The 4th of July in Indianapolis in 2020 was all about automobile racing. Memorial Day has long been the car racing holiday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway but the coronavirus necessitated a shift to the July 4th. There were no fans in the stands but there was hot racing on both the road course and on the oval. We certainly hope that things are back to normal next year.
The GMR Grand Prix on the IMS road course was all about Scott Dixon. The New Zealander took control of the race in the second half and never let go. Will Power started on the pole with Jack Harvey next to him. Both drivers faded to the rear as the race progressed. Graham Rahal took second. Simon Pagenaud was third. Colton Herta was fourth for Andretti Racing. Rookie Rinus VeeKay drove to a commendable fifth place for Ed Carpenter Racing. Marcus Erricsson was sixth in the other Ganassi Racing Car. Defending series champ Joseph Newgarden was seventh for Penske Racing. Rookie Patrico O’Ward was eighth for Arrow-McLaren. Santino Ferrucci was ninth for Dale Coyne Vassar-Sullivan. Tacuma Sato finished tenth for Rahal Letterman Lanigan racing.
Honda engines powered the first two finishers and six of the top ten finishers. Dixon now has 104 series champion points. Pagenaud has 79 points. The next race is this coming weekend at Road America. The REV Group Grand Prix Presented by AMR at Elkhart Larke, Wisconsin is a two day doubleheader. So on we go.
The 2020 Big Machine Hand Sanitizer Brickyard 400 Powered by Big Machines was yet another demonstration of how luck can determine a winner or a loser in a car race. In this case Denny Hamlins’ bad luck and Kevin Harvick’s good luck. Harvick it may be said was also in the right place at the right time. With seven laps Hamlin seemed to be cruising to his first Brickyard 400 win when his car suffered a tire blowout that sent him into the wall and ended his day. Kevin Harvick was then able to take the checkered flag and the win. Harvick has had good luck at the Brickyard as this was his third win.
Matt Kenseth was second. Arick Almirola was third. Brad Keselowski was fourth and rookie Cole Custer was fifth. It was a good day for Ford engines. They powered four of the first five finishers and six of the first ten. As for Denny Hamlin, his Toyota finished twenty sixth overall. So now it’s on to Sparta Kentucky next weekend for the Quaker State 400 at the Kentucky Speedway. Good luck to all.
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