The Pit Window by Mike Silver

Qualifying Postponed; Action Packed Sunday in Store

May 16, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

In the end the rain won the day, but IMS and the fans will get a huge victory tomorrow. Qualifying foe the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 has been postpone to Sunday.\

The revised schedule: All times Eastern.

Practice split group, 30min apiece, 9:30 am-10:30 am

Qualifying starts at noon: All 33 drivers will get a single attempt.

At 4:30pm, the Top 12 run, single attempt.

At 6 pm, the Fast 6, single attempt, pole is set.

For older fans, qualifying will be like the old days, when each car/driver combination received one attempt to make the field. The pressure tomorrow comes for those who have a shot at the pole. Laps have to be perfect.

I like that the elimination round to determine the final 3 spots in the Fast 12 has been scratched.

Sunday will be an action-packed day filled with drama. I just hope the series anf IMS get the ifea to make qualifying one day affair in the future.

Today was a long day, and a valiant was put forth by the speedway to get the track ready to go. Things don’t always work out when man battles nature. A shoutout to all thre workers who drove countless laps attempting to dry the track.

And, an even bigger shoutout to all the fans who stayed until the end, enduring twice having to find shelter. Race fans are the greatest fans in the world.

Qualifying order

Situation: Soggy

May 16, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

Good morning from a very wet Indianapolis Motor Speedway. At the moment r=the rain has stopped and skies are clearing a bit in the west, although the area over the southwest vista still has a cloud bank.

Grandstands were cleared because of lightning

The weather app indicates clear skies after 1 pm, and it teases that the rest of the day will be dry. We shal see.

Morning practice has been cancelled. When cars do get on track, it will be for qualifying.

Timing

IMS could have qualifying ru=n as late as 8 pm if they need to. Track drying takes approximately two hours, and for 33 cars to make their four lap runs should take between two and a half to three hours, assuming there are no incidents.

Given those parameters, qualifying could begin as late as five pm.

Fan s left the grandstands due to lightning and are just now being allowed to return. A sweeper is clearing standing water from pit road at the moment. Track drying has just started as well.

If we don’t see any more rain, qualifying might begin around 2 pm. Either everyone gets one run today, or no runs count and we start over again tomorrow. The everybody or nobody policy will figure in the decision to begin.

While we wait, here are some stories about anniversary races to put nyou to sleep.

110 Years Ago: Resta Wins Shortened Event as War Clouds Loom

100 Years Ago: Lockhart Subs, Wins Rain Shortened Race

Qualifying Day 1

May 16, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

From IMS:

Keep an eye on the skies

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 15, 2026) – Information about the PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Day 1 for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, Saturday, May 16 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

SCHEDULE:8 a.m.-6 p.m. Public gates open8:30-9:30 a.m.: Full-field practice (two groups)10-10:15 a.m.: Monster Jam World Speed Record test run11 a.m-5:50 p.m.: 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge qualifying

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $35. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to select grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points. All military personnel are admitted free with a valid military ID. Children 15 and under are admitted free with paying adult.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN: Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 9 Gate 10, Gate 10A, Gate 11A.

PARKING: Paid parking is available in Main Gate, Lot 2 and Lot 3P for $15. Free public parking is available in IMS Infield Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40) accessible only via Gate 10 from 30th Street. Free motorcycle parking in South Carousel Lot. ADA accessible parking is available for free in West Museum Lot, Flag Lot, Tower Terrace Lot, Northwest Gravel Lot and Lot 7 (North 40). Paid ADA parking is available in Gate 1 Lot for $25 and in Lot 2 and Lot 3P for $15.

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. A Cash-to-Card machine, which converts paper money to a temporary debit card, will be in Pagoda Plaza. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open 8 a.m-5 p.m. General Admission tickets are $25 for adults, Seniors (55 or older) are $23 and Military are $18. Tickets can be purchase online at imsmuseum.org.

Television schedule:

Rosenqvist’s Late Run Leads Fast Friday

May 15, 2026May 16, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

Fast Friday was a day of contrasts. The program got off to a slow start with morning rain that delayed practice by three hours. IndyCar extended the time until 7 pm. AS very large crowd was in attendance, but they were on the quiet side. There was not a lot of cheering when a driver put up a quick speed.

Scott McLaughlin put up a fast lap of 232.674 mph and a top four lap averag.232.372 mph lap late in the day.

“We started pretty slow, to be honest,” Rosenqvist said. “It’s kind of rare you’re able to crawl out of a hole like that. I think our first run was like a 230-something. We just found basically 3 mph. That’s kind of cool. The car felt pretty good.

“Sometimes that happens, like once you find a little speed, it kind of comes. It kind of starts flowing. The balance was really good.”

While every driver will be in the race, there is still concern for Kyle Kirkwood, who finished the day in the 20s and was the slowest of the Andretti cars. Will Power struggled most of the day, but recovered to 14th when the session ended.

Weather could be a concern tomorrow as there is a chance for showers off and on throughout the day. Could qualifying spill over into Sunday? Will the extend time so that every car gets their guaranteed run? Tomorrow could be a very fluid situation (literally).

The fastest four lap averages posted today:

Rosenqvist 232.828
McLaughlin 232.572
Rossi 232.543
O’Ward 232.248
Palou 232.026
Malukas 232.024

Results

Qualifying Order

Update- Green Flag!

May 15, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

After a three hour delay Fast Friday practice is underway. Barring any other weather issues, practice is scheduled to go until 7 pm Eastern, followed by the qualification draw at 7:15.

Despite knowing better, I took my usual route to the track. I was stuck on Auburn Avenue for 20 minutes before getting into lot 2 . That lot is quite full. I have never seen a practice day this full. Is Fast Friday going tom turn into Carb Day II?

The television schedule for the rest of the weekend, assuming good weather.

Kudos to Fox for covering the entire day Sunday.

I will be back after practice and the draw for qualifying spots unless some big news breaks.

Texas Roadhouse Joins Abel Motorsports for 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge

May 15, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

From Abel Motorsports

EMBARGO UNTIL 5.15.2026 AT 11:00AM ET

Indianapolis, Ind. (May 15, 2026) – Louisville KY based, Texas Roadhouse, Inc. has joined forces with Abel Motorsports and Jacob Abel to take on the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. Known nationwide for their legendary hospitality, high-energy atmosphere, and of course their rolls – Texas Roadhouse now brings that same spirit to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As a native of Louisville, Jacob Abel loves any chance he gets to tie his hometown in with his professional career and the partnership with Texas Roadhouse is another deep tie to the Bluegrass State.

“I’m honored to represent Texas Roadhouse in this years Indianapolis 500, it’s very special to have a fellow Louisville Kentucky company supporting me in this journey. Can’t thank everyone at Texas Roadhouse enough, and looking forward to making them proud,” exclaimed Jacob Abel.

When the opportunity to have an iconic brand like Texas Roadhouse join the Abel Motorsports team arose, Bill Abel was very eager to put a deal together to bring another tie from Louisville to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“It’s really cool to have another company in Louisville want to support a fellow Louisvillian, and we as a group can’t wait to build upon this relationship and share some incredible experiences together this May,” said Team Owner Bill Abel.

Qualifying for the 110^th running of the Indianapolis 500 begins on Saturday May 16^th with coverage beginning at 11:00am ET live on FOX Sports 2. Keep up to date with all things Abel Motorsports by following the team on social media, @abelmotorsports, or by visiting www.abelmotorsports.com

About Abel Motorsports: Abel Motorsports Team Principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family motorsports tradition. In 2015, Abel Motorsports was launched starting in the USF2000 series and building their way up the junior open-wheel ladder. Abel Motorsports was able to capture the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood.
Today, Abel Motorsports is a leading force in the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship, the official development series of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, where the team operates as a multi-car organization focused on the future. 2024 was a breakout season for Abel Motorsports scoring three wins, three pole positions, and 12 podiums on their way to second in the entrant championship.
Always looking towards the future, Abel Motorsports made their foray into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2023 as the team entered the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 with driver RC Enerson.

Qualifying Weekend Begins with a Rain Delay

May 15, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

Rain has entered the picture at IMS as Fast Friday gets off to a slow start. The forecast calls for precipitation to end around noon, which means on track activity won’t likely begin before 2 pm.

Scott Dixon has been the only driver near the top of the charts all three practice days. It is hard to say if it means anything since we don’t know what the others like Conor Daly, Alex Palou, or Kyle Kirkwood were working on yesterday., but Dixon has looked strong all week.

Right now, my front row for the race is Daly, Dixon, and Palou. Top 12 contenders are Kirkwood, Graham Rahal, David Malukas, Pato O’Ward, Marcus Armstrong, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, and Helio Castroneves.

I’m hearing that there were long lines waiting to get into the track this morning. I am still at the North Annex media center, and I will head to the track around noon.

Pictures from behind the Scene

My friend Brad Proctor took some photos in the garage area yesterday afternoon. Here are a few that capture downtime at IMS.

” Hi. I need a flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte, late afternoon on the 24th. Nonstop, please.”

I’ll be back with an update sometime around noon.

It’s Fast Friday!

May 15, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

From IMS:

INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, May 14, 2026) – Information about the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice track activity Friday, May 15 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

SCHEDULE:10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates openNoon-6 p.m.: Practice (all cars)6:15 p.m.: Qualification Order Drawing, Pagoda Plaza

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $25. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to select grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points. Children 15 and under are admitted free with paying adult.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN: Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 10, Gate 10A

.PARKING: Paid parking is available in Lot 2, Lot 3P and Main Gate for $10. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 2 and Lot 3P for $10. Free public parking is available in IMS infield and Lot 7 (North 40) via Gate 10 from 30th Street. Free motorcycle parking in South Carousel Lot. Free ADA accessible parking available in West Museum Lot and Flag Lot.

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. A Cash-to-Card machine, which converts paper money to a temporary debit card, will be in Pagoda Plaza. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open 10 a.m-5 p.m. General Admission tickets are $25 for adults, Seniors (55 or older) are $23 and Military are $18. Tickets can be purchase online at imsmuseum.org.

From yesterday:

Practice Day 3- Bits and Pieces

Pato Leads Day 3

May 14, 2026 thepitwindowLeave a comment

As has been the pattern all week, a driver set the fast time of the day early. Today it was Pato O’Ward’s turn to lead the field with a lap of 227.308 mph. O’Ward is the third different driver to lead at the end of a practice day.

“We got a race run in, we got some qualifying simulations in, and the car is in good balance,” O’Ward said. “Tomorrow when the boost comes up, it does change quite a bit. Yeah, so far it’s been very smooth.”

“Today, we noticed (reaching top speeds) over the course of two corners or like half a lap, but tomorrow you’ll go from the start of the exit of (Turn) 2 to the entry of (Turn) 3 almost like full beans, so it’s cool,” O’Ward said.

O’Ward and his number 5 Arrow team had struggled on Tuesday, but found what6 they needed today.

Tomorrow could be a different story for everyone when the extra boost will increase speeds by 5 or 6 mph.

I don’t want top jinx anything, but we have had 18 incident free hours of running. The only stoppages have been for track inspections and debris.

Conor Dly was 25th Thursday after leading Wednesday and having a spot in the top 10 Tuesday. Kyle Kirkwood was 14th, and Alex Palou, Tuesday’s leader, ended the day with the 25th fastest time.

Alexander Rossi turned the most circuits, 68.

Notes

Attendance has been very strong each of the first three days this week. I’m anticipating an even larger turnout tomorrow on Fast Friday.

David Maluykas took time to sign autographs for fans in Gasoline Alley after he finished a run.

If rain interferes with qualifying on Saturday, I’m interested in what the contingency plans are for Sunday. I hope @Indyca_Wxman can keep the rain away.