Arrow McLAREN Grand Prix of Monterey: Race Preview
"We had strong cars at Laguna Seca last year and I'm looking forward to coming back here just as competitive"
The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team makes the trek back to the West Coast!
As the NTT INDYCAR SERIES heads to Monterey, Calif. for Round 9 of it's 17-race calendar, the team will take on the historic WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, June 23. The 2.24-mile permanent road course is one to watch every year as the field takes on 95 laps around the 11-turn circuit.
Pato O'Ward and Alexander Rossi return after finishing ninth and seventh, respectively, in their race here in 2023. Nolan Siegel, announced this week as the full-time driver of the No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for 2024 and beyond, will make his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES start on the Laguna Seca race course this weekend.
Now, read what's on the minds of Pato, Nolan, Alexander and Team Principal Gavin Ward ahead of Sunday's race on USA Network.
| Race Date | Sunday, June 23 |
| Round | 9 of 17 |
| Total Laps | 95 Laps |
| Total Race Distance | 212.61 miles / 342.16 km |
| Length | 2.24 miles / 3.6 km |
| Number of Turns | 11 |
| Championship Position | 4th | 184Â points |
| Average Starting Position | 8.1 | Â |
| Average Finishing Position | 10.0 | Â |
| Best Starting Position | P3 | Grand Prix of St. Petersburg |
| Best Finishing Position | P1 | Grand Prix of St. Petersburg |
| 2023 Grand Prix of Monterey Result | P9 |  |
"In the past, we haven't quite had the best of weekends at Laguna Seca. I think that definitely speaks to the motivation that we have going back this year. It was a pretty hectic race last year, so we'll see what it's got in store for us this year."
Nolan Siegel, Arrow McLaren, Driver, said:
| Championship Position | 33rd | 17 points |
"I'm very excited for my first race with Arrow McLaren at my home event at Laguna Seca. It'll be a special weekend having all my family and friends there, but it's also exciting also having it be my first weekend in papaya. Coming off of a win at Le Mans is a great way to start this relationship and I'm really looking forward to getting going."
| Championship Position | 9th | 162Â points |
| Average Starting Position | 11.4 | Â |
| Average Finishing Position | 10.9 | Â |
| Best Starting Position | P4 | 108th Indianapolis 500 |
| Best Finishing Position | P4 | 108th Indianapolis 500 |
| 2023 Grand Prix at Road America Result | P7 | Â |
"It was nice to have a little break after a long stretch of racing, but I'm super excited to get back to the track. We had strong cars at Laguna Seca last year and I'm looking forward to coming back here just as competitive. It's sort of a home race for me, so there's plenty of motivation to put on a great show for everyone."
Gavin Ward, Team Principal, Arrow McLaren, said:
"I love classic racetracks like Laguna Seca that reward bravery and punish mistakes. We need race cars that give our drivers the confidence to attack the high-speed turns and navigate tricky elevation changes. This is our last race before introducing INDYCAR's new hybrid powertrain, so we’ll be looking to head into the hybrid era on a high note."
Session Times
| Practice 1 | Friday, June 21 | 5:00 - 6:15 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Practice 2 | Saturday, June 22 | 1:00Â - 2:00 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Qualifying | Saturday, June 22 | 5:15 - 6:45 p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Warmup | Sunday, June 23 | 3:00Â - 3:30Â p.m. ET | Peacock |
| Tune In | Sunday, June 23 | 6:00 p.m. ET | USA Network |
| Green Flag | Sunday, June 23 | 6:30Â p.m. ET | USA Network |