| CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix 1.645-mile, 10-turn Detroit street circuit Detroit, Michigan Friday Practice Report May 29, 2026 DETROIT (May 29, 2026) – Pato O’Ward, in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, was the quickest of five Chevrolet-powered drivers in the top nine on the combined timesheet during a mixed-up Friday practice session in preparation for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The dozen fastest drivers were evenly split between drivers on Primary Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Black) and Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red). David Malukas, in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Rinus VeeKay in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet and Scott McLaughlin, in the No. 3 Clarience Technologies Team Penske Chevrolet, joining O’Ward in the top nine on the combined timesheet. O’Ward, Malukas and Lundgaard all went quickest on Blacks, while VeeKay and Lundgaard were best on Reds. “I thought the first part of it was good on the blacks,” explained O’Ward. “Quite tricky on the reds. I don’t think we’re the only one that struggled with it. I think the cars that are strong on the blacks, you might see these guys transfer like from Q1 to Q2 on blacks. Maybe as it rubbers up, the reds are going to start to be a little bit better. O’Ward, a winner at The Raceway At Belle Isle in 2021, was the second quickest overall and quickest Chevrolet-powered pilot in the first 40 minutes of practice, where all 25 drivers utilized only Blacks. Malukas, who started on the outside of the front row on the 1.645-mile, 10-turn Detroit street circuit last year, and Lundgaard rounded out the top five. “Detroit-it’s bumpy,” said Malukas. “It is very bumpy, but overall we are going to have to study and look at data. The track conditions were very tough. Very low grip. Overall I think the Verizon Chevy is good. We are on the upper end, but we want to be at the top, and it seems like a few guys have a little bit on us. So, we will study, look, and see what we can do to put it all together for qualifying to get it done.” When drivers put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red) for the first of two 12-minute sessions, VeeKay, coming off an impressive sixth-place Indianapolis 500 finish, was the second quickest overall and fastest Team Chevy driver with McLaughlin and O’Ward also turning in top-five lap times. Lundgaard was the quickest of the Chevrolet-powered drivers in the second 12-minute session on Reds, with Malukas and Alexander Rossi, in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet, also in the top five. Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Practice #1 Combined Results:  Pato O’WardPress ConferenceTHE MODERATOR: Pato O’Ward, 2021 finisher in Detroit, joins us.What did you make of that practice session? Were you happy with it? PATO O’WARD: I thought the first part of it was good on the black. Quite tricky on the red. I don’t think we’re the only one that struggled with it. I think the cars that are strong on the black, you might see these guys transfer like from Q1 to Q2 on a black. Maybe as it rubbers up, the red is going to start to be a little bit better. Q. Fast Six, if you’re in it tomorrow, have you thought about the strategy on that?PATO O’WARD: Probably you’d want to go first here. I would say probably on the same set. Q. Long Beach?PATO O’WARD: I went sixth. I was fifth or sixth. If you’re fifth or sixth, I don’t think it really makes much of a difference.I do think going first to fifth is a big difference with just brake temperatures and being able to get everything going, especially if you just did yours. Yeah, going first in line is going to keep you. Cars are going to be sliding around a lot. Just imagine cold tires, cold brakes. You’re not getting it in. Q. Pato, the first year INDYCAR raced here you said, It’s going to be gnarly, bro. Do you think this track has gotten gnarlier or you’ve figured it out or…PATO O’WARD: I feel like in certain areas, they’ve cleaned up like out in the chicane, I feel like the wall looks much nicer. There’s different patches that I think turn nine, there was quite a big dip when we were first coming here, now it’s not as aggressive. They’ve definitely made it much better for us.I don’t think the backstretch is as bumpy and aggressive as it used to be. The first year we came here I thought it was really aggressive. It’s gotten better and better, yeah. Q. We saw a number of cars spin at this complex during the session. Is that a case of the concrete or the track surface rubbering up with the GTP cars? Is that going to make any difference overall how that track handles long-term?PATO O’WARD: I can’t remember if the GTP rubber is good for us. Q. Does that change over the weekend, the concrete?PATO O’WARD: It opens the window a bit on driver lines and stuff like that. It should open it a little bit more. You start sliding a lot. Q. How the excess rubber might make it worse, is the cement here different that much compared to Long Beach or St. Petersburg?PATO O’WARD: It just feels like we struggle to get a carcass temp in the car much more. It doesn’t help that 80% of the track layout, like we don’t actually gain too much speed from turn three to turn seven. I mean, one, two, three, four, five corners that you’re just in first and second gear.How you get temperature in these cars, you have to go fast, then hit the brakes. That’s what usually creates the most heat.I just think over the course of the lap, there’s not a lot of that, regardless if you’re pushing a lot, whatever. You might heat the surface temp of the tire a lot, but you’re not actually creating a lot of carcass temperatures, which is what makes the tire work. Q. Is it all the same cement from last year’s race?PATO O’WARD: I think maybe nine is better. Maybe last year they fixed that. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. Saturday, May 30NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 9am (ET)/8am (CT)/7am (MT)/6am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Sunday, May 31NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 9:30am (ET)/8:30am (CT)/7:30am (MT)/6:30am (PT) – FS2/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (100 laps) – 12:30pm(ET)/11:30am (CT)/10:30am (MT)/9:30am (PT) – FS2/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 |
| CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESChevrolet Detroit Grand Prix1.645-mile, 10-turn Detroit street circuitDetroit, MichiganFriday Practice ReportMay 29, 2026 DETROIT (May 29, 2026) – Pato O’Ward, in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, was the quickest of five Chevrolet-powered drivers in the top nine on the combined timesheet during a mixed-up Friday practice session in preparation for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. The dozen fastest drivers were evenly split between drivers on Primary Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Black) and Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red). David Malukas, in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Rinus VeeKay in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet and Scott McLaughlin, in the No. 3 Clarience Technologies Team Penske Chevrolet, joining O’Ward in the top nine on the combined timesheet. O’Ward, Malukas and Lundgaard all went quickest on Blacks, while VeeKay and Lundgaard were best on Reds. “I thought the first part of it was good on the blacks,” explained O’Ward. “Quite tricky on the reds. I don’t think we’re the only one that struggled with it. I think the cars that are strong on the blacks, you might see these guys transfer like from Q1 to Q2 on blacks. Maybe as it rubbers up, the reds are going to start to be a little bit better. O’Ward, a winner at The Raceway At Belle Isle in 2021, was the second quickest overall and quickest Chevrolet-powered pilot in the first 40 minutes of practice, where all 25 drivers utilized only Blacks. Malukas, who started on the outside of the front row on the 1.645-mile, 10-turn Detroit street circuit last year, and Lundgaard rounded out the top five. “Detroit-it’s bumpy,” said Malukas. “It is very bumpy, but overall we are going to have to study and look at data. The track conditions were very tough. Very low grip. Overall I think the Verizon Chevy is good. We are on the upper end, but we want to be at the top, and it seems like a few guys have a little bit on us. So, we will study, look, and see what we can do to put it all together for qualifying to get it done.” When drivers put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red) for the first of two 12-minute sessions, VeeKay, coming off an impressive sixth-place Indianapolis 500 finish, was the second quickest overall and fastest Team Chevy driver with McLaughlin and O’Ward also turning in top-five lap times. Lundgaard was the quickest of the Chevrolet-powered drivers in the second 12-minute session on Reds, with Malukas and Alexander Rossi, in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet, also in the top five. Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Practice #1 Combined Results: Pato O’WardPress ConferenceTHE MODERATOR: Pato O’Ward, 2021 finisher in Detroit, joins us.What did you make of that practice session? Were you happy with it? PATO O’WARD: I thought the first part of it was good on the black. Quite tricky on the red. I don’t think we’re the only one that struggled with it. I think the cars that are strong on the black, you might see these guys transfer like from Q1 to Q2 on a black. Maybe as it rubbers up, the red is going to start to be a little bit better. Q. Fast Six, if you’re in it tomorrow, have you thought about the strategy on that?PATO O’WARD: Probably you’d want to go first here. I would say probably on the same set. Q. Long Beach?PATO O’WARD: I went sixth. I was fifth or sixth. If you’re fifth or sixth, I don’t think it really makes much of a difference.I do think going first to fifth is a big difference with just brake temperatures and being able to get everything going, especially if you just did yours. Yeah, going first in line is going to keep you. Cars are going to be sliding around a lot. Just imagine cold tires, cold brakes. You’re not getting it in. Q. Pato, the first year INDYCAR raced here you said, It’s going to be gnarly, bro. Do you think this track has gotten gnarlier or you’ve figured it out or…PATO O’WARD: I feel like in certain areas, they’ve cleaned up like out in the chicane, I feel like the wall looks much nicer. There’s different patches that I think turn nine, there was quite a big dip when we were first coming here, now it’s not as aggressive. They’ve definitely made it much better for us.I don’t think the backstretch is as bumpy and aggressive as it used to be. The first year we came here I thought it was really aggressive. It’s gotten better and better, yeah. Q. We saw a number of cars spin at this complex during the session. Is that a case of the concrete or the track surface rubbering up with the GTP cars? Is that going to make any difference overall how that track handles long-term?PATO O’WARD: I can’t remember if the GTP rubber is good for us. Q. Does that change over the weekend, the concrete?PATO O’WARD: It opens the window a bit on driver lines and stuff like that. It should open it a little bit more. You start sliding a lot. Q. How the excess rubber might make it worse, is the cement here different that much compared to Long Beach or St. Petersburg?PATO O’WARD: It just feels like we struggle to get a carcass temp in the car much more. It doesn’t help that 80% of the track layout, like we don’t actually gain too much speed from turn three to turn seven. I mean, one, two, three, four, five corners that you’re just in first and second gear.How you get temperature in these cars, you have to go fast, then hit the brakes. That’s what usually creates the most heat.I just think over the course of the lap, there’s not a lot of that, regardless if you’re pushing a lot, whatever. You might heat the surface temp of the tire a lot, but you’re not actually creating a lot of carcass temperatures, which is what makes the tire work. Q. Is it all the same cement from last year’s race?PATO O’WARD: I think maybe nine is better. Maybe last year they fixed that. THE MODERATOR: Thank you. Saturday, May 30NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 9am (ET)/8am (CT)/7am (MT)/6am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Sunday, May 31NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 9:30am (ET)/8:30am (CT)/7:30am (MT)/6:30am (PT) – FS2/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix (100 laps) – 12:30pm(ET)/11:30am (CT)/10:30am (MT)/9:30am (PT) – FS2/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 |
| Chevrolet history at the Detroit Grand Prix Wins – 13 The Raceway On Belle Isle (1992-2002) 2022 – Will Power – Team Penske2021 – Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren (Race #2)2019 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske (Race #1)2016 – Will Power – Team Penske (Race #2)2016 – Sebastien Bourdais – KV Racing Technology (Race #1)2015 – Sebastien Bourdais – KV Racing Technology (Race #2)2014 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske (Race #2)2014 – Will Power – Team Penske (Race #1)1993 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1992 – Bob Rahal – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991) 1991 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Team Penske1990 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1989 – Emerson Fittipaldi – Patrick Racing Earned Poles – 11 The Raceway On Belle Isle (1992-2022) 2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske (Race #2)2021 – Pato O’Ward – Arrow McLaren (Race #1)2019 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske (Race #2)2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske (Race #2)2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske (Race #1)2015 – Will Power – Team Penske (Race #1)2014 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske (Race #1) 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991) 1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1989 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing Podiums: 35 1.645-mile downtown street circuit – 3 Driver Podiums 1.645-mile downtown street circuit (2023-2025): Santino Ferrucci (1), Will Power (1) and Felix Rosenqvist (1) Team Podiums 1.645-mile downtown street circuit (2023-2025): A.J. Foyt Racing (1), Arrow McLaren (1) and Team Penske (1) The Raceway At Belle Isle – 26 Driver Podiums Raceway On Belle Isle (1992-2022): Will Power (7), Josef Newgarden (3), Sebastien Bourdais (2), Pato O’Ward (2), Simon Pagenaud (2), Raul Boesel (1), Helio Castroneves (1), Ryan Hunter-Reay (1), Stefan Johanson (1), Tony Kanaan (1), Charlie Kimball (1), Juan Montoya (1), Bob Rahal (1), Danny Sullivan (1), and Rinus VeeKay (1) Team Podiums Raceway On Belle Isle (1992-2022): Team Penske (14), Arrow McLaren (2), Chip Ganassi Racing (2), KV Racing Technology (2), Andretti Global (1), Bettenhausen Racing (1), Dick Simon Racing (1), Ed Carpenter Racing (1), Galles Racing (1), and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (1) Original Downtown Street Circuit – 8 Driver Podiums 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991): Emerson Fittipaldi (2), Bob Rahal (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddiie Cheever (1) and Arie Luyendyk (1). Team Podiums 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991): Galles Racing (2), Newman Haas Racing (2), Doug Shierson Racing (1), Chip Ganassi Racing (1), Patrick Racing (1), and Team Penske (1). Laps Led – 915 Laps Led on the 1.645-mile downtown street circuit (2023-2025) – 61 Driver laps led on the 1.645-mile downtown street circuit (2023-2025): Christian Rasmussen (21), Will Power (15), Santino Ferrucci (14), Pato O’Ward (4), Scott McLaughlin (3), Josef Newgarden (3), Alexander Rossi (1) Team laps led on the 1.645-mile downtown street circuit (2023-2025): ECR (21), Team Penske (21), A.J. Foyt Racing (14), Arrow McLaren (5) Laps led at The Raceway At Belle Isle (1992-2002) – 672 Driver laps led at The Raceway At Belle Isle (1992-2002): Will Power (142), Josef Newgarden (113), Helio Castroneves (93), Simon Pagenaud (75), Juan Montoya (48), Paul Tracy (46), Sebastien Bourdais (38), Danny Sullivan (30), Bob Rahal (29), Ryan Hunter-Reay (20), Emerson Fittipaldi (12), Tony Kanaan (10), Pato O’Ward (6), Ryan Briscoe (5), Mike Conway (4), Scott Dixon (1) Team laps led at The Raceway At Belle Isle (1992-2002): Team Penske (529), KV Racing Technology (48), Galles Racing (30), Rahal Hogan Racing (29), Andretti Global (20), Arrow McLaren (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (6), ECR (4) Laps led on the 2.5-mile downtown street circuit – 182 Driver laps led on the 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991): Michael Andretti (128), Emerson Fittipaldi (26), Arie Luyendyk (20), Bob Rahal (6), Mario Andretti (2) Team laps led on the 2.5-mile downtown street circuit (1989-1991): Newman Haas Racing (130), Team Penske (22), Granatelli Racing (20), Galles Racing (6), Patrick Racing (4) Manufacturer History at the Detroit Grand Prix Wins (with competition) 17 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021 Race #1, 2019 Race #2, 2018 Race #2, 2018 Race #1, 2017 Race #2, 2017 Race #1, 2015 Race #1, 2013 Race #2, 2013 Race #1, 2012, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998)11 – Chevrolet (2022, 2021 Race #2, 2019 Race #1, 2016 Race #2, 2016 Race #1, 2015 Race #2, 2014 Race #2, 2014 Race #1, 1991, 1990, 1989)2 – Ford (1996, 1995)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1997) Poles (with competition) 15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2019 Race #1, 2018 Race #2, 2018 Race #1, 2017 Race #2, 2017 Race #1, 2014 Race #2, 2013 Race #2, 2013 Race #1, 2012, 2001, 1999, 1997)11 – Chevrolet (2022, 2021 Race #2, 2021 Race #1, 2019 Race #2, 2016 Race #2, 2016 Race #1, 2015 Race #1, 2014 Race #1, 1991, 1990, 1989)5 – Ford (1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1992)1 – Mercedes (1998)1 – Toyota (2000) |