By Luis Torres, Staff Writer
The future of Texas Motor Speedway has become the focal point of the INDYCAR paddock, press and fans alike over the past few years. With the second round of the championship trail drawing near, there’s still such an unknown about the once revered 1.5-mile oval’s future.
However, there’s some buzz going into this weekend’s PPG 375.
Among the positives is a promising crowd showing up to support Pato O’Ward, who captured his maiden INDYCAR win in Texas two years ago. In fact, O’Ward bought an entire section of seats in order to promote the race.
Some may say last year’s eccentric battle between Penske’s Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin also played a role in TMS staying on the 17-round calendar.
Regardless of what’s happened, the task always remain the same. What type of race product will the 28-car field produce on Sunday?
Like last year, INDYCAR will have an extra practice session after qualifying in order to get the upper lane some vital tire grip. It’s a direct response of the ongoing concern of the PJ1 compound, along with the track reconfiguration since 2017, compromising the action INDYCAR once provided.
Five-time winner Scott Dixon explained the unknowns as they’re sharing the track with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Something INDYCAR didn’t have to worry about last year.
With the largest INDYCAR field in Fort Worth since 2011, Dixon sees this as a positive in terms of putting up Firestone rubber on the 1.5-mile oval.
“I’d say the only positive for that is that we do have a lot of cars here this weekend, right, with 28 cars. I think that process should change a little bit quicker,” said Dixon.
“We’ll see where that takes us. It depends on the weekend and how it rolls ’cause some of those sessions, you’re right, the traction compound will probably be the biggest defining point I think that you deal with.
“Just last year when you got yourself out of trouble, you got onto that stuff, it was difficult to keep it all in one spot, keep it off the fence. Hopefully they haven’t had any of that recently laid down, and that may make it a much easier situation for ourselves going into the weekend, especially for the race.”
Two drivers will make their season debuts as oval racing provides specialists such as Ed Carpenter, the only part-time entry, and Takuma Sato, driving Marcus Armstrong’s No. 11 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Each hoping to…
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