The Grand Prix of St. Petersburg was finally run last Sunday and it was a fitting end to the crazy 2020 season. Josef Newgarden won the battle but lost the war. The Penske ace took control of the race in the last fourth of the competition after Alexander Rossi and Colton Herta fell behind. Scott Dixon was running third with Patricio O’Ward in second. Newgarden had to hope that Dixon’s car would break down but it didn’t. Newgarden won his fourth race of the season to tie Dixon. However, Dixon had a few more podium finishes and finished sixteen points ahead. Sebastien Bourdais finished fourth; the best finish for Foyt Enterprises this year. Ryan Hunter-Reay was fifth.
Congrats to Dixon on winning his sixth championship. Honda won the Manufacturers Championship Rinus VeeKay was the series Rookie of the Year. Patricio O’Ward was the Indy 500 rookie of the year. 2020 will be remembered as the year of empty seats because of COVID-19. The closed cockpit idea may have saved a few lives.
Now for 2021. The city of Nashville, Tennessee will put on an IndyCar race on its city streets. The Music City Grand Prix will become part of the 17-race series next year on August 8. Felix Rosenqviat has left Ganassi Racing and will join Arrow-McLaren in 2021. Former NASCAR Grand National driver Jimmy Johnson will join Ganassi with the hopes of being the first driver to win both the Brickyard 400 and the Indy 500. Of course that would be quite a feat. Lots of news will be forthcoming.
Colts had their bye-week this week; They play the Detroit Lions next.