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dAY to day coverage  at the indianapolis motor speedway

 sunday may 29th

Ericsson Takes Wild Late Scramble for Indy 500 Victory (MORE TO COME)

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 29, 2022) – Marcus Ericsson won the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in a wild scramble after a late red flag Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning his first career victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

Ericsson, from Kumla, Sweden, won under caution in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda after Sage Karam crashed in Turn 2 on the final lap. Before the race-ending incident, Ericsson and Pato O’Ward were locked in a fantastic duel for the lead after the restart with two laps to go after the red flag, snaking around the 2.5-mile oval in one of the most breathtaking finishes in the century-plus history of the race.

O’Ward ended up second in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet in his best career “500” finish in three starts.

“I knew the Huski Chocolate car was fast enough, but it was still hard,” Ericsson said. “I had to do everything there at the end to keep him behind. I can’t believe it. I’m so happy.”

SEE: Race Results

Former Formula One driver Ericsson became the second Swede to triumph in the “500,” joining 1999 winner Kenny Brack. Ericsson and Brack spoke via videoconference during the winner’s press conference Sunday afternoon. Ericsson’s best finish in three previous Indy 500 starts was 11th last year.

This was the first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” for team owner Chip Ganassi since 2012 and his fifth as a solo owner and sixth overall.

Ericsson took the lead in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings with his third career victory, boosted by the double points awarded in this event. In a fateful twist, all three of his victories have featured red flags, as his wins in 2021 at Detroit and Nashville also included race stoppages.

2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan finished third in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as the Ganassi team finished a dominant Month of May by putting two cars in the top three. Kanaan recorded the fifth top-three finish of his illustrious “500” career. Felix Rosenqvist placed fourth in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP, as Arrow McLaren SP placed two cars in the top four.

Alexander Rossi, winner of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, rounded out the top five in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda after starting 20th.

2021 winner Helio Castroneves finished seventh after starting 27th in the No. 06 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda, gaining the most positions from start to finish in the race.

Ericsson, who started fifth, took the lead for good on Lap 190 when “500” rookie Jimmie Johnson made his final pit stop out of sequence with the leaders. Ericsson led O’Ward by 3.2869 seconds and appeared to be on Easy Street toward a spot on the Borg-Warner Trophy with one of the largest gaps by a leader during the 200-lap race.

O’Ward chipped away over the next four laps, pulling to within 2.7 seconds. But it still looked like Ericsson just needed to keep his car in the racing groove for the win.

Then the script was flipped on Lap 194 when Johnson spun into the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2, triggering the fifth of six caution periods in the race. INDYCAR officials decided to red-flag the race in an attempt to finish under green, so all cars pulled into the pits for nearly eight minutes while the debris from Johnson’s crash was cleared.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Ericsson said of the red flag. “You can never take anything for granted, and obviously there were still laps to go, and I was praying so hard it was not going to be another yellow, but I knew there was probably going to be one. It was hard to refocus, but I knew the car was amazing.”

Green-flag racing resumed on Lap 199, with Ericsson snaking left and right on the front and back straightaway to try and break O’Ward’s aerodynamic tow. Heading toward the white flag, Ericsson dove toward the pit entrance and then back to the center of the racetrack, trying to break away from O’Ward.

The gap between the two was .0445 of a second at the flag stand with one lap to go, with O’Ward making a run toward the outside of Turn 1 on Lap 200. He pulled slightly ahead of Ericsson entering the corner, but Ericsson held the low line and forced O’Ward to lift the throttle.

“He was going to put me in the wall if I would have gone for it,” O’Ward said. “We were alongside each other. It’s frustrating. It’s bittersweet. I’m so proud, but it definitely stinks.”

Said Ericsson: “I was not going to put him in the wall, but he had to work hard to get around me there. I knew I could hold my line. I was going to go flat. He was going to have to go two-wide through (Turn) 1 to get there. I knew if I went on the inside into 1, I could keep my foot down. I was hoping I could keep my foot down. That was my plan. It worked.”

Ericsson started to pull away on the back straightaway after repulsing O’Ward, speeding toward Turn 3, when Karam crashed in Turn 2 in his No. 24 AES Indiana DRR Chevrolet. The fifth incident of the day in Turn 2, the race’s calamity corner, triggered the caution period that ended an event featuring a thrilling 38 lead changes among nine drivers.

NTT P1 Award winner and six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon appeared to be the driver to beat, as he led a race-high 95 laps and became the all-time lap leader in Indianapolis 500 history with 665, surpassing the record of 644 by legendary four-time winner Al Unser. But Dixon was assessed a speeding penalty entering pit lane as he stopped from the lead on Lap 175 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The subsequent drive-through penalty dropped 2008 Indy 500 winner Dixon through the field, and he ended up a disappointing 21st.

“It’s heartbreaking, to be honest,” Dixon said. “I came into the pit and had to lock the rears and kind of locked all four. I knew it was going to be close; I think it was a mile an hour over or something. Just frustrating. I just messed up.”

The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES race is the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear on Sunday, June 5 at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park in Detroit. The race will be broadcast live on USA Network and the INDYCAR Radio Network starting at 3 p.m. (ET).

INDIANAPOLIS - Results Sunday of the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (5) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 200, Running
2. (7) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 200, Running
3. (6) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 200, Running
4. (8) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 200, Running
5. (20) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 200, Running
6. (18) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 200, Running
7. (27) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 200, Running
8. (16) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 200, Running
9. (2) Alex Palou, Honda, 200, Running
10. (15) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 200, Running
11. (30) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 200, Running
12. (17) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 200, Running
13. (14) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 200, Running
14. (21) Graham Rahal, Honda, 200, Running
15. (11) Will Power, Chevrolet, 200, Running
16. (13) David Malukas, Honda, 200, Running
17. (28) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 200, Running
18. (31) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 200, Running
19. (4) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 200, Running
20. (24) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 200, Running
21. (1) Scott Dixon, Honda, 200, Running
22. (23) Marco Andretti, Honda, 200, Running
23. (22) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 199, Running
24. (32) Jack Harvey, Honda, 199, Running
25. (10) Takuma Sato, Honda, 199, Running
26. (33) Stefan Wilson, Chevrolet, 198, Running
27. (29) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 198, Running
28. (12) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 193, Contact
29. (26) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 150, Contact
30. (25) Colton Herta, Honda, 129, Mechanical
31. (9) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 105, Contact
32. (19) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 68, Contact
33. (3) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 38, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner's average speed: 175.428 mph
Time of Race: 02:51:00.6432
Margin of victory: Under caution
Cautions: 6 for 31 laps
Lead changes: 38 among 9 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Palou, Alex 1 - 7
Dixon, Scott 8 - 9
Palou, Alex 10 - 12
Dixon, Scott 13 - 16
Palou, Alex 17 - 21
Dixon, Scott 22 - 29
Palou, Alex 30
VeeKay, Rinus 31
Ericsson, Marcus 32
O'Ward, Pato 33 - 35
Palou, Alex 36 - 47
Dixon, Scott 48 - 50
Palou, Alex 51
Dixon, Scott 52 - 53
Palou, Alex 54 - 57
Dixon, Scott 58 - 59
Palou, Alex 60 - 68
O'Ward, Pato 69 - 72
Dixon, Scott 73 - 79
Daly, Conor 80 - 81
Dixon, Scott 82 - 83
Daly, Conor 84 - 85
Dixon, Scott 86 - 108
Daly, Conor 109 - 111
Dixon, Scott 112 - 140
O'Ward, Pato 141 - 143
Kanaan, Tony 144
Ericsson, Marcus 145
Palou, Alex 146 - 147
O'Ward, Pato 148 - 157
Dixon, Scott 158 - 160
O'Ward, Pato 161 - 164
Dixon, Scott 165 - 174
O'Ward, Pato 175 - 176
Kanaan, Tony 177 - 181
Palou, Alex 182 - 184
Andretti, Marco 185 - 187
Johnson, Jimmie 188 - 189
Ericsson, Marcus 190 - 200

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings:
Ericsson 226, O'Ward 213, Palou 212, Power 202, Newgarden 174, Dixon 166, McLaughlin 162, Pagenaud 157, Rosenqvist 154, Herta 142, Rossi 141, Daly 137, VeeKay 134, Rahal 130, Grosjean 128, Castroneves 123, Lundgaard 103, Sato 100, Malukas 90, Kanaan 78, Kirkwood 77, Harvey 73, Johnson 71, Ilott 71, Ferrucci 62, DeFrancesco 62, Hildebrand 53, Carpenter 49, Kellett 45, Montoya 44, Tatiana Calderon 41, Andretti 17, Karam 14, Wilson 10

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Paddock Buzz: Flat Out Still Not Quite Enough for O’Ward

By Curt Cavin

Pato O’Ward said Sunday’s performance in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge was the best he and Arrow McLaren could do. Second place, he said, would have to do.

“We did everything perfectly,” O’Ward said. “We did the fuel (strategy) perfect; no mistakes were done. We positioned ourselves perfectly to have a shot at it.”

Arrow McLaren SP had played its two Chevrolets perfectly in the late going, with both Felix Rosenqvist and O’Ward appearing to get the best of polesitter Scott Dixon, the driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing who then was penalized for speeding entering pit lane on his final stop. Arrow McLaren SP seemed poised for an improbable 1-2 finish.

“Then Marcus (Ericsson) out of nowhere just came out with insane speed,” O’Ward said of the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing. “(He) got by me like I was standing still. Got up to Felix (Rosenqvist), I think, within two laps (and) passed him like he was standing still, left him.

“I (passed) Felix finally … (but) I had nothing for (Ericsson). I said, ‘I need a yellow to try and have a shot.’”

That caution came for Jimmie Johnson’s crash on Lap 194, but O’Ward couldn’t execute the restart pass on Ericsson (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing).

“When the restart happened, I said, ‘I have one shot, I have to go flat’ and that still wasn’t enough,” O’Ward said. “Sadly, (Ericsson) had the faster car.

“It’s a bit of a tough pill to swallow after such a long race (and) doing everything correctly.”

Kanaan Describes Rooting Interest

O’Ward and Kanaan had a humorous exchange when discussing the two-lap showdown that decided Sunday’s race.

Kanaan, who restarted in the third position, said he had “the best seat in the house” as O’Ward made a valiant effort to overtake Ericsson heading to Turn 1 on the restart at Lap 199.

Kanaan tried to say he was cheering for O’Ward to give himself a better chance at the victory.

“I’m like, ‘C’mon Pato, go, go, go,’” Kanaan said.

Replied O’Ward: “You liar.”

“No,” Kanaan said. “If you guys crash, I would win.”

Kanaan said he had visions of Dario Franchitti and Takuma Sato dueling for the lead on the last lap of the 2012 race. Sato crashed and Franchitti escaped with the victory as Dixon watched right behind them.

Kanaan’s third-place finish was his best “500” result since winning in 2013.

Kanaan: Maybe That Was Goodbye

If it seemed Kanaan was throwing a farewell party on his unusually slow cooldown lap, he was. Yes, he wants to compete in the “500” next year, but he said “that’s not for me to decide.

Kanaan, a veteran of 21 starts in this event and the 2013 winner, said he only will return if he has a chance to win, as Chip Ganassi Racing provided Sunday. Otherwise, this was it.

“I was very emotional on the cooldown lap, talking to the team,” said Kanaan, who for the past three years has said he wanted his NTT INDYCAR SERIES career to end with a capacity crowd at IMS. “My days are numbered. I have a plan – next year will be probably, if I can make it happen, it will be the real last one.

“But as of now this was the last one.”

Kanaan ranks 14th – and second among active drivers – with 352 career laps led in the “500.” He has led in 15 of his races.

Said team owner Chip Ganassi of the 47-year-old Brazilian: “He’s a wily veteran; he knows his way around this place, no question. So, we’re not throwing him out yet.”

Odds And Ends

  • Ericsson’s post-race celebration included a call from 1999 “500” winner Kenny Brack, the only other Swede to win this race. Ericsson credits Brack for help getting from karting to single-seat formula cars.
  • Ericsson said he does not have a tuxedo for Monday night’s Victory Dinner, “but I’ll get one.” His lone suit is back in Sweden, he said.
  • Ericsson’s victory gave team owner Chip Ganassi his sixth “500” victory, breaking a tie with Michael Andretti for second place. Roger Penske leads with 18. Ganassi shared Emerson Fittipaldi’s 1989 win with co-owner Pat Patrick, and after former Chip Ganassi Racing in 1990 won the “500” with Juan Pablo Montoya in 2000, with Scott Dixon in 2008 and Dario Franchitti in 2010 and 2012.
  • Ganassi on what he sees in Ericsson: “No baggage, just likes to go fast. Just need to get him a good car, basically.”
  • Indianapolis natives led Ericsson’s program. Mike O’Gara (Roncalli High School) was the strategist, Brad Goldberg (Ben Davis High School) the lead engineer. O’Gara graduated from Purdue University, Goldberg from IUPUI. O’Gara has won a 24 Hours of Le Mans while Goldberg has a Rolex 24 At Daytona victory.
  • Ericsson’s car had female engineers on pit stand. Nicole Rotondo was the Honda engineer on the car. Angela Ashmore works on the crew. “We don’t discriminate,” O’Gara said. “We look for talent; (gender) doesn’t matter.” Danielle Shepherd was on Alex Palou’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship car last season.
  • Ericsson became the fourth driver to win the “500” using No. 8. The others were Joe Dawson (1912), Louis Meyer (1936) and Pat Flaherty (1956).
  • Ericsson is the eighth driver to win from the fifth starting position. The most recent previously was Buddy Lazier in 1996.
  • All three of Ericsson’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories featured late shootouts after red flags. The others were last year, in Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix and in the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix at Nashville.
  • In addition to Ericsson and O’Ward, fourth-place finisher Felix Rosenqvist (No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) and sixth-place finisher Conor Daly (No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing) had career-best finishes in this event. Daly led seven laps to push his career total to 47.
  • David Malukas (No. 18 HMD Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD) was the highest-finishing rookie in 16th place. It was the third time in six years that Dale Coyne’s team has had that honor.
  • Meyer Shank Racing drivers Helio Castroneves (No. 06 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda) and Simon Pagenaud (No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, and they worked well together. Said Pagenaud late in the race: “Tell Helio if he thinks he has the speed (to pass me) let me know. I won’t play games with him.” Castroneves did.
  • In four career “500s,” Santino Ferrucci (No. 23 Palermo’s Screamin Sicilian DRR Chevrolet of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) now has four top-10 finishes with three different teams. He finished seventh and fourth with Dale Coyne Racing (the second in conjunction with Vasser-Sullivan), and Sunday he finished 10th with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.
  • The “500” debut of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) ended with an accident in Turn 2, but he led Laps 188 and 189 out of pit sequence.
  • Marco Andretti (No. 98 KULR Technology/Curb Honda of Andretti Herta Autosport w/Marco & Curb) led his first laps in the “500” since 2014

.

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

106th Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Notes

  • This is the first Indianapolis 500 victory for Marcus Ericsson in his fourth career start. His previous results were 23rd in 2019 with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, 32nd in 2020 and 11th in 2021, both with Chip Ganassi Racing.
  • Marcus Ericsson became the second Swede to win the Indianapolis 500. Kenny Brack was the first, driving to victory in 1999 for AJ Foyt Racing. Both Ericsson and Brack earned their victories in their respective third career “500” starts.
  • This is the fifth Indianapolis 500 victory for Chip Ganassi Racing. Its previous wins came in 2000 with Juan Pablo Montoya, 2008 with Scott Dixon, and 2010 and 2012 with Dario Franchitti. Team owner Chip Ganassi also was a co-entrant with Pat Patrick on the 1989 winner driven by Emerson Fittipaldi.
  • Marcus Ericsson became the eighth Indianapolis 500 winner to start fifth. Buddy Lazier was the last winner from the fifth starting spot, in 1996.
  • Marcus Ericsson is 31. The last 31-year-old to win the Indianapolis 500 was Al Unser in 1970, when he also earned his first “500” win.
  • Marcus Ericsson drove car No. 8 to victory, the fourth “500” winner carrying that number. The last driver to win in No. 8 was Pat Flaherty in 1956. Other winners in No. 8: Joe Dawson in 1912 and Louis Meyer in 1936.
  • Marcus Ericsson led the race for 13 laps, the fewest laps led by a winner since Juan Pablo Montoya led nine laps in 2015.
  • This is the 14th time the Indianapolis 500 winner has recorded the fastest lap of the race since records were kept beginning in 1951. Marcus Ericsson’s fastest lap today was 224.852 mph on Lap 179.
  • There were 38 lead changes among nine drivers today. That’s the third-highest lead change total in “500” history, eclipsed only by 68 in 2013 and 54 in 2016.
  • Scott Dixon led a race-high 95 laps today, setting the all-time record for Indianapolis 500 career laps led with 665. The previous record was 644 by four-time winner Al Unser. Dixon broke Unser’s record by leading Lap 133. Dixon jumped past Unser and Ralph DePalma today, as De Palma was second on the list entering this event with 612 laps led.
  • Only four drivers have stood atop the all-time lap leaders list for the Indianapolis 500: Ray Harroun (1911), Ralph DePalma (1912-86), Al Unser (1987-2021), Scott Dixon (2022).
  • Scott Dixon led the most laps in the Indianapolis 500 for the sixth time in his career, extending his event record. He also led the most laps in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015 and 2020.
  • Scott Dixon led 12 times today, extending his Indianapolis 500 record for times led to 70.
  • Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan each led today, extending their shared all-time record of leading in 15 starts.
  • There were 27 cars running at the finish, tied for the second-highest total in “500” history. The record is 30, in 2021. There also were 27 cars running at the finish in the rain-shortened 1976 race, which completed only 102 laps.
  • Twenty-two cars were on the lead lap at the finish, tying the event record set in 2021.
  • All five drivers for Chip Ganassi Racing – Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan and Jimmie Johnson – led at least one lap today, tying an event record set by Andretti Autosport in 2013.
  • Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP occupied the top four finishing positions today – Ganassi (Marcus Ericsson first, Tony Kanaan third) and AMSP (Pato O’Ward second, Felix Rosenqvist fourth). The last time two teams locked out the top four spots was 2015, when Team Penske went 1-2 with Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power and Chip Ganassi Racing finished third and fourth with Charlie Kimball and Scott Dixon, respectively.
  • Today's red flag on Lap 196 was the 12th in Indianapolis 500 race history. The previous 11 occasions: 1964, 1966, 1967 (after the winner took the checkered flag); 1970, 1973 (two occurrences), 1982, 1986, 2014, 2017, 2019.
  • This is the 15th Indianapolis 500 victory for a Honda-powered car, second all time. Offenhauser engines powered 27 winners.
  • David Malukas finished 16th, the top rookie finisher in this year’s race.

 

 

 Saturday may 28th

top 10 drivers that should have won the Indianapolis 500

by terry Daniels

thru the years at Indianapolis drivers have watched a victory slip thru their fingers on several occasions it has happened more than once some drivers redeem their selves and win  the classic however some never do we have compiled our to 10 drivers that never won the Indianapolis 500 and however should have

 

1.Michael Andretti the andretti curse what more can we say Michael made 16 attempts between 1984 and 2007 however the one to remember was in 1992 Michael had the car to beat and had lead 160 of the first 189 when it just quit surrendering the lead and victory to al unser JR including father Mario, his son Marco, brother  Jeff and cousin john the Andretti family has made nearly 70 tries at a 500 win with Mario being the only andretti to do so in 1969

2.J.R. Hildebrand he will always be remembered as the guy who hit the wall on the last turn on the last lap leading the 2011 race, allowing Dan Weldon to slip by for his second win there. Hildebrand accepted the blame for the mishap he is the only active driver on this list J.R will be in tomorrows race however will not have the equipment to be removed from this list

3.Lloyd Ruby  with 18 starts between 1960 and 1977 and nearly 2,500 laps completed  a third-place finish in 1964 was the best he had what put him on the list was in 1969 During a pit stop around the halfway point, a crew member motioned Ruby to pull away too soon. The refueling nozzle was still engaged in the car's left saddle tank, and as Ruby dropped the clutch, the car lurched forward. The nozzle ruptured a hole in the gas tank, ending Ruby's day Lloyd would never talk about his luck at Indianapolis

4.Eddie Sachs  A 2 TIME POLE Winner in 1961 he was Leading the race with only three laps to go, he saw his right rear tire begin to delaminate and pitted to replace it, handing victory to A. J. Font. Sachs never regretted his decision not to gamble on the tire, saying, "I'd sooner finish second than be dead."  considered the "clown Prince of racing Eddie  LOST HIS LIFE in the  INDIANAPOLIS 500 IN 1964 Dave McDonald hit the wall  the car went up in a fireball  blinded by flames and smoke Eddie broadsided MacDonald's car, resulting in another fireball causing both drivers to die

5.Tony Bettenhausen  if Tony had lived long enough, he might have eventually won the Indianapolis 500. He drove in it 14 times between 1946 and 1960, and had a second and two fourth-place finishes  the only three times he managed to finish all 200 laps. He retired several times, but could not stay away from the 500. On May 12, 1961 he was 45, but driving arguably better than ever his friend Paul Russo was having handling problems, and Bettenhausen offered to test the car. A bolt in the front end broke, sending the car  flipping down the straightaway, tearing down 300 feet of fencing, then it caught on fire. Bettenhausen died instantly.

6. Scott Goodyear  After starting last (33rd position) in the 1992 race, he finished second to Al Unser, Jr. by 0.043 seconds. Goodyear could have won the 1995 race but after leading 42 laps, he mistakenly passed the pace car on a late restart and was penalized to fourteenth place after ignoring the black flags . in 1997 He might have won if not for a controversial restart on the last lap, when the green and white flag waved despite the on-track lights still signaling yellow Goodyear, who had expected the race to finish under caution, was weaving his car to keep his tires warm at the time of the restart.

7.Paul Tracy in 2002 he passed Hélio Castroneves for what would have been the race lead during a  late-race caution flag for a crash appeared at nearly the same of the pass Team Green protested the result but the official investigation put the determination of the leader of the race as the sole discretion of the race officials. Tracy and Barry Green contended that the decision was made to stop a CART driver beating the regulars of the rival Indy Racing League, which was run by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George.

8. Charlie Wiggins who? you ask yourself  most people don't even know who he is Charlie never was allowed to race at Indianapolis because he was a black man  a former shoeshine boy from Evansville Indiana Charlie participated in the all black Gold & Glory Sweepstakes held for black drivers and teams at the Indiana state fair . Charlie won three of the first six sweepstakes  as both driver and mechanic In 1934 he secretly worked on  "Wild Bill" Cummings car that  won the Indianapolis 500 Bill Cummings publicly recognized and thanked Charlie for his skill and expertise in the victory.

 9.Rex Mays Rex Mays ran in a 12 Indy 500s, won the pole 4 times, the front row 3 more times, and led in 9of his 12 races. His  ability to keep hic car off the wall  did not transfer to an ability to avoid mechanical problems he finished all 200 laps only three times, and in those races he earned a pair of seconds and a sixth. Mays was only 36 when, in 1949, he was killed in a race in California. Had World War II not cancelled the 500 between 1941 and 1946

10.Roberto Guerrero In 1992 he spun off on the pace lap after having qualified on the pole position in 1987 while leading he came in for his final pit stop and as he exited his pit stall the engine stalled Guerrero finally got going and uncapped himself and finish second to al unser sr  he finished runner up twice, in the top-five 10 times

starting grid

106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Fast Facts

Race weekend: Friday, May 27 - Sunday, May 29

Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.5-mile oval

Race distance: 200 laps / 500 miles

Firestone tire allotment: Thirty-four sets for use throughout the event.

Twitter: @IMS @Indy Car, #Indy500 #ThisIsMay, #Indy Car

Event website: www.ims.com

INDY CAR website: www.IndyCar.com

2021 race winner: Helio Castroneves (No. 06 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda)

2022 NTT P1 Award winner: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), 2:33.8162, 234.046 mph (four laps)

NBC race broadcast: Sunday, May 29 (11 a.m. ET)

Mike Tirico serves as host for NBC's telecast of the 106th Indianapolis 500 alongside Danica Patrick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Leigh Diffey will be the play-by-play announcer alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. The pit reporters are Marty Snider, Kevin Lee, Dave Burns and Dillon Welch. Rutledge Wood also will participate in the telecast’s pre-race show.

Telemundo Deportes on Universo will provide a Spanish-language telecast with Omar Amador and Sergio Rodriguez providing commentary on Universo and streaming on TelemundoDeportes.com and the Telemundo Deportes app. Milka Duno will serve as a studio guest.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: The Indianapolis 500 and the Indy 500 Victory Celebration will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product.

INDYCAR Radio broadcasts: Race Day: 11 a.m. Sunday. Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman (Turn 1), Michael Young (Turn 2) Jake Query (Turn 3) and Chris Denari (Turn 4) are the turn announcers with Ryan Myrehn, Alex Wollf, Rob Blackman and Scott Sander on pit road.

At-track schedule (all times local):

 

SUNDAY, MAY 29

10:30 a.m. – Cars to the Grid

11:47 a.m. – Driver Introductions

12:18 p.m. – Indy 500 Pre-Race Ceremonies

12:29 p.m. – “Drivers to Your Cars”

12:38 p.m. – Command to Start Engines

12:45 p.m. – 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge (200 laps/500 miles), NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo, INDYCAR Radio Network.

RACE NOTES

  • The Indianapolis 500 will be the 106th 500-mile INDYCAR SERIES race conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s oval. Ray Harroun won the inaugural race in 1911. Helio Castroneves won the race in 2021 to become the fourth four-time winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

  • Eight drivers entered have won the Indianapolis 500. Helio Castroneves has won the race four times (2001, 2002, 2009 and 2021) while Takuma Sato (2017 and 2020) and Juan Pablo Montoya (2000 and 2015) have won twice. Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019) are the other former winners in the field.

  • There have been four different winners in the first five NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season. Scott McLaughlin (Streets of St. Petersburg), Josef Newgarden (Texas Motor Speedway and Streets of Long Beach), Pato O’Ward (Barber Motorsports Park) and Colton Herta (IMS road course) have won races in 2022. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014.

  • Seven Indianapolis 500 rookie drivers qualified for the race: Devlin DeFrancesco, Romain Grosjean, Callum Ilott, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas.

  • Scott Dixon won the pole with the fastest four-lap average for a pole winner in Indy 500 history at 234.046 mph. Twenty-one drivers have won the race from the pole – most recently Simon Pagenaud in 2019.

  • Team Penske has 18 wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the most of any team. Andretti Autosport has five wins while Chip Ganassi Racing has won four times. A.J. Foyt Enterprises and Rahal Letterman Racing have won twice. Meyer Shank Racing has one win.

  • Colton Herta has a chance to join Will Power and Simon Pagenaud as a winner on both the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and the famed 2.5-mile oval in the same season. Power accomplished the feat in 2018, while Pagenaud did it in 2019.

  • Scott Dixon, the longest-tenured driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, is third on the all-time INDYCAR SERIES victory list with 51 wins. Will Power is fifth on the all-time list with 40 wins.

 

 

 

friday may 27th

Kanaan Leads Three Ganassi Cars in Top Four on Miller Lite Carb Day

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 27, 2022) – Chip Ganassi Racing continued its dominance of this Month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as Tony Kanaan was the fastest overall and led three of the team’s drivers in the top four of the speed chart Friday during Miller Lite Carb Day practice for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

2013 Indy 500 winner Kanaan’s top lap in the 90-minute session – which was shortened and started two hours late due to morning rain – was 227.114 mph in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. His teammate Marcus Ericsson was second at 227.004 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

SEE: Practice Results

“We've been happy with the car all week,” Kanaan said. “That is no secret that the cars are good. We did a few pit stops there, run a couple things. But honestly, we didn't change anything.”

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato broke up the Ganassi speed show by clocking in at third at 226.839 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda.

NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon, who set the fastest pole speed in “500” history last Sunday, was fourth at 226.696 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Sage Karam was the fastest Chevrolet driver and fifth overall at 226.517 in the No. 24 AES Indiana DRR Chevrolet.

Ganassi’s strength wasn’t limited to just the top four spots, as all five of the team’s drivers ended up in the top 14. Jimmie Johnson was the fastest “500” rookie and seventh overall at 225.974 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, while reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou ended up 14th at 225.435 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The results further validated the speed the Ganassi team showed during qualifying last Sunday, as all five of the team’s drivers will start in the first four rows of the 200-lap race Sunday.

This was the last action on the 2.5-mile oval before “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday (live coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network). But Andretti Autosport and Dale Coyne Racing with HMD will face a busy Friday evening and Saturday after two crashes during the session.

At 2:05 p.m., Colton Herta’s No. 26 Gainbridge Honda fielded by Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian wiggled in Turn 1 and made right-rear contact with the SAFER Barrier at the exit of the turn. The car overturned and slid through the short chute between Turns 1 and 2, making secondary contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 with the nose of the car.

Herta climbed from the car after the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team carefully turned the car onto its wheels. The car suffered extensive damage.

At 1:44 p.m., Rookie David Malukas did a half-spin and hit the SAFER Barrier in Turn 1 with the left side of his No. 18 HMD Honda after side-by-side contact with the No. 23 Palermo’s Screamin Sicilian DRR Chevrolet driven by Santino Ferrucci entering the turn. Malukas was unhurt, but his car suffered extensive damage.

Ferrucci was held in his pit box for 20 minutes after the incident in a penalty for avoidable contact levied by INDYCAR officials.

All 33 drivers in the starting field participated in the final practice. The field combined to turn 1,590 laps, with rookie Callum Ilott leading the laps completed column with 68 in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet.

***

Team Penske, Newgarden Win Pit Stop Challenge: Team Penske earned its record-extending 18th career victory in the Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge, this time with two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden in the No. 2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet.

The No. 2 Team Penske crew earned $50,000 in awards from a prize pool of $100,000.

This was Newgarden’s first victory and the third for chief mechanic Travis Law, who led the No. 3 crew to wins in 2015 and 2016 with Helio Castroneves. Team Penske’s last victory came in 2017 with the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske crew and driver Will Power.

“Everybody showed up, and we did what we had to do,” Law said. “Hats off to everybody involved, the guys back at the shop to get the equipment ready. Can’t thank them enough.”

Team Penske swept the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda crew and driver Scott Dixon in the best-of-three final round. It was the first sweep by a team since the best-of-three format was adopted in 2017.

The last team and driver to win the annual competition between the best NTT INDYCAR SERIES crews and the Indianapolis 500 in the same year was Team Penske and Castroneves, in 2009. Team Penske also earned its first Indy 500 victory 50 years ago this year, with Mark Donohue in 1972.

“Maybe a little good mojo,” Newgarden said. “Like Travis said, we had a little slower lane there, and they made the difference on that final stop to get it done. I’m always thrilled to show up at the racetrack because I know I have the best of the best behind me.”

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Newgarden Feels Good Vibes after Pit Stop Win

By Curt Cavin

 

 

This might be Josef Newgarden’s month at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The sixth-year Team Penske driver and two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion won his first Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge on Friday, and he hopes to add his first Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge to his resume Sunday.

Newgarden and the crew of the No. 2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet led by chief mechanic Travis Law beat NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) in the finals of the annual 12-team Miller Lite Carb Day competition in front of a boisterous gathering in Tower Terrace.

Newgarden’s crew was effectively perfect in its three passes. Its slowest was 11.569 seconds; its quickest 10.948 seconds, the latter the only sub-11-second run of the event.

The winners ousted Dixon’s team, 2-0, in the best-of-three final round, the first finals sweep since the format was adopted in 2017. They beat the crews of Alex Palou (No. 10 NTT DATA Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing), Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP) and Dixon in succession.

The victory extended Team Penske’s Pit Stop Challenge record to 18 victories, the same number the team has earned in the “500” – also a record. Fifty years ago, Roger Penske’s organization won its first “500” with Mark Donohue driving.

Law led Helio Castroneves’ crew to victory in the event in 2015 and 2016. The No. 2 crew earned $50,000 in awards today from a prize pool of $100,000.

The Pit Stop Challenge was held for the first time in 1977. Dixon’s crew has won three times.

Newgarden said the crowd’s energy in support of the event reminded him of old times at IMS.

“The energy is great to feel again,” he said. “Not only the whole month leading up to it but Carb Day … I can’t even wait until Race Day. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like, and it will feel so good.”

Malukas, Herta Experience Turn 1 Accidents

The crews of Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Herta Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian) and rookie David Malukas (No. 18 HMD Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD) have work to do in preparation for Sunday’s race due to Turn 1 accidents in the Carb Day practice.

The session was limited to 90 minutes due to late-morning rain. Herta had the more damaging of the two accidents, the back of the car snapping and hitting the wall and the incident ending with Herta upside down. He was not injured and later withdrew from the Pit Stop Challenge.

“I feel a bit of sadness for that race car,” Herta told NBC. “We were loose the whole session. I went too fast for the corner and air got underneath it. I’m all fine. It does look like a pretty big shunt.”

Herta credited the aeroscreen for helping to keep him safe.

Malukas was attempting an inside pass on Santino Ferrucci (No. 23 Palermo’s Screamin Sicilian DRR Chevrolet of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing) when they made wheel-to-wheel contact, flattening Malukas’ right rear tire. Ferrucci was penalized for avoidable contact. The penalty was a 20-minute stop and hold during the practice.

Malukas said he had a small bruise on his left foot, but he otherwise escaped injury.

“That was a very big hit, one of the biggest I’ve felt,” he said. “For some reason, (Ferrucci) turned down. My tire went flat; you can’t do much with a flat tire at those speeds.”

Malukas said he made a similar move on Dalton Kellett (No. 4 K-LINE/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) two laps earlier without incident. Ferrucci accepted responsibility.

“I’m glad he’s OK, first of all,” he said. “Big hit. He was coming, I heard from the spotters. It was a late blast; it was past the turn-in point for me. I checked up; I thought I timed it well.

“Clearly (I) didn’t. It’s my mistake. It is what it is.”

Coincidentally, Ferrucci drove for Dale Coyne’s car for two years and was in the No. 18 entry in 2020. Also, former INDYCAR SERIES driver and Indianapolis 500 pole sitter Pancho Carter is Malukas’ spotter; Carter’s son, Dane, is Ferrucci’s. Both Carters work from Turn 1.

McLaren Investing in INDYCAR Team

McLaren Racing will have a larger footprint in Central Indiana with the construction later this year of a new facility for Arrow McLaren SP, which is expanding to three full-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams in 2023. The facility will be located north of IMS, in Whitestown.

The new building will more than double the size of the current facility, with more 97,000 square feet and a “significant number” of high-quality jobs.

Sustainability will be a core focus for the design and construction, with ecological features. Opening is expected in 2023. McLaren’s facility in Woking, England, is a showpiece for Formula One.

Pato O’Ward, who was confirmed Friday to a contract that will keep him with the organization through the 2025 season, saw many benefits to the facility.

“I get my own parking place,” he said, laughing. “It will be a mini-McLaren (headquarters), perfect and beautiful. I’m really proud to be part of this organization.”

Rahal Hopes 33 Is Winning Number

Bobby Rahal was 33 years old when he won the 1986 “500.” His son, Graham, is … 33 years old.

The numerology is not lost on the driver of the No. 15 United Rentals Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

“My dad and I have had a lot of strange similarities in our careers,” said Rahal, who starts his 15th race from the outside of Row 7. “It’s been very weird.

“I have to look at the superstitious nature (of this) and go.”

Rahal felt his first “500” victory should have come last year, when he and his team had worked the fuel strategy perfectly to put him in the lead by Lap 79, and he was leading when he pitted on Lap 119. But that’s when the rear wheel came off, and he crashed in Turn 2.

“I knew, I knew we were in a great spot,” said Rahal, who said the pain of that loss figures to last for years to come. “It’s bad, and I try constantly not to think about it, but ask me in 10 years when (my career) is over. … If I never get an Indy 500 win, that 2021 race is going to sting for a long, long time.

“The only worse day of my life was the day after the Michigan loss.”

Rahal is a lifelong and diehard fan of Ohio State football.

Three Inducted into IMS Hall Of Fame

Danny Sullivan, the driver who executed one of the signature moments in “500” history when he spun and won the 1985 race, was one of three inductees into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame during a downtown ceremony Thursday night.

Sullivan won the INDYCAR SERIES championship in 1988, the season Team Penske swept the front row with pole winner Rick Mears and Al Unser.

Also inducted were 13-time “500” starter Wally Dallenbach, who later served as chief steward of the series, and legendary broadcaster Paul Page. Dallenbach twice qualified on the front row at IMS and finished in the top five three consecutive years (1976-78).

Page called the induction “the greatest award of my life.”

Odds And Ends

  • Callum Ilott (No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet) ran the most laps in the practice session, with 68. Newgarden turned 62, with four others 61.
  • Judy Dominick, Chevrolet’s publicist who has represented many racers, including Tony Stewart, and T.E. McHale, who represented Honda in recent years, received the Robin Miller Award for unheralded, excitement and tireless contributions to the sport. Miller and McHale passed since last year’s “500.”
  • Kevin Diamond, who represented numerous race teams participating in the “500,” was honored with the Russo-Marvel Founders Award for longtime dedication to auto racing.
  • Amy Walsh-Stock, who works with seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and first-time “500” starter Jimmie Johnson, and Steve Shunck, who represents BorgWarner, were co-winners of the annual Jim Chapman Award for excellence in motorsports public relations. Johnson was on hand to support Walsh-Stock.

 

 
thursday may 25th

 

by terry daniels

 

this concludes our 3 part series on the drivers that will participate in sundays indianapolis 500

well we are now AT THE TOP 11 DRIVERS THAT HAVE THE BEST CHANCE to win sunday's indianapolis 500 THERE ARE 6 FOrMER WINNERS WITH A COMBINED 10 VICTORIES THE DEFENDING Indy car CHAMPION,  THE CURRENT POINTS LEADER and THE current GMR GRAND PRIX AT INDIANAPOLIS winner is here also unless something really strange happens on sunday your winner is within these 11 drivers

scott dixon is always a favorite at indianapolis however has not had the best luck there maybe this year will be different  the New Zealander set a record by winning his 5th pole however has only visited victory lane once in his previous  19 indy starts he is way overdue

Pato O'Ward is in his 5th 500 driving for  arrow Mclaren sp  already has a win in the 2022 irl season at the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama ithink the odds makers have him a little high on the board very possible pato will win the 500 someday not this year

Colton Herta has already won at indy this year when he won the GMR GRAND PRIX AT INDIANAPOLIS earlier this month his team andretti motorsports has struggled this month or they been sandbagging colton's future is f-1 maybe a indy 500 win on his resume get, him there

 Felix Rosenqvist was in the race top 3 almost all day in 2021 however an adjustment  made to his race car on the last pit stop was a mistake  and after that began to fall back in the pack eventually finishing 27th one lap down with  arrow Mclaren sp team rumors say he is out at arrow a  win could change that 

Helio Castroneves is a member of the elite 4 time winners club his campaign all moth has been "drive or five" has struggled finding speed this month however cannot overlook him on race day a top 10 finish is almost  a guarantee a 5th win i dont see it in my crystal ball for 2022

Rinus VeeKay is definitely a star on the rise in Indy car born Rinus van Kalmthout the 21 year old drives for ed carpenter racing and the team is always fast at indianapolis he could be a dark horse on sunday if he does win he would be the youngest indy 500 driver ever my gut is telling me to wager on him

Juan Pablo Montoya won as a rookie at indianapolis in 2000 left to race in thr f-1 series after a 6 year career returned to america and ran nascar cup series for 8 year returned to indy and won again driving for tean penske in 2015  has not had the best month however knows how to get to the front on race day

Alexander Rossi in 2016 Rossi  gambled on fuel  at the end and   With two laps to go the leader of the race came to pit lane for a splash and go and surrendered the lead to rossi who went on to win he has not won a irl race since 2019 and he will not win on sundaydon't waist your money

Tony Kanaan  on sunday tony will lead the race at one point known as "tk" he is a fan favorite he drives for chip ganassi racig and they have been a class act at indianaolis this may don't count "tk" out he could win it for a 2nd time and if that happens he will retire in victory lane

will Power is with the right team with penske has previously won the 500 he is the current irl points leader and in my opinion is over do he is a class act that at one time did not like oval racing when you win on ovals it changes your mind about them if team penske has been  holding back he is your man

driver odds

krazyaboutracing.com comments

Scott Dixon+500won his record breaking 5th pole withany  luck he will drink the milk for the second time go to the bank he is overdue
Pato O'Ward+900one of 3 arrow Mclaren sp drivers had a great 2021 race he could be the victor in 2022 arrow Mclaren finish races
Colton Herta+15002nd generation could have qualified better however will make it to the front very quickly could win if he does not break
Felix Rosenqvist+2000was in the hunt last year to win arrow Mclaren sp has showed they have the speed to win and could very easily
Helio Castroneves+28004 time winner and a legitimate threat for his fifth win look for him at lap 190 he will be there challenging for the lead
Rinus VeeKay+1100been fast all month and is future of the irl at only 21 he could be the youngest driver at indianapolis maybe next year
Alex Palou+6002021 Indy car champion driving for chip ganassi starting 2nd has the potential and the car should be a threat could win
Juan Pablo Montoya+80002 time winner only driving indy for  arrow Mclaren sp he will be a top 10 finisher bet him across the board and pray
Alexander Rossi+2800winner in 2016 by saving fuel driver for andretti motorsports which has not had a good month maybe better race day
Tony Kanaan+20002013 winner, ganassi racing driver and fan favorite always competitive he will lead the race maybe on lap 200
Will Power+14002018 indy winner and 2014 irl champion  has been with team penske since 2009 team penske is always a threat on race day

tHERE IS NO TRACK ACTIVITY TILL FRIDAY WHICH IS THE ANNUALL Miller Lite Carb Day THIS INCLUDES 2 HOURS ndianapolis 500 Practice BRTWEEN 11AM AND 1PM THE Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge WHICH BEGINS AT 230PM AND IT WRAPS UP WITH THE Miller Lite Carb Day Concert Rock’s ultimate supergroup Kings of Chaos and legendary Grammy Award winner Rick Springfield will co-headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, performing some of the biggest hits for generations.Legendary funk and R&B band Morris Day and the Time will open the concert, followed by Springfield and Kings of Chaos. The show starts at 4 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 3 of the IMS oval, a new location this year.

 

wednesday may 25th

BY TERRY DANIELS

THIS  is part 2 of A 3 PART SERIES

there is a former 2 time winner a driver that was a turn away from winning, a driver that knows how to get around the track  fast, a nascar superstar and a driver from a family that has much luck at indianapolis as the chicago cubs winning the world series

anyone in this group could very well steal the 500  sunday one thing i would do is not count anyone of these drivers out it took 100 years for the cubs to win a world series maybe it is the year foor a andretti to win again

your writer gut feeling is Takuma Sato will win on sunday or put his car in the fence trying, to ed carpenter will make a mistake and take full responsibility for it, jimmy johnson will finish in the top, 5 conor daly could be a major challenge and graham rahal deserves too win it

Simon Pagenaud and Marcus Ericsson are in the best equipment money can buy, JR Hildebrand is with a team that honestly is a step behind all the other teams and i wish he was with a better team  and former f-1 driver Romain Grosjean has the experience however not on ovals

driver odds krazyaboutracing.com comments
Takuma Sato+1800japanenize  driver 2017 and 2020 winner been fast all month if he is there at the end could very easily be a three time winner
Ed Carpenter+18003 time pole winner and always fast at indy will finish in top 5 if luck goes his way could win it all bet lightly on him
Jimmie Johnson+1600a class act and 7 time nascar cup champion however rookie at indy driving for chip ganassi will be a top 5 finisher
Marcus Ericsson+1800swedish driver with ganassi racing has the equipment however may lack the experience for a win maybe next year
Josef Newgarden+1200team penske driver who will be ready for race day might be a long shot to win don't count out team penske
JR Hildebrand+10000was one turn away from winning the 2011 indianapolis 500 when he hit the wall drives for aj foyt enterprises maybe top 10
Romain Grosjean+3000former f-1 driver however  a rookie at indianapolis was fastest in  andretti autosport 5 car stable
Conor Daly+50002nd generation driver who lead 40 laps last year's race starting 18th he will once again challenge for the win
Simon Pagenaud+2500french driver won the 500 in 2019 however is with a new team for 2022 rolling off 19th should be top  10 finisher
Graham Rahal+30002nd generation DRIVER had the car to win 2021 race lost a rear wheel exiting the pits HOPE THEY USE LAST YEAR'S RACE SETUP
Marco Andretti+5000the last name explains it all grandfather(MARIO)  father (Michael) and marco have never had any luck at indianapolis

tHERE IS NO TRACK ACTIVITY TILL FRIDAY WHICH IS THE ANNUALL Miller Lite Carb Day THIS INCLUDES 2 HOURS ndianapolis 500 Practice BRTWEEN 11AM AND 1PM THE Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge WHICH BEGINS AT 230PM AND IT WRAPS UP WITH THE Miller Lite Carb Day Concert Rock’s ultimate supergroup Kings of Chaos and legendary Grammy Award winner Rick Springfield will co-headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, performing some of the biggest hits for generations.Legendary funk and R&B band Morris Day and the Time will open the concert, followed by Springfield and Kings of Chaos. The show starts at 4 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 3 of the IMS oval, a new location this year.

 

TUESDAY MAY 24TH

BY TERRY DANIELS

THIS  BEGINS A 3 PART SERIES ON OUR PICKS AND PREDICTIONS FOR THE 2022 INDIANAPOLIS 500 OUR PICKS MAY NOt EXACTLY MATCH WHAT THE BETTING ODDS ARE HOWEVER WE FEEL WE RESEARCH AND FOLLOW THE SERIES CLOSER THAN ANY ODDS MAKER  WE DO NOT PROMOTE GAMBLING IN ANYWAY A TOP 10 FINISH AT ONE TIME WAS A GREAT FEAT WHEN THERE WOULD ONLY BE 12 CARS RUNNING AT THE END HOWEVER IN RECENT YEARS AS MANY AS 30 OF THE 33 THAT START WAS STILL AROUND AT THE END

STARTING AT THE BACK OF THE FIELD AT ONE TIME WAS NOT A GOOD STARTING SPOT HOWEVER TODAY THESE CARS ARE SO EQUAL IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE THE COMMENTS MADE ARE NOTHING PERSONAL AGAINST ANY DRIVER OR TEAM IT IS JUST HOW i FEEL ABOUT THEIR CHANCE TO WIN THE RACE THERE ARE SEVERAL RESPECTABLE ROAD COURSE RACERS WITH A LOT OF EXPERIENCE HOWEVER WE ALL KNOW INDIANAPOLIS 500 IS A OVAL TRACK RACE AND TO SOME DRIVERS THAT can be  A DIFFERENCE LIKE DAY AND NIGHT

BELOW YOU WILL FIND OUR 22 TO 33 PICKS THESE DRIVERS HAVE HIGH ODDS ON WINNING SOME MAY SNEAK INTO THE TOP 15 IF HOWEVER DOUBTFUL MOST ARE ROOKIES OR DRIVERS WITH inadequate RACE CARS  THERE MAY BE A FUTURE WINNER IN THIS GROUP  WHO KNOWS THESE DRIVERS HAVE EARNED THEIR WAY INTO THE 500 AND THEY ARE ALL DUE RESPECT

driver

odds

krazyaboutracing.com comments
Scott McLaughlin+1600a team penske driver who recently won Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg still adjusting o oval track racing
Sage Karam+10000american driver seems like he only runs at indianapolis with a average team don't look for more than average finish
David Malukas+5000chicago illinos born driver with dale coyne racing has shown speed this month bet on him as a longshot
Callum Ilott+10000f-1 Alfa Romeo orlen Racing  reserve driver not much experience on the oval track circut don't waist your money on him
Devlin DeFrancesco+10000canadian  rookie driver with andretti motorsports could be a top 10 finisher no better than that
Kyle Kirkwood+10000american driver went thru "road to indy" program is the future of  aj foyt enterprises he will break no chance
Dalton Kellett+10000canadian  born driver with a.j foyt enterprise would be more successful if he was with a better team
Santino Ferrucci+6000former Developmental driver in F1 drove in 6 NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021 maybe a dark horse for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
Christian Lundgaard+10000 rookie driver with rahal letterman from demark another road course driver tryinng the oval tracks major difference
Jack Harvey+10000english driver with rahal letterman  in 6 previous indy starts never finished better than 9th no  chance for a top 10 finish
Stefan Wilson+50000blew engine qualyfing due to crew member's major mistake was slowest everday in practice is a field car no chance to win

 

THERE IS NO TRACK ACTIVITY TILL FRIDAY WHICH IS THE ANNUALL Miller Lite Carb Day THIS INCLUDES 2 HOURS ndianapolis 500 Practice BRTWEEN 11AM AND 1PM THE Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge WHICH BEGINS AT 230PM AND IT WRAPS UP WITH THE Miller Lite Carb Day Concert Rock’s ultimate supergroup Kings of Chaos and legendary Grammy Award winner Rick Springfield will co-headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, performing some of the biggest hits for generations.Legendary funk and R&B band Morris Day and the Time will open the concert, followed by Springfield and Kings of Chaos. The show starts at 4 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 3 of the IMS oval, a new location this year.

 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles said earlier this month that the track doesn't expect to sell out its roughly 240,000 reserve grandstand seats for the 2022 Indianapolis 500 meaning it's all but certain there will be another local blackout of the race's live broadcast

Indy 500 Pit Crews Take Center Stage in Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 25, 2022) – Thirteen of INDYCAR’s top pit crews will compete for more than $100,000 in prizes as the Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge returns to Miller Lite Carb Day on Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The traditional Carb Day competition will be held for the first time since 2019, when the crew of Arrow McLaren SP’s Marcus Ericsson was victorious. Ruoff Mortgage, which serves as the primary partner of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ Fastest Seat in Sports, will extend its INDYCAR SERIES involvement by serving as the event’s sponsor.

“What better way to welcome back fans to Miller Lite Carb Day than to bring back the Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing is a team sport, and this contest showcases how important pit stops are to helping their team win the Indy 500 on Sunday.”

Participating pit crews – representing seven different teams – qualified for this year’s Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge via pit stop performance in NTT INDYCAR SERIES races since the 2021 Indy 500, their ranking in the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES entrant standings or as a one-off Indianapolis 500 entrant.

Crews will compete head-to-head in single-round eliminations for the first three rounds of the competition in which they are required to change four tires and simulate refueling.

The top three ranked squads – top-seeded No. 2 Team Penske, second seed No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing and third seed No. 15 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing – earned byes to the quarterfinals.

In the championship round, the last two teams will meet in a best-of-three series, with teams alternating lanes in the first two races.

The winning crew and driver will share a $50,000 bonus, custom-designed rings from Jostens and a variety of other prizes.

First Round (Team listed first has lane choice)

#12 Team Penske (Will Power) vs. #10 Chip Ganassi Racing (Alex Palou)

#5 Arrow McLaren SP (Pato O’Ward) vs. #23 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Santino Ferrucci)

#26 Andretti Autosport with Curb-Agajanian (Colton Herta) vs. #45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Jack Harvey)

#24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Sage Karam) vs. #7 Arrow McLaren SP (Felix Rosenqvist)

#20 Ed Carpenter Racing (Conor Daly) vs. #28 Andretti Autosport (Romain Grosjean)

Quarterfinals (Team listed first has lane choice unless noted)

Q1: #2 Team Penske (Josef Newgarden) vs. Power/Palou winner

Q2: O’Ward/Ferrucci winner vs. Herta/Harvey winner (Fastest first-round time has lane choice)

Q3: #9 Chip Ganassi Racing (Scott Dixon) vs. Karam/Rosenqvist winner

Q4: #15 Rahal Letterman Racing (Graham Rahal) vs. Daly/Grosjean winner

Semifinals (Fastest quarterfinal time has lane choice)

S1: Q1 winner vs. Q2 winner

S2: Q3 winner vs. Q4 winners

Finals (Best-of-Three Series)

S1 winner vs. S2 winner

Team Penske leads the Challenge with a combined 17 wins. Helio Castroneves is the winningest driver in the competition with eight titles.

Coverage of the Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge begins at 2:30 p.m. (ET) and will be available on Peacock Premium.

 

 

 

MONDAY MAY 23RD

2022 Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge Field Notes

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

scott Dixon earned his fifth career Indianapolis 500 pole, the second-most in history. Rick Mears holds the record with six poles. Dixon’s previous poles came in 2008, 2015, 2017 and 2021. He won the race from the pole in 2008.

  • Scott Dixon produced the fastest four-lap average speed in history for an Indianapolis 500 pole winner, 234.046 mph. The previous record was 233.718 set in 1996 by Scott Brayton. Arie Luyendyk set the all-time four-lap qualifying average speed record of 236.986 in 1996, but his run came on the second day of qualifications and wasn’t eligible for the pole.
  • Chip Ganassi Racing earned its first 1-2 start at Indianapolis since 2008 – when Dixon earned his sole victory in the race from pole and Dan Wheldon started second – as reigning series champion Alex Palou qualified second at 233.499 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon and Palou led four Ganassi drivers in the Firestone Fast Six final qualifying session.
  • This is the seventh Indianapolis 500 pole for Chip Ganassi Racing, the second-most of all time. Scott Dixon has won poles for the team in 2008, 2015, 2017, 2021 and 2022. Arie Luyendyk won CGR’s first pole, in 1993, and Bruno Junqueira won the pole for the team in 2002.
  • The last time the No. 9 car won the pole was in 2021, with Scott Dixon at the wheel. This is the sixth pole for car No. 9.
  • This is the fastest starting field in Indianapolis 500 history, with an average speed of 231.023 mph. The previous fastest starting field came in 2021, with an average speed of 230.294.
  • Rinus VeeKay has qualified fourth or better in his three Indianapolis 500 starts. He qualified fourth as a rookie in 2020 and third in 2021 and this year.
  • There are eight former Indianapolis 500 winners in the starting field: Juan Pablo Montoya (2000, 2015), Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Alexander Rossi (2016), Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019). Between them, they have 13 victories. The record for most former winners in the field is 10, in 1992. The fewest, other than the inaugural race in 1911, is zero in 1912.
  • There are seven rookies in the field, the most since 2014, when there were also seven first-time starters. This year’s rookies are Devlin DeFrancesco, Romain Grosjean, Callum Ilott, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas.
  • Every driver in the field other than the seven rookies started in last year’s race.
  • Helio Castroneves is the most experienced driver in the field, with 21 previous Indianapolis 500 starts. The record is 35, set in consecutive years from 1958-1992 by A.J. Foyt.
  • Scott Dixon has led 570 career laps in the Indianapolis 500, more than any other driver in this year’s field. Other drivers in the field who have led more than 200 laps are Tony Kanaan (346) and Helio Castroneves (325).
  • The oldest driver in the starting field is Tony Kanaan, 47 years, 149 days on Race Day. The youngest drivers is David Malukas, 20 years, 244 days on Race Day. A.J. Foyt is the oldest driver to start the Indianapolis 500. He was 57 years, 128 days old when he made his last start in 1992. A.J. Foyt IV is the youngest driver to start the Indianapolis 500. His 19th birthday was on Race Day, 2003.
  • Twenty-two different drivers in this year’s field have led a total of 2,452 laps in previous Indianapolis 500-Mile Races.
  • There is a combined 222 previous Indianapolis 500 starts among the 33 drivers in this year’s field. The record is 260 years of experience, set in 1987 and 1992. There were 237 years of combined experience in last year’s field.
  • The most-experienced row in this year’s starting lineup is Row 2, with a combined 41 career starts (Ed Carpenter 18, Marcus Ericsson 3, Tony Kanaan 20). The least-experienced row is Row 3, with five combined career starts (Pato O’Ward 2, Felix Rosenqvist 3, Romain Grosjean 0).
  • There are eight former Indianapolis 500 Rookies of the Year in this year’s field. The record is nine, in 2021.
  • Twenty of the 33 starters in this year’s field are veterans of Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires. The veterans are Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Helio Castroneves, Conor Daly, Devlin DeFrancesco, Scott Dixon, Jack Harvey, Colton Herta, JR Hildebrand, Tony Kanaan, Sage Karam, Dalton Kellett, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Pato O’Ward, Graham Rahal, Felix Rosenqvist, Rinus VeeKay and Stefan Wilson.
  • Drivers from just two teams – Chip Ganassi Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing – occupy all the starting spots in the first two rows. There are four Ganassi drivers and two ECR drivers in the first two rows. The last time this occurred was 2012, when Team Penske and Andretti Autosport each put three drivers in the first two rows.
 

 

MONDAY MAY 23RD

Palou Sets Practice Pace as Ganassi Power Parade Continues

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 23, 2022) – Alex Palou finished a close second in the 2021 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and qualified second Sunday for this year's race, but he jumped to the top spot in practice Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, continuing a magical Month of May for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou led with a top lap of 229.441 mph in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. He was the pacesetter of four Ganassi team cars in the top five.

SEE: Practice Results

Six-time series champion Scott Dixon, who earned the NTT P1 Award for his fifth Indy 500 pole Sunday, was second at 229.000 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and "500" rookie Jimmie Johnson was third at 228.467 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato was the only non-Ganassi driver inside the top five, fourth at 228.381 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda fielded by Dale Coyne Racing with RWR. Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 228.017 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as Honda-powered drivers swept the top five spots on the 2.5-mile oval.

Chip Ganassi Racing drivers occupied four of the top six spots in qualifying, with all five of its drivers in the top 12 of the starting grid for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge this Sunday (11 a.m. ET, NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo, INDYCAR Radio Network).

Two-time series champion Josef Newgarden was the fastest Chevrolet-powered driver, sixth at 226.962 in the No. 2 Shell Team Penske Chevrolet.

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Lundgaard Blazing ‘500’ Trails for Denmark

By Curt Cavin

 

  • Try finding a Danish driver in the annals of starters in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Christian Lundgaard tried. Dug into the internet. The search was futile.

    That makes the 20-year-old driver of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 30 PeopleReady Honda unique, at least for now.

    The irony is, it has taken 106 years of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Denmark to have a driver in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” and next year there could be three.

    Benjamin Pedersen and Christian Rasmussen are on the fast track to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES. They stand fourth and sixth in the standings, respectively, early in this Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires season, and each has a path that could find them starting in the “500” alongside Lundgaard as early as 2023.

    Pedersen, 22, is expected to test an AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet next month on the IMS road course. This is his second season of being a top-five talent in Indy Lights, which means he wants the NTT INDYCAR SERIES to be next on his resume.

    Rasmussen, 21, is one of Andretti Autosport’s Indy Lights drivers, and his resume is strong. His past two seasons have resulted in series championships – USF2000 in 2020, Indy Pro 2000 in 2021.

    Rasmussen and Pedersen are from Copenhagen, Denmark’s largest city and capital. Lundgaard is from Hedensted, a town of about 50,000 people three hours to the west.

    Lundgaard and Rasmussen raced against each other in karts in their pre-teen years, but then they went their separate ways -- until Lundgaard moved to Indianapolis’ Northside to join RLLR.

    “And now (we live) on the same floor in the same building,” Lundgaard said.

    Lundgaard said he is proud to be the first Dane to compete in the “500,” although there likely isn’t award for that.

    “Maybe I’ll get a record on Wikipedia,” he said, laughing.

    Lundgaard, who starts 31st in Sunday’s “500” and had the 12th-fastest lap in Monday’s practice at 225.616 mph, is part of what could be the most global of Memorial Day weekend races ever at IMS. Fifteen nations are represented in this 33-car driver field: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, England, France, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands and the United States.

    Continuing that storyline, the Firestone Fast Six was comprised of drivers from six different countries: New Zealand, Spain, Netherlands, United States, Sweden and Brazil.

    Clean Qualifying Sweep for Ganassi, Carpenter Teams

    Chip Ganassi Racing and Ed Carpenter Racing did something in PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying that’s only been done once by two teams since 1958: They locked all other teams out of the first two rows for the “500.”

    CGR snared four positions (drivers Scott Dixon, Alex Palou, Marcus Ericsson and Tony Kanaan), ECR two (Rinus VeeKay and Ed Carpenter).

    The last time a such a feat was achieved was 2012 when the top six qualifiers belonged to Team Penske and Andretti Autosport. Ryan Briscoe won the pole for Roger Penske’s organization with Michael Andretti’s James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti taking the next three positions.

    Will Power and Helio Castroneves were fifth and sixth, respectively, for Team Penske.

    Odds And Ends

    • The traditional full-field photograph with the Borg-Warner Trophy was taken at the Yard of Bricks was taken just ahead of Monday’s practice. The eight former “500” winners were gathered around the trophy, with Kanaan seated on one side and Takuma Sato the other.
    • The two-hour practice featured the first opportunity for drivers to pit off Turn 4, which they will do during the race but haven’t been allowed to earlier this month. There were no incidents with that part of practice.
    • Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) needs to lead only 75 laps to pass Al Unser as the all-time lap leader in “500” history. Unser has held the record of 644 since 1988, taking it from Ralph DePalma, who had held it since 1912 with 612 laps led.
    • Due to participating in the Firestone Fast Six and the car committed to the annual front-row photo shoot Monday at 7 a.m., Dixon’s race engine wasn’t installed in time for the start of practice. He ran 32 laps in the second hour, the second-lowest overall total of the day. Teammates Alex Palou (No. 10 NTT DATA Honda) and Tony Kanaan (No. 1 The American Legion Honda) ran the fewest with 31.
    • Takuma Sato (No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR) completed the most laps in the practice, with 106. His best lap of 228.381 mph ranked fourth on the speed chart.
    • While many teams have an Indy-only oval car, NBC noted that Marcus Ericsson (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) is one of those using the same car all season.
    • Quote of the Day, from Marco Andretti (No. 98 KUHL Technology Curb of Andretti Herta Autosport w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian): “I don’t care what my last name is – I want to win this race.”
    • Andretti noted that Sunday’s start will give him 17 for his “500” career, one more than his father, Michael. Family patriarch Mario Andretti made 29.
    • Andretti said Sato sent him “a paragraph” apology for interfering with his qualifying run Saturday. Sato had that four-lap run invalidated, but he requalified in the 10th position.
    • Bobby Labonte, the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series champion, was at IMS on Monday and watched practice from pit road.
    • The next opportunity for cars to practice at IMS comes Friday on Miller Lite Carb Day. The two-hour session begins at 11 a.m. (ET) with live coverage of Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

    .

 

 

sunday MAy 22nd

Dixon Shatters Indy Pole Speed Mark, Earns Fifth Career ‘500’ Top Spot

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 22, 2022) – Scott Dixon further cemented his legend as one of the greatest-ever INDYCAR SERIES drivers, earning his fifth career Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge pole Sunday with the fastest four-lap average speed for a pole sitter in the century-plus history of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

As the last driver on track in the Firestone Fast Six, six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Dixon delivered the drama with a four-lap average speed of 234.046 mph in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon, from Auckland, New Zealand, earned a $100,000 for the NTT P1 Award and is just one shy of four-time Indy winner Rick Mears for the most poles in “500” history.

“That’s what this place is about; it’s so amazing,” Dixon said. “It’s crazy. This PNC Bank No. 9 crew and Honda, they brought it today. Just so happy for everybody.”

SEE: Starting Lineup

Dixon’s run broke the all-time pole record speed of 233.718 set in 1996 by Scott Brayton. Arie Luyendyk set the all-time four-lap qualifying average speed record of 236.986 in 1996, but his run came on the second day of qualifications and wasn’t eligible for the pole.

Chip Ganassi Racing earned its first 1-2 start at Indianapolis since 2008 – when Dixon earned his sole victory in the race from pole and Dan Wheldon started second – as reigning series champion Alex Palou qualified second at 233.499 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Dixon and Palou led four Ganassi drivers in the Firestone Fast Six final qualifying session.

“To get five of our cars into the fast 12 and four into the (Firestone Fast) Six, I hope Chip has a smile on his face.," Dixon said. "That definitely deserves a smile.”

Rinus VeeKay took the last spot in the front row for the second consecutive year, qualifying third at 233.385 in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet fielded by Ed Carpenter Racing.

This is the fastest front row in Indy 500 history, with an average speed of 233.643, breaking the record of 233.233 set in 1996.

ECR owner-driver Ed Carpenter will start fourth in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet after his run of 233.080.

Chip Ganassi Racing put four of its five drivers in the first two rows. Marcus Ericsson will start fifth after a run of 232.764 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan qualifying sixth at 232.372 in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

The third and fourth rows were set during Top 12 qualifying, the first time-trial session of the afternoon.

Row three will consist of Pato O’Ward (seventh) in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, Felix Rosenqvist (eighth) in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and Romain Grosjean (ninth) in the No. 28 DHL Honda. Formula One veteran Grosjean will be the highest-starting and fastest “500” rookie in the field.

The fourth row features two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato (10th) in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda, 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power (11th) in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and “500” rookie Jimmie Johnson (12th) in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Dixon opened the two rounds of qualifying today by leading the Top 12 qualifying session, for the 12 quickest drivers during qualifying Saturday, with a four-lap average speed of 233.510. VeeKay was second at 233.429.

Johnson produced the biggest show for the fans – and elicited the most gasps from pit lane – during Lap 1 of his four-lap run. His car veered toward the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2, and he narrowly avoided contact with a major power slide at 230 mph, keeping control of his machine and finishing his run.

“Just trying to find that right balance in the race car,” Johnson said. “These guys are so good at what they do. In these trickier conditions, I just need more experience.”

Up next is a two-hour practice session for all 33 starters from 1-3 p.m. (ET) Monday, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. Then it’s on to the final practice before the race, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, May 27 on Miller Lite Carb Day.

The 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 29, with live coverage starting at 11 a.m. on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, May 22, 2022) - Results of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Sunday for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with rank, car number in parentheses, driver, engine, time and speed in parentheses:
1. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 02:33.8162 (234.046 mph)
2. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 02:34.1761 (233.499)
3. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 02:34.2516 (233.385)
4. (33) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 02:34.4532 (233.080)
5. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 02:34.6630 (232.764)
6. (1) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 02:34.9243 (232.372)
7. (5) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 02:34.7022 (232.705)
8. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 02:35.0506 (232.182)
9. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 02:35.1729 (231.999)
10. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 02:35.3935 (231.670)
11. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 02:35.4846 (231.534)
12. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 02:35.6664 (231.264)
13. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 02:35.4356 (231.607)
14. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 02:35.4541 (231.580)
15. (23) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 02:35.5019 (231.508)
16. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 02:35.6590 (231.275)
17. (11) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 02:35.7684 (231.112)
18. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 02:35.8451 (230.999)
19. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 02:35.8707 (230.961)
20. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 02:35.9713 (230.812)
21. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 02:36.0022 (230.766)
22. (24) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 02:36.2064 (230.464)
23. (98) Marco Andretti, Honda, 02:36.2875 (230.345)
24. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 02:36.3002 (230.326)
25. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 02:36.3620 (230.235)
26. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 02:36.4167 (230.154)
27. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 02:36.7741 (229.630)
28. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 02:36.9269 (229.406)
29. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 02:37.2628 (228.916)
30. (6) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 02:37.4655 (228.622)
31. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 02:38.5531 (227.053)
32. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 02:38.6944 (226.851)
33. (25) Stefan Wilson, Chevrolet, no time (no speed)

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Palou Satisfied with Second This Time at Indy

By Curt Cavin

 

Alex Palou had to again settle for second place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But the reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion said there was a big difference between last year’s runner-up finish to Helio Castroneves in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and what happened Sunday in PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying.

Aside from the obvious, Palou didn’t think he was going to win a qualifying battle with Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon, and he didn’t.

“There was not a lot of nerves (because) I kind of knew he was going to get it,” Palou said.

Palou said his No. 10 NTT DATA Honda was stronger in the Top 12 round than it was in the Firestone Fast Six, although he ran a tad quicker in the latter. His first four-lap average was 233.347 mph; his second such run was 233.499 mph. Relatively speaking, both were significantly off Dixon’s time, the latter by 0.547 mph.

Dixon won the pole – the fifth Indy top spot of his career – at 234.046 mph, the second-fastest qualifying effort in “500” history. Arie Luyendyk holds the record at 236.986 mph set in 1996, but that wasn’t on Pole Day, so he didn’t earn the top spot. Dixon’s run was the fastest by a pole winner in Indy 500 history.

“I was super comfortable,” Palou said. “I think I got everything I had (out of the car).

“I kind of wish that Scott, knowing that he has four poles here, he could give me one of them. But he doesn’t share much. We’ll have to change that (in the future).”

This will be Palou’s third “500” start in the top seven in as many races. He has qualified seventh, sixth and now second in succession.

Different Year, Similar Results

It shouldn’t have been a surprise which drivers excelled Sunday. All drivers in the Firestone Fast Six – Dixon, Palou, Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter, Marcus Ericsson and Tony Kanaan – were Fast Nine qualifiers last year. Dixon (first), VeeKay (third) and Carpenter (fourth) will start in the same positions for the second year in a row.

Will Power was the big year-over-year gainer. In 2021, he qualified on the last row – in 31st -- after brushing the wall on his four-lap run. Sunday, he earned the 11th starting position for next weekend’s “500.” Power won the race in 2018.

Diversity Throughout Top 12

The age spread throughout the NTT INDYCAR SERIES field was on full display Sunday.

Six members of the top 12 are in their 40s: Kanaan is 47, Jimmie Johnson 46, Takuma Sato 45, and Dixon, Carpenter and Will Power 41.

Meanwhile, there were three drivers in their 30s (Ericsson, Romain Grosjean and Felix Rosenqvist) and three in their 20s (Palou, VeeKay and Pato O’Ward). VeeKay, 21, was bidding to break Rex Mays’ 87-year-old record as the youngest “500” pole winner. Mays won the first of his four poles in 1935. Last year, VeeKay set the record for the youngest front-row starter.

Six Drivers, Six Countries

Nationalities were also nicely represented, with all six members of the Firestone Fast Six from a different country. That’s New Zealand (Dixon), Spain (Palou), Netherlands (VeeKay), United States (Carpenter), Sweden (Ericsson) and Brazil (Kanaan).

VeeKay is racing with the colors of the Dutch flag on his front wing end plates.

Odds And Ends

  • Dixon will start on the front row for the seventh time in 20 tries. In addition to five poles, he started second in 2011 and 2020. His past three years: second, first and first.

  • For all of Dixon’s qualifying exploits, Rick Mears remains Indy’s all-timer. He had 11 front-row starts, including six in a row, plus six poles. All of those are records.

  • Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) will start his first “500” from the 12th position. He started in that position in two of his 18 Brickyard 400s, finished 15th in 2015 and third in 2016.

  • Johnson’s big wiggle in Turn 1 of his qualifying run led three-time “500” winner Dario Franchitti to say, “That was worth the price of admission.”

  • That Chip Ganassi’s team finished first and second in qualifying shouldn’t have been a surprise as Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Honda), Ericsson (No. 8 Huski Chocolate Honda) and Johnson had the three fastest four-lap runs in the pre-qualifying practice. Dixon’s average was 233.740 mph; he ran 234.046 mph to win the NTT P1 Award, which comes with 12 bonus points and a $100,000 bonus.

  • Ericsson said a gust of wind in Turn 1 on his Firestone Fast Six run caused him to lift slightly, and that might have been the difference in what would have been Chip Ganassi Racing’s first front-row sweep. He will start fifth.

  • Carpenter said his final lap of the Firestone Fast Six round in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet “wasn’t good enough” to earn his sixth career front-row start.

  • Although NTT INDYCAR SERIES points aren’t officially added until the conclusion of the event, Palou’s second-place qualifying effort allowed him to gain nine points on Power, the series leader. They are separated by just five points. Dixon moved ahead of Josef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet) for fourth position.

  • Two legendary cars were driven around the track Sunday ahead of qualifications. Mario Andretti drove Fred Agabashian’s 1952 pole-winning Cummins Diesel Special, and James Hinchcliffe piloted Parnelli Jones’ 1963 pole and “500” winner, known as Calhoun. Agabashian was a surprising pole winner with the heavy diesel that featured racing’s first turbocharger, but the car didn’t lead a lap in the race and retired after only 71 laps.

  • On-track action resumes Monday with a full-field practice from 1-3 p.m. (ET). Then there is a break until Miller Lite Carb Day on Friday.

  • The Carb Day schedule features the NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (ET) followed by the Ruoff Mortgage Pit Stop Challenge at 2:30 p.m. and the concert featuring legendary funk and R&B band Morris Day and the Time, and rockers Rick Springfield and Kings of Chaos beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 3 of the oval, a new location this year. Concert area gates open at 3 p.m.

saturday MAy 21st

VeeKay Fastest at 233.655 mph; Chevy, Ganassi Flex on Day 1 of Indy Qualifying

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 21, 2022) – It was a very good time either to be powered by a Chevrolet engine or drive for Chip Ganassi Racing on the first day of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Chevrolets propelled the three fastest qualifiers, led by Rinus VeeKay’s four-lap average speed of 233.655 mph in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet, while all five of Ganassi’s Honda-powered drivers ended up in the top 12 and will advance to the final two rounds of qualifying Sunday, including the Firestone Fast Six that determines the winner of the NTT P1 Award for pole.

“It’s a good start,” VeeKay said. “It shows we have a good car and confidence for tomorrow. We can definitely challenge for pole. I think Ganassi is definitely our biggest rival out there for challenging for pole.”

SEE: Saturday Qualifying Results | Qualifying Format

Positions 13 through 33 in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” were set during today’s qualifying, which was interrupted twice by rain and lightning for a total of two hours, 14 minutes and cut short by 60 minutes.

The second round of qualifying, for the 12 fastest drivers today, starts at 4 p.m. (ET) Sunday. The six fastest drivers from that round will advance to the Firestone Fast Six, which starts at 5:10 p.m., and turn another four-lap qualifying run for the NTT P1 Award and its $100,000 prize.

Live coverage of the last two rounds of qualifying starts at 4 p.m. (ET) on NBC, with the INDYCAR Radio Network also providing coverage.

Just under VeeKay on the Scoring Pylon were Arrow McLaren SP teammates Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist. O’Ward was second at 233.037 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, followed by Rosenqvist at 232.775 in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou led a trio of Honda-powered Ganassi drivers in the next three spots. Palou ended up fourth at 232.774 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with 2013 “500” winner Tony Kanaan fifth at 232.625 in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and Indy 500 rookie Jimmie Johnson was sixth at 232.398 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

“It’s pretty awesome, and I’m just so thankful to be part of the group,” Johnson said about the Ganassi team performance. “Watching them prepare literally since they left here last year and continually thinking of this race, and it being a motto to win here before the championship. To be a part of it, to live it, to now be here experiencing it is really cool.”

Three-time Indy 500 pole sitter Ed Carpenter was seventh with a four-lap average at 232.397 in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet after topping the morning practice with a single lap of 234.410, the fastest trip around the 2.5-mile IMS oval since 1996. Marcus Ericsson of Chip Ganassi Racing was eighth at 232.275 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with “500” rookie Romain Grosjean leading Andretti Autosport in ninth at 232.201 in the No. 28 DHL Honda.

A trio of Indianapolis 500 winners rounded out the drivers to advance to the Round of 12 qualifying.

Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2008 “500” winner Scott Dixon was 10th at 232.151 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, followed by 2018 “500” winner and current NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader Will Power in 11th at 231.842 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.

Two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato ended up 12th at 231.708 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda. Sato was forced to make a second attempt after his first run of 232.196 was disallowed after INDYCAR officials penalized Sato for qualifying interference and failure to follow instructions, affecting another competitor. While slowing on his cooldown lap after his first attempt, Sato was judged to have impeded the qualifying attempt of the next driver, Marco Andretti.

Rookie David Malukas just missed the cut to advance to Sunday, ending up 13th and just behind Dale Coyne Racing teammate Sato at 231.607 in the No. 18 HMD Honda.

While Chevy powered the first three drivers on the speed chart after qualifying, Honda struck back with a 7-5 edge among the top 12.

There was a common thread between VeeKay, O’Ward and Rosenqvist besides Bowtie engines. All three drew low numbers in the qualifying order Friday night and made their attempts in the first 15 minutes of qualifying, when the track temperature was just 85 degrees.

The air and track temperature continued to climb until the first rain arrived, dropping grip and speeds. By 12:30 p.m., 90 minutes into qualifying, the oval’s asphalt was 107 degrees.

A practice for the 12 remaining qualifiers will take place from 12:30-2 p.m. Sunday, with live coverage on Peacock Premium.

INDIANAPOLIS - Results of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Saturday for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with rank, car number in parentheses, driver, engine, time and speed in parentheses:

1. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 02:34.0730 (233.655 mph)
2. (5) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 02:34.4820 (233.037)
3. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 02:34.6558 (232.775)
4. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 02:34.6565 (232.774)
5. (1) Tony Kanaan, Honda, 02:34.7555 (232.625)
6. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 02:34.9070 (232.398)
7. (33) Ed Carpenter, Chevrolet, 02:34.9076 (232.397)
8. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 02:34.9890 (232.275)
9. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 02:35.0378 (232.201)
10. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 02:35.0716 (232.151)
11. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 02:35.2784 (231.842)
12. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 02:35.3679 (231.708)
13. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 02:35.4356 (231.607)
14. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 02:35.4541 (231.580)
15. (23) Santino Ferrucci, Chevrolet, 02:35.5019 (231.508)
16. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 02:35.6590 (231.275)
17. (11) JR Hildebrand, Chevrolet, 02:35.7684 (231.112)
18. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 02:35.8451 (230.999)
19. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 02:35.8707 (230.961)
20. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 02:35.9713 (230.812)
21. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 02:36.0022 (230.766)
22. (24) Sage Karam, Chevrolet, 02:36.2064 (230.464)
23. (98) Marco Andretti, Honda, 02:36.2875 (230.345)
24. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 02:36.3002 (230.326)
25. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 02:36.3620 (230.235)
26. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 02:36.4167 (230.154)
27. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 02:36.7741 (229.630)
28. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 02:36.9269 (229.406)
29. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 02:37.2628 (228.916)
30. (6) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 02:37.4655 (228.622)
31. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 02:38.5531 (227.053)
32. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 02:38.6944 (226.851)
33. (25) Stefan Wilson, Chevrolet, no time (no speed)

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Sato Sneaks into Fast 12 after Eventful Day

By Curt Cavin

 

Takuma Sato, a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, will be the first driver in the spotlight when PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying resumes Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Coincidentally, that’s where the Japanese star has spent most of the week, especially Saturday.

The driver who will be the first to qualify in the Fast 12 had been the fastest driver in each of the three days of practice, then found himself in a controversial position in qualifying. After completing his four-lap run of 232.196 mph, Sato failed to exit the backstretch onto the deceleration lane, which surprised the next driver beginning his qualifying run.

Marco Andretti was furious when he came upon his slowing former Andretti Autosport teammate in the middle of Turn 3, and NTT INDYCAR SERIES officials later penalized Sato for impeding Andretti by invalidating his qualification.

Sato didn’t dispute the call. “It was totally fine,” he said, vowing not to have it happen again.

Later, Sato snuck his way into the Fast 12 with the 12th-fastest four-lap average despite brushing the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR.

Sato considers advancement to Sunday’s second round something of a reprieve given that Saturday wasn’t one of his better days.

“Yeah, I feel that way -- and really fortunate to have that chance,” he said. “Top 12 is something we were aiming for, but it was not in the (way) we expected.”

Johnson Reaches New Speed Limit

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson got the morning off to a rousing start, simulating a four-lap qualifying run in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda at an average speed of 233.771 mph. His fastest lap was 233.961 mph.

Those laps represented the fastest Johnson has ever driven a race car in his life. He felt it, too.

“Every sense in your body is saying you shouldn’t be doing this,” he said. “Then, once you turn the (steering) wheel and the car finds a home, it’s not as exciting.”

Ed Carpenter Racing’s Ed Carpenter (No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet) led the morning session with a lap of 234.410 mph, the fastest lap turned at IMS since track record-holder Arie Luyendyk ran 239.260 mph in 1996. In qualifying, Carpenter’s teammate, Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile), ran a lap of 234.702 mph, part of the third-fastest four-lap qualifying average in IMS history.

Johnson posted the sixth-fastest qualifying run at 232.398 mph.

“I think the speed scared my (daughters),” he said. “When they saw me, the look in their eyes – they’ve been to plenty of races, but they’ve never looked at me like that.”

Malukas Feeling More Comfortable

Rookie David Malukas (No. 18 HMD Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with HMD) did not earn a berth in Sunday’s Fast 12 – he will start 13th – but he has been one of the pleasant surprises of the first week of this “500.”

The youngest driver in this field had the seventh-fastest lap on Fast Friday and just missed advancing to the second round of qualifying after two four-lap attempts.

Malukas, who was born in Chicago, doesn’t turn 21 until Sept. 27.

“I don’t think people were expecting (results) like this,” he said. “I mean, I wasn’t really expecting anything like this.”

Perhaps we should have seen this coming. While Kyle Kirkwood (No. 14 ROKiT/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) was widely praised for delivering a dominating season last year in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires – he won 10 of the 20 races to capture the series title – Malukas won seven races and only finished 13 points behind Kirkwood.

Now, Malukas is one of the three rookies set to start in the top 13 of the 106th Running -- the others are Johnson and Andretti Autosport’s Romain Grosjean (No. 28 DHL Honda). Johnson, Grosjean and the rest of the Fast 12 qualifiers will have their starting positions determined by Sunday’s two rounds of qualifying.

“Whatever way it goes, I’m just happy,” Malukas said. “If you were to tell me this when I was a kid, I would just think you were lying, or I’d be pinching myself to wake up.”

A Different Year for Reigning Winner

Helio Castroneves’ No. 06 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing didn’t have the same magic Saturday that he had a year ago at IMS. The car that started eighth in last year’s race and then went to Victory Lane qualified 26th on this day and was .725 of an mph slower than last year’s average over 10 miles.

Castroneves can trace his slower pace to the fourth qualifying lap, when the car nearly got away from him. He chose to not push things.

“There’s a level between bravery and stupidity, and we were right on the edge of it,” he said.

Odds And Ends

  • VeeKay, who posted Saturday’s fastest qualifying average at 233.655 mph, will be aiming for his third top-four start in as many starts in the “500.” He started fourth in 2020 and third last year.

  • Drawing an early qualifying number obviously was an advantage Saturday. Five of the first six cars to roll off pit road made the Fast 12. Among the cars running in the cooler first hour, seven advanced to Sunday’s action. The track temperature was 85 degrees when qualifying opened at 11 a.m. By 12:30 p.m., the asphalt heated to 107 degrees.

  • The 12 drivers advancing to the second round represent five different teams: Chip Ganassi Racing has five, Ed Carpenter Racing and Arrow McLaren SP two each, and there is one each from Andretti Autosport, Team Penske and Dale Coyne Racing with RWR.

  • Dixon and Carpenter have had the most success in “500” qualifying among Fast 12 qualifiers. Dixon has won the NTT P1 Award for the pole four times, Carpenter three. The only other former Indy pole winner in the Fast 12 is Tony Kanaan (No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) won the pole here in 2005.

  • Carpenter earned his place in the Fast 12, but he said it wasn’t easy. “That was hard,” he said on the team’s radio during the cooldown lap. “It is not joke out there.”

  • Grosjean offered a surprising bit of honesty following Saturday’s qualifying session. “I think the Chevys are faster than us,” he said. “I’m not supposed to say that, but …”

  • Two-time race winner Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 6 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) will start 29th in next week’s race, the lowest position of his career. In an odd twist, Montoya has started lower with each of his seven races after starting second as a rookie in 2000. He said the car was “so hard to drive” amid the early afternoon wind.

  • Row 9 will have three drivers whom prognosticators have targeted as potential race winners. Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian) will start on the inside with Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet) and Castroneves. Herta and McLaughlin already have won races this NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, and Castroneves is bidding for a record-setting fifth “500” victory.

  • Stefan Wilson (No. 25 DragonSpeed/Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet) did not get a chance to qualify as his engine needed to be replaced after incurring a gearing problem in the morning practice. Wilson becomes the first driver since James Davison in 2017 to start the race without making a qualifying attempt. That year, Davison replaced Sebastien Bourdais, who crashed a qualified car.

  • Twenty-six drivers qualified faster than 230 mph.

 

 

friday MAy 20th

Sato Stays Out Front during Tricky Fast Friday at Indy

Kanaan, Rookie Malukas Fastest in Qualifying Sims

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 20, 2022) – Takuma Sato continued his domination of the speed chart this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, completing a sweep of all three practices by setting the pace once again in tricky conditions on Fast Friday for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

But on the eve of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying, the oldest and youngest drivers in the field also are contenders Saturday to lead the group of 12 drivers advancing to the second and third rounds of qualifying Sunday, with a possible shot at the NTT P1 Award for pole.

SEE: Practice Results | Qualifying Format | Qualifying Order

Sato led with a lap of 232.789 mph in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda during a four-lap qualifying simulation run in the last hour of the six-hour session, which took place in challenging conditions of air temperatures in the high 80s and steady winds of 20 mph, with gusts reaching 41 mph. It appeared Sato was headed to the fastest qualifying sim of the day, but he was forced to lift on his third lap. He still ended up fifth on the qualifying sim speed chart at 229.680.

“We were lacking downforce on Lap 3 and dropped off on Lap 4,” Sato said. “Lap 3 and Lap 4 are the key. We carried too little downforce.”

The speediest driver in a four-lap qualifying sim was 2013 “500” winner Tony Kanaan, at 47 the oldest driver in the field. Kanaan averaged 230.517 in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda in the final hour of practice, toppling Sato’s Dale Coyne Racing teammate, rookie David Malukas, from the top of qualifying sim chart.

Malukas, 20, the youngest driver in the field, ended up second on the qualifying sim chart at 230.287 in the No. 18 HMD Honda. Malukas could become the first “500” rookie to win the pole for the Indianapolis 500 since Teo Fabi in 1983.

“We divided the program so David had more downforce,” Sato said. “It’s good to have at both ends, and we’ll just combine it tomorrow.”

Speeds climbed Friday due to additional boost provided to the Chevrolet and Honda engines that power the field, with approximately 90 more horsepower. But all 33 drivers chose quality over quantity in the gusty, shifting winds and searing track temperatures, with just 473 total laps turned.

2016 “500” winner Alexander Rossi was second fastest overall at 231.883 in the No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS/AutoNation Honda. Pato O’Ward was third at 231.798 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet and fourth on the qualifying sim list with a four-lap average of 230.111.

O’Ward will be at the head of the line at 11 a.m. (ET) Saturday (live on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network), when the first round of qualifications starts, as Arrow McLaren SP pulled the No. 1 coin in the qualifying draw Friday evening. Positions 13-33 will be set Saturday, with the top 12 advancing to two rounds of qualifying Sunday to set the first four rows and determine the NTT P1 Award winner.

Marcus Ericsson was fourth overall Friday at 231.782 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with 2008 “500” winner and six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon rounding out the top five at 231.530 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Indy 500 rookie Jimmie Johnson became the first driver to make wall contact this week, grazing his No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda against the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 at 1:25 p.m. But the team repaired the car, and Johnson rallied later in the day to produce a qualifying sim with a four-lap average speed of 229.094, good for sixth on that chart.

“I’ve hit plenty of things during my career in racing,” Johnson said. “Luckily it wasn’t a full yard sale; it was just crossing the line a little bit. I was able to download with my teammates and get a better feel for positions with the tools inside the car. I was too cautious with my settings and had a lot of understeer in the car, and I just didn’t get on top of it quick enough.”

 

Start of Indy 500 Qualifying Moved Up Saturday
Due to Weather Forecast

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 20, 2022) – With the potential of rain in the afternoon for the first day of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES is moving the start of Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge qualifying to 11 a.m. (ET) Saturday, May 21 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Qualifying will run until its previously scheduled end time of 5:50 p.m., weather permitting, with starting spots 13 through 33 locked in for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

The morning practice session also will be moved up, with group one on the 2.5-mile oval from 8:30-9 a.m. and group two from 9-9:30 a.m.

Peacock Premium will provide live coverage of both practice groups and the entire qualifying session, with the INDYCAR Radio Network also offering coverage. Public gates at IMS will open at their previously scheduled time of 8 a.m.

The revised schedule:

  • 8 a.m. – IMS Gates Open
  • 8:30-9 a.m. – Practice Group 1
  • 9-9:30 a.m. – Practice Group 2
  • 11 a.m. – PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying begins
the following feature courtesy of indycar.com 

 

Paddock Buzz: Many Angles of Pressure To Come in Qualifying

By Curt Cavin

 

With a requisite 33 entries for this Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, there won’t be the usual type of pressure during PPG Armed Forces Qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But pressure removed from qualifying at Indy? Not a chance, especially if the gusty wind that challenged the drivers Friday returns for the weekend.

The other pertinent element to qualifying is the balance of the field, both for this “500” and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season. Failing to earn a top-12 starting position means missing out on valuable points toward the championship, and there are 13 instances in the current standings where drivers are separated by four points or fewer. Two drivers are tied.

Then there’s the element of so many drivers capable of winning the 106th Running on Sunday, May 29. Only 14 times in history has a winner started in the back half of the field, and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Jack Harvey (No. 45 Hy-Vee Honda) has been around long enough to know that being the 15th this year is a lot to ask given the competition.

Harvey and others might not fear being bumped, but the combination of the aforementioned factors creates a situation that will stir nerves.

“Yes, (this format) takes some of the pressure off,” said Harvey, who sweated through Bump Day in 2018 to earn a last-row starting position. “However, where you put the pressure back on is it’s so hard to (pass cars) right now that you need to qualify as far forward as possible.”

Harvey said Indy should now be considered in the same category as other circuits on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule.

“If you want to have a good shot at (winning the race), we have to be starting (near the front),” he said.

Three-fourths of all Indy winners started in the first four rows, including the past six. Ryan Hunter-Reay (19th in 2014) was the last winner to start in the back half of the field.

The weekend’s other stress will come from having to qualify three times for any driver with designs on winning the NTT P1 Award, which comes with 12 points, $100,000 and bragging rights as the fastest – and arguably the bravest – driver in this event.

“(Qualifying weekend) will be a little bit different, but I can assure you that the stress level for me and the intensity of qualifying (remains),” said Graham Rahal, who drives the No. 15 United Rentals Honda for RLLR. “It’s all the same all the time: You want to go put your best foot forward and drive your best for laps, which seems easy, but it’s not at all, particularly those last two laps that are tricky.

“Hopefully we can do that.”

Rahal: Turn the Page

Rahal said his public rift with Andretti Autosport’s Romain Grosjean (No. 28 DHL Honda), which stems from comments Rahal made after their contact last month in the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by AmFirst at Barber Motorsports Park, is in the past.

“I said what I said, and I can guarantee you Monday morning (after that) my mind was on something completely different,” Rahal said Friday. “I’m not somebody that’s going to dwell on the past.”

Rahal noted that the two veteran drivers raced wheel-to-wheel last week in the GMR Grand Prix without issues.

“So, it doesn’t carry over,” Rahal said. “We just turn the page.”

Ganassi, Indy Celebrating 40 Years Together

Chip Ganassi, whose Indianapolis-based NTT INDYCAR SERIES team has won the “500” four times – the owner has a fifth counting his association with Patrick Racing in 1989 – had an interesting reaction Friday to seeing a photograph from his rookie qualifying run at IMS in 1982.

“Look at that hair,” he said, laughing.

This marks the 40th anniversary of Ganassi’s debut in the race, and he made four more starts as a driver before beginning his path to becoming one of the most successful team owners in motorsports history. It seems so long ago, he said.

“I had my last class (at Duquesne University in his native Pittsburgh) during one week, and that weekend I was here for opening weekend,” Ganassi said. “Then I missed commencement because I was qualifying here at Indy.”

Ganassi started 11th for that race and finished 15th. His best Indy finish was eighth in his second attempt, in 1983.

Ganassi was part of what turned out to be a strong rookie class that included Danny Sullivan, Bobby Rahal, Hector Rebaque, Herm Johnson and Jim Hickman, who won the Rookie of the Year Award. Then, the start of the race was marred by the controversial accident of Kevin Cogan, A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti.

“Quite an experience,” Ganassi said.

Mears Enjoyed Participation in ‘The Club’

Rick Mears, the third driver to win a fourth Indianapolis 500, said Friday that last year’s gathering of the other four-time winners – Foyt, Al Unser and Helio Castroneves, which was featured in the “Pennzoil presents The Club” documentary – was “a great opportunity” for all.

“The timing of it, especially to be able to be there with Al still with us was great,” he said. “To be able to spend that kind of time – as much as we’ve been together over the years, you never get that opportunity (to talk). The calendars are going different directions, and on race weekends you’re always busy.

“(Penske Entertainment) did a great job of organizing it, keeping it very relaxed … it just made for a good, calm day.”

Mears said it was the first time he had seen Foyt that relaxed “since the last time he was in a race car.” That was 1993.

Mears showed his relaxed side by joking that he didn’t want Castroneves to win a fifth “500.”

“I’m not going to be supportive,” he said while trying to keep a straight face. “No, as a matter of fact, I told him just the other day … if you win that fifth, we’re going to kick you out of the club, and you’re going to be all by yourself (with) nobody to hang out with. So, be careful.”

Odds And Ends

  • Team Penske is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first “500” victory, a race won in 1972 by the late Mark Donohue. Donohue’s sons, David and Michael, will be at IMS this weekend along with three crew members from that entry: Karl Kainhofer, Don Cox and John “Woody” Woodard.
  • Team Penske President Tim Cindric didn’t join Roger Penske’s race team until 2000, but he has a unique connection to Donohue’s victory. His father, Carl, helped build the car’s engine.
  • Race rookie Christian Lundgaard (No. 30 PeopleReady Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) said he has watched every past “500” he could find on YouTube, and he took particular notice of Alexander Rossie’s 2016 victory. “How he managed to save that amount of fuel coming in as a rookie,” he said. “It’s one way that I can learn as much as possible.”
  • Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) has found his first “500” to be a unique experience, especially the pranks drivers play on each other. “In 19 years of being a Cup driver, I never stepped out of my motorhome and looked around with caution or concern, and I’ve done that every day I’ve been here,” he said. “It’s a different world.”
  • Johnson asked if anyone has considered Conor Daly (No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing) might have “bamboozled himself” to get more attention. “They keep telling me that that stuff in the hot tub (were things) kids play with, and I can’t think of a bigger kid out there (than Daly),” he said. Daly responded that he wouldn’t have spoiled his $600 hot tub on the first day of practice, which was Tuesday. “I see guilt all over the face of (Johnson),” Daly wrote on social media.
  • Continuing what has been tradition, the Indianapolis Colts’ rookie class came to IMS on Friday to take in the sights and sounds.
thursday MAy 19th

Sato, Dixon Flex More Muscle To Top Speed Chart again at Indy

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, May 19, 2022) – There's a pattern forming after two full days of practice for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge: Takuma Sato and Scott Dixon are really fast.

Sato and Dixon were 1-2 on the speed chart Thursday for the second consecutive practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Two-time Indy 500 winner Sato led at 227.519 mph in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda, with six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2008 "500" winner Dixon second at 227.335 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

“We’re working on it,” Sato said. “The car’s not entirely happy in a big pack. Still there’s work to be done. The boys are doing such a meticulous job, with great engineering. I’m happy with the progress, step by step, and here we are. Hopefully we have more to come.”

SEE: Practice Results

Rookie David Malukas, Sato's teammate at Dale Coyne Racing, was third at 226.869 in the No. 18 HMD Honda. 2011 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year JR Hildebrand clocked in fourth at 226.846 in the No. 11 Homes For Our Troops/AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet.

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson continued his impressive preparation for his first start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” by ending up fifth at 226.409 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Johnson was third fastest overall on opening day Tuesday. Practice was rained out Wednesday.

Weather may be top of mind for teams and drivers during practice from noon-6 p.m. Friday (live on Peacock Premium), as air temperatures in the mid- to high-80s and sustained winds of 15 to 25 mph will create tricky conditions on the 2.5-mile oval. Speeds also will climb on “Fast Friday” – the last full day of practice before PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on Saturday and Sunday -- because turbocharger boost levels are increased, adding an estimated 90 horsepower to the Chevrolet and Honda engines.

Teams will work on qualifying simulations Friday, trying to stay out of the aerodynamic tow that has produced the big speeds for the first two days of practice.

2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power was the fastest driver Thursday without a tow, reaching 224.325 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Rinus VeeKay and his team boss, Ed Carpenter, continued to show strength while running solo, ending up second and third on the no-tow list after they were 1-2 without aerodynamic help Tuesday. VeeKay produced a solo lap of 224.047 in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet, followed by Carpenter at 223.858 in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet.

Thirty-three drivers combined to turn 3,114 incident-free laps under overcast skies. Johnson turned 153 laps, more than any other driver.

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Paddock Buzz: Drivers Brace for Big Boost on Fast Friday

By Curt Cavin

 

Fast Friday is next for the competitors in the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, which means additional turbocharged boost in preparation for the weekend’s Armed Forces Qualifying will increase speeds due to an estimated 90 extra horsepower.

Even with speeds already approaching 228 mph, the drivers say the increase is impactful.

“Oh, yeah, it’s big – it’s a big, big change,” reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou said Thursday. “You get used to running at 220 mph on your own and suddenly you’re running 230. It only sounds like 10 mph, but it’s really big when you are going that fast.

“It’s the way the car accelerates -- it’s insane -- and I think everybody is going to be mind-blown tomorrow.”

The driver of the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing said he was surprised by the boost as a race rookie in 2020, and it surprised him last year.

“And it’s going to surprise me tomorrow again,” he said.

Three-time “500” starter Colton Herta (No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Autosport w/Curb-Agajanian) said it doesn’t take much of a jump in speed for the driver to feel the difference.

“At speed, even 2 mph into a corner is a lot sketchier, and you can definitely feel it,” he said. “When you add whatever it is – 10 mph? – it’s quite a big difference.”

Takuma Sato (No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda of Dale Coyne Racing with RWR) had the fastest lap of Thursday’s six-hour practice, a speed of 227.519 mph. So, with the horsepower infusion, 235 mph is not out of the question.

From a lap-time standpoint, the boost will create a gain of about 1.3 seconds in a 2.5-mile lap. Sato’s lap was 39.5572 seconds. Expect Friday to see several cars in the 38-second bracket.

The rookies know it’s something they must prepare for, and Romain Grosjean (No. 28 DHL Honda of Andretti Autosport) said he will lean on his teammates and his engineer, Olivier Boisson, for guidance, especially after dealing with understeer in Thursday’s practice.

“Every small understeer becomes a bigger understeer, every small snap becomes a bigger snap, every small slide becomes a bigger slide,” he said. “Every problem becomes bigger.

“I think we’re looking at higher temperatures (Friday), as well, and wind, which makes it even more tricky.”

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and “500” rookie Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) said he’s going to have to have “an interesting conversation with my right foot,” a big switch from how NASCAR drivers lift off the throttle approaching Turn 1 here.

Higher speeds on the Friday before qualifying dates to the 1950s, but it is believed to have received its name in 1996.

Herta’s GMR Grand Prix Save ‘Long’ and ‘Lucky’

Herta had one of the signature moments of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season during last weekend’s GMR Grand Prix at IMS when his car slid sideways through a wet Turn 8 of the road course in a battle for the lead.

Herta said Thursday that the replay of the opposite-lock steering gave him an idea of how wild the ride was on slick Firestone Firehawk tires.

“I didn’t realize it was that long and that big,” he said. “When you’re in the car, everything happens so fast.”

Grosjean said his Andretti Autosport teammate was “very lucky” to emerge with the car’s nose pointed forward. From there, Herta applied the power and within two corners passed Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet) for the lead.

“Physically, you can explain it because the front wheel touched the dry part (of the track) before the rear wheels, but he wasn’t in control anymore, I can tell you,” Grosjean said.” If he tells you he was, he’s lying.”

Foyt Honored Again by BorgWarner

A.J. Foyt, the first four-time “500” winner, received another honor Wednesday night at his Foyt Wine Vault in Speedway.

The legendary driver and team owner was presented a miniature BorgWarner Trophy, officially known as the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy but commonly known as a Baby Borg, for his 65 years competing in this race as a driver and owner. Each side of the base honored one of his record-setting four “500” victories.

Baby Borgs are a 19-inch version of the iconic 110-pound sterling silver trophy that carries the names and likeness of all winning drivers. Baby Borgs were not presented in Foyt’s driving career -- the first winning driver to receive one was Rick Mears in 1988 – but several of the previous living winners have one.

Previously, Foyt only had one as a car owner as Kenny Brack won for AJ Foyt Racing in 1999. That trophy, which was first created in 1988, is known as the Championship Team Owner’s Trophy.

Odds And Ends

  • Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Carvana Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) ran the most laps Thursday with 153. Second was Dalton Kellett (No. 4 K-Line/AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet) with 137. Sage Karam (No. 24 AES Indiana DRR Chevrolet) ran the fewest with 31.
  • Johnson said the biggest lesson he learned Thursday was that IMS remains temperamental. “Having a good setup on Tuesday doesn’t mean you’ve got a good setup on Thursday,” he said.
  • AJ Foyt Racing had two cars in the top 11 on Thursday, with JR Hildebrand (No. 11 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet) fourth and Kellett 11th.
  • Ed Carpenter (No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing) predicted that wind will be Friday’s primary subject. Gusts are predicted in excess of 30 mph.
  • The aeroscreens on these NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars are standard, although the one on Santino Ferrucci’s No. 23 Palermo’s DRR Chevrolet is darker. Ferrucci said he asked Dreyer & Reinbold Racing to tint his aeroscreen as his eyes are sensitive to light. Ferrucci used a tinted aeroscreen in last year’s race, as well.
  • PeopleReady, which has been awarding NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners $10,000 in 2022, is increasing its “500” award to $20,000. The PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge offers $1 million to the series driver, his team and their chosen charities for a win on all three types of circuits in 2022 (ovals, street circuits and road courses).
  • Practice resumes Friday at noon with a six-hour session, with live coverage on Peacock Premium.

 

 

wednesday MAy 18th

Rain Washes Out Practice Wednesday

Rain forced the cancellation of practice Wednesday for the 106th Indianapolis 500, as showers that arrived in the Indianapolis area shortly before the scheduled start of noon prevented any cars from turning laps.

This was the first total washout of an Indianapolis 500 practice day since May 17, 2016.

Practice will resume from noon-6 p.m. Thursday, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network. IMS public gates are open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

 

Indianapolis 500 Practice Time Moved by One Hour Monday, May 23

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 18, 2022) – The time will shift to 1-3 p.m. (ET) for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice session Monday, May 23 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Moving from the originally scheduled time of noon-2 p.m. will give teams that participated in Top 12 Qualifying and the Firestone Fast Six on Sunday, May 22 more time to change to their “500” race engines. Teams that qualified in the 13th to 33rd positions Saturday, May 21 will not turn laps on the 2.5-mile oval Sunday and will be allowed to change engines that day.

Peacock Premium will provide live coverage of the two-hour session open to all 33 qualifiers for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” with coverage also offered by the INDYCAR Radio Network.

IMS public gates will be open from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for the practice.

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Paddock Buzz: Beads Bamboozle Daly’s Hot Tub

By Zach Horrall

There was a lot of finger-pointing Wednesday in a rainy Gasoline Alley at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The buzz of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock was the “bamboozlement” of Conor Daly’s hot tub, which was filled with Orbeez – water-absorbent beads that expand into soft, bouncy balls after being submerged in water.

Someone filled Daly’s inflatable hot tub Monday night in the driver motorcoach lot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He said he heard noises outside his motorcoach as he was going to bed and discovered it Tuesday after the first practice session of the month.

Daly said he estimates there could be nearly 400,000 tiny balls in his hot tub. His top list of people who he thinks committed the prank are Josef Newgarden, Callum Ilott, Tony Kanaan, Colton Herta, Kyle Kirkwood and Scott McLaughlin.

“There was a lot of guilty faces in the paddock this morning, and I can’t figure out which one is the culprit,” Daly said. “It’s a tough scene. I think the primary suspects are the dads of the INDYCAR community, too, because apparently children like to fill up these little fake guns with water balls and shoot them at people.”

Daly said Newgarden FaceTime-called him Tuesday night “in a very scared manner” to ensure Daly knew he was not guilty of the prank. Daly was also quick to point out that Ilott has been spending a lot of time with him as he looks to solve the mystery, wondering aloud if Ilott is keeping himself close to the situation to throw him off.

Ilott, who is making his Indy 500 debut this month in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, said he’s innocent because he wasn’t prepared for the shenanigans to ensue so quickly. He was told that as an Indy 500 rookie he would be a target for pranks, so he purchased items to use as retaliation.

“I’m not stupid enough to do it as early on as this to know that I could be got back on,” Ilott said. “I was saving anything that I was going to do to later on for anyone who did stuff to me. It’s a defense mechanism, not an attack mechanism.”

Ilott added that he thought it was a “genius” and “clever” prank to play because of how frustrating it is on the receiving end. He said he has no idea why Daly ranked him in his top five on Instagram and wondered why Alexander Rossi wasn’t being considered.

Kirkwood was quick to try to cross his name off the list, insisting that he wouldn’t have ruined the hot tub because he wanted to use it. In fact, he said he spent $40 on chlorine and test tubes to keep the hot tub running properly.

“It happened so quick,” said Kirkwood, who drives the No. 14 ROKiT / AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet. “It happened on Day 1, so it’s clear as day that they thought about it really fast and needed to be the first one to do something to this hot tub. I just lock all my stuff as much as possible. I know I’m going to get messed with at some point in time. I just don’t know when it’s going to be.”

Marco Andretti, who is making his only NTT INDYCAR SERIES start of the year in No. 98 KULR Technology / Curb Honda in the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, also wondered why nobody was considering 2016 Indy 500 winner Rossi, as well as NBC INDYCAR analyst James Hinchcliffe.

“I’m so busy worrying about my race car right now, but it is funny to look at on social media,” Andretti said. “Hinch has some time on his hands. Rossi is always a culprit, isn’t he?”

Daly, who drives the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, insists he doesn’t have any payback in mind right now.

Last year, McLaughlin was the target of pranks as someone placed more than two dozen inflatable sheep around his area in the driver motorhome lot. In 2020, Rossi was the victim of a prank as the wheels of his golf cart were removed, the cart was put on blocks, and the wheels were found on top of his motorhome.

Palou Knows What Went Wrong in 2021

Alex Palou has been thinking about last year’s Indianapolis 500, where he finished second by .4928 of a second to Helio Castroneves, since the race ended, trying to understand what went wrong.

In last year’s race, Palou led 35 laps and exchanged the lead with Castroneves five times in the late stages, and he led the Indy 500 as late as Lap 198 of 200. He was passed for the final time by Castroneves entering Turn 1 on Lap 199.

Time has given the defending NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion perspective. He has come to understand that he was living too much in the moment during his second attempt in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” while Castroneves, who was competing in his 21st Indy 500, was thinking not about his next move, but the move after that.

“He was thinking ahead, and I was just thinking of the next corner,” Palou said. “I think he had experience in fighting with me and also looking ahead, while I was just like: ‘Oh, we’re fighting and that’s it. That’s what I’m doing.’

“Nowadays, I’m able to fight but also know what’s ahead of me.”

Palou said in the year since he competed in his first Indy 500 for Chip Ganassi Racing in the No. 10 NTT DATA Honda he’s not necessarily a different driver, but he’s certainly a more improved driver on the 2.5-mile oval.

On opening day of practice Tuesday, May 17, Palou noticed marked improvements in his performance. He ended the day sixth on the practice charts with a top speed of 226.973 mph.

“I have so much experience here compared to last year,” he said. “When I was here last year, I was struggling in getting close to cars up front, while (Tuesday) I had already got some overtakes and some traffic runs, and I feel comfortable.”

Odds and Ends:

  • Indy 500 Rookie Christian Lundgaard has taken note he will be the first driver from Denmark to compete in the Indianapolis 500, a subject of pride for himself and his homeland. He said many people from back home ask him to buy gear, so he suspects he has many T-shirts and hats to buy this month.
  • Marco Andretti said he thought there would be more of an adjustment to get up to speed Tuesday because the last time he was in an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car was last year’s Indy 500. But he got up to speed quickly, and he feels comfortable with his car already. He’s also excited for his father, Michael, to serve as his race strategist again this year.
  • Former WNBA star Tamika Catchings was at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Wednesday to visit with Chip Ganassi Racing and Angela Ashmore, who is the assistant engineer on No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Catchings was intended to be the honorary starter of Indy 500 practice on Wednesday, but rain prevented her from waving the green flag.
 

tuesday MAy 17th

Sato Surges to Top of Opening Day at 228; Ganassi Cars Dialed In

 

Racing Legend Johnson Third in First Day of Practice for Indy 500 Debut

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 17, 2022) – Takuma Sato ripped off a lap of 228.939 mph in the final five minutes Tuesday to lead the opening day of practice for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Sato used the benefit of an aerodynamic tow on the 2.5-mile oval to lead the speed charts by more than 1 mph in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda. Six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Scott Dixon was second at 227.768 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, leading four Chip Ganassi Racing drivers in the top six.

“We had a big tow,” Sato said. “In Happy Hour, if you have new tires, I think you can do that. I’m pretty happy today.

“To be honest, this morning wasn’t as smooth as we wished. We had to go back to the garage and check up on lots of things because there was something we were not very happy with. But in the end, in the afternoon we quickly turned on good speed. I’m very happy with the 51 car. Dale Coyne Racing did a good job.”

SEE: Afternoon Results | Morning Results

Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson opened preparations for his first start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” by ending up third at 227.722 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Johnson was an NTT INDYCAR SERIES rookie last season but only competed on road and street courses. He made his INDYCAR oval debut March 20 at Texas Motor Speedway.

the following feature courtesy of indycar.com

Paddock Buzz: Johnson Soaks In Every Moment of ‘500’ Debut

By Curt Cavin

 

 

“We have a really good race car,” Johnson said. “It’s just trying to work through extremes for me. What is a low trim setting? What’s a high trim setting? What’s mechanically tight? What’s mechanically free? Just trying to work through some of those big-picture things.

“All in all, a really good day. I feel like where we ended in this session gives me a lot of confidence for working forward.”

Marcus Ericsson was fourth at 227.094 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing, with Rinus VeeKay rounding out the top five at 226.995 in the No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet.

Reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou completed the Chip Ganassi Racing domination of the top of the speed chart, ending up sixth at 226.973 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

Veteran practice was divided into two sessions, with two hours of running in the morning and three hours in the afternoon. Dixon was fastest this morning at 227.119.

VeeKay was the fastest driver without an aerodynamic tow, with a top solo lap of 221.551 mph. Ed Carpenter was second on the no-tow list at 220.869 in the No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet, with Johnson third at 220.724.

Thirty-three drivers combined to turn 3,229 incident-free laps under sunny skies during the two veteran practice sessions today. Veteran Stefan Wilson completed his refresher test during a midday session in the No. 25 DragonSpeed/Cusick Motorsports Chevrolet and then participated briefly in the afternoon open practice session.

Dalton Kellett turned 149 laps in the No. 4 K-LINE AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet, more than any other driver.

Practice resumes from noon-6 p.m. (ET) Wednesday (live on Peacock Premium), with PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying this Saturday and Sunday. The 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 29.

Think seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson isn’t loving this Indianapolis Motor Speedway experience now that official Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice has begun?

On his first lap of May practice Tuesday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the four-time winner of NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 waved to his father, Gary, who is serving as one of his spotters. A television camera caught the special moment.

Later in the day, the driver of Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 48 Carvana Honda told of just learning that NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers are photographed with their car after qualifying for the “500,” and that family members usually get a celebratory shot. His wife, Chandra, and their two daughters, ages 12 and 9, will be at IMS on Saturday for the occasion.

“Looking forward to that picture,” Johnson said, adding that the girls have a different excitement for the event. “They’re just happy to come here and get away with eating Doritos and drinking Sprites.”

Members of the media reminded Johnson that he could become the oldest Rookie of the Year in “500” history, and that the possibility of starting on the last row is there, too, as 2018 winner Will Power learned last year. Johnson said he would willingly accept either outcome.

“I’ll take whatever they pass out to the old guy,” he said.

Even the last row?

“That would be cool, a stat that I’d take a little pride in, for sure – absolutely,” he said.

Lyn St. James is the oldest winner of the Rookie of the Year, the distinction earned in 1992 at 45 years, 72 days. Johnson will be 46 years, 254 days when the green flag drops for the 106th Running on May 29.

Johnson is on a path to become the third-oldest rookie driver in “500” history. Those older: Jack Hewitt in 1998 and Jean Alesi in 2012. Alesi is the race’s oldest starter at 47 years, 128 days.

Johnson enjoyed Tuesday’s May debut, where he finished third on the day’s speed chart at 227.722 mph (third on the non-tow report, too) in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, but he also knows there is so much more to come.

“You know, I felt like with COVID I maybe didn’t get the full experience in my final year in Cup,” he said of 2020. “Literally racing without fans for the majority of the year was a bummer and a letdown.

“But to come back to Indy and know that we’re going to have (an estimated 300,000), that makes me smile. I cannot wait to feel that energy on (Race Day).”

Haliburton Thrilled by First IMS Experience

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton added to his IMS experience Tuesday by seeing NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars on the oval. On Saturday, he saw them on the road course as he rode in the Ruoff Mortgage Fastest Seat in Racing before the GMR Grand Prix.

“It was a great time, a great experience,” he said of the road course ride with 1969 “500” winner Mario Andretti. “He said we were going about 155 mph but on an oval we’d go way faster. So, we’re going to organize a time when I can get on the oval.”

Haliburton said Saturday was his first opportunity to see race cars in action, and he brought his mother to IMS to enjoy it with him. Like a lot of professional athletes who have gotten a taste of the high-speed action, Haliburton vowed to return.

“I’m supposed to go to (this year’s) Indy 500, but I might be going to Mexico that weekend,” he said. “I’ll be back here sometime. I want to bring my best friends, my girlfriend, everybody.”

Tuesday, Haliburton brought one of his autographed Pacers jerseys for reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing (No. 10 NTT DATA Honda). They spent several minutes together talking in between practice sessions.

Odds And Ends

  • For the official record books, Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet) was the first driver on the track for formal “500” practice.
  • While most of Tuesday’s action was in groups of cars, Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 Bitcoin Racing Team with BitNile Chevrolet) recorded the day’s fastest non-tow lap at 221.551 mph. Teammate and boss Ed Carpenter (No. 33 Alzamend Neuro Chevrolet) was second in that category at 220.869 mph.
  • Chip Ganassi Racing’s Hondas were three of the fastest four in Turn 1 trap speed, led by Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Honda) at 236.264 mph. Dixon was proud of his team’s early effort, but he cautioned: “It’s Day 1,” he said. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything from anybody.”
  • Marco Andretti (No. 98 KULR Technology/Curb Honda of Andretti Herta Autosport w/Marco & Curb) confirmed that his father, Michael, will again call his race strategy in the “500.” Father and son worked together last year after being apart on Race Day at IMS since 2011.
  • Tony Kanaan (No. 1 The American Legion Honda of Chip Ganassi Racing) is back where he belongs at IMS. The 2013 “500” champion has been racing Brazilian stock cars, including as recently as Sunday. That is Brazil’s primary series, with Rubens Barrichello, Felipe Massa, Ricardo Zonta and Nelson Piquet Jr. in the field.
  • Ryan Hunter-Reay, the 2014 “500” champion, was confirmed Tuesday to a contract with Chip Ganassi Racing to help develop its Cadillac sports car program for 2023. The contract also makes him a substitute NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver.
  • While Jimmie Johnson can become the oldest winner of the Rookie of the Year award, Al Unser’s mark as the oldest winning driver of this event will stand for at least another year. Kanaan, the oldest driver in this field, will be 211 days younger at this year’s race than Unser was when he won in 1987. Kanaan and Helio Castroneves would be old enough to eclipse Unser in next year’s race.
  • Johnson said his wife didn’t enjoy watching the early laps of his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES oval race, held March 20 at Texas Motor Speedway. “But by the end she was jumping up and down as I was passing cars,” he said. He finished sixth in that race.
  • Just before 4 p.m. Tuesday, a fox ran on the track – during green conditions -- between Turns 3 and 4. Before the pack of cars arrived on the scene, the fox jumped safely over the outside wall.
  • IMS action will be from noon-6 p.m. each of the next three days, with live coverage on Peacock Premium.

 

 

saturday MAy 14th

Gold, Foster Winners in Indy Pro 2000 Rounds at Indianapolis

Gavin Baker

 

 

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The final two rounds of the Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis Supporting INDYCAR Ministry saw Reece Gold of Juncos Hollinger Racing pick up his second win of the 2022 season and Louis Foster of Exclusive Autosport claim his career first in Indy Pro 2000 Presented by Cooper Tires competition.

 

 
Four different drivers shared the remaining podium honors with Colin Kaminsky logging his second of the weekend in Race 2 for Pabst Racing followed by points leader Nolan Siegel of DEForce Racing, and Braden Eves of Jay Howard Driver Development and Jack William Miller of Miller Vinatieri Motorsports finishing second and third in Race 3.

 
The intensity from the opening round yesterday continued with first-time Cooper Tires Pole Award winner Miller – who is showing the rewards of a technical partnership with Exclusive Autosport – and front row starter Louis Foster of Exclusive Autosport making contact in Turn Seven on Lap One in addition to separate incidents involving Jordan Missig (Pabst Racing), Enaam Ahmed (Juncos Hollinger Racing) and Braden Eves (Jay Howard Driver Development). Foster was later served with a drive-thru penalty.

 
The action vaulted Gold, who qualified fourth, into a lead he would never relinquish, finishing 1.4833 seconds clear of yesterday’s third-place finisher Colin Kaminsky (Pabst Racing), with Siegel and Kiko Porto (DEForce Racing). Miller rebounded from the opening lap incident to charge through the field and round out the top five.

 
Yesterday’s race winner Salvador De Alba earned his second consecutive Tilton Hard Charger Award after advancing from 14th to sixth.

 
The line-up for the third and final leg of the tripleheader mirrored that of Race 2 throughout the field. Miller resumed pole position with Foster again lining up alongside on the front row. Miller made a good start but Foster held tight. The British driver made his move for the lead on Lap 3 and then disappeared, eventually enjoying an 8.6 second cushion.

 
That breathing room came to a halt on Lap 18 as Gold, who was running in fourth began to experience mechanical issues, eventually coming to a halt to bring out a full-course caution.

 
The four-lap shootout to the checkered saw positions jockeying throughout the field. In the end, Foster held on for the win, coming home with a 2.5 second margin, followed by Eves and Miller. Wyatt Brichacek (Jay Howard Driver Development) had a sensational run to fourth – a career best – from 12th on the grid to not only claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award but the bonus point for fastest race lap.

 
Enaam Ahmed (Juncos Hollinger Racing) rounded out the top five with his fifth top-five finish of the season after starting ninth.

 
Indy Pro 2000 will next head to its first oval race of the season on May 27 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park with the Cooper Tires Freedom 90, part of the Carb Night Classic.

 
Provisional Point Standings after 7 of 18 Rounds:

 
1.   Nolan Siegel, 141
2.   Louis Foster, 138
3.   Reece Gold, 130
4.   Braden Eves, 120
5.   Enaam Ahmed, 114
6.   Kiko Porto, 108
7.   Colin Kaminsky, 108
8.   Josh Green, 106
9.   Jack William Miller, 94
10.   Yuven Sundaramoorthy, 90

 
QUOTEBOARD:

 
Reece Gold (#55 The Ticket Clinic/Juncos Hollinger Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I got my first Road to Indy win here so it’s awesome to do it again – this is one of the most amazing places to win at. Coming to the checkered flag, over the bricks, with no one in front of you, it’s just such an iconic moment. It was a good clean race. Colin kept the pressure on the whole way. Some of the other contenders finished back in the pack so this is great for the championship. Once everyone spread out, it wasn’t so crazy, but that start was really crazy. I had a good restart and from there it was just about managing the gap. I’m especially glad to get the win for the team – their shop is just across the way in Speedway, and I’m hoping they can get a win in the INDYCAR race as well!”

 
Colin Kaminsky (#27 Slick Locks/Pabst Racing Tatuus IP-22): “I keep getting beat by these kids who can’t even drink real champagne! We’re getting closer to that first win but I’m glad to come away with a podium. I went from eighth to second at the start in both races. It’s utter chaos out there but it’s rewarding to whoever plays it smart – and the three of us did just that. I think we had the fastest car but he was just quick enough in that last sector. But we’re getting there and Race 3 is coming up soon!”

 
Nolan Siegel (#8 Towne Ford/Race for RP/DEForce Racing Tatuus IP-22): “Just getting through that race was the goal. Yesterday was rough, and we have another race in just a couple of hours. Damage in this race would have been bad so I was just trying to keep it clean. P3 is still good, especially how chaotic it was here at the start. I was able to avoid the crashes at the first corner and had the lead, but everyone drafts you into Turn One. Colin, Reece and I had similar lap times so we just focused on the points.”

 
Race 2

 
Louis Foster (#90 Copart.com/Novara Technologies/Exclusive Autosport Tatuus IP-22): “This is so cool – my first win in the States, and to do it at Indianapolis is really special. It was a tough race one and two, but this makes it worth it. I really wanted to come back with a win, because I think we could have won all three. I knew we had the pace all weekend, Exclusive Autosport put together a really good car. I knew that as long as I could get to the front in that final race, I could pull a gap. Luckily, I was able to take care of my tires because I knew the only way I could lose the race was if a yellow came out and if that happened, I wanted to make sure I had the tires. Great way to end the weekend, I can’t thank the Exclusive guys enough.”

 
Braden Eves (#4 CCFI/Huston Insurance/Addison Holdings/Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus IP-22): “I can’t lie – I’m pretty disappointed overall with the weekend. Having the win taken away is unfortunate and I made a few mistakes in the second race this morning that cost me a lot of points. It’s been absolutely chaotic, with guys who are up in points crashing out, so the points are all over the place. I wish I’d been more consistent to start the season but the car has such great race pace that no matter where we qualify, we seem to go to the front. It’s very similar to how things worked out last year for (eventual champion) Christian Rasmussen – he only got stronger through the season and I think we will again. It’s nice to salvage a good end to the weekend.”

 
Jack William Miller (#40 Patterson Dental/Blue Marble/Miller Vinatieri Motorsports Tatuus IL-22): “It was a tough day yesterday but I went home, had a good ride on my bike and the fitness helped clear my mind and helped me drive to my limits today. I came here hoping for three wins, but we got two poles and a podium at the home race, so that’s good – and the podium felt like a win. We went the wrong way with the setup and the pit speed limiter kept coming on, which caused me to lose second place twice. Not the best weekend, having the crash yesterday. But I’m at IMS, so not too much to be upset about! I’ve struggled on the Road to Indy in qualifying so to get these two pole positions is a big step.”

 

 

Lundqvist Conquers Mixed Conditions To Win at IMS

 

 

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 14, 2022) – Linus Lundqvist leaned down and kissed the side of his car, expressing gratitude and jubilation after conquering a more than six-hour day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Saturday.

The Swedish driver found redemption after a mistake cost him a potential victory Friday by mastering the 14-turn, 2.439-mile track in dry and wet conditions to claim his second Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires win of the year, his second career win at IMS and fifth overall victory.

“A massive thank you to the team, they’ve done such a good job,” Lundqvist said. “It’s been such a long day and tough day for all of us, starting off the day in the dry and then having to wait after the INDYCAR race and getting the rain conditions. Firstly, a massive thank you to them for getting the car prepped. Obviously, it was on fire.”

SEE: Race Results

At the end of the 35-lap weekend finale, Lundqvist’s No. 26 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing car held a 3.5993-second lead over second-place Christian Rasmussen in the No. 28 Andretti Autosport car. His Andretti teammate Sting Ray Robb, in the No. 2 Andretti Autosport car, finished third – his third straight third-place finish this year.

The day was split in two for the 14-car field. After the first 12 laps around a dry track surface, lightning struck in the area, causing a red flag, and rain followed. That forced the race to be delayed until after the end of the GMR Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES race.

More than five and a half hours later, after more rain and the entire NTT INDYCAR SERIES program, drivers returned to their cars to face a wet surface for the remaining laps.

Before the rain fell, Lundqvist had a 2.7-second lead over Matthew Brabham, who went from fourth to second with a four-wide pass into Turn 1 on the initial start in the No. 83 Andretti Autosport entry. When the race resumed hours later, Lundqvist again mastered the start, pulling ahead by two car lengths while Brabham, Rasmussen, Danial Frost and Benjamin Pedersen again went four-wide down the front stretch, playing chicken to see who would brake last before Turn 1. Rasmussen won the battle this time, taking second.

Brabham’s shot of holding on to a podium vanished seconds later when he ran off course, giving up several positions to Frost, Hunter McElrea and Pedersen. And while they argued over who would secure the final podium spot, Robb spoiled their battle in the closing laps. As one of the fastest cars on track, he worked his way from 13th to third by the checkered flag.

“I’m so excited, going from 13th to third,” Robb said. “It’s awesome.”

Lundqvist was flawless in the final 20 laps, gaining two car lengths on every restart and never missing his mark. However, Rasmussen tried to give him a scare. With eight laps to go, Rasmussen was laying down laps a half-second quicker than Lundqvist, who was five seconds ahead.

Math says Rasmussen could have caught Lundqvist. But Rasmussen lost that chance with a slip in Turn 12 that allowed Lundqvist to pull ahead by another two seconds.

“I was pushing it to the edge and over the edge,” Rasmussen said. “I made a mistake in Turn 12. I’m a little disappointed in myself. I think it should have been one position better.”

With 10 races remaining this year for the Indy Lights, Lundqvist exits the Indy doubleheader weekend with an extended point lead for his championship quest.

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires continues its 2022 season in June for the second doubleheader weekend of the year. The field will join the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in Detroit at The Raceway at Belle Isle Park, June 4-5. Live coverage will be provided by Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

 

saturday MAy 14th

Quinn Sweeps His Debut USF2000 Weekend at Indianapolis

 

SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Alex Quinn made quite an impression on his North American debut at the Indianapolis Grand Prix road course. Quinn, 21, from Truro, England, scored a storybook debut victory on Friday for the Velocity Racing Development team, and today added two more wins to ensure a perfect strike rate in the Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

 

 
Quinn took advantage of a clash between Cape Motorsports teammates Jagger Jones and Michael d’Orlando to take the win early this morning. He then took the lead at the beginning of the third leg of the triple-header and led home d’Orlando and Jones in the final 15-lap race which was run entirely under green-flag conditions.

 
New Zealander Billy Frazer (Exclusive Autosport) and Myles Rowe (Pabst Racing), from New York, N.Y., picked up the pieces to finish second and third in Race Two.

 
The top three protagonists in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship – Jones, Frazer and d’Orlando – are now separated by just two points. Up for grabs is a scholarship valued at over $400,000 to graduate onto the next rung of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel development ladder, the Indy Pro 2000 Championship, in 2023.

 
The opening race of the day began bright and early at 8:05 a.m. with Jagger Jones having claimed his second successive Cooper Tires Pole Award by virtue of each driver’s second fastest lap set in qualifying on Friday morning.

 
Jones, from Scottsdale, Ariz., maintained his lead in the early stages, although a few laps were run under caution following a spin for Yeoroo Lee (Jay Howard Driver Development), from Paramus, N.J., in Turn 13.

 
Jones was always going to be vulnerable at the restart given the tremendous draft afforded to the USF2000 cars on the long front straightaway. Sure enough, Cape Motorsports teammate d’Orlando, from Hartsdale, N.Y., sling-shotted his way past into Turn One to lead from Jones and Friday winner Quinn.

 
The top three edged away a little from the pack, maintaining their positions until, with three laps remaining, Jones locked up his brakes into Turn One and unfortunately caromed into the rear of d’Orlando, who spun. Quinn gratefully moved past them both to take a clear lead which he had no problem in holding until the finish.

 
Jones initially resumed in second before retiring to the pits with front end damage (in addition to serving a penalty issued by Race Control for “incident responsibility”), leaving the way clear for Frazer to move into a remarkable second place having lined up in 10th on the grid. Rowe bounced back from his disappointment on Friday to finish third ahead of Pabst Racing teammate Jace Denmark, from Scottsdale, Ariz., and d’Orlando, who was able to rejoin with the loss of only four positions.

 
Frazer’s performance was impressive, but even that wasn’t enough to snag the Tilton Hard Charger Award, which went instead to Chase Gardner, from Prosper, Texas, who rose from 19th on the grid to 10th in his first weekend of USF2000 competition for DEForce Racing.

 
Jones again started from pole position for the final race of the week and once again he was unable to hold the lead at the first corner as Quinn launched himself into the lead. Quinn then turned a string of consistently fastest laps to stretch his advantage as the two teammates battled in his mirrors. The two Cape cars exchanged positions at one-third distance, with d’Orlando narrowly maintaining his position to the checkered flag.

 
Quinn’s magnificent performance not only earned a sweep of PFC Awards for Velocity Racing Development’s Dan Mitchell as the winning car owner, it also catapulted him to seventh place in the standings, only 38 points out of the championship lead... despite missing the opening four races of the season.

 
The top three finished well clear of Denmark, who came under increasing pressure in the closing stages from Thomas Nepveu (DEForce Racing), from Oka, Que., Canada.

 
Another USF2000 debutant, Frankie Mossman, from La Verne, Calif., picked up another Tilton Hard Charger Award for Jay Howard Driver Development after climbing from 22nd on the grid to 15th.

 
The traditional month of May for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship contenders will continue a few miles to the west at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in a couple of weeks’ time with the only oval event of the season on the evening of Friday, May 27.

 
Provisional championship points after 7 of 18 races:

 
1. Jagger Jones, 132
2. Billy Frazer, 131
3. Michael d’Orlando, 130
4. Myles Rowe, 127
5. Jace Denmark, 115
6. Simon Sikes, 97
7. Alex Quinn, 94
8. Thomas Nepveu, 92
9. Bijoy Garg, 86
10. Spike Kohlbecker, 96

 
Quoteboard – Race 1:

 
Alex Quinn (#17 VRD/Arden Motorsport-Velocity Racing Development Tatuus USF-22): “My engineer was counting down the laps and I could see the two leaders getting closer and closer, and I thought something might happen. Turn One is so chaotic, but I was pushing every lap to stay close. I knew I would be ready to pounce if it did, and it did, but I feel as though it would have been close regardless. I’m happy to get the win, it’s so cool – I took more time today to take it all in here, to see the checkered flag and really experience it. And to hear my engineer (Dan Mitchell) so excited on the radio, that made it so worth it.

 
“I got a good move on the race two start and Jagger gave me room, racing hard but fair. I managed the gap as well as I could and brought it home. It’s amazing.”

 
Billy Frazer (#92 Corpay Cross-Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “Everyone learned something from yesterday and it was all about being that one step ahead in terms of racecraft, given how close the times were. Patience was key, I had Lou (D’Agostino, race engineer) and Michael (Duncalfe, team owner) on my radio. They do a fantastic job, along with my mechanic Danick (Bernier). We had a strong car but I used a bit too much tire early and Alex did a good job to break the slipstream. But we have the championship lead going into the third race so it will be about patience once again.”

 
Myles Rowe (#22 S Penske Entertainment-Pabst Racing Tatuus USF-22): “This morning required a lot of patience and a lot of protecting the car. My coach (Bob Perona) helped me work through that, especially after how yesterday went. The priority is the championship so that means staying out of trouble. I almost got my wing taken off at the start and I did break a toe-link, and then got caught up in a three-wide mid-race (on Friday), but I kept my cool (today) and kept the car under me. Billy had a bit more pace so I let him by on the front straight, but that paid off, since we were both able to get up there in the end.”

 
Michael d’Orlando (#4 Focused Project Management/DB Collaborative-Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-22): “Friday’s race was tough – Myles and I got together early in the race. I’ve known Myles for a long time, we’re good friends, and while I could have waited to make the pass, I feel as though he didn’t see me. But stuff happens, it was a racing incident. Today’s first race was exciting, to say the least. I made my way to the front and was just putting down the laps, but unfortunately, Jagger and I collided in Turn One. He hit me in the rear but what can you do – that’s racing. Race two was difficult. It was the most “boring” race of the weekend but after the first two races, I was looking forward to that! It could have been one spot better today but Cape Motorsports gave me a great car, it was super fast.

 
Jagger Jones (#3 Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-22): “We had a good first race going, I had great pace and was sitting in second, but I just made a mistake – and unfortunately, it was at the cost of a teammate, and of my race as well. It’s easy to make a mistake in the hard braking into Turn One, we saw that a lot in the Indy Lights race. So in the third race, I just wanted a clean race, though I made a mistake that cost me second. All in all, a good weekend, with two poles and two podiums. We have a lot of confidence, we know we’re fast, we just have to clean some things up and go for the win on the oval in a couple of weeks.”

 

Herta Controls Chaos To Win Wild, Treacherous GMR Grand Prix

INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 14, 2022) – Colton Herta won one of the wildest races in recent NTT INDYCAR SERIES history, controlling the chaos of changing weather conditions, ever-evolving tire strategies and numerous incidents to take the checkered flag for the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course.

Herta, from Valencia, California, earned his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES victory of the season and his seventh career win in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda after starting 14th. The win was the first of the season for a Honda-powered driver.

SEE: Race Results

The race, originally scheduled for 85 laps but slowed by numerous incidents and the arrival of rain near the midway point, reached its two-hour time limit during a caution period.

“This is the hardest race I think I’ve ever done,” Herta said. “Wet to dry, dry back to wet. Thank you so much for the Hoosiers for sticking around. I know you’re used to this weather, so thank you very much. Love you guys.”

Simon Pagenaud climbed from the 20th starting position to finish a season-best second in the No. 60 AutoNation/SiriusXM Honda. NTT P1 Award winner Will Power placed third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, tying his season best and climbing into the series points lead.

Marcus Ericsson drove from 18th at the start to end up fourth in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, with Indianapolis native Conor Daly finishing a season-best fifth in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet.

“I’ve never been in a race like that in my life,” Daly said. “That was the craziest thing I’ve ever experienced.”

The box score indicated there were 10 lead changes among six drivers and eight caution periods for 31 laps, but that doesn’t begin to describe what unfolded on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. This was a test of speed, strategy and survival that will live in the memory for a long time.

Rain sprinkles caused the race start to be declared wet, with all drivers on Firestone grooved tires. But it took Herta and Takuma Sato only two laps to realize there was enough traction to switch to the slick, grippy Firestone alternate “red” tires. The rest of the field quickly followed suit, with all 27 drivers changing to alternate slicks by Lap 5.

For the next 30 laps, this appeared to be a highly competitive but conventional NTT INDYCAR SERIES road course race, with three incidents triggering caution periods and mixing up the running order. But the strategic mind games began when Dalton Kellett spun off course in Turn 6 on Lap 36 in the No. 4 K-LINE/AJ FOYT RACING Chevrolet.

Leaden, threatening clouds approached IMS from the west, with the airwaves between pit boxes and drivers crackling with strategic chatter.

Rookie Devlin DeFrancesco, Alexander Rossi and reigning series champion Alex Palou decided to pit for Firestone rain tires during that caution as light rain began to fall to varying degrees in different locations of the massive facility, with a handful of others following suit to switch to rain tires during another caution that started on Lap 42.

This dice roll came up snake eyes because the rain began to let up on Lap 45, when Herta passed Ericsson for the lead in Turn 4.

By Lap 52, the rain began to fall again at varying levels around the track, creating more head games for teams and drivers. During a caution period on Lap 60 with intermittent rain falling, all the contending cars came to the pits for Firestone alternate slick tires.

Two laps later, those plans became a soggy mess when hard rain began to fall. All the contenders tiptoed back to the pits for Firestone rain tires except for Pato O’Ward, Scott McLaughlin and Romain Grosjean, who stayed out on alternate slicks.

The race restarted at the end of Lap 66, and Herta – on rain tires – easily devoured the slick-shod O’Ward to take the lead for good with an inside pass into Turn 1 after the field took the green.

Later that lap, the daring strategy of staying on slicks unraveled for McLaughlin. Struggling for grip, he spun in his No. 3 Snap-on Tools Chevrolet. O’Ward also spun out of second place on Lap 69 in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP.

Herta gradually pulled away from Pagenaud over the closing laps, as teams kept their eyes on the race clock and the skies. Herta led Pagenaud by 3.8256 seconds on Lap 72, and the race effectively ended when Juan Pablo Montoya went off course after making contact with the wall in his No. 6 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

“It was treacherous at the end,” Pagenaud said. “You’ve got to say congrats to Colton because it was really tough to finish the race. We made the right calls on the tires. It was tricky. It was really tricky to decide.”

INDIANAPOLIS - Results Saturday of the GMR Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on the 2.439-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, with order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1. (14) Colton Herta, Honda, 75, Running
2. (20) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 75, Running
3. (1) Will Power, Chevrolet, 75, Running
4. (18) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 75, Running
5. (4) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 75, Running
6. (6) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 75, Running
7. (13) Takuma Sato, Honda, 75, Running
8. (7) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 75, Running
9. (8) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 75, Running
10. (21) Scott Dixon, Honda, 75, Running
11. (16) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 75, Running
12. (24) David Malukas, Honda, 75, Running
13. (9) Jack Harvey, Honda, 75, Running
14. (19) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 75, Running
15. (25) Tatiana Calderon, Chevrolet, 75, Running
16. (12) Graham Rahal, Honda, 75, Running
17. (10) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 74, Running
18. (2) Alex Palou, Honda, 74, Running
19. (5) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 74, Running
20. (11) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 74, Running
21. (17) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 73, Running
22. (27) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 73, Running
23. (15) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 73, Running
24. (23) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 72, Contact
25. (3) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 60, Running
26. (22) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 53, Contact
27. (26) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 34, Contact

Race Statistics
Winner's average speed: 90.008 mph
Time of Race: 02:01:56.3273
Margin of victory: Under caution
Cautions: 8 for 31
Lead changes: 10 among 6 drivers

Lap Leaders:
O'Ward, Pato 1 - 2
Rosenqvist, Felix 3 - 4
Herta, Colton 5 - 31
O'Ward, Pato 32
Rosenqvist, Felix 33 - 34
Calderon, Tatiana 35
Ericsson, Marcus 36 - 45
Herta, Colton 46 - 59
McLaughlin, Scott 60 - 64
O'Ward, Pato 65 - 66
Herta, Colton 67 - 75

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Point Standings:
Power 170, Palou 156, McLaughlin 152, Newgarden 140, Dixon 133, Herta 132, O'Ward 126, Ericsson 117, Grosjean 114, VeeKay 113.

 

 

saturday MAy 14th

Frost Avoids Trouble, Claims First Indy Lights Victory at IMS

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 13, 2022) – Swerving left and right down the front stretch at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, screaming into his radio, Danial Frost’s perseverance was about to pay off with the checkered flag displayed.

After finishing second three times in 2021, the Singapore native claimed his first career Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires victory at the IMS road course Friday evening in Race One of the Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis. He led 27 of the 35 laps in the in the No. 68 HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing car.

SEE: Race Results

“I can’t even speak at the moment for the result I just got,” Frost said while trying to catch his breath in Victory Lane. “I’ve been working so hard to get to it. Finally getting that number one victory, it means a lot to me. I thank my team, I thank my sponsors, I thank everyone for this amazing result today.”

Hunter McElrea finished second, 1.5449 seconds behind Frost, in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport entry. His teammate, Sting Ray Robb, placed third in the No. 2 Andretti Autosport car.

Frost’s path to victory came with the challenge of managing the eventful first seven laps.

The first lap ran under caution due to polesitter Linus Lundqvist and outside polesitter McElrea bringing the field to the green too slow. Then, on their second attempt, Lundqvist launched ahead of the 14-car field, while others behind him darted two- and three-wide before diving into Turn 1. Those included Christian Rasmussen, who darted to the outside of McElrea and made the pass for second. Then, he set his sights on Lundqvist.

His quest for the lead only took a lap and a half as he was able to hunt down Lundqvist and make the pass for the lead in Turn 7. The next two laps saw the top-four cars – Rasmussen, Lundqvist, McElrea and Frost – staying within a car length of each other.

Then, on Lap 5, Lundqvist tried to slide back underneath Rasmussen for the lead into Turn 1 but the two made contact at the apex, causing Rasmussen to spin and damage both cars. The incident brought out the only full-course caution of the race and handed McElrea and Frost the top two spots for the restart.

“It was pretty hectic at the start,” Frost said. “I saw the front two guys battling hard, and I think it was inevitable that was going to happen.”

When the race restarted on Lap 8, McElrea pulled ahead with the lead, but Frost kept him within reach. The next time around, Frost built enough of a run to maneuver around McElrea for the lead into Turn 1.

Benjamin Pedersen’s potential podium hopes vanished on Lap 12 when Matthew Brabham locked his brakes on his trajectory into Turn 1 and ran into the side of Pedersen, causing him to spin in the grass. That allowed Robb to move into third, where he would end up finishing for the second straight race.

While the top three cruised to the podium, Rasmussen and Lundqvist put on a show to charge their way through the field to end the race in fourth and fifth, respectively. Lundqvist will again have the best seat in the house to try and win again at Indianapolis when he starts from the pole of Saturday’s Indy Lights race.

Frost will start sixth in Race 2, but until then he’s soaking in his first victory.

“It’s Indy; it’s the home of racing,” Frost said. “It’s very special to get this win here. I always dreamed of winning here. I’ve been close before but never P1. It’s always a great feeling.”

The Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course Saturday afternoon for Race 2 of the doubleheader weekend

 

Power Takes NTT P1 Award for GMR Grand Prix in Last Seconds

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 13, 2022) – Will Power won the NTT P1 Award for the GMR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, earning his 64th career INDYCAR SERIES pole on his final qualifying lap Friday afternoon.

Power’s best lap was 1 minute, 9.7664 seconds in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. Australian Power is just three poles shy of tying the all-time INDYCAR SERIES pole record of 67 set by Mario Andretti.

SEE: Qualifying Results

“This series, it’s so tight,” Power said. “So, to get a pole these days, you know you’ve done a really good job. And the team has done a great job. I’m super-stoked. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a pole on a road course. I worked hard on that one.

“I feel so privileged to be so close to him (Andretti). To be up there with names like Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt is something I wouldn’t have imagined when I started my career.”

This was Power’s first road or street course pole since the 2020 season finale at St. Petersburg, Florida, and he became the fifth different pole winner in five NTT INDYCAR SERIES races this season.

Live coverage of the 85-lap GMR Grand Prix starts at 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Reigning series champion and current points leader Alex Palou will share the front row with Power after his best lap of 1:09.8090 in the No. 10 The American Legion Honda.

Power’s teammate, two-time series champion Josef Newgarden, will start third after a lap of 1:09.8343 in the No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet. Conor Daly earned his best starting spot of the season by qualifying fourth at 1:09.9063 in the No. 20 BitNile Chevrolet.

Pato O’Ward, who led the afternoon practice, will start fifth after a best lap of 1:10.0546 in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, with his teammate Felix Rosenqvist rounding out the Firestone Fast Six at 1:10.0605 in the No. 7 Vuse Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet.

Callum Ilott continued his impressive season with the one-car Juncos Hollinger Racing, qualifying seventh in the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet as the top rookie in the field.

The list of drivers who failed to advance from the first round of qualifying could form a wing of an INDYCAR SERIES Hall of Fame as some teams and drivers were flummoxed by air temperatures in the high 80s and track temperatures tickling 130 degrees.

Indianapolis 500 winners Takuma Sato (13th), Alexander Rossi (16th), Helio Castroneves (19th), Simon Pagenaud (20th), Scott Dixon (21st) and Juan Pablo Montoya (23rd) all didn’t make the second round. NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winners Colton Herta (14th), Rinus VeeKay (15th) and Marcus Ericsson (18th) also didn’t advance from Round One.

1. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:09.7664 (125.854 mph)
2. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 01:09.8090 (125.777)
3. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 01:09.8343 (125.732)
4. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:09.9063 (125.602)
5. (5) Pato O'Ward, Chevrolet, 01:10.0546 (125.337)
6. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 01:10.0605 (125.326)
7. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 01:09.6530 (126.059)
8. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 01:09.6594 (126.048)
9. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:09.6899 (125.992)
10. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 01:09.7100 (125.956)
11. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 01:09.7847 (125.821)
12. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:10.2950 (124.908)
13. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:09.8239 (125.751)
14. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 01:09.8527 (125.699)
15. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 01:09.9550 (125.515)
16. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:09.9178 (125.582)
17. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 01:10.1306 (125.201)
18. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 01:09.9294 (125.561)
19. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 01:10.1417 (125.181)
20. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 01:09.9717 (125.485)
21. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 01:10.1694 (125.131)
22. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 01:10.1954 (125.085)
23. (6) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 01:10.7610 (124.085)
24. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 01:10.4755 (124.588)
25. (11) Tatiana Calderon, Chevrolet, 01:11.0020 (123.664)
26. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 01:10.7187 (124.160)
27. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 01:11.4599 (122.872)

 

friday MAy 13th

 friday may 13th  Quinn Arrives and Conquers at Indy on USF2000 Debut

Gavin Baker

SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Experienced Englishman Alex Quinn made a storybook Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship debut this afternoon in the first of three races which will comprise this week’s Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Quinn, 21, from Truro in Cornwall, took control in the late stages of an incident filled 15-lap race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Grand Prix circuit to score a first-ever USF2000 victory for the Velocity Racing Development team.

 
Billy Frazer, from Auckland, New Zealand, maintained his remarkable record of finishing second in the opening race of each event weekend this season for Exclusive Autosport, despite starting 10th on the grid. Third-generation racer Jagger Jones, from Scottsdale, Ariz., claimed an eventful third for Cape Motorsports after starting from pole position.

 

 
Jones, after scoring his maiden victory a couple of weeks ago at Barber Motorsports Park, continued his fine form by snagging his first Cooper Tires Pole Award in qualifying earlier this morning. He was joined on the front row by Quinn, who has gained success in a variety of European open-wheel championships dating back to 2016.

 
The long front straightaway on the Indianapolis Grand Prix circuit always provides excitement in the heavy braking area for Turn One, only this time there was drama virtually as soon as the cars took the green flag when Nicky Hays, from Huntington Beach, Calif., lost his Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-22's front wing in the initial jockeying for position. Teammate Jackson Lee, from Avon, Ind., also pitted for repairs during the subsequent caution period.

 
Championship leader Myles Rowe (Pabst Racing) was the biggest gainer at the start, leaping from seventh to second before the caution flags flew, and the gifted youngster from New York, N.Y., continued his progress at the restart by grasping the lead at Turn One.

 
Jones found himself shuffled down to third in the early skirmishes, although two laps later he was back in the lead after Quinn’s attempt to pass Rowe at Turn One instead cost both of them momentum and allowed the polesitter to reclaim the lead.

 
The action was frantic, so it came as no real surprise when the caution flags waved again on the sixth lap following an incident at Turn Four between the top two championship protagonists, Rowe and Michael d’Orlando (Cape Motorsports), from Hartsdale, N.Y.

 
Quinn made his move decisive for the lead at the restart on Lap 10, and while Jones briefly fell back to fourth following a four-wide tussle at Turn One, he was back into second again before the completion of that lap.

 
There was one more brief caution after Bijoy Garg (DEForce Racing), from Atherton, Calif., found himself in the kitty litter at Turn One, setting the stage for a three-lap blast to the finish.

 
This time Quinn used his experience to excellent effect, jumping clear of his pursuers as Frazer pulled off a bold outside-line move on Jones for second place at Turn One. Quinn also set the fastest lap of the race as he cleared off to win by just over two seconds from Frazer and Jones, who was relatively content to secure third and the championship points lead.

 
Turn 3 Motorsport teammates Christian Weir, from Naperville, Ill., and Spike Kohlbecker, from St. Louis, Mo., steered clear of the drama to finish fourth and sixth, sandwiching Canadian Thomas Nepveu (DEForce).

 
Mexico’s Jorge Garciarce emerged in an impressive seventh after starting last in the 21-car field to comfortably claim his first Tilton Hard Charger Award. He was chased home by Jay Howard Driver Development teammate and USF2000 debutant Frankie Mossman, from LaVerne, Calif., who also started at the back of the pack.

 
Quinn’s fine performance ensured a PFC Award for Velocity Racing Development’s Dan Mitchell as the winning car owner.

 
Two more races tomorrow will complete the Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis, starting with Race Two at 8:05 a.m. EDT.

 
Provisional championship points after 5 of 18 races:

 
1. Jagger Jones, 102
2. Billy Frazer, 95
3. Myles Rowe, 90
4. Michael d’Orlando, 87
5. Jace Denmark, 76
6. Simon Sikes, 75
7. Christian Weir, 74
8. Thomas Nepveu, 70
9. Spike Kohlbecker, 60
10. Bijoy Garg, 59

 
Alex Quinn (#17 VRD/Arden Motorsport-Velocity Racing Development Tatuus USF-22): “It’s great to get the win here, that was the most fun I’ve ever had in a race car. I had no expectations but I got on the track immediately – the team did a great job. They got me over here and they provided me with a great car and I’m very happy for that. This was a very last-minute deal last week: I knew Dan (Mitchell) from England, I knew he was a very talented team manager and engineer. I’ve raced the Tatuus chassis before so this feels similar, and it’s got the Cooper tires, which I’m enjoying driving. There are a few things that are different but after I got used to things – and after an engine change – everything felt great, I felt at one with the car. This is a big, wide-open track, which is new to me, and there was a lot of overtaking, which was also new for me – in the racing I’ve done, it’s very 'follow the leader' so this was very enjoyable. Turn One is a very tricky corner, especially three-wide, but we all gave each other room. It’s great to be here on the podium.”

 
Billy Frazer (#92 Corpay Cross-Border Solutions-Exclusive Autosport Tatuus USF-22): “We’ve had a solid race car all weekend, though P10 in qualifying wasn’t where I wanted to start. This was fantastic racing, though the cautions were pretty scary – you know that when it goes green, you just have to fly into Turn One and do your best. It was such a racecraft race – I was making passes inside, outside, down the middle, using as much of the draft as possible. And this finish was so important: these are the kind of races that help win championships, minimizing the bad luck. I was close to the incident between Rowe and d’Orlando but I was able to squeeze through and make it work. Super happy for the team, the No. 92 Corpay/Giltrap car was on fire.”

 
Jagger Jones (#3 Cape Motorsports Tatuus USF-22): “That was a super crazy amount of racecraft, with such a long straight coming after the start, then a few corners, then another super long straightaway. That makes it interesting, but it makes it tough when you’re leading – the draft is so strong down the front straight. At most tracks, if you keep it clean on lap one you can check out but with all the yellows, that wasn’t the case. Having to restart so often, which allowed guys to draft up and get alongside me, it became a game of who wants to brake deeper. We ended up third, but I think we’re on pole again for race two and hopefully we can get two spots better.

 
“I never think about the championship when I’m racing: I’m always trying to get the best result I can. For us, a win today was the best result but I didn’t fully do my job as a driver.

 
(Regarding the Jones legacy at the Speedway) “It’s so cool for me to be here: it was so special coming into the weekend, but once I got on track on Thursday it was all about the racing, about trying to get three wins.”

De Alba Garners First Career Win After Post-Race Penalty

Gavin Baker


 
SPEEDWAY, Ind. – Jay Howard Driver Development’s Salvador De Alba, from Guadalajara, Mexico was credited with victory in today’s Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis Supporting INDYCAR Ministry after race winner and teammate Braden Eves’ Tatuus IP-22 failed post-race tech inspection.

 
The penalty moved Pabst Racing’s Yuven Sundaramoorthy, from Delafield, Wis., into second - his first podium finish of the season – and teammate Colin Kaminsky into third.

 

 
A topsy-turvy day for the Indy Pro 2000 contenders began this morning when Irish rookie Jonathan Browne provided a surprise on the final lap of qualifying by leaping from outside the top five to the top spot, earning his first Cooper Tires Pole Award for Turn 3 Motorsport.

 
Browne led the way into Turn One but braked a little too deep for the tight right-hand corner. The slight error provided an opportunity for outside front row qualifier Louis Foster (Exclusive Autosport), from Basingstoke, England, to cut back to the inside and make a move around the outside as they headed into the left-handed Turn Two. Unfortunately, as Browne fought to maintain his momentum, his car slid sideways under acceleration and then, as Browne fought for control, he tipped Foster’s left-rear wheel. The contact was minimal but it was enough to send Foster into a spin, which also collected an innocent Jack William Miller, from nearby Carmel, Ind., who had started fourth in his Miller Vinatieri Motorsports’ Tatuus IP-22. Both were out on the spot.

 
After a full-course caution to retrieve the damaged cars, Browne once again took off into the lead, only to be assessed a drive-through penalty for incident responsibility.

 
Eves, having started 10th, had managed to negotiate the first-lap mayhem to emerge in second and duly took over the point. He made one slight slip on Lap 11 which handed the lead briefly to Colin Kaminsky (Pabst Racing), from Homer Glen, Ill., but Eves soon fought back and went on to dominate the remainder of the race.

 
A mistake by Kaminsky enabled De Alba to move into second, despite having started 12th, whereupon he fought desperately – and successfully – to maintain that position from Sundaramoorthy to the finish line to claim the Tilton Hard Charger Award. Reece Gold (Juncos Hollinger Racing), who started sixth but fell to 14th following the opening lap melee, rounded out the top five.

 
Wyatt Brichacek (Jay Howard Driver Development) earned the bonus point for the fastest lap of the race.

 
Lindsay Brewer of Exclusive Autosport impressed on her Indy Pro 2000 debut, finishing eighth with a best lap time only .1054 seconds off Eves’ best.

 
Two more races will be held tomorrow with the green flags set to fly at 9:10 a.m. and 12:10 p.m. EDT.

 
Provisional Points Standings after 5 of 18 Rounds:

 
1. Nolan Siegel, 104
2. Louis Foster, 98
3. Reece Gold, 93
4. Enaam Ahmed, 91
5. Braden Eves, 83
6. Josh Green, 82
7. Kiko Porto, 76
8. Colin Kaminsky, 72
9. Yuven Sundaramoorthy, 68
10. Salvador De Alba, 67

 
Salvador De Alba (#6 Groupo Indi/Mecano/Sidral Aga/Jay Howard Driver Development Tatuus IP-22): “It’s been a tough start to the year but the team has supported me the whole way, and we’re getting up to speed – I think this race showed what we can do and how confident we are now. It was a crazy race, I was defending the whole way, but the car felt good. My dad is here, as well as all my sponsors, so I’m very happy to put my country on the podium at Indianapolis!”

 
Yuven Sundaramoorthy (#18 S Team Motorsports/Pabst Racing): “This track is very attrition-based, so you knew something would happen at the start. It wasn’t the start I wanted, so I fell back, but I had a really fast car. I sat back and waited – I saw the two DEForce guys go side-by-side and hit the brakes because I knew something would happen. I played it safe knowing there was no reason to push for a gap that wasn’t there in a 25-lap race. Pabst Racing gave me an amazing car and I love this track, so it’s all about experience and knowing where you’re fast. I set up the Juncos cars toward the end and tried it with Salvador, but just came up a lap short. We still have two sets of sticker tires for tomorrow, so I’ll look for a better start.”

 

 

 

 

wednesday may 11th

no track activity

tuesday may 10th

no track activity

 

tuesday may 10th

 GMR Grand Prix Fast Facts

Race weekend: Friday, May 13 - Saturday, May 14

Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise)

Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES 85 laps / 207.3 miles | Indy Lights: 35 laps/55 minutes

Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.

Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate (Note: A seventh set of primary tires is available to any car fielding a rookie driver.)

Twitter: @IMS @INDYCAR, #ThisIsMay, #IndyCar

Event website: www.ims.com

NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com | Indy Lights website:www.indylights.com

2021 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet) Indy Lights: Linus Lundqvist and David Malukas

2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Romain Grosjean (No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda), 1:09.4396, 126.447 mph.

Qualifying lap record: Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying)

NBC Sports race telecast: 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday, May 14, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC's coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.

Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product, and NBC’s GMR Grand Prix race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service, while Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will be streamed following the race. The Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis doubleheader will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live!

INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn and Rob Blackman are the pit reporters. The GMR Grand Prix race (3 p.m. ET), Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis doubleheader (5:25 p.m. ET Friday and 1:10 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

At-track schedule (all times local):


FRIDAY, MAY 13 (All times are local)

9:30-10:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes), Peacock Premium

10:45-11:30 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practice, INDYCAR LIVE!

12:45-1:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, (45 minutes) Peacock Premium

2-2:30 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires qualifying (Sets lineup for Race 1 and Race 2), INDYCAR LIVE!

4 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock Premium

(Live)

5:30 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 “Drivers, start your engines”

5:35 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium

SATURDAY, MAY 14

10:30-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock Premium

1:15 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 2 “Drivers, start your engines”

1:20 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 2 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium

3 p.m. – NBC on air

3:39 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”

3:45 p.m. – GMR Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC (Live)

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:

  • Pato O’Ward broke Team Penske’s three-race win streak by winning the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on May 1. Alex Palou’s third podium finish of 2022 gave him the series points lead for the first time this season. Palou, the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, leads Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin by three points and the top four drivers in the standings are separated by just 10 points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 250 points to offer with races on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, PPG Armed Forces Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and the double points-paying Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in the next three weekends.
  • The GMR Grand Prix will be the 12th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. Active race winners who are expected to compete are: Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power.
ACTIVE RACE WINNERWINSSEASONS
Will Power52015, 2017, 2018 (GMR Grand Prix); 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-2); 2021 (Gallagher Grand Prix)
Simon Pagenaud32014, 2016, 2019 (GMR Grand Prix)
Scott Dixon12020 (GMR Grand Prix)
Josef Newgarden12020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1)
Rinus VeeKay12021 (GMR Grand Prix)
  • Four NTT P1 Award winners have won the GMR Grand Prix from the pole: Will Power in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016. Power also won the second Harvest GP race from pole in 2020.
ACTIVE POLE WINNERPOLESSEASONS
Will Power52015, 2017, 2018, 2020 (GMR Grand Prix and Harvest Grand Prix-2)
Pato O’Ward12021 (Gallagher Grand Prix)
Romain Grosjean12021 (GMR Grand Prix)
Rinus VeeKay12020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1)
Felix Rosenqvist12019
Simon Pagenaud12016
Sebastian Saavedra12014
  • Eight drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All but Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay are entered this year.
  • Scott Dixon has finished first or second in four of the last five GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Dixon won his first race on the IMS road course in July 2020.
  • Josef Newgarden can clinch the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge’s $1 million prize by winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – where he won in 2020 in the Harvest Grand Prix. Newgarden has won on an oval (Texas Motor Speedway) and street circuit (Streets of Long Beach). A win on a road course would earn him a $500,000 bonus and a matching $500,000 donation for his charities, Wags and Walk Nashville and SeriousFun Children’s Network.
  • Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP are the only other teams to win at the track. Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay. Chip Ganassi Racing won with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1, and Arrow McLaren SP won the inaugural race in 2014 with Simon Pagenaud when it was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
  • Six NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Tatiana Calderon, Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas - are entered. All but Lundgaard will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at IMS for the first time. Lundgaard made his series debut at the track last summer in the Gallagher Grand Prix.
  • Twenty-two of the drivers entered in the event have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races on the IMS road course. Twelve entered drivers have led laps in the GMR Grand Prix: Will Power 210, Scott Dixon 69, Simon Pagenaud 68, Romain Grosjean 44, Graham Rahal 36, Rinus VeeKay 33, Josef Newgarden 25, Felix Rosenqvist 15, Alexander Rossi 2, Marcus Ericsson 1, Jack Harvey 1 and Alex Palou 1.
  • Milestones: Felix Rosenqvist will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 293rd consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history.

Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Notes:

  • Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires will conduct the first of three doubleheader weekends with a pair of 35 lap races on Friday and Saturday. Linus Lundqvist, who won one of the two races at Indianapolis in 2021, took the series points lead with his win at Barber Motorsports Park on May 1. The field for the weekend's doubleheader races will be set by a single qualifying session on Friday.
  • The two drivers who have won Indy Lights races this season – Matthew Brabham of Andretti Autosport and Linus Lundqvist of HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing – are also the only entered drivers to have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Brabham won Race 1 of a doubleheader at IMS in May 2014 while Lundqvist won Race 1 of last season’s doubleheader.

 

 

 

 

monday may 9th

All Paths Lead to Indianapolis as the Road to Indy Resumes

Gavin Baker

 

Tight Championship Battles Continue in Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000

 
PALMETTO, Fla. – The focus for open-wheel racing fans is now set firmly on Indianapolis, Indiana. As tradition demands, the month of May will culminate with the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Memorial Day weekend. But the intensity at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway begins to ramp up this week when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the entire Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires open-wheel development ladder takes to the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course for a packed schedule of races on Friday and Saturday, May 13-14.

 
The first two rungs on the Road to Indy ladder are finely poised with four out of the season’s 18 races already in the books. And with a triple-header on the docket for both the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, this week is likely to prove pivotal in determining the favorites for a pair of scholarships valued at well over $1 million for the two end-of-season champions to continue their rise toward the pinnacle of the sport.

 
California Teenager Leads Indy Pro 2000 Entry
The youngest driver in the Indy Pro 2000 field, 17-year-old Nolan Siegel, from Palo Alto, Calif., has taken an early lead in the chase for a scholarship valued at almost $615,000 to ensure graduation onto the top rung of the Road to Indy ladder, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, in 2023. Siegel already has two wins to his credit this season for DEForce Racing, one apiece at the opening two events on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Barber Motorsports Park in Leeds, Ala.

 

 
Even so, Siegel holds only a slender five-point edge over English rookie Louis Foster, who has three podium finishes and a fourth to his credit for Exclusive Autosport. Foster also has gained the bonus point for fastest race lap in three of the four races held to date.

 
Consistency also has been a hallmark for Braden Eves, who currently lies third in the points chase after notching four top-six results for last year’s championship-winning team, Jay Howard Driver Development. Eves, from New Albany, Ohio, surely will encounter mixed emotions as he heads back to IMS. After sweeping both USF2000 races en route to winning the championship crown in 2019, Eves’ rookie Indy Pro 2000 campaign ended prematurely the following year due to injury following a crash at the Speedway. Last year he rebounded magnificently by securing a trio of podium finishes en route to second in the championship.

 
Based almost literally across the street from the race track in Speedway, Ind., Juncos Hollinger Racing also has high expectations as Reece Gold, from Miami, Fla., and London, England-raised Pakistani Enaam Ahmed are both in the thick of the championship battle. Gold, also still only 17, qualified on pole position for all three races in 2021 but failed to convert any of them into a victory. He set that record straight by securing his maiden Indy Pro 2000 win at New Jersey Motorsports Park last fall, and notched his first triumph of 2022 recently at Barber Motorsports Park. Ahmed, a former British F3 champion, exemplified his capabilities by claiming podium finishes in two of the four races held so far this year, in addition to posting a fastest race lap at Indianapolis during an abbreviated rookie season in 2021.

 
Other contenders among an extremely competitive field include Turn 3 Motorsport’s Josh Green, from Mount Kisco, N.Y., who won the opening race of the season in Florida; Pabst Racing’s Colin Kaminsky, from Homer Glen, Ill., who scored a runner-up finish at Barber; Brazilian Kiko Porto (DEForce Racing), who employed a victory in one of the three USF2000 races last year at Indianapolis as the springboard toward his successful championship run; and local driver Jack William Miller (Miller Vinatieri Motorsports), from Carmel, Ind., a podium finisher at the Speedway who was at the top of the timesheets in the series’ open test held in late October.

 
This weekend also will see the Road to Indy debut of social media star Lindsay Brewer, from Newport Beach, Calif., who joins the Exclusive Autosport ranks after a partial season of racing touring cars in 2021 and a concerted test program.

 
The Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Indianapolis Supporting INDYCAR Ministry will begin on Thursday, May 12, with a pair of one-hour test sessions followed by 30 minutes of official practice at 3:45 p.m. EDT. Qualifying at 8:45 a.m. on Friday morning will set the grid for Race One at 2:45 p.m. The starting positions for Race Two, at 9:10 a.m. on Saturday, will be set according to each driver’s second fastest lap in qualifying or their best lap in Race One, whichever is faster. A similar procedure will determine the grid for the third and final race at 12:10 p.m.

 

 

 

PReview

by terry daniels

it has almost become a tradition at indianapolis to say "scott dixon is the favorite to win the indianapolis 500" however  the New Zealand  driver has only drank the milk in victory lane once in his 19 previous indianapolis 500

future hall of famer and nascar's only 7 time cup champion jimmie johnson will make his rookie debut driving for chip ganassi racing johnson is still learning the road courses however has adjusted very easily to the oval tracks in the opewheel  racers

juan Pablo Montoya, Takuma Sato, Scott Dixon , Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Hélio Castroneves, Alexander Rossi and Tony Kanaan have all won the classic and have a total of 13 victories between them with Hélio Castroneves joining the elite 4time winners club last year by winning the 2021 indianapolis 500  anyone of these former winners are capable of drinking the milk in victory lane again

 2014 Indianapolis 500 and the 2012 IndyCar Series champion  ryan hunter-reay does not have a ride for the  106th indianapolis 500 after leaving Andretti Autosport at the end of last he made it clear he would run selective races with another team in 2022 and i am  sure the indianapolis 500 would have been one of selective races if he could have found a ride

Kyle Kirkwood,jimmie johnson,David Malukas,Devlin DeFrancesco,christian Lundgaard and Callum Ilott make up the rookie crop for 2022 and there is alot of young talent in this group and is the future of indy car racing

current ntt indy car points leader Álex Palou driving for chip ganassi racing will defiantly be a threat to win along with second generation drivers Colton Herta, Graham Rahal and Conor Daly who lead 40 laps of last years race However, damage to Daly's nose cone from an accident involving Graham Rahal on lap 119 prevented him from seriously challenging for the lead again

Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter and Simon Pagenaud are always consistent and all should have a top 10 finish. Arrow McLaren SP drivers Pato O’Ward and Felix Rosenqvist could very easily end in up in victory lane on race day and never count out Andretti Autosport who has won the indianapolis 500 five times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2016, 2017)

with only 33 car/driver combinations entered thatt will mean there will be no bumping sand like  saying  scott dixon is the favorite it to is becoming a tradition

latest odds on winning 2022 indianapolis 500

 

Scott Dixon +800

Colton Herta +800

Josef Newgarden +800

Álex Palou +800

Scott McLaughlin +900

Pato O’Ward +900

Will Power +1200

Hélio Castroneves +1600

Alexander Rossi +1800

Tony Kanaan +2000

Graham Rahal +2000

Takuma Sato +2000

Marcus Ericsson +2500

Simon Pagenaud +2500

Felix Rosenqvist +2500

Romain Grosjean +2800

Juan Pablo Montoya +2800

Rinus Veekay +2800

Jimmie Johnson +3300

Marco Andretti +5000

Ed Carpenter +5000

Conor Daly +5000

Kyle Kirkwood +5000

Santino Ferrucci +6000

Devlin DeFrancesco +6000

Jack Harvey +6000

Chris Lundgaard +8000

David Malukas +10000

Sage Karam +12500

Callum Illot+15000

JR Hildebrand +20000

Dalton Kellett +30000

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welcome race fans to krazyaboutracing.com we are now in our 22ND year of being the leader in motorsports coverage on the world wide web

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This site is dedicated to my dad " Hoot" who introduced me to the great sport of auto racing............. rest in peace  DAD

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charlie patterson ............my old friend that supported me when mo one else did

 Carroll Horton .......................................life long friend and indy car owner

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FOLLOW US on       

 

       

 

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NO PART OF THE SITE CAN BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MOTORSPORTSGARAGE PRODUCTIONS

This site is dedicated to my dad " Hoot" who introduced me to the great sport of auto racing............. rest in peace  DAD

larry criss....................A true race fan LIKE AN UNCLE TO ME

   gary lee.................auto racing broadcast legend and personnel friend

charlie patterson ............my old friend that supported me when mo one else did

 Carroll Horton .......................................life long friend and indy car owner

Judy Morris.................... a true race fan

todd shafer..............."a rock n roller" with a love for racing!

FOLLOW US on       

 

welcome race fans to krazyaboutracing.com we are now in our 22ND year of being the leader in motorsports coverage on the world wide web

WE MAY NOT HAVE ALL THE WHISTLES & BELLS OF OTHER SITES WE hOWEVER  ARE THE LEADER IN MOTORSPORTS COVERAGE !

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NO PART OF THE SITE CAN BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MOTORSPORTSGARAGE PRODUCTIONS

This site is dedicated to my dad " Hoot" who introduced me to the great sport of auto racing............. rest in peace  DAD

larry criss....................A true race fan LIKE AN UNCLE TO ME

   gary lee.................auto racing broadcast legend and personnel friend

charlie patterson ............my old friend that supported me when mo one else did

 Carroll Horton .......................................life long friend and indy car owner

Judy Morris.................... a true race fan

todd shafer..............."a rock n roller" with a love for racing!

FOLLOW US on       

 

       

 

©2002-2024 MOTOR SPORTS GARAGE PRODUCTIONS,  All Rights Reserved

ALL LOGOS ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF THE RACING SERIES AND ARE USED FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY

ALL PICTURES ARE PROPERTY OF THE RACING SERIES AND ARE USED FOR EDITORIAL PURPOSES ONLY

NO PART OF THE SITE CAN BE COPIED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF MOTORSPORTSGARAGE PRODUCTIONS

This site is dedicated to my dad " Hoot" who introduced me to the great sport of auto racing............. rest in peace  DAD

larry criss....................A true race fan LIKE AN UNCLE TO ME

   gary lee.................auto racing broadcast legend and personnel friend

charlie patterson ............my old friend that supported me when mo one else did

 Carroll Horton .......................................life long friend and indy car owner

Judy Morris.................... a true race fan

todd shafer..............."a rock n roller" with a love for racing!

FOLLOW US on       

 

       

 

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This site is dedicated to my dad " Hoot" who introduced me to the great sport of auto racing............. rest in peace  DAD

larry criss....................A true race fan LIKE AN UNCLE TO ME

   gary lee.................auto racing broadcast legend and personnel friend

charlie patterson ............my old friend that supported me when mo one else did

 Carroll Horton .......................................life long friend and indy car owner

Judy Morris.................... a true race fan

todd shafer..............."a rock n roller" with a love for racing!

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