Tag Archives: IndyCar

Danica Patrick had a Feeling about Boyfriend’s Prospects

Posted on by

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, kisses his girlfriend, Danica Patrick, driver of the #10 Aspen Dental Ford, in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 7, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Danica Patrick said she had positive vibes about boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s chances in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, and not just because Stenhouse had won the pole during Saturday’s time trials.

But Patrick was otherwise occupied when Stenhouse took the checkered flag for the first time in his 158th start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Continue reading →

Bristol Brings Back Positive Vibes for Montoya

Posted on by

Photo – IndyCar Media

Juan Pablo Montoya got a warm welcome on his return to Bristol Motor Speedway, even if it was just to announce his sponsor for the upcoming Indianapolis 500.

Montoya will compete for Team Penske in the May spectacle with Fitzgerald Glider Kits as his sponsor, the same company that holds the entitlement for Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Bristol.

But when asked about his first trio around BMS in a stock car, Montoya waxed nostalgic.

“I love this place,” Montoya told the NASCAR Wire Service. “Because for me, the biggest problem I had with a stock car was it had no grip.  Here, with the banking, it made up a lot of grip. I always ran really well here. This was a fun place for me.”

Asked whether the relationship with Penske and Fitzgerald Glider Kits might lead to a return to NASCAR racing in a one-off situation, Montoya shrugged and smiled.

“I don’t know,” he said. “They tell me go here, I go there. I mean they say, ‘Jump,’ I say ‘How high?’”

In general, however, Montoya thinks cross-pollination between racing series is a good thing. In the Indy 500 he’ll compete against Fernando Alonso, a rival in Formula One from 2001 through 2006.

“I think it would be nice for motorsports to do a little more of that, because it’s just going to create a little more interest overall,” said Montoya, who doesn’t have a full-time IndyCar ride this season. “It is something that it would be nice to see all motorsports to be able to see top drivers jump from one to the other just for one race.

“I was lucky enough to be in all the top series in the world, and being able to win in all of them and everything. I’ve been very blessed in that point of view.”

Montoya, however, wasn’t immune from some good-natured ribbing that also recalled his NASCAR days. Fitzgerald Glider Kits founder Tom Fitzgerald Sr. introduced Montoya as “Mr. Jet Dryer,” a reference to the driver’s fiery collision with track-drying equipment under caution during the 2012 Daytona 500.

“I wasn’t going to do that,” quipped Fitzgerald, “but I couldn’t resist.”

Friday New Hampshire Notebook

Aside

Print

Wreck in practice forces Chaser Austin Dillon to backup car

A wreck in practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was the last thing Austin Dillon needed.

After a 14th-place finish last Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway in the first race of the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Dillon needs a strong run at New Hampshire to escape the bottom four in the standings.

But with the Round of 16 elimination race looming Oct. 1 at Dover, Dillon had his weekend start catastrophically at the Magic Mile, site of Sunday’s Bad Boy Off Road 300 (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN). Continue reading →

2014 Iowa Speedway Winner Sam Hornish Jr Returning to Newton

Posted on by
Photo - Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Photo – Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Hornish Jr. will look to defend his win against a stacked field in the NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen 

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Sam Hornish Jr. will make his way back to the world’s only 7/8-mile oval this weekend looking to repeat his 2014 win against another stacked field. Hornish Jr., driving the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18, will race in the NASCAR XFINITY Series American Ethanol E15 250 presented by Enogen on Sunday, June 19. It’ll be his first NASCAR race of 2016. Continue reading →

Justin Wilson Children’s Fund Update

Aside

Photo - JustinWilson.co.uk

Photo – JustinWilson.co.uk

Justin Wilson Children’s Fund Update

INDYCAR and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway encourage racing fans to make donations to a new fund established to support the  family of Justin Wilson. Donations to the Wilson Children’s Fund can be made online at www.wilsonchildrensfund.com or sent to the following address:

Wilson Children’s Fund
c/o Forum Credit Union
P.O. Box 50738
Indianapolis, IN  46250-0738
317-558-6000

“Justin Wilson gave so much to his teammates, fellow drivers and INDYCAR fans,” said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., the parent of INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “The best way for the racing community to show our appreciation and preserve his legacy is to express our unwavering support for his children, wife and family members during this heartbreaking time. I encourage fans across the nation to donate to the Wilson Children’s Fund.”

“Justin Wilson was a beloved and admired member of our INDYCAR family who touched the lives of countless individuals both stateside and in the United Kingdom,” said J. Douglas Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “I encourage fans to make donations in his honor to the Wilson Children’s Fund. I know Hoosiers will do their part in lending a helping hand to Justin’s loved ones during this very difficult time.”

If you previously sent a donation to INDYCAR, it will be forwarded to the new address. All donations will be kept confidential.

In addition, commemorative decals and T-shirts are available at shop.ims.com, with proceeds going directly to the Wilson Children’s Fund.

Wilson, who enjoyed success in multiple motorsports series during a two-decade professional career, died Monday from a head injury suffered in the Verizon IndyCar Series race Aug. 23 at Pocono Raceway. He was 37.