Kyffin Simpson to Start Portland Race Six Places Back After Laguna Seca Penalty
Kyffin Simpson will face a six-place grid penalty at this weekend’s NTT IndyCar Series race in Portland due to avoidable contact during the previous event at Laguna Seca. The incident in question occurred on the opening lap at Turn 6, involving Simpson’s No. 8 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda and Felix Rosenqvist’s No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Honda.
The penalty stems from a breach of Rule 9.3.3 regarding avoidable contact, which states, "The primary responsibility for avoiding contact with a Competitor resides with the overtaking Competitor." This ruling emphasizes that the Competitor initiating a maneuver that results in contact may face repercussions.
As per IndyCar regulations, penalties may be carried over to the next race if they cannot be served during the event where the infraction occurred. Simpson’s performance in Portland will be closely watched as he aims to recover from this setback.
