IndyCar: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Preview
Last Year’s Race Recap
Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden led the most laps (138) and drove to an easy win over Pato O’Ward in the Bommarito 500 IndyCar race at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Newgarden’s crew got him out of the pits first three times and he used the clean air out front to cruise to victory, his third win at Gateway.
The only person capable of beating Newgarden was Colton Herta. Herta appeared to have the measure of the field in his #26 Gainbridge Honda until his driveshaft broke on lap 185.
Polesitter Will Power came home third in his #12 Verizon Chevy. His Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin came home 4th to give Team Penske 3 of the top 4 finishers.
Sebastien Bourdais rounded out the top-5 for AJ Foyt Racing.
Betting Favorite
Josef Newgarden is once more the PointsBet Sportsbook favorite.
| Driver | Winning Amount on $100 Bet |
| Josef Newgarden | +245 |
| Patricio O’Ward | +450 |
| Will Power | +500 |
| Colton Herta | +800 |
| Scott McLaughlin | +900 |
| Alex Palou | +1200 |
| Scott Dixon | +1400 |
| Marcus Ericsson | +1400 |
| Rinus VeeKay | +2000 |
| Alexander Rossi | +2200 |
| Felix Rosenqvist | +2200 |
| Ed Carpenter | +2500 |
| Conor Daly | +2500 |
| Jimmie Johnson | +3000 |
| Takuma Sato | +3000 |
| Roman Grosjean | +3000 |
| Simon Pagenaud | +3000 |
| Graham Rahal | +4000 |
| David Malukas | +4000 |
| Jack Harvey | +5000 |
| Christian Lundgaard | +5000 |
| Hélio Castroneves | +6000 |
| Kyle Kirkwood | +8000 |
| Callum Ilott | +10000 |
| Devlin DeFrancesco | +15000 |
When and Where
Race weekend: Friday, Aug. 19 – Saturday, Aug. 20
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 260 laps / 325 miles | Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires: 75 laps / 93.75 miles
Entry List
|
CAR |
DRIVER |
HOMETOWN |
CAR NAME |
TEAM |
ENGINE |
|
|
1 |
2 |
Josef Newgarden |
Nashville, Tennessee |
PPG Team Penske |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
2 |
3 |
Scott McLaughlin |
Christchurch, New Zealand |
Odyssey Battery Team Penske |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
3 |
4 |
Dalton Kellett |
Toronto, Canada |
K-LINE / AJ FOYT RACING |
A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
Chevrolet |
|
4 |
5 |
Pato O’Ward |
Monterrey, Mexico |
Arrow McLaren SP |
Arrow McLaren SP |
Chevrolet |
|
5 |
06 |
Helio Castroneves |
Sao Paulo, Brazil |
AutoNation/SiriusXM |
Meyer Shank Racing |
Honda |
|
6 |
7 |
Felix Rosenqvist |
Värnamo, Sweden |
Arrow McLaren SP |
Arrow McLaren SP |
Chevrolet |
|
7 |
8 |
Marcus Ericsson |
Kumla, Sweden |
Bryant |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
8 |
9 |
Scott Dixon |
Auckland, New Zealand |
PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
9 |
10 |
Alex Palou |
Barcelona, Spain |
American Legion |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
10 |
12 |
Will Power |
Toowoomba, Australia |
Verizon Team Penske |
Team Penske |
Chevrolet |
|
11 |
14 |
Kyle Kirkwood (R) |
Jupiter, Florida |
Bommarito / AJ Foyt Racing |
A.J. Foyt Enterprises |
Chevrolet |
|
12 |
15 |
Graham Rahal |
New Albany, Ohio |
iPacket |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
13 |
18 |
David Malukas (R) |
Chicago, Illinois |
HMD |
Dale Coyne Racing with HMD |
Honda |
|
14 |
20 |
Conor Daly |
Noblesville, Indiana |
BitNile |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
15 |
21 |
Rinus VeeKay |
Hoofddorp, Netherlands |
Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
16 |
26 |
Colton Herta |
Valencia, California |
Gainbridge |
Andretti Autosport w/ Curb-Agajanian |
Honda |
|
17 |
27 |
Alexander Rossi |
Nevada City, California |
NAPA AUTO PARTS / AutoNation |
Andretti Autosport |
Honda |
|
18 |
28 |
Romain Grosjean |
Geneva, Switzerland |
DHL |
Andretti Autosport |
Honda |
|
19 |
29 |
Devlin DeFrancesco (R) |
Toronto, Canada |
PowerTap |
Andretti Steinbrenner Autosport |
Honda |
|
20 |
30 |
Christian Lundgaard (R) |
Hedensted, Denmark |
Mi-Jack |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
21 |
33 |
Ed Carpenter |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
Alzamend Neuro |
Ed Carpenter Racing |
Chevrolet |
|
22 |
45 |
Jack Harvey |
Bassingham, England |
Hy-Vee |
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing |
Honda |
|
23 |
48 |
Jimmie Johnson |
El Cajon, California |
Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing |
Chip Ganassi Racing |
Honda |
|
24 |
51 |
Takuma Sato |
Tokyo, Japan |
Nurtec ODT |
Dale Coyne Racing with RWR |
Honda |
|
25 |
60 |
Simon Pagenaud |
Montmorillon, France |
AutoNation/SiriusXM |
Meyer Shank Racing |
Honda |
|
26 |
77 |
Callum Ilott (R) |
Cambridge, England |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Juncos Hollinger Racing |
Chevrolet |
Firestone tire allotment: Nine sets of Firestone Firehawk tires for use throughout the weekend
Twitter: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #IndyCar
Event website:http://www.wwtraceway.com/
INDYCAR website:www.IndyCar.com
2021 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Sonsio Team Penske Chevrolet)
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
David Malukas (No. 79 HMD Motorsports) – Both Races
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet), 49.8289, 180.618 mph
One-lap qualifying lap record:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES
Will Power, 23.7206, 189.709 mph, Aug. 25. 2017
Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires
Juan Piedrahita, 27.8890, 161.354 mph, Aug. 26, 2017
NBC Sports race telecast: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline 6 p.m. ET Saturday, Aug. 20, USA Network (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports’ coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, while NBC’s race telecast of the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be simulcast on the streaming service. Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will be streamed following the race. The Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline race (6 p.m. ET Saturday), Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway (4:10 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19
Noon-1 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice 1, Peacock Premium
2:10-3 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practice, INDYCAR Live!
3:15-4:15 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT P1 Award qualifying (single car/cumulative time of two laps), Peacock Premium
5:15 p.m. – Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway Qualifying, INDYCAR Live!
6-6:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice – Group A, Peacock Premium (Note: This is a special, voluntary high-line session among nine cars. Each entry receives an extra set of Firestone Firehawk tires for the session only.)
6:45-7:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, Peacock Premium
SATURDAY, AUGUST 20
3:15 p.m. – Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway “Drivers Start Your Engines”
3:20 p.m. – Indy Lights at World Wide Technology Raceway (75 laps / 93.75 miles)
5 p.m. – USA Network on air
5:25 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta & Valvoline “Drivers, start your engines”
5:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta & Valvoline (260 laps/325 miles), USA Network (Live)
Championship facts:
- Will Power leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with three races to go for the fourth time in his career. Power previously led the championship with three races to in 2010, 2012 and 2014. He won the title in 2014.
- With 59 points separating the top-seven drivers in the point standings, this is the closest championship in the last 20 years.
- There are 11 drivers still mathematically eligible for the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship: Will Power, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward, Alexander Rossi, Felix Rosenqvist, Colton Herta and Rinus VeeKay.
Any driver who trails the points leader by 108 points or more following the race will be eliminated from contention.
- Since the first INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway, the winning driver has won the INDYCAR SERIES championship three times: Alex Zanardi (1998), Josef Newgarden (2017) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1).
Key championship point statistic: Since 2008, the driver who has led the championship with three races to go has won the championship eight times – Scott Dixon in 2008, 2018 and 2020, Dario Franchitti in 2011, Will Power in 2014, Simon Pagenaud in 2016 and Josef Newgarden in 2017 and 2019
Point differential: The six points that separate Will Power and Scott Dixon is the fourth-closest point margin since 2008. Prior to this season, the average lead with three races to go since 2008 was 30.1 points.
CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 3 TO GO (2008-2022)
| YEAR | LEADER | SECOND | LEAD | CHAMPION |
| 2008 | Scott Dixon | Helio Castroneves | 78 | Scott Dixon |
| 2009 | Ryan Briscoe | Dario Franchitti | 4 | Dario Franchitti |
| 2010 | Will Power | Dario Franchitti | 23 | Dario Franchitti |
| 2011 | Dario Franchitti | Will Power | 26 | Dario Franchitti |
| 2012 | Will Power | Ryan Hunter-Reay | 5 | Ryan Hunter-Reay |
| 2013 | Helio Castroneves | Scott Dixon | 49 | Scott Dixon |
| 2014 | Will Power | Helio Castroneves | 4 | Will Power |
| 2015 | Juan Pablo Montoya | Graham Rahal | 42 | Scott Dixon (-48) |
| 2016 | Simon Pagenaud | Will Power | 27 | Simon Pagenaud |
| 2017 | Josef Newgarden | Scott Dixon | 18 | Josef Newgarden |
| 2018 | Scott Dixon | Alexander Rossi | 29 | Scott Dixon |
| 2019 | Josef Newgarden | Alexander Rossi | 35 | Josef Newgarden |
| 2020 | Scott Dixon | Josef Newgarden | 72 | Scott Dixon |
| 2021 | Pato O’Ward | Alex Palou | 10 | Alex Palou |
| 2022 | Will Power | Scott Dixon | 6 | ? |
Race notes:
- There have been eight different winners in 14 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races in the 2022 season. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course), Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway, Streets of Long Beach, Road America, Iowa Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park, Iowa Speedway-2), Colton Herta (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis 500), Will Power (Raceway at Belle Isle Park), Scott Dixon (Streets of Toronto and Streets of Nashville) and Alexander Rossi (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-2) have all won in 2022. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.
- The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 will be the 14th INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Josef Newgarden won his third race at WWTR in 2021. Paul Tracy won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WWTR in 1997. Newgarden, Scott Dixon (2020 Race 1) Takuma Sato (2019), Will Power (2018) and Helio Castroneves (2003) are the former winners entered in this year’s race.
| ACTIVE RACE WINNER | WINS | SEASONS |
| Josef Newgarden | 3 | 2017, 2020-Race2, 2021 |
| Scott Dixon | 1 | 2020-Race 1 |
| Takuma Sato | 1 | 2019 |
| Will Power | 1 | 2018 |
| Helio Castroneves | 1 | 2003 |
- The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 will be the fifth and final oval race of the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule. The previous oval races were won by Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway, Iowa Speedway-1), Marcus Ericsson (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and Pato O’Ward (Iowa Speedway-2).
- Three drivers have won at World Wide Technology Raceway from the pole – Juan Pablo Montoya (2000), Gil de Ferran (2002) and Helio Castroneves (2003).
- Team Penske has won seven times at World Wide Technology Raceway. Penske’s winning drivers are Paul Tracy (1997), Gil de Ferran (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020-Race 2, 2021) and Will Power (2018). Chip Ganassi Racing has three wins at Gateway with Alex Zanardi (1998), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1).
Twenty drivers entered in the event have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at World Wide Technology Raceway. Scott Dixon has seven starts, most among the entered drivers. Twelve entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 406, Helio Castroneves 271, Scott Dixon 251, Will Power 201, Takuma Sato 145, Pato O’Ward 131, Colton Herta 121, Simon Pagenaud 14, Alexander Rossi 4, Felix Rosenqvist 3, Marcus Ericsson 2 and Conor Daly 1).