Conway, Bourdais, Huertas work through day at Sebring - MotorSportsTalk

Last week’s IndyCar test at Sebring featured 10 Chevrolet drivers, and while we hit the Ganassi and Penske contingents, they weren’t alone as part of the manufacturer’s group on hand at the short course.

With his initial test now out of the way at Ed Carpenter Racing, Mike Conway was able to push a bit more in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka entry. Conway is adjusting to a Chevrolet after campaigning a Honda powerplant in his seven 2013 races with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Dale Coyne Racing.

“We got a lot of work done, but then coming here for this one, and with the 2014 specs applies to the engine, there is a lot of stuff to get through,” Conway explained. “New for everybody so there are going to be changes all day to get it right and in the sweet spot. So far so good I’m pretty impressed with the power band and I think definitely an improvement from last year.”

Meanwhile at KVSH Racing, Sebastien Bourdais and the team discovered different issues compared to when they first ran together in November.

“It was an interesting day very different conditions than we had last time,” the Frenchman said. “Last time was really windy but the grip on the track was much higher so we discovered very different issues with the car. We have been fighting the car balance pretty big and then this morning we used the introduction of the new engine. We took it pretty easy so once we got going and discovered the problems we didn’t have so much time left and that was a bit of a crash course.”

Carlos Huertas, a Colombian testing for Panther Racing for the first time, fought through electrical gremlins on his first day in an IndyCar.

“It’s going okay, just getting used to the car is very different to what I’m used to in Europe,” said Huertas, who raced in Formula Renault 3.5 in 2013. “It went well on used tires and then on new tires just didn’t make the right changes. It didn’t improve as much as I wanted, but just in general (I was just) getting used to the way the engine with the turbo works and stuff like that.”

Bourdais is in action this week for Action Express Racing as part of the Rolex 24 at Daytona; Conway, a Toyota reserve driver in the FIA World Endurance Championship, will have that and the road and street races to look forward to this year; Huertas was in Sebring for his first test, but no word has been given by the Panther team regarding his status for any future outings.

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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.