Santino Ferrucci Race Summary:
Santino Ferrucci was having a strong race and looking at a possible top-10 finish in his debut in the No. 18 Team SealMaster-Dale Coyne Vasser-Sullivan entry. However a late race mishap during a pit stop brought an early end to his 2020 NTT IndyCar Series season opening Genesys 300 at Texas Motor Speedway. Practice, qualifying and the race were all condensed into one day of action. Ferrucci started 23rd after the team decided to skip qualifying to work on the car setup in preparation for the main event. The decision proved to be a good one as Ferrucci was on the move from the drop of the green flag. He was running in the mid-teens by the time the first round of pit stops started and was in 13th place when he made a stop on lap 157 of the 200-lap contest. Unfortunately, during the stop the team experienced a problem that ended up damaging the car and ending Ferrucci’s day in 21st place.
Santino Ferrucci Race Quote:
“It was a very exciting day at Texas Motor Speedway for the No. 18 SealMaster Honda. The crew put in a lot of effort. Obviously coming back for the first race after many months is not easy especially when most of them flew in at 7:00 a.m. this morning. We skipped qualifying to tune the car for the race and it was a great decision that was paying off really well. We were fighting our way into the top-10. During one of our last pit stops we made a mistake. It was a small mistake, but it cost us a lot. This is nothing we can’t learn from and move forward with the momentum we gained today.”
Fast Facts:
- In two races at TMS, Ferrucci has a best finish of fourth in his TMS debut last year.
- Ferrucci is contesting his third NTT IndyCar Series season and third with Dale Coyne Racing. This is his second full IndyCar season, and first with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
- The 2019 DXC Technology 600 was Ferrucci’s 22nd NTT IndyCar Series start and second at Texas Motor Speedway.
- In 22 career IndyCar starts, Ferrucci has finished a career-high fourth three times (Texas, Pocono and St. Louis all in 2019).
- Ferrucci is the 2019 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year (finished seventh). He was third in the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series Rookie of the Year standings.
- Ferrucci completed the third most laps in 2019 and placed fourth among all drivers on ovals.
- Ferrucci, 22, is a native of Woodbury, Connecticut and now resides in Port St. Lucie, Florida
Next Race:
Round 2 of the 2020 NTT IndyCar Series will be the GMR Grand Prix, Saturday, July 4 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in Speedway, Indiana.
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