Meyer Shank Racing’s Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves, arguably two of the most experienced drivers on the NTT INDYCAR grid, are looking forward to this weekend’s Children’s Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park, having both had success here in the past. Pagenaud dominated the race in 2016; after taking the pole, the Frenchman led 84 of the 90-lap race, which began a nine-year streak of him finishing ninth or higher in the race speaking ahead of the event this weekend, Pagenaud, who drives the No.60 AutoNation Sirius XM Honda said:
“Barber is a beautiful track and it’s very fast with lots of elevation changes. We have worked hard this winter on our road course performance and I have put a lot of emphasis on Barber personally. I am looking forward to it and certainly enjoy racing there a lot. We will be focused on scoring points and creating the momentum we need for the rest of the season as a team.”
Castroneves (No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) won the inaugural event in 2010 and has led multiple laps in five different Barber IndyCar starts. The popular Brazilian has MSR’s best finish of 2023, posting a 10th-place run in Texas, but Lady Luck has dealt him bad hands in the season’s other two races with Castroneves suffering first-lap crashes at both St. Petersburg and Long Beach.
Looking ahead to this weekend’s race, the Brazilian commented saying:
“I have good memories from Barber, especially winning there in the inaugural race at the track. It’s an amazing place and MSR and I are hoping to get back on our feet after a tough start to the season. I am looking forward to a very positive result this weekend.”