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Felix Rosenqvist drives his Acura-liveried Honda to Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach pole position

April 19, 2026 — LONG BEACH, CA

  • Meyer Shank Racing dominates Saturday with Felix Rosenqvist scoring the IndyCar pole position for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
  • Acura MSR takes IMSA victory for Acura earlier today
  • Honda powers four of the Firestone Fast Six, Dixon makes first appearance of 2026

Felix Rosenqvist will lead the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field to green at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as the Swedish driver completed a Meyer Shank Racing sweep of Saturday’s track activities.

Rosenqvist, previously a Long Beach polesitter in 2024, set a blistering time in single-car qualifying for the Firestone Fast Six and was able to secure pole position for Honda and Acura’s home race in a car that features Acura branding to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary.

It was the second P1 of the day for the MSR team as their Acura Meyer Shank Racing teammates on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship side took victory aboard their Acura ARX-06.

Four time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou qualified third as the Spaniard seeks his first Long Beach win, while ‘King of the Streets’ Kyle Kirkwood will start fourth as he looks for his third win at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in the last four years. Kirkwood currently leads the IndyCar championship by two points over Palou as the Andretti Global driver has kicked off the year in an impressive fashion—without a single finish outside the top five. 

Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon made the Firestone Fast Six for the first time this season. The IndyCar legend and six-time series champion is looking for his third win on the streets of the beach from the sixth position on the grid.

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Honda Qualifying Results

 1st Felix RosenqvistMeyer Shank Racing Honda
3rd Alex PalouChip Ganassi Racing Honda
4th Kyle KirkwoodAndretti Global Honda
6th Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing Honda
7th Will PowerAndretti Global Honda
9th Kyffin SimpsonChip Ganassi Racing Honda
10th Graham Rahal  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
13th Marcus ArmstrongMeyer Shank Racing Honda
15th Marcus EricssonAndretti Global Honda
17th Louis FosterRahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
19th Dennis Hauger– R  Dale Coyne Racing Honda
21st Mick Schumacher– RRahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
23rd Romain GrosjeanDale Coyne Racing Honda

R – Rookie

Quotes
Felix Rosenqvist (#60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda) qualified first: “We got the pole here at Long Beach with an Acura-branded Honda! Meyer Shank Racing got the win earlier today in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and now we secured pole position on the IndyCar side. This has been a phenomenal day for us. Thank you everyone for cheering us on, let’s rip tomorrow for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.”

Kyle Kirkwood (#27 Andretti Global Honda) qualified fourth: “What a good day for Honda! Four Hondas in the Fast Six and a Honda on pole position. What an awesome day for Acura too with the win here in IMSA in the GTP class—that was great to watch. I’m hoping to repeat it again tomorrow for the 51st running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We had a great result in the 50th edition, which was a big one for everybody here. We’re looking forward to tomorrow and using that Honda power and Honda fuel economy to get us back to victory lane again.”

Scott Dixon (#9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) qualified sixth: “It’s been a little bit of a frustrating start to the year, but I’m definitely happy for the Honda group. It’s great to see Felix on pole position, he is one of my best mates. It was a strong qualifying for us too in the #9 CGR car. I sometimes feel like it takes our car a little bit to get going, we just don’t turn the tires on as quick, especially when going second-to-last in the solo qualifying runs. Felix and Alex went a little bit earlier, and they did a really good job. This is huge for Honda with lots of us in the Fast Six. Hopefully we’re going have one of us win the race tomorrow.”

Felix Rosenqvist drives his Acura-liveried Honda to Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach pole position

April 19, 2026 — LONG BEACH, CA

  • Meyer Shank Racing dominates Saturday with Felix Rosenqvist scoring the IndyCar pole position for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach
  • Acura MSR takes IMSA victory for Acura earlier today
  • Honda powers four of the Firestone Fast Six, Dixon makes first appearance of 2026

Felix Rosenqvist will lead the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field to green at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach as the Swedish driver completed a Meyer Shank Racing sweep of Saturday’s track activities.

Rosenqvist, previously a Long Beach polesitter in 2024, set a blistering time in single-car qualifying for the Firestone Fast Six and was able to secure pole position for Honda and Acura’s home race in a car that features Acura branding to celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary.

It was the second P1 of the day for the MSR team as their Acura Meyer Shank Racing teammates on the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship side took victory aboard their Acura ARX-06.

Four time and reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou qualified third as the Spaniard seeks his first Long Beach win, while ‘King of the Streets’ Kyle Kirkwood will start fourth as he looks for his third win at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach in the last four years. Kirkwood currently leads the IndyCar championship by two points over Palou as the Andretti Global driver has kicked off the year in an impressive fashion—without a single finish outside the top five. 

Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon made the Firestone Fast Six for the first time this season. The IndyCar legend and six-time series champion is looking for his third win on the streets of the beach from the sixth position on the grid.

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach Honda Qualifying Results

 1st Felix RosenqvistMeyer Shank Racing Honda
3rd Alex PalouChip Ganassi Racing Honda
4th Kyle KirkwoodAndretti Global Honda
6th Scott DixonChip Ganassi Racing Honda
7th Will PowerAndretti Global Honda
9th Kyffin SimpsonChip Ganassi Racing Honda
10th Graham Rahal  Rahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
13th Marcus ArmstrongMeyer Shank Racing Honda
15th Marcus EricssonAndretti Global Honda
17th Louis FosterRahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
19th Dennis Hauger– R  Dale Coyne Racing Honda
21st Mick Schumacher– RRahal Letterman Lanigan Honda
23rd Romain GrosjeanDale Coyne Racing Honda

R – Rookie

Quotes
Felix Rosenqvist (#60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda) qualified first: “We got the pole here at Long Beach with an Acura-branded Honda! Meyer Shank Racing got the win earlier today in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and now we secured pole position on the IndyCar side. This has been a phenomenal day for us. Thank you everyone for cheering us on, let’s rip tomorrow for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.”

Kyle Kirkwood (#27 Andretti Global Honda) qualified fourth: “What a good day for Honda! Four Hondas in the Fast Six and a Honda on pole position. What an awesome day for Acura too with the win here in IMSA in the GTP class—that was great to watch. I’m hoping to repeat it again tomorrow for the 51st running of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. We had a great result in the 50th edition, which was a big one for everybody here. We’re looking forward to tomorrow and using that Honda power and Honda fuel economy to get us back to victory lane again.”

Scott Dixon (#9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) qualified sixth: “It’s been a little bit of a frustrating start to the year, but I’m definitely happy for the Honda group. It’s great to see Felix on pole position, he is one of my best mates. It was a strong qualifying for us too in the #9 CGR car. I sometimes feel like it takes our car a little bit to get going, we just don’t turn the tires on as quick, especially when going second-to-last in the solo qualifying runs. Felix and Alex went a little bit earlier, and they did a really good job. This is huge for Honda with lots of us in the Fast Six. Hopefully we’re going have one of us win the race tomorrow.”

David Salters (President, Honda Racing Corporation USA): “Truly exceptional qualifying results from Honda ahead of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. To have four Hondas in the Fast Six is an outcome that we can all be very proud of today, but the job is not done yet. Everyone at Honda Racing Corporation USA will be continuing to put in the work to convert this into a win tomorrow. Congratulations to Felix and Meyer Shank Racing—what an incredible day they have had by not only securing pole position in IndyCar, but the victory with our Acura ARX-06 in IMSA competition as well. It’s been a big day for Acura on both the IMSA and IndyCar sides of the paddock which is great for the celebration of the brand’s 40th anniversary and the Acura branding on Felix’s car leading the field for tomorrow’s race. Let’s keep pushing and see what tomorrow brings for our home race.”

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Chevy Racing–INDYCAR–Grand Prix of Long Beach qualifying

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit Long Beach California Saturday Qualifying ReportApril 18, 2026
LONG BEACH, California (April 18, 2026) – Pato O’Ward was the last driver to make a qualifying attempt at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, but came up a slim four-hundredths of a second short in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. O’Ward’s outside front row start bests his previous high at Long Beach of sixth in seven previous attempts. David Malukas, the quickest driver in the Fast 12 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, will start Sunday’s race from the inside of the third row, besting his best start at this event by five spots. 
When the first group in the first segment of qualifying received the checkered flag, five of the six drivers advancing were wearing Bow-Ties. Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was the quickest Team Chevy driver, with David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet and Rinus VeeKay in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet advancing. 
In the Fast 12, Malukas went 67.2447 seconds (105.358mph) on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit, which was a hundredth of a second quicker than the next best driver, with O’Ward making it a pair of Chevrolet-powered drivers in the Firestone Fast Six. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Qualifying ResultsWhat they’re saying – Grand Prix Of Long Beach qualifying: 
 Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet qualified 2nd:“I kept checking the delta the whole lap, to what we did in Q2. So, it would have been good enough, but I think I just missed it by a little bit into Turn 9. I think that’s where I let it go. But this is this is the best starting spot I’ve had in Long Beach by far. It’s the best car that I’ve had here. I I feel very ready to race tomorrow, so I’m excited for tomorrow.”
David Malukas, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 5th:“There was some more. You’re trying to push it as hard as you can, but we’re struggling with getting temps up. We were already struggling compared to all the other guys to get the car up to temp, so that’s why we wanted to go right away. There’s so many mistakes I made, but the car is just not ready, it’s going all over the place. We knew it was going to be tough to compete with them when it comes to this situation. Still very happy, with the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet with Team Penske. We’re up for a good start.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 8th:How did that qualifying run feel?“Pretty decent. Probably just lacked a little bit of like raw pace. We talk about that all the time, just having like that little bit of pace to just help you advance each session. We got through the first time, just lacked a little bit in that last one when the track rubber came up. So, we got a little bit of session to do, and obviously, David’s really quick so cheering him on here. The AAA Travel Chevy is feeling pretty good. See what we got tomorrow.”
Penske package overall looks quick on the street course. Do you feel that there’s been a step?“Yeah. For sure. We’re working very hard. Proud of the effort and proud of the hard work. But, more to go.”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 11th:“We put in a lot of work across the No. 7 crew this weekend for where we’re starting tomorrow. Another Saturday that we’re just not able to put together the potential we have. Pato had the pace today, so we know it’s there. That said, we’ve been able to come back strong on race days, and that’s the plan for tomorrow.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet qualified 12th:Are you happy with that effort?“Yes, I think so. We have had an issue all season long with the red in qualifying, trying to get them to turn on and really get that red grip. Right? That magic you get from that softer rubber, and we’ve been struggling to get that. So, we spent the last two weeks working hard to identify the issues, and, well, I finally got that grip here in qualifying. So, with the way the track progressed, we had a bit too much understeer in the Fast 12. Still happy with our pace. We haven’t been this close to the front all weekend and to maximize qualified top 12, I think that’s what we need strategy wise to have a really good race tomorrow. It, makes a difference rather than starting nineteenth.”Starting 12th, how far can you make it forward in the race tomorrow? “I mean, you can make it all the way. It all depends on strategy. We’ll go over our options right after this. And, I think we’ve got the pace. We’ve got a good car over a long amount of laps. So, it’s looking promising, but it might be a fuel save race. Maybe the rest won’t hang on, and it will be a three-stopper. So, we’ll see. It’s, all up in the cards.”
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 14th“The Astemo Chevy was very good, we just didn’t transfer. Qualifying each and every week is so tight. You are working with razor-thin margins in lap times. I think we are in for a good race tomorrow though.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet qualified 16th:“Maybe if I didn’t hit the wall on my first run we would have had a better chance. I made a small mistake out of Turn 11 and bent a toe-link. Fortunately, I’ve got some great guys behind me that could get it changed quick. I did improve on my second run, but it just wasn’t enough. I had to really rush out and just made it over the line. We’ve struggled for pace all weekend long and obviously it was the same in qualifying. Hopefully, we find something overnight and be better tomorrow.”
Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet qualified 18th: “We have not have the strongest start to the weekend, but the whole team is constantly working to improve as the sessions go on. We are definitely starting farther back than we would like to, but we will put our heads together tonight and see what we can come up with for the race. I really enjoy driving in the streets of Long Beach and I am hopeful to move forward tomorrow.”
Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet qualified 20th:“So far, we had a clean weekend, obviously missing a little bit of performance there in qualifying. I felt that we did a good improvement from set one to set two (tires). Maybe a couple of things could have gone a little bit better from my side on my lap, it was not really a perfect lap. I think I had maybe one 1/10 and a half there that I left on the table, but at the end, I think, just missing a little bit general performance. Hopefully, we can improve the car a little bit for tomorrow. I think the race car looks a little bit better than the one-lap pace so far. So hopefully we can maximize the good strategy and put on a good result. Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet qualified 22nd:“I don’t think it’s a big shock. We’ve been struggling all weekend long, more than we have in previous years. We’ve just been unlucky with red flags and timing and everything else in between. It’s just been really difficult. We haven’t had the chance to really try much and make a ton of changes. We’ve struggled with the same few things. It’s only two tenths off, which unfortunately, is the difference between starting in the top 10 or starting 20th. So it’s not like we’re out to lunch, but it’s just annoying, because I know we’re better than this. We’re going to make some changes for the race tomorrow, and hope we come through the field.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet qualified 25th
“Bummer in Qualifying. We just missed the timing and didn’t do a lap on Firestone Reds, so I’m very disappointed in that. We had a lot of pace in the car today, plenty to transfer into the Fast 12 and maybe even the Fast 6. We just didn’t get that run on Reds which is unfortunate. We’ll see what we can do from the back tomorrow, get creative and work our way up.”
NTT INDYCAR SERIES News ConferenceSaturday, April 18, 2026Pato O’Ward
Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: Pato, your thoughts on how it played out this afternoon.
PATO O’WARD: Stellar day for me in Long Beach. This is by far the best qualifying day I’ve had. I’ve been happy with the car I’ve been given from practice one. Hats off to Arrow McLaren and Team Chevy. I know we’re leading their pack.
I think the plan for us this weekend has truly just been going out there and executing with something I know I’m comfortable with and I know I can push.Yeah, feels good to be a bit more in attack mode rather than defense. Good to be on the front row with my old pal Fro.
Yeah, I missed it there a little bit. Nonetheless, it’s been a really good day.
THE MODERATOR: Big jump, going fifth into Firestone Fast Six. Well done.
PATO O’WARD: I was very comfortable. I was very comfortable. I kept seeing that we were right on our Q2 lap. It wasn’t really moving much throughout the lap. I knew it was going to be really tight. I don’t know where I put it there. Fro put down a heater.
THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions.
Q. You decided to go last. What went into that? Would you have done something similar if you had been higher up in the Fast 12 order?PATO O’WARD: I like going further in the back because you have the deltas to kind of base yourself off of. You can also see what issues they’re having, so maybe you can see some track progression to prepare your run for.I was pretty happy I was going last.
Q. Would you have gone last if you were higher up? Had you discussed that already?PATO O’WARD: Well, no, we hadn’t discussed that. We were probably going to go first. You go first when you want to take advantage of the brake temperatures and the tire temperature, if you’re going to stay on that same set.For us, we knew we were going to be fifth or sixth. I’d much rather be sixth.
Q. You were part of the single-car in Arlington. Now we have this adjusted one. Your thoughts on the adjustment?PATO O’WARD: I love it. I think it’s a great addition to the show. Like I’ve mentioned before, it’s great to see the pole laps. That’s usually everything that kind of shows off after the normal qualifying sequence we’ve had in the past.I think this way you can also appreciate the laps second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth have done. Someone in fourth has done a pretty impressive lap with a car that probably shouldn’t be there. There’s always those instances during weekends.
It’s cool to watch everybody be so tight, but the laps do look different.
Q. Was it surprising to see how different this round ended up, considering you had the option to choose, whereas in Arlington you didn’t?PATO O’WARD: No. I mean, where is Malukas? Fourth?THE MODERATOR: Fifth.PATO O’WARD: Yeah, opposite to Arlington. I don’t know. Palou I think was last in Arlington, wasn’t he? I can’t remember. Ericsson was on pole.I don’t think there’s any coincidence in that. I think it’s kind of how it fell. Whoever can get the tire switched on the soonest is the best.FELIX ROSENQVIST: How was your hairpin?PATO O’WARD: Shit. That’s where I lost it.THE MODERATOR: Pole winner, Felix Rosenqvist, has joined us. We’ll prioritize questions for Pato.
Q. When we spoke yesterday, you were not confident at all. I feel déjà vu. This feels a lot like Toronto. Would you agree?PATO O’WARD: I think so. It’s great when you come into these with zero expectations, and you’re kind of blowing them out of the water to what you were planning on, having difficulties yes or no.
It’s been one of the toughest places that I’ve come to in the past. I would say Toronto has always been on the top step in terms of difficulty and challenge for us. We turned that around last year.
So going into this year, like, there was a huge emphasis. Like I told my engineer, I told my 5 team, I’m sick and tired of sucking there. I know that I can be strong there.
So we’ve just brought something completely new. It’s obviously working. I’m so much more comfortable. I mean, it just feels like a completely different car, which it pretty much is, so…
Hats off to the team being able to give me those tools to do that. Yeah, it’s crazy when you start doing much better, how much more you enjoy (smiling).
Q. It seems like you’re feeling confident around this track. Do you expect any challenges tomorrow? What do you think is going to be the biggest challenge to take home the victory tomorrow?PATO O’WARD: I think many challenges. I think strategy is a big question mark on everybody. Can we make these reds last? Is it going to be a fuel-save race? Are we going to be able to attack or is everything going to be kind of in pit stop sequence? I think there’s a lot of unanswered questions that we’ll probably have an idea when we get to warm-up, see where the race car goes.
Yeah, I feel just so much better in just being able to… I feel like I’m driving the car now, and I’m not getting driven around like I have in the past. I feel like we’re in a way better place.THE MODERATOR: Pato, thanks for coming in.PATO O’WARD: Thank you.

Saturday morning practice
After Saturday morning practice, Team Chevy held down three of the top five spots on the combined timesheet. David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet was the quickest, turning a lap of 67.7750 seconds (104.534mph) on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit on Saturday morning, with Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, within two-hundredths of a second of the youngest of the Team Penske drivers. 
“It’s going to be as close as ever,” said Malukas after practice. “This team, Team Penske and the Verizon Chevrolet. It’s been fantastic. My journey here, coming in has been a drive come true. Every day, I’m falling more and more in love with these guys, this crew and this team. I’ve been very well integrated and the pace has shown. I’m just happy. I’m confident to come here every single day and drive the car. It’s going to be tough though. I’m looking at Kyle (Kirkwood’s) time in that first session, and it looks quick. We’re going to be going for these Andretti cars and see what we can do.”
Tune-In Alert
SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESGrand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaSaturday Qualifying ReportApril 18, 2026
LONG BEACH, California (April 18, 2026) – Pato O’Ward was the last driver to make a qualifying attempt at the Grand Prix of Long Beach, but came up a slim four-hundredths of a second short in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. O’Ward’s outside front row start bests his previous high at Long Beach of sixth in seven previous attempts. David Malukas, the quickest driver in the Fast 12 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, will start Sunday’s race from the inside of the third row, besting his best start at this event by five spots. 
When the first group in the first segment of qualifying received the checkered flag, five of the six drivers advancing were wearing Bow-Ties. Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet was the quickest Team Chevy driver, with David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet and Rinus VeeKay in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet advancing. 
In the Fast 12, Malukas went 67.2447 seconds (105.358mph) on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit, which was a hundredth of a second quicker than the next best driver, with O’Ward making it a pair of Chevrolet-powered drivers in the Firestone Fast Six. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Qualifying ResultsWhat they’re saying – Grand Prix Of Long Beach qualifying: 
 Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet qualified 2nd:“I kept checking the delta the whole lap, to what we did in Q2. So, it would have been good enough, but I think I just missed it by a little bit into Turn 9. I think that’s where I let it go. But this is this is the best starting spot I’ve had in Long Beach by far. It’s the best car that I’ve had here. I I feel very ready to race tomorrow, so I’m excited for tomorrow.”
David Malukas, No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 5th:“There was some more. You’re trying to push it as hard as you can, but we’re struggling with getting temps up. We were already struggling compared to all the other guys to get the car up to temp, so that’s why we wanted to go right away. There’s so many mistakes I made, but the car is just not ready, it’s going all over the place. We knew it was going to be tough to compete with them when it comes to this situation. Still very happy, with the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet with Team Penske. We’re up for a good start.”
Scott McLaughlin, No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 8th:How did that qualifying run feel?“Pretty decent. Probably just lacked a little bit of like raw pace. We talk about that all the time, just having like that little bit of pace to just help you advance each session. We got through the first time, just lacked a little bit in that last one when the track rubber came up. So, we got a little bit of session to do, and obviously, David’s really quick so cheering him on here. The AAA Travel Chevy is feeling pretty good. See what we got tomorrow.”
Penske package overall looks quick on the street course. Do you feel that there’s been a step?“Yeah. For sure. We’re working very hard. Proud of the effort and proud of the hard work. But, more to go.”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet 11th:“We put in a lot of work across the No. 7 crew this weekend for where we’re starting tomorrow. Another Saturday that we’re just not able to put together the potential we have. Pato had the pace today, so we know it’s there. That said, we’ve been able to come back strong on race days, and that’s the plan for tomorrow.” Rinus VeeKay, No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Chevrolet qualified 12th:Are you happy with that effort?“Yes, I think so. We have had an issue all season long with the red in qualifying, trying to get them to turn on and really get that red grip. Right? That magic you get from that softer rubber, and we’ve been struggling to get that. So, we spent the last two weeks working hard to identify the issues, and, well, I finally got that grip here in qualifying. So, with the way the track progressed, we had a bit too much understeer in the Fast 12. Still happy with our pace. We haven’t been this close to the front all weekend and to maximize qualified top 12, I think that’s what we need strategy wise to have a really good race tomorrow. It, makes a difference rather than starting nineteenth.”Starting 12th, how far can you make it forward in the race tomorrow? “I mean, you can make it all the way. It all depends on strategy. We’ll go over our options right after this. And, I think we’ve got the pace. We’ve got a good car over a long amount of laps. So, it’s looking promising, but it might be a fuel save race. Maybe the rest won’t hang on, and it will be a three-stopper. So, we’ll see. It’s, all up in the cards.”
Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet qualified 14th“The Astemo Chevy was very good, we just didn’t transfer. Qualifying each and every week is so tight. You are working with razor-thin margins in lap times. I think we are in for a good race tomorrow though.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet qualified 16th:“Maybe if I didn’t hit the wall on my first run we would have had a better chance. I made a small mistake out of Turn 11 and bent a toe-link. Fortunately, I’ve got some great guys behind me that could get it changed quick. I did improve on my second run, but it just wasn’t enough. I had to really rush out and just made it over the line. We’ve struggled for pace all weekend long and obviously it was the same in qualifying. Hopefully, we find something overnight and be better tomorrow.”
Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet qualified 18th: “We have not have the strongest start to the weekend, but the whole team is constantly working to improve as the sessions go on. We are definitely starting farther back than we would like to, but we will put our heads together tonight and see what we can come up with for the race. I really enjoy driving in the streets of Long Beach and I am hopeful to move forward tomorrow.”
Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet qualified 20th:“So far, we had a clean weekend, obviously missing a little bit of performance there in qualifying. I felt that we did a good improvement from set one to set two (tires). Maybe a couple of things could have gone a little bit better from my side on my lap, it was not really a perfect lap. I think I had maybe one 1/10 and a half there that I left on the table, but at the end, I think, just missing a little bit general performance. Hopefully, we can improve the car a little bit for tomorrow. I think the race car looks a little bit better than the one-lap pace so far. So hopefully we can maximize the good strategy and put on a good result. Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet qualified 22nd:“I don’t think it’s a big shock. We’ve been struggling all weekend long, more than we have in previous years. We’ve just been unlucky with red flags and timing and everything else in between. It’s just been really difficult. We haven’t had the chance to really try much and make a ton of changes. We’ve struggled with the same few things. It’s only two tenths off, which unfortunately, is the difference between starting in the top 10 or starting 20th. So it’s not like we’re out to lunch, but it’s just annoying, because I know we’re better than this. We’re going to make some changes for the race tomorrow, and hope we come through the field.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 SmartStop Arrow McLaren Chevrolet qualified 25th
“Bummer in Qualifying. We just missed the timing and didn’t do a lap on Firestone Reds, so I’m very disappointed in that. We had a lot of pace in the car today, plenty to transfer into the Fast 12 and maybe even the Fast 6. We just didn’t get that run on Reds which is unfortunate. We’ll see what we can do from the back tomorrow, get creative and work our way up.”
NTT INDYCAR SERIES News ConferenceSaturday, April 18, 2026Pato O’Ward
Press Conference
THE MODERATOR: Pato, your thoughts on how it played out this afternoon.
PATO O’WARD: Stellar day for me in Long Beach. This is by far the best qualifying day I’ve had. I’ve been happy with the car I’ve been given from practice one. Hats off to Arrow McLaren and Team Chevy. I know we’re leading their pack.
I think the plan for us this weekend has truly just been going out there and executing with something I know I’m comfortable with and I know I can push.Yeah, feels good to be a bit more in attack mode rather than defense. Good to be on the front row with my old pal Fro.
Yeah, I missed it there a little bit. Nonetheless, it’s been a really good day.
THE MODERATOR: Big jump, going fifth into Firestone Fast Six. Well done.
PATO O’WARD: I was very comfortable. I was very comfortable. I kept seeing that we were right on our Q2 lap. It wasn’t really moving much throughout the lap. I knew it was going to be really tight. I don’t know where I put it there. Fro put down a heater.
THE MODERATOR: Open it up for questions.
Q. You decided to go last. What went into that? Would you have done something similar if you had been higher up in the Fast 12 order?PATO O’WARD: I like going further in the back because you have the deltas to kind of base yourself off of. You can also see what issues they’re having, so maybe you can see some track progression to prepare your run for.I was pretty happy I was going last.
Q. Would you have gone last if you were higher up? Had you discussed that already?PATO O’WARD: Well, no, we hadn’t discussed that. We were probably going to go first. You go first when you want to take advantage of the brake temperatures and the tire temperature, if you’re going to stay on that same set.For us, we knew we were going to be fifth or sixth. I’d much rather be sixth.
Q. You were part of the single-car in Arlington. Now we have this adjusted one. Your thoughts on the adjustment?PATO O’WARD: I love it. I think it’s a great addition to the show. Like I’ve mentioned before, it’s great to see the pole laps. That’s usually everything that kind of shows off after the normal qualifying sequence we’ve had in the past.I think this way you can also appreciate the laps second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth have done. Someone in fourth has done a pretty impressive lap with a car that probably shouldn’t be there. There’s always those instances during weekends.
It’s cool to watch everybody be so tight, but the laps do look different.
Q. Was it surprising to see how different this round ended up, considering you had the option to choose, whereas in Arlington you didn’t?PATO O’WARD: No. I mean, where is Malukas? Fourth?THE MODERATOR: Fifth.PATO O’WARD: Yeah, opposite to Arlington. I don’t know. Palou I think was last in Arlington, wasn’t he? I can’t remember. Ericsson was on pole.I don’t think there’s any coincidence in that. I think it’s kind of how it fell. Whoever can get the tire switched on the soonest is the best.FELIX ROSENQVIST: How was your hairpin?PATO O’WARD: Shit. That’s where I lost it.THE MODERATOR: Pole winner, Felix Rosenqvist, has joined us. We’ll prioritize questions for Pato.
Q. When we spoke yesterday, you were not confident at all. I feel déjà vu. This feels a lot like Toronto. Would you agree?PATO O’WARD: I think so. It’s great when you come into these with zero expectations, and you’re kind of blowing them out of the water to what you were planning on, having difficulties yes or no.
It’s been one of the toughest places that I’ve come to in the past. I would say Toronto has always been on the top step in terms of difficulty and challenge for us. We turned that around last year.
So going into this year, like, there was a huge emphasis. Like I told my engineer, I told my 5 team, I’m sick and tired of sucking there. I know that I can be strong there.
So we’ve just brought something completely new. It’s obviously working. I’m so much more comfortable. I mean, it just feels like a completely different car, which it pretty much is, so…
Hats off to the team being able to give me those tools to do that. Yeah, it’s crazy when you start doing much better, how much more you enjoy (smiling).
Q. It seems like you’re feeling confident around this track. Do you expect any challenges tomorrow? What do you think is going to be the biggest challenge to take home the victory tomorrow?PATO O’WARD: I think many challenges. I think strategy is a big question mark on everybody. Can we make these reds last? Is it going to be a fuel-save race? Are we going to be able to attack or is everything going to be kind of in pit stop sequence? I think there’s a lot of unanswered questions that we’ll probably have an idea when we get to warm-up, see where the race car goes.
Yeah, I feel just so much better in just being able to… I feel like I’m driving the car now, and I’m not getting driven around like I have in the past. I feel like we’re in a way better place.THE MODERATOR: Pato, thanks for coming in.PATO O’WARD: Thank you.

Saturday morning practice
After Saturday morning practice, Team Chevy held down three of the top five spots on the combined timesheet. David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet was the quickest, turning a lap of 67.7750 seconds (104.534mph) on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit on Saturday morning, with Scott McLaughlin in the No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, within two-hundredths of a second of the youngest of the Team Penske drivers. 
“It’s going to be as close as ever,” said Malukas after practice. “This team, Team Penske and the Verizon Chevrolet. It’s been fantastic. My journey here, coming in has been a drive come true. Every day, I’m falling more and more in love with these guys, this crew and this team. I’ve been very well integrated and the pace has shown. I’m just happy. I’m confident to come here every single day and drive the car. It’s going to be tough though. I’m looking at Kyle (Kirkwood’s) time in that first session, and it looks quick. We’re going to be going for these Andretti cars and see what we can do.”
Tune-In Alert
SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Mario Andretti in the Chevrolet-powered Newman Haas Racing Lola on the way to win at Long Beach in 1987 (Photo from Penske Entertainment) 
Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach
Wins – 12
2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
Poles – 10
2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing

Chevrolet Podiums: 32
Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1)
Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1)
Chevrolet Laps Led: 991
Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1),
Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3)
Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach
Wins (with competition)
15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995)
Poles (with competition)
13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)

Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time
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Cadillac Racing finishes runner-up in Long Beach Grand Prix

Media Resources: Images | Media Advances | Cadillac Newsroom
LONG BEACH (April 18, 2026) – Cadillac Racing came close but finished runner-up in the 51st running of the Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.  Jack Aitken and Fred Vesti, drivers of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, started fourth and finished second, just .818 of a second behind the winning car of Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing.  There was a full-course caution which hampered the No. 31 and benefited van der Zande and Yelloly with pit strategy.  That said, it was the fifth consecutive podium for the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac as they won twice to end the 2025 season (Indianapolis and Road Atlanta) and then a second-place effort in the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona and a third at Sebring. 
Cadillac Racing now has 107 podiums (23 GTP, 84 DPi) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017.  Louis Deletraz and Jordan Taylor, drivers of the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, finished eighth, while Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor, driver of the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, finished 23rd overall after a minor incident with about 20 minutes left in the race.  The next IMSA GTP event is the Monterey Sportscar Championship at Laguna Seca (California) Raceway on May 3. The two-hour 40-minute race starts at 4:10 pm EDT (1:10 pm PDT) and will be streamed live on Peacock and NBC Sports Network. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
What they’re saying No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R Jack Aitken: “I think we had a really good day to be honest from our side. There are a few key things you need to do a street track like this, you need to have a good start, have a good stop and don’t make mistakes and I think everyone on the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac pretty much checked those boxes, so it hurts a little bit not to get the win, but the yellow was timed perfectly for the 93 but that’s how it goes, but it was a lot of fun driving. It’d felt good and it felt quick and it was a really good run, so you can’t complain too much, but we are hungry for that win.” Frederik Vesti: “Being a little frustrated with a second-place finish says a lot about this team. Jack did amazing today going from fourth to first and we were slightly unlucky with that full course yellow, which was a little bit frustrating. But from my side we were trying to keep it clean because we need to get to the finish line, but I was pushing every where I could to get by Renger, but he has experience around these streets and he wasn’t easy to get by, but the fifth straight podium for me and for the team and I’m super proud of that.”
Cadillac Racing finishes runner-up in Long Beach Grand Prix 
Media Resources: Images | Media Advances | Cadillac Newsroom
LONG BEACH (April 18, 2026) – Cadillac Racing came close but finished runner-up in the 51st running of the Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.  Jack Aitken and Fred Vesti, drivers of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R, started fourth and finished second, just .818 of a second behind the winning car of Renger van der Zande and Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing.  There was a full-course caution which hampered the No. 31 and benefited van der Zande and Yelloly with pit strategy.  That said, it was the fifth consecutive podium for the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac as they won twice to end the 2025 season (Indianapolis and Road Atlanta) and then a second-place effort in the 2026 Rolex 24 at Daytona and a third at Sebring. 
Cadillac Racing now has 107 podiums (23 GTP, 84 DPi) since joining IMSA prototype competition in 2017.  Louis Deletraz and Jordan Taylor, drivers of the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, finished eighth, while Filipe Albuquerque and Ricky Taylor, driver of the No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, finished 23rd overall after a minor incident with about 20 minutes left in the race.  The next IMSA GTP event is the Monterey Sportscar Championship at Laguna Seca (California) Raceway on May 3. The two-hour 40-minute race starts at 4:10 pm EDT (1:10 pm PDT) and will be streamed live on Peacock and NBC Sports Network. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
What they’re saying No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R Jack Aitken: “I think we had a really good day to be honest from our side. There are a few key things you need to do a street track like this, you need to have a good start, have a good stop and don’t make mistakes and I think everyone on the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac pretty much checked those boxes, so it hurts a little bit not to get the win, but the yellow was timed perfectly for the 93 but that’s how it goes, but it was a lot of fun driving. It’d felt good and it felt quick and it was a really good run, so you can’t complain too much, but we are hungry for that win.” Frederik Vesti: “Being a little frustrated with a second-place finish says a lot about this team. Jack did amazing today going from fourth to first and we were slightly unlucky with that full course yellow, which was a little bit frustrating. But from my side we were trying to keep it clean because we need to get to the finish line, but I was pushing every where I could to get by Renger, but he has experience around these streets and he wasn’t easy to get by, but the fifth straight podium for me and for the team and I’m super proud of that.”
No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Louis Deletraz: “Very tough day in Long Beach. After yesterday’s race qualifying we were running fourth up front, and I think the pace was decent, we just got the wrong strategy. The yellow came out and we cycled last pretty much. We tried, we were up there. Thank you Cadillac, thank you Wayne Taylor Racing, and congrats to the No. 31 Whelen on the podium. We will be back in Laguna Seca.” Jordan Taylor: “I think we had good pace all weekend, especially in the No. 40 car. It felt like one of our stronger weekends so far this year just with pace, especially in FP2 we felt really strong. Louis did a great job in qualifying to put us on the second row. I think in the race it was just the worst timed yellow possible where we were probably going to come in on the next couple laps, and the yellow came out. It was a worst-case scenario with the yellow – just like Sebring – and it put us in the back, so no more stops after that. It’s a hard place to pass, so there was not much we could do.”No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R Filipe Albuquerque: “Well, we tried a risky strategy for the race because we had nothing to lose. The funny thing was that a lot of cars tried the same strategy, and unfortunately it didn’t pay out. Unfortunately, Ricky had a moment over the curb and he lost the car. When things are not going right, you go even worse, and if we put everything together the bad things on one weekend are okay, it just means the next weekend will be better.” Ricky Taylor: “This was a really hard weekend for us on the No. 10 car. I feel like we started Practice 1 a bit behind and struggled all weekend. Filipe actually had a great stint in the car, and the team tried to go off strategy to make something happen. I think it would have actually worked out okay, but we had a little traffic in the pits that hurt us getting out so we lost a bit of track position there. In the end, it was the incident that cost us finishing on the lead lap. It will be nice that we have a quick turnaround for Laguna.”
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CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Season-Best Sixth for DXDT


Wickens leads early, traffic and contact ruin chances for GTD victory LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 18, 2026) – DXDT Racing led early but traffic and contact issues forced the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Robert Wickens and Mason Filippi back into the pack and a sixth-place finishing position in the GTD class of Saturday’s 100-minute Grand Prix of Long Beach.
For the third consecutive race in this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the DXDT Corvette led laps and contended for its first GTD class victory. Saturday, Wickens began from pole position – his first in GTD – and led for the entirety of his 25-lap stint. It came a year after his debut in the DXDT Z05 GT3.R that is equipped with hand controls and Bosch’s electronic braking system.Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
The team made its lone pit stop of the race at the 37-minute mark and swapped Wickens for Filippi, who made his first career appearance at the Long Beach street circuit. The driver change was a quick one and preserved what was a seven-second lead. Shortly after that, the race went under full-course yellow for the second time and erased the team’s advantage.
The hectic restarts and traffic around Long Beach bit the DXDT Corvette, which suffered multiple hits and damage not long after the restart. Filippi still was able to challenge for the top-five toward the end.
DragonSpeed’s Giacomo Altoé and Henrik Hedman finished just out of the top-10 in 12th place with their No. 81 Corvette, which required extensive repairs before Long Beach following a hard crash for the team at Sebring. They were one spot ahead of 13 Autosport’s Matt Bell and Orey Fidani in their No. 13 Corvette, but the result was enough for Fidani to retain his lead in the season-long Bob Akin Award championship, which goes to the highest points-scoring, Bronze-rated driver at the end of the year.
The Corvette Z06 GT3.R program’s next race in IMSA is the Monterey SportsCar Championship on May 1-3 from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES 
ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “To be honest, that was a fairy-tale stint. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R was just so nice to drive around this track. Every lap is a dream. It was a good stint and a little fortunate with Danny Formal having a mechanical problem, and then I don’t know what happened to the 57, but suddenly we had quite a decent amount of space behind. We were a little nervous for our driver change on if we would lose time or at least maintain status quo. So the goal for me was to build a gap, just in case. Mason did an amazing job, and I am pretty sure I just found out we had the fifth-fastest in the pit lane. I’ll take that all day.”
MASON FILIPPI, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We were all right on the pace all weekend. We got stuck driving behind some of the lap traffic there and got into it a little bit with the GTP car at the fountain. Then we got pushed into the wall pretty hard by another car. When that happened we lost kind of all of the momentum. Since it was right after a restart, everyone kind of came through. It’s a bummer, you know, for the team. They did a fantastic job this weekend. We’ll get it. It is what it is, but go to the next one and aim for the front again.”
GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We want more, but there are positives to take from this race. The pace was very strong during my stint; I was able to get back onto the lead lap and make some overtakes. I had a really good feeling behind the wheel. Thanks to the team for the work done throughout the weekend, especially for the race. The work will pay off and we’re on the right path to the top.”
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Season-Best Sixth for DXDTWickens leads early, traffic and contact ruin chances for GTD victory LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 18, 2026) – DXDT Racing led early but traffic and contact issues forced the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R of Robert Wickens and Mason Filippi back into the pack and a sixth-place finishing position in the GTD class of Saturday’s 100-minute Grand Prix of Long Beach.
For the third consecutive race in this year’s IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, the DXDT Corvette led laps and contended for its first GTD class victory. Saturday, Wickens began from pole position – his first in GTD – and led for the entirety of his 25-lap stint. It came a year after his debut in the DXDT Z05 GT3.R that is equipped with hand controls and Bosch’s electronic braking system.Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
The team made its lone pit stop of the race at the 37-minute mark and swapped Wickens for Filippi, who made his first career appearance at the Long Beach street circuit. The driver change was a quick one and preserved what was a seven-second lead. Shortly after that, the race went under full-course yellow for the second time and erased the team’s advantage.
The hectic restarts and traffic around Long Beach bit the DXDT Corvette, which suffered multiple hits and damage not long after the restart. Filippi still was able to challenge for the top-five toward the end.
DragonSpeed’s Giacomo Altoé and Henrik Hedman finished just out of the top-10 in 12th place with their No. 81 Corvette, which required extensive repairs before Long Beach following a hard crash for the team at Sebring. They were one spot ahead of 13 Autosport’s Matt Bell and Orey Fidani in their No. 13 Corvette, but the result was enough for Fidani to retain his lead in the season-long Bob Akin Award championship, which goes to the highest points-scoring, Bronze-rated driver at the end of the year.
The Corvette Z06 GT3.R program’s next race in IMSA is the Monterey SportsCar Championship on May 1-3 from WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-RACE DRIVER QUOTES 
ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “To be honest, that was a fairy-tale stint. The Corvette Z06 GT3.R was just so nice to drive around this track. Every lap is a dream. It was a good stint and a little fortunate with Danny Formal having a mechanical problem, and then I don’t know what happened to the 57, but suddenly we had quite a decent amount of space behind. We were a little nervous for our driver change on if we would lose time or at least maintain status quo. So the goal for me was to build a gap, just in case. Mason did an amazing job, and I am pretty sure I just found out we had the fifth-fastest in the pit lane. I’ll take that all day.”
MASON FILIPPI, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We were all right on the pace all weekend. We got stuck driving behind some of the lap traffic there and got into it a little bit with the GTP car at the fountain. Then we got pushed into the wall pretty hard by another car. When that happened we lost kind of all of the momentum. Since it was right after a restart, everyone kind of came through. It’s a bummer, you know, for the team. They did a fantastic job this weekend. We’ll get it. It is what it is, but go to the next one and aim for the front again.”
GIACOMO ALTOE, NO. 81 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We want more, but there are positives to take from this race. The pace was very strong during my stint; I was able to get back onto the lead lap and make some overtakes. I had a really good feeling behind the wheel. Thanks to the team for the work done throughout the weekend, especially for the race. The work will pay off and we’re on the right path to the top.”
MATT BELL, NO. 13 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “Unfortunately for the second year in a row, Orey’s part of the race was affected by a competitor. That had a lasting effect on our race. We were carrying damage the rest of the way, but the 13 Autosport guys still gave me a fast car to go out there and try to do something with. It was the nature of the race… a few things didn’t go our way. We couldn’t move forward like we hoped but still finished a few places ahead of where we started. Just one of those days where it didn’t work out for us. We’ll regroup, head to Laguna Seca for the next race and see if we can target the Akin win and even better when we get there.”
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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–Kyle Larson

NASCAR CUP SERIES KANSAS SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES APRIL 18, 2026
 


Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Kansas Speedway. Larson, the event’s defending winner, is a three-time winner in NASCAR’s top division at the track. 
MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom
NASCAR CUP SERIESKANSAS SPEEDWAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESAPRIL 18, 2026
 


Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Kansas Speedway. Larson, the event’s defending winner, is a three-time winner in NASCAR’s top division at the track. 
MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Media Availability Quotes: 

Obviously, there’s a lot of talk about coming back to the site and event of your last win. So just tell me, as the week has gone on, what are your general feelings before heading out for practice and qualifying as we get this weekend going?“Yeah, we typically run pretty well here, so excited to get back to Kansas and just get racing. Hopefully, we can execute a good Saturday; have a good car once again, qualify towards the front and set ourselves up for tomorrow.”  What’s been the biggest surprise about the racing so far under this new points format?“I would say nothing’s been surprising to me. I didn’t think that the racing would really change heading into this season. And I would say, being out on the track, it doesn’t seem any different either. Guys are still really aggressive. Guys are going hard for stage points, as always, and race finishes. So, yeah, I don’t know what it looks like on TV, but I think it’s like the same old racing.”  This weekend you can tie Denny Hamlin for the most wins here, and you’re also 25 laps led away from passing Kevin Harvick for the most laps here. Whether it’s Kansas or any track, how important is it to be one of the best or the best statistically at a track?“I don’t know. I mean, that’s not something I really pay attention to at the moment. You know, maybe when your career’s over, that’s the stuff that you’ll notice and think is cool. But right now, you just show up to the track and try to, like I said, do the best job you can. It would be cool to join Denny (Hamlin) as a four-time winner here. And yeah, obviously if you can pass Kevin Harvick on laps led anywhere, that’s pretty impressive. But neither of those were things that I thought about until you just brought it up.”   Looking ahead a few days, there’s a tire test that you’re participating in at Chicagoland. What kind of expectations do you have for a place where we really haven’t raced since 2019?“Yeah, it’s been a while. Chicagoland was an awesome track back then, and I feel like it’s going to be a lot of fun with this car. I think this car produces a little bit more exciting racing on the intermediate-style tracks. I’m just curious to get there; see what condition the facility is in at this point, the racing surface and how it’s changed in the last six years or whatever it’s been. So, yeah, I think our whole team is excited about this test. I think there’s a lot of opportunity for us to learn there that could benefit us at other racetracks also throughout the year. So, yeah, it’s going to be a good test with a good benchmark of teams going there. I think it’s myself, the 11 (Denny Hamlin), the 12 (Ryan Blaney) and one other one maybe, I can’t remember. But those are the teams that you look at each week, so to go there and have two days to kind of learn what you can about your car, but also you’ll see how you stack up against them. They’re probably going to bring their best stuff, as well, so it’ll be good.”  When you look ahead to Talladega, what stands out as the biggest challenge for you guys? “Yeah, Talladega, I guess for next week, it’ll be a little different with the stage lengths. So just curious to see how that’s kind of going to affect the fuel conservation and stuff throughout the race. I still think you’re going to be saving quite a bit of fuel, but we’ll see when we get there. And then, I think you just study that and see what kind of scenarios might pop up and how to best adapt for it. You’re always trying to position yourself for that final run to the end, so we’ll see if we can do that. We’ve done that well in the past at Talladega, especially, and I think it could just look a little different now with stage lengths.”  You finished really well in these spring races in the Next Gen era. You’re coming in off some tough races and getting close to win. How much of a measuring stick is Kansas for you?“Every track is a measuring stick, so I wouldn’t say it’s any more when you come here. But we do have a good package for this track and style of tracks. We always want to get better in all of that, so we’ll just try to go out there and try to execute a good weekend. Execute a good Saturday, that’s really important to feel your car’s balance out in practice and then take that into qualifying. With the conditions being cold today, you’ve really got to commit in qualifying, so getting your brain right for that is always difficult. And then hopefully that goes well and we can start towards the front tomorrow, just kind of chip away throughout the day and just give ourselves an opportunity.”  What are some of the challenges that face you at this track?“Well, I think for this place, the wind definitely has an effect on your car. It’s not like a consistent direction. I feel like every time we come here, even from Saturday to Sunday, a lot of times it changes. So, that’s something that I always try to pay attention to here is the wind and how that might affect your car on the entries and exits of the corner and how you may be able to use the wind to your advantage with balance, passing and all that. And then, yeah, your level of commitment is very high here. You’re running right next to the wall in (turns) one and two and managing the risk there is important. But, yeah, more than anything, I think the long runs and the wind is probably something I try to pay attention to.”   Having time to look over the No. 5 team and the way you all have performed this season, and even having the break and coming back, where do you think the team is as a whole?“I think our team is in a good spot in how we operate. You always want to get your cars better. I think the low downforce package, the short track package, is an area that we’re not where we want to be currently. So just working hard as an organization at Hendrick Motorsports, but also with Chevy, to get better.  A lot of focus is going into that and hopefully we can hit on it soon and start just having more consistent runs from track to track. Right now, I feel really confident when we come to these style tracks, but it’s just a bit unknown every time we show up to a short track on how we might be. That’s the area where I think we need to get better. But like I said, the processes and where we are as a group with the No. 5 team, I think we’re in a good spot.”
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Chevy Racing–NASCAR–Kansas–AJ Allmendinger


NASCAR CUP SERIES KANSAS SPEEDWAY TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES APRIL 18, 2026
 


AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Kansas Speedway. 
MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

NASCAR CUP SERIESKANSAS SPEEDWAYTEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTESAPRIL 18, 2026
 


AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Kansas Speedway. 
MEDIA RESOURCES: Photo Gallery | Race AdvancesChevrolet Newsroom

Media Availability Quotes: 

We’re getting toward the quarter point of the season. Where do you think you’ve leveled out in terms of expectations you set at the beginning of the year?“Yeah, I think it’s interesting in our situation. I’m not sure we really set any expectations. Obviously you want to go out there and run as good as possible, but in our situation, I think every weekend is kind of a new test. I thought we started the year really well, and then we kind of went through a stretch of with Martinsville and Darlington — Las Vegas was, I think, probably our most frustrating weekend because we’ve been pretty good at Vegas and we just missed it. I’m not sure if it was the new body on the Chevy side of it and trying to learn that. Basically, for us, trying to guess at it. I think that the challenge has been when they change the aero package. Even some of the good racetracks, like Darlington that we have we had good notes on, we couldn’t really use those.  So all in all, we’re 20th in points, which I try not to really look at the points. But you know, I feel like more than anything, whether it’s a good or bad weekend, we’ve gotten pretty much everything out of that weekend, whether it was 27th in Martinsville or last week we ran inside the top-12 all day and had a top-15. We’re finishing most of the laps and we’re not really making any mistakes, so far, it’s been okay. It’s so weird.. it’s hard to say, like last week, we ran top-15 and we’re happy with that because it’s tough to say that. But you know, in our situation, it’s really good. I think if we can have more runs like that over the next few weeks, I think we’re moving in the right direction, at least.”  In a week like this, where you come back with the same tire package as let’s say the fall, does it make it at least a little easier for you guys to guess, even though the body obviously is different?“Yeah, I think it makes it a little easier, but the body definitely had us thrown off at Las Vegas. For instance, like last week at Vegas, I felt like I had a good balance on the rear of the car. We were always just a little bit tight, but we had speed doing that. And this year, we were just massively loose from the first lap on the racetrack, and we never got ahead of that. I think that’s the biggest thing with being on our own; if we unload in practice and we’re good… like last weekend at Bristol, I thought we were decent in practice and that carries into qualifying and the race. If we unload and we’re way off, you’re literally just taking a big swing, as much as you can with these cars going into the race. So hopefully we unload, at least, fairly close and have a good practice. That’s always important.  But yeah, that makes it a little bit easier. It’s more of just trying to judge the body and seeing what that balance is supposed to be.”  It’s going to be mid-50s today for practice and qualifying and 70s for the race tomorrow. Is there anything in today’s session, in particular, that you’re going to be looking for, compared to a day where it would be warmer? “I mean, the temperatures are always going to give it a little more grip, so I think trying to wrap your head around how fast you are in practice and knowing that the pace will slow a little bit during the race and trying to get those heights right for that. More than anything, we’re fortunate, a little bit, that we’re in the second group… maybe not in out-right practice speed, but the ARCA race is going to go run; there’s no rubber on the racetrack and at least through the first-half of the first group, I think you’re just going to be peeling the ARCA rubber off the racetrack. I think the second group will at least have a little bit of Cup rubber down. But that’s the biggest thing with this racetrack, I feel like, is a lot of rubber gets put down. You start searching for places that don’t have rubber. If you have speed, I think you’re still going to have speed tomorrow. But definitely trying to counteract that with the thought of – OK, the O’Reilly Series is going to run after we’re done. There will be more rubber on the racetrack. It will be a little bit warmer, so what balance do you need for that. You just take the conditions as they come. Being in the second group will at least help, I think, be a little closer.”  What makes this place specifically so challenging for you?“I think just running the fence with so much speed. You can make a little bit of speed running in the middle or running on the bottom, but eventually as the tires wear out, it goes to the top. And then even in qualifying, it’s around the top. That’s something that I’m OK at, but I’m always trying to work on that; be better and figure out how to be faster and do things to be a little bit more comfortable doing it. You know, guys like Larson, Redick and Blaney, they’re so good at being right against the wall. I mean, hell, last year, they were wide open in turn one, the good cars were. That’s tough to get yourself to commit to if you don’t have a really good practice. And I think that goes back to having a really good practice. If you feel good with your racecar, it’s a lot easier to go down there than having a bad racecar or being a little bit off and trusting it. At the end of the day, I think it’s all about making the right decisions. If you think you can go and get it, go get it. And if not, fencing the thing and making your team work on it is not what we need in our situation. Maybe it hurts pride a little bit, but you’ve got to just take what it gives you. I do feel like with this racetrack, especially as the tires wear out, you can pass it. I don’t think I’ve had great qualifying runs here, and I’ve been able to drive up into the top-10 or near the top-10 if you’ve got a good car. So that’s something that makes it a little bit easier, knowing that you can go pass if you’re near the back.”  What’s been the biggest surprise about the racing so far under the new points system? “That’s a good question. I don’t know if anything’s really surprised me. I don’t know if it’s part of it because I’ve been in this before. Some of these guys haven’t raced this point system. I know what to kind of expect. In our situation, I don’t think it changes. You’re trying to maximize the best finish. It does help for a team like ours, where if you’re ahead of somebody, they win the race and now they’ve locked themselves in. That was something I felt last year. We had a rough end of the year, but I felt like a legitimate 16th to 19th-place team. Next thing you know, you’re 25th in points because guys have won and moved up.  At the end of the day, I still feel like it’s so hard to win a Cup race. If we’re in that situation and I have a chance to do it, I’m going to do everything I can. I know it only pays a little bit more points now and it doesn’t lock you in, but it’s still about winning. I think we’ve seen races come to the end that it’s still about winning. It’s important even, if it doesn’t lock you in. I don’t think anything’s really surprised me. It’s just nice to know where you’re at in points at all times instead of getting jumped.”  You talked about the fact that you’re 20th in points and your team has been maximizing as much as you can with the resources that you have. Does that make you more optimistic moving forward with the fact that you are going to get more improvements as the season goes on? Do you look more forward to later on in the season when you come back to some of these tracks or is it kind of just the same?“I think you hope that you’re going to get more improvements. I believe that we will, but there’s so much that goes into it. We could come back here in the fall and they’ve changed the aero package or we’ve changed the tire or something. I think it’s about doing the best you can every weekend and just getting the most out of it and working close with our group. I think Mike Cook, our competition director, is doing a great job. I love working with my crew chief, Trent Owens. We have such a good relationship. I love my group. In a way, it sounds extreme compared to what we are in this country right now, but you’re going to war together, right? It’s tough to go beat the Hendrick’s, the Penske’s and Gibbs’, and even run with them. It’s just putting your head down and whatever we have for resources, just maximizing it. That’s something that we’re trying to do. Hopefully, as the year goes on, that gets easier, but we don’t know that until we get down the road. It’s just like in life. You just do the best that you can. It’s a week like last week. I got out of the car. It’s like, yeah, do you want more than 15th? But could I look in the mirror and felt like we did everything we could? Yeah, and you just be happy with that. If you feel like you’ve messed up, then you fix it and don’t do it again.” 
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Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA to start fifth at Imola 


April 18th, 2026 – The Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA qualified P5 and P13 for the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola. The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, driven by Norman Nato, advanced to the Hyperpole session after setting the 10th fastest time (01:30:644) in the initial qualifying session. In Hyperpole Nato improved further on this time, posting a lap time of 1:30:419. The No.12 car, driven by Will Stevens and Norman Nato, will line up in fifth position on the grid for tomorrow’s race. Earl Bamber qualified the No.38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R in P13 with a lap of 1:30:867. Sebastian Bourdais will share driving duties in the No.38 car for the 6 Hours of Imola. The race will take place on the historic 4.909-kilometre (3.050-mile), 21-turn Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. It is scheduled for 1 p.m. local/7 a.m. ET Sunday April 19th. What they’re saying No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Norman Nato: “Of course we were aiming for more, but taking everything into consideration, the limited testing, this being our first race weekend back together, and adapting to working without Alex for this race, there was a lot to manage. For me personally, it was my first Hypercar qualifying session in 18 months, so there was a lot to relearn.
I was a little concerned before qualifying, so to come away with a top-five result is very positive and I’m very happy with that. It was a lot of fun as well, so a big thank you to the team for the trust in putting me in the car for qualifying this weekend. It gives us a good position to start from, and from here we can focus on making progress in the race.”  No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Earl Bamber: “ It was okay, it’s always disappointing not to make it through to Hyperpole but at least we know why. We struggled a little with one corner on the track and just couldn’t quite fix it, which cost us some time and made qualifying a bit of a challenge. Apart from that, the car has been behaving well and I think there are still positives to take from the session.
It’s a long race tomorrow and the focus now is on making sure we maximise what we have during the race. We’ll look through the data tonight, see what we can improve, and come back ready to fight for the opening race of the season.” 
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Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA to start fifth at Imola

Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA to start fifth at Imola
April 18th, 2026 – The Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA qualified P5 and P13 for the opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola. The No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R, driven by Norman Nato, advanced to the Hyperpole session after setting the 10th fastest time (01:30:644) in the initial qualifying session. In Hyperpole Nato improved further on this time, posting a lap time of 1:30:419. The No.12 car, driven by Will Stevens and Norman Nato, will line up in fifth position on the grid for tomorrow’s race. Earl Bamber qualified the No.38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R in P13 with a lap of 1:30:867. Sebastian Bourdais will share driving duties in the No.38 car for the 6 Hours of Imola. The race will take place on the historic 4.909-kilometre (3.050-mile), 21-turn Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari. It is scheduled for 1 p.m. local/7 a.m. ET Sunday April 19th. What they’re saying No. 12 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Norman Nato: “Of course we were aiming for more, but taking everything into consideration, the limited testing, this being our first race weekend back together, and adapting to working without Alex for this race, there was a lot to manage. For me personally, it was my first Hypercar qualifying session in 18 months, so there was a lot to relearn.
I was a little concerned before qualifying, so to come away with a top-five result is very positive and I’m very happy with that. It was a lot of fun as well, so a big thank you to the team for the trust in putting me in the car for qualifying this weekend. It gives us a good position to start from, and from here we can focus on making progress in the race.”  No. 38 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series.R Earl Bamber: “ It was okay, it’s always disappointing not to make it through to Hyperpole but at least we know why. We struggled a little with one corner on the track and just couldn’t quite fix it, which cost us some time and made qualifying a bit of a challenge. Apart from that, the car has been behaving well and I think there are still positives to take from the session.
It’s a long race tomorrow and the focus now is on making sure we maximise what we have during the race. We’ll look through the data tonight, see what we can improve, and come back ready to fight for the opening race of the season.” 
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CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: TF Sport Aiming to Move Forward

Fifth-, seventh-row starting spots for team’s Corvettes to start 2026 FIA WEC IMOLA, Italy (April 18, 2026) – TF Sport will begin its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs starting on the fifth and seventh rows of the LMGT3 grid for the season-opening Six Hours of Imola.
The No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey will start 10th in a tight field of GT3 cars that saw the top-six entries in the 10-car Hyperpole session separated by less than seven-tenths of a second. 
Getting into Hyperpole was quite an accomplishment with series and Corvette rookie Dempsey posting the fastest time in the opening qualifying session at 1:41.642 (108.056 mph). Yoluc had just set his best lap in Hyperpole when he spun off-track to bring the session to an early end.
The No. 33 TF Sport Corvette of Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Blake McDonald will start 14th in class. 		Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
McDonald, who drives for the team in the European Le Mans Series, was a late call-up to replace the injured Ben Keating for the first two laps. As a result, his qualifying run was his first in the series and the circuit. Of note, Edgar had the second-fastest time of all LMGT3 drivers across the three free practice sessions leading into qualifying. 
The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team.
The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weather forecast for the Prologue looked a lot worse than it actually was. We thought we would only get wet running, but it was great and we got quite a bit of dry running. Peter has never been here. Salih has never been here in a GT, so we needed that dry running to get some laps under the belts for everybody. It looked pretty decent. As always with the Corvette, it goes well with the higher track temps. We struggled a little to switch on the front tire in the Prologue but now with the higher track temps, we seem really strong. New for 2026 is single-stinting all the tires but even with that there is enough degradation around here that if the temps stay as they are, we should be strong in the last 10 laps of the stint. It continues to go well.”(On new tire allocation rules for 2026) “I think the lesser cars come into the picture. So the likes of the BMW, they struggled in a double-stint last year so they will now be in the picture a lot more fighting for wins when they were never really there versus cars like us who were similar in the first stint. So it doesn’t really change much. It will get more people fighting for the win.”
PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “That felt fantastic. It was my first qualifying session in a long time so I was a bit nervous before I started. But once I rolled out of the lane I felt pretty comfortable. TF Sport and Corvette gave me the tools for the job for Racing for Turkey so I’m really happy with that performance.”
CORVETTE RACING AT IMOLA: TF Sport Aiming to Move ForwardFifth-, seventh-row starting spots for team’s Corvettes to start 2026 FIA WEC IMOLA, Italy (April 18, 2026) – TF Sport will begin its 2026 FIA World Endurance Championship campaign with its pair of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.Rs starting on the fifth and seventh rows of the LMGT3 grid for the season-opening Six Hours of Imola.
The No. 34 Racing Team Turkey by TF Corvette of Charlie Eastwood, Salih Yoluc and Peter Dempsey will start 10th in a tight field of GT3 cars that saw the top-six entries in the 10-car Hyperpole session separated by less than seven-tenths of a second. 
Getting into Hyperpole was quite an accomplishment with series and Corvette rookie Dempsey posting the fastest time in the opening qualifying session at 1:41.642 (108.056 mph). Yoluc had just set his best lap in Hyperpole when he spun off-track to bring the session to an early end.
The No. 33 TF Sport Corvette of Nicky Catsburg, Jonny Edgar and Blake McDonald will start 14th in class. 		Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
McDonald, who drives for the team in the European Le Mans Series, was a late call-up to replace the injured Ben Keating for the first two laps. As a result, his qualifying run was his first in the series and the circuit. Of note, Edgar had the second-fastest time of all LMGT3 drivers across the three free practice sessions leading into qualifying. 
The 2026 season is the fifth for Corvette Racing in the WEC. In that span, Corvettes have captured six victories plus the 2023 GTE Am championships. Two of those victories came via TF Sport in 2025 – one for each of its two entries – with the team looking for new heights in its third season as a Corvette Z06 GT3.R team.
The Six Hours of Imola and opening round of the FIA World Endurance Championship is set for 7 a.m. ET / 1 p.m. CET on Sunday. Live streaming coverage plus timing and scoring is available through a subscription on FIA WEC Plus with additional live streaming on the HBO Max app in the U.S.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
CHARLIE EASTWOOD, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weather forecast for the Prologue looked a lot worse than it actually was. We thought we would only get wet running, but it was great and we got quite a bit of dry running. Peter has never been here. Salih has never been here in a GT, so we needed that dry running to get some laps under the belts for everybody. It looked pretty decent. As always with the Corvette, it goes well with the higher track temps. We struggled a little to switch on the front tire in the Prologue but now with the higher track temps, we seem really strong. New for 2026 is single-stinting all the tires but even with that there is enough degradation around here that if the temps stay as they are, we should be strong in the last 10 laps of the stint. It continues to go well.”(On new tire allocation rules for 2026) “I think the lesser cars come into the picture. So the likes of the BMW, they struggled in a double-stint last year so they will now be in the picture a lot more fighting for wins when they were never really there versus cars like us who were similar in the first stint. So it doesn’t really change much. It will get more people fighting for the win.”
PETER DEMPSEY, NO. 34 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “That felt fantastic. It was my first qualifying session in a long time so I was a bit nervous before I started. But once I rolled out of the lane I felt pretty comfortable. TF Sport and Corvette gave me the tools for the job for Racing for Turkey so I’m really happy with that performance.”
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 33 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “The weekend has been great so far, to be honest. We’ve been really fast all week in the Prologue and now as well. Unfortunately for Blake in qualifying, he didn’t really put it together but he has the pace to be inside the top-10. Jonny had a great chance to fight for pole. The car and the team are working well. I’m having a good time. It’s great to work with Blake and Jonny. The sister car was super-fast with Peter in Q1 but unfortunately Salih had an incident. But I think we all will show great pace tomorrow and we can move forward.”(On being back in WEC) “It’s great to be back. It’s a paddock that I’ve missed. When I’m in IMSA, I miss WEC. And when I’m in WEC, I miss IMSA. So why not just do both! I’m a really lucky guy and it’s great to be back. Having Ben here is great for moral support. I’ve missed hanging out with him. It’s good to have him back and hopefully he recovers quickly so we can share the car again soon.”
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Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix

LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.
His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626. 
Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101. 
Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022)
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”
Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”
Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix
Media Resources: Images | Media Advances | Cadillac Newsroom
LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.
His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626. 
Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101. 
Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022)
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”
Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”
Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Looking at the result, it is just not what I wanted. We were fighting the car, and I was just a tenth off my teammates in Cadillac and a tenth off here is bigger than any other track. It is what it is and tomorrow is going to be a bit harder for us, but it’s IMSA and it’s Long Beach and you just never know and we go on. The car is competitive, but the whole field is very tight.” 
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Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix

LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.
His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626. 
Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101. 
Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022)
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”
Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”
Cadillac to start third in 51st Long Beach Grand Prix
Media Resources: Images | Media Advances | Cadillac Newsroom
LONG BEACH (April 17, 2026) – Louis Delétraz and the No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R, qualified third for the 51st Long Beach Grand Prix IMSA race.
His lap of 1:11.833 was bettered by pole winner Nick Yelloly of Michael Shank Racing who posted a pole-winning time of 1:11.626. 
Jack Atiken, driver of the No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing was fourth with a lap of 1:11.844, while Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R was ninth with a lap of 1:12.101. 
Cadillac Racing has won six of the eight IMSA races at Long Beach (no race in 2020), including five in a row (2017-2022)
The Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday, April 18 from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
Louis Delétraz, No. 40 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Great qualifying and P3 is a good position to start at Long Beach as we know it is very hard to overtake so big thank you to everyone at Cadillac racing and Wayne Taylor Racing. We still have the hardest part tomorrow with the race, but the car feels good. It was our best qualifying of the year and looking forward to the race and try to get our first podium of the year.”
Jack Aitken, No. 31 Whelen Cadillac V-Series.R run by Action Express Racing: “Yeah it was not bad I think we were hoping for a little bit more. The track conditions felt good and felt fast. But it was difficult to find that last little bit. I think we put a good lap initially but a lot of other cars toward the end after we done our run as it were. It was what it was at that point. It’s a bit of a shame, but still a good starting position for tomorrow and we have to Cadillac up there, so hopefully we can pull out a good result from that.”
Filipe Albuquerque, No. 10 Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing V-Series.R: “Looking at the result, it is just not what I wanted. We were fighting the car, and I was just a tenth off my teammates in Cadillac and a tenth off here is bigger than any other track. It is what it is and tomorrow is going to be a bit harder for us, but it’s IMSA and it’s Long Beach and you just never know and we go on. The car is competitive, but the whole field is very tight.” 
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CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Front Row for Wickens, DXDT

No. 36 Corvette rolling off second in GTD for IMSA season’s first sprint race LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 17, 2026) – DXDT Racing’s Robert Wickens thrilled his team and fans at Long Beach on Friday with second-place qualifying effort for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R specially equipped with a hand-control system.
Wickens set a lap of 1:18.562 (90.181mph) in Friday’s 15-minute session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class. He was just 0.151 seconds off the class pole-winning time.
Long Beach will be his first race of the season back in the cockpit of the Corvette as he embarks on a five-race campaign in IMSA’s sprint rounds with full-season DXDT driver Mason Filippi.
Friday’s result was his best since joining DXDT Racing and Corvette a year ago. Long Beach in 2025 was the site of Wickens’ debut both in the WeatherTech Championship and in the Corvette. 		Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
The Z06 GT3.R features a fully electronic braking system by Bosch with a specially constructed steering wheel attachment that allows Wickens to accelerate and brake with his hands. The advancement is a revolutionary and collaborative effort between DXDT Racing, Bosch, General Motors and Pratt Miller, which is the constructor of the Corvette GT3.
DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Corvette and the No. 13 entry from 13 Autosport will start Saturday’s race from the eighth and ninth rows of the GTD grid, respectively. Chevrolet and the Corvette brand have been a fixture at Long Beach since the Corvette Racing program first visited Long Beach in 2007. In 18 visits, Corvette GT cars have captured eight victories with two additional in the Corvette Daytona Prototype era. Combined with results from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet boasts a total of 22 victories in the Grand Prix’s two premier events. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’ve been having some radio issues here and there so I heard I went P1 at the checkered. And then I didn’t hear anything for the rest of the lap because of the static. But yeah, P2 is alright! As soon as I heard that I missed it by a tenth, I knew exactly where I could have found that to snag P1. DXDT Racing gives me a good racecar, and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a dream around here. Living a good life!”(Do you feel like you’re getting back in a comfort zone?) “Especially this weekend. The last time I drove a car was VIR last year. So it’s been a steep learning curve. Ironically I felt more prepared last year even though it was my debut in the series. This team is so strong. Mason (Filippi) has been doing an amazing job getting me up to speed. It’s a full team effort here. Hopefully we can play from P2 and try to get a podium.”(Satisfying after last year’s qualifying?) “A bit of a redemption from last year, even making it through FP2 and having a clean weekend this year compared to last. DXDT Racing and Corvette Racing are doing an amazing job. The car is so nice to drive. When I heard I missed it by a tenth, you immediately know as a driver where you could have found it. It’s a good problem to have. We had the equipment to put it on the pole today. Hopefully with a little more experience, I can get a little more from the car and from the hand control system from Bosch. Going into this weekend, if you told me I’d be on the front row, I would have taken it.”(Thinking about Turn One at the start?) “I’m not really thinking about Turn One. I’m more thinking about the hairpin to take the green. I feel like when you’re the slower class on the starts, it’s a bit of free-for-all and you can go wherever you want. I’m more worried about getting stuck on the outside of the hairpin and maybe getting a bad exit. I’m going to spend some time tonight and tomorrow looking at race starts over the past few years and see what I can learn.”
CORVETTE RACING AT LONG BEACH: Front Row for Wickens, DXDTNo. 36 Corvette rolling off second in GTD for IMSA season’s first sprint race LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 17, 2026) – DXDT Racing’s Robert Wickens thrilled his team and fans at Long Beach on Friday with second-place qualifying effort for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Long Beach in the No. 36 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3.R specially equipped with a hand-control system.
Wickens set a lap of 1:18.562 (90.181mph) in Friday’s 15-minute session for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s GTD class. He was just 0.151 seconds off the class pole-winning time.
Long Beach will be his first race of the season back in the cockpit of the Corvette as he embarks on a five-race campaign in IMSA’s sprint rounds with full-season DXDT driver Mason Filippi.
Friday’s result was his best since joining DXDT Racing and Corvette a year ago. Long Beach in 2025 was the site of Wickens’ debut both in the WeatherTech Championship and in the Corvette. 		Corvette Racing Media Resources Documents | Statistics | Photos | Factory Driver Bios | Chevrolet Newsroom
The Z06 GT3.R features a fully electronic braking system by Bosch with a specially constructed steering wheel attachment that allows Wickens to accelerate and brake with his hands. The advancement is a revolutionary and collaborative effort between DXDT Racing, Bosch, General Motors and Pratt Miller, which is the constructor of the Corvette GT3.
DragonSpeed’s No. 81 Corvette and the No. 13 entry from 13 Autosport will start Saturday’s race from the eighth and ninth rows of the GTD grid, respectively. Chevrolet and the Corvette brand have been a fixture at Long Beach since the Corvette Racing program first visited Long Beach in 2007. In 18 visits, Corvette GT cars have captured eight victories with two additional in the Corvette Daytona Prototype era. Combined with results from the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Chevrolet boasts a total of 22 victories in the Grand Prix’s two premier events. The Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach is set for 1:05 p.m. PT on Saturday from the Long Beach street circuit in southern California. It will air live on NBC starting at 4 p.m. ET with streaming coverage on Peacock. IMSA Radio will stream live audio coverage on XM 206, Channel 996 on the SiriusXM app and IMSA.com.
CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R POST-QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES ROBERT WICKENS, NO. 36 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 GT3.R: “We’ve been having some radio issues here and there so I heard I went P1 at the checkered. And then I didn’t hear anything for the rest of the lap because of the static. But yeah, P2 is alright! As soon as I heard that I missed it by a tenth, I knew exactly where I could have found that to snag P1. DXDT Racing gives me a good racecar, and the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is a dream around here. Living a good life!”(Do you feel like you’re getting back in a comfort zone?) “Especially this weekend. The last time I drove a car was VIR last year. So it’s been a steep learning curve. Ironically I felt more prepared last year even though it was my debut in the series. This team is so strong. Mason (Filippi) has been doing an amazing job getting me up to speed. It’s a full team effort here. Hopefully we can play from P2 and try to get a podium.”(Satisfying after last year’s qualifying?) “A bit of a redemption from last year, even making it through FP2 and having a clean weekend this year compared to last. DXDT Racing and Corvette Racing are doing an amazing job. The car is so nice to drive. When I heard I missed it by a tenth, you immediately know as a driver where you could have found it. It’s a good problem to have. We had the equipment to put it on the pole today. Hopefully with a little more experience, I can get a little more from the car and from the hand control system from Bosch. Going into this weekend, if you told me I’d be on the front row, I would have taken it.”(Thinking about Turn One at the start?) “I’m not really thinking about Turn One. I’m more thinking about the hairpin to take the green. I feel like when you’re the slower class on the starts, it’s a bit of free-for-all and you can go wherever you want. I’m more worried about getting stuck on the outside of the hairpin and maybe getting a bad exit. I’m going to spend some time tonight and tomorrow looking at race starts over the past few years and see what I can learn.”
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TEAM CHEVY INDYCAR FRIDAY PRACTICE REPORT – Grand Prix Of Long Beach

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaFriday Practice ReportApril 17, 2026
LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2026) – For the fourth straight road and street course, Scott McLaughlin was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver during the first practice, with Arrow McLaren teammates Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward also had top ten pace in the first practice on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit. For the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the first practice on the road and street courses is split into three portions, with the entire field running the first forty minutes, and the field split in two for a pair of 12-minute sessions. 
Chevrolet-powered drivers took six of the top 10 spots in the first 40 minutes, with drivers utilizing the Primary Firstone Firehawk racing tires (Black), with Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet leading the way for Team Chevy. McLaughlin, David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet joined the Mexican driver.
When the first half of the field put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red), McLaughlin was immediately quick, setting a lap of 67.6053 seconds on his first hot lap. The Kiwi was on his second hot lap when the rear end of his No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet stepped out under braking in Turn 9, tagging the tire barriers and ending his session. 
“I felt like I got a denied downshift,” said McLaughlin. “It was a bit unfortunate, going in there, you’re committing pretty high. Looking back on it now, I probably should have. Looking back on it now, I probably didn’t have as much time because it was sliding for a long time. I grabbed a gear and it just locked the rear tires and I was a bit of a passenger. The car was super good. I was just trying to test those AAA tow trucks and figure if we could get some help; they were right there on the job. Excited for the AAA Travel Team Chevy. We’ve got a rocket ship this weekend; it’s just a matter of putting it together.”
After going sixth quickest in the first session on Blacks, Lundgaard was third best in his session on the Reds. Joining Lundgaard in the top five in the second 12-minute session was Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet. Malukas confirmed that Team Penske had speed, setting the quickest times in the first two sectors of his best lap before encountering traffic. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Practice #1 ResultsTune-In Alert
SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Sunday NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218  Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESGrand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaFriday Practice ReportApril 17, 2026
LONG BEACH, California (April 17, 2026) – For the fourth straight road and street course, Scott McLaughlin was the quickest Chevrolet-powered driver during the first practice, with Arrow McLaren teammates Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet and Pato O’Ward also had top ten pace in the first practice on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn, Long Beach street circuit. For the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, the first practice on the road and street courses is split into three portions, with the entire field running the first forty minutes, and the field split in two for a pair of 12-minute sessions. 
Chevrolet-powered drivers took six of the top 10 spots in the first 40 minutes, with drivers utilizing the Primary Firstone Firehawk racing tires (Black), with Pato O’Ward in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet leading the way for Team Chevy. McLaughlin, David Malukas in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 VELO Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet, and Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet joined the Mexican driver.
When the first half of the field put on the Alternate Firestone Firehawk racing tires (Red), McLaughlin was immediately quick, setting a lap of 67.6053 seconds on his first hot lap. The Kiwi was on his second hot lap when the rear end of his No. 3 AAA Travel Team Penske Chevrolet stepped out under braking in Turn 9, tagging the tire barriers and ending his session. 
“I felt like I got a denied downshift,” said McLaughlin. “It was a bit unfortunate, going in there, you’re committing pretty high. Looking back on it now, I probably should have. Looking back on it now, I probably didn’t have as much time because it was sliding for a long time. I grabbed a gear and it just locked the rear tires and I was a bit of a passenger. The car was super good. I was just trying to test those AAA tow trucks and figure if we could get some help; they were right there on the job. Excited for the AAA Travel Team Chevy. We’ve got a rocket ship this weekend; it’s just a matter of putting it together.”
After going sixth quickest in the first session on Blacks, Lundgaard was third best in his session on the Reds. Joining Lundgaard in the top five in the second 12-minute session was Alexander Rossi in the No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet. Malukas confirmed that Team Penske had speed, setting the quickest times in the first two sectors of his best lap before encountering traffic. Grand Prix Of Long Beach Practice #1 ResultsTune-In Alert
SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Sunday NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218  Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Team Penske Chevrolet drives around the fountain on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit on the way to a win in 2022.
Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach
Wins – 12
2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
Poles – 10
2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing

Chevrolet Podiums: 32
Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1)
Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1)
Chevrolet Laps Led: 991
Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1),
Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3)
Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach
Wins (with competition)
15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995)
Poles (with competition)
13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)

Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time
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Hell’s Historian: Todd Turner Recounts Building Career With Summer Nationals Coverage

 

CONCORD, NC — April 17, 2026 — While drivers spent grueling days and nights up and down the road with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Todd Turner pioneered instant news coverage in dirt racing through pure passion.


The Kentucky native was raised with racing in his area, but it wasn’t until his teenage years that he found his true love in motorsports: dirt Late Models.

 
“I grew up as, actually, an asphalt racing fan,” Turner said. “When I was a teenager, I discovered dirt racing because my asphalt track closed in Louisville, KY. Once I found dirt Late Models, I was much more captivated by it.


“It was much more exciting, and I was growing up to where I could be able to drive myself to these races. Soon thereafter, I couldn’t go back to asphalt compared to the excitement in dirt racing.” 


Turner graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University in 1988 and then with a master’s degree in history in 1990. That same year, Turner had his first interaction with the Summer Nationals at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway on July 15. 

 
After witnessing Scott Bloomquist win his third race of the season en route to the championship, Turner realized the challenge of the Hell Tour, with its daily racing in the sweltering heat.


“I lived in Owensboro, KY, in 1990 for my first job at a newspaper there,” Turner recalled. “I used to go to Tri-State Speedway, which is about an hour away. That was the first time I saw them, and I literally stumbled onto it. I remember watching the Summer Nationals and knowing it was a big race.


“Then, I saw somebody looking at this colored flyer, and they left it on the bleachers. So, I grabbed it and then saw that they were racing the next night in Missouri, and I was like, ‘This is fantastic.’ Soon enough, I was taking all my vacation days each summer to follow the series because it was all within a reasonable distance to drive, and it was such a cool thing to do during the summer.”


In 1995, Turner began covering dirt racing events under his own publication, DirtNews Digest. Before smartphones, Wi-Fi, and social media, Turner used email newsletters to cover the Summer Nationals nightly, delivering beats to fans who followed the Hell Tour at a faster rate than traditional newspapers.


“By 1995 is when I started covering through (DirtNews) Digest,” Turner said. “I covered a lion’s share of them through the first couple years, so it became more of a passion when I was actually reporting on it and going to all those races. I know for younger folks it’s hard to explain, but people were waiting for coverage from the news of races in their newspaper that would come through the mail.


“So, to be able to report on those night after night races, turn around the race stories immediately, and send out that information was really changely you could report on things quickly. It made it all the more exciting for me to be covering it that way and something that was nightly, not just something that was on Saturday night and come in the next week’s paper.”


The defining Hell Tour moment that remains vivid in Turner’s mind is the 1997 Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. After Shannon Babb’s car had a terminal engine issue before the start of the Feature, Illinois local Virgil Bilbrey offered a last-second seat for the 23-year-old to climb into. Though Babb barnstormed through the field to pass the finish line in first place, he came up 20 pounds short of victory at the scales – handing the win to second-place Ed Bauman.


“I remember specifically the 1997 race that Shannon Babb crossed the finish line first at Macon,” Turner reminisced. “He ended up being DQ’d because he was light. It was such an exciting race that he had come from the tail, driving Bilbrey’s car, and he presumably won the race. It turned out he was light, so he ended up losing.


“The excitement of all that, and how it turned out, I remember going to Farmer City the next night, and people were reacting to that story and talking about that specifically. It was one of those where if you had done that story for a newspaper, it would have been two weeks, basically, until you got the news. So, it was just perfect for that kind of thing to have instant news.”


Through Turner’s coverage, he became a first-hand source to write about the unlikeliest events to occur that remain unique to Summer Nationals lore. Between underdog tales, regional racers before becoming the biggest names in racing, and the daily racing in between are the types of storylines that Bob Memmer’s “brainchild” has created over four decades of operation.


“I think going back to Bob Memmer’s brainchild, he loved the little guy,” Turner said. “He’d always talk about the little guy in this series. That was the ideal of it. You’re going to draw your Billy Moyers, John Gills, Jim Curry’s, and Scott Bloomquist’s to the biggest races, but you also hold out hope that one of the local guys is going to upset them.


“Bob Memmer’s rules and ideas were, if you can set these rules up, we can have a series where the local guy can compete with even the traveling pros. That’s what the night-after-night saying can give guys that opportunity. Everybody likes to see fantastic drivers gather and race, but also local fans wonder in the back of their minds if their guy can win that night too.”


Throughout the 21st century, Turner has continued to cover all the happenings across the dirt Late Model world as the managing editor for DirtonDirt.com.


In 2024, he was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame with the “Contributor to the Sport” award for his journalistic coverage of over 30 years. But the honors have not stopped him from finding a weekend at the track with a notepad and pen in hand to write about the undiscovered storylines in dirt Late Model competition.


“I’m humbled by it all,” Turner said. “I’ve told many people that if I ever dreamed as a kid that I could make a living covering auto racing as a reporter, I would have never believed it. So, the Summer Nationals is particularly special to me in that way because it gave me that opportunity.


“Drivers are honing their skills and learning night after night. As a journalist, I’m also learning how to work quicker, how to work better, and find better stories because each night I’ve got to come up with something creative. I feel blessed to be any part of the Summer Nationals and the sport as a whole to have an honor like the Hall of Fame. I will still hold Summer Nationals near and dear to me for those reasons.”

Hell’s Historian: Todd Turner Recounts Building Career With Summer Nationals Coverage 

CONCORD, NC — April 17, 2026 — While drivers spent grueling days and nights up and down the road with the DIRTcar Summer Nationals, Todd Turner pioneered instant news coverage in dirt racing through pure passion.


The Kentucky native was raised with racing in his area, but it wasn’t until his teenage years that he found his true love in motorsports: dirt Late Models.

 
“I grew up as, actually, an asphalt racing fan,” Turner said. “When I was a teenager, I discovered dirt racing because my asphalt track closed in Louisville, KY. Once I found dirt Late Models, I was much more captivated by it.


“It was much more exciting, and I was growing up to where I could be able to drive myself to these races. Soon thereafter, I couldn’t go back to asphalt compared to the excitement in dirt racing.” 


Turner graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University in 1988 and then with a master’s degree in history in 1990. That same year, Turner had his first interaction with the Summer Nationals at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway on July 15. 

 
After witnessing Scott Bloomquist win his third race of the season en route to the championship, Turner realized the challenge of the Hell Tour, with its daily racing in the sweltering heat.


“I lived in Owensboro, KY, in 1990 for my first job at a newspaper there,” Turner recalled. “I used to go to Tri-State Speedway, which is about an hour away. That was the first time I saw them, and I literally stumbled onto it. I remember watching the Summer Nationals and knowing it was a big race.


“Then, I saw somebody looking at this colored flyer, and they left it on the bleachers. So, I grabbed it and then saw that they were racing the next night in Missouri, and I was like, ‘This is fantastic.’ Soon enough, I was taking all my vacation days each summer to follow the series because it was all within a reasonable distance to drive, and it was such a cool thing to do during the summer.”


In 1995, Turner began covering dirt racing events under his own publication, DirtNews Digest. Before smartphones, Wi-Fi, and social media, Turner used email newsletters to cover the Summer Nationals nightly, delivering beats to fans who followed the Hell Tour at a faster rate than traditional newspapers.


“By 1995 is when I started covering through (DirtNews) Digest,” Turner said. “I covered a lion’s share of them through the first couple years, so it became more of a passion when I was actually reporting on it and going to all those races. I know for younger folks it’s hard to explain, but people were waiting for coverage from the news of races in their newspaper that would come through the mail.


“So, to be able to report on those night after night races, turn around the race stories immediately, and send out that information was really changely you could report on things quickly. It made it all the more exciting for me to be covering it that way and something that was nightly, not just something that was on Saturday night and come in the next week’s paper.”


The defining Hell Tour moment that remains vivid in Turner’s mind is the 1997 Herald & Review 100 at Macon Speedway. After Shannon Babb’s car had a terminal engine issue before the start of the Feature, Illinois local Virgil Bilbrey offered a last-second seat for the 23-year-old to climb into. Though Babb barnstormed through the field to pass the finish line in first place, he came up 20 pounds short of victory at the scales – handing the win to second-place Ed Bauman.


“I remember specifically the 1997 race that Shannon Babb crossed the finish line first at Macon,” Turner reminisced. “He ended up being DQ’d because he was light. It was such an exciting race that he had come from the tail, driving Bilbrey’s car, and he presumably won the race. It turned out he was light, so he ended up losing.


“The excitement of all that, and how it turned out, I remember going to Farmer City the next night, and people were reacting to that story and talking about that specifically. It was one of those where if you had done that story for a newspaper, it would have been two weeks, basically, until you got the news. So, it was just perfect for that kind of thing to have instant news.”


Through Turner’s coverage, he became a first-hand source to write about the unlikeliest events to occur that remain unique to Summer Nationals lore. Between underdog tales, regional racers before becoming the biggest names in racing, and the daily racing in between are the types of storylines that Bob Memmer’s “brainchild” has created over four decades of operation.


“I think going back to Bob Memmer’s brainchild, he loved the little guy,” Turner said. “He’d always talk about the little guy in this series. That was the ideal of it. You’re going to draw your Billy Moyers, John Gills, Jim Curry’s, and Scott Bloomquist’s to the biggest races, but you also hold out hope that one of the local guys is going to upset them.


“Bob Memmer’s rules and ideas were, if you can set these rules up, we can have a series where the local guy can compete with even the traveling pros. That’s what the night-after-night saying can give guys that opportunity. Everybody likes to see fantastic drivers gather and race, but also local fans wonder in the back of their minds if their guy can win that night too.”


Throughout the 21st century, Turner has continued to cover all the happenings across the dirt Late Model world as the managing editor for DirtonDirt.com.


In 2024, he was inducted into the National Dirt Late Model Hall of Fame with the “Contributor to the Sport” award for his journalistic coverage of over 30 years. But the honors have not stopped him from finding a weekend at the track with a notepad and pen in hand to write about the undiscovered storylines in dirt Late Model competition.


“I’m humbled by it all,” Turner said. “I’ve told many people that if I ever dreamed as a kid that I could make a living covering auto racing as a reporter, I would have never believed it. So, the Summer Nationals is particularly special to me in that way because it gave me that opportunity.


“Drivers are honing their skills and learning night after night. As a journalist, I’m also learning how to work quicker, how to work better, and find better stories because each night I’ve got to come up with something creative. I feel blessed to be any part of the Summer Nationals and the sport as a whole to have an honor like the Hall of Fame. I will still hold Summer Nationals near and dear to me for those reasons.”


The 40th anniversary of the DIRTcar Summer Nationals begins at the Brownstown Bullring on Tuesday, July 9, commencing a 2026 journey that packs 33 races across 34 days.

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Spencer Bayston, Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing Off to Fast Start

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 16, 2026) – The career crossroads Spencer Bayston faced last year are well behind him.
 
Parting ways with Jason Meyers Racing in August left Bayston searching for a ride. Impressive runs on the West Coast in Kevin Kozlowski’s Works Limited Sprint Car and the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 reminded the sport of this 27-year-old’s talent. Most importantly, he caught the eyes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Richard and Jennifer Marshall as they hunted a new driver.
 
The two sides struck a deal for Bayston to climb aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing (SJMR) No. 17 for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, and the move is already paying dividends.
 
The Lebanon, IN native came out swinging with a win in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park. Since then, he’s collected seven more top 10s and is fresh off his best weekend of the season. Bayston picked up a podium on Friday at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park before driving from 20th to fifth the next night.
 
“I feel like we’ve started honing on some of our weaknesses and determining what we need to change in order to improve on them,” Bayston said. “And I wouldn’t say we have it figured out completely yet, but I think it was a step in the right direction. Our off week over Easter, we did make some structural changes to our program to try to improve some of the issues we’ve been facing. I feel like the car responded well.”
 
The start to the season has given Bayston and the crew a positive outlook with plenty of racing remaining. The dynamic between he and crew chief Kyle Pruitt strengthens every week. Their lone weakness so far has been Qualifying, but they’ve proven to have no issues marching forward come Feature time with a total of 85 cars passed through 13 races. Bayston is confident they’ll put the complete package together sooner than later.
 
“If you have to pick one of the other, if you’d rather have race pace or qualifying speed, I would much rather choose to have a car that can contend in the Features,” Bayston said. “I’m very optimistic we’ll figure it out. It’s only a matter of time. And in trying to figure out the car and getting it to handle and qualify with speed, obviously I’m trying to learn how to communicate and work alongside Kyle our crew chief just to understand each other’s language and when we’re making changes to make sure him and I are both on the same page of what I’m trying to say I feel to what he applies.”
 
Momentum is building with a special race ahead for Bayston. The 2026 calendar features two nights on home turf for the “Hoosier,” and this Saturday, April 18 marks the first. Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway has long been a staple of The Greatest Show on Dirt, and the tradition continues this weekend. It’s a chance for Bayston to race close to family and friends and continue to enjoy this opportunity with SJMR as he rejuvenates his Sprint Car career.
 
“Anytime I get to race in Indiana it feels special,” Bayston said. “Getting to run at Haubstadt this weekend is exciting because it’s got kind of a home track feel with a little bit of extra support, but also a place I’ve ran Midgets at and ran Sprint Car races at. It usually puts on exciting races. It’s a unique track.”
 
Bayston’s 2026 season with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing continues this weekend at Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway on Friday, April 17 before his home state race on Saturday, April 18 at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway. Grandstands tickets are sold out for Jacksonville, but pit passes for seating in the pit bleachers can still be purchased at the track on race day. For Tri-State tickets, call (812) 768-6025.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

Spencer Bayston, Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing Off to Fast Start

JACKSONVILLE, IL (April 16, 2026) – The career crossroads Spencer Bayston faced last year are well behind him.
 
Parting ways with Jason Meyers Racing in August left Bayston searching for a ride. Impressive runs on the West Coast in Kevin Kozlowski’s Works Limited Sprint Car and the Tarlton Motorsports No. 21 reminded the sport of this 27-year-old’s talent. Most importantly, he caught the eyes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Richard and Jennifer Marshall as they hunted a new driver.
 
The two sides struck a deal for Bayston to climb aboard the Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing (SJMR) No. 17 for the 2026 World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series season, and the move is already paying dividends.
 
The Lebanon, IN native came out swinging with a win in the season opener at Volusia Speedway Park. Since then, he’s collected seven more top 10s and is fresh off his best weekend of the season. Bayston picked up a podium on Friday at I-55 Federated Auto Parts Raceway Park before driving from 20th to fifth the next night.
 
“I feel like we’ve started honing on some of our weaknesses and determining what we need to change in order to improve on them,” Bayston said. “And I wouldn’t say we have it figured out completely yet, but I think it was a step in the right direction. Our off week over Easter, we did make some structural changes to our program to try to improve some of the issues we’ve been facing. I feel like the car responded well.”
 
The start to the season has given Bayston and the crew a positive outlook with plenty of racing remaining. The dynamic between he and crew chief Kyle Pruitt strengthens every week. Their lone weakness so far has been Qualifying, but they’ve proven to have no issues marching forward come Feature time with a total of 85 cars passed through 13 races. Bayston is confident they’ll put the complete package together sooner than later.
 
“If you have to pick one of the other, if you’d rather have race pace or qualifying speed, I would much rather choose to have a car that can contend in the Features,” Bayston said. “I’m very optimistic we’ll figure it out. It’s only a matter of time. And in trying to figure out the car and getting it to handle and qualify with speed, obviously I’m trying to learn how to communicate and work alongside Kyle our crew chief just to understand each other’s language and when we’re making changes to make sure him and I are both on the same page of what I’m trying to say I feel to what he applies.”
 
Momentum is building with a special race ahead for Bayston. The 2026 calendar features two nights on home turf for the “Hoosier,” and this Saturday, April 18 marks the first. Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway has long been a staple of The Greatest Show on Dirt, and the tradition continues this weekend. It’s a chance for Bayston to race close to family and friends and continue to enjoy this opportunity with SJMR as he rejuvenates his Sprint Car career.
 
“Anytime I get to race in Indiana it feels special,” Bayston said. “Getting to run at Haubstadt this weekend is exciting because it’s got kind of a home track feel with a little bit of extra support, but also a place I’ve ran Midgets at and ran Sprint Car races at. It usually puts on exciting races. It’s a unique track.”
 
Bayston’s 2026 season with Stenhouse Jr./Marshall Racing continues this weekend at Illinois’ Jacksonville Speedway on Friday, April 17 before his home state race on Saturday, April 18 at Haubstadt, IN’s Tri-State Speedway. Grandstands tickets are sold out for Jacksonville, but pit passes for seating in the pit bleachers can still be purchased at the track on race day. For Tri-State tickets, call (812) 768-6025.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule.

ARTICLE: https://worldofoutlaws.com/sprintcars/spencer-bayston-stenhouse-jr-marshall-racing-off-to-fast-start/

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Ventura Short Track to Feature FMX Stunt Show, 805 Pit Party, and Special Tributes

 
Ventura Short Track to Feature FMX Stunt Show, 805 Pit Party, and Special Tributes
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (April 16, 2026) – Progressive American Flat Track, sanctioned by AMA Pro Racing, is set to deliver a full weekend of racing, entertainment, and special moments at Ventura Raceway, bringing the series to the heart of motorcycle country with a lineup of stars on and off the track on Saturday, April 25. Tyler Bereman rolls in as Grand Marshal, bringing the all-gas-no-brakes energy of a 14-time X Games medalist to Ventura, both on the track and throughout the event. “Growing up racing flat track and watching my dad mix it up with the greats of the sport, I’m honored to serve as Grand Marshal for Ventura AFT,” said Bereman. “Turning left and backing it in is where it all started for me, so coming back at this point in my career feels like home. I’m looking forward to seeing you all there and enjoying some battles on the beach.” The excitement continues with Trashed Kids FMX, as Patrick Evans, Dustin Nowak, and Bereman deliver a freestyle motocross show packed with big air, style, and crowd-pleasing intensity. Fans looking to elevate their race day can experience the 805 Pit Party, a premium add-on featuring a dedicated hospitality area, 805 beverage options, snacks served throughout the event, and paddock access for a closer look at the teams and riders, all just steps from the on-track action. Adding extra incentive on track, the Jess Garcia Memorial Challenge gives KICKER AFT Singles riders the opportunity to compete in tribute to the California native and former AFT Singles competitor, with $1,414 on the line. The Ventura Short Track will also serve as “Chris Raschke Day,” with tributes throughout the evening honoring his life and lasting impact on the sport. And when the gate drops, it’s pure Ventura, tight, fast, and wide open, a showcase of everything that makes Progressive American Flat Track one of the most electrifying forms of motorcycle racing in the world. Next Up
The 2026 Progressive American Flat Track season heads to the West Coast for the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer at Ventura Raceway on April 25. For tickets to the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track presented by 805 Beer, visit https://www.tixr.com/groups/americanflattrack/events/2026-ventura-short-track-168769.
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Wood Brothers Racing–Race Week Briefing: Kansas Speedway

Event: AdventHealth 400Date/Time: Sunday, April 19, 2026, 2 p.m. ETLocation: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, KansasLayout: 1.5-Mile OvalTV/Radio: FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR RadioJosh Berry and the No. 21 DEX team head to Kansas Speedway this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series returns to intermediate-track racing for Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 after back-to-back races on short tracks. A key point of focus leading into the race has been the team’s performance on intermediate tracks, following a recent Goodyear tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway that provided valuable insight.Berry said the test offered a productive opportunity to better understand the No. 21 Ford Mustang Dark Horse on 1.5-mile tracks like Las Vegas, Kansas, Texas and others. “I feel like that’s an area that we’ve been working hard at,” Berry said. “We struggled at Vegas the last couple of times we’ve gone back there since we won, so being able to stay and do that tire test was really helpful.“I thought it went really well, and we learned a lot. We got some answers to questions we had, so now it’s about applying that over these next few weeks and continuing to build on it. I’m excited for both Kansas and Texas.”While the Wood Brothers are still searching for their first Cup Series win at Kansas, the organization has shown speed at the 1.5-mile oval over the years. The team’s best finish at the track came in 2004, when Ricky Rudd scored a runner-up result. Overall, Wood Brothers Racing has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 32 starts at Kansas, including Berry’s sixth-place run in this event last season. The team also owns one pole at the track, earned by Ryan Blaney in 2017.On-track activity begins Saturday with practice at 4 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 5:10 p.m. ET. Coverage will be available on Prime Video.Sunday’s 267-lap, 400.5-mile race is scheduled to take the green flag just after 2 p.m. ET, with television coverage on FOX. Stage breaks are set for Laps 80 and 165.Saturday, April 18Josh Berry will sign autographs at the Team Penske/Wood Brothers merchandise unit in the fan zone at Kansas Speedway beginning at 12:45 p.m. local time. 100 wristbands will be distributed on a first come, first-served basis.Josh BerryAge: 35 (Oct. 22, 1990)Hometown: Hendersonville, TennesseeCrew Chief: Miles StanleyIG: @joshberry88X: @joshberryAbout DEX
DEX is the nation’s largest independent provider of document technology and managed print services, delivering a broad range of products and solutions that help organizations improve operational efficiencies, reduce costs, and strengthen security. DEX uses real-time data analytics to help businesses gain valuable insights into their print job patterns and frequency, resource allocation, and cost distribution. The knowledge gained is used to optimize workflows, enhance user performance, eliminate unnecessary expenses, and ensure print security and compliance.
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Kings Speedway Date Added to World of Outlaws California Swing

CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – Kings Speedway is back, and the World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series is ready to help bring it back to life.
 
The Greatest Show on Dirt has added a date at Kings to the 2026 California swing. The tour will invade the Hanford, CA oval on Tuesday, Sept. 22 for the Central Valley Clash. It’s the meat in the “Golden State” sandwich with the $83,000-to-win Dennis Roth Classic at Stockton Dirt Track opening the trip on Sept. 18-19 and a weekend at Bakersfield Speedway at Kevin Harvick’s Kern Raceway (Sept. 25) and Ventura Raceway (Sept. 26) punctuating the stay.
 
The Hanford, CA track shuttered for 2025, but One More Time Promotions took over operations for 2026 and has been busy preparing the historic venue for reopening. The promotional duo of Bubby Morse and Don Chambers have plans of putting Kings back on the map, and bringing the World of Outlaws back right away is a major step in that effort.
 
Kings is the fourth most visited California track in Series history as the tour has traveled to the 3/8 mile 38 times in the past. The first was topped by Jeff Swindell in 1985. Most recently, Lemoore, CA’s Carson Macedo won at his home track in 2024.
 
Tickets for the Central Valley Clash are on sale now and can be purchased by CLICKING HERE. Those who had reserved seats to the most recent World of Outlaws trip to Kings in 2024 will be receiving an email with the opportunity to renew their tickets.
 
Where can you watch every World of Outlaws race? Live on DIRTVision.

Where can you see the World of Outlaws in 2026? Click to see the full schedule. 

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How Hunter Cornell Made a Career Out of Racing With His Best Friend


CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – If you’ve ever seen Drake Troutman at a racetrack, you’ve almost certainly also seen Hunter Cornell.


The 22-year-old Berlin, PA native is in his second season on the road with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision as the crew chief of the G.R. Smith Motorsports No. 22*. It’s nothing short of a dream job for Cornell, who has been tinkering with race cars for as long as he can remember.


It all started when Cornell went to the races as a child with his father, Greg, who raced Street Stocks at a variety of tracks across Pennsylvania. One of Greg’s close friends in the pit area was fellow racer DJ Troutman, who brought along his own young son, Drake.


Whether it was at the track or on the high school football field, Cornell and Troutman had plenty of chances to get to know each other growing up. When Troutman began building his own racing program and was looking for crew help, he knew exactly who to call.


“He was a grade below me, we were kind of cross-town rivals,” Cornell said. “At the track, we would always park beside him and all that, me and Drake would always hang out when he wasn’t racing.


“Probably two months before I got out of high school, after he got back from Speedweeks, he kind of asked me what I was doing after high school. He’s like, ‘What about working on a race car?’ So, I went down for two months before I graduated and hung out with them. Really didn’t go to any tracks, just kind of hung around the shop, see if I liked it and all that.”


As it turned out, Cornell did like it. At a time when his classmates were preparing to head off to college in the fall or find their first 9-to-5 job, Cornell was preparing to go to work in dirt racing answering to a then 16-year-old boss. And he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.


“I was going to be away from home for a while with either job I took,” Cornell said. “If Drake didn’t hire me, I would have went to a pipeline. So, I was going to be gone no matter what.”


Many people’s favorite memories were made as teenagers running around with their high school friends, and Cornell is no different. But those memories usually involve house parties and date nights, not fielding a professional race team. Logic would say the arrangement should have never worked out, but somehow, the pairing lived to tell the story.


“It was different,” Cornell said. “Only me and Drake, and then we’d have his pap; his pap would drive the truck since we didn’t really know how to drive a big truck yet. We had a couple family friends drive us when we would need to. But like, if we were going to Bedford [Speedway], Drake would drive, but his pap would be in the passenger seat telling him when to shift and all that. It was really an experience, I’ll say that.”


A lot has changed since those early days. Troutman has transitioned from DIRTcar UMP Modifieds to Super Late Models and gone from regional racing to a full national schedule. And of course, Troutman is now capable of driving the hauler on his own.


Cornell’s first three seasons with Troutman were spent working on his family-owned No. 7 program until the end of 2024, when Troutman got a call from G.R. Smith. When the idea was floated of Troutman becoming the new driver of the No. 22* for a rookie World of Outlaws campaign in 2025, it was made clear that Troutman and Cornell were a package deal. Now in his fifth year working full-time in racing, Cornell has turned into one of the more well-known crew chiefs on the World of Outlaws tour, despite being less than half the age of several others in that category.


At his core, Cornell is still a diehard racing junkie who found a way to make a living chasing his dreams alongside his best friend. Several other crew members have come and gone, but Cornell is the one who has been there for every step of the journey. It’s already taken him through plenty of unforgettable moments, and with Cornell and Troutman continuing to gain comfort and confidence racing with the best, there’s still plenty more winning left to do.


“There’s a couple I really liked,” Cornell said when asked about his most memorable nights at the track. “Lernerville [Speedway] when we won with Lucas, and then especially Pevely [Troutman’s first World of Outlaws win last season], that was the biggest win of our careers pretty much. Port Royal [Speedway], when Drake slid [Gregg] Satterlee for the lead coming out of [Turn] 4 on the last lap. There’s a lot, honestly.


“I always think it’s cool. A bunch of 16, 18-year-olds when we started, and now we’re 22 and 20. It’s crazy how it’s all evolved.”


The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season continues next weekend at Talladega Short Track in the Alabama Gang 100, Friday-Saturday, April 24-25. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.

How Hunter Cornell Made a Career Out of Racing With His Best Friend

CONCORD, NC (April 16, 2026) – If you’ve ever seen Drake Troutman at a racetrack, you’ve almost certainly also seen Hunter Cornell.


The 22-year-old Berlin, PA native is in his second season on the road with the World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision as the crew chief of the G.R. Smith Motorsports No. 22*. It’s nothing short of a dream job for Cornell, who has been tinkering with race cars for as long as he can remember.


It all started when Cornell went to the races as a child with his father, Greg, who raced Street Stocks at a variety of tracks across Pennsylvania. One of Greg’s close friends in the pit area was fellow racer DJ Troutman, who brought along his own young son, Drake.


Whether it was at the track or on the high school football field, Cornell and Troutman had plenty of chances to get to know each other growing up. When Troutman began building his own racing program and was looking for crew help, he knew exactly who to call.


“He was a grade below me, we were kind of cross-town rivals,” Cornell said. “At the track, we would always park beside him and all that, me and Drake would always hang out when he wasn’t racing.


“Probably two months before I got out of high school, after he got back from Speedweeks, he kind of asked me what I was doing after high school. He’s like, ‘What about working on a race car?’ So, I went down for two months before I graduated and hung out with them. Really didn’t go to any tracks, just kind of hung around the shop, see if I liked it and all that.”


As it turned out, Cornell did like it. At a time when his classmates were preparing to head off to college in the fall or find their first 9-to-5 job, Cornell was preparing to go to work in dirt racing answering to a then 16-year-old boss. And he wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.


“I was going to be away from home for a while with either job I took,” Cornell said. “If Drake didn’t hire me, I would have went to a pipeline. So, I was going to be gone no matter what.”


Many people’s favorite memories were made as teenagers running around with their high school friends, and Cornell is no different. But those memories usually involve house parties and date nights, not fielding a professional race team. Logic would say the arrangement should have never worked out, but somehow, the pairing lived to tell the story.


“It was different,” Cornell said. “Only me and Drake, and then we’d have his pap; his pap would drive the truck since we didn’t really know how to drive a big truck yet. We had a couple family friends drive us when we would need to. But like, if we were going to Bedford [Speedway], Drake would drive, but his pap would be in the passenger seat telling him when to shift and all that. It was really an experience, I’ll say that.”


A lot has changed since those early days. Troutman has transitioned from DIRTcar UMP Modifieds to Super Late Models and gone from regional racing to a full national schedule. And of course, Troutman is now capable of driving the hauler on his own.


Cornell’s first three seasons with Troutman were spent working on his family-owned No. 7 program until the end of 2024, when Troutman got a call from G.R. Smith. When the idea was floated of Troutman becoming the new driver of the No. 22* for a rookie World of Outlaws campaign in 2025, it was made clear that Troutman and Cornell were a package deal. Now in his fifth year working full-time in racing, Cornell has turned into one of the more well-known crew chiefs on the World of Outlaws tour, despite being less than half the age of several others in that category.


At his core, Cornell is still a diehard racing junkie who found a way to make a living chasing his dreams alongside his best friend. Several other crew members have come and gone, but Cornell is the one who has been there for every step of the journey. It’s already taken him through plenty of unforgettable moments, and with Cornell and Troutman continuing to gain comfort and confidence racing with the best, there’s still plenty more winning left to do.


“There’s a couple I really liked,” Cornell said when asked about his most memorable nights at the track. “Lernerville [Speedway] when we won with Lucas, and then especially Pevely [Troutman’s first World of Outlaws win last season], that was the biggest win of our careers pretty much. Port Royal [Speedway], when Drake slid [Gregg] Satterlee for the lead coming out of [Turn] 4 on the last lap. There’s a lot, honestly.


“I always think it’s cool. A bunch of 16, 18-year-olds when we started, and now we’re 22 and 20. It’s crazy how it’s all evolved.”


The 2026 World of Outlaws Late Model Series presented by DIRTVision season continues next weekend at Talladega Short Track in the Alabama Gang 100, Friday-Saturday, April 24-25. Get your tickets in advance by clicking here.


Want to watch the World of Outlaws? Stream every race live on DIRTVision.

Uncategorized

Chevy Racing–Grand prix of Long Beach–Advance

CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIES Grand Prix Of Long Beach 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit Long Beach California Race Advance April 17-19, 2026
DETROIT (April 15, 2026) – The 2026 edition of the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach will be the 42nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES held on the Streets of Long Beach. After a small break, the Team Chevy drivers and teams are back to work on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit for the fifth round of 18 rounds that make up the championship. 
An Important First 
In 1984, the Chevrolet Indy V8, a 2.65L (162 cubic inch) turbocharged bespoke V8 racing engine began life as a contract with Ilmor to build an engine to take on the dominant engine in INDYCAR, the Cosworth DFX. While recovering from serious foot injuries suffered at Sanair in 1984, Rick Mears spent much of late 1985 and early 1986 developing the new engine through the paces at airfields in the United Kingdom. 
Team Penske, with Al Unser at the wheel, debuted the first full factory-backed Chevrolet at Phoenix on April 6, 1986. Mears and Unser split development for the first half of the 1986 season, before Mears took over in the second half.
When the 1987 Championship Auto Racing Teams season opener got underway in April, three teams with five drivers were utilizing the Chevrolet Indy V8. Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan for Team PenskeKevin Cogan and Emerson Fittipaldi for Patrick RacingMario Andretti for Newman Haas Racing
It became evident that the new engine was strong when Andretti qualified on pole, with Fittipaldi (3rd), Cogan (4th), and Sullivan (9th) qualifying in the top ten. 
Early in the 95-lap race, Andretti was stalked closely by Fittipaldi, but went on to win by a lap when the Brazilian had a mechanical issue.Photo courtesy of Penske Entertainment
After the race, Andretti had the following things to say:
To NBC’s Gary Gerould – “Well, I tell you, the car just ran fantastic. I’m so happy, because this is the first win for the Chevy, Chevrolet Indy engine, and we have a lot of new people on board. (when asked if there were any issues) None whatsoever. The car just ran perfect. When Fittipaldi was behind me, I tried to just run his pace, tried to regulate the car the best way, and not use any more than I had to. He definitely kept me honest, but I had a little more to go if I really needed it.”
To the Indianapolis News – “I could hear the Chevrolet buzzing just perfectly. Everything was fantastic. This is what I was naturally thinking about. There was no reason we shouldn’t finish because of the testing we do. The engine ran just impeccably.”
To the Los Angeles Times – “The engine was absolutely fantastic. Toward the end of the race, when a driver usually hears funny sounds from his engine, all I heard was the Chevrolet buzzing just perfect. The chassis, the gearbox, the engine were perfect. It was just one of those days when everything goes perfectly.” Notable Numbers
4.3 – the average starting position of David Malukas (Team Penske), who is tied for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES best with Álex Palou.6 – the number of different countries represented by Team Chevy drivers – United States (6) – Denmark (2) – Brazil (1) – Mexico (1) – Netherlands (1) – New Zealand (1)9 – the number of wins by current Team Chevy teams, Arrow McLaren and ECR12 – the number of drivers representing Team Chevy at the Grand Prix Of Long Beach13 – the number of driver championships won by Chevrolet all-time32 – the number of spots Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), has finished ahead of where he has started, the highest in the series33 – the number of wins by Josef Newgarden, the winningest Team Chevy driver all-time40 – the number of different drivers that have won INDYCAR races while powered by Chevrolet42 – the number of different tracks that Chevrolet-powered cars have won42 – the number of drivers that have an earned pole for Team Chevy, after David Malukas added his name to the list at Phoenix Raceway100 – the percentage of laps Team Chevy drivers Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), David Malukas (Team Penske), Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) and Alexander Rossi (ECR) have completed this season125 – the number of Bowtie-backed wins by Team Penske since their first at Pocono Raceway by Rick Mears in 1987128 – the number of wins by Chevrolet since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012143 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012238 – the number of wins by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time247 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time365 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012681 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR allWhat They’re Saying
A.J. Foyt Racing
Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet:
You went back to Brazil after Barber, how did you celebrate your 24th birthday?“I had dinner with family and friends, it was really nice.” 
Since this will be your first time racing at Long Beach, how do you prepare for this weekend?“Preparation has been focused on maximizing track knowledge before getting there. I’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator, studying onboard videos, braking references, and understanding how the track evolves over a weekend. Long Beach is very technical for a street circuit, so being precise and building confidence session by session will be key.”
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet:
Long Beach is such a tight and technical street circuit, what’s the biggest challenge you face there compared to other tracks?“Some of the biggest challenges in Long Beach are getting the brake zones correct. With them being so long and the track not having a lot of grip like other street circuits, it’s very easy to gain or lose time in that area.”
How important is qualifying there, and how does it change your strategy going into the race?“Qualifying is crucial. Last year I got into the wall and we had to start last, and we only ended up 11th primarily because of strategy and pace. It would be much better to start in the front and stay up front at this track.”
You’ve had some strong, aggressive drives on street circuits, how does the unique layout of Long Beach suit your driving style compared to other tracks?“This track in particular is good for me because I do well with 90° corners and big brake zones. We have been struggling a little bit this year under braking, but it seems like in Barber, we’ve started to sort that out a little bit. We still have a little bit of work there and some gains to be made, but overall, I’m very confident in what we can bring this weekend.”
Arrow McLaren Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“Long Beach fans always show up in a big way, and the atmosphere is amazing every time we come here. This circuit has always been a challenge for myself and the team. We know it won’t be an easy breeze of a weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and making it a good one.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I’m looking forward to returning to my home state and to race at such a historic event in Long Beach. Last year, we earned a good starting position but fell short of a result that I felt we were capable of. We’ll look to capture that pace again and make our way forward.”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We’re building really good momentum with the 7 car group, and I’m excited to head back to Long Beach after finishing on the podium there last year. The goal is to be in the fight at the front again and take that next step. We’ve been close to that first win, and everyone is pushing hard to make it happen.”
ECR
Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet:“Racing in Long Beach is one of the things I look forward to the most each season! The event has an amazing atmosphere, and the track is awesome to drive. To top it off, being from California, this is a pseudo-home race for me, so it’s really great to be able to put on a show for friends and family.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet:“We’ve shown strong pace to start the season, we just haven’t been able to put together the results yet. Long Beach feels like the perfect place to change that! It’s such a historic and iconic event, and I’m excited to be back in the Liquid Science car and ready for a strong weekend.”Tune-In Guide FridayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #1 – 6pm (ET)/5pm (CT)/4pm (MT)/3pm (PT) –FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach
Wins – 12
2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
Poles – 10
2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing

Chevrolet Podiums: 32
Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1)
Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1)
Chevrolet Laps Led: 991
Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1),
Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3)
Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach
Wins (with competition)
15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995)
Poles (with competition)
13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)

Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time
CHEVROLET IN THE NTT INDYCAR SERIESGrand Prix Of Long Beach1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuitLong Beach CaliforniaRace AdvanceApril 17-19, 2026
DETROIT (April 15, 2026) – The 2026 edition of the Acura Grand Prix Of Long Beach will be the 42nd NTT INDYCAR SERIES held on the Streets of Long Beach. After a small break, the Team Chevy drivers and teams are back to work on the 1.968-mile, 11 turn, Long Beach street circuit for the fifth round of 18 rounds that make up the championship. 
An Important First 
In 1984, the Chevrolet Indy V8, a 2.65L (162 cubic inch) turbocharged bespoke V8 racing engine began life as a contract with Ilmor to build an engine to take on the dominant engine in INDYCAR, the Cosworth DFX. While recovering from serious foot injuries suffered at Sanair in 1984, Rick Mears spent much of late 1985 and early 1986 developing the new engine through the paces at airfields in the United Kingdom. 
Team Penske, with Al Unser at the wheel, debuted the first full factory-backed Chevrolet at Phoenix on April 6, 1986. Mears and Unser split development for the first half of the 1986 season, before Mears took over in the second half.
When the 1987 Championship Auto Racing Teams season opener got underway in April, three teams with five drivers were utilizing the Chevrolet Indy V8. Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan for Team PenskeKevin Cogan and Emerson Fittipaldi for Patrick RacingMario Andretti for Newman Haas Racing
It became evident that the new engine was strong when Andretti qualified on pole, with Fittipaldi (3rd), Cogan (4th), and Sullivan (9th) qualifying in the top ten. 
Early in the 95-lap race, Andretti was stalked closely by Fittipaldi, but went on to win by a lap when the Brazilian had a mechanical issue.Photo courtesy of Penske Entertainment
After the race, Andretti had the following things to say:
To NBC’s Gary Gerould – “Well, I tell you, the car just ran fantastic. I’m so happy, because this is the first win for the Chevy, Chevrolet Indy engine, and we have a lot of new people on board. (when asked if there were any issues) None whatsoever. The car just ran perfect. When Fittipaldi was behind me, I tried to just run his pace, tried to regulate the car the best way, and not use any more than I had to. He definitely kept me honest, but I had a little more to go if I really needed it.”
To the Indianapolis News – “I could hear the Chevrolet buzzing just perfectly. Everything was fantastic. This is what I was naturally thinking about. There was no reason we shouldn’t finish because of the testing we do. The engine ran just impeccably.”
To the Los Angeles Times – “The engine was absolutely fantastic. Toward the end of the race, when a driver usually hears funny sounds from his engine, all I heard was the Chevrolet buzzing just perfect. The chassis, the gearbox, the engine were perfect. It was just one of those days when everything goes perfectly.” Notable Numbers
4.3 – the average starting position of David Malukas (Team Penske), who is tied for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES best with Álex Palou.6 – the number of different countries represented by Team Chevy drivers – United States (6) – Denmark (2) – Brazil (1) – Mexico (1) – Netherlands (1) – New Zealand (1)9 – the number of wins by current Team Chevy teams, Arrow McLaren and ECR12 – the number of drivers representing Team Chevy at the Grand Prix Of Long Beach13 – the number of driver championships won by Chevrolet all-time32 – the number of spots Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), has finished ahead of where he has started, the highest in the series33 – the number of wins by Josef Newgarden, the winningest Team Chevy driver all-time40 – the number of different drivers that have won INDYCAR races while powered by Chevrolet42 – the number of different tracks that Chevrolet-powered cars have won42 – the number of drivers that have an earned pole for Team Chevy, after David Malukas added his name to the list at Phoenix Raceway100 – the percentage of laps Team Chevy drivers Christian Lundgaard (Arrow McLaren), David Malukas (Team Penske), Scott McLaughlin (Team Penske), Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), Pato O’Ward (Arrow McLaren) and Alexander Rossi (ECR) have completed this season125 – the number of Bowtie-backed wins by Team Penske since their first at Pocono Raceway by Rick Mears in 1987128 – the number of wins by Chevrolet since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012143 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012238 – the number of wins by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time247 – the number of earned poles by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR all-time365 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered teams since the introduction of the 2.2L Twin-Turbo V6 in 2012681 – the number of podiums by Chevrolet-powered cars in INDYCAR allWhat They’re Saying
A.J. Foyt Racing
Caio Collet, No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet:
You went back to Brazil after Barber, how did you celebrate your 24th birthday?“I had dinner with family and friends, it was really nice.” 
Since this will be your first time racing at Long Beach, how do you prepare for this weekend?“Preparation has been focused on maximizing track knowledge before getting there. I’ve spent a lot of time on the simulator, studying onboard videos, braking references, and understanding how the track evolves over a weekend. Long Beach is very technical for a street circuit, so being precise and building confidence session by session will be key.”
Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet:
Long Beach is such a tight and technical street circuit, what’s the biggest challenge you face there compared to other tracks?“Some of the biggest challenges in Long Beach are getting the brake zones correct. With them being so long and the track not having a lot of grip like other street circuits, it’s very easy to gain or lose time in that area.”
How important is qualifying there, and how does it change your strategy going into the race?“Qualifying is crucial. Last year I got into the wall and we had to start last, and we only ended up 11th primarily because of strategy and pace. It would be much better to start in the front and stay up front at this track.”
You’ve had some strong, aggressive drives on street circuits, how does the unique layout of Long Beach suit your driving style compared to other tracks?“This track in particular is good for me because I do well with 90° corners and big brake zones. We have been struggling a little bit this year under braking, but it seems like in Barber, we’ve started to sort that out a little bit. We still have a little bit of work there and some gains to be made, but overall, I’m very confident in what we can bring this weekend.”
Arrow McLaren Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“Long Beach fans always show up in a big way, and the atmosphere is amazing every time we come here. This circuit has always been a challenge for myself and the team. We know it won’t be an easy breeze of a weekend, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the car and making it a good one.”
Nolan Siegel, No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“I’m looking forward to returning to my home state and to race at such a historic event in Long Beach. Last year, we earned a good starting position but fell short of a result that I felt we were capable of. We’ll look to capture that pace again and make our way forward.”
Christian Lundgaard, No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet:“We’re building really good momentum with the 7 car group, and I’m excited to head back to Long Beach after finishing on the podium there last year. The goal is to be in the fight at the front again and take that next step. We’ve been close to that first win, and everyone is pushing hard to make it happen.”
ECR
Alexander Rossi, No. 20 ECR Liquid Science Orange Chevrolet:“Racing in Long Beach is one of the things I look forward to the most each season! The event has an amazing atmosphere, and the track is awesome to drive. To top it off, being from California, this is a pseudo-home race for me, so it’s really great to be able to put on a show for friends and family.”
Christian Rasmussen, No. 21 ECR Liquid Science Arctic Freeze Chevrolet:“We’ve shown strong pace to start the season, we just haven’t been able to put together the results yet. Long Beach feels like the perfect place to change that! It’s such a historic and iconic event, and I’m excited to be back in the Liquid Science car and ready for a strong weekend.”Tune-In Guide FridayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #1 – 6pm (ET)/5pm (CT)/4pm (MT)/3pm (PT) –FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SaturdayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice #2 – 1:30pm (ET)/12:30pm (CT)/11:30am (MT)/10:30am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying – 6:30pm (ET)/5:30pm (CT)/4:30pm (MT)/3:30pm (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218SundayNTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm Up – 1pm (ET)/noon (CT)/11am (MT)/10am (PT) – FS1/ INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218 Grand Prix Of Long Beach (90 laps) – 5:30pm (ET)/4:30pm (CT)/3:30pm (MT)/2:30pm (PT) – – FOX/INDYCAR Radio Network/SIRIUSXM 218
Chevrolet History on the Streets of Long Beach
Wins – 12
2022 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2016 – Simon Pagenaud – Team Penske2015 – Scott Dixon – Chip Ganassi Racing2014 – Mike Conway – ECR2012 – Will Power – Team Penske1993 – Paul Tracy – Team Penske1992 – Danny Sullivan – Galles Racing1991 – Al Unser Jr.. – Galles Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing
Poles – 10
2021 – Josef Newgarden – Team Penske2017 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2016 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2015 – Helio Castroneves – Team Penske2012 – Ryan Briscoe – Team Penske1991 – Michael Andretti – Newman Haas Racing1990 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1989 – Al Unser Jr. – Galles Racing1988 – Danny Sullivan – Team Penske1987 – Mario Andretti – Newman Haas Racing

Chevrolet Podiums: 32
Driver Podiums: Josef Newgarden (4), Al Unser Jr. (4), Emerson Fittipaldi (3), Will Power (3), Bob Rahal (3), Helio Castroneves (2), Scott Dixon (2), Danny Sullivan (2), Mario Andretti (1), Michael Andretti (1), Eddie Cheever (1), Mike Conway (1), James Hinchcliffe (1), Christian Lundgaard (1), Juan Montoya (1), Simon Pagenaud (1), Paul Tracy (1)
Team Podiums: Team Penske (15), Galles Racing (6), Chip Ganassi Racing (3), Newman Haas Racing (2), Rahal Hogan Racing (2), Andretti Global (1), Arrow McLaren (1), ECR (1), Patrick Racing (1)
Chevrolet Laps Led: 991
Driver Laps Led: Al Unser Jr. (395), Mario Andretti (108), Josef Newgarden (101), Paul Tracy (81), Helio Castroneves (78), Scott Dixon (68), Will Power (42), Simon Pagenaud (28), Christian Lundgaard (26), Danny Sullivan (24), Sting Ray Robb (12), Michael Andretti (5), Ryan Briscoe (5), Ryan Hunter-Reay (5), Augustin Canapino (3), Mike Conway (3), Charlie Kimball (3), Sebastian Saavedra (3), Sebastien Bourdais (1),
Team Laps Led: Galles Racing (402), Team Penske (352), Newman Haas Racing (113), Chip Ganassi Racing (71), Arrow McLaren (26), Juncos Hollinger Racing (15), Andretti Global (5), KV Racing Technology (4), ECR (3)
Manufacturer History on the Streets Of Long Beach
Wins (with competition)
15 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2013, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996)12 – Chevrolet (2022, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2012, 1993, 1992, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)1 – Mercedes (1995)
Poles (with competition)
13 – Honda (2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2019, 2018, 2014, 2013, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1997, 1996)10 – Chevrolet (2021, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987)5 – Ford (2002, 1998, 1995, 1993, 1992)3 – Cosworth (1986, 1985, 1984)1 – Ilmor (1994)

Historical Chevrolet in the INDYCAR SERIES information• INDYCAR SERIES Manufacturer Championships (since 1979)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins in the Twin-Turbo 2.2L V6 Era (2012-present)• Chevrolet-Powered Wins – All-Time