With five races left in the 2024 season for the NTT IndyCar Series, plenty of intrigue will ensue at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway with Saturday’s Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Joe Skibinski
The 260-lap feature at the 1.25 mile Madison, Illinois oval launches with a 5:30 pm green flag. Live coverage can be seen on USA Network and Peacock starting at 5 pm.
There’s plenty at stake riding within the 27-car, open-wheeled field that will cover 320 miles at an average speed of over 180 mph.
For starters, seven different drivers have claimed checkered flags in the series’ first dozen points-eligible races this season. Defending series champ and current points leader Alex Palou (Chip Ganassi Racing) has netted two victories and currently holds a 49-point edge over Will Power (Team Penske) in the standings.
Palou is seeking his third NTT IndyCar Championship overall and with a victory Saturday, or at least a podium finish, can maintain that edge heading into a hectic back-stretch.
Here are some storylines heading into the race:
Palou’s Inconsistency At Gateway – The defending champ has had a ride of consistency through a dozen races, netting two wins, five podium finishes and ten Top 5’s. Conversely, his prior five starts at Gateway has not been quite as stellar, with most finishes resulting in double-digit placement. His highest historically was a seventh-place finish last season. Traditionally, ovals are not his strong suit, so a champ contender might gain some traction, especially is Palou finishes early or deep in the pack.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – James Black
Power’s Prior Success At Local Oval – Which funnels into the driver that currently sits second in points that has had prior success at Madison. Power won the 2018 Gateway race and has three podium finishes in the last six races at the track. The veteran Kiwi driver has won two events this season, one being at the Iowa Speedway oval. If there ever was a time for the two-time IndyCar champ to make a jump, it would be this weekend.
Dixon’s Methodical Rise For Contention – Another driver that has had another season of consistency is six-time kingpin Scott Dixon (Chip Ganassi Racing), who currently sits third in the standings. The 44-year Aussie vet also has a pair of victories this season and three consecutive Top 5 finishes. Dixon won last year’s race, his second at the oval, and looks to leapfrog over Power, who holds a six-point edge for second overall.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Joe Skibinski
Herta’s Quest For Back-To-Back Wins – Colton Herta (Andretti Global w/ Curb Agajania) pushed his position to fourth in the standings after claiming victory at the last IndyCar race in Toronto. The 24-year-old has surged in the standings over the summer with four Top 5 finishes in the last five races. He finished sixth last year at the Gateway tilt. Trailing by only eight points from second-place Power, there is the possibility of the Californian clawing his way closer to contention.
O’ Ward Optimistically Staying Within Range – Pato O’ Ward (Arrow McLaren) currently sits fifth in the points standings thanks to a pair of wins earlier this season (St. Petersburg and Mid-Ohio). A setback at the last race in Toronto landed him with a 17th place result. However, the 25-year-old Mexican is arguably the best one to have performed at Madison over the last four years. In his last five races at Gateway, O’ Ward has claimed Top 5 finishes at all, which includes last year’s runner-up result. Historical success at the track, combined with second-place finish earlier this season at the Indy 500 in May, leads some to believe that O’Ward has more than a likely chance to claim victory Saturday.
Penske Pair Each Seek Second 2024 Win – Both Josef Newgarden (Team Penske), the two-time NTT IndyCar series champ, and teammate Scott McLaughlin have each won a solo IndyCar race this year and crave a chance at their second this weekend. Newgarden won three consecutive races at Gateway (2020-22) but did not fare well last year (23rd). McLaughlin has had pretty good results in his runs at Madison as all three previous starts resulted in Top 5 finishes.
Photo Credit: INDYCAR – Joe Skibinski
Kirkwood’s Hopeful Winner’s Circle Return – Kyle Kirkwood (Andretti Global) finished second at the last race in Toronto, his only podium finish this year, but there has been some rapid rise during his third overall IndyCar season. Good placement on the starting grid, combined with his knowledgeable support staff, could potentially lead to a breakthrough moment and a third career overall win after collecting a pair in 2023.
Per custom, this one is projected to be a coin-flip and whoever claims the checkered flags Saturday night will have most-certainly deserved it.
For more info on the NTT IndyCar Series, go to their official website.
