Apparently it is a problem as they were cited for it .

They were cited because the weight of the driver plus the ballast was below the minimum for that spec. https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2025/06/02/indycar-santino-ferrucci-penalty-failed-inspection-second-place-fines-points/83998240007/

"We acknowledge and accept the penalty issued for being 1.8 lbs. under the required driver ballast weight," read a statement issued by the team. This was an unintentional oversight, and we take full responsibility for the mistake. Our car was, in fact, 10 lbs. over the minimum total weight, and the discrepancy in ballast was not intended to gain a competitive advantage."

I think Indycar may have taken into account the fact that the car was 10lbs overweight in deciding not to remove the 2nd place finish because obviously they were not trying to gain a weight advantage.

Driver should have chugged his drinks bottle dry if he hadn't already done this

For some reason I thought they were 10 lbs over the max weight allowed . It was 10 lbs over the minimum . My mistake.

Part of all this confusion is because of the crappily written article. Driver and ballast were underweight for that particular specification. However, overall the car was 10 lbs over the minimum weight. So the car was legal, but the driver-ballast combo was out of spec.

A very good race at Road America. I am starting to really like Santino Ferruchi , he seems like a chip off the block of AJ Foyt . Love the way he chugged a beer after the race with the fans ! Well done Santino and congrats on the 3rd place finish .

https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/motor/2025/06/22/indycars-santino-ferrucci-chugs-beer-at-road-america-to-celebrate-with-wisconsin-race-fans/84309884007/

Just got back from RA Indycar. A great racing week ! Hotter than blazes Saturday and Sunday, but the racing was fantastic! My friends provide all the engines for the USFPro 2000, USF2000, and JR series (who weren’t at RA this week). All the racing was phenomenal!

That was some aggressive racing. Really fun to watch. It was a bit of a let down in the end when fuel mileage and Palau once again determined the winner :rolleyes: I'm proposing a new rule that requires all cars to refuel with 10 laps to go and then a straight fight to the end :D

Perhaps in attitude he is like Foyt, but his winning record in Indycar is wanting. I do like how Team Foyt is getting results this season after years of mediocrity.

Thats cool, about your friends and all, not the weather. That is a track I want to visit someday.

Oh geez Curt, stop watching NASCAR! :D

I agree to fuel economy is not racing. How about reducing the fuel tank capacity so it requires more pit stops?

IMO if fuel economy wasn't in the picture, Dixon would have 1 or 2 championships tops. I don't fault him for playing the rules to his advantage (can you say "Porsche 917"?)

Indycar is quickly losing me as a fan this year. I tuned in about 1/2 way thru and it was already pre-determined that the winner would be Dixon or Palou based upon their fuel strategies :rolleyes: Indycar was really good last year (even though there was still a lot of fuel and tire strategy going on). Fuel and tire strategy is all they talk about this year on the broadcasts. I want to see drivers competing hard, head to head, not drivers short-shifting, coasting, and driving to a fuel number. I turned it off with 18 to go. The result was exactly as they predicted :rolleyes:

The finish today left me suspicious...team orders, anyone?

IDK what you guys are talking about. Strategy is paramount, but the last 5 laps were all out racing with Dixon a little concerned with fuel. To do that and press on for the win is racing for me. Sure, he was given the chance by Palou's unforced error but that's the essence of racing. You gotta admit Palou's last pit stop at 6.1 seconds was enough to win, but he lost the race all on his own. Dixon was there to take it. Not the first time for Dixon doing that.

I'd much rather see that than a leader for 25 laps getting passed in the last 2 corners by being drafted and then hung out.

Yup. The Racer interview with Dixon shows he went with a two stop strategy because of the early yellow. He did execute the strategy to perfection.

There is no top level series that does not have some measure of tire management and/or fuel savings.

Sorry, but this is just silly.

Palou cleaning up every race is killing the series. The gaff looked suspect to me.


Penske mess ups aren’t helping the series either. It seems this series momentum is stalling.

The convenient error, plus the fact that Dixon's entire family flew in from NZ for this race , Palou already having the championship well in hand...yep, could very well have been orders that Dixon win this one.

Here is what Marshall Pruett has to say about Palou mistake conspiracy theories, https://racer.com/2025/07/08/the-racer-mailbag-july-9