Tag: Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing

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Newgarden Stars in Action-Packed 'INDYCAR 36' Finale

A comeback from a violent crash and a last-minute scramble to make an engine change before qualifications may sound like a carefully crafted TV script, but those were the cards Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) were dealt at the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season finale in Fontana, Calif.

While SFHR worked to overcome the weekend’s challenges, the ‘INDYCAR 36’ production crew was in their shadow to capture the drama. Fans can see the action for themselves on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network.

Newgarden broke his left index finger in a crash with Sebastien Bourdais in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma on August 26th and was forced to sit out the race prior to Fontana while his finger healed.

“In Fontana, we had a huge backstory for the episode with Josef’s finger injury in Sonoma,” said Dan Huber, producer for Newgarden’s ‘INDYCAR 36’ episode. “We were right there with him when he got cleared to drive and saw the physical therapy he had to do to prepare for the grueling 500-mile race.”

The ‘INDYCAR 36’ story continued to unfold when Newgarden climbed into the No. 67 SFHR Dallara/Honda/Firestone car for the first practice session. A part failure supplied by a third-party in the car’s Honda engine kept Newgarden out of the session and called for an engine change by the team.

SFHR had only three hours to change the engine before qualifications, and Newgarden turned no practice laps before he qualified with the new engine.

“I’m excited to see how much of the crew’s hard work shows up in the episode,” Newgarden said. “Fans should really be able to see how much work the team puts in during race weekends to get a solid finish.”

Newgarden went on to earn his best qualification spot of the season and led the first lap of his IZOD IndyCar Series career in the MAV TV American Real 500.

‘INDYCAR 36’ viewers will also get a unique look at the 21-year-old driver’s rapid ascent to the highest rungs of North American open-wheel racing.

“We took some time with Josef’s parents and got to hear some great stories of how Josef’s career got started on a go-kart track just eight years ago,” Huber said. “I wanted to know how hard it was for his parents to send him to Europe at only 17, but I realized after talking to them that it was similar to sending him off to college to train for his dream career, which is auto racing.”

‘INDYCAR 36’ featuring Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing will air on NBC Sports Network Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. ET.

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Early Electrical Failure Derails Newgarden

Josef Newgarden’s rookie IZOD IndyCar Series season has been a roller coaster ride full of competitive speeds and bad luck, and the season finale MAV TV American Real 500 was no different.

The No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) car got a quick jump off the starting grid from 14th position and climbed to eighth on the first lap.

From there, Newgarden developed rear instability and fell back several positions. He adjusted the No. 67 car’s weight jack from the cockpit and was able to improve the car’s handling before his first pit stop.

On lap 43, Newgarden reported to the team that the No. 67 car had lost power. He coasted into his pit box where it was discovered that an electrical failure had occurred that was outside of the team’s control.

The Tennessee native went nine laps down while the team replaced the part. Due to a series of cautions, he was able to gain three laps back.

Newgarden and the SFHR team then focused on finishing the race and refining the car to gain valuable data for the 2013 season.

“I thought the race was great,” Newgarden said. “The low downforce was tricky, and I wish I could have been part of the front group. It was a shame that we had a problem and were out of the mix early on.”

Newgarden finished the race in 16th having completed 244 of 250 laps.

“It was good that we ran the rest of the race after the problem we had,” he said. “It’s better than not running and it’s great experience for the future.”

Now that his rookie season is in the books, Newgarden and SFHR will focus forward on the 2013 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

“It’s been a tough year,” Newgarden said. “I think for the off-season we’ll look to apply everything we learned and come out swinging in 2013.”

Owner/driver Ed Carpenter earned his team’s first victory in the MAV TV American Real 500. He edged out Dario Franchitti of Ganassi Racing when a late caution slowed the field on its final lap.

Scott Dixon of Ganassi Racing, Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport and Helio Castroneves of Team Penske completed the top-five. Hunter-Reay’s fourth-place finish was good enough to earn him the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series championship title.

Fellow championship contender Will Power of Team Penske lost control of his car on Lap 56 and made contact with the Turn 2 wall. Power’s misfortune allowed Hunter-Reay to nose ahead of him and take the championship with only a three-point advantage.

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Newgarden Back Strong at Auto Club Speedway

Josef Newgarden returned to IZOD IndyCar Series action for the MAV TV American Real 500 qualifications in Fontana, Calif. and proved that the brace on his broken finger will not slow down his No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda-powered car.

Despite the brace and a bumpy track, Newgarden qualified the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) Dallara/Honda/Firestone car in fourth position with a lap of 215.919 mph.

Newgarden’s qualifying result of fourth is the best of the rookie’s young IZOD IndyCar Series career.

The qualifying speed did not come easily, however. In morning practice the Honda engine of the No. 67 car faltered when a part supplied by an outside party failed. Newgarden only turned one practice lap in the No. 67 car before it returned to the garage for an engine change.

“We were pretty flat out in qualifications, and maybe we could have trimmed out a little more,” Newgarden said. “It was hard for us though because we couldn’t come in too aggressive in qualifying after having an issue in practice. We didn’t want to risk too much.”

The No. 67 car will incur a 10-spot grid penalty for the unapproved engine change, but Newgarden thinks it will do little to hinder his chances in Saturday’s race.

“Coming into this race, the team and I talked about how I didn’t want a car that’s going to sit on pole,” he said. “I want a car that’s going to be comfortable, reliable and consistent for the entire race. That’s what we’re focusing on for tomorrow.”

On the IZOD IndyCar Series schedule, the MAV TV American Real 500 is matched in distance only by the Indianapolis 500. Newgarden wants a car that will be strong when the checkered flag waves.

“We want to have a good race car that can run a ton of solid laps,” he said. “If we have that, then we can run up front and compete up front.”

Marco Andretti, of Andretti Autosport, will start on pole for the MAV TV American Real 500. His qualifying average of 216.069 mph narrowly edged out Ryan Briscoe’s two-lap average of 216.058 mph.

Aside from Newgarden in fourth, the top-five in qualifying was rounded out by Will Power in third and Scott Dixon in fifth.

The green flag will drop on the MAV TV American Real 500 at 5:50 p.m. PT on Saturday. The race will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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"Dude, Who's in My Car"-- MAV TV American Real 500 Event Preview

That’s the question an injured Josef Newgarden asked himself from the sidelines of the Grand Prix of Baltimore while he watched racing veteran Bruno Junqueira drive the No. 67 car for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR).

After sitting out for a full race weekend, the 21-year-old rookie driver is ready to reclaim the wheel of the No. 67 car and punctuate his first IZOD IndyCar Series season with a solid result at Auto Club Speedway in Sunday’s MAV TV American Real 500.

Newgarden broke his left index finger in a frightening crash with Sebastien Bourdais on Aug. 26 in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. The injury required surgery, and he had to hand over the reins of the No. 67 SFHR Dallara/Honda/Firestone car for the next race in Baltimore.

“It was really hard to watch Bruno drive my car in Baltimore,” Newgarden said. “I’ve never been injured inside a race car before and had to sit out while someone else drove my car. It was tough but I learned a lot and can’t wait to get back in.”

After the crash in Sonoma, Newgarden described his finger as “crushed.” Post-surgery, his left index finger has seven screws holding it together.

Despite the extra metal, he says that he and his finger will be ready for the MAV TV American Real 500.

“I think my finger will be fine,” Newgarden said. “It’s been getting better each day, and I think I should be fine in the car to hold on for the oval. That’s not saying ovals are easier than road courses, but it should be easier on my finger.”

It won’t be smooth sailing at Auto Club Speedway, however. Newgarden experienced the track’s bumpy surface in August at a test, and he will test again at the track this Wednesday.

“Auto Club Speedway is very, very bumpy, and the seams of the track are difficult to navigate when you’re changing lanes,” he said. “It’s a really difficult track, probably one of the most difficult ovals I’ve ever been to. It’s going to be a long 500 miles.”

He hopes testing at Auto Club Speedway will give him the extra preparation he needs to ready his car and his finger for the 500-mile race.

“I’m really glad we’re testing this week because we need the track time,” Newgarden said. “A lot of guys have had more testing time than SFHR has this season so, we need to get caught up. Hopefully it will help us have a better result during the race weekend.”

The MAV TV American Real 500-mile race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., will air live on NBC Sports Network, Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

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Notes:

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• Bionic Man: Josef Newgarden underwent surgery August 28th in Indianapolis to repair his left index finger after crashing with Sebastien Bourdais in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. Newgarden’s left index finger now has a bone graft, a plate and seven screws. While he has been cleared to drive in the MAV TV American Real 500, his biggest challenge may be clearing airport security with a finger full of metal.

• SFHR’S Good Luck Charm Turns One: Zoey O’Gara, daughter of SFHR co-owner Sarah Fisher and husband Andy O’Gara, will turn one on Thursday, Sept. 13. Zoey will spend her first birthday traveling to Fontana, Calif. with her mom and dad for the MAV TV American Real 500 race weekend. At just two weeks old, Zoey attended her first-ever race last October at Kentucky Speedway where SFHR scored its first win with driver Ed Carpenter. Could Zoey’s milestone birthday be good luck for SFHR in the 2012 season finale?

 

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Junqueira Finishes 19th in Action-Packed Grand Prix of Baltimore

Bruno Junqueira’s 19th-place finish in his first IZOD IndyCar Series race in two years at the Grand Prix of Baltimore may have had enough drama to hold him over for another two years.

Driving for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing in the No. 67 SFHR Dallara/Honda/Firestone car, Junqueira encountered wet and dry track conditions, sustained contact from other drivers and witnessed eight on-track incidents for 17 caution laps.

“It was a crazy race with conditions that were dry, wet and then dry again,” Junqueira said.

While rain loomed in the initial stint of the race and teams contemplated switching to wet tires, the No. 20 car driven by Ed Carpenter sustained contact on the front straight that brought out the first caution of the day. On the resulting restart, Junqueira’s No. 67 car received contact from the No. 4 car driven by JR Hildebrand.

“I was hit from behind early on in the race and lost a lap to the leaders when I spun and couldn’t restart the car,” Junqueira said.

Junqueira dug in and began ticking off solid lap times as a plethora of caution flags slowed the race.

“When the track dried and I got back on slick tires I was able to set a good pace and had several good laps,” he said.

However, the tide turned for Junqueira and SFHR on lap 66 of 75.

“Unfortunately near the end of the race, I brushed the wall after going through the chicane. My left rear suspension was broken and we couldn’t continue on in the race. I felt very sorry and frustrated because I had been making up distance all afternoon,” Junqueira said.

While Junqueira’s 19th-place finish was not what he had hoped for in his IZOD IndyCar Series return, he was happy with the work of the SFHR team.

“I have to thank the entire SFHR team,” he said. “They gave me a great opportunity in a fast race car this weekend.”

Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport led 13 laps to capture his fourth win of the 2012 season at the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske and Simon Pagenaud of Sam Schmidt Motorsports rounded out the podium with second and third-place finishes.

The race was slowed by nine caution periods for a total of 24 laps, and had an average speed of 71.136 mph.

Will Power sits atop the 2012 championship standings with 453 points, but Ryan Hunter-Reay is nipping at his heels with 436 points.

The championship will be decided at the MavTV American Real 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif. on Sept. 15.

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Junqueira Back Strong for SFHR in Baltimore

In his first IZOD IndyCar Series race weekend since 2008, Bruno Junqueira qualified the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) Dallara/Honda/Firestone car in 10th position for the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

Junqueira’s quick lap of 91.363 mph becomes even more impressive when you consider how much ground he had to cover before he even set foot on the track.

Junqueira is the only driver in the Grand Prix of Baltimore competing in American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón action in addition to the IZOD IndyCar Series race. He put his RSR Racing car on pole position for the Prototype Challenge race and backed it up with a solid qualifying result for SFHR in the No. 67 car.

“I’m on the pole for the ALMS race that starts two hours after IndyCar qualifying ended, so it’s a busy weekend,” Junqueira said after IndyCar qualifications. “But I’m ready and I love to do this.”

If there was any doubt about whether Junqueira would adapt easily to the new DW-12 Dallara chassis in IndyCar, he has removed all doubt. His solid qualifying effort came after he missed out on much of his planned practice time.

“This weekend has been a big challenge because it’s been several years since I’ve driven a single-seater IndyCar,” Junqueira said. “In the first practice session I only got two laps because of the bumps on the track. In the second session, I only got half an hour and in the third session I finally got some laps in. So I had much less time in the car than I thought I would this weekend.”

Junqueira was pleasantly surprised with his qualifying results in the No. 67 car.

“I managed to push hard in the first two laps of qualifying and ended up in tenth after advancing to the second round,” he said. “Who would have thought the team and I would be in tenth with having so little time together? I’m pretty happy with our results.”

Due to an unapproved engine change in the No. 67 car after the most recent race in Sonoma, Junqueira will incur a 10-spot grid penalty on the starting grid of the Grand Prix of Baltimore.

“It’s a shame we have to go back 10 spots tomorrow, but I know we’ll be fine because SFHR has given me a great race car,” Junqueira said.

Will Power of Team Penske earned the pole for the Grand Prix of Baltimore with a quick lap at 94.184 mph. It was Power’s fifth pole of the 2012 season, and he won the Grand Prix of Baltimore in 2011.

Mike Conway of AJ Foyt Racing qualified second with a lap of 93.494 mph and Scott Dixon of Ganassi Racing qualified third at 93.433 mph.

Sebastien Bourdais of Dragon Racing and Dario Franchitti of Ganassi Racing rounded out the top five in qualifying.

The green flag will drop on the Grand Prix of Baltimore Sunday, September 2 at 2:47 p.m. ET. The race will air live on NBC Sports Network, Sunday, Sept. 2 at 12:30 p.m. ET.

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Junqueira to Substitute for Newgarden in Grand Prix of Baltimore

Veteran Bruno Junqueira will drive the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone car in this weekend’s Grand Prix of Baltimore as a substitute for the team’s full-time driver, Josef Newgarden, who was injured in last weekend’s IZOD IndyCar Series race in Sonoma, Calif.

Newgarden had surgery Tuesday to repair a broken left index finger suffered in a violent crash on lap 65 of the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma. He and team officials are focused on the IZOD IndyCar Series 2012 season finale at Auto Club Speedway, September 15 for his return.

“I’m really disappointed to not be in the car this weekend but I know Bruno will do a great job for SFHR,” Newgarden said. “I’ll be in Baltimore helping Bruno and the team in any way I can and focusing on healing for Fontana.”

Noting Junqueira’s IndyCar experience, Fisher said the team is confident it found the right substitute for this weekend.

“It is lucky that we were able to call on Bruno for this weekend's race,” said Sarah Fisher, co-owner of Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing. “He has had great results prior to climbing into the No. 67 car, and I hope we can give him the right platform to bring home a solid finish this weekend in Baltimore. I know Josef is disappointed in the circumstances, as we all are, but this team is being built around him and his seat will be ready for him when he’s ready. We look forward to a healthy and speedy recovery for Josef.”

SFHR co-owner Wink Hartman believes the No. 67 car will be in good hands in Newgarden’s absence from the cockpit.

“I am sure it will be difficult for Josef to stand by me in the pits during the Grand Prix of Baltimore, but I know he agrees that Bruno will take good care of the 67 car while he’s healing,” Hartman said. “SFHR will continue its success and Josef will be back in the seat soon.”

Junqueira, from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is currently competing full-time in the American Le Man Series presented by Tequila Patrón Prototype Challenge (PC) class. He sat on the pole for the Sebring 12 Hours race and just recently won at Mosport Park in Canada. He and his RSR Racing team have been front-runners all season.

“I am very happy to be back in IndyCar with SFHR for the Baltimore race weekend,” Junqueira said. “Sarah’s team is very organized and has been fast all season. They have done a great job with Josef and I hope to give them a good race weekend in Baltimore while Josef is healing.”

Of Note:

One weekend, 2 races for Junqueira:

Junqueira will pull double duty at the Grand Prix of Baltimore by driving in the IZOD IndyCar Series as well as the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) presented by Tequila Patrón. Junqueira will drive in the sports car race for Rocketsports Racing on Saturday afternoon and then for Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing in the IZOD IndyCar Series on Sunday afternoon.

Junqueira Stats:

35-year-old Bruno Junqueira has eight CART victories and finished second in the CART championship three times. Junqueira qualified for the Indianapolis 500 eight times and started from the pole position in 2002.

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Newgarden Injured in the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma

Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) settled into a progressive march through the pack of the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sunday, but their work was cut short when an incident with Dragon Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais knocked Newgarden out of the race.

On lap 65, Bourdais went off course in front of Newgarden. Bourdais then quickly veered back onto the track in front of Newgarden. The two cars collided sending Newgarden nose-first into the Turn-8 tire wall.

 

Newgarden was assisted from the car by the IndyCar Holmatro Safety Team and taken to the track’s medical center. The rookie driver injured his left index finger and will be evaluated further when he returns home to Indianapolis.

“We had a decent run and were trying to salvage what we could from this weekend in Sonoma,” Newgarden said. “We got an unlucky break with Bourdais when he got in trouble in front of me.

“Unfortunately, Bourdais came right across the track and I had nowhere to go,” Newgarden added. “I kept my hands on the wheel because it happened so fast and that’s when my finger got hurt. It’s the hardest hit I’ve ever had.”

The No. 67 SFHR Angie’s List Dallara/Honda/Firestone car sustained significant damage in the incident.

“Pretty much every body panel, the tub and the engine will need to be repaired,” Mike O’Gara, team manager for SFHR, said. “The first six inches of the tub are basically crushed. Every piece of suspension was damaged, so the car is pretty much a write-off at the moment.”

Newgarden and SFHR were scored in the 23rd position after the incident.

Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske won the GoPro Indy Grand Prix in Sonoma, which was his first win of the 2012 season. Will Power, who led for 57 laps, finished in second.

Dario Franchitti, Rubens Barrichello and Graham Rahal completed the top-five. The race was slowed by two caution periods for a total of 11 laps.

The IZOD IndyCar Series returns to action next weekend for the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT on Sunday, September 2.

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SFHR Looking for Speed in Sonoma

IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Josef Newgarden and Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) have struggled to find speed at the raceway in Sonoma, but Newgarden is prepared to dig deep and move up on race day in Sunday’s GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Newgarden qualified the No. 67 SFHR Angie’s List Dallara/Honda/Firestone car in the 23rd position with a speed of 107.666 mph on Saturday.

“We’re struggling here,” Newgarden said. “We started off on bad footing last week for the test in Sonoma, and we just haven’t been able to take the right steps to get closer to where we need to be. It’s just one of those confusing instances, but we’re trying to figure it out.”

The SFHR team takes an open approach to finding speed and welcomes ideas from all of its engineers and team members for ways to look for an edge on-track. Team members will put their heads together this evening and work to find a solution for race day.

“Not knowing where we’re missing the speed is the frustrating part,” Newgarden said. “Normally a lack of speed comes down to something that you can find and pinpoint, but we haven’t been able to do that. We’ve tried a lot of different things that have made sense, and it’s just not working for us. We’ve just got to try and take what we can get this weekend.”

Will Power of Team Penske claimed the pole position for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma with a lap of 111.116 mph, which is his fourth pole of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series season.

Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske qualified second with a lap of 110.881 mph and Sebastien Bourdais of Dragon Racing qualified third with a lap of 110.431 mph.

Helio Castroneves of Team Penske and Scott Dixon of Ganassi Racing round out the top-five of the starting grid for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

The GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, an 85-lap race around the 12-turn, 2.52-mile Sonoma road course, will air live on NBC Sports Network, Sunday, Aug. 26 at 4 p.m. ET.

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SFHR Brings a Mean, Green Driving Machine to Sonoma for Newgarden

The raceway in Sonoma, Calif., is a new animal to tame for IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Josef Newgarden, but he’ll be equipped with a freshly painted mean, green driving machine as he tackles the twists and turns at Sonoma.

Newgarden’s car will become the No. 67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing/Angie’s List/Dallara/Honda/Firestone car for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma, and the car has been painted green to reflect the brand identity of customer ratings giant Angie’s List.

“It’s always good to have a sponsor on the sidepods, and I’m hoping the new green color will bring us some luck,” Newgarden said. “It kind of looks like a mean, green, driving machine to me.”

The bright green is highly appropriate for the raceway in Sonoma in particular, as the track is known for its efforts to be a green, eco-friendly facility.

The raceway’s environmental initiatives are collectively known as a Sustainable Performance. One program, referred to as “Mowing Green,” may catch Newgarden’s eye as he navigates the track.

As part of the “Mowing Green” program, 3,000 sheep live at the raceway to help maintain the grasses and fire lanes around the facility. Newgarden doesn’t predict he’ll have to share his racing line with any of the raceway’s wooly residents.

“I’m pretty cautious about what I do to impact the environment, and I think it’s cool that the raceway in Sonoma has done so much on that front,” Newgarden said. “When I tested with my car at the raceway last week, I noticed that there was a lot of dirt around the track. Maybe my green car will bring a little brightness to the racing surface.”

Newgarden and the SFHR crew will be on track in Sonoma on Friday, August 24 for IZOD IndyCar Series practice. Qualifications for the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma are Saturday, August 25 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

The green flag will drop on the GoPro Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at 4:42 p.m. ET on Sunday, August 26.