CHEVROLET RACING IN NTT INDYCAR SERIES
STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA
TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE WITH STATISTICS
MARCH 6, 2019

Chevrolet Aims for Strong Start to Season

· Team Chevy driver lineup boasts experience and success
ᴏ Competitors have combined for 74 wins, four championships
· Chevrolet has impressive statistics on St. Pete street course
ᴏ Drivers deliver five wins, five pole starts in seven races
· Two first-year Chevrolet drivers entered in the opener
ᴏ Ed Jones and Ben Hanley add depth to team rosters
· Meet the drivers at Chevrolet Performance display

DETROIT (March 6, 2019) – Performance and experience are a winning combination that underscore Chevrolet Racing’s promising outlook entering the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series.

Chevrolet begins the six-month trek to corral its seventh Manufacturer Championship in eight seasons of INDYCAR competition in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The 110-lap race March 10 kicks off 17 races on 16 event weekends.

The 10 Chevrolet drivers entered in the opener represent 74 victories and four NTT IndyCar Series driver/entrant championships, and all but one driver has race experience in the Dallara IR-15 chassis with universal aero kits introduced for the 2018 season.

Data collected from the 17 races, offseason development and recent on-track test sessions will support Chevrolet teams’ further optimization of car handling and tire management on the mix of short ovals, superspeedways, road courses and street circuits.

“I think we made gains on the road and street courses, and I think there will be gains for us on the ovals, as well,” said Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet who made his NTT IndyCar Series debut at St. Petersburg in 2012. “We learned a lot at the Circuit of The Americas test in February.

“I’m confident in the data we collected as a team and I’m sure we’ll start the year strong. There’s just a lot to look forward to and I’m really ready for it.”

Chevrolet’s 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 engine has powered entries to five poles and an equal number of victories on the 1.8-mile St. Petersburg temporary street circuit since 2012. Will Power owns four of the pole starts in the span.

“It’s going to be really cool to start the season knowing we’re the defending Indy 500 champions,” said Power, whose win in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet was one of three in the 2018 season. “There’s just so much to be excited for and I can’t wait to get it started in St. Petersburg.”

At St. Petersburg, Power will seek to make his 205th Indy car start. Tony Kanaan, driver of the No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing, will seek to make his 301st consecutive start and 361st overall.

Two additions to the Chevrolet lineup for the season opener show promise.
Ed Jones, the 2017 Sunoco Rookie of the Year and 2016 Indy Lights champion, joins Ed Carpenter Racing with Scuderia Corsa for 12 road-street course races in the No. 20 Chevrolet and will drive the No. 64 Chevrolet in the 103rd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

First-year NTT IndyCar Series team DragonSpeed Racing, based in Jupiter, Florida, will utilize Chevrolet power at five races with sports car and single-seater veteran Ben Hanley behind the wheel.

“We’re viewing it as a stepping stone to becoming full time. We’re not underestimating how difficult it’s going to be considering all the full-timers and all the top teams here,” said Hanley, 34, of Great Britain. “But, at the same time, we’re not just here to make up the numbers and we do think we can achieve something.”

Also new for 2019 are races at Circuit of the Americas on March 24 and the season finale Sept. 22 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, an exclusive TV package with NBC Sports Group, races telecast on Sky Sports F1 in the United Kingdom, and series title sponsor NTT Data.

Fans will have the opportunity to interact with NTT IndyCar Series drivers during Q&A sessions during the race weekend and check out an array of production vehicles, engines and accessories at the Chevrolet Performance display in Albert Whitted Park. The driver lineup:
March 8 — AJ Foyt Racing (Tony Kanaan, Matheus Leist), 12:15-12:30 p.m.; Carlin (Max Chilton, Charlie Kimball), 1:15-1:30 p.m.; Team Penske (Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power), 5:15-5:30 p.m.
March 9 – Ed Carpenter Racing (Ed Jones, Spencer Pigot), 12:45-1 p.m.
A Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport will pace the field to the green flag. NBCSN will telecast the 110-lap/198-mile race on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn road course live at 12:30 p.m. ET March 10.

Team Chevy will be well represented by:
AJ FOYT RACING:
Matheus Leist, No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet
Tony Kanaan, No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet

CARLIN:
Charlie Kimball, No. 23 Tresiba Chevrolet
Max Chilton, No. 59 Gallagher Chevrolet

DRAGONSPEED:
Ben Hanley, No. 81 10 Star Chevrolet

ED CARPENTER RACING:
Ed Jones, No. 20 Autogeek Chevrolet
Spencer Pigot, No. 21 Autogeek Chevrolet

TEAM PENSKE:
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Hitachi Chevrolet
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 Menards Chevrolet

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results:

2018 – 6 wins, 9 poles in 17 races
Wins – Josef Newgarden (Phoenix, Barber, Road America), Will Power (Indianapolis RC, Indianapolis 500, Gateway). Poles – Newgarden (Barber, Texas, Road America, Toronto), Power (Indianapolis RC, Iowa, Pocono, Portland), Ed Carpenter (Indianapolis 500)
2017 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 17 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2016 – 14 wins, 13 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2015 – 10 wins, 16 poles in 16 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indianapolis 500 win (Juan Pablo Montoya). First manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to INDYCAR in 2012
2014 – 12 wins, 13 poles in 18 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2013 – 10 wins, 11 poles in 19 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; Indianapolis 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2012 – 11 wins, 10 poles in 15 races
Engine Manufacturer Championship; driver/owner titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
Total – 73 wins, 83 poles in 118 races