Ed Jones, driver of the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet, will be re-evaluated by Dr. Geoffrey Billows, INDYCAR’s medical director, at Circuit of The Americas for a small fracture in his left ring finger before being cleared to drive in the INDYCAR Classic race weekend that begins Friday.
Jones sustained a small non-displaced fracture of the distal fourth metacarpal in the finger when he crashed during the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 10, the opening race of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season. Following the incident, Jones met with a hand surgeon in Miami for proper splinting. According to a team news release, it is expected that the 24-year-old will be cleared to resume driving duties with no restrictions.
Practice for the INDYCAR Classic begins Friday with three on-track sessions. A final practice takes place Saturday morning ahead of NTT P1 Award qualifying at 3 p.m. ET Saturday (NBCSN and INDYCAR Pass on NBC Sports Gold). Coverage of the 60-lap race begins at 1 p.m. Sunday on NBCSN and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.
NFL quarterback, former Texas star McCoy named INDYCAR Classic grand marshal
Washington Redskins quarterback Colt McCoy, the former University of Texas starting quarterback and 2008 Heisman Trophy runner-up, will serve as grand marshal of the INDYCAR Classic, the inaugural NTT IndyCar Series race at the Circuit of The Americas on Sunday.
As grand marshal, McCoy will give the command for drivers to start their engines before the race and present the trophy to the race winner.
“I am excited to kick off INDYCAR’s first race at Circuit of The Americas and greet all of the awesome Texas fans who will always have a piece of my heart,” McCoy said.
McCoy was the starting quarterback for the Texas Longhorns from 2006-2009, runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2008 and a finalist for the prestigious award in 2009. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft and has played for the Browns, San Francisco 49ers and Redskins.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves will make a special appearance at Circuit of The Americas to drive Honda’s Fastest Seat in Sports, which leads the parade lap ahead of the field before the race. Tickets for the INDYCAR Classic are available at www.circuitoftheamericas.com/indycar. The race airs live on NBCSN at 1 p.m. ET Sunday.
Bourdais, Power to be added to Long Beach Walk of Fame
A pair of multiple Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winners, Sebastien Bourdais and Will Power, will have their names added to the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame on Thursday, April 11 ahead of this year’s NTT IndyCar Series race weekend in the Southern California city.
Starting at 2 p.m. ET, the ceremony is open to the public and will be held on South Pine Avenue in front of the Long Beach Convention Center.
Bourdais won three consecutive Long Beach Indy car races (2005-07) and has earned two additional podium finishes and two pole positions. Power is a two-time Long Beach winner (2008, 2012) and has scored three pole positions and five additional podium finishes, including second place last year behind race winner Alexander Rossi.
“This is the first time we’ve inducted active Indy car drivers into the Walk of Fame,” said Jim Michaelian, president and CEO of the Grand Prix Association of Long Beach. “But I can’t think of two more deserving drivers. They have performed at a high level here for many years and we look forward to even more success in the future.”
The induction ceremony kicks off the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach weekend. The NTT IndyCar Series race takes place Sunday, April 14 on the temporary street circuit. For ticket information, visit gplb.com or call (888) 827-7333.
Ex-racer, colorful commentator Hobbs to be honored by RRDC
David Hobbs, the multi-faceted racer and colorful TV commentator for nearly four decades, will be honored by the Road Racing Drivers Club at the "RRDC Evening with David Hobbs presented by Firestone" on Thursday, April 11 in Long Beach, California. It will be the RRDC's 11th annual banquet honoring some of auto racing's most influential leaders and icons and will be held prior to the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach.
Hobbs is known as one of motor racing's most versatile talents. In a 31-year driving career, he raced in endurance sports racers, touring cars, Formula One, Formula 5000, Indy cars, Trans-Am, Can-Am and NASCAR. Hobbs competed in four Indianapolis 500s with a best finish of fifth in 1974. He’s also been a television commentator in the United States for nearly 40 years, bringing wit and wisdom to the screen most recently as part of NBC's Formula One team that included the occasional crossover to cover NTT IndyCar Series events.
"David is such an icon of the sport here in the U.S., you'd never know he was an Englishman," said Bobby Rahal, RRDC president and co-owner of the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team in the NTT IndyCar Series. "His career spans nearly 40 years of entertaining us on the small screen, not to mention hearing his voice in the movie 'Cars' as Hobbscap. We are proud to honor him for all his passion as a driver and commentator, and for all he's achieved in our sport."
Previous honorees include Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Roger Penske, Jim Hall, Brian Redman, Mario Andretti, Bobby Unser, George Follmer, Emerson Fittipaldi and Johnny Rutherford. Proceeds help support RRDC's young driver initiatives, including its SAFEisFAST.com program and the Team USA Scholarship for talented young American drivers.
The RRDC Evening with David Hobbs begins at 9 p.m. ET April 11 at the Hilton Long Beach, 701 W. Ocean Blvd. Tickets are $225 per person ($200 for RRDC members) if purchased by April 1, and space is limited. Contact Jeremy Shaw (rrdc2@cox.net) for information.