CGR Enters Season Finale Seeking 3rd Consecutive Title

Chip Ganassi Racing wrapped up qualifying for the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey today, where Alex Palou secured a team high P5 starting position in the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda. 
 
Championship contenders Marcus Ericsson (P10) and Scott Dixon (P13) will start from the middle of the pack tomorrow but have shown a superb ability to navigate traffic this season. 
 
Ericsson and Dixon are tied for the most positions gained (+44) from the start to finish of road course races throughout the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. 
 
CGR is seeking their third consecutive INDYCAR SERIES title and their 15th all-time. If Dixon or Ericsson were to hoist the Astor Cup after Sunday’s race, the team will have claimed two-thirds (10-of-15) of the series championships since the reunification of the series in 2008.

Qualifying Results
P1 – Will Power, No. 12 Chevy (1:11.6127)
P5 – Alex Palou, No. 10 NTT DATA Honda (1:12.1625)
P10 – Marcus Ericsson, No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda (1:12.1359)
P13 – Scott Dixon, No. 9 PNC Bank Honda (1:12.1722)
P25 – Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Carvana Honda (1:13.4172)
 
Practice 2 Results
P1 – Alex Palou, No. 10 NTT DATA Honda (1:11.3847)
P6 – Scott Dixon, No. 9 PNC Bank Honda (1:11.9192)
P20 – Marcus Ericsson, No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda (1:12.7757)
P24 – Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Carvana Honda (1:13.2065)

Alex Palou – No. 10 NTT Data Honda “I was happy to be in the Fast 6. We struggled a little bit in the first qualifying with the reds, but it was enough to advance. In Q2, I felt we were quite strong, but then we had a bit of an issue once it went green in the Fast 6. We had saved a brand-new set of Firestone blacks, which we thought was the right choice to go for pole position, but it wasn’t in the cards. Hoping to get the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda in victory lane tomorrow, plus we still have two drivers in title contention, so we’ll look to get it done.”

Marcus Ericsson – No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda “It was a pretty messy session there, Q1 and Q2, to be honest. Suddenly, we had just the one lap in Q1, but it was enough to advance. Unfortunately, on our Q2 lap, we were catching those cars on preparation laps, and it became difficult because you don’t know what they will do in front of you while you stay on your racing line. I think it is going to be a bit of a strategy game tomorrow with the tires and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. We are in this race, and I am pretty confident about it. I think we can definitely have a good result from where we are starting from.”

Scott Dixon – No. 9 PNC Bank Honda “We’re starting right in the middle there. Strategy I think will be key tomorrow. I think we’ve seen a lot of people go off track and cautions could be coming. The start is always interesting here and then also with tire degradation, especially with the reds, it’s definitely going to be a different race than last year. It’s never over until it’s over.”

Up next for Chip Ganassi Racing is the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday, September 11 at 2:40 PM ET on NBC and Peacock. You can also follow the action all weekend with the INDYCAR App powered by NTT Data. 
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Monterey  I  California

95 LAPS | 212.61 MILES
WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA. The current racetrack is 2.238 miles (3.602 km) in length with a 300 foot (91 m) elevation change. It has eleven turns, including the famous “Corkscrew” at Turns 8 and 8A. The name Laguna Seca is Spanish for “dry lake”. The area where the track is was originally a lake. The course was originally built around the lake, which has since dried up entirely. An artificial pond has since been added.