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2018 DXC Technology 600 preview

By Brittany Frederick

DETROIT, MI - JUNE 03: Will Power, of Australia, drives the #12 Chevrolet IndyCar on the track during the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear IndyCar race on June 3, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 03: Will Power, of Australia, drives the #12 Chevrolet IndyCar on the track during the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear IndyCar race on June 3, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Brian Cleary/Getty Images) /
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The 2018 DXC Technology 600 brings the Verizon IndyCar Series to Texas. Here’s what to watch for in the last night race of the 2018 IndyCar season.

It’s another Saturday night for the Verizon IndyCar Series, as the 2018 IndyCar season heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the DXC Technology 600.

The race formerly known as the Rainguard Water Sealers 600 is one of two remaining Saturday races on the 2018 IndyCar season schedule and the last time we’ll see IndyCar race at night this year.

However, let’s hope it looks nothing like last year’s race, which was basically a massive car wreck in which some racing happened. A dozen of the 22 entries didn’t finish due to contact, and many drivers weren’t happy with the pack racing.

With that still in the back of many IndyCar fans’ minds, what should we look for this weekend? Let’s break the race down in our DXC Technology 600 preview:

THREE THINGS TO WATCH:

  • Pack or not to pack: Naturally, the primary question is whether or not we’ll see more pack racing at in the DXC Technology 600. It’s the same track, but these are new cars with a new aero kit, so there could be no issue. Then again, as we saw in Detroit, these new cars also can get squirrelly in dirty air, and there could be a lot of dirty air if there’s more close racing at Texas.
  • More fatigue: This race completes IndyCar’s run of four events in roughly two weeks. The teams are coming off one of the most physically punishing tracks in Detroit. So it’s possible that physical exhaustion could continue to be a factor on Saturday night.
  • The pace car: Admit it, after last weekend’s pace car accident, we’re all going to be watching to make sure Oriol Servia is driving the pace car at Texas and that the parade laps don’t have some other freak thing happen.

THREE DRIVERS TO WATCH:

  • Will Power: Not just because he’s still riding the high of being the Indy 500 winner. Power also won the Rainguard Water Sealers 600 last year, and he led the most laps in between all of those cautions. Can he line up two consecutive victories at Texas Motor Speedway and keep earning points toward his second Verizon IndyCar Series championship?
  • Ed Carpenter: This will be the first race Carpenter has driven in since finishing as the runner-up at the 2018 Indy 500. It would be fantastic to see him build on that success with a good run at Texas, which is one of four remaining oval tracks on the schedule.
  • Marco Andretti: The No. 98 driver ran well at the Dual in Detroit, including capturing his first pole award in several years. His teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay went on to snap a years-long winless streak in Detroit, so when is it going to be Marco’s turn? Let’s see if he can find the speed he had at Detroit again.

Next: See the current Verizon IndyCar Series standings

The 2018 DXC Technology 600 takes place Saturday, June 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET. For complete coverage of the 2018 IndyCar season, follow the Motor Sports category at FanSided.