AVONDALE, Arizona – As the Verizon IndyCar Series races ahead in its new era with sleek new cars, ISM Raceway will close an era of its own tonight when the checkered flag waves at the Desert Diamond West Valley Casino Phoenix Grand Prix.
As drivers complete the 250th lap, they will do so with the start/finish line in the location it has been since the 1.022-mile oval opened in 1964. That massive slice of motorsports history will include 64 Indy car races and 44 in the top level of NASCAR after tonight. ISM Raceway is moving the start/finish line for future races to where Turn 2 currently sits as part of a massive $178 million renovation.
The 23 drivers lining up for the second race of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season are more concerned with the present than the past or future, however. Namely, how will the new-look Indy car with its universal aero kit on all entries play into the competition.
Listening to the drivers, it will play quite a role.
“This is a long race,” said James Hinchcliffe, who still start from fifth position in the No. 5 Arrow Electronics SPM Honda. “I think with these new cars, with the way they've been driving and the way that they've been falling off (in grip over a long run), it's going to be a lot more of an interesting race than it has been the last couple years.”
A full fuel stint could be 70 laps or more tonight. But the new car delivers less downforce than its predecessor, forcing the Firestone tires to work harder to try and make up for that decrease in aerodynamic grip. The result? A set of tires wears out more quickly, likely far before those 70 laps.
“I think it's just going to expose the cars more,” said points leader and pole sitter Sebastien Bourdais. “The guy who has better mechanical grip will deal better with it.
“I think obviously traffic is going to be a big deal. Running in clean air, I was pretty comfortable, the car was fairly consistent. I was happy with it. As soon as we saw it in traffic, I was kind of stuck two back and not really able to do much of anything, especially once the tires had like 20, 30 laps on it.
“Like I said,” continued Bourdais, driver of the No. 18 Team SealMaster Honda, who won the season opener last month at St. Petersburg, Florida. “We're running qualifying downforce levels in race trim, so things are going to be tough. We'll see how we race. Hopefully, we put on a good show for the fans.”
One element that would make for more intense racing will be if a second racing lane opens during the race. INDYCAR and ISM Raceway officials have been working for days with a “Tire Dragon,” four Firestone race tires pulled through the oval’s turns behind a tractor to lay down a coating of the friendly rubber outside the primary racing line.
“I am hoping we can open a second lane because, if that happens, it will make the racing great,” said Will Power, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet who starts third. “Otherwise, it is a single line and it makes it tough (to pass). So hopefully, early on, people will go up for a second lane and then it starts rubbering in as the race progresses."
Even if the second lane doesn’t fully develop, drivers expect plenty of overtaking possibilities as those whose cars are handling well encounter those that aren’t. And on a short oval, action is everywhere at all times.
“I hope the fans get quite the show,” said Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi, starting fourth in the No. 27 MilitaryToMotorsports.com Honda, “because we're working really hard out there."
DESERT DIAMOND WEST VALLEY CASINO PHOENIX GRAND PRIX:
Race 2 of 17 on the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule
Track: ISM Raceway, a 1.022-mile oval in Avondale, Arizona
Race length: 250 laps/255.5 miles
Fuel: Each car receives 85 gallons of Sunoco E85 ethanol
TV: NBCSN (also NBCSports.com rel="noopener noreferrer" and NBC Sports app), 9 p.m. ET
Radio: Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network (network affiliates, Sirius 214, XM 209, IndyCar.com, IndyCarRadio.com and INDYCAR Mobile app), 9 p.m. ET