Staff report
LEXINGTON, Ohio — July 2, 2023
Alex Palou continued his dominance in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES with a victory for Chip Ganassi Racing at the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, held at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on July 2, 2023. Driving the No. 10 American Legion Honda, Palou secured his third consecutive win in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Palou’s triumph further solidified his position as the frontrunner in the series championship standings. With this latest victory, he extended his lead to 110 points, highlighting his exceptional skill and consistency throughout the season.
Scott Dixon, a six-time winner at Mid-Ohio, drove the No. 9 PNC Bank Women In Motorsports Honda. Starting from the sixth position, Dixon maneuvered his way through the field to claim a notable second-place finish. His drive earned him valuable points and propelled him to second place in the championship standings, gaining three positions.
Rookie Marcus Armstrong showcased his talent and determination by advancing from his starting position of 18th to secure a commendable ninth-place finish in the No. 11 Ridgeline Lubricants Honda. Armstrong’s strong performance in the race solidified his lead in the rookie standings, further establishing himself as a rising star in the series.
Marcus Ericsson, unfortunately, faced adversity during the race. On the opening lap, the No. 8 Huski Ice Spritz Honda was involved in an on-track incident that necessitated repairs in the garage. Despite briefly returning to the track, the damage sustained in the crash forced Ericsson to retire from the race. He currently sits fourth in the championship standings, 122 points behind his teammate, Palou.
Earlier in the day, in the INDY NXT race, Kyffin Simpson, a development driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, claimed a podium finish, securing second place.
The next event for the team is the Honda Indy Toronto on Sunday, July 16, where Chip Ganassi Racing aims to continue its success following Dixon’s victory in 2022.
Alex Palou, driving the No. 10 American Legion Honda, expressed his elation at securing another win, especially at Mid-Ohio, where he has historically performed well. Palou highlighted the team’s strategy and the support of Honda as crucial elements in his success.
“Third win in a row for the No. 10 car, super special to do it here at Mid-Ohio where we’ve been good in the past. We needed that win and it’s a special weekend for Honda. We had all the power and fuel mileage we needed to make our strategy work. We went long and just ran really fast lap times to get to Victory Lane. We did it and we’re going to keep it going with The American Legion.”
Scott Dixon, piloting the No. 9 PNC Bank Women in Motorsports Honda, acknowledged the challenges faced during the race. He mentioned being caught behind another car early on, hindering his progress. Nevertheless, Dixon commended Honda’s performance and celebrated the team’s strong points finish, which elevated him to second place in the championship.
“It was definitely tricky, spent a little too much time behind the No. 45 at the start, we kind of both bounced into each other. Really what changed the race for us, and the possibility to win it, was getting caught behind Herta. Had we cleared him in the first pit stop exchange, I think we could have raced with the No. 10 for the lead. That dropped us back 15 seconds, and his pace was pretty poor, but towards the end, we got down to a five-second gap. Overall, the pace was really good, huge credit to Honda, as it’s their home race. Also, a big day for PNC Bank, and obviously for the points as well, as we are now one-two in the championship.”
Marcus Ericsson, in the No. 8 Huski Ice Spritz Honda, expressed disappointment over the incident on the opening lap. He acknowledged the unintended contact with fellow Swedish driver Felix Rosenqvist’s tire and conveyed his regret for the incident, emphasizing his sympathy for his fellow driver.
