Fifth-Place Finish for NAPA Racing Team at Barber
Alexander Rossi and the NAPA AutoCare crew earned their second fifth-place finish of the season, a best at Barber Motorsports Park.
Qualifying for the 10th-annual Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama didn’t go as hoped for the NAPA AUTO PARTS car. After advancing into Round 2 of qualifying, the 27 team missed a Firestone Fast Six appearance, settling for an eighth-place grid position.
When the green flag waved, Rossi quickly made his way up through the field to run in the top five, where he remained throughout the race. Credited with leading three laps, Rossi battled to gain position and earn the NAPA Racing team its first podium of the season, although it would be a fifth-place finish that would greet Rossi at the finish-line.
After gathering valuable championship points, Rossi remains fourth in the standings with his eyes set on defending his victory on the streets of Long Beach next weekend.
“The (Firestone) Red tires were definitely a step better,” said Rossi. “I’m just disappointed that we really didn’t find this out until the race, but that is a topic for another day. It was a good job by the No. 27 NAPA Andretti Honda boys and we will take the top five. We are still looking for a podium but we are sure it is around the corner. We started eighth, finished fifth. We didn’t really have a car to fight for the win, which was disappointing. We need to get our game together and regroup for Long Beach next weekend.”
Start / Finish: 8 / 5
Points Earned: 31
Points Standing / Total: 4th / 84 pts.
Next Race: Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, Sunday, March 14 at 4:42 p.m. ET
How to Watch or Listen: NBC Sports Network at 4 p.m. ET Sunday or INDYCAR Radio Network Sirius 214//XM 209
NAPA: @NAPARacing
Alexander Rossi: @AlexanderRossi
Andretti Autosport: @FollowAndretti
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Andretti Autosport, led by racing legend Michael Andretti, boasts a wide racing portfolio rooted in tradition and designed for success.
Under the banners of Andretti Autosport and Avalanche Andretti Formula E, the Indianapolis-based team fields multiple entries across the INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights, the FIA Formula E World Championship and the IMSA Prototype Challenge LMP3 division. The team also competes as Walkinshaw Andretti United in the Australian Supercars category through partnership with Walkinshaw Racing and United Autosports additionally the team fields an entry in the Extreme E championship via Andretti United Extreme E.
The global racing enterprise boasts four INDYCAR SERIES championships, five Indy Light titles, one Pro Mazda championship, a Silver Class GT4 Championship and has captured victory five times at the famed Indianapolis 500. The team also holds two X Games Gold Medals and five U.S. rallycross championships.