Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Fast Facts

Photo Courtesy: Indycar

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

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

Scott Dixon

2009

Ryan Briscoe

Dario Franchitti

2010

Will Power

Dario Franchitti

2011

Dario Franchitti

Will Power

Dario Franchitti

2012

Will Power

Ryan Hunter-Reay

2013

Helio Castroneves

Scott Dixon

2014

Will Power

Helio Castroneves

Will Power

2015

Juan Pablo Montoya

Graham Rahal

Scott Dixon (-48)

2016

Simon Pagenaud

Will Power

Simon Pagenaud

2017

Josef Newgarden