Busch: Van Gisbergen favourite for Indianapolis NASCAR race

Published

1 year ago

July 22, 2023

Busch: Van Gisbergen favourite for Indianapolis NASCAR race

Van Gisbergen shocked the motor racing world earlier this month when he became the first driver in modern NASCAR history to win on debut.

The sensational victory came on the streets of Chicago with the Kiwi taking over the Project 91 entry at Trackhouse Racing.

It has now been confirmed that the Supercars regular will return to the Cup fold for the Indianapolis road course race next month.

That will be a different challenge for van Gisbergen given the Cup regulars having experience on the track, while Chicago was new for everybody.

Street circuits are also very familiar to van Gisbergen with four of them on the current Supercars schedule.

Still, Richard Childress Racing driver Busch remains convinced that van Gisbergen will be hard to beat at Indy, even if his advantage over the field won’t be quite as big.

“I would say he is the favourite going in, for sure,” he said.

“I would say that the gap will be closer from Chicago to the rest of the field that he had. He had us all beat by six-to-eight tenths of a second a lap.

“I would say going into Indy we should all be within two-to-three tenths, but he will still be the best guy.”

Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing, Enhance Health Chevrolet Camaro

Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images

Van Gisbergen’s return to NASCAR comes amid fevered speculation that he will make a full-time switch to US stock cars next season.

He is technically contracted to Triple Eight for the 2024 Supercars season, however is known to be unhappy with the new Gen3 cars.

T8 boss Jamie Whincup indicated after the Chicago win that he wouldn’t stand in van Gisbergen’s way if a full-time NASCAR ride became available next year.

Van Gisbergen won’t be the only Supercars driver in the Indy field with Brodie Kostecki set to make his Cup Series debut in a third RCR entry.

Busch is expecting Kostecki to be an asset to the squad for the race, based on a joint test they undertook earlier this year in a Holden Commodore Supercar that’s owned by RCR in the States.

Supercars have become a suitable test mule for NASCAR teams given the similarities with the current-gen Cup cars.

Indiana Grown: 8th Day Distillery

Published

3 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every Saturday, WISH-TV highlights a local company together with our partners at Indiana Grown.

This week, Jaime and Matt Lamping with 8th Day Distillery in Indianapolis joined News 8 at Daybreak.

The Lampings share with News 8 what started their passion for the distillery, and elaborate on how Indiana’s state laws at the time impacted their plans.

They also share more about their Bottle Shop & Cocktail Bar, which recently celebrated its sixth anniversary. They discuss their various workshops and show off new releases ready to hit your shelves this year.

Watch the full interview above to learn more.

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Indianapolis, IN

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

Published

10 hours ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

Report: Pirates Promote Top Pitching Prospect to Indianapolis

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates are reportedly promoting one of their top pitching prospects in their minor league system, getting him closer to the MLB.

Alex Stumpf of MLB.com reported that the Pirates will promote right-handed pitcher Bubba Chandler from Double-A Altoona Curve to Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.

Sources: Top Pirates prospect Bubba Chandler is being promoted to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Chandler tossed seven innings of one run ball tonight for Altoona. He has pitched to a 2.61 ERA with 10.6 K/9 since the start of June.
Chandler is ranked as @MLBPipeline‘s No. 49 prospect.
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— Alex Stumpf (@AlexJStumpf) August 3, 2024

Chandler played for North Oconee High School in Bogart, Ga., 60 miles east of Atlanta. He starred in multiple sports, including basketball, golf, football and baseball. He originally committed to Georgia to play baseball, but then decommitted and committed to Clemson to play both football and baseball.

He had a fantastic senior season for North Oconee, going 8-1 with just a 1.25 ERA, plus 96 strikeouts in 44.2 innings pitched, while hitting .411 with eight home runs, 12 doubles and 35 RBI.

The Pirates would select Chandler with the No, 72 overall pick in the Third Round of the 2021 MLB Draft and signed him for $3 millon signing bonus, an over slot signing.

He pitched and also played shortstop for the Rookie-Level Florida Complex Pirates in 2021 and 2022 and then earned promotion to the Bradenton Marauders in the Single-A Florida State League.

Chandler chose to focus on pitching heading into the 2023 season, which would show his best talents. He started 24 games for the Greensboro Grasshoppers in High-A, with a 9-4 record, 4.75 ERA in 106.0 innings pitched, making 120 strikeouts to 51 walks and holding hitters to a .265 batting average.

He made it up to Altoona for just one game in 2023, allowing just one hit in five innings of work and getting the win.

Chandler has played all of 2024 in Double-A, starting 16 of 19 games, a 6-7 record, one save, one shutout. He also had a 3.70 ERA in 80.1 innings pitched, allowing 55 hits, 33 earned runs and 26 walks, while making 94 strikeouts and holding hitters to a .192 batting average, along with having a 1.01 WHIP.

His last start came Friday night against the Richmond Flying Squirrels, allowing just two hits and one run in 6.0 innings pitched, while making six strikeouts on 80 pitches.

Chandler has also pitched great since the start of June, with a 2.61 ERA and 10.6 K/9.

MLB Pipeline ranks Chandler as the No. 49 prospect in their top 100 across baseball, the No. 9 right-handed pitcher and No. 12 pitcher. They also rate him as the highest Pirates prospect.

Make sure to visit Pirates OnSI for the latest news, updates, interviews and insight on the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Indianapolis, IN

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

Published

17 hours ago

August 2, 2024

Press Room

National discount retailer to make it's way to downtown Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS — The downtown Indy building Claypool Court is getting a new retailer.

Officials hope major names like Burlington will bring more Hoosiers and visitors to Mile Square.

WRTV

“There’s definitely a lot of higher-end restaurants right around this area, so I think bringing in some retail stores isn’t a bad idea,” Wesley Slaughter, who lives downtown, said.

The store will sit at Washington and Illinois Streets, an area Slaughter says will be a good fit because it’s a heavily trafficked intersection.

“I could see it being beneficial to get more people in the area because otherwise you have to drive outside of 465 just to hit one of those stores,” Slaughter said.

TJ Maxx has been a big part of the downtown retail scene for many years, but now there is some competition with the Burlington that’s going to be a couple of doors down.

WATCH RELATED COVERAGE | Downtown Indy’s Future Plans announced

Downtown Indy’s future plans announced

“We’re excited anytime that there’s a new addition to the retail landscape here in downtown Indianapolis,” Taylor Schaffer, with Downtown Indy Inc., said.

Schaffer says this is just part of a pipeline of new projects and development coming to the area.