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By Adam Carabine

By Adam Carabine Welcome to the 2nd annual Playoff Forecast project. Projections are calculated by simulating the 2022 Cup Series schedule 125,000 times, using a top-secret predictive formula that is based on 3 important factors: Driver History @ Each Track, Driver Recent Overall History, and Team Performance. How to read it: The numbers in brackets show that driver’s position last week. The percentages in each column refer to the probability of that driver making it to that round. We have also simulated the week's Cup Series race. Check back each week to see who's favoured to win. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @StatChatRefresh Or you can email directly: acarabine@racingrefresh.com Get all your StatChat Merch from the Racing Refresh online store!

(image credit: Getty Images) After an exhilarating weekend in Silverstone, Formula One continues on for the 11th round of the 2022 World Championship as the series heads to the fastest track on the calendar in Spielberg, Austria for the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring. The 2.6 mile, ten-turn circuit offers plenty of elevation changes with long straights followed by hard-braking zones to facilitate passing. Max Verstappen enters this race as the defending winner of the event after a dominating showing in last years' race. For this race, Verstappen and Leclerc come into the weekend where the championship fight will be between them from here on out....unless something drastic happens. Haas F1 looks to gain speed in the mid-field battle, Ferrari looks to get back on track with solid strategy, and with wet weather in the forecast it will be a very exciting and drama filled 71 laps. Below is everything you need to know for the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix. Event History: This is the 36th Austrian Grand Prix in series history. First taking place on the nearby Zeltweg Airfield in 1964 before coming to the Red Bull Ring full time in 1997 and has been held ever since. The great Alain Prost and Max Verstappen have three wins each in the Austrian Grand Prix which is tied for most all time. Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, and Max Verstappen are the only active drivers to win at the Red Bull Ring. Track Facts: When it comes to power circuits in Formula One, the Red Bull Ring is one of the first tracks that someone will name when making a list of them. With an on-throttle time of 75% through an entire lap, this will be one of the few tracks so far to show off the speed of the new cars in 2022. Six right and four left hand turns make up the ten corner circuit which has three DRS activation zones. The first is down the pit straight, the second is down the long stretch connecting turn one and three, and the third one is the straight that connects turn three to turn four. Tire Allocation: Pirelli has brought the three softest tires in their inventory. C3 - Hard C4 - Medium C5 - Soft Weather: Sunday is projected to be our first wet weather race of the year as rain chances will be in the 80's. Max Verstappen dominated both races in Austria last year en route to a world title at the end of 2022 and with the straight line speed the Red Bull teams have had this year, it will be very hard to think that he would do the same this year. For Ferrari, they will have the pace to make Verstappen work at it but I myself, don't believe that they will get it done. One team that has surprised this weekend so far is the Haas F1 team who had both drivers advance to the third round in qualifying, so expect a strong midfield showing this weekend. With rain in the forecast, the playing field will be more even throughout the field so I will take Verstappen to win with Leclerc and Hamilton rounding out the podium. Weekend Schedule: (All times in EST) Saturday, July 9th - Free Practice #2 at 6:25 A.M. on ESPN2 Saturday, July 9th - Sprint Qualifying at 10: 25 A.M. on ESPN2 Sunday, July 10th - Austrian Grand Prix at 8:30 A.M. on ESPN2

(Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images) Parker Kligerman takes the checkered flag at Mid-Ohio, takes home bonus $50,000 July 9, 2022 By HOLLY CAIN NASCAR Wire Service Parker Kligerman may be a popular television race commentator but the 31-year old Connecticut driver reminded the NASCAR world that he is first, a race car driver, winning Saturday’s Inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in a highly-spirited final laps battle with Zane Smith. Ultimately, Kligerman held off the three-time race winner Smith – the two crossing the line side-by-side with Kligerman’s No. 75 Henderson Racing Chevrolet taking a .119-second margin of victory in a race that concluded with all the drama expected of a road course event. Smith – who won at Circuit of the Americas and finished runner-up at both Sonoma, Calif. and Mid-Ohio – takes a great “consolation prize” with his second-place finish Saturday. He heads into the regular season finale in two weeks now only two points away from earning the 2022 regular season Camping World Truck Series championship. Saturday’s victory is the third career series win for Kligerman and first since 2017. And he becomes the series’ 17th consecutive different winner on a road course. “It’s hard to put into words [what this means], I was pretty emotional on the cool-down lap because this whole team it’s like a team of second chances,” said an absolutely elated Kligerman of his small team. “Two years ago, I thought my driving days were done. This team gave me a call, wanting to get back racing and it’s just been a steady improvement. “It’s just unbelievable when you put a talented group of humans together, what they achieve,’’ Kligerman said of his Henderson Racing team, which employs only one fulltime crew member. “And we’re doing this on absolutely a fraction of the trucks we run against. “This is a small team that ‘could,’ but we’re not a small team that doesn’t win,’’ Kligerman shouted turning toward the crowd. “We win.” Corey Heim was making it a three-truck contest for the trophy, going wheel to wheel with Kligerman and Smith for what would have been an extra $150,000 Triple Truck Challenge bonus for him when his No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota suddenly lost power. That brought out the seventh caution period of the day and left the trophy to be decided in a frantic three-lap sprint by Kligerman and Smith, who each won a stage. Kligerman, who led a race best 56 of the 67 laps -also earned a $50,000 bonus for his win in the third and final round of the Triple Truck Challenge. Carson Hocevar finished third with Stewart Friesen and Christian Eckes rounding out the top five. Chandler Smith, Kaz Grala, Derek Kraus and Shelby Howard finished sixth through ninth with Hailie Deegan earning a 10th place finish – her first top 10 of the 2022 season. Mid-Ohio was especially tough for race favorites and championship contenders. John Hunter Nemechek, who entered the race trailing Smith by only 21 points in the standings was still hoping to race for his second consecutive Camping World Truck Series regular season championship. Instead, Nemechek’s No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota had mechanical problems about midway through the race. The KBM team worked on the truck in the garage to repair a problem with third gear. Nemechek returned to the race with only 18 laps remaining and was able to make up enough ground to stay in second place in the standings – tied with Chandler Smith – but now 58 points behind Zane Smith. Reigning series champion Ben Rhodes also experienced mechanical problems mid-race and was never able to challenge up front. He finished 23rd. Drivers Ty Majeski (12th), Eckes (fifth) and Hocevar (third), secured their Playoff berths with their results on Saturday. Ninth place Grant Enfinger and 10th place Matt Crafton still must battle Kraus for Playoff position. The three-time series champion Crafton holds a 19-point advantage over the 20-year old Kraus entering the final regular season race. The regular season concludes July 23 at Pocono (Ra.) Raceway with the CRC Brakeleen 150 (noon ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The top 10 drivers in the standings will contend in a seven-race Playoff to determine the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion. –30– NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race – Inaugural O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course Lexington, Ohio Saturday, July 9, 2022 (2) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 67. (13) Zane Smith, Ford, 67. (3) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 67. (19) Stewart Friesen, Toyota, 67. (20) Christian Eckes, Toyota, 67. (31) Chandler Smith, Toyota, 67. (17) Kaz Grala, Chevrolet, 67. (23) Derek Kraus, Chevrolet, 67. (30) Colby Howard, Chevrolet, 67. (28) Hailie Deegan, Ford, 67. (12) Grant Enfinger, Chevrolet, 67. (21) Ty Majeski, Toyota, 67. (22) Chase Purdy, Toyota, 67. (14) Austin Wayne Self, Chevrolet, 67. (10) Taylor Gray, Ford, 67. (35) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 67. (34) Timmy Hill, Toyota, 67. (5) Matt Crafton, Toyota, 67. (6) Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, 67. (16) Tanner Gray, Ford, 67. (7) Tyler Ankrum, Toyota, 67. (36) Stephen Mallozzi, Toyota, 67. (15) Ben Rhodes, Toyota, 66. (27) Lawless Alan #, Chevrolet, 66. (33) Kris Wright, Chevrolet, Accident, 65. (1) Corey Heim #, Toyota, Transmission, 60. (29) Dean Thompson #, Chevrolet, 60. (4) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota, 57. (26) Jack Wood #, Chevrolet, Accident, 54. (25) Blaine Perkins #, Chevrolet, Accident, 54. (8) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, Accident, 49. (9) Dylan Lupton, Chevrolet, Accident, 47. (32) Kenko Miura, Toyota, 42. (11) Connor Mosack, Chevrolet, Brakes, 37. (18) Trey Burke III, Chevrolet, Rear Gear, 16. (24) Mason Filippi, Toyota, Engine, 9. Average Speed of Race Winner: 65.116 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 19 Mins, 24 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.119 Seconds. Caution Flags: 7 for 15 laps. Lead Changes: 5 among 3 drivers. Lap Leaders: C. Heim # 1-3;P. Kligerman 4-39;Z. Smith 40-42;P. Kligerman 43-59;Z. Smith 60-64;P. Kligerman 65-67. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Parker Kligerman 3 times for 56 laps; Zane Smith 2 times for 8 laps; Corey Heim # 1 time for 3 laps. Stage #1 Top Ten: 75,38,4,51,23,98,16,42,41,52 Stage #2 Top Ten: 38,75,51,98,42,23,52,16,02,66

INDIANAPOLIS (July 5, 2022) – NHRA and its broadcasting team was recently honored with six prestigious Telly awards for video excellence during the 2021 season and the beginning of the 2022 campaign. The team has now been recognized with 25 Telly awards over the past eight years. The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens. Of the six overall awards, NHRA was bestowed four Silver Tellys, as the entire NHRA on FOX crew was honored in the General Television category for the Pep Boys NHRA Top Fuel All-Star Callout show that was featured on FOX in March. That show also earned a Bronze Telly in the General Sports category. “We are fortunate to have a team in place that is this talented to give us the opportunity to deliver the best drag racing coverage for fans,” NHRA Senior Director of Production Rob Hedrick said. “It’s exciting to see the team’s hard work rewarded by our peers in the industry.” Other Silver Telly awards came in the Television Live Events category for the entire crew’s work on the DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals broadcast on FOX, along with the Leviathans of Corn and Sand Las Vegas Fall Show Open in the Television Show Opening Segment category. Brian Lohnes, Lauren Adams, and Steve Reintjes were all recognized for that award. In the Television Show Opening Segment, a feature from Lohnes, Reintjes and Hedrick entitled “They Drag Racing in New England?” also earned a Silver Telly. Hedrick and NHRA also won a Bronze Telly in the Television Craft-Motion Graphics/Design category. The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 to honor excellence in local, regional, and cable television commercials with non-broadcast video and television programming added soon after. With the recent evolution and rise of digital video (web series, VR, 360, and beyond), the Telly Awards today also reflects and celebrates this exciting new era of the moving image online and offline. The Telly Awards annually showcases the best work created within television and across video, for all screens. Receiving more than 12,000 entries from all 50 states and five continents, Telly Award winners represent work from some of the most respected advertising agencies, television stations, production companies, and publishers from around the world. Silver Winner: General Television & Bronze Winner General Sports Pep Boys Top Fuel Callout Show on FOX Entire Crew Link Silver Winner: Television Live Events DeWalt NHRA Carolina Nationals on Fox Entire Crew Link Silver Winner: Television Show Opening Segment Leviathans of Corn and Sand Las Vegas Fall Show Open Brian Lohnes, Lauren Adams, Steve Reintjes Link Silver Winner: Television Show Opening Segment They Drag Race in New England? Epping Show Open on Fox Brian Lohnes, Rob Hedrick, Steve Reintjes Link Bronze Winner: Television Craft-Motion Graphics/Design NEWS UPDATE OPEN Rob Hedrick Link

Photo Courtesy: SEMA DIAMOND BAR, Calif. (July 7, 2022) – Product information and details for project vehicles displayed at the 2022 SEMA Show will be available at the click of a button. Through the SEMA Show mobile app, visitors will be able to scan QR codes that are on the vehicles and see comprehensive details about the build, including vehicle make, model, year, sponsors, and products. Last year, all feature vehicles in common areas such as outside parking spaces or indoor lobbies had QR codes that could be scanned through the mobile app. This year, the option is expanding to include sponsored vehicles and booth vehicles that exhibitors submit applications for in advance. "The feedback to the QR codes on the feature vehicles was so popular and well-received that we are expanding the option to allow Showgoers to scan and obtain information for even more vehicles at the SEMA Show,” said Tom Gattuso, SEMA vice president of events. “This is going to enhance the attendee experience and make it easier for buyers to connect with exhibitors.” The Project Vehicle option in the SEMA Show mobile app will include the sponsoring exhibitor, booth number, products installed, and more. Vehicles are also listed by categories such as hot rod, off-road, sport compact, muscle car, luxury, lowrider, and more. Applications for feature vehicle space is available as an exclusive benefit to Show exhibitors at www.semashow.com . All approved feature vehicles and sponsored vehicles are automatically included in the mobile app. Exhibitors must submit a booth vehicle application form in order for booth vehicles to be included in the mobile app. The mobile app, which is automatically updated each year in the fall, can be downloaded for free. Learn more by visiting www.semashow.com .

SONOMA, Calif. (July 6, 2022) – With a breathtaking backdrop in the heart of wine country, the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series is set to deliver an incredible weekend of 11,000-horsepower, 330-mph action at Sonoma Raceway during the 34th annual Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals on July 22-24. It is the 12th of 22 races during the 2022 season, marking the second stop in the famed three-race NHRA Western Swing and kicking off the second half of the year. Winners in Denver will look to keep rolling with a victory in Sonoma and set up a chance at history and to sweep the Western Swing with a win the following weekend in Seattle. The annual stop in Sonoma has always been a marquee race for drivers and fans who love the picturesque setting in the heart of Northern California’s wine country as well as the incredible race conditions that has led to countless historical NHRA milestones over the years. This year promises to be just as thrilling, with nitro qualifying under the lights on Friday, two rounds of qualifying on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday at one of the fastest tracks on the NHRA circuit. Steve Torrence (Top Fuel), Robert Hight (Funny Car), Aaron Stanfield (Pro Stock) and Karen Stoffer (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won the 2021 event, and this year’s race will be broadcast on both the FOX broadcast network and Fox Sports 1 (FS1), including live eliminations coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 24 on FOX. Torrence was one of three winners a year ago who picked up their first Sonoma victory, as he slipped past Leah Pruett in a thrilling final round. The Texan cruised to his fourth straight world championship and he’s looking for his first victory of the 2022 Top Fuel season. Standing in his way is a plethora of talented drivers, including local native Mike Salinas, who has four wins and the points lead this year, Brittany Force, who has three wins this year, Tony Schumacher, five-time event winner Doug Kalitta, Justin Ashley, Josh Hart, Clay Millican, Antron Brown, and Austin Prock. In Funny Car, Robert Hight has dominated Sonoma Raceway in recent years, winning the last three races at the scenic track. He’ll look to make it four in a row – something no driver has ever done in Sonoma – and extend his points lead in the process, but it won’t be easy against a loaded field. The star-studded lineup also features eight-time race winner John Force, defending world champ Ron Capps, Matt Hagan, who has three wins in 2022, 2017 race winner J.R. Todd, Tim Wilkerson, two-time event winner Cruz Pedregon, Alexis DeJoria, and Bob Tasca III. Pro Stock’s Aaron Stanfield drove to the win a year ago, capping off his hot summer stretch with his first Sonoma win. He’s picked up a pair of wins in 2022 to strengthen his championship contender status, but this season has belonged to his teammate, points leader Erica Enders. She has won five times already this year and will look to win in Sonoma for the first time as she aims for a fifth world championship. Top drivers to watch include Greg Anderson, whose six wins at Sonoma are the most in Pro Stock, Kyle Koretsky, Mason McGaha, rookie Camrie Caruso and 2015 winner Chris McGaha. Karen Stoffer picked up her first victory at Sonoma Raceway a year ago and she’s impressed so far in 2022 as well. She made the quickest run in class history en route to her Gatornationals win and Stoffer will look for back-to-back victories in wine country. But trying to stop her are a host of talented riders in the two-wheeled category, including points leader Steve Johnson, defending world champ Matt Smith, Norwalk winner Angelle Sampey, Eddie Krawiec, who has three wins in Sonoma, Angie Smith, Bristol winner Jerry Savoie, Jimmy Underdahl and Joey Gladstone. The event also will feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport’s top drivers, as well as Top the Cops, Jr. Dragster and Street Legal exhibition runs. Before nitro qualifying on Friday, fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a nostalgia cacklefest on the return road, as well as an exhibition run from The Little Red Firetruck Wheelstander. The popular wheelstander will also make a run on Saturday following the final nitro qualifying session. For autograph-seeking fans, they can attend an autograph session featuring riders in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the Suzuki Display at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, while an autograph session featuring Toyota drivers will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the Toyota Display. A special Denso Cornhole Challenge and autograph session will take place at the Denso Display in the Fan Zone at 10 a.m. on Saturday, giving fans a unique interactive opportunity. On Saturday, fans can also attend Nitro School to learn more about how the cars operate and reach their thrilling speeds. Race fans at Sonoma Raceway can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans are invited to congratulate the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals event winners. As always, fans also get an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet in Sonoma. This unique opportunity gives fans a unique chance to see teams in action and service their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers and more. Fans can also visit NHRA’s popular Nitro Alley and Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting atmosphere that includes interactive displays, simulated competitions, merchandise, food and fun for the entire family. The new Pep Boys midway display will include tire change challenges, oil change challenges, a slot car track and much more, adding even more excitement to the midway. NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature one round at 6:30 p.m. PT on Friday, July 22 and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, July 23 at 12:00 and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. PT on Sunday, July 24. Television coverage includes qualifying action on FS1 at 9:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, and then eliminations on FOX at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. To purchase tickets to the Denso NHRA Sonoma Nationals, fans can visit www.sonomaraceway.com or call 800-870-7223. For more information about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com .

By Adam Carabine NASCAR announced Wednesday that full-time driver of the No. 9 JRM Chevrolet Camaro, Noah Gragson, had been penalized 30 points, and fined $35,000 for intentionally wrecking Sage Karam at Road America this past weekend. The 23-year old Gragson retaliated against Karam on-track in an incident that ended up collecting 11 other drivers, and ending the race for 6 of them. Team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio of the incident, "I was shocked, to be honest with you, when I saw Noah make that decision." "I told him that I could stand behind him through just about anything, but I could not defend that.” Noah Gragson, who was ranked 4th in driver points standings before the penalty, will remain in 4th place, though his lead over 5th-placed Josh Berry will shrink down to only 5 points. The penalty will also put him 35 points behind 3rd-placed Justin Allgaier. For a look at the incident in question, check out this video courtesy of @NASCAR_Xfinity on Twitter: Update: Kelly Earnhardt Miller released a statement on behalf of JR Motorsports: "We understand today's penalty. Noah is a passionate racecar driver, and his actions occurred in the heat of the moment. Learning how and when to keep emotions in check is all part of the learning experience." JR Motorsports will not appeal the penalty.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 6, 2022) – Sam Hunt Racing (SHR) announced today that NTT IndyCar Series driver, Santino Ferrucci, will compete in back-to-back races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) with the team at Pocono Raceway and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. Ferrucci, who made the jump to stock-car racing from open-wheel racing in 2021 with SHR, has seven career NXS starts, earning four Top-15 finishes, including a 14th-place finish at Pocono Raceway. Although Ferrucci has never competed on a road course in a stock car, the part-time IndyCar competitor has four Indianapolis Grand Prix starts where he has recorded two top-10 and two top-15 finishes. “I’m super excited to be back with Sam and the team!” Said Ferrucci. “It’s been a long time coming since last year, and I’m excited to be back behind the wheel of an Xfinity car with Toyota. I think the momentum from the past two years has been really good. I’ve been in a good spot mentally, and I am driving the best I ever have. I think having the experience of both IndyCar and NASCAR is very helpful. It will be easier to go to an Xfinity car this year instead of last year’s transition from an Xfinity car to an IndyCar and vice versa.” SHR made its first-ever NXS start in 2019 at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team impressed the competition with its speed after qualifying 15th in its first national series start. After a part-time effort during the 2020 NXS season, the young team expanded to full-time competition, fielding eight drivers of various skill-level, ending the season with one top-five, two top-10, and nine top-15 finishes. “Mine and Santino’s story is special because we both started working together when there were a lot of crossroads in our respective careers,” said Sam Hunt, the 29-year-old owner of Sam Hunt Racing. “People don’t realize how hard Santino works behind the scenes, and how he has to fight for every ounce of funding he gets. He’s an ultra-talented racer and a personality the sport needs. He doesn’t race to make friends, he races to pay his bills. I’m excited to have him come back to SHR after his fourth consecutive Indianapolis 500 top-ten finish.” On board for Ferrucci’s No. 26 Toyota Camry for the first of two starts, the Pocono Mountains 225, will be Freedom Alliance, a charitable organization founded by Oliver North, a Marine officer of 22 years. North is a decorated combat Marine, best-selling author, and graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. The Freedom Alliance is a military support organization that impacts thousands of combat veterans, active duty, and military families by helping them overcome the mental, emotional and physical wounds of war. “We’re thrilled to have the Freedom Alliance brand associated with NASCAR’s most dynamic team and most exciting driver,” said Freedom Alliance President Tom Kilgannon. “As supporters of combat veterans and military families, we partner with the best, so naturally, we’re aligned with Sam Hunt Racing and Santino Ferrucci for the Pocono Mountains 225. This is an honor for Freedom Alliance and the heroes we represent. We’re fired up!” Information regarding partnership for the Pennzoil 250 at the Brickyard will be announced at a later time. ###

Photo: Andrej Isakovic, Getty After a very exciting 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone where Carlos Sainz took his first ever victory. The race was marred by the lap one incident where Alfa Romeo rookie driver Zhou Guanyo slid upside down off of turn one runoff area after some incidental contact which eventually saw him flip into a catch fence and luckily walked away. In this week's edition of Tech Tuesday we will look at the history, innovation, and implementation of one of the most controversial yet effective pieces in driver safety in the history of motorsports. In order to understand the implication of the halo, we have to go back to two incidents that sparked driver safety concerns that led to it. Our first incident happened in 2009 at the Hungarian Grand Prix when Felipe Massa struck a spring that fell of the Brawn machine of Rubens Barrichello. Massa went into the wall at the run off in Turn Four and was knocked unconscious and eventually recovered and returned in a few weeks after the crash. Our next one that got the driver protection system was the death of Jules Bianchi in the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix. Not only was this the catalyst for the halo, but it also introduced the Virtual Safety Car that is still in use today The initial research and development of the halo device started in early 2016 as the FIA was researching cost, development by teams, and different variations of what we now have today. There were two leading variations of the driver protection system that are now seen in two different series. In INDYCAR, the "aeroscreen", which was made by Red Bull Advanced Technology. Sebastian Vettel was the only driver in Formula One to test the aeroscreen but complained about visibility and glare which shelved the program. IndyCar made other designs to the aeroscreen which made its debut in 2019. In the world of Formula One, the halo made its initial debut in August 2017 in Formula 2 and had to wait unit the Australian Grand Prix in 2018 before it was debuted into the series. The initial response to the news was at the 2017 Hungarian Grand Prix in which multiple drivers denounced the halo device. Formula One legend Niki Lauda said the halo distorted the "essence of racing cars." With most drivers saying that it distorts visibility, is ugly, and makes it more difficult to get in and out of the car. Even though with the initial reaction to the halo system being negative, it did not take too long before it was tested in race conditions in the Belgian Grand Prix when Charles Leclerc thanked the system for saving his life after an incident with Fernando Alonso and the statistics back it up. The now 20 lb bar of titanium is connected to three points on the car and the FIA simulations detailed a 17% increase in driver survivability in an accident. Thank you for joining us in another edition of Tech Tuesday here at Racing Refresh. Make sure to join us next week as we deep dive the technology of Formula E.

Photo Credit: Twitter.com/RCRracing July 3, 2022 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service PLYMOUTH, Wis. – It was a dogfight between two drivers, pure and simple. It was Tyler Reddick who outdueled pole winner Chase Elliott in the intense mano-a-mano battle in Sunday’s Kwik Trip 250 at Road America. The victory was Reddick’s first in the NASCAR Cup Series, making him the fifth first-time winner this season. As the 13th different winner this year, Reddick shrank the Playoff bubble by one position. With seven races left before the cutoff race at Daytona, there are currently three Playoff positions available on points. Reddick’s victory bumped 10th-place finisher Kevin Harvick below the Playoff cut line. Elliott dominated the first two stages but won neither, choosing to pit before the end of the runs to preserve track position. And on the final green-flag pit stop on Lap 44 of 62, Elliott narrowly beat Reddick off pit road to start the last green-flag run. But Reddick kept Elliott in his sights. “I definitely knew he was fast, but we could stay with him on the long run, which told me if we cycled through that last… that pit sequence, we'd be close or get around him (on pit road), (and) we'd have a great shot. “Didn't quite get around him. We were within reach. Thankfully, just waited for the right opportunity and was able to take advantage of it in Turn 6.” Indeed. Reddick closed on Elliott on Lap 46 and outbraked the No. 9 Chevrolet into Turn 5, getting the nose of his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet beside the left rear quarter panel of Elliott’s car. Reddick pulled even up the hill into left-hand Turn 6 and cleared Elliott off the corner. Elliott fought back through Turns 7 and 8, but Reddick pulled clear in the Carousel. At the time, the pass was for third place, given that Denny Hamlin and Harrison Burton still had pit stops to make. On Lap 47 Reddick overtook Burton for the lead and gradually pulled away in the closing laps. He crossed the finish line 3.304 seconds ahead of Elliott and 21.138 seconds ahead of third-place finisher Kyle Larson. Reddick, who was 100 yards from victory on the Bristol Dirt Track in April when Chase Briscoe overdrove the final corner and knocked him sideways, couldn’t have picked a better venue to score his first win. “What better place than Road America?” Reddick said. “I love the fans. I love this race track. Being here on 4th of July weekend is just so special, and just a huge shoutout to (sponsor) 3Chi and the special paint scheme we had this weekend. “Love that they're coming on board this year and taking a chance on a young guy like me, and we got it done. We won a race.” Elliott took his second-place finish with grace, acknowledging mistakes he made in the final run. “First off, congrats to him,” Elliott said. “I know he's been super close to that first win, and I've been down that road, and it can be a rocky one. I'm happy for those guys. They deserve it. “For us, just proud of our NAPA team. I didn't do a very good job there. I just let him stay close enough to pressure me there while we had decent tires and never could get enough of a gap. Made a couple mistakes. I was gaining a gap there a couple times and made a couple mistakes and let him get back close enough to get me out of sync, and then after that just started struggling. “Obviously, it was super difficult to get to somebody to pass them. It was impressive he was able to get up there and capitalize on my mistakes… I felt like we probably needed a little bit, but I think we were good enough to win, so those always hurt.” Trackhouse Racing teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez finished fourth and fifth, respectively, as Chevrolets swept the top five positions. Chris Buescher, Austin Cindric, Michael McDowell, AJ Allmendinger and Harvick completed the top 10. Martin Truex Jr. drove the top-finishing Toyota to a 13th-place result. Notes: All three road courses so far this season have produced first-time winners: Chastain at Circuit of the Americas and Suarez at Sonoma Raceway in addition to Reddick… Harvick trails Christopher Bell by 20 points for the final Playoff-eligible position. Elliott leads the series standings by 33 points over Ryan Blaney, who finished 11th…Elliott led a race-high 38 laps. Reddick led the final 16… Reddick’s victory also was the first his crew chief, Randall Burnett. NASCAR Cup Series Race - 2nd Annual Kwik Trip 250 Presented by JOCKEY Made in America Road America Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Sunday, July 3, 2022 1. (4) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 62. 2. (1) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 62. 3. (3) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 62. 4. (12) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 62. 5. (17) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 62. 6. (7) Chris Buescher, Ford, 62. 7. (5) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 62. 8. (6) Michael McDowell, Ford, 62. 9. (21) AJ Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 62. 10. (28) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 62. 11. (19) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 62. 12. (8) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 62. 13. (15) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 62. 14. (2) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 62. 15. (10) Cole Custer, Ford, 62. 16. (29) William Byron, Chevrolet, 62. 17. (14) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 62. 18. (16) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 62. 19. (33) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet, 62. 20. (30) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 62. 21. (9) Joey Hand, Ford, 62. 22. (23) Harrison Burton #, Ford, 62. 23. (22) Kurt Busch, Toyota, 62. 24. (34) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 62. 25. (32) Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 62. 26. (27) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 62. 27. (18) Joey Logano, Ford, 62. 28. (24) Aric Almirola, Ford, 62. 29. (13) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 62. 30. (37) Kyle Tilley, Ford, 61. 31. (20) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Brakes, 60. 32. (31) Cody Ware, Ford, 59. 33. (11) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 58. 34. (35) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, 57. 35. (25) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, Brakes, 54. 36. (26) Josh Bilicki(i), Chevrolet, 52. 37. (36) Loris Hezemans(i), Ford, Fuel Pump, 9. Average Speed of Race Winner: 96.622 mph. Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 35 Mins, 51 Secs. Margin of Victory: 3.304 Seconds. Caution Flags: 2 for 2 laps. Lead Changes: 8 among 6 drivers. Lap Leaders: C. Elliott 1-12;C. Briscoe 13-16;C. Elliott 17-28;R. Blaney 29-31;C. Elliott 32-43;R. Blaney 44;D. Hamlin 45;H. Burton # 46;T. Reddick 47-62. Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Chase Elliott 3 times for 36 laps; Tyler Reddick 1 time for 16 laps; Ryan Blaney 2 times for 4 laps; Chase Briscoe 1 time for 4 laps; Harrison Burton # 1 time for 1 lap; Denny Hamlin 1 time for 1 lap. Stage #1 Top Ten: 14,2,48,22,45,21,23,43,31,9 Stage #2 Top Ten: 12,15,42,45,43,31,21,23,9,8

Press Release: MAV TV and FloRacing MAVTV Plus Live and Future On-Demand Content Will Now Be Available on FloRacing Including Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, Chili Bowl Nationals Presented by General Tire Finals and More Starting on June 30. MAVTV Will Continue to Broadcast from Motorsports Venues & Events Around the Country Delivering Content to FloSports Under The "MAVTV On FloRacing" Banner. CORONA, Calif. and AUSTIN, Texas , June 30, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MAVTV Motorsports Network and FloSports today announced a new live streaming partnership that will deliver MAVTV Plus live content to fans through FloRacing, FloSports' dedicated motorsports platform. All live programming that previously aired on the MAVTV Plus app including the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, finals of the Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship, and more will be now hosted by FloSports under the "MAVTV on FloRacing" banner. FloRacing and MAVTV Plus will begin co-streaming MAVTV Plus programming to their respective subscribers starting today through midnight on Tuesday, July 26. On July 27, MAVTV Plus programming will be exclusively streamed through FloRacing. MAVTV Motorsports Network programming will still be available through cable television and select digital outlets with FloSports becoming MAVTV Plus' dedicated direct-to-consumer live-streaming platform. MAVTV on FloRacing The alignment of these two titans of motorsports represents one of the most significant industry partnerships between two companies with a shared mission of delivering quality live programming and original content to racing fans who are passionate about a wide spectrum of motorsports. MAVTV has established itself as a producer of outstanding high-quality motorsports productions with a valuable and diverse suite of live events popular with fans. FloRacing operates one of the industry's leading OTT products that features some of the best in live racing programming and production, combined with a deep editorial coverage of the sport. This partnership will deliver a powerhouse product to fans of motorsports that will stream over 2,000 events annually at an incredible value of under 10 cents a race and just $150 annually. MAVTV Plus subscribers will now have access to the entire FloRacing catalog of events. "We place enormous value on the fan experience; we want to give our customers the best viewing experience possible," said Morgan Lucas, President of Lucas Oil . "MAVTV's mission is to connect race fans to their favorite events - from anywhere. FloSports helps us deliver on that mission, giving subscribers the best support, technology, and access to the motorsports events they love. We are all-in and eager to build this partnership into the best motorsports streaming platform available." "We're incredibly excited to welcome MAVTV viewers from across the globe to FloSports," said Mark Floreani, CEO and Co-Founder, FloSports . "Our platform will give current MAVTV Plus users access to all of our live and on-demand events including motorsports and so much more. With the first live MAVTV on FloRacing event streaming today, we aim to create a seamless viewing experience and ensure not a minute of a live event is missed." MAVTV will contact MAVTV Plus subscribers with information about their accounts and instructions on how to access MAVTV on FloRacing to watch new, live MAVTV programming moving forward. The partnership with MAVTV boosts FloRacing's comprehensive live motorsports offering with additional 750 hours of programming annually and creates an elevated streaming and customer-centric experience for MAVTV Plus viewers around the world. FloSports is a global, live sports event streaming service that gives subscribers access to over 200,000 sports competitions live or on demand plus behind-the-scenes coverage and original programming for over 25 different sports. FloSports investment into grassroots motorsports is driving interest and growth of the sport with FloRacing increasingly being viewed as the leading destination for the sport. Since the partnership with Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway began in 2020, ticket sales at the track have consistently increased year over year. FloRacing's broadcast of the Kyle Larson Presents FloRacing Late Model Challenge Powered By Tezos set viewership records while the 2022 Eldora Million became the most-watched single day live sporting event in the history of FloSports . The company is currently in the middle of the second campaign of the popular FloRacing Night In America race series that has added over 10 new dirt track races annually and has paid out over $800,000 in prize money in 2021 and 2022 so far --- increasing the annual earnings for drivers and delivering more ticket sales to tracks. FloSports also announced an exclusive broadcast partnership with NASCAR for its Roots properties including the ARCA Menards Series, NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, NASCAR Pinty's Series, and NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series. FloRacing's comprehensive offering includes, but is not limited to, USAC, All Star Circuit of Champions, Eldora Speedway, IRA Outlaw Sprints, Short Track Super Series, Chili Bowl Nationals presented by General Tire, Gateway Dirt Nationals and now over 280 NASCAR Roots races annually. Fans can subscribe via FloRacing gaining access to over 2,000 races annually for $150 a year, a value equaling less than $0.10 per race. The subscription also unlocks premium FloRacing content including exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes access with drivers, news, analysis as well as archived races and event highlights. Watch the races across all screens by downloading the FloSports app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire and Chromecast. About MAVTV MAVTV Motorsports Network is the only television network in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to motorsports. MAVTV offers an unparalleled line-up of exclusive and unique events. MAVTV goes beyond the national mainstream motorsports events to include grassroots racing from across the globe: drag racing, pro motocross, sprint boats, rally cars, short course off-road truck racing, sprint cars, pro pulling, drifting, ice racing, and everything in between. MAVTV knows you don't have to be a race fan to be an automotive enthusiast, which is why we have developed a package of automotive reality and custom build shows that are truly second-to-none. From 24/7 automotive and motorsports content on MAVTV Motorsports Network to the free and exclusive content available on MAVTV Select if it has a motor, it's probably on MAVTV – The Motorsports Network! About FloSports Founded in 2006, FloSports is a venture-backed subscription video streaming service dedicated to sports, offering live and on-demand access to hundreds of thousands of competition events across 25+ vertical sport categories in the US and abroad. With a growing library of more than 300,000 hours of premium content including news, expert commentary, films, documentaries and more, FloSports has established itself as an innovator and leader in sports streaming. Finally, your sport has a home.

Photo Courtesy : New England Patriots Press Release : NASCAR and NFL Two-time Super Bowl winner and Patriots co-captain will lead the field to green for New England's only NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m. at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. LOUDON, N.H. – On Sunday, July 17, David Andrews, center and co-captain for the New England Patriots , will get behind the wheel of the official Toyota Camry TRD pace car as he leads 40 of NASCAR ’s best to the green flag for the Ambetter 301 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). “I can’t think of a better way to celebrate my 30th birthday,” said 29-year-old Andrews whose birthday is July 10, just one week prior to the Ambetter 301. “I’m a big NASCAR fan, but I never dreamed of driving the pace car. Leading the field to green at ‘The Magic Mile’ is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel!” Born in Johns Creek, Ga., six-foot-three-inch Andrews will enter his eighth season with the New England Patriots this year. The two-time Super Bowl champion has been named captain five times (2017-2021) after beginning his pro career as a rookie free agent in 2015. Andrews was the starting center for a top-10 offense in each of his first four seasons and was selected to the New England Patriots 2010s All-Decade Team at center. In 2021, Andrews served as the starting center and was named co-captain for the fifth straight year. He served as the leader of the offensive line at Houston and Dallas as the only regular starter playing both games. Andrews served a major role in the team’s season-high 184 yards rushing versus Cleveland, who entered the game ranked third in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game with 84.8. “I’ve enjoyed watching David lead his teammates to two Super Bowl victories, and now I can’t wait to see him lead the best drivers in the world to the green flag at New Hampshire Motor Speedway,” said David McGrath, executive vice president and general manager for New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “We’re proud to put him behind the wheel of the official Toyota Camry TRD pace car and welcome him to ‘The Magic Mile’ on July 17.” Patriots wide receiver and All-Pro punt returner Gunner Olszewski (July 2021), safety Patrick Chung (July 2018), offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (July 2017), offensive tackle Matt Light (September 2016), linebacker Rob Ninkovich (July 2015) and wide receiver Julian Edelman (July 2014) have all served as pace car drivers, making Andrews the seventh member of the New England Patriots to get behind the wheel of the official Toyota Camry TRD pace car for a NCS race at NHMS. Other notable pace car drivers include Boston Bruins forward Chris Wagner (July 2019), Richard Rawlings of Discovery Channel’s “Fast N’ Loud” (September 2017), Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard (July 2016), Olympic triathlete Sarah True (September 2015) and Boston Bruins legend Brad Park (September 2014). Tickets: Fans can log on to NHMS.com for tickets and more information on the weekend’s lineup of action-packed racing. Tickets for Friday Night Dirt Duels Presented by New England Racing Fuel are just $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Doubleheader Saturday tickets start at just $45 for adults while kids 12 and under are free. Sunday’s Ambetter 301 tickets start at just $59 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. Follow Us: Keep track of all of New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s events by following on Facebook (@NHMotorSpeedway), Twitter (@NHMS) and Instagram (@NHMS). Keep up with all the latest information on the speedway website (NHMS.com) and mobile app.

Indycar Wire Service - Photo Courtesy: INDYCAR LEXINGTON, Ohio (Sunday, July 3, 2022) – Simply put, nobody was better in Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires this weekend than Hunter McElrea. The rookie Andretti Autosport driver delivered a dominant performance Sunday at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, leading all 35 laps from the pole in the Indy Lights at Mid-Ohio to score his first series win in the No. 27 car. The victory capped one of the most dominant Indy Lights weekend performances of the season, as McElrea was never not the fastest driver in a session. McElrea led both practices, was the fastest qualifier and led Sunday’s race flag-to-flag. CLICK IT: Official Race Results “I’m just relieved,” McElrea said. “I knew I could do this. This weekend, I just wanted to go back to having fun and letting everything handle itself. I can’t thank everyone who has supported me. It means a lot, and I’m just really relieved and really happy with this.” McElrea beat Andretti Autosport teammate Matthew Brabham to the finish by 2.6826 seconds. Championship leader Linus Lundqvist rounded out the podium by finishing third for HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing. Andretti Autosport drivers followed suit to put all four team cars in the top five. Rookie Christian Rasmussen finished fourth in the No. 28 Road to Indy/Stellrecht, while Sting Ray Robb finished fifth in the No. 2 Sekady. Robb catapulted to fifth with an electrifying pass in the final corner on Benjamin Pedersen of Global Racing Group with HMD. Robb had been hounding Pedersen over the final laps, and Pedersen locked up his tires entering Turn 12. That allowed Robb to jump alongside Pedersen and take the position. The move cost rookie Jacob Abel a seventh-place finish, as the slight contact between the two cars in front of him caused him to lock his brakes and spin into the grass in Turn 13. He finished 11th in the No. 51 Abel Speedwagon. McElrea was challenged a few times on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course. The first came in Turn 4 on the first lap after taking the green flag, when Lundqvist, who started second, tried to stay side-by-side with McElrea and the two made slight contact. From there, it was McElrea’s race to lose. By Lap 20, he had a nearly six-second lead on Brabham and more than 15 seconds on Lundqvist. But a Lap 23 caution bunched the 13-car field on his gearbox for one last shot at the dominant driver. Entering Turn 1, James Roe spun the No. 12 TJ Speed Motorsports entry. The Irishman got stuck in the gravel trap and needed to be pulled out, forcing a full-course yellow. It was the only caution of the day. As the race resumed on Lap 25 for a 10-lap dash to the finish, McElrea quickly pulled away. McElrea, a New Zealand native who was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Australia, is the fifth different winner in eight Indy Lights races this season. He is the third driver this season to score his first career win, following Danial Frost on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Rasmussen at Road America. The other two race winners this season are Brabham, at St. Petersburg, and Lundqvist, who has four wins on the season. McElrea was relieved finally to add his name to the list of Indy Lights winners in 2022, a feat he likely should have accomplished in the season-opening race on the Streets of St. Petersburg. The second runner-up in last year’s Indy Pro 2000 championship was nearly as strong at that race in February, scoring the pole and leading the first 11 laps. But a mistake from the lead put McElrea in the wall and ended his day early. “Ever since St. Pete when I threw that one away, it was really mentally tough,” he said. “I’ve probably been letting that affect me too much, still just trying to force it a bit much. “I hope this sets the precedent for the second half of the season. I think for sure this weekend is as perfect as they get. It’s very good for the rest of the year.” Lundqvist extended his stronghold on the championship with his sixth podium finish of the season. He leads Robb by 87 points. Brabham rose two positions to third, 96 points back. McElrea climbed three spots to fourth, 98 points back. Indy Lights is back in action Saturday, July 23 for the first oval race of the season at Iowa Speedway. Indy Lights at Iowa Speedway begins at 12:15 p.m. (ET), live on Peacock Premium and INDYCAR Radio Network.

INDYCAR WIRE SERVICES LEXINGTON, Ohio (Sunday, July 3, 2022) -- A wild and chaotic day at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course wasn’t enough to stop Scott McLaughlin, who scored his second NTT INDYCAR SERIES win of the season Sunday in The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the All-New 2023 Civic Type R. Driving the No. 3 Odyssey Battery Team Penske Chevrolet, McLaughlin held off reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda over the final 17 laps, beating him to the finish line by 0.5512 seconds. CLICK IT: Race Results It was the second time this season these two drivers have finished in that order – they also did so in the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida when McLaughlin won his first series race. “This is amazing,” McLaughlin said. “I’m really proud of the (Team Penske crew). The car they gave me was a little hard to drive toward the end. I would love to make it a little bit easier for myself, but I’m super proud of them. “You’re thinking about fuel (at the end of the race), but thankfully Chevy gave us great fuel mileage and drivability off the restarts that allowed me to get a bit of a gap from Palou.” 2014 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Will Power rallied from the 21st starting spot and a Lap 1 spin in Turn 9 to finish third for his fourth podium finish of the season in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay finished fourth in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet, and six-time Mid-Ohio race winner Scott Dixon rounded out the top five in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The 80-lap race was treacherous compared to past NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at the track. There were six cautions for 17 laps, more than the previous five Mid-Ohio NTT INDYCAR SERIES races combined. The 2021 race and Race 2 of the 2020 doubleheader each featured two stoppages, while Race 1 of the 2020 doubleheader and the events in 2019 and 2018 did not have any. The first caution came on Lap 1 for a waved-off start, and the second on Lap 10 was for a mechanical failure on the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet of Felix Rosenqvist, who was running third when his car started hitting the rev limiter in Turn 2 and then billowed smoke. It was an ominous sign for NTT P1 Award winner Pato O’Ward, who led the first 28 laps in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. However, on Lap 30, O’Ward began reporting power issues on his car. By Lap 54, O’Ward’s car had completely lost power as it stalled at the end of pit lane. His Arrow McLaren SP team pushed the car back to the pit box, where O’Ward exited and ended the streak of Mid-Ohio polesitters winning the race at three. This allowed McLaughlin, who started second next to O’Ward, to inherit the lead during a round of green flag pit stop cycles on Lap 31. During the stops, rookie Kyle Kirkwood went off track in Turn 9 in the No. 14 Sexton Properties Chevrolet of AJ Foyt Racing. The yellow flag flew just as green-flag pit stops cycled through, which put McLaughlin at the point. The second-year series driver was in full control of the race on the 13-turn, 2.258-mile permanent road course thereafter. McLaughlin led 45 of the final 52 laps. Colton Herta led seven laps after not pitting under caution on Lap 53 while the rest of the leaders pitted. McLaughlin got the lead back on Lap 60 and never looked back, keeping Palou in his mirror through a series of cautions and restarts. Palou, a Spaniard, was never more than second behind New Zealand native McLaughlin, and the final caution on Lap 59 for contact between Romain Grosjean’s No. 28 ForeverLawn/DHL Honda and Alexander Rossi’s No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda gave him one last chance to try to capture his first win of 2022. “Man, it was so close,” said Palou, who started seventh. “Our No. 10 NTT DATA car was fast. We just missed it by ‘this much’ again today, but I’m super proud. I don’t think I was good enough to pass (McLaughlin). I wish I would have gone for it, but I did not see that it was clear to do it.” McLaughlin’s third podium of the season and Palou’s fourth allowed them to close in on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship. Marcus Ericsson held his points lead with a sixth-place finish in the No. 8 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda, but he is now just 20 points ahead of Power. Josef Newgarden is third, 34 points back. Palou rose to fourth in the standings, just 35 points back. McLaughlin jumped two positions to seventh in the standings, 69 points back of Ericsson, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. While McLaughlin’s surge in the championship standings will be beneficial down the road, the three-time Australian V8 Supercars champion was basking in the glory of scoring his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES win with his parents, Wayne and Diane, in attendance. The couple came to the United States in May for the “500” and reunited with their son for the first time in two and a half years. This was the first race they’ve seen him win in this series. “Oh, I really wanted to get a win here with mom and dad for the first time,” McLaughlin said. “To have mom and dad here on America’s weekend is awesome.” The NTT INDYCAR SERIES takes a week off before heading to Toronto for the first time in three years due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Honda Indy Toronto will take place Sunday, July 17 at 3 p.m. (ET), live on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.