Palou to kick off month of May driving No. 10 American Legion Honda in GMR Grand Prix
The month of May in Indianapolis really gets into full swing this weekend, with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES hitting Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) for the first of two races this month.
The series’ drivers will compete first in the May 13 GMR Grand Prix on IMS’ road course, and 15 days later return for the Indianapolis 500 on the facility’s famed oval track. And in both races, Chip Ganassi Racing’s (CGR) Alex Palou will be behind the wheel of the No. 10 American Legion Honda, featuring the Legion’s “Be the One” suicide-prevention message.
Palou is off to another strong start, with three top-five finishes and another top 10 on his way to sitting in third place in the INDYCAR SERIES points race. In 2021, Palou drove the No. 10 American Legion Honda to a third-place finish on his way to winning the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points race.
CGR teammates Marcus Ericsson and Marcus Armstrong also will display American Legion branding on their liveries this weekend. Ericsson won the INDYCAR season opener and has finished at least 10th in every race. The 2022 Indy 500 winner currently leads the points race.
Armstrong is coming off an impressive performance in the No. 11 American Legion Honda, which he drove to an 11th-place finish in the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix in Alabama on May 1. Armstrong started that race 26th but was able to move up 15 spots by the end of the race, earning him the “Biggest Mover” award. Despite along racing the road and street courses this season, Armstrong has managed to take a 15-point lead in INDYCAR’s rookie standings.
Also this weekend, CGR developmental driver Kyffin Simpson will carry American Legion branding as he competes in the INDY NXT by Firestone race at IMS’ road course.
The 85-lap GMR Grand Prix will traverse a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course that incorporates portions of Turns 1 and 2 and the front straight of the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, while the remainder of the circuit is within the infield, allowing for great spectator viewing.
This weekend’s broadcast schedule:
· Friday, May 12: 9:30-10:45 a.m., NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1; 1-2 p.m., NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2; 4-5:15 p.m., NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifications (all Peacock)
· Saturday, May 13: 11:15-11:45 a.m., NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup; 1-2:15 p.m., INDY NXT race (both Peacock); 3:30-6 p.m., NTT INDYCAR SERIES race, NBC and Peacock
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes
· Scott McLaughlin became the fourth winner in as many NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season as he outdueled Romain Grosjean to win the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix on April 30 at Barber Motorsports Park. 2022 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Marcus Ericsson leads Pato O’Ward by three points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 100 points on offer over the next four three with races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
· The GMR Grand Prix will be the 14th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. Active race winners who are expected to compete are Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power.
· Four NTT P1 Award winners have won the GMR Grand Prix from the pole: Will Power in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016. Power also won the second Harvest GP race from the pole in 2020.
· Six drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All but Sato are entered this year.
· Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden or Kyle Kirkwood can solidify their chance at the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge’s $1 million prize by winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Ericsson (Streets of St. Petersburg) and Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach) have won on street circuits while Newgarden has a win on an oval (Texas Motor Speedway). A win on a road course would make one of them one step closer to earning a $500,000 bonus and a matching $500,000 donation for a chosen charity. Scott McLaughlin is also eligible for the bonus but already has a road course win at Barber Motorsports Park.
· Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Andretti Autosport swept the races in 2022 while Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren are the only other teams to win at the track. Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay. Chip Ganassi Racing won with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1, and Arrow McLaren won the inaugural race in 2014 with Simon Pagenaud when it was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
· Four NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Marcus Armstrong, Agustin Canapino, Benjamin Pedersen and Sting Ray Robb - are entered. All will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time.
· Twenty-three of the drivers entered in the event have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races on the IMS road course. Fifteen entered drivers have led laps in the GMR Grand Prix: Will Power 210, Scott Dixon 69, Simon Pagenaud 68, Colton Herta 50, Romain Grosjean 44, Graham Rahal 36, Rinus VeeKay 33, Josef Newgarden 25, Felix Rosenqvist 19, Pato O’Ward 5, Alexander Rossi 2, Marcus Ericsson 11, Scott McLaughlin 5, Jack Harvey 1 and Alex Palou 1.
· Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 310th consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history. Dixon will also attempt to make his 350th start with Chip Ganassi Racing.