IndyCar Series Betting Guide: Preview, Statistics & Picks

The IndyCar Series is one of the world's most thrilling open-wheel racing championships. With high-speed action and unpredictable outcomes, it offers exciting betting opportunities for fans. Our comprehensive guide provides in-depth previews, key statistics, and expert picks to help you make informed wagers on the next IndyCar race.

Past IndyCar Series Champions

Scott Dixon of New Zealand is the most successful driver under the current sanctioning body (since 1996), having won six championships. Dixon has two championships, clear from Dario Franchitti of Britain, who won four between 2007 and 2011. American drivers Sam Hornish Jr. (2001, 2002, & 2006), Josef Newgarden (2017 & 2019), and Will Power (2014 & 2022) are the only other four drivers to have won multiple championships. In 2023, Łlex Palou added to his triumph from 2021.

A. J. Foyt is the most effective driver in overall achievement, having won seven championships, all of which occurred during the USAC era (1956-79). Other awards are presented annually in addition to the driver championship. For instance, the first-year driver who accumulated the most points was honored with the IndyCar Rookie of the Year award. As of the 2024 season, drivers who have competed in fewer than eight races in their career or have not participated in more than four races in a season are classified as rookies.

Last Five IndyCar Rookie of the Year Winners

2023: Marcus Armstrong

2022: Christian Lundgaard

2021: Scott McLaughlin

2020: Rinus VeeKay

2019: Felix RosenqvistP

Past IndyCar Series Manufacturers Champions

The IndyCar series is down to a two-horse race for the title between Honda and Chevrolet.

Between 2012 and 2017, Chevrolet won six consecutive championships. However, from 2018 to 2021, Honda won four straight championships. In 2022, Chevrolet halted that streak, and in 2023, they followed it up.

Chevrolet has won eight titles, while Honda has won six since the IndyCar Series began in 1996.

Year Manufacturer Pts

2023 Chevrolet 1,437

2022 Chevrolet 1,510

2021 Honda 1,401

2020 Honda 1,122

2019 Honda 1,436

2018 Honda 1,467

2017 Chevrolet 1,489

2016 Chevrolet 1,992

2015 Chevrolet 1,645

2014 Chevrolet 2,736

When Will the 2024 IndyCar Series Be?

The 2024 IndyCar Series will have seventeen races, with the first in March at Florida's Streets of St. Petersburg and the last in September at Nashville's Street Circuit.

A few things have changed since 2023. The Music City Grand Prix is now held at the end of the season instead of at the beginning. There will now be a doubleheader at the Milwaukee Mile instead of the Gallagher Grand Prix and the race in Texas.

On top of all that, following the first round race, there will be a "The Thermal Club" event with a $1 million reward but no points for the drivers. It's called the "Non-Championship" race.

Grand Prix of Indianapolis (Round 4)

In what location is the Indianapolis Grand Prix held? The race will be held at Speedway, Indiana.

When does the Indianapolis Grand Prix occur? The race is scheduled for Saturday, May 11th, 2024.

Who triumphed in the Indianapolis Grand Prix? The 2023 Indianapolis Grand Prix was won by Álex Palou, who represented Chip Ganassi Racing and was sponsored by Honda. The 85 circuits, covering 207 miles in total, were completed at an average speed of 115 mph in 1 hour, 47 minutes, and 57 seconds.

IndyCar championship, Indy 500 pick

Since Dario Franchitti won the third of three consecutive IndyCar championships in 2011, no incumbent champion has emerged victorious. Furthermore, since Franchitti's victory in 2012, no reigning series champion has taken home the prestigious Indy 500. Palou will become the first Indy 500 champion to win the championship in the same year since (surprise) Franchitti in 2010 if she ends both streaks.

It had been since 1922 that he completed a seventeen-race season without a single finish below eighth place. Although his consistency was criticized as his greatest weakness, he also won his first five races in championship status since 2016.

Possibly most significantly, he became the first driver since 2005 (or 2007, if you include Champ Car) to secure the championship before the season's conclusion. Even though he has yet to secure an oval victory in four seasons, it isn't easy to contend that anyone has performed better in the Indy 500 since 2021, when he placed second, trailing only four-time champion Helio Castroneves.

In the previous two years, misfortune on the pit road dropped him from the top two to thirty-eighth place; however, he recovered to ninth and fourth, respectively.

The runner-up

Due to his inconsistent performance, Josef Newgarden has gone the longest without earning a championship among the four active former champions (2019). Palou's "mid" days typically culminate in fifth-place performances, whereas Newgarden's fail to consistently secure a spot in the top ten.

However, his status as the undisputed best oval driver in the series should increase his threat level this year beyond anything he has experienced since claiming his second championship. The seven oval races on his schedule are the most since 2012, when he first began competing. Despite another outstanding performance from Palou, I would still cautiously approach the 177-point deficit from the previous season.

In addition, his attempt to repeat as Indy 500 champion since Helio Castroneves did so in 2002 could be just as formidable as Marcus Ericsson's attempt was the previous year.

The remaining leading contenders

Scott Dixon remains Scott Dixon, but it is essential to remember that he has been consistently defeated whenever a colleague has defeated him. His sole championship during Franchitti's tenure with Chip Ganassi Racing was won in 2013, his final season, but the season was cut short by a collision-related injury.

Franchitti won two Indy 500s and three championships during the same five-year span that Dixon won that single championship. Following his two championships in his initial three seasons with Chip Ganassi's squad, Palou may be the most recent driver of the No. 10 Honda to bear Dixon's number, as the six-time champion has been vying for his first championship since 2020.

Scott McLaughlin and Pato O'Ward are the frontrunners among rookie drivers vying for their first championships, and I do not doubt that they will earn more than one victory together in 2024. However, given the intense competition, I am unsure whether either of the four champions can perform admirably enough to claim the trophy.

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