2016 Firestone 600 (Part Two) Fast Facts

The Verizon IndyCar Series returns to Texas Motor Speedway tomorrow to finish the 2016 Firestone 600. Here are the fast facts you need to know before the resumption of the race.

Let’s go to Texas again. IndyCar will drive the second portion of the 2016 Firestone 600 on Saturday, after heavy rains forced the postponement of the race at Texas Motor Speedway back in June.

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Since this is the completion of a race already in progress and not an entirely new race, things are a little bit different than usual.

There are 177 laps left to be run in the 2016 Firestone 600, with teams taking to the grid in the same order – and same aerodynamic configuration – they were when the event was originally red-flagged back in June. Teams will be allocated one new set of tires for their mandatory install lap before the race and six new sets for the race.

Two drivers will not be allowed to compete on Saturday. Championship contender Josef Newgarden and Conor Daly were involved in a crash during the first portion of the race and are thus out of the second half:

On the more positive side James Hinchcliffe will begin Saturday night as the race leader. He’ll be followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay and Hinchcliffe’s teammate Mikhail Aleshin, who both finished on the podium at Pocono Raceway on Monday.

“We are excited to get back to Texas Motor Speedway to finish off the Firestone 600,” Hinchcliffe said of the restart in a league statement. “Certainly we hope the No. 5 Arrow Electronics car ends up where we are now, in the lead!”

“But we know it’s a pretty unique situation with the restart and the parc ferme, so we will see how it plays out. I’m going to miss people reminding me I’m leading on Twitter, so hopefully we win and can keep the trend going.”

Scott Dixon is the defending race winner but begins the event back in 14th place.

“I think there are obviously some strong opinions on each side of this race and if you restart it from where we left off or start it over completely,” Dixon commented. “It’s out of our hands as drivers, though, and we all have the same set of circumstances to deal with now.

“For me, I think the biggest challenge will be getting your car right for much different conditions than when we started the race. That short practice session before we restart the race is going to be crucial, I think. Hopefully we make the right decisions and have a Target car that can contend and get to the front.”

The unexpected extension of the 2016 Firestone 600 has also necessitated a change in the NBCSN broadcast booth. Kevin Lee, who normally serves as one of the network’s pit reporters during IndyCar, will take over the call of the race as Leigh Diffey is working Formula One. Lee will be supported by regular analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy.

The 2016 Firestone 600 takes place at 9:15 p.m. ET/6:15 p.m. PT on Saturday, Aug. 27 from Texas Motor Speedway. Race broadcast begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET on NBCSN.