race and if we get a couple of breaks, there’s no telling what can happen. This team always answers the bell when it needs to. Despite struggling a little…

Courtesy of the NHRA TOPEKA, Kan. – Ron Capps raced his NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T to his fourth consecutive Funny Car victory this season Sunday at the 29th annual Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals presented by Minties at Heartland Park Topeka. Antron Brown (Top Fuel) and Tanner Gray (Pro Stock) were also winners in their respective categories at the eighth event of 24 on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing series schedule. Defending world champion Capps raced to a 3.924-second pass at 321.42 mph to defeat teammate and No. 1 qualifier, Matt Hagan, in his Mopar Express Lane Dodge…

INDIANAPOLIS – A look back at the Verizon IndyCar Series practice and press conference photos for the upcoming Indy 500. All photos are provided courtesy of Michael C. Johnson. Click below to see the photos and then click on the pictures to advance through the photo gallery. ” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″]

Courtesy of the Verizon IndyCar Series INDIANAPOLIS – Verizon IndyCar Series driver Sebastien Bourdais underwent successful surgery Saturday night for pelvic injuries he sustained while attempting to qualify for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. The Dale Coyne Racing driver sustained multiple fractures to his pelvis and a fracture to his right hip in the incident Saturday. “Surgery went well,” INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Geoffrey Billows said. “I’ve met with Sebastien this morning and he was doing even better than I expected.” Additional updates on Bourdais’ condition will be released when available. To see a video of…

By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service CONCORD, N.C. – Kyle Busch took control of Saturday night’s Monster Energy All-Star Race on the final restart with 10 laps left and motored away to a 1.274-second victory—his first in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series car at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Busch powered his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the inside of Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Team Penske Ford—the race leader on old tires—as the field roared toward Turn 1 on the final restart. Through the first two corners he cleared both Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson, who had restarted second on…