Chevrolet Carries Momentum to Dual in Detroit

Chevrolet Carries Momentum to Dual in Detroit

  • Team Chevy swept doubleheader in 2016, ‘14
  • Belle Isle’s 2.35-mile, 13-turn circuit is fast, tricky
  • Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power is two-time winner
  • He takes points lead into the twin 70-lap races
  • 2.2-liter direct-injected V6 Chevy engine a proven winner
  • Chevrolet drivers have won the past three races
  • Tony Kanaan to mark 350th Indy car start on Saturday of Doubleheader Weekend

Following his scintillating victory in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27, Will Power said “it was the last box to tick, to be considered as a very successful driver, but I’m not done.”

Power has set his sights on adding to his 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series (VICS) championship. Sweeping the May road course and oval races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has put the driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet in considerably better position to accomplishing that objective.

He’s the series points leader heading into the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit as part of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear this weekend at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The 70-lap races June 2 and 3 on the 2.35-mile, 13-turn temporary street circuit will be telecast live at 3:30 p.m. ET by ABC both days.

Since its return to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012, Chevrolet has swept the doubleheader in 2016 (Power and Sebastien Bourdais) and 2014 (Helio Castroneves and Power), and Bourdais also won in ’15 in Chevrolet-powered entry.

“I want to have a great weekend there,” said Power, who started from the pole in Race 1 of the 2015 season. “It’s a challenging weekend because of the doubleheader and you’re coming off the whole month at the Speedway. It’s a very tough track. You have some pretty fast corners and it’s just a technical track with different levels of grip around the street circuit.

“It’s obviously Roger’s (Penske) home track and Chevrolet’s home track, as well. It’s one of my favorite places to go and I’m looking forward to it. I feel the team has worked very well this year with the new car and Chevy has done a fantastic job with the engine.”

Power, who collected $2.52 million for his Indianapolis 500 win, has not qualified lower than third in the six Verizon IndyCar Series races. He is tied with Al Unser Jr. for eighth on the all-time Indy car list with 34 victories.

“I still have plenty of time left to win more 500s and championships and races,” said Power, who became the first Australian to win the Indy 500. “Now I know every oval I go to, like a road course, I have a great shot at winning. That’s the attitude you have to have. It’s all about hard work in motorsports. The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

Chevrolet drivers have won the past three races, including Power on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden at Barber Motorsports Park.

Tony Kanaan, driver of the No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing, will seek to make his 350th career Indy car start and record-extending 290th consecutive start when the field rolls to the green flag on Saturday.

The career starts streak started in 2001 at Portland, where Kanaan returned to racing after sustaining a concussion in a qualifying crash June 17 at Belle Isle. Kanaan is third on the all-time starts list, trailing his boss, A.J. Foyt with 369 and Mario Andretti with 407.

Kanaan, of Brazil, won his first race in America at Belle Isle in 1996 in Indy Lights and again in ’97 en route to the series championship. He won the IndyCar race on the island in 2007.

Fans can see an impressive array of Chevrolet production vehicles, including the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the 2018 Traverse High Country, Corvette Grand Sport, Silverado 1500, 2018 Equinox and immersive displays at the Chevrolet IndyCar display in the Fan Zone.

Fans also will have the opportunity to interact with Team Chevy drivers in the Fan Zone: Friday – 10-10:15 a.m. Team Penske (Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud); 1:45-2 p.m. – Harding Racing (Gabby Chaves); 2-2:15 – Ed Carpenter Racing (Jordon King, Spencer Pigot). Saturday – 9-9:15 a.m. Juncos Racing (Rene Binder); 12:30-12:45 p.m. – Carlin Racing (Charlie Kimball, Max Chilton). Sunday 1-1:15 p.m. – AJ Foyt Racing (Matheus Leist, Tony Kanaan).

On the 2.35-mile, 13-turn street course, Team Chevy will be well represented by:

A.J. FOYT ENTERPRISES:

Matheus Leist, No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet

Tony Kanaan, No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet

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

ED CARPENTER RACING:

Jordan King, No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet
Spencer Pigot, No. 21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet

HARDING RACING:
Gabby Chaves, No. 88 Harding Group Chevrolet

JUNCOS RACING:
Rene Binder, No. 32 Binderholz tiptop timber/Juncos Racing Chevrolet

TEAM PENSKE:

Josef Newgarden, No. 1 Hitachi Chevrolet
Will Power, No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet
Simon Pagenaud, No. 22 DXC Technology Chevrolet

Chevrolet IndyCar V6 Year-By-Year Results

Year Races Wins Poles Notes
2012 15 11 10 Engine Manufacturer Championship; Driver & Owner Titles (Ryan Hunter-Reay/Michael Andretti)
2013 19 10 11 Engine Manufacturer Championship;
Indy 500 win (Tony Kanaan)
2014 18 12 13 Engine Manufacturer Championship; Driver & Owner Titles (Will Power/Roger Penske)
2015 16 10 16 Engine Manufacturer Championship; Driver & Owner Titles (Scott Dixon/Chip Ganassi);
Indy 500 Win (Juan Pablo Montoya) – first manufacturer to capture all titles since Chevrolet returned to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012
2016 16 14 13 Engine Manufacturer Championship; Driver & Owner Titles (Simon Pagenaud/Roger Penske)
2017 17 10 11 Engine Manufacturer Championship; Driver & Owner Titles (Josef Newgarden/Roger Penske)
2018 6 4 3 Wins – Josef Newgarden (Phoenix, Barber), Will Power (Indianapolis RC, Indianapolis 500). Pole – Newgarden (Barber), Power (Indianapolis RC), Ed Carpenter (Indianapolis 500)
Totals 107 71 77

 

2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Standings (Chevrolet in bold)

Driver Standings Team Standings Manufacturer Standings
1. Will Power – 243
2. Alexander Rossi – 241
3. Josef Newgarden – 233
4. Scott Dixon – 218
5. Ryan Hunter-Reay – 186
1. No. 12 Team Penske – 243
2. No. 27 Andretti Autosport – 241
3. No. 1 Team Penske – 233
4. No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing – 218

5. No. 28 Andretti Autosport – 1861. Honda – 480
2. Chevrolet – 449

 

Chevrolet Dual in Detroit (all times ET)

  • Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 1: 11:20 a.m.Friday, June 1
  • Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 2: 3:10 p.m.Friday, June 1
  • Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifications Race 1: 10:55 a.m.Saturday, June 2
  • Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 1: 3:50 p.m.Saturday, June 2
  • Verizon IndyCar Series Qualifications Race 2: 10:45 a.m.Sunday, June 3
  • Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 2: 3:50 p.m.Sunday, June 3
  • TV/Radio/Other: ABC will telecast both 70-lap races on the 2.35-mile, 13-turn street course live at 3:30 p.m. June 2 and June 3. All practice sessions and qualifications will be streamed on RaceControl.IndyCar.com in conjunction with the INDYCAR Radio Network broadcast. Qualifications and the race also will be broadcast on INDYCAR Radio Network affiliates, RaceControl.IndyCar.comindycarradio.com, the INDYCAR Mobile app, Sirius 214, and XM209.