Ferrucci with Fourth Place Finish at Pocono

The ENEOS-sponsored Dale Coyne Racing team had a strong finish at the ABC Supply 500 held at Pocono Raceway. At his home track, Santino Ferrucci took home fourth in his #19 Cly-Del Manufacturing Dale Coyne Racing entry, while Sebastien Bourdais placed seventh in the #18 Team SealMaster Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan car.

Ferrucci came home to Pocono and competed in front of a large crowd, 120 of which were made up of his family and friends who came to cheer the Dale Coyne Racing rookie driver.

After qualifying was cancelled due to rain, points determined the field’s starting positions, which put Ferrucci at 13th at what was originally scheduled to be a 200-lap race. After avoiding a five-car incident at the starting lap, he was able to move into fifth place.

Following a red flag for track repairs, Ferrucci took fourth place in the Lap 9 restart and fell to fifth as he entered pit lane at the end of Lap 34. After a few pit stop cycles and movement between third, fourth and even at one point second place until his final pit stop on Lap 105, the rookie fell back to fourth when a red flag was called due to weather. The race was called with 128 laps complete.

Ferrucci says, “It’s been amazing to have so many people, from family to friends and sponsors, to race in front of. Hats off to the entire team; the car was fast and the #19 Cly-Del Manufacturing Honda was on rails. We definitely had a top three in us, and obviously with the conditions, I’m still happy to bring home a top five, which made a huge difference in the rookie championship and moves us up to 12th overall. Let’s see how much further we can move up with three races left.”

Dale Coyne Racing teammate Sebastien Bourdais had a slightly more challenging race, starting eleventh based on his points standings after the qualifying session was cancelled due to weather. Like Ferrucci, Bourdais also avoided the first lap crash, moving up to sixth place and fifth prior to his second stop.

Bourdais lost four positions following the third and final yellow flag of the Pocono race, but moved into seventh following his final pit stop. By then he was faster than many of those ahead of him and was gaining position until the race was called at Lap 128, ending his weekend in seventh place.

This race is Bourdais’ seventh top-10 finish of the season, awarding him with 26 points, but also moves him back to tenth overall in the championship standings with a total of 300 points.

“It was a strong run for the #18 SealMaster Honda,” says Bourdais. “We were quick and I got up to fourth at one point, a position we deserved. Unfortunately, on the last restart, the guys in front of me checked up and I lost four positions. If the race continued, we would’ve finished better, but that’s racing.”

NEXT RACE

Round 15 of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series — the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 — takes place August 23-24th on the 1.25-mile Gateway Motorsports Park oval in Madison, IL.