MOORESVILLE, N.C. — An extra high line practice session for the NTT IndyCar Series has been added to Friday’s schedule for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500, according to World Wide Technology Raceway Executive Vice President and General Manager Chris Blair.
It’s similar to the extra session that was run in March at Texas Motor Speedway to add more tire rubber to the top groove at the 1.25-mile WWTR.
“Friday will be spectacular,” Blair told SPEED SPORT. “After some conversations with (IndyCar President) Jay Frye, we’re going to have practice, then qualifying, then come back with a 30-minute upper-groove session like they did at Texas Motor Speedway in March followed by an all-out test session before the USAC Silver Crown race.
“Everybody will be back out, flat-out, in race mode. People can see the cars in race performance, peak performance, on Friday.
“On Saturday, we are starting earlier with the green flag at 5:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. Eastern Time) to accommodate the TV window. A lot of the fans, even in Indianapolis, the race should be over by 7:45 (Central Time) and that is still plenty of time to hop in the car and be home in your own bed relatively easy. It’s a great day for a road trip and we’ve got your tickets.
“It’s finally here, so let’s have some fun this week.”
Kyle Kirkwood, driving of the No. 14 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet for A.J. Foyt Racing, likes the idea of creating another lane for starts and restarts, but the shape of the track will limit the use of an upper groove for much of the race.
“I think it’s going to help somewhat,” Kirkwood told SPEED SPORT. “It’s not going to be a drastic difference. Because of the geometry of the track, you are going to want to run that low line in an Indy car. That’s the best radius to take the corner.
“For us to go out and rubber-in the high line is going to help for restarts and starts, but as soon as everybody cycles in and starts running the low line, the marbles are going to start forming outside that low line. After 20 or 30 laps, it will no longer be usable, but it is a good thing because it will create racing for some period of time.
“If we have cautions and restarts, you will see closer racing because of that high line.”
According to both John Bommarito, President of the Bommarito Automotive Group, and Blair, ticket sales have been so high, they expect the largest crowd since the 2017 NTT IndyCar Series return to the 1.25-mile oval. Suites and VIP tents are sold out, so the track is opening up more room for the Turn 4 Club for fans that want to enjoy a premium experience at the race.
It’s the final oval race of the season for the NTT IndyCar Series and with only three races remaining, the top seven drivers are separated by just 59 points.
Will Power, the 2014 IndyCar champion, is the leader. Six-time NTT IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon is second, just six points behind. This year’s Indianapolis 500 winner, Marcis Ericsson, is third, just 12 points out. Two-time IndyCar champion Josef Newgarden of Team Penske is fourth, 22 behind his teammate in first. Defending series champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing is fifth, 33 behind Power. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin is sixth, 58 out and Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren SP is seventh, 59 out of the lead.
“One thing I love about this, and people don’t talk about this enough, we have seven guys contending for a championship and it’s all based on season points,” Blair said. “There is no reset button or playoff. This shows you the parity in IndyCar that the driver that is seventh has the chance to win the championship in the last three races.
“If that doesn’t say something to you about the quality of racing and parity in this sport, I don’t know what else to tell you. It’s fantastic. It’s tradition. You almost see it every year where there are multiple contenders and to see seven with only three races to go shows you everything that Jay Frye is doing over there, Roger Penske and his team are doing, it’s all laying the ground work for some incredible racing.
“I would hate to predict who is going to win this thing.”