Live from Trackside – Pocono INDYCAR 500

Sunday, July 6
4:15 p.m.
It was a pretty disappointing day for the No. 83 Levemir® FlexTouch® Chevrolet and I feel really bad for the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing crew. The car was really good all weekend, but we developed a mechanical problem early in the race and then we just fought that all day. We’re looking forward to heading to Iowa and doing some short-track racing next Saturday night.

Pre-race on the grid.

Strapping into the No. 83 machine.

8:10 a.m.
It’s race day! I’ve got a busy morning ahead of me before suiting up, though… drivers meeting, systems check, autograph session, Team Chevy Q&A, meet and greet, engineering and strategy meetings, and of course lunch! I’m optimistic for a good result today. We were able to spend some time as a team last night going over where we can improve and learn from each other. 500 miles makes for a long race, so it’s important to stay consistent and really work the strategy–you won’t win it from lap one!

A big shout-out goes to all of the Novo Nordisk employees and their families who are here at the track this weekend. The Novo Nordisk US headquarters is located in New Jersey so this is their “home race,” and we always get such great support from them. Looking forward to seeing you all this morning!

Tune in to NBC Sports Network at noon Eastern for the Pocono INDYCAR 500! Also be sure to follow my Pit Lane Reporter (PLR) on Twitter @racewithinsulin for updates throughout the race.

Saturday, July 5
6:30 p.m.
I’m not too worried about our qualifying position right now, starting 17th tomorrow. We qualified mid-pack last year and then we ended up finishing strong in the race. Tonight we’ll take some time to look at what our teammates did and compare notes and see what kind of data they have. I think the No. 83 Levemir® FlexTouch® Chevrolet feels really good and I’m excited for the 500 miles tomorrow.

Practice 2 at Pocono.

Friday, July 4
3:05 p.m.
Hello from Pocono Raceway… and happy 4th of July! It’s always an honor to race with the American flag colors on my helmet but it’s even more special during the Independence Day weekend.

Today started with a slight flight delay but a solid breakfast made the wait worth it. After getting to the track, I had to finish up with a new seat fit which involves getting the belts just right, making sure the height is correct and more or less getting the most comfortable arrangement in the cockpit for 500 miles on Sunday.

This afternoon, I’m headed to IndyCar’s World Cup party around 4 p.m. (yep, you can “attend” by watching the live stream) then I’m hosting a cookout at the motorcoach for a few friends. We’ve got a busy day ahead of us tomorrow, so depending on how many fireworks are within earshot, I’m hoping to have an early bedtime.

Yesterday afternoon I talked to David Malsher of RACER Magazine about last year’s race and what to expect on Sunday. Check it out HERE!

Thursday, July 3
11:00 a.m.
OK, I’m not technically posting “live from trackside” yet but I wanted to get a head start with a (very!) early morning flight to PA tomorrow and the holiday. This afternoon I’m celebrating the 4th of July early with friends by spending some time on the lake in my Axis Wake A24. I hope you all have a fun and relaxing day planned tomorrow!

After recent testing, I think the Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing team is really strong heading into Pocono and the second half of the Verizon IndyCar Series season. The Tricky Triangle was good to us last year, but it’s definitely called “tricky” for a reason. The longer race mileage this weekend will be an added challenge, and the weather is looking to be a bit cooler than last year. The No. 83 Levemir® FlexTouch® car has the speed so we’ll be working hard to make everything else–from qualifying to race strategy–work in our favor this weekend. I’m ready to make the Pocono INDYCAR 500 a 1-2-3-4 Ganassi finish this year!

Here’s our race weekend schedule (all times Eastern):
Saturday, July 5
10-11 a.m. Practice
1:30-2:30 p.m. Practice
5-6:15 p.m. Qualifying (broadcast at 7 p.m. on NBCSN)
Sunday, July 6
9 a.m. Systems check (1 lap)
9:30-10:30 a.m. IndyCar autograph session (in the INDYCAR Fan Village)
10:30-10:45 a.m. Q&A at the Team Chevy display (near the INDYCAR Fan Village)
12 p.m. Pocono INDYCAR 500 race (live on NBCSN)

Live timing for all on-track sessions is available here. Also check out Race Control for live video during practice sessions!