Third-place finisher Will Power with 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and five pole starts in the 17 races became the NTT IndyCar Series champion for 2022.
With action filled racing that tested driver skills, crew performance, as well as tire selection and spit-stop strategy calls, the 2022 IndyCar racing season ended yesterday in California. It was the most entertaining season in recent memory.
Reigning 2021 champ, Alex Palou lost the series title, but he ironically took his first victory of the season in the NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou clearly controlled the race with his untouchable pace beating second place finisher Josef Newgarden by 30.3812 seconds. This was the largest margin of victory this season by more than 24 seconds.
Third-place finisher Will Power* also with one win, supported by 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and five pole starts in the 17 races became the NTT IndyCar Series champion for 2022. Power also won the driver title in 2014 with Chevrolet** power. “You’ve accumulated so much experience, you understand how races go and you understand that you can never give up no matter what it seems like, so you just keep digging and it just kept unfolding,” said Power, 41, who on Saturday broke a tie with Mario Andretti with his 68th career pole to set the all-time IndyCar record. Chevrolet took its seventh Manufacturer Championship since 2012
This all was taking place as Formula One Racing at the Italian Grand Prix in Italy had a disgraceful race finish with the safety car leading the way to the checkered flag. The latest F1 mishap in a continuing season of rules, race steward, strategy and driver screw-ups.
However, in the big-money often fan-unfriendly world of professional sports, Palou took the Laguna victory after a troubled summer marked by a still-unresolved contractual lawsuit dispute for his driving services next season between Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren Racing. The rumored buy out price for the disputed contract is $10 million to Ganassi. Given Palou’s driving skills, he can clearly thrive in whatever car or series he ends up in. And at the top levels of motorsports, this cost isn’t even deserving of a footnote in a financial statement since overall it’s not material in AutoInformed’s view.
Power’s Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden, who won a field-high five races, finished 16 points off the championship in second. Second-year Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin placed fourth in the championship. Team Penske extended its IndyCar record with its 17th team championship. Other Chevrolet-powered driver champions since its return to IndyCar manufacturer competition in 2012 include Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Scott Dixon (2015), Simon Pagenaud (2016) and Newgarden (2017, 2019).
*Will Power took his ninth podium of the season at Laguna Seca, 94th of his IndyCar career.
** Chevy Racing – During the 11 seasons of the Chevrolet 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 I IndyCar engine, Team Chevy drivers have taken 106 wins of the 182 races. This season, Chevrolet drivers took 13 NTT P1 Award honors and 11 wins in the 17 races, leading to Chevrolet earning its seventh Manufacturer Championship since 2012.
IndyCar: Palou in Honda Wins at Laguna Seca. Power in Chevy Wins Series Championship Ousting Palou
Third-place finisher Will Power with 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and five pole starts in the 17 races became the NTT IndyCar Series champion for 2022.
With action filled racing that tested driver skills, crew performance, as well as tire selection and spit-stop strategy calls, the 2022 IndyCar racing season ended yesterday in California. It was the most entertaining season in recent memory.
Reigning 2021 champ, Alex Palou lost the series title, but he ironically took his first victory of the season in the NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Palou clearly controlled the race with his untouchable pace beating second place finisher Josef Newgarden by 30.3812 seconds. This was the largest margin of victory this season by more than 24 seconds.
Third-place finisher Will Power* also with one win, supported by 12 top-five and 13 top-10 finishes and five pole starts in the 17 races became the NTT IndyCar Series champion for 2022. Power also won the driver title in 2014 with Chevrolet** power. “You’ve accumulated so much experience, you understand how races go and you understand that you can never give up no matter what it seems like, so you just keep digging and it just kept unfolding,” said Power, 41, who on Saturday broke a tie with Mario Andretti with his 68th career pole to set the all-time IndyCar record. Chevrolet took its seventh Manufacturer Championship since 2012
This all was taking place as Formula One Racing at the Italian Grand Prix in Italy had a disgraceful race finish with the safety car leading the way to the checkered flag. The latest F1 mishap in a continuing season of rules, race steward, strategy and driver screw-ups.
However, in the big-money often fan-unfriendly world of professional sports, Palou took the Laguna victory after a troubled summer marked by a still-unresolved contractual lawsuit dispute for his driving services next season between Chip Ganassi Racing and McLaren Racing. The rumored buy out price for the disputed contract is $10 million to Ganassi. Given Palou’s driving skills, he can clearly thrive in whatever car or series he ends up in. And at the top levels of motorsports, this cost isn’t even deserving of a footnote in a financial statement since overall it’s not material in AutoInformed’s view.
Power’s Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden, who won a field-high five races, finished 16 points off the championship in second. Second-year Team Penske driver Scott McLaughlin placed fourth in the championship. Team Penske extended its IndyCar record with its 17th team championship. Other Chevrolet-powered driver champions since its return to IndyCar manufacturer competition in 2012 include Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Scott Dixon (2015), Simon Pagenaud (2016) and Newgarden (2017, 2019).
*Will Power took his ninth podium of the season at Laguna Seca, 94th of his IndyCar career.
** Chevy Racing – During the 11 seasons of the Chevrolet 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged, direct-injected V6 I IndyCar engine, Team Chevy drivers have taken 106 wins of the 182 races. This season, Chevrolet drivers took 13 NTT P1 Award honors and 11 wins in the 17 races, leading to Chevrolet earning its seventh Manufacturer Championship since 2012.