TMW: Marco Andretti Returning for Indy 500
The Pennsylvanian will attempt to make his 18th Indy 500 start in 2023.
The Morning Warmup
Oct. 18, 2022
Today’s Top Stories
1) Marco Andretti returning for 18th Indy 500 in 2023 (IndyCar)
Superstar Racing Experience champion Marco Andretti will return to the NTT IndyCar Series paddock next May for his 18th run in the Indianapolis 500.
Andretti Autosport confirmed Monday that the third-generation driver will return to the team’s No. 98 Honda for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, running with sponsor support from lithium-ion battery safety and thermal management company KULR Technology Group.
“It’s great to see a sponsor like KULR continue as a primary sponsor with our IndyCar program for the second year,” Andretti Autosport chairman and CEO Michael Andretti said in a team release. “The development potential of KULR’s technology is exciting and we’re proud of their commitment to improving performance. We look forward to this special event in May and are happy to have them back with Marco.”
One of many drivers in the legendary Andretti family to compete in motorsports, Marco arrived at his first Indy 500 in 2006. He came just .0635s shy of victory that day, losing out to Sam Hornish Jr. in a photo finish.
Over the ensuing years the Pennsylvanian has returned each May, whether competing full-time or making a one-off start. Andretti has four top-three finishes and eight top-10s in 17 Indy 500 starts, along with a pole in the 2020 edition of the event. He has two series wins, coming at Sonoma Raceway (2006) and Iowa Speedway (2009).
Andretti started 23rd and finished 22nd in a quiet 2021 run at Indianapolis. He also competed in the SRX series over the summer, where he became the tour’s second champion.
(Source(s): David Malsher-Lopez / Motorsport)
2) NASCAR reportedly introducing wet weather package for short ovals in 2023 (NASCAR Cup)
Ever wonder what a NASCAR oval race would look like in the wet?
You might just find out in 2023 - at short tracks, anyways.
Road and Track reported Monday that NASCAR is planning to debut a wet weather package with rain tires for some short ovals next year, including a windshield wiper, wheel flaps, rain lights and wet tires.
From the article:
Wet weather tires have been discussed and tested prior to the debut of the NASCAR Next Gen car. Now, our sources say NASCAR is forging ahead with implementing this plan for certain short ovals in 2023. One development in the package that will be seen in 2023 is an updated rain light. It will still flash in wet weather conditions, but will now go solid when the driver gets on the brakes, a huge help when visibility is low and drivers can't tell when the car in front starts braking. There will be two rectangular lights mounted inside the rear window and two lights mounted below between the rear bumper and diffuser.
The short oval tracks that are likely to see the availability of the wet weather package include places like Martinsville Speedway and Phoenix Raceway, along with the possibility of others like New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This is more of a wet surface solution than a true rain-racing solution, but it could significantly reduce race delays when there is rain. The best way to look at this solution is that it could replace the last thirty or forty minutes of jet drying, instead allowing the cars to go racing on damp pavement.
The odds of actual rain racing will remain slim on ovals, but the new option could be usable in the case of damp conditions. Teams will likely need to react quickly to changing conditions when the package is used, switching to standard tires once a dry racing line forms.
(Source(s): Bozi Tatarevic / Road and Track)
News and Notes
NASCAR
Kurt Busch has many great statistics and victories from his NASCAR career, but perhaps his greatest achievement is his personal reinvention. (Kelly Crandall / RACER)
Bubba Wallace released a statement apologizing for his actions on Sunday. (Bubba Wallace / Twitter)
Wallace’s incident and the playoff shakeup were among the discussion in this week’s “Top 5” column. (Jeff Gluck / The Athletic)
Hold up… There was a live possum in the car? (Dale Earnhardt Jr. / Twitter)
Here’s a look at the updated playoff picture leaving Las Vegas. (Dustin Long / NBC Sports)
IndyCar
The Nashville street circuit will remain unchanged in 2023, but a new stadium is threatening the race’s future. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
Formula 2 ace Marcus Armstromg is reportedly looking for a spot on the IndyCar grid for 2023. (Marshall Pruett / RACER)
Santino Ferrucci has been a super sub in recent years. But he’ll have a stable ride in 2022 - one with hopes of a revival. (Jack Benyon / The Race)
F1
McLaren CEO Zak Brown is urging the FIA to act quickly and come down hard on the “cheating” from Red Bull’s cost cap overspend. (Jonathan Noble / Motorsport)
If Mick Schumacher wants to keep his seat for 2023, Haas F1 Team owner Gene Haas says he needs to score points. (NBC Sports)
Formula 1 held the United States Grand Prix at Sebring International Raceway in 1959. It nearly ended with financial disaster. (Elizabeth Blackstock / Jalopnik)
Nyck de Vries will soon be an AlphaTauri driver, but Mercedes has no concerns about him continuing in his current reserve role for 2022. (Adam Cooper / Motorsport)
McLaren believes Alpine will hold on to Oscar Piastri until season’s end before he joins the papaya squad. (Luke Smith & Adam Cooper / Motorsport)
Supercars
Triple Eight Race Engineering has a chance at history, becoming the first team to win the Bathurst 1000, drivers’ championship, teams’ title and Super2 Series crown in the same year. (Connor O’Brien / V8 Sleuth)
Sports Cars
Nico Muller is expected to make his race debut for Peugeot in the FIA World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain. (Gary Watkins / Motorsport)
Jan Magnussen is looking to make a full-time GT3 run in 2023. (Daniel Lloyd / Sportscar365)
Several members of Iron Dames tested Proton’s Porsche 911 RSR at Algarve International Circuit. (Daily Sportscar)
Dirt
Blake Hahn swept the Devil’s Bowl Winter Nationals over the weekend. (ASCSRacing.com)
Moto
Tom Sykes wrapped up a substandard British Superbike season amid increasing murmurs of a World Superbike return in 2023. (Jamie Klein / Motorsport)
Other
Jari-Matti Latvala was the big winner at the Rallylegend event in San Marino. (Luke Barry / DirtFish)
On Track Today
All Times ET
Dirt
Local Racing (Millbridge Speedway): 6:30 p.m., DirtVision
Esports
eNASCAR College iRacing Series (Auto Club Speedway): 8:00 p.m., eNASCAR.com
Fast Fact
There was a time when Ford owned Homestead-Miami Speedway. Roush Racing drivers won seven out of nine Cup races at the track in Fords from 2002 through 2010. But only one Ford competitor has won at the Florida oval in the 11 years since - Joey Logano prevailed to take the Cup championship in 2018. Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney will hope to reverse this trend on Sunday to clinch their place in the Championship 4.
Special Thanks
The Morning Warmup is fueled by sponsors David Colyer, Bob and Sally Wichert, Jory Fleischauer, Spencer Pullins, Nathan K. Thomas, Tyler Sorenson, Mathew Luxford, Mary Dzuro, Kate Ertmann, Seth Whitesel, Allison Bodiford, Billy Rowlee, Brian Mortensen, Buzz Baylis, Cadence Smith, Contessa Nyree, David Vrabel, Dustin Long, Hannah Landvater, Howie Molton, Janet Scott, Jeff Brown, Jeff Smith, John Enyart, John R. Wilson, Jr., John Wimmer, Keith Hill, Matt Call, Michael S. Lee, Mike Johnson, Mike Selby, Nathan A. Ulery, Nathan Moore, Neill K. McMillan, Paula Buck, Sharon Eddy, Steve Luvender and Sue Parzych.
Want to see your name here? Support Motorsports Beat on Patreon.