Issue 1356
August 26, 2026
 

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Sunday
Aug162026

AUGUST 19, 2026

(Photo of Marcus Ericson by Chris Owens for Penske Entertainment)

Marcus Ericsson No. 28 Andretti Global Honda) wasn’t to be denied victory in the new Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham even as it meant tormenting a longtime rival. Ericsson charged through the field late in the 90-lap Canadian race to hunt down and pass Dale Coyne Racing’s Romain Grosjean for a victory. Ericsson scored his fifth career NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory, while denying Grosjean his first. Grosjean was trying to reach the top step of the podium only to come one step short for the sixth time. Coincidentally, Grosjean’s last win of any kind came in a GP2 series race in Hungary in 2011. Ericsson finished fifth in that race. Ericsson’s victory here came 10 days after being confirmed to return to Andretti Global for a fourth season. It also ended his 63-race drought dating back to his 2023 season-opening victory in St. Petersburg. “It’s been long enough,” Ericsson said. “It doesn’t come as much of a surprise. We’ve had such a good year. We’ve been working every weekend, getting stronger and stronger, qualifying up front every weekend. We might not have got the results we deserved every weekend, but I really felt we deserved (this).” Ericsson’s voice cracked during the interview, which he blamed on screaming too much after taking the checkered flag. But he said it was a bold and aggressive drive over those challenging street-course laps. “We were the fastest car all day, I thought,” he said. “Obviously, there were a lot of (cautions), so we had to stay out (longer on the final sequence). I wanted to show the pace and open a gap, so we gambled on staying out. I had the pace and we were lapping so quick (after coming out of the pits on Lap 69) seventh. It was a lot of work to get through the leaders.” In that charge was contact in the Turn 5 hairpin with Andretti Global teammate Will Power for third place. Ericsson called the hard bump “unfortunate,” but Power said he understood. Said Ericsson: “You never want that, but I had to get through. I knew I could win this race.” Watch the Extended Race Highlights here. (Thank you to INDYCAR Media)

(Photo of Roman Grosjean by Joe Skibinski for Penske Entertainment)

Roman Grosjean settled for second place – his best since finishing second at Barber Motorsports Park in 2023. “We did everything we could,” said Grosjean, who led 28 laps and scored his first top-five finish of 2026. “I wanted to (keep Palou in second place) – I knew (with that gap) it was safe. But then (Ericsson) came … unfortunately that (wasn’t our) day. But on to the next one.”

(Photo of Will Power by James Black for Penske Entertainment)
Will Power started dead last and finished third, with series points leader Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing taking fourth and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward fifth.

 

(Cadillac/GM Design images)
This is the Cadillac V-ONE — "a concept study combining the brand’s race-winning authenticity and bespoke Cadillac refinement. Its name unites the Cadillac V-Series performance legacy with a one-of-one, single-seat expression, the first of its kind for the brand."

This is Cadillac dipping its toe in an arena Ferrari has made millions on: Creating bespoke race cars for clients to either use on track days or in a one-make racing series.

“The Cadillac V-ONE Concept is the ultimate manifestation of a customer performance concept and is a clear sign of our ambition for the Cadillac V-Series brand in the future,” said Dominic Najafi, Executive Design Director, Global Cadillac.

The V-ONE is rooted in Cadillac’s LMDh racing program and informed by the V-Series.R race car, reinforcing that Cadillac performance is defined by real engineering rather than race-inspired styling alone. Co-developed by Cadillac Design, Cadillac Racing and chassis constructor Dallara, the concept is designed to deliver factory-level prototype performance and technology.

Its story is backed by Cadillac Racing momentum in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship, which together includes 10 wins, 16 pole positions and 32 podiums since the inception of the V-Series.R in 2023. That record includes the 2023 IMSA WeatherTech Championship manufacturer, team and driver titles, the 2025 Le Mans Hyperpole, and Cadillac’s first 1–2 finish in the FIA World Endurance Championship at São Paulo.

At the heart of the V-ONE is a V-8 hybrid powertrain that shares foundations with the Cadillac V-Series.R race car, underscoring the concept’s serious capability and authenticity. The concept also shares deeper race-bred architecture with the V-Series.R in areas such as suspension, transmission and select electronics. Even with that race-derived foundation, the V-ONE is intended to be easier to operate, while maintaining a similar level of performance.
  • Hybrid V-8 drivetrain with 830 combined horsepower
  • Aerodynamic package inspired by V-Series.R
  • Shared suspension components with V-Series.R, including double wishbone suspension, pushrod-actuated coil and torsion spring elements with lateral and heave dampers on the front and rear
  • An intuitive, race-inspired interface and data visualization concept that gives drivers clear feedback and coaching as they explore the car’s full capability
The V-ONE’s exterior remains faithful to the dramatic proportions and visual intent of the V-Series.R race car, while introducing refined details that make the concept feel more advanced, more technical and more tailored to Cadillac luxury.

Editor-in-Chief's Note: This is cool and all, but it's a giant "We'll See" until further notice. -PMD


(JCB)
British engineering giant JCB has set a new world land speed record of 406.320 mph with its hydrogen-powered JCB Hydromax. The car recorded the average speed 400.623 mph in its first runlast week across the Bonneville Salt Flats, and 412.135 mph on its second run, giving the average of 406.320 mph - the fastest a hydrogen internal combustion car has ever travelled. Driven by Wing Commander Andy Green OBE, the twin engined, 32-foot car completed the two runs required under FIA rules - one in each direction within an hour - comfortably beating the previous FIA-officiated hydrogen internal combustion benchmark of 185.5 mph set by the BMW H2R in 2004. The record is subject to official ratification by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the global governing body for motorsport. In doing so, JCB Hydromax surpassed the 350.092 mph world diesel land speed record set by JCB Dieselmax - also driven by Green, on the same salt, in August 2006. Twenty years on, JCB has beaten its own benchmark with an engine that produces no CO₂at the tailpipe. The speed also exceeds the 303 mph hydrogen fuel cell mark - making JCB Hydromax the fastest hydrogen-powered vehicle of any kind in history.






Editor's Note: This is our dearly departed billboard, which we had at Road America for several years. Peter gifted the phrase "America's National Park of Speed" to the track, which now uses it proudly in all of its communications. -WG

 

 

 

 

 


Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG


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