Green Flag: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

It’s time for the everlasting first highway course race of the season because the NTT INDYCAR SERIES takes the inexperienced flag immediately within the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama introduced by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park.

A sold-out crowd will pack the 17-turn, 2.3-mile racetrack nestled in naturally wooded hills of Birmingham, Alabama. It’s the second consecutive 12 months Barber has featured a race day sellout, as Southeastern race followers present their ardour for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

SEE: Spotter Information

The motion at Barber begins at 10:55 a.m. (ET) with the Indy Lights Introduced by Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Alabama, stay on Peacock Premium and INDYCAR Radio Community. Then, the 26-car NTT INDYCAR SERIES discipline will roar into motion for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama introduced by AmFirst at 1 p.m. (ET), stay on NBC and INDYCAR Radio Community. You possibly can catch radio broadcasts stay on community associates, SiriusXM 160, INDYCAR.com, indycarradio.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Firestone is supplying greater than 1,500 race tires for this weekend’s race. Each the first and alternate tires characteristic the identical building as final 12 months paired with a brand new compound designed to enhance sturdiness for extra consistency lap-to-lap. Firestone will allocate six units of major (black) tires, 4 units of alternate (crimson) tires and 5 units of rain (grey) tires

Right here’s what you want to know to prepare for immediately’s motion:

Who Can Climate the Storm?

The NTT INDYCAR SERIES discipline is in for a really attention-grabbing race immediately because it seems climate might play a big issue within the race.

The climate forecast predicts round a 50 p.c likelihood of rain for Birmingham across the time the inexperienced flag waves at 1:15 p.m. (ET). The probabilities for rain lower because the afternoon progresses. The temperature is predicted to be within the excessive 70s.

That throws a number of wrenches into the Race Day plan.

At the beginning, a full-wet race opens the door for technique to play a giant issue. How and when groups elect to make use of rain tires or major/alternate tires can alter pit sequences. There are also the danger takers who will attempt to compete on a humid monitor with slick tires to search out extra pace. Ethical of the story: It’s a cat-and-mouse recreation you can not miss.

To not point out, ought to it rain in the course of the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama introduced by AmFirst, it is going to be the primary full-wet NTT INDYCAR SERIES in practically three years. The final full-wet race was Race 1 of the Detroit doubleheader in 2019, gained by Josef Newgarden. It was additionally the second consecutive full-wet highway/avenue course race, because the GMR Grand Prix the month earlier than was run within the rain. Simon Pagenaud gained that race.

Plus, there has by no means been a full-wet NTT INDYCAR SERIES race because the aeroscreen debuted on race vehicles, making for a brand new expertise for your complete discipline.

With so many challenges doubtlessly being thrown on the 26-car discipline, immediately’s race might merely be certainly one of attrition. The driving force and workforce that may climate the storm, actually and figuratively, would be the ones standing in Victory Circle later this afternoon.

Begin Up Entrance, Keep Up Entrance

Solely twice within the 11 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at Barber Motorsports Park has the winner began exterior the highest 5. That occurred in 2012 when Will Energy gained from the ninth beginning place and 2017 when Newgarden gained from the seventh beginning spot. Three of the final 5 races, and 5 in complete, have been gained from the pole.

Should you like even weirder stats, whereas the winner has all the time come from a top-10 beginning spot, the race has by no means been gained by somebody beginning in an excellent place. First place has 5 wins, and third place has three wins, whereas the fifth, seventh and ninth place beginning spots every have one win.

Which means pole sitter Rinus VeeKay is the one to observe. Tip your hat to third-place starter Alex Palou with that beginning place being the second-most profitable on the 17-turn, 2.3-mile highway course as you set the ultimate touches in your INDYCAR Fantasy Problem introduced by Firestone workforce. That’s precisely the place Palou began final 12 months at Barber when he drove to his first profession win.

Solely the Finest Beat Barber

Barber Motorsports Park options 80 ft of elevation change that challenges NTT INDYCAR SERIES athletes like no different course on the circuit. Within the 11 races on the monitor nestled inside a number of naturally wooded and grass-covered banks, the profitable roster of drivers is an unique membership of NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions or Indianapolis 500 introduced by Gainbridge winners.

Helio Castroneves, Will Energy, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Takuma Sato and Alex Palou have every visited Victory Circle on the monitor. All however Hunter-Reay are competing in immediately’s race, which options 5 former INDYCAR SERIES champions (Energy, Scott Dixon, Newgarden, Pagenaud and Palou) and 6 former Indy 500 winners (Alexander Rossi, Energy, Dixon, Pagenaud, Castroneves, Sato).

Don’t be stunned if immediately’s winner comes from this group of drivers.