LONG BEACH — About an hour and a half before the first NTT IndyCar practice run at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday, it was announced that six-time IndyCar series champion Scott Dixon will be inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America next March in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Dixon then went out and had the second-fastest practice time of 1:06.9649, just behind Pato O’Ward (1:06.6999).
Colton Herta recorded the third-fastest time at 1:06.9808. Marcus Ericsson was fourth at 1:06.9859 and Romain Grosjean was fifth at 1:07.1049.
Immediately afterward, O’Ward did a trackside interview and said the track was “very, very quick.” He was asked if the unusually cool weather for this time of year affected the session.
Typically, it’s in the 70s for this race – sometimes warmer – but it was only 62 degrees when the practice session began at 3 p.m.
“I thought today was beautiful,” said O’Ward, of Team Arrow McLaren. “The track was definitely quicker than what it was last year. There’s not as much rubber down, but the track is fast. … The tires and the engines like the colder temperatures rather than it being really hot.”
There are 27 cars in the mix this year. O’Ward, of Mexico, talked about how qualifying might go Saturday.
“It’s tight, man,” said O’Ward, 23. “I think qualifying is going to be as tight as it’s probably ever been. It puts a lot of emphasis on just the little mistakes you can make.”
Herta won this race in 2021.
“I’m happy with it,” he said of his practice session Friday.
Herta, 23, is from Santa Clarita. After he and Andretti Autosport teammate Kyle Lockwood finished 20th and 15th, respectively, in the season opener at St. Petersburg, the team switched strategists for the two drivers.
Herta’s strategist was his father, Bryan, who is now with Kirkwood.
Kirkwood’s was Scott Harner, who is now with the younger Herta, who said the transition is going smoothly. Herta declared himself…
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