Chevrolet IndyCar Drivers Seek More Street Course Success
· Chevrolet drivers prepare for Chevrolet Dual in Detroit
ᴏ Twin 70-lap races at Belle Isle Park are mentally and physically challenging
· Chevrolet drivers have won every road/street course race this season
ᴏ Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud has won three of the four
· Chevrolet drivers had 2015 success on the 2.3-mile street circuit
ᴏ Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya start from pole; Sebastien Bourdais won Race 2
· Helio Castroneves aims for fourth win on Belle Isle circuit
DETROIT (June 2, 2016) – Josef Newgarden’s third-place finish Sunday in the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race from his front row starting position led the charge for Team Chevy in the historic race.
Now the attention for Newgarden and other Chevrolet drivers shifts to the 2.3-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit at Belle Isle Park in the shadow of Chevrolet’s World Headquarters for the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans. The twin 70-lap races Saturday and Sunday are mentally challenging and physically draining, and land in the middle of a five-week stretch of Verizon IndyCar Series on-track activity.
The IndyCar doubleheader highlights the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix weekend that will feature The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic presented by Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Also on-track will be SPEED Energy Stadium SUPER Truck Series and the Dimensional Services Group Motor City 100 (two races) for the Trans Am Series.
In the four road/street course events this season, Chevrolet has earned the pole position and won the race. Team Penske’s Will Power was the No. 1 qualifier and teammate Juan Pablo Montoya won at St. Petersburg. Simon Pagenaud won at Barber Motorsports Park and the GP of Indianapolis from the pole, and he claimed the victory while teammate Helio Castroneves earned the pole at Long Beach.
Montoya and Power, who set the Belle Isle track record in qualifying for Race 1 in 2015, started from the pole in the races.
“I don’t feel we lost any momentum (after finishing 19th in the Indianapolis 500),” said Pagenaud, who earned a podium finish in the first race at Belle Isle in 2015. “As a team, the whole Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chevrolet crew is in a great place. We came out of Indy with the points (lead) in good shape, so the big-picture view is good. I like the Belle Isle track and really looking forward to competing there again.”
Four-time Indy car champion Sebastien Bourdais won the second race in 2015 in the KVSH Racing Chevrolet from the ninth starting position.
“We had a good car in both Detroit races last year and came away with a win in the second race, so we should come off the transporter with a good baseline setup,” said Bourdais, who will drive the No. 11 Team Hydroxycut-KVSH Racing Chevrolet. “I also had an opportunity to do some pace car rides on the Belle Isle circuit during a media day a little over a week ago, so it was nice to reacquaint myself with the track.”
Castroneves has won three times at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, the most by an Indy car driver in the 19 races, and most recently in 2014. He also has started from the pole three times.
ABC will telecast both 70-lap races live at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday. Also, the INDYCAR Radio Network broadcast is available on network affiliates, indycarradio.com, RaceControl.indycar.com, the INDYCAR Mobile app, Sirius 212, and XM 209.
Chevrolet will welcome fans to its Chevrolet Racing Display inside the racetrack. It will include a number of Chevrolet’s award-winning production vehicles. Examples of Chevrolet engines, and a selection of performance parts and accessories that are available for fans to purchase from their local Chevrolet dealer also will be on display.