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  36. <title>NASCAR announces Hall of Fame Class of 2025</title>
  37. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/nascar-announces-hall-of-fame-class-of-2025/</link>
  38. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/nascar-announces-hall-of-fame-class-of-2025/#respond</comments>
  40. <dc:creator><![CDATA[RACER Staff]]></dc:creator>
  41. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 22:48:12 +0000</pubDate>
  42. <category><![CDATA[NASCAR]]></category>
  43. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356407</guid>
  44.  
  45. <description><![CDATA[Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards and Ralph Moody have been selected as members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025. In addition, Dr. Dean (...)]]></description>
  46. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Ricky Rudd, Carl Edwards and Ralph Moody have been selected as members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025. In addition, Dr. Dean Sicking was named the recipient of the Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR.</p>
  47. <p>The members of the NASCAR Hall of Fame Voting Panel met on Tuesday in an in-person closed session at the Charlotte Convention Center to debate and vote upon the 15 nominees for the induction class of 2025 and the five nominees for the Landmark Award.</p>
  48. <p>Ten nominees appeared on the Modern Era ballot, which was selected by the traditional Nominating Committee. The same committee selected the five Landmark Award nominees. The Pioneer ballot, which included five nominees whose careers began in 1965 or earlier, was selected by the Honors Committee. Beginning with the Class of 2021, each Hall of Fame class features two inductees from the Modern Era ballot and one from the Pioneer ballot.</p>
  49. <p>The Class of 2025 was determined by votes cast by the Voting Panel, including representatives from NASCAR, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, track owners from major facilities and historic short tracks, media members, manufacturer representatives, competitors (drivers, owners, crew chiefs), recognized industry leaders, a nationwide fan vote conducted through NASCAR.com and the last two NASCAR Cup Series champions (Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson). In all, 62 votes were cast, with two additional Voting Panel members recused from voting as potential nominees for induction (Jeff Burton and Ricky Rudd). The accounting firm of EY presided over the tabulation of the votes.</p>
  50. <p>Rudd received 87% of the Modern Era ballot votes, Edwards received 52%. Harry Gant finished third, followed by Jeff Burton and Harry Hyde. Ralph Moody received 60% of the Pioneer ballot votes. Ray Hendrick finished second.</p>
  51. <p>Results for the NASCAR.com Fan Vote were: Ray Hendrick (Pioneer); Carl Edwards and Harry Gant (Modern Era).</p>
  52. <p>The two inductees came from a group of 10 nominees that included: Greg Biffle, Neil Bonnett, Tim Brewer, Jeff Burton, Randy Dorton, Carl Edwards, Harry Gant, Harry Hyde, Ricky Rudd and Jack Sprague.</p>
  53. <p>Nominees for the Pioneer Ballot included: Ray Hendrick, Banjo Matthews, Ralph Moody, Larry Phillips, Bob Welborn.</p>
  54. <p>Nominees for the Landmark Award included Alvin Hawkins, Lesa France Kennedy, Dr. Joseph Mattioli, Les Richter, Dr. Dean Sicking.</p>
  55. <p>The Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony is set for Friday, Feb. 7, 2025 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Tickets for the Induction Ceremony will be available later this month on NASCARHall.com.</p>
  56. <p><strong><u>Class of 2025 Inductees:</u></strong></p>
  57. <p><strong><u>Ricky Rudd</u></strong></p>
  58. <p>Tough. As. Nails. There is no other way to describe Ricky Rudd. Known as NASCAR’s Ironman for more than a decade, the Virginia native held the Cup Series record for consecutive starts (788) before Jeff Gordon broke it in 2015. His 906 series starts rank second to Richard Petty’s 1,185.</p>
  59. <p>During his 32-year Cup Series career, Rudd posted 23 wins, 194 top fives, 374 top 10s (seventh all-time) and 29 poles. One of the few successful driver/owners in the modern era, Rudd won six races for his Rudd Performance Motorsports team he operated from 1994-99, including the 1997 Brickyard 400.  Rudd, the 1977 Cup Series Rookie of the Year, earned a best points finish of second in 1991. He scored at least one win in 16 consecutive seasons (198398), which is tied for the third-longest streak in Cup Series history. Rudd was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.</p>
  60. <p><strong><u>Carl Edwards</u></strong></p>
  61. <p>“If you’re looking for a driver, you’re looking for me.” Working as a substitute teacher while chasing his racing career, Edwards would hand out business cards with that phrase. His persistent efforts led him to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing and ultimately a NASCAR national series career that featured 72 victories – each usually capped by a celebratory backflip.</p>
  62. <p>Edwards’ quick Truck Series success earned him full-time rides in both the Cup and Xfinity Series in 2005. He won his first races in each series during an early season weekend sweep at Atlanta Motor Speedway and never looked back.  Edwards finished in the top two in the Xfinity Series standings five straight years, including his 2007 championship, and amassed 38 wins over seven full seasons. Over 13 years in the Cup Series, he won 28 races, including the Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500, both in 2015. He was the championship runner-up twice, including the closest finish in NASCAR history, losing by tiebreaker in 2011. Edwards was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers.</p>
  63. <p><strong><u>Ralph Moody</u></strong></p>
  64. <p>For Massachusetts native Ralph Moody, it all started with a Motel T Ford he built in 1935 and raced on nights and weekends. After driving a tank under the command of General George S. Patton in World War II, he moved to Florida in 1949 so he could race year-round. Moody won five NASCAR Cup Series races from 1956-57.</p>
  65. <p>The mechanically skilled Moody paired with business-minded John Holman to form Holman-Moody Racing in 1957, forming the foundation of a powerhouse NASCAR team. Holman-Moody competed from 1957-73 winning consecutive championships with David Pearson (1968-69) and taking the checkered flag with Mario Andretti at the 1967 Daytona 500. Some of the sport’s most legendary figures piloted cars owned by Holman-Moody Racing, including NASCAR Hall of Famers Joe Weatherly, Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts, Bobby Allison and Pearson. Overall, the Holman-Moody partnership earned 96 wins and 83 poles in 525 premier starts.</p>
  66. <p><strong><u>Landmark Award for Outstanding Contributions to NASCAR:</u></strong></p>
  67. <p><strong><u>Dr. Dean Sicking</u></strong></p>
  68. <p>The impact Dr. Dean Sicking has made in keeping drivers safe cannot be overstated. Sicking is best known as an inventor of the SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barrier, an advancement that has saved countless lives over the past 20 years.  Following the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, NASCAR partnered with Sicking and the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to better understand the circumstances and help prevent future tragedies &#8212; a partnership that remains in place today.</p>
  69. <p>In addition to designing the SAFER barrier, Sicking studied each track’s incident history and helped implement a plan to cover the most dangerous areas immediately. Currently, all NASCAR national series race tracks feature SAFER barriers. For his efforts, Sicking was named winner of the Bill France Award of Excellence in 2003 and was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President George W. Bush in 2005.</p>
  70. ]]></content:encoded>
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  79. <media:title type="html">2016 NASCAR Dover</media:title>
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  81. </item>
  82. <item>
  83. <title>Bipartisan senators call for DOJ investigation into FOM&#039;s deferral of Andretti-Cadillac entry</title>
  84. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bipartisan-senators-call-for-doj-investigation-into-foms-deferral-of-andretti-cadillac-entry/</link>
  85. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bipartisan-senators-call-for-doj-investigation-into-foms-deferral-of-andretti-cadillac-entry/#comments</comments>
  87. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Medland]]></dc:creator>
  88. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 18:54:53 +0000</pubDate>
  89. <category><![CDATA[Formula 1]]></category>
  90. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356382</guid>
  91.  
  92. <description><![CDATA[ A bipartisan group of senators have called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Formula One Management (FOM) for its (...)]]></description>
  93. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>
  94. <p class="gmail-p1">A bipartisan group of senators have called on the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Formula One Management (FOM) for its deferral of Andretti-Cadillac’s attempts to enter Formula 1.</p>
  95. <p class="gmail-p1">Andretti was approved by the FIA as meeting the requirements set out by the governing body for any potential new entrant last year, advancing it to the stage where it could try and agree commercial terms with FOM.</p>
  96. <p class="gmail-p1">After carrying out analysis, FOM stated in January that it would not accept Andretti-Cadillac in 2025 or 2026, in part due to the need to use a customer power unit supply from Renault – potentially mandated if a deal could not be agreed – but would be more open to a 2028 entry when General Motors has registered its intent to produce its own power unit.</p>
  97. <aside class="related related--auto shortcode shortcode--auto-related">
  98. <h2 class="related__header">More Formula 1!</h2><a
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  100. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/21/symonds-to-join-andretti-cadillac-as-technical-consultant/"
  101. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  103. ><h2 class="block__title">Symonds to join Andretti-Cadillac as technical consultant</h2></a><a
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  108. ><h2 class="block__title">Why the F1 driver market is about to get busy again</h2></a><a
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  113. ><h2 class="block__title">McLaren reveals Senna tribute livery for Monaco</h2></a></aside>
  114. <p class="gmail-p1">With no significant movement since, members of Congress wrote to Liberty Media about the situation earlier this month, and now U.S. Senators Todd Young (Republican &#8211; Indiana), Amy Klobuchar (Democrat &#8211; Minnesota), and Mike Lee (Republican &#8211; Utah) have called on the DOJ to investigate.</p>
  115. <p class="gmail-p1">The letter, which is signed by multiple other Senators, is addressed to Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter, and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan, does not reference the 2028 potential, but describes the situation as “the exclusion of Andretti Formula Racing, LLC from entering the Formula One Championship series”, and focuses on both on-track competition and GM’s place in the European car market.</p>
  116. <p class="gmail-p1">The full text of the letter is below:</p>
  117. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>Dear Assistant Attorney General Kanter and Chair Khan,</i></p>
  118. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>We write because we are concerned that Formula One is acting at the behest of its independent teams and other “key stakeholders,” including foreign automakers, to exclude the team formed by Andretti Formula Racing, LLC’s partnership with General Motors (“Team Andretti-Cadillac”) from entering the Formula One Championship series. It is possible that such a refusal to deal—especially if orchestrated through a group boycott—could violate U.S. antitrust laws. </i></p>
  119. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>The Formula One Championship series (“F1”) currently has 10 teams; however, none of the teams drive an American-made car with American-made components driven by an American. Eleven teams competed in F1 as recently as 2016 and 12 teams competed in 2012. In February of 2023, a comprehensive application process was opened by the Fédération Internationale de l&#8217;Automobile (“FIA”), the governing body for F1 and other motorsports, to allow prospective teams to fill the vacant spots on the F1 grid. Among applicants, only Team Andretti-Cadillac was deemed to have met the stringent criteria set by FIA.</i></p>
  120. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>Upon approval, the commercial terms of Team Andretti-Cadillac’s participation in F1 were to be negotiated with Formula One Management (“FOM”). Instead of negotiating commercial terms, FOM unilaterally rejected Team Andretti-Cadillac’s application. FOM posited that Team Andretti-Cadillac would not benefit F1 financially and would not be competitive, “in particular for podiums and race wins.” This is in stark contrast with the technical approval granted prior to commercial negotiations. Moreover, the vast majority of F1 teams fail to win races in a given season. In 2023, a single team won all but one race, and half the teams in F1 have failed to win a race in the past 4 seasons combined. This competitive balance has not been the hallmark of F1 racing and adding a team backed by a major U.S. car manufacturer is likely to enhance competitiveness, not reduce it.</i></p>
  121. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>FOM also expressed concern about Team Andretti-Cadillac’s need to secure a “power unit” (the engine), despite stating that “GM ha[s] the resource[s] and credibility to be more than capable of attempting this challenge [of developing a power unit].” Notably, there are only four manufacturers that make power units and the addition of GM would bring increased competition to that highly specialized market.</i></p>
  122. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>Most striking, however, was FOM’s determination that bringing Team Andretti-Cadillac into F1 would not “add value to the Championship.” While F1 currently does not have an American-based team, F1 has been determined to increase its presence in the U.S. market. Over the past few years, more than 1 million Americans have tuned into each F1 race, more than doubling over the past few seasons. Last year, F1 hosted three races in America, in Miami, Las Vegas, and Austin, while no other country hosted more than a single race. Even individual teams, such as Red Bull, are courting U.S. fans by hosting events in U.S. cities to “get up close and personal with the marvel of Formula One engineering, bringing together F1 fans.” Clearly there is a financial incentive to adding an American team to F1’s roster, and there is no reason Team Andretti-Cadillac should be blocked unless FOM is trying to insulate its current partners from competition. </i></p>
  123. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>Given these facts, we have serious concerns that the rejection of Team Andretti-Cadillac was based on a desire to exclude a rival from the racetrack, marketing opportunities, and prestige that competing in F1 can lend to a car manufacturer competing to sell cars across the globe. While the FOM claims that it did not consult with current teams before rejecting Team Andretti-Cadillac, it notably references consultations with “key stakeholders,” which likely include team sponsors, including car manufacturers that directly compete against General Motors and Cadillac. That F1 stakeholders may have engaged in concerted action to exclude Team Andretti-Cadillac—especially after it met all technical requirements to join F1—that merits Investigation.</i></p>
  124. <p class="gmail-p3"><i>We appreciate your attention to this important issue.</i></p>
  125. </div>
  126. ]]></content:encoded>
  128. <wfw:commentRss>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bipartisan-senators-call-for-doj-investigation-into-foms-deferral-of-andretti-cadillac-entry/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  135. <media:title type="html">IndyCar 2024: Indianapolis 500</media:title>
  136. </media:content>
  137. </item>
  138. <item>
  139. <title>BMW unveils Art Car design for Le Mans</title>
  140. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bmw-unveils-art-car-design-for-le-mans/</link>
  141. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bmw-unveils-art-car-design-for-le-mans/#respond</comments>
  143. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Kilbey]]></dc:creator>
  144. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 18:47:59 +0000</pubDate>
  145. <category><![CDATA[Le Mans/WEC]]></category>
  146. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356373</guid>
  147.  
  148. <description><![CDATA[BMW has taken the wraps off the design of its 'Art Car' for the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours, which will compete for the overall victory in the (...)]]></description>
  149. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>BMW has taken the wraps off the design of its &#8216;Art Car&#8217; for the 2024 Le Mans 24 Hours, which will compete for the overall victory in the Hypercar class.</p>
  150. <p>The livery, designed by New York artist Julie Mehretu, will be used on the No. 20 Team WRT M Hybrid V8 driven by Robin Frijns, René Rast, and Sheldon van der Linde in the French classic. It was presented at the Centre Pompidou in Paris on Tuesday evening, along with its concept titled &#8220;performance painting&#8221;.</p>
  151. <p>This is BMW&#8217;s 20th official Art Car and the first since the 2017 season, when John Baldessari designed a livery for an RLL M6 GTLM that competed at the Rolex 24 Hours and a &#8216;virtual art car&#8217; on an M6 GT3 featuring a concept from Cao Fei took part in the FIA GT World Cup in Macau.</p>
  152. <p>“The whole BMW Art Car project is about invention, about imagination, about pushing limits of what can be possible,&#8221; said Mehretu. &#8220;I don’t think of this car as something you would exhibit. I am thinking of it as something that will race at Le Mans. It’s a performative painting. My BMW Art Car was created in close collaboration with motorsport and engineering teams. It is only completed once the race is over.”</p>
  153. <p>BMW explained that the process behind the design saw Mehretu transform a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional representation for the first time, &#8220;with which she succeeded in bringing dynamism into form.&#8221;</p>
  154. <p>&#8220;Mehretu used the color and form vocabulary of her monumental painting “Everywhen” (2021 &#8211; 2023) as a starting point for her design,&#8221; BMW continued. &#8220;The work is currently on view at the artist’s major retrospective at the Palazzo Grassi in Venice (ITA) and will subsequently become part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York (USA), to which it has been gifted.&#8221;</p>
  155. <p><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-356379" src="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="519" srcset="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg 800w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg?resize=150,97 150w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg?resize=300,195 300w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg?resize=768,498 768w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/P90550689_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar.jpg?resize=480,311 480w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
  156. <p>Its abstract visual form comes from digitally altered photographs, which are superimposed in several layers of dot grids, neon-colored veils and the black markings.</p>
  157. <p>“In the studio where I had the model of the BMW M Hybrid V8 I was just sitting in front of the painting and I thought ‘What would happen if this car seemed to go through that painting and becomes affected by it?’” Mehretu said. “The idea was to make a remix, a mash-up of the painting. I kept seeing that painting kind of dripping into the car. Even the kidneys of the car inhaled the painting.”</p>
  158. <p>Full-time WRT Hypercar driver Sheldon van der Linde described the prospect of competing in the car is an &#8220;honor.&#8221;</p>
  159. <p>&#8220;I love the bold graffiti look that Julie Mehretu has gone for with our Art Car,&#8221; he said.&#8221; I’m a huge fan of abstract art and have tried to incorporate her style into a one-off helmet design I will have for Le Mans. If the car is as fast and bold as it looks, we’re in for a very good weekend.”</p>
  160. <p>Franciscus van Meel, the CEO of BMW M GmbH, said: “Our return to Le Mans is spectacular for several reasons. For the first time since our victory in 1999, exactly 25 years ago, we are competing with the BMW M Hybrid V8 in the top class of the world&#8217;s biggest endurance race.</p>
  161. <p>&#8220;We are facing the highest-class competition currently available in racing in the Hypercar category. With more than 300,000 spectators, the 24 Hours of Le Mans also provides an overwhelming stage for the launch of the 20th BMW Art Car by Julie Mehretu. It stands in a great tradition of rolling works of art that have competed at Le Mans. I find the design fantastic and can&#8217;t wait to see how it will captivate all participants at this mega-event.”</p>
  162. ]]></content:encoded>
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  171. <media:title type="html">P90550688_lowRes_bmw-art-car-20-by-ar</media:title>
  172. </media:content>
  173.  
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  175. </item>
  176. <item>
  177. <title>From the Rolex 24 to the Indy 500 with Kyle Larson and Tony Kanaan</title>
  178. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/from-the-rolex-24-to-the-indy-500-with-kyle-larson-and-tony-kanaan/</link>
  179. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/from-the-rolex-24-to-the-indy-500-with-kyle-larson-and-tony-kanaan/#respond</comments>
  181. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Marshall Pruett]]></dc:creator>
  182. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 18:33:01 +0000</pubDate>
  183. <category><![CDATA[IndyCar]]></category>
  184. <category><![CDATA[Videos]]></category>
  185. <category><![CDATA[American Legion]]></category>
  186. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356364</guid>
  187.  
  188. <description><![CDATA[Arrow McLaren's Kyle Larson and Tony Kanaan share their journey from winning the 2015 24 Hours of Daytona to now competing together in the (...)]]></description>
  189. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Arrow McLaren&#8217;s Kyle Larson and Tony Kanaan share their journey from winning the 2015 24 Hours of Daytona to now competing together in the 2024 Indianapolis 500.</p>
  190. <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SUi2m-hkpvM?si=D3qcPPjk7jMUmMWF" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
  191. <div><strong>Presented by</strong></div>
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  193. <div>RACER’s Indy 500 Trackside Report is presented by The American Legion. 90 Minutes to Save a Life – Sign up for FREE Suicide Prevention Training from American Legion and Columbia University Lighthouse Project at <a href="https://bit.ly/3V5hCxj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BeTheOne.org</a>.</div>
  194. <p>&nbsp;</p>
  195. ]]></content:encoded>
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  204. <media:title type="html">2024_trackside_online-cover_TAL-9-1</media:title>
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  208. </item>
  209. <item>
  210. <title>Bell still focused on playoff seeding despite rough patch</title>
  211. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bell-still-focused-on-playoff-seeding-despite-rough-patch/</link>
  212. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bell-still-focused-on-playoff-seeding-despite-rough-patch/#respond</comments>
  214. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Kelly Crandall]]></dc:creator>
  215. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 17:31:32 +0000</pubDate>
  216. <category><![CDATA[NASCAR]]></category>
  217. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356326</guid>
  218.  
  219. <description><![CDATA[Christopher Bell would have preferred not to be available to the NASCAR media during the timeslot he was scheduled for Friday at North (...)]]></description>
  220. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Christopher Bell would have preferred not to be available to the NASCAR media during the timeslot he was scheduled for Friday at North Wilkesboro Speedway.</p>
  221. <p>There was no malice behind Bell saying as much when approached, and it wasn’t as if there were ill feelings between the two sides, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver fully recognized that his availability timing was determined by his position in the NASCAR Cup series points standings. At 15th place, Bell was in the first portion of the day outside his hauler instead of being with the top 10 drivers inside the media center after practice.</p>
  222. <p>It was okay, though, Bell conceded. And besides, isn’t it better to get all of the bad luck and troubles out of the way now instead of later in the season?</p>
  223. <p>“Well that wasn’t our plan going into it by any means,” Bell laughed.</p>
  224. <p>But now that it’s a reality for the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team, why not try to put a position spin on it?</p>
  225. <p>“Yeah and honestly, it’s not much different from the position I’ve been in the last two years,” Bell said. “It’s frustrating because, after 2022, we were like, ‘All right, 2023 is going to be the year we put it all together.’ Then 2023 happened and we were like, ‘All right, 2024 is the year we’re going to put it all together,’ and here we are again.”</p>
  226. <p>Understandably, Bell has a sense of déjà vu. The regular season championship is the goal at the start of every race season, and winning a race early helps set the tone. Bell did that on the Bristol dirt in 2023, while this year’s triumph was at Phoenix Raceway.</p>
  227. <div id="attachment_356350" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-356350" class="size-full wp-image-356350" src="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="600" srcset="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg 1000w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg?resize=150,90 150w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg?resize=300,180 300w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg?resize=768,461 768w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020059657-LAT-20240310-24PHX1jh_064863--e1716312423581.jpg?resize=480,288 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><p id="caption-attachment-356350" class="wp-caption-text">Bell got a win on the board early in the year at Phoenix. John K Harrelsion/Motorsport Images</p></div>
  228. <p>However, going into All-Star Race weekend last year, Bell was second in the championship standings, and the theme of Bell’s media availability that weekend was how his team hadn’t shown their full potential.</p>
  229. <p>“Yep,” Bell remembered. “Last year at this point, we were right in the thick of the regular season championship battle, and now we’re not even inside the top 10.”</p>
  230. <p>In the last six races, Bell has fallen from sixth place to 15th in the championship standings because of two DNFs and four finishes of 17th or worse. He’s led one lap and earned seven stage points in that stretch.</p>
  231. <p>“We were focused on the regular season championship and trying to maximize our regular season, and then after the month of April that we had that is pretty much out the window,” Bell said. “So now, we’re back to where we were the last couple of years, where we’re out of the hunt, and we just have to pick up playoff points the only way that we can – and obviously that’s by winning races, winning stages.</p>
  232. <p>“Most of it goes hand in hand with the regular season championship, but it does allow us to be a little bit more aggressive on strategy stuff, knowing that if it’s win or bust, we can kind of gamble a little bit more than having to take our top five or top 10.”</p>
  233. <p>The regular season championship awards 15 playoff points, which is the equivalent of three race wins, to the driver. Finishing second in the regular-season championship standings awards 10 playoff points, with eight points to third place, and down to one point for finishing 10th. Even though the big point prize is out of reach, knowing full well the benefit of playoff points and seeding, Bell is all in trying to grab as many points as possible going forward.</p>
  234. <p>“The more playoff points we accumulate, the better the regular season standings will be,” he said. “It kind of goes hand in hand, but like I said, the only difference is that the gambling and the aggression level can be a little bit riskier than if we were chasing the regular season points.”</p>
  235. <p>Bell was working with a 12.7 average finish through the first seven races with five top-10 finishes. The stretch included four straight top-10 finishes going into Martinsville Speedway (April 7) when the slide began.</p>
  236. <div id="attachment_356349" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-356349" class="size-full wp-image-356349" src="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="600" srcset="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg 1000w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg?resize=150,90 150w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg?resize=300,180 300w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg?resize=768,461 768w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020110271-LAT-20240407-24MART1jh_05457-e1716312350165.jpg?resize=480,288 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><p id="caption-attachment-356349" class="wp-caption-text">Bell&#8217;s slide began at Martinsville. John K Harrelsion/Motorsport Images</p></div>
  237. <p>The team can perform no matter the racetrack and Bell is eager for them to “hit on it” once again. The streak could begin at any of the venues coming up over the next month that the series competes: the 1.5-mile Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 1.25-mile in St. Louis, a repaved Sonoma Raceway, and the less than one-mile Iowa Speedway for the first time.</p>
  238. <p>“It could come together at any week,” Bell said. “It just hasn’t yet.”</p>
  239. <p>Part of doing so, however, is figuring out if they need to shake off perceived bad luck or hone in on a particular adjustment. Aside from a lack of speed, Bell said he wasn’t sure if it was necessarily one thing hindering them.</p>
  240. <p>“The last couple of years, it seems like we’ve been held back by one particular thing, but this year it’s my same group of guys and our pit road performance has been really good, and it seems like the on-track stuff just hasn’t been very good,” he said. “Outside of the pole at Kansas, we just really haven’t showcased very much speed, and all of our team cars are doing really well, so clearly, we have the equipment we need to do it, but it’s just not jiving.</p>
  241. <p>“With that being said, the way the format works in NASCAR, it’s three races at a time whenever you get into the playoffs, and nobody knows that better than me because I’ve been the guy that’s been down in the rankings and been able to climb the ladder and put myself in the final four.</p>
  242. <p>“So, yeah, it’s been a disappointing start to the season, but in the grand scheme of things, we’re in the playoffs right now, and as long as we execute later on in the year, which I know we’re capable of, then we’ll be in good shape.”</p>
  243. <p>Bell might have been well aware of his place in the media availability pecking order over the weekend, but it didn’t change his engagement level with the other side or willingness to discuss the situation. And with six months of racing still ahead, also offer a reminder that things have looked discouraging in the past before he and his team wound up in the final picture.</p>
  244. ]]></content:encoded>
  246. <wfw:commentRss>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bell-still-focused-on-playoff-seeding-despite-rough-patch/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
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  253. <media:title type="html">NASCAR Cup 2024: Kansas</media:title>
  254. </media:content>
  255.  
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  259. </item>
  260. <item>
  261. <title>Symonds to join Andretti-Cadillac as technical consultant</title>
  262. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/symonds-to-join-andretti-cadillac-as-technical-consultant/</link>
  263. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/symonds-to-join-andretti-cadillac-as-technical-consultant/#comments</comments>
  265. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Mark Glendenning]]></dc:creator>
  266. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 17:30:04 +0000</pubDate>
  267. <category><![CDATA[Formula 1]]></category>
  268. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356347</guid>
  269.  
  270. <description><![CDATA[Veteran motorsport technical figure Pat Symonds will join Andretti-Cadillac as Executive Engineering Consultant as the team (...)]]></description>
  271. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Veteran motorsport technical figure Pat Symonds will join Andretti-Cadillac as Executive Engineering Consultant as the team continues its push to join the Formula 1 grid.</p>
  272. <p>Symonds, who most recently served as Chief Technical Officer for Formula 1, will officially join the team at its new Silverstone base upon the completion of his gardening leave from F1.</p>
  273. <p>“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Pat to the Andretti family,” said Andretti Global Chairman &amp; CEO Michael Andretti. “Pat’s keen understanding of aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics and Formula 1 power units will be instrumental as we continue to build a competitive team. I believe his expertise has been pivotal in shaping the narrative of Formula One and his vote of confidence in joining our effort speaks volumes. I’m really happy with this next step as our work continues at pace.”</p>
  274. <aside class="related related--auto shortcode shortcode--auto-related">
  275. <h2 class="related__header">More Formula 1!</h2><a
  276. class="block block--related"
  277. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/21/bipartisan-senators-call-for-doj-investigation-into-foms-deferral-of-andretti-cadillac-entry/"
  278. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  280. ><h2 class="block__title">Bipartisan senators call for DOJ investigation into FOM&#039;s deferral of Andretti-Cadillac entry</h2></a><a
  281. class="block block--related"
  282. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/21/why-the-f1-driver-market-is-about-to-get-busy-again/"
  283. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  285. ><h2 class="block__title">Why the F1 driver market is about to get busy again</h2></a><a
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  287. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/21/mclaren-reveals-senna-tribute-livery-for-monaco/"
  288. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  290. ><h2 class="block__title">McLaren reveals Senna tribute livery for Monaco</h2></a></aside>
  291. <p>Symonds got his start in F1 with Toleman in the early 1980s, and remained with the team as it evolved into Benetton in the years that followed. After a brief detour to the abortive Reynard F1 project in 1991, he returned to Benetton, where he became Michael Schumacher&#8217;s race engineer while also working in the role of Head of Research and Development. He remained with Benetton when Schumacher and several other key figures exited for Ferrari in 1996, and was still there when the team was taken over by Renault F1, eventually rising to the position of Executive Director of Engineering.</p>
  292. <p>He left Renault after the &#8216;Crashgate&#8217; scandal in 2009 and served as an advisor to Virgin F1 before joining Williams as Chief Technical Officer in 2013. He held that position until 2016, and joined F1 the following year.</p>
  293. <p>“I have had the pleasure to work with Pat in the past and he has a wealth of knowledge we can draw upon,” said Nick Chester, Technical Director for Andretti Cadillac. “Pat will bring expertise across technical areas and team operations in his role as Executive Engineering Consultant that will help us develop the team.”</p>
  294. ]]></content:encoded>
  296. <wfw:commentRss>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/symonds-to-join-andretti-cadillac-as-technical-consultant/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
  297. <slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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  301. <media:thumbnail url="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/V2I8410-e1716306897606.jpg" />
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  303. <media:title type="html">_V2I8410</media:title>
  304. </media:content>
  305. </item>
  306. <item>
  307. <title>Ganassi, RLL sponsors bring new national ads</title>
  308. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/ganassi-rll-sponsors-bring-new-national-ads/</link>
  309. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/ganassi-rll-sponsors-bring-new-national-ads/#respond</comments>
  311. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Marshall Pruett]]></dc:creator>
  312. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 17:12:16 +0000</pubDate>
  313. <category><![CDATA[IndyCar]]></category>
  314. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356336</guid>
  315.  
  316. <description><![CDATA[ At the peak of the CART IndyCar Series’ popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, it was common to see its cars, drivers, and sponsors spending (...)]]></description>
  317. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div>
  318. <p>At the peak of the CART IndyCar Series’ popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, it was common to see its cars, drivers, and sponsors spending heavily on national television advertising campaigns.</p>
  319. </div>
  320. <div>
  321. <p>That practice slowed in the decades that followed, but it’s starting to regain momentum with recent ads by Verizon featuring Team Penske’s Will Power and the No. 12 Chevy and with Shell/Pennzoil in ads showcasing Penske’s Josef Newgarden and on-track action with Penske cars.</p>
  322. </div>
  323. <div>
  324. <p>Outside of the sponsors associated with the team and series owned by Roger Penske, independent IndyCar teams like Chip Ganassi Racing and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing are being featured in brand-new national TV spots as PNC Bank, the longtime primary sponsor of Scott Dixon in the No. 9 CGR Honda, and 5-hour Energy, the main sponsor on Pietro Fittipaldi’s No. 30 RLL Honda, are taking IndyCar to bigger and wider audiences.</p>
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  341. ><h2 class="block__title">Indy 500 Trackside Report with Felix Rosenqvist</h2></a></aside>
  342. </div>
  343. <div>
  344. <p>PNC’s recent advertising angle where it presents itself as stable and boring — features one might want in a bank in volatile financial times — has been extended to Dixon and the Ganassi team, IndyCar’s most successful and consistent pairing of the 2000s with six championships and an Indy 500 win to their credit. The new ad debuted over the weekend on NBC.</p>
  345. </div>
  346. <div>
  347. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
  348. <p dir="ltr" lang="en">How does <a href="https://twitter.com/scottdixon9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottdixon9</a> prepare for another Indy 500? The same way he always does. He dives into the boring details.</p>
  349. <p>Watch &#8220;Boring Before Brilliance&#8221; feat. Scott Dixon and <a href="https://twitter.com/CGRTeams?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CGRTeams</a>. <a href="https://t.co/HJTyMRvdOI">https://t.co/HJTyMRvdOI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BankOnThe9?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BankOnThe9</a> <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f3c1.png" alt="🏁" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> <a href="https://t.co/ag9waHpifQ">pic.twitter.com/ag9waHpifQ</a></p>
  350. <p>— PNC Bank (@PNCBank) <a href="https://twitter.com/PNCBank/status/1792540850741797257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
  351. <p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
  352. </div>
  353. <div>
  354. <p>With so much modern emphasis being placed on digital marketing through social media, Dixon loves seeing his sponsor embrace an oft-forgotten method of presenting IndyCar backers through broadcast and streaming channels.</p>
  355. </div>
  356. <div>
  357. <p>“It&#8217;s really great to see PNC tap into the IndyCar program and use it to amplify their recent brand launch,” he said. &#8220;I think &#8216;brilliantly boring&#8217; really resonates with how we operate as a team, if you think about it. The mundane, boring stuff can definitely wear you out, but it’s all those small details that make the difference. And that’s where the boring becomes brilliant. It&#8217;s just another example of how PNC creatively brings their business to life, and this launch couldn&#8217;t come at a better time than the lead up to the Indianapolis 500 when the whole world is watching.&#8221;</p>
  358. <p>RLL, Fittipaldi, and 5-hour Energy&#8217;s ad went national earlier in May and has been seen across all manner of networks and cable outlets, and during major sports broadcasts, including the NBA playoffs.</p>
  359. <p>“The commercial is running on all the major networks, including sports networks,” 5-hour motorsports project leader Vince Bodiford told RACER. “There&#8217;s some regional targeting, but overall, it&#8217;s a national campaign running on all the top networks. The buy includes ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox. Fox Sports and ESPN is our core buy. It runs for a minimum of 45 days. We launched the commercial about 15 days ago and it&#8217;ll run about 10 days after the Detroit Grand Prix. So 5-hour is the primary on the 30 car for the Indy 500 and the Detroit Grand Prix, and Detroit, of course, our home. So the ad is really designed to help you know, boost the awareness and the visibility of our motorsports program with RLL.</p>
  360. <p>“That&#8217;s why it&#8217;s on such a heavy schedule nationally around those two main events for 5-hour, and we&#8217;re associate (sponsors) all season long, but we really leaned in now. If the campaign is successful, then we could extend it beyond that through the summer. I think that&#8217;s very likely that we&#8217;ll continue that. The budget is substantial. It&#8217;s a multimillion-dollar national ad.”</p>
  361. <p>The company took a step back from its widespread motorsports sponsorships for many years, but Bodiford says the time was right for 5-hour to reengage with racing, and in particular, with RLL’s IndyCar team.</p>
  362. </div>
  363. <div>
  364. <p>“We think that motorsports in general, and this IndyCar program, really underscores our current marketing tagline,” he said. “It’s ‘Fixes tired fast,’ and IndyCar racing is the fastest racing in the U.S., and so, we thought, ‘Here&#8217;s a great way to just reinforce that marketing.’”</p>
  365. <p><iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wwJS-thVpiU?si=nNvpvp486s2g415r" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
  366. </div>
  367. <div><u><a id="OWAb7fc1c71-2f15-91d5-4c5e-e1fb6b9fae46" class="OWAAutoLink" title="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJS-thVpiU" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJS-thVpiU" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-outlook-id="0c35a931-ad98-4396-bc16-63039a2401bf">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwJS-thVpiU</a></u></div>
  368. <div class="elementToProof"></div>
  369. ]]></content:encoded>
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  378. <media:title type="html">IndyCar 2024: Indianapolis 500</media:title>
  379. </media:content>
  380. </item>
  381. <item>
  382. <title>Why the F1 driver market is about to get busy again</title>
  383. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/why-the-f1-driver-market-is-about-to-get-busy-again/</link>
  384. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/why-the-f1-driver-market-is-about-to-get-busy-again/#respond</comments>
  386. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Chris Medland]]></dc:creator>
  387. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 16:37:43 +0000</pubDate>
  388. <category><![CDATA[Formula 1]]></category>
  389. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356322</guid>
  390.  
  391. <description><![CDATA[The silly season went through a spell where it didn't feel particularly silly anymore. After (...)]]></description>
  392. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="Body">The silly season went through a spell where it didn&#8217;t feel particularly silly anymore. After Lhttps://racer.com/2024/05/21/why-the-f1-driver-market-is-about-to-get-busy-again/verstappenewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced – certainly in the silly bracket, as nobody saw that coming – it set the tone for a huge amount of potential movement up and down the grid.</p>
  393. <p class="Body">Most of those moves weren’t likely to come as a surprise as so many drivers were clearly out of contract. But the &#8216;silly&#8217; part isn&#8217;t dead just yet, because there remains a genuine chance that Max Verstappen is on the move in 2025.</p>
  394. <p class="Body">It&#8217;s impossible to guess at a percentage chance of it actually happening, but the upcoming outcome of the appeal into the decision to dismiss a grievance against Christian Horner’s behavior is likely to put the Red Bull situation back in the limelight, and with it could potentially come movement that opens a door for Verstappen’s departure.</p>
  395. <p class="Body">Mercedes is the only destination that comes up in conversation in the paddock, amid growing confidence that it is the most likely power unit manufacturer to hit the ground running in 2026. While it’s always a risk to claim to know where each engine stacks up compared to rival designs, Mercedes can obviously have its own feelings of how well things are going and communicate that to Verstappen – who will have visibility of the Red Bull Powertrains project – if it wants.</p>
  396. <p class="Body">It’s still very hard to shake the hugely important point of Red Bull’s success and the fact Verstappen is so likely to win a fourth straight title this year with the team that brought him into the sport in the first place. But those gaps are closing, and while he remains the early favorite for next year too, a 2025 title becomes less of a certainty with each little step from McLaren and Ferrari.</p>
  397. <p class="Body">And if the Verstappen camp has enough confidence in what Mercedes is doing for 2026 onwards in terms of power unit, it could become a case of weighing up one likely drivers’ title against the potential for multiple more past that point.</p>
  398. <p class="Body">None of the above is to say Verstappen is definitely going to leave Red Bull, but it explains just why there is a realistic decision to be made if the door opens for him to get out of his contract. The presence or otherwise of Helmut Marko appears to be one such avenue that could open up.</p>
  399. <p class="Body">What all of that does mean, however, is that while Mercedes believes there is a chance of getting Verstappen, other aspects of the driver market are less likely to move. Carlos Sainz is understandably waiting for that situation to play out, because he would be an excellent option for Red Bull should Verstappen move on, even if it looks increasingly likely that Sergio Perez will be retained.</p>
  400. <p class="Body">If Verstappen stays where he is then Mercedes has clearly been preparing Andrea Kimi Antonelli for a drive, but it’s not a guarantee that he’d be rushed through so quickly and that also leaves an outside chance that Sainz could still get the more solid two-year contract he’s looking for from Toto Wolff.</p>
  401. <div id="attachment_356331" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-356331" class="size-full wp-image-356331" src="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="667" srcset="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg 1000w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg?resize=150,100 150w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg?resize=480,320 480w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><p id="caption-attachment-356331" class="wp-caption-text">Sainz is watching how things play out so as to position himself for the best ride possible &#8211; but waiting to commit to a new home carries risks of its own. Andy Hone/Motorsport Images</p></div>
  402. <p class="Body">Sainz likes Audi’s offer but wants to know what all of the firm options are before making a decision, and at this stage there are still too many hypothetical outcomes at Red Bull and Mercedes for him to be sure. Should he hold his nerve, then Audi is understood to be showing interest in multiple experienced drivers and could move on before Sainz has signed anywhere.</p>
  403. <p class="Body">In that case, Williams can’t be ruled out as an outside option for the Spaniard to end up at, in part based on the aforementioned confidence in the Mercedes power unit. There’s no space at McLaren, so Williams is the only other customer team available ahead of 2026, and is an iconic name that would benefit from Sainz’s experience, while the driver has been impressed by team principal James Vowles’ ambition.</p>
  404. <p class="Body">Logan Sargeant’s days appear numbered even if Vowles is a man of his word and insists the door isn’t closed. Unless Sargeant can show a significant step forward in performance in the coming races, a more experienced option could be called upon, with Valtteri Bottas – someone Vowles knows extremely well – open to a return to his former team.</p>
  405. <p class="Body">Antonelli could also be an option depending on movement at Mercedes but that would put Williams in the position of developing another rookie, and the associated risks of crashes and the impact on the cost cap that brings.</p>
  406. <p class="Body">As well as Bottas, the Alpine pair are believed to be on many shortlists given their race-winning pedigree and the struggles at Enstone. Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon are understood to be open to moves, although a works team is still an attractive proposition where they currently sit.</p>
  407. <p class="Body">Perhaps a surprising team for both to be linked with is Haas, as it benefits from a far more competitive start to 2024 that has seen points scored in multiple races and Nico Hulkenberg regularly reaching Q3. Ollie Bearman remains a clear option for one of the two seats there, and team principal Ayao Komatsu told me on air on Sunday night that Kevin Magnussen is fighting for his future, but remains an option.</p>
  408. <p class="Body">Yuki Tsunoda is also interested in Haas as he looks at a future away from the Red Bull program, with the senior team showing no firm interest in promoting him despite consistent strong performances. Movement with the Japanese driver would open the door for Liam Lawson – who was praised for his simulator work for RB over the Imola weekend – to finally step up full-time.</p>
  409. <p class="Body">The urgency some drivers are working with is evident if Tsunoda does manage to secure a seat elsewhere, because if Verstappen stays put then there’s a chance Lawson, Bearman and Antonelli would then all join the grid, leaving three to lose their spots.</p>
  410. <p class="Body">Sargeant and Zhou Guanyu are two in extremely precarious positions, with a third experienced name – from a long list of those above – then fearing being the one left standing when the music stops.</p>
  411. ]]></content:encoded>
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  419. <media:content url="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/SI202405190293.jpg" medium="image">
  420. <media:title type="html">F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna</media:title>
  421. </media:content>
  422.  
  423. <media:content url="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/1020127986-LAT-20240420-GP2405_151409_ONY2936_2.jpg" medium="image" />
  424. </item>
  425. <item>
  426. <title>Proton completes Le Mans lineup</title>
  427. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/proton-completes-le-mans-lineup/</link>
  428. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/proton-completes-le-mans-lineup/#respond</comments>
  430. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Stephen Kilbey]]></dc:creator>
  431. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 16:02:43 +0000</pubDate>
  432. <category><![CDATA[Le Mans/WEC]]></category>
  433. <category><![CDATA[Ford Mustang]]></category>
  434. <category><![CDATA[Proton Competition]]></category>
  435. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356310</guid>
  436.  
  437. <description><![CDATA[The final driver lineup for Proton Competition's Le Mans 24 Hours-bound No. 44 Ford Mustang GT3 has been revealed. The German team (...)]]></description>
  438. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The final driver lineup for Proton Competition&#8217;s Le Mans 24 Hours-bound No. 44 Ford Mustang GT3 has been revealed.</p>
  439. <p>The German team is set to contest the 92nd running of the French classic with factory driver Chris Mies, Le Mans debutant Ben Tuck and former Le Mans Series LMPC champion John Hartshorne. This confirmation follows the most recent Le Mans entry list reveal, which listed Proton team owner Christian Ried alongside Tuck and Mies.</p>
  440. <p>However, Ried told RACER prior to the entry list being published that he did not intend to drive, following his retirement from professional racing at the end of the 2023 FIA WEC season. Instead, Ried was a Bronze-rated placeholder for the car while the team finalised the deal for Hartshorne to join the team.</p>
  441. <p>Currently, the British duo of Hartshorne and Tuck compete in the European Le Mans Series together with JMW Motorsport in an LMGT3 class Ferrari 296 GT3. The Le Mans 24 Hours will be their first event in a Mustang GT3.</p>
  442. <p>“I’m delighted to have the chance to race at Le Mans once again,&#8221; said Hartshorne, who has three previous Le Mans starts to his name. &#8220;This will be the last time I enter the event and I can’t wait to get going with a great team. It is a superb event and I’m lucky enough to have done it three times already. I’m thrilled to be racing with Proton Competition too.</p>
  443. <p>&#8220;They are one of the top GT teams and I know I will learn a lot from them. I’m also pleased to be racing with Ben once again. He and I have formed quite the partnership over the last couple of years and I can’t wait to see how he enjoys his first Le Mans experience. Racing with Chris Mies is also a huge privilege. I think we have a good package and I am now counting down the days till June!”</p>
  444. <p>Ahead of Le Mans 24 Hours debut, Tuck added; “What a year to make my debut at Le Mans, in an era of endurance racing that’s going from strength to strength. It’s such a competitive grid and I’m thrilled to be part of it. To race with a team with the pedigree of Proton is a great opportunity and I’m thankful to all those who have made it possible. I can’t wait to get out there.”</p>
  445. ]]></content:encoded>
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  448. <slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
  451. <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">356310</post-id>
  452. <media:thumbnail url="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/24LM_Ford_Mustang_GT3-2.jpg" />
  453. <media:content url="https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/85/2024/05/24LM_Ford_Mustang_GT3-2.jpg" medium="image">
  454. <media:title type="html">24LM_Ford_Mustang_GT3-2</media:title>
  455. </media:content>
  456. </item>
  457. <item>
  458. <title>Top Honda qualifying result validates MSR&#039;s IndyCar rise</title>
  459. <link>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/top-honda-qualifying-result-validates-msrs-indycar-rise/</link>
  460. <comments>https://racer.com/2024/05/21/top-honda-qualifying-result-validates-msrs-indycar-rise/#respond</comments>
  462. <dc:creator><![CDATA[Marshall Pruett]]></dc:creator>
  463. <pubDate>Tue, 21 May 2024 15:09:11 +0000</pubDate>
  464. <category><![CDATA[IndyCar]]></category>
  465. <category><![CDATA[Felix Rosenqvist]]></category>
  466. <category><![CDATA[Meyer Shank Racing]]></category>
  467. <guid isPermaLink="false">https://racer.com/?p=356306</guid>
  468.  
  469. <description><![CDATA[Evidence of Meyer Shank Racing’s stellar start to the IndyCar season was on display again over qualifying weekend at the Indianapolis 500 (...)]]></description>
  470. <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Evidence of Meyer Shank Racing’s stellar start to the IndyCar season was on display again over qualifying weekend at the Indianapolis 500 where the team fired the No. 60 Honda with Felix Rosenqvist into ninth position among the field of 33.</p>
  471. <p>More importantly, it was the first time in the Pataskala, Ohio-based program’s history where it was the fastest Honda on Pole Day as the smiley Swede displaced the 15 other Honda-powered cars presented by their rivals at Andretti Global, Chip Ganassi Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.</p>
  472. <aside class="related related--auto shortcode shortcode--auto-related">
  473. <h2 class="related__header">More IndyCar!</h2><a
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  476. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  478. ><h2 class="block__title">From the Rolex 24 to the Indy 500 with Kyle Larson and Tony Kanaan</h2></a><a
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  480. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/21/ganassi-rll-sponsors-bring-new-national-ads/"
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  483. ><h2 class="block__title">Ganassi, RLL sponsors bring new national ads</h2></a><a
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  485. href="https://racer.com/2024/05/20/indy-500-trackside-report-with-felix-rosenqvist/"
  486. data-track="-in-article-related-auto"
  488. ><h2 class="block__title">Indy 500 Trackside Report with Felix Rosenqvist</h2></a></aside>
  489. <p>“This was my number one thing,” Shank told RACER. “I knew we didn&#8217;t have pole speed. I knew that. But I said, ‘Guys, what do we need to be the No. 1 Honda team?’ That means a lot to me. And they did it with the 60 car with Felix and I&#8217;m so grateful.</p>
  490. <p>“It just shows that our overall execution, with Adam Rovazzini running the show, has really gone well and gotten the people on the same page. And it&#8217;s honestly getting stronger. It&#8217;s a big thundercloud motivation going in the right direction from where we were last year, and I&#8217;m super proud of it. It&#8217;s probably the proudest thing I&#8217;ve done so far this year. I&#8217;m not kidding.”</p>
  491. <p>Winners of the Indy 500 in 2021 with Helio Castroneves, MSR has spent the ensuing years chasing its second IndyCar victory. Between Rosenqvist in ninth, the returning Castroneves who starts 20th, and rookie Tom Blomqvist who’s lined up in 25th, MSR has some great options to achieve success on Sunday.</p>
  492. <p>The fruits of its technical alliance with Andretti Global are also clear to see as MSR has made use of the Andretti-supplied race engineers and setup information to lead both camps heading into the 500.</p>
  493. <p>“I’m proud of the steps we’ve made as a team, but let&#8217;s not get it twisted, because we still heavily rely on them technically,” Shank said. “For where we’re at right now, their program is very, very good and the Andretti technical group has risen this year from last year. If you just take our chassis and aero group, it is better than last year, there&#8217;s no question in my mind.</p>
  494. <p>“Michael Andretti and his group with [COO] Rob Edwards and Eric Bretzman that runs the technical side, they have been nothing but great partners to us, and I&#8217;m grateful to them – I&#8217;ve told them that. I think we had some stuff on our side that we needed to clean up from last year, and we did and all the groups are just working really good together.”</p>
  495. <p>The 2024 Indy 500 is MSR’s most ambitious effort to date in IndyCar. The veteran sports car team dipped its toes in the IndyCar waters in 2017 with a one-off entry at Indy, and gradually moved towards going full-time in 2020. It added a second car on a part-time schedule in 2021 – winning on its debut with Castroneves – and grew to two full-time entries in 2022.</p>
  496. <p>Fielding three cars this May is a first for Shank’s outfit, and he even reunited Castroneves for the one-off by pulling his Indy-winning chief mechanic Matt Swan back from his regular position as shop manager for the team. Shank made the same move with Swan in 2021, which worked to great effect, and so far, the potential pitfalls of expanding to three cars at Indy have been avoided.</p>
  497. <p>“You add a third car – and it&#8217;s the first time we&#8217;ve ever run three – it can get into a death spiral, right?” Shank added. “With this group, and the great people at HRC [Honda], and the people we have like Matt Swan running that thing, pulling him out of moth balls again, it&#8217;s been really refreshing and really awe inspiring, to be honest with you.</p>
  498. <p>“But we’re only talking qualifying. We’ve got to go and execute in the race here in a couple of days and put all the work that everyone’s done to good use.”</p>
  499. ]]></content:encoded>
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  508. <media:title type="html">IndyCar 2024: Indianapolis 500</media:title>
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