The NTT IndyCar Series heads to World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway this weekend for a Saturday-Sunday doubleheader schedule with the focus on Takuma Sato.
After winning his second Indianapolis 500 this past Sunday, the Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver will enter as the IndyCar defending winner at the 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois, just outside St. Louis.
Sato’s Aug. 24, 2019 victory at Gateway was his second last season and most recent before he outdueled Scott Dixon to win the 104th Indy 500.
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He led the final 61 of 248 laps to win by 0.040 seconds over Ed Carpenter and Tony Kanaan. Fourth-place finisher Santino Ferrucci led a race-high 97 laps.
With an additional race added at Gateway because of pandemic-related changes to the 2020 schedule, this year’s races will be 50 laps shorter. Both races will be on NBCSN. There will be a 90-minute practice at 4:30 p.m. ET Friday on NBC Sports Gold.
Because of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Gateway also will play host to a limited crowd for this weekend’s races, which will include the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Trucks, ARCA and Indy Pro 2000 series.
Here’s the IndyCar weekend schedule for World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway:
(All times are Eastern)
IndyCar weekend schedule: Friday, Aug. 28
8:30 a.m. — IndyCar NTT Series haulers enter
11 a.m. -- IndyCar NTT Series garage opens
4:30 p.m. -- IndyCar NTT Series practice (NBC Sports Gold)
IndyCar weekend schedule: Saturday, Aug. 29
9 a.m. -- IndyCar NTT Series garage opens
12 p.m. -- IndyCar NTT Series qualifying for both races with the first lap setting Saturday’s lineup and the second determining Sunday (NBC Sports Gold)
3 p.m. -- IndyCar coverage begins on NBCSN
3:45 p.m. -- Green flag (200 laps, 250 miles)
IndyCar weekend schedule: Sunday, Aug. 30
Noon -- IndyCar NTT Series garage opens
3 p.m. -- IndyCar coverage begins on NBCSN
3:45 p.m. -- Green flag (200 laps, 250 miles)