Chevrolet Indycar at World Wide Technology Raceway: Team Chevy Race Advance

Dominating the ovals so far during the 2023 NTT INDYCAR Series season, Chevrolet, Josef Newgarden, driver of the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet, and Team Penske have their sights set on sweeping the ovals this weekend at the Bommarito Auto Group 500. The 15th of 17 rounds of the 2023 season, World Wide Technology Raceway hosts the 260-lap, 500-kilometer action-packed race that has seen the Bowtie brand strongly successful in the V6 2.2 liter twin turbo injected era.

Four-time and defending winner of the Bommarito Auto Group 500, Newgarden not only looks to capture a fifth victory since the NTT INDYCAR Series returned to the St. Louis-area track in 2017, but looks to also sweep the fifth of five oval events after racing to victory this year in Texas, the Indianapolis 500, and the Iowa doubleheader. Additionally, Newgarden has earned one NTT P1 Pole Award at World Wide Technology Raceway, leading the field to the green flag in 2019.

“It’s obviously been a good year for everyone on the No. 2 PPG Chevrolet team,” said Newgarden. “Every driver would sign up for four wins including the Indianapolis 500. We haven’t had the consistency we all want but we are going to fight all the way to the checkered flag at Laguna Seca, and St. Louis is a good place for us to gain ground. The Team Penske effort on the ovals this year has been extraordinary. To be in a position to sweep all of the ovals this year – let alone join a short list of drivers that includes AJ Foyt and Al Unser, Sr. that have won five consecutive oval races – is surreal. The paddock is going to catch up to us. We know that but we aren’t going to give up our oval crown easily.”

Newgarden’s teammate at Team Penske, Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet, holds the fifth of seven events since the 2017 return, racing to Victory Lane at the 1.25-mile oval in 2018. While looking for his first victory in the 2023 season, Power has shown prowess in qualifying on the oval that includes earned pole awards in 2017, 2020’s Race 1, 2021, and 2022. With Team Chevy, scoring 1,052 of the 1,664 laps led, or 63.2% since the 2017 return, a Chevrolet-powered driver could capture the 112th win of the V6 era (since 2012) this weekend for the Bowtie brand.

Finally, Chevrolet once again will pace the INDYCAR field at World Wide Technology Raceway, with the 2023 Corvette Z06 that also paced the Indianapolis 500 this year in Red Mist Metallic leading the field to the green flag in Sunday’s Bommarito Auto Group 500. The first generation of the Corvette to offer a hardtop convertible, the pace car features two-tone Jet Black and Sky Cool Gray with Torch Red accents, as well as Spider-designed forged aluminum wheels finished in Tech Bronze for a race-ready look.

The Bommarito Auto Group 500 at World Wide Technology Raceway kicks off first with first practice on Saturday, Aug. 26 at 11 a.m. ET, with qualifying following at 2 p.m. ET. A final practice wraps Saturday at the 1.25-mile oval at 5 p.m. ET. Sunday’s 260-lap, 500-kilometer race near St. Louis takes the green flag live on NBC at 3:30 p.m. ET. All practice and qualifying will be live on Peacock, INDYCAR Radio, and SiriusXM Channel 160.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING (QUOTES):

Pato O’Ward, No. 5 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“I like going back to St. Louis. I’ve had a good amount of podiums there in the past, and we were really close last year, so hopefully we can get back on it this year. We’re going back to an oval, which always produces some good racing. This weekend, we have a different tire and a different extra tire, so I think that will keep everyone on their toes on strategy. It will be interesting to see who comes out on top.”

Felix Rosenqvist, No. 6 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

”Last oval of the year. We’ve been pretty much at winning pace at ovals this season, so hopefully we can end with a mega result here in St. Louis.”

Alexander Rossi, No. 7 Chevrolet at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

”World Wide Technology Raceway has always been an awesome track because of how different the two ends of the track are. Turns 1 and 2 are like a road course, whereas Turns 3 and 4 are your more traditional short oval corners. I’ve had great races here in the past, and it’s going to be an exciting weekend with the addition of running the Firestone Alternate tires for the first time on an oval. The fans who always turn out in a big way here are in for quite a treat in what will be our final oval race of the year.”

Gavin Ward, Race Director at Arrow McLaren INDYCAR:

“We’re heading to our last oval race of the season, ready to give it all we’ve got. We’ve been chasing a win all year, and across all three cars, we have the pace to make it happen at World Wide Technology Raceway. This kicks off three back to back races to end the season, and we want to have a strong finish to 2023.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay, No. 20 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“World Wide Technology Raceway presents us with another opportunity to test some experimental short oval setups. This track is quite different than Iowa Speedway, our last oval. WWT Raceway is relatively smooth versus Iowa’s bumpiness, so hopefully that will allow us to find some positive setup changes.”

Rinus VeeKay, No. 21 Chevrolet at Ed Carpenter Racing:

“After a pretty good last race at IMS, I am super excited to get to WWT Raceway. The first year I raced there in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, I finished P4 so that was pretty cool! It’s a great track and I’ve had some great passes and moments there. It’s such an interesting oval, it’s a lot different from the rest of the calendar so it should be a really interesting race. It will be fun! I am excited to get there and hopefully myself and the team to do well!”

Santino Ferrucci, No. 14 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“I feel like Gateway has always been a very good track for my driving ability. It has a lot of similarities to the [Indy] 500. I’ve also come very close to winning this race my rookie season, and this is definitely one that I would like to win for sure.”

Benjamin Pedersen, No. 55 Chevrolet at AJ Foyt Racing:

“World Wide Technology Raceway is a special place for me, because it’s where I had my first ever oval race in the Indy NXT Series a couple of years ago. I have been on the podium every time I have been there, so I have had a lot of success at this track. It’s a very smooth track, still a short oval though. Overall, it’s a special place for me and a track that I really enjoy driving.“

Callum Ilott, No. 77 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“We had a lot of potential at Gateway last year. Especially within the race, we had a good amount of speed. At our recent test, there were lots of little things that we learned from. That resulted in a really positive experience. Going into this weekend’s race, I’m feeling positive. I think that we can make some good headway and get a strong result.”

Agustin Canapino, No. 78 Chevrolet at Juncos Hollinger Racing:

“I’m looking forward to competing this weekend. It’s the last oval race of the season, and we have been fast on the ovals this year. Hopefully it will be a good opportunity for us to record a positive result. Even though the race will be another new experience for me, it will be good to

arrive this weekend with some experience from last week’s test which went

well.”