Archives for Indy Lights News/Results

Indy Lights in Toronto – 2018 – Herta leads O’Ward as the series takes on a tricky street circuit

Posted by  on Wednesday, July 11th 2018     

By Steve Wittich

The introduction of doubleheader Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races in Toronto coincided with the introduction of the IL-15 three years ago, and all three years have seen twofold trips to victory lane.

The pair of races has also played an essential role in the championship over the same time period.

Last year, Kyle Kaiser won both races and grew his points lead from 13 to 51. A big enough lead that the Juncos Racing driver would be able to hold off a charging Santi Urrutia.

In 2016, it was Belardi Auto Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist that dominated the weekend. The championship story that year it wasn’t about the eventual champion scoring the most points but was about Ed Jones closest competitors not being able to take advantage of mediocre fifth and sixth place finishes. The current Chip Ganassi Racing driver entered the weekend with a 23 point lead his closest competitor, Dean Stoneman and was able to leave the “Great White North” with a 24 point lead.

In 2015, current Ed Carpenter Racing Indy Car driver Spencer Pigot trailed Jack Harvey by 24 points when the series visited Ontario. A pair of wins by the American moved him to within 11 points of the British driver, who he eventually overhauled to win the $1 million Mazda Motorsports scholarship.

The eventual champion has won on the streets surrounding Exhibition a total of 11 times.

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series has a long history in Toronto. Fabrizio Barbazza won during the event’s inaugural weekend in 1986, and the top level American Open Wheel Series is scheduled to contest their 28th and 29th race in Toronto.

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires winners in Toronto

YEAR DRIVER TEAM
2017 Race #2 Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing
2017 Race #1 Kyle Kaiser Juncos Racing
2016 Race #2 Felix Rosenqvist Belardi Auto Racing
2016 Race #1 Felix Rosenqvist Belardi Auto Racing
2015 Race #2 Spencer Pigot Juncos Racing
2015 Race #1 Spencer Pigot Juncos Racing
2014 Alex Baron Belardi Auto Racing
2013 Jack Hawksworth Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2012 Gustavo Yacaman Team Moore
2011 Stefan Wilson Andretti Autosport
2010 J.K. Vernay Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2009 Sebastian Saavedra Andretti Autosport
2001 Townsend Bell Dorricott Racing
1999 Geoff Boss Lucas Motorsports
1998 Guy Smith Johansson Motorsports
1997 Helio Castroneves Tasman Motorsports
1996 Gaulter Salles Brian Stewart Racing
1995 Greg Moore Forsythe Racing
1994 Steve Roberston Tasman Motorsports
1993 Bryan Herta Tasman Motorsports
1992 Bryan Herta Landford Racing
1991 P. J. Jones Landford Racing
1990 Paul Tracy Landford Racing
1989 Gary Rubio Performance Motorsports
1988 Calvin Fish Douglas Sheirson Racing
1987 Tommy Byrne OPAR Racing
1986 Fabrizio Barbazza Arciero Racing Team

A dominant victory from pole in which Patricio O’Ward led every lap reduced the Andretti Autosport rookies championship gap from 17 points to 8 points over his sophomore Andretti Steinbrenner Racing teammate Colton Herta as the series heads “north of the border” for the Cooper Tires Indy Lights Grand Prix of Toronto Presented by Allied Building Products.

Herta, whose dad won two Indy Lights races in Toronto, is riding a streak of eight straight podiums, and told TSO that the championship is something he thinks about, saying:

“Obviously, you think about it. But not incredibly. It seems like every weekend either Pato or I are winning. You just have to win, and if you win, you’ll win the championship. It’s tough to have a bad weekend. You have to finish first or second and that’s what I’ve done the past four or five weekends. I just need to continue do that.”

After a little thought, the 19-year-old modified his Toronto expectation just a little bit, adding:

Pato has been super strong on street courses. That is somewhere that I can improve. I need to minimize mistakes, and I don’t need too much risk in Toronto. I need to take care of the car.”

The 19-year-old O’Ward will be making his first foray onto the unique street circuit in Indy Lights equipment, but does have three podiums in four Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire starts in Toronto.

Patricio O’Ward get ready for the 100 Lap Indy Lights race at Iowa Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

The native of Monterey, Mexico understands that there is still a lot of laps to be run before the $1 million Mazda Motorsports Scholarship will be handed out.

“There are seven races to go,” said the four-time winner so far this year. If you have one bad weekend, it’ll shoot you down (the standings). We just have to make sure if he have a bad one, it’s not that bad and is on the podium. If we have a good weekend, we have to capitalize and get some poles, lead laps and get race wins and we’ll be good for Portland.”

Speaking of poles and leading laps, O’Ward currently leads Herta by a count of 11-3 in bonus points scored. One point is on offer for winning the pole and another for leading the most laps, meaning there are still 14 more bonus points to be handed out.

One thing that teammates O’Ward and Herta will need to overcome is Andretti Autosport’s lack of recent Indy Lights results in Toronto. The team has two wins, two poles, and five podiums, but it’s been eight races since their last rostrum and Stefan Wilson in 2011 was the team’s last win.

Stefan Wilson gets congratulated in victory lane in Toronto by his brother Justin Wilson. The younger Wilson was the last Andretti Autosport Indy Lights winner in Toronto (Photo courtesy of INDYCAR)

After Sunday’s race at Iowa Speedway Belardi Auto Racing’s Santi Urrutia, who is 49 points adrift of Herta, admitted that he needs to start racking up wins. The Uruguayan’s team has three Indy Lights wins in Toronto, but despite an impressive four top fives in six starts is still looking for his first win in Canada.

The combination of Juncos Racing and Victor Franzoni’s past successes on the 1.786-mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit should give the Brazilian, who trails Herta by 67 points, an excellent chance to visit the top step of the podium.

Since the introduction of the IL-15 Juncos Racing has won four of six race, collected seven podiums and led 106 laps.

In six previous Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires starts in Toronto, the 22-year-old has a win, two podiums, and five top ten finishes.

Andretti Autosport veteran Dalton Kellett will be the only Indy Lights driver racing in front of a home crowd and past years are any indication, there will be plenty of people sporting the distinctive teal and black K-Line gear. The Queen University graduate is also set to announce an exciting partnership with STEM Foundation Ten80 Education this weekend.

“I’m very excited for the Indy Toronto this weekend,” explained the Toronto born Kellett. “This is my hometown race and that makes it my favorite event on the calendar outside of Indy. The track itself is a lot of fun. It’s a true street course – with many pavement transitions and lots of bumps which is always a challenge. It looks like some sections have been repaved, so I’m excited to see how those play out. We had good pace here last year so we’re looking forward to continuing with that and I’m excited to see all of the enthusiastic Toronto fans. I think this is one of the best events as far as fan engagement goes – everybody involved does a great job at putting on a great show. We have a lot going on this weekend with a new partnerships coming onboard so I’m excited to see those progress as time goes on and look for more updates on that in the upcoming days.”

Rounding out the entry list is a pair of series sophomores.

Belardi Auto Racing’s Aaron Telitz has a pair of wins, four podiums, and six top-five finishes on the 1.786-mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit.

Ryan Norman finished sixth and tenth in two races with Andretti Autosport last year.

Some more nuggets of information

  • Patricio O’Ward has led a lap in nine of ten races so far in 2018. The only race he has failed to lead was the first race at Road America. He leads Colton Herta in laps led during the 2018 season by a 243-52 margin.
  • It’s been four years, and seven races since a driver from a stable other than Belardi Auto Racing or Juncos Racing won on the 1.786-mile, 11-turn Exhibition Place street circuit.
  • A total of 15 different teams have won on shores of Lake Ontario. Landford/Brian Stewart Racing and Juncos Racing each have four victories.
  • Dalton Kellett would only be the third Canadian to win an Indy Lights race in Toronto. Paul Tracy won in 1990, and Greg Moore won in 1995. Highlights from Tracy win is below.

  • A total of 31 teams have had drivers stand on the Indy Lights podium in Toronto. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with nine is followed by active teams Belardi Auto Racing and Juncos Racing with seven each.

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires weekend schedule

Friday

  • 11:45 AM – 12:15 PM – Indy Lights Autograph Session
  • 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM – Indy Lights Practice #1

Saturday

  • 8:35 AM – 9:05 AM – Indy Lights Qualifying #1
  • 12:40PM – 1:40 PM – Indy Lights Race #1

Sunday

  • 9:05 AM – 9:35 AM – Indy Lights Qualifying #2
  • 12:25 PM – 1:25 PM – Indy Lights Race #2

 

Don’t miss any of the action:

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air following the Honda Indy Toronto on NBCSN at 6 PM (ET) on Sunday, June 15th.

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Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway – O’Ward leads all 100 laps – cuts gap to Herta to eight points

Posted by  on Sunday, July 8th 2018     

After nine entertaining Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires races to start the season, the series was due for an event that one driver dominated.

Patricio O’Ward started his seventh race of the year on the pole and led all 100 laps to collect his fourth win of the season. It’s the young Mexican driver’s 11th win in 46 Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires starts.

The win moves O’Ward to within eight points of Colton Herta in the chase for the $1 million.

Urrutia was apparently ready to go when the green flag flew for the 100 lap Mazda Iowa 100 Presented by Cooper Tires, moving from the fifth starting spot to second by the time the field completed the first 0.894-mile lap.

The running order after the first lap was. O’Ward, Urrutia, Herta, Norman, Kellett, Telitz, and Franzoni.

There was some early movement, but for the majority of the 34-minute race, the best battle was between Urrutia and his Belardi Auto Racing No. 5 and Herta and his No. 98 Andretti Steinbrenner Racing machine.

The championship leader stalked the two-time Indy Lights champion before making a daring move to the inside of Turn 3 with five laps remaining.

The win was the first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires win at Iowa Speedway for Andretti Autosport.

The podium was Herta’s eighth straight podium and 16th career Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires podium.

Urrutia now has 21 Indy Lights podiums and 31 career Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires podiums.

Mazda Iowa 100 Presented by Cooper Tires results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER DIFFERENCE
1 27 Pato O’Ward 100 laps
2 98 Colton Herta 2.8258
3 5 Santi Urrutia 5.6820
4 48 Ryan Norman 6.0403
5 28 Dalton Kellett 7.9356
6 23 Victor Franzoni 8.5758
7 9 Aaron Telitz 9.5601
category: Indy Lights News/Results

Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway – A quick post on what to expect during the race today

Posted by  on Sunday, July 8th 2018     

By Steve Wittich

Don’t forget that the Mazda Iowa 100 Presented by Cooper Tires race rolls off at 11:15 AM. Check the bottom of this post for ways to follow all of the action during the 100 lap race.

The four Andretti Autosport cars led the way during qualifying, and the starting line-up is as follows:
1 – Patricio O’Ward
2 – Colton Herta
3 – Ryan Norman
4 – Dalton Kellett
5 – Santi Urrutia
6 – Aaron Telitz
23 – Victor Franzoni

Every one of the drivers that we chatted with yesterday, said that qualifying didn’t matter on the 0.894-mile “bullring.” That fact was proven out last year when the podium started in 10th, 11th and 5th.

That being said, most drivers told TSO Ladder that they didn’t concentrate on qualifying during the first and only practice session. The race car they’ll need for the race is very different than the car they’ll need to be successful for the race.

“The race car is going to be totally, totally different; Aero and everything,” explained Patricio O’Ward after qualifying. “Tomorrow we’re just going to have to see how the race car is, but I hope it’s good and I’m sure it’s going to be.”

“I think if you can save your rear tires for the end, that’s what is going to give the advantage to people if they did it right. If they didn’t (nail the set-up) they are going to go straight to the back.”

O’Wards championship-leading teammate Herta, who is starting alongside of him agreed, telling TSO Ladder: “It’s a bit of an unknown here because it (tire degradation) is massive here, but I think we have a pretty good race car.”

Telitz, who will start on the outside of row three, told TSO Ladder that multiple lanes are available at both ends of the track and figuring out where your car is more comfortable will be the key to keeping your rear tires underneath you for the entire 100 laps.

A pair of Andretti Autosport experiment with different lines during Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires practice at Iowa Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

With 50% more points on offer, the difference between first and seventh is 24 points, making today’s just a little more critical. A win by O’Ward could move him past Herta or bring Urrutia and Franzoni within striking distance.

Don’t miss any of the action:

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air on NBCSN at 11 PM (ET) tonight.

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Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway – O’Ward leads a Andretti Autosport sweep of qualifying

Posted by  on Saturday, July 7th 2018     

By Steve Wittich

Patricio O’Ward, who will start on the pole for the sixth time this season, led an Andretti Autosport sweep of qualifying for the Mazda Iowa 100 Presented by Cooper Tires.

The 19-year-old was the only pilot who was able to put together two laps above 161mph. The Mexican had the two most consistent laps of qualifying with less than two-tenths of a mile per hour separating his first and second laps on the 0.894-mile oval.

“I had confidence in the car because I did that exact same thing in practice, so I knew the car was capable of that,” said O’Ward to TSO after qualifying. “At first, it’s pretty hard to get over that edge because you’re not sure if you’re going to have the grip, and you’re not sure if you are going to get pushed wide a little bit. It was a good run. The car felt good for a qualifying run.”

Patricio O’Ward prior to Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires qualifying at Iowa Speedway (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

Dalton Kellett, who finished on the podium in last year’s Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race at Iowa Speedway, was the first driver to qualify for the 100 lap. There were no clouds in the sky, the temperature was 79F, and the humidity was low.

Kellett’s provisional pole didn’t last long, as his Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Norman was able to go 0.6mph quicker.

The sophomore told the ADVANCE Auto Parts Radio Network that he thought he left a little on the table and that Turn 3 on his first lap was a bit hairy.

Norman survived Aaron Telitz, Santi Urrutia, and Victor Franzoni, but his teammate O’Ward was able to lay down two quick laps.

The last car on track was Herta. The current championship leader turned the quickest lap of qualifying at 162.241mph but was not able to overcome a slower first lap and will start on the outside of the front row.

After qualifying, TSO asked the second generation driver if he thought he left anything on the table and his response to us was:

“We just had too much understeer. The tires came in too late. I’m a bit upset with that, but qualifying doesn’t really matter here. It’s more about tire deg and how you manage the tires and so far this year, we’ve been a lot better than everyone else, and that’s why we’ve been able to come back through and win the races. Hopefully, that’s a trend that stays. It’s a bit of an unknown here because it (tire degradation) is massive here, but I think we have a pretty good race car.”

O’Ward’s pole is Andretti Autosport’s sixth pole in the 11 Iowa Speedway Indy Lights races and the team’s eighth in the ten races so far in 2018.

Mazda Iowa 100 Presented by Cooper Tires Qualifying Results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER 2 LAP -AVERAGE
1 27 Pato O’Ward 161.699
2 98 Colton Herta 161.489
3 48 Ryan Norman 161.165
4 28 Dalton Kellett 160.590
5 5 Santi Urrutia 160.266
6 9 Aaron Telitz 160.162
7 23 Victor Franzoni 160.122

The 100 lap Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will roll off at 11:15 AM tomorrow (Sunday, May 8th).

Don’t miss any of the action:

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air on NBCSN at 11 PM (ET) on Sunday, June 8th.

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Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway – First Practice

Posted by  on Saturday, July 7th 2018     

 

By Steve Wittich

Patricio O’Ward led Aaron Telitz and Santi Urrutia, a pair of Belardi Auto Racing drivers, in the lone Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires practice session of the weekend. Victor Franzoni and Colton Herta were the other drivers in the top five.

The sole 45-minute Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires practice session began at 1:30 PM with perfect weather. The ambient temperature was 76F, with low humidity. The track temperature was 113F.

Most of the running involved group running, with drivers trying differing lines behind other cars. I spent some time at both ends of the track watching the action. It appears that the drivers are willing to use the low line in Turns 1 and 2, but that the bumps in Turn 3 and Turn 4 move them up to the second line.

There was a single yellow during the session for debris. The AMR INDYCAR Safety Team picked up some debris on the back straight.

O’Ward’s quick lap at 160.875mph was turned at the very end of the session.

A pair of the seven entries is partaking in their first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires action at Iowa Speedway.

Patricio O’Ward has raced at the 0.894-mile tri-oval in Pro Mazda, starting sixth and finishing third as a 16-year-old rookie in 2015.

Reigning Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire champion Victor Franzoni will be making his first race start at Iowa Speedway. The Juncos Racing pilot did complete a test program with the new PM-18 Pro Mazda last year.

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires Practice #1 Results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER QUICK LAP DIFF. TOTAL LAPS
1 27 Pato O’Ward 20.006 –.—- 57
2 9 Aaron Telitz 20.079 0.0739 74
3 5 Santi Urrutia 20.170 0.1647 67
4 23 Victor Franzoni 20.325 0.3192 65
5 98 Colton Herta 20.391 0.3857 53
6 28 Dalton Kellett 20.525 0.5190 60
7 48 Ryan Norman 20.559 0.5535 65

Indy Lights will back on track at 5 PM for qualifying.

Don’t miss any of the action:

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air on NBCSN at 11 PM (ET) on Sunday, June 8th.

category: Indy Lights News/Results

Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway – Steve’s preview

Posted by  on Thursday, July 5th 2018     

By Steve Wittich

Round 10 of the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires 2018 season will be the series 11th visit to the progressive banked 0.894-mile oval. The top rung on the Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires has traveled to Newton, Iowa with big brother IndyCar every year except 2014.

Alex Lloyd and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports won the first contest in 2007, and last year Carlin’s Matheus Leist used the second groove to move from his tenth starting spot to the lead in 31 laps.

Since the introduction of the IL-15 three seasons ago, the Iowa Speedway Bullring has seen domination by a single team. Carlin, who is taking a respite from Indy Lights competition this year, is three for three in wins, scored two of three poles, stood on five of the nine podium steps and led 250 of 300 laps over the past three years.

Max Chilton leads the way during his first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires tire win at Iowa Speedway in 2015 (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

Belardi Auto Racing with two and Andretti Autosport with one have the other podiums among active Indy Lights teams in the past three years. Juncos Racing is still looking for the team’s first podium at the ⅞ths-mile oval.

Previous Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race winners at Iowa Speedway

YEAR DRIVER TEAM
2017 Matheus Leist Carlin
2016 Felix Serralles Carlin
2015 Max Chilton Carlin
2013 Sage Karam Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2012 Esteban Guerrieri Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2011 Josef Newgarden Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2010 Sebastian Saavedra Bryan Herta Autosport
2009 Ana Beatriz Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2008 Dillon Battistini Panther Racing
2007 Alex Lloyd Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

With a win on Saturday and second place on Sunday at Road America, sophomore Colton Herta was able to extend his points lead over O’Ward from six points to 17 points.

Herta’s second-place finish during Sunday’s race was his seventh straight trip to the podium and the 15th in his Indy Lights career, moving him ahead of his dad Bryan, who had 14 podiums during the 1992 and 1993 seasons of Indy Lights. Herta’s Indy Lights podium percentage now sits at an impressive 60%, the highest of active drivers.

Current Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires points leader Colton Herta waves to the crowd as he gives them a smoke show after winning at Road America (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

However, with 50%+ more points on offer for the trio of Indy Lights oval races in 2018, a win by O’Ward, Urrutia, or Franzoni could quickly eat into the second generation drivers points lead.

Points available for the three Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires oval races in 2018

POSITION POINTS POSITION POINTS POSITION POINTS
1 45 10 17 19 4
2 38 11 15 20+ 2
3 33 12 14
4 29 13 12
5 26 14 11
6 23 15 9
7 21 16 8
8 20 17 6
9 18 18 5

Herta started last year’s race on pole, the fourth time an Andretti Autosport driver has begun an Indy Lights race on pole at Iowa Speedway, but fought a loose race car, falling back to the fourth spot during the 100 lap race.

The 18-year-old and engineer Doug Zister will need to find a better set-up to keep the No. 98 Andretti Steinbrenner Racing machine at the front of the field and win the first Indy Lights races at Iowa Speedway for the Andretti Autosport stable.

“I’m super excited to get back to racing on an oval this weekend,” said the second generation pilot. “Iowa’s always a tough, hot race so we’ll need to have a good balance that won’t degrade tires.”

O’Ward, who began the season winning three of four races, has dropped 44 points to Herta over the last five races. The 19-year-old has started on pole three times in those five races, so the pace is clearly still there. Now it’s a matter of finding the results again.

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires points over the past five races.

RANK DRIVER PTS
1 Colton Herta 162
2 Patricio O’Ward – R 118
3 Victor Franzoni – R 111
4 Aaron Telitz 109
5 Santi Urrutia 107
6 Dalton Kellett 93
7 Ryan Norman 92
8 Davey Hamilton, Jr. 21
9 Shelby Blackstock 0
10 Neil Alberico 0
11 Alfonso Celis, Jr. 0

O’Ward will be making his first short-oval start in the turbo-charged 2.0L Mazda powered Indy Lights car, but the Mexican driver does have some success from the Pro Mazda Presented By Cooper Tire series to fall back on. O’Ward has three starts on short ovals, collecting one win, two podiums and three top-five finishes, including a third-place finish at Iowa Speedway in 2015.

“Iowa – it’s our second oval of the season,” explained O’Ward. “Last time I raced at this track was in 2015 in the Pro Mazda series, and I finished on the podium, so I’m looking to move up two spots better this time around – and getting my first oval win of this season. It’s a challenging, yet physical and fun oval so I am anxious to get out on track.”

Santi Urrutia, a two-time Indy Lights vice-champion, trails Herta by 44 points with just under half of the races left in the chase for the 1 million Mazda Motorsports Scholarship. The Uruguayan driver utilized the high-line during last years race to move from a disappointing 11th starting spot to an impressive second-place finish.

Urrutia won his first Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires oval race at Gateway Motorsports Park last year and his 73 points on ovals in 2017 trailed Matheus Leist by only a single point.

Victor Franzoni is coming off an emotional race weekend at Road America where he was able to honor his former teammate and good friend Jeff Green with his first Indy Lights pole and win. The Brazilian pilot of the Soul Red No. 23 led two laps in the first oval race of the year at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and was running with the lead group before suffering a puncture just before the half-way point of the “Carb Day” event.

Victor Franzoni celebrates his first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires win with his Juncos Racing crew (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

“I am really looking forward to the race in Iowa,” said Juncos Racing rookie Franzoni. “We are coming off of an awesome weekend at Road America. Each session we improved a lot. After the win, I think we can carry this momentum forward for the final half of the season. We were super fast in the Freedom 100, so I am sure we will be fast at Iowa. The team has done a great job finding set ups on the ovals, and I enjoy running on them as well so it will be a good weekend. Iowa is a difficult track, but it is also a fun track.”

Coming off his third podium of the season in his home state event, Aaron Telitz will look to continue to impress on the Verizon IndyCar Series teams that he is ready for the next step.

“Definitely. Efforts are already underway,” said Telitz to the ADVANCE Auto Parts IndyCar Radio network when asked what his plans are going forward. “With CoForce, and also my driver manager Steve Welk, we’re already working on knocking on doors to be in IndyCar for 2019. It will be an interesting, silly season. I think a lot of movement will happen. It’s a good time to try to jump in.”

Andretti Autosport sophomore Ryan Norman, who is tied with Telitz for fifth in the championship at 160 points, had not made an oval start until last year and is getting more comfortable with each lap turned.

“I’m excited to get back in the car at Iowa this weekend,” said the driver of the No. 48 Journey sponsored machine. “I’m really starting to enjoy ovals a lot more and we had a really good test at Gateway last week so I’m feeling very confident going into race weekend.”

Canadian and Andretti Autosport veteran Dalton Kellett is coming off another podium in the last Indy Lights oval race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 24-year-old has podiums in five of his previous seven Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires oval starts including a third-place finish at Iowa last year in Indy Lights and a second-place finish three years ago in Pro Mazda.

Random notes

  • Matheus Leist, Max Chilton, and Josef Newgarden are the three entries in this years Verizon IndyCar Series Iowa Corn 300 that have wins on the ⅞th mile oval.
  • Only two of the first ten Indy Lights winners at Iowa Speedway have started on pole, and the winner has come from outside of the first row in half of the races. The average starting spot of the winner is 3.8.
  • The average finishing position of the pole sitter is 4.3 and Esteban Guerrieri’s 11th place finish in 2011 is the worst finish by a driver starting on the inside of the front row.
  • The 2010 Indy Lights race at Iowa Speedway was the AvoidTheStork.com 100 – one of the more unique title sponsors we’ve seen. Oh, and if you are interested, that domain is available for the low, low price of $2,395.
  • Before the introduction of the IL-15 in 2015, the Indy Lights race at Iowa Speedway was dominated by Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. They won five of the first seven races and collected 13 of 21 podium steps.
  • The winner of the Indy Lights race at Iowa Speedway has gone on to win the championship a total of three times. Alex Lloyd (2007), Josef Newgarden (2011) and Sage Karam (2013) have won in the cornfields of Iowa in the same year they took home the Indy Lights driver’s crown.

Current Team Penske IndyCar driver Josef Newgarden celebrates an Indy Lights win at Iowa Speedway in 2011 (Photo Courtesy of INDYCAR – Chris Jones)

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires weekend schedule

Saturday

  • 1:30 PM – 2:15 PM – Indy Lights Practice #1
  • 5 PM – 5:30 PM – Indy Lights Qualifying

Sunday

  • 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM – Indy Lights Race (100 laps)

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air on NBCSN at 11 PM (ET)

Don’t miss any of the action:

The Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race will air on NBCSN at 11 PM (ET) on Sunday, June 8th.

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MRTI Update from Road America #15 – Franzoni scores emotional first Indy Lights win; joins all-MRTI series win club

Posted by  on Sunday, June 24th 2018     

By Tony DiZinno

It has been an emotional whirlwind week-plus for Victor Franzoni and the entire Juncos Racing team heading into Road America.

Today Franzoni paid tribute to his fallen friend and 2017 Pro Mazda teammate, Jeff Green, with an overdue first career victory in the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires series. This means he has now won in all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires, after also winning in Pro Mazda and USF2000.

“My feelings are that it’s amazing. When you win it’s good, but when you win the first time in Indy Lights is a different feeling,” Franzoni told the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network’s Rob Howden.

“It’s been a difficult weekend. Yesterday was the worst race of my career. I made the most number of mistakes. But today was the best race of my career.

“This victory is for him,” Franzoni said of Green. “What he did for me is amazing. He took me to Indy Lights. I wouldn’t have been in Pro Mazda. I wouldn’t be here today. Now we have to win all the races. Today was the day I learned the car, to where I know how to do a full race with this car.”

He’s also ended Colton Herta’s four-race win streak in the process. Herta was second to extend his championship lead, while Aaron Telitz got a home podium in third.

Herta entered Sunday’s second Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. on a four-race winning streak. If he could win five in a row, he’d match Alex Lloyd’s mark from 2007. The fifth straight win for Lloyd that year was also scored in Wisconsin, at the Milwaukee Mile.

On the opening lap, Santi Urrutia got past Franzoni on the start for second place. Telitz briefly got ahead of Herta for fourth but that changed.

Things got a bit crazy on Lap 3. Urrutia tried to the inside of O’Ward for the lead at Turn 5 but goes in a bit too deep. There’s contact between the two of them, Urrutia damages his front wing, and they both go way off on corner exit, with O’Ward deeper into the grass. Franzoni takes advantage and makes the pass for the lead, three-wide, with both left-side wheels off course.

Urrutia meanwhile is in trouble on the exit of Turn 8 and has fallen behind Herta and O’Ward. He pits with front wing damage from sixth place, and heads to the pits where he pulls off course from the race. This is a big hit to his championship hopes for the moment.

Franzoni has expanded his lead over O’Ward from 2.3 seconds to then 2.5, and 3.1 seconds by Lap 5.

O’Ward is withstanding pressure from Herta, with Telitz having a front row seat to the proceedings in fourth.

However on Lap 7, Herta goes past O’Ward on the outside at Turn 5 for second place, and immediately defends to the inside to prevent O’Ward from repassing him on the inside.

Franzoni leads Herta by 4.0535 seconds on Lap 7, with O’Ward third, 4.6 seconds back, Telitz fourth 5.4 seconds back and Norman the last car on the lead lap. Kellett needed to pit to replace a cut left rear tire on Lap 1 (caused when Norman’s right front wing contacted Kellett’s tire) and is running sixth, on the tail end of the lead lap.

The gap is 4.2 seconds at the end of Lap 8, and 4.3 seconds a lap later as Franzoni settles into a rhythm up front.

It’s crossed flags at Lap 10 with Franzoni 4.5 seconds ahead of Herta, and O’Ward now behind him a little bit closer. Further back, the Belardi Auto Racing team has repaired the broken wishbone of Urrutia’s No. 5 Dallara IL-15 Mazda and sent him back out.

Kellett was trying to get out of the way to allow Herta through, but the two Andretti Autosport teammates made contact at Turn 14 as Herta was on the inside and Kellett on the outside.

With five laps to go, Franzoni remains in control by over 5 seconds to Herta. O’Ward, now out of push-to-pass, will have to defend against Telitz for third.

Telitz has one more push remaining and on Lap 18, uses it to get a run on O’Ward into Turn 5. He gets around on the outside and brakes on the inside. He defends against O’Ward through Turns 6, 7 and 8.

On the final lap, Franzoni has a 7.9 second lead on Herta, as he looks to bring it home for his first Indy Lights victory.

He does so at the end of Lap 20 by a margin of victory of 8.9153 seconds over Herta, with Telitz scoring his third podium finish of the season.

All three teams are on the podium with Juncos Racing, Andretti-Steinbrenner Racing and Belardi Auto Racing.

For Franzoni, he joins Sage Karam, Spencer Pigot, Matty Brabham, Aaron Telitz and Nico Jamin as winners in all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy presented by Cooper Tires.

A visibly emotional Franzoni had a few tears after the race – justifiably – given the week. He’ll be pushing from here to get more victories and more points.

Herta had a smart drive to end second, getting a couple passes done and maintaining his championship lead.

Telitz was thankful to be on the podium in front of his home friends and family. It was a hard drive for him but he took advantage of the day.

Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires Race #2 – Unofficial Results

P No Name Laps Diff
1 23 Victor Franzoni 20
2 98 Colton Herta 20 8.9153
3 9 Aaron Telitz 20 13.3778
4 27 Pato O’Ward 20 16.8594
5 48 Ryan Norman 20 18.9434
6 28 Dalton Kellett 19 1 LAPS
7 5 Santi Urrutia 13 7 LAPS
category: Indy Lights News/Results
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MRTI Update #11 from Road America – Herta wins fourth Indy Lights race in a row – extends points lead

Posted by  on Saturday, June 23rd 2018     

By Steve Wittich

For the fourth straight Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race, Colton Herta visited victory lane. After seven poles last year, it’s a little surprising that none of those wins have come from an inside front row start.

Herta acknowledges that when he got out of the car, tell the ADVANCE Auto Parts Radio Network: “That seems to be our thing – not qualify that well but finish up front. Fourth win in a row. We obviously have the package working.”

Herta is the first Indy Lights driver since Alex Lloyd in 2007 to win four races in a row. Lloyd won the first five races that season and he will have a chance to tie him tomorrow.

The win is Herta’s six Indy Lights win and 14th podium.

For the first time since 2007, an Indy Lights driver has won four race in a row.

After one pace lap, Victor Franzoni and Santi Urrutia led the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires field uphill to the green flag.

The Soul Red No. 23 of Franzoni got the jump on the field and led a side-by-side sextet behind him.

Telitz was able to get around O’Ward for fourth in Turn 3, but the Mexican flag colored. No. 27 took to the grass on the Moraine Sweep and took the spot back in Turn 5.

Just ahead of that battle, Urrutia went wide exiting Turn 5, allowing Herta to grab the inside like headed up to Turn 6 and the championship leader was able to make the pass.

At the end of the first lap, the running order was: Victor Franzoni, Colton Herta, Santi Urrutia, Patricio O’Ward, Aaron Telitz, Ryan Norman and Dalton Kellett.

As the second lap began, O’Ward was right on the tail of Urrutia, and the two made slight contact while going through the fast right-hand Turn 1. O’Ward gathered it back in and tried to go around the outside of Urrutia in Turn 5, but the Uruguayan was able to get to the brakes just a little later and held onto the spot.

O’Ward was able to make the same move work on the next lap to move up to the final podium spot.

Up front, Herta was starting to pressure Franzoni, trying the over-under move in Turn 5

Lap 4 98 goes to outside at Turn 5, but cant’ make the over-under move work. At the start of the fifth lap, the pole-sitter had a half-second lead. Herta tried the same move in Turn 5 and once again, Franzoni was able to hold off the Andretti Steinbrenner Racing driver.

Herta made the same move for the third consecutive lap, and this time was able to get by Franzoni in the braking zone.

On the next lap, Franzoni got wide and went through the grass at the exit of Turn 7, allowing O’Ward to go by him. O’Ward locked up into the next corner enabling Franzoni to get beside him. The pair of talented drivers managed to go side-by-side through The Carousel. When they got The Kink, Franzoni smartly backed out of it, allowing O’Ward to chase after his teammate.

Over the next four laps, Herta’s gap to O’Ward fell from 1.2 seconds to 0.4 seconds.

At the halfway point of the 20 lap race, O’Ward under Herta’s rear wing going into Turn 6 and on the next lap O’Ward tried an outside move going into Turn 5.

O’Ward locked up, going wide and getting a rough ride over the gator curbs at corner exit. That was O’Ward’s lone attempt for the win as Herta was able to grow the gap to 1.7 seconds with five laps remaining and ended up crossing the line 3.7 seconds ahead of O’Ward.

On his pass attempt, O’Ward said: “I got alongside Colton but went off. For some reason the car started acted funky after I went over the rumble strips. I just wanted to get the car home! We’re on pole tomorrow. We’ll try to catch back up in the championship.”

Provisional Indy Lights Race #1 Results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER TEAM DIFFERENCE
1 98 Colton Herta Andretti Steinbrenner Racing —
2 27 Pato O’Ward Andretti Autosport 3.7061
3 23 Victor Franzoni Juncos Racing 5.5703
4 5 Santi Urrutia Belardi Auto Racing 8.4695
5 9 Aaron Telitz Belardi Auto Racing 9.0704
6 48 Ryan Norman Andretti Autosport 15.6618
7 28 Dalton Kellett Andretti Autosport -1 LAPS

The second Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America Presented by Cooper Tires gets the green flag Sunday at 9:50 AM.

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MRTI Update #10 from Road America – O’Ward grabs his fifth Indy Lights pole of the season

Posted by  on Saturday, June 23rd 2018     

By Steve Wittich

For the fifth time in 2018, Patricio O’Ward will lead an Indy Lights race to the green flag, after turning in a flyer that was an impressive 0.4714 seconds ahead of race #1 pole sitter Victor Franzoni. It’s the Mexican drivers 10th career Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires pole.

“We made some changes after yesterday,” said O’Ward to the ADVANCE Auto Parts Radio Network. “We thought things were good but weren’t. There’s a big difference in a race car versus a qualifying car. We got down to work.

“We worked really hard on our race car since the test. We didn’t have great pace there. I don’t want that to happen again. The good thing is here it’s not hard to pass. It’s an interesting one. We are going to be fast.”

Franzoni, Santi Urrutia, and Colton Herta set lap times that were only a tenth-of-a-second apart.

With the lingering smell of overnight campfires and a rising sun casting shadows on the tree-lined 4.014-mile, 14-turn Road America natural terrain road course the top rung of the American open-wheel ladder began their second qualifying session of the weekend.

With an ambient temperature of 60 F and the track temperature of 64F, getting your Cooper Tire slicks up to temperature was key.

All seven drivers were on the track during the first 15 minutes, with Franzoni, Herta, Urrutia, and O’Ward all holding the provisional pole position.

At just before the half-way point of the session all drivers were on pit road to make adjustments and get a set of sticker Cooper Tires.

At the halfway point, the running order was: O’Ward, Urrutia, Herta, Aaron Telitz, Franzoni, Ryan Norman, Dalton Kellett.

During yesterday’s qualifying session, the track had more grip than expected and the teams that found the right combination of springs stiffness and downforce were the quickest.

With 10 minutes left in the session, O’Ward improved on his provisional pole lap to 113.6549 seconds.

After two laps to get their tires up to temperature, Colton Herta was the first driver to grab take the provisional pole in the final five minutes. Franzoni was the next driver to grab the provisional pole but eventually lost it to O’Ward.

Provisional Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires Race #2 qualifying results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER QUICK LAP DIFFERNCE
1 27 Pato O’Ward 1:52.608 –.—-
2 23 Victor Franzoni 1:53.079 0.4714
3 5 Santi Urrutia 1:53.094 0.4860
4 98 Colton Herta 1:53.158 0.5501
5 9 Aaron Telitz 1:53.325 0.7167
6 48 Ryan Norman 1:53.680 1.0719
7 28 Dalton Kellett 1:54.296 1.6881
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MRTI Update #8 from Road America – Victor Franzoni grabs an emotional pole for Indy Lights race #1

Posted by  on Friday, June 22nd 2018     

By Steve Wittich

An emotional Victor Franzoni put together a lap of 113.188 seconds to put his Mazda powered Soul Red No. 23 from Juncos Racing on pole for first of two Mazda Indy Lights Grand Prix of Road America Presented by Cooper Tires races this weekend.

Victor Franzoni on pit road at Road America (Photo courtesy of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, LLC Photography)

We are a team,” exclaimed Franzoni to the ADVANCE Auto Parts IndyCar Radio Network. “We work together; We win together; We lose together. Today we won qualifying together.”

Last weekend, the 22-year-old lost last year’s Pro Mazda teammate and mentor Jeff Green in an on-track incident in a vintage F5000 race at Canadian Tire Motorsports, and later in the week, he drove straight through from Miami, Fla. to Indianapolis, Ind. His new home.

The pole is Franzoni’s first in Indy Lights and ninth across his entire Mazda Road To Indy Presented by Cooper Tires career. The reigning Pro Mazda champion has now won a pole in all three series.

Santi Urrutia, who trimmed out before his final run, ended up less than a tenth-of-a-second off pole will start on the outside of the front row, his best starting spot of the year.

Andretti Autosport drivers have started on pole in six of eight races this year, but the best they could do was the second row. Championship leader Colton Herta and teammate Patricio O’Ward will start behind Franzoni and Urrutia.

The session began seven hours after the lone Indy Lights practice session.

Dalton Kellett had an issue in Turn 14 with 10 minutes gone in the session, causing a local yellow. The Andretti Autosport veteran was able to keep going, and the track remained green.

Franzoni was on the provisional pole at the half-way point of the half-hour session. He was followed by Colton Herta, Santi Urrutia, Aaron Telitz, Patricio O’Ward, Ryan Norman and Dalton Kellett.

At that point of the session, all seven drivers came to pit road for adjustments and fresh Cooper Tire slicks.

It took a couple of laps for the drivers to get their tires up to temperature and laps started to drop with five minutes remaining, giving the drivers only two or three hot laps to find that perfect lap.

Herta, Telitz, Norman, and Kellet were the first drivers to improve their lap times, but it didn’t’ take long for the remaining drivers to go quicker.

Provisional Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race #1 qualifying results

RANK CAR NO. DRIVER QUICK LAP DIFFERNCE
1 23 Victor Franzoni 1:53.188 –.—-
2 5 Santi Urrutia 1:53.283 0.0942
3 98 Colton Herta 1:53.362 0.1738
4 27 Pato O’Ward 1:53.581 0.3930
5 9 Aaron Telitz 1:53.952 0.7632
6 48 Ryan Norman 1:54.111 0.9229
7 28 Dalton Kellett 1:55.316 2.1274

 

category: Indy Lights News/Results
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