INDYCAR To Expand, Update Single-Car Qualifying in Firestone Fast Six for Remaining Street Circuit Events

thepitwindowLeave a comment

From IndyCar. The change is one that I suggested after Arlington.

  INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, April 13, 2026) – INDYCAR has announced an expansion of Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying, including an updated format, for the remaining four street circuit events of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season beginning with the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday-Sunday, April 17-19 on the Streets of Long Beach.
Single-car, single-lap qualifying runs in the Firestone Fast Six made their debut Saturday, March 14 at the Java House Grand Prix of Arlington. The format followed the traditional INDYCAR “knockout” format of Segments 1 and 2, which narrowed the field to six remaining qualifiers.
Moving forward, the adjustments to single-car Firestone Fast Six format will include:

Choice of qualifying order based on Segment 2 results.
The fastest qualifier from Segment 2 will be the first to choose which position they would like to make their Fast Six qualifying run with subsequent choices made for the remaining positions based on the order of Segment 2 results.

Lining up at pit out following tire declaration.Once the qualifying order is determined, teams will make their tire selection – primary or alternate tires – prior to lining up in single-file and in order of their qualifying run, at pit out to await their qualifying attempt.

During Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying, drivers will leave pit lane and get an opportunity for one lap – starting and ending at the alternate start/finish line. Once the car enters pit lane following that driver’s attempt, the next car will be released for its attempt. As in the streets of Arlington event, tire allotments and tire rules will remain unchanged.

Single-car Firestone Fast Six qualifying also will be scheduled for the three remaining street circuit events after Long Beach, at Detroit, Markham, Ontario, and Washington, D.C. The move to single-car Fast Six qualifying is designed to create a greater opportunity to spotlight and translate the challenge and expertise required by INDYCAR SERIES teams and drivers competing for the top positions on the starting grid.

“The debut of single-car Firestone Fast Six qualifying in Arlington was extremely popular and well received,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Following the event, we reached out to stakeholders to help evaluate the format and look into ways to improve an already exciting session. This slight update will provide the fastest from the Top 12 an earned advantage of choosing when they would like their run in the Fast Six, while tire selection before lining up at pit out will save time and more closely equalize the session.
“With continued input from teams, drivers and our partners at FOX Sports, we believe these updates will further highlight the close competition and perfection it takes to start at the front of the grid.”

As in Arlington, if the Firestone Fast Six single-car qualifying segment is impacted by weather or conditions that cause significant track surface change from one attempt to another, INDYCAR will have the following options:
Revert to standard Firestone Fast Six qualifying procedures, which features all competitors vying for the NTT P1 Award in the standard timed window.
Use the results from Segment 2 to set the starting lineup for the race.
Following the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, INDYCAR will again evaluate the updated qualifying format to determine its use and implementation in 2027.
Coverage of NTT INDYCAR SERIES qualifying from Long Beach is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday, April 18 on FS1, FOX One, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls. Coverage of Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, round five of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, begins at 5:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls. 

98 86’d; What’s the Path to 33?

thepitwindowLeave a comment

The decision by the FIA to stage two F2 makeup races in Miami and Canada next month has ended any chance of Colton Herta driving in the Indianapolis 500.

The top ladder series in Formula 1 lost two races in the Middle East that were cancelled due the conflict in Iran. Unlike the top series, F2 has to make up the races for contractual reasons.

Andretti Global had planned to run car 98 as their fourth entry with Herta as the driver. The original F2 schedule had no race43s in May. Team owner Dan Towriss first said that a replacement driver would fill the seat. He later said that that the team would just go with their fulltime IndyCar series lineup.

The 98 car, which has been a fourth entry for Andretti since the team downsized to three full time cars, had been driven in the 500 by Marco Andretti, who retired after the 2025 race. Many drivers were interested, but the team decided there was no one that fit their profile.

Without the 9, there are 32 entries for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. One of the smaller teams, either Dale Coyne Racing or A. J. Foyt Racing, will need to field a third car. Prema is still attempting to get a car entered for the race, but I am not holding my breath.

A shortage of drivers is not the issue. It is all about money and available equipment. Some drivers seeking a ride are Katherine Legge, Stefan Wilson, and Devlin deFrancesco. All three can bring money to a team. One name which hasn’t been mentioned is J. R. Hildebrand. I have no idea why.

I am positive there will be 33 starters for the race. We are at the point where we have one lst puzzle pice that just can’t find where to go.

Notes

A. J. Foyt Racing has signed Toby Sowery as a reserve driver. Sowery starred in Indy Lights and has been driving in IMSA the last two years.

According to the team press release, Sowery will begin his role at the next round in long beach.

“In his role as Reserve Driver, Sowery will support the team across testing, simulator development and race operations, providing experienced technical feedback while maintaining full race readiness throughout the season,” the release states.

From yesterday

100 Years Ago: Lockhart Subs, Wins Rain Shortened Race

100 Years Ago: Lockhart Subs, Wins Rain Shortened Race

thepitwindowLeave a comment

He was like a comet, a brilliant star who raced across the racing heavens and burned out in an instant. Frank Lockhart came to the 1926 race to drive in relief of Bennett Hill, but when owner-driver Pete Kreis became ill with pneumonia, Lockhart got the ride.

(For more about Pete Kreis, I recommend The Last Lap by William Walker, available at Octane Press.)

It took the rookie three attempts to qualify the car, and he started the race from the middle of row seven in the 28 car field. Lockhart quickly moved through the field at the start of the race; He had assumed the lead the lead when the race was halted by after 71 laps.

Pole sitter Earl Cooper did not lead a lap and retired after 74 laps with transmission problems. The first sixty laps saw a battle for the lead between Phil Shafer and Dave Lewis. Shafer finished 10th, while Lewis retired after 92 laps.

Lockhart took the lead on lap 50 and led all but six laps the rest of the way.

It took an hour for the track to dry. Lockhart led through lap 100, then Harry Hartz led six laps. Lockhart regained the lead on lap 107 and was never caught.

Rain began again on lap 152 and intensified eight laps later. The race was stopped and declared official. Lockhart won by nearly two laps over Hartz, who had an issue on his final pit stop.

In 1926, 350 miles needed to be run for the race to be official. It was the first time the Indianapolis 500 had been stopped and called complete because of rain. There would not be another rain shortened race until 1973.

In 1927 Lockhart qualified on the pole but dropped out after 120 laps with a broken connecting rod. He had led 110 laps.

Unfortunately, 1927 was to be Lockhart’s final 500. He was killed in Daytona Beach, Florida, the following April attempting to set a land speed record. A tire blew out on his second pass sending the car into a barrel roll. Lockhart was thrown from the Stutz Blackhawk Special Streamliner and died instantly.

In his two Memorial Day starts, Lockhart led 205 of 280 laps run.

Frank Lockhart finished second in the season points in both 1926 and 1927, winning nine races. His tragic demise cut short what would have been stellar career.

Notes

For the 1926 race, riding mechanics were optional, but none were used.

The race was the first race in which no starter from the inaugural event in 1911 drove.

All starters received prize money. Lockhart won $35,600, and last place finisher Albert Guyot took home $500.

It appears a pattern is beginning to develop in years that end in the number six. The 1916 race was scheduled for a shorter distance. The 1926 race was shortened by rain. As we go through this series, we’ll find more oddities about the races each mid-decade.

1926 began a string of three consecutive races won by rookies.

,

  2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST Presented as 500 Festival Event Vehicle 

thepitwindowLeave a comment

From IMS:

 04-07-Festival-Trucks-Email.jpg


 INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 7, 2026) – Thirty-seven identical 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST trucks were staged on the main straightaway April 7 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a clear sign the Month of May is around the corner.

A longtime tradition, the “Festival Event Vehicles” have reminded Indianapolis-area residents of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 since the 1960s. The unique fleet of trucks will turn heads and capture attention throughout the state in the lead-up to the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.

Presenting the trucks were J. Douglas Boles, INDYCAR and IMS president; Dave Neff, 500 Festival president and CEO; and Alyssa Haba, Chevrolet motorsports marketing and activation senior manager.

“We are excited to unleash all 33 of the 500 Festival board members and the 500 Festival Princesses to serve as brand ambassadors for the Indianapolis 500 across the state these next couple months,” Neff said.
“This is our state’s crown jewel, and there is no better time of year in the state of Indiana.”

The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST 4WD Crew Cab is powered by a 5.3-liter V-8 and boasts 355 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. With body-color bumpers, center grille bars and door handles and dark nameplate badges, the Festival Event Vehicle is designed for those who seek adrenaline and action.

Built by fellow Hoosiers at the Fort Wayne Assembly plant, these trucks are ready to hit the streets with a Summit White exterior, Jet Black leather interior, 20-inch high-gloss Black-painted aluminum wheels and custom Indianapolis 500 graphics. Celebrating America’s 250, these unique graphics feature eye-catching, American flag-inspired stripes and Easter eggs hidden throughout the design.

“The tradition of providing Festival Event Vehicles is a hallmark in the countdown to the Month of May and the Indianapolis 500,” Haba said.
“Seeing these Silverados on the road throughout Central Indiana will embody the passion Chevrolet, IMS and the 500 Festival have for the Indianapolis 500.”

The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information on all Month of May events and activities at IMS.

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com. 

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

thepitwindowLeave a comment

Editor’s note: Today begins a weekly series of looks back at anniversary races beginning with 1916. I will cover the 500s of 1916, 1926, 1936, 1946, 1956, and 1976 as we get closer to the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.

The distance for the sixth running of the Memorial Day Classic at the Indianapolis Motr Speedway was set at 300 miles, not the 500 miles run from 1911 to 1915. Speedway president Carl Fisher thought that 500 miles was too long, and that a shorter race would hold the fans’ attention and be more exciting.

According to the Indianapolis Star, the race wasn’t that exciting, with “only” 2 accidents. A crash on lap 61 caused serious injury to relief driver Jack LeCain, who suffered a double skull fracture. He was taken to the hospital. A newspaper story on June 3 reported that he would recover, although at that time he had not regained the ability to speak. Information on LeCain beyond that date could not be found.

In n1916 Europe was in turmoil as tensions which would lead to what became World War I were beginning to brew. Fisher liked to promote the race as an International Sweepstakes, and he encouraged participation from European drivers and manufacturers. The simmering conflicts caused parts shortages, and some European cars decided to skip the race. As a result, only 21 cars started the race, the smallest field in the history of the race.

Ralph Mulford qualified on the last qualifying day and started 20th. Louis Chevrolet started 21st. Jack LeCain qualified a car and would have started 22nd but had to withdraw the entry due to crankshaft problems. He would drive relief for Jules DeVigne, and he crashed on lap 61. Riding mechanic Harry Harkness also suffered injuries, although they were not as serious as KeCain’s.

At the start, Eddie Rickenbacker grabbed the lead from his mid front row spot from pole sitter Johnny Aitken and led the first nine laps. Aitken went to the point on lap 10 when Rickenbacker dropped out of the race and held the lead through lap 17. Dario Resta took first place on the 18th lap and led the rest of the way. Aitken retired on lap 69 with valve problems.

Dario Resta

Resta, in a Peugeot, won by nearly two minutes over Wilbur D’Alene’s Duesenberg, with the Peugeot of Mulford another two and a half minutes back. Resta’ lead was comfortable enough that hie drove his last lap at a leisurely 60 miles an hour.

Resta went on to win the AAA National Championship, also winning the Vanderbilt Cup race for the second year in a row.

Resta drove in just three 500s, 1915, 1916, and 1923. He was second in 1915 from the outside front row starting position. His final 500 ended after 87 laps with mechanical issue. Resta won 10 AA championship races before returning to Europe. He died in a racing accident at Brooklands England, attempting to set a land speed record.

The 1917 was reset to the 500-mile distance, never to change again. A dispute between Fisher and local hotel owners over price gouging nearly caused Fisher to move the race to Cincinnati. Cooler heads prevailed.

It became a moot point, as the United States became involved in the European war. There was no race in 1917 or 1918.

The Things You Find Out

In researching for this story, I learned that Resta’s wife, Mary, was the sister of driver Spencer Wishart, who was killed in a 1914 race in Elgin, Illinois. Wishart had driven in the first four Indianapolis 400swith a best finish of second in 1913.

Only the top 10 finishers received prize money. Resta won $12,000 for the victory. 10th place Ora Haibe took home $800.

One thing i would like to find out is if tickets were printed for 1917, and if any exist today. What a collector’s item that would be!

Quick Thoughts- Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix

thepitwindow

Another race. another Alex Palou smackdown. Similar to his easy victory at St. Pete, Palou beat Christian Lundgaard to the line by 13 seconds. Despite the wide margin at the finish, the story was nearly different.

“Incredible day,” Palou said. “I told you qualifying was one of the best car balances I’ve ever driven. Today in the race, it was pretty good in the beginning, really good at the end, but we suffered a little bit on the used blacks (Firestone Firehawk primary tires) that we had to use.

“Another win here. Love this place, love the fans. What a great day.”

Christian Lundgaard took the lead when Palou made his final stop. He pushed to create a large enough gap to stay ahead when he had to pit and was nearly there. A slow right wheel tire exchange cost him nine extra seconds in the pits. It was enough to allow Palou to coast to the victory. Lundgaard recovered to take second, passing Graham Rahal with three laps to go.

Lundgaard said after the race that he believed he had the pace to get by Palou.

It was a great day for Rahal, who earned his first podium since August 2023 at the Indianapolis Road course. RLL has been making progress with the 15 car this season, and the podium signals more good things to come for this team.

Overall, today’s race was the first real clunker of the season. There was very little passing. The race ran caution free for the second straight year.

Kirkwood Keeps Points Lead

Kyle Kirkwood maintained his points lead, but just barely. He is ahead of Palou by only2 points with his fifth place at Barber. Kirkwood is the most consistent driver of 20206 with four finishes inion the top five, including a win and a second place.

Kirkw3ood has won Long Beach, the next race, twice, including last year from pole. We could have a real points battle this season.

Watch Out For

Christian Lundgaard is beginning to make some noise. He now sits in third in the standings, 35 points behind Kirkwood. Lundgaard has finishes of 2nd, 3rd, 13th, and 7th. He may end up as McLaren’s number one driver this year.

David Malukas continues to be the bright light for Team Penske. His fourth place today put5s him in fourth place, just five points behind Lundgaard. Josef Newgarden started ninth and finished 10th. Scott McLaughlin started 14th after his practice crash Saturday, but struggled to a 16th place result.

Streaks broken– The run of a different winner every race came to an end with Palou’s second win of 2026. Sting Ray Robb finished 22nd after coming home 21st in each of the first three races. So close.

The FOX Conundrum

The booth talent and pit reporters are outstanding. The features production is professional and interesting. Their tribute to George Barber was outstanding.

However, their coverage of the sport, the showcase of the broadcasts is still woefully behind the positive aspects, especially on race day.

A pass for second place was missed early in the race. At one it seemed if there was a commercial break just two laps after a break.

I don’t like the top of screen features during action, especially while pit stops take place. If you want to talk about a musician, do it in the pre-race.

In Friday’s IndyNXT practice, sector times were shown on screen for the first time, never to be seen again. Sector times will very much enhance qualifying.

End of rant.

After four races in five weeks, IndyCar returns to action in three weeks, April 19, at long Beach.

Palou Takes Pole on Crazy Day at Barber

thepitwindow

Scott McLaughlin’s morning accident set the tone for a wild day at Barber Motorsports Park. Prior to IndyCar qualifying, The IndyNXT race saw the two leaders crash while battling for first place, and Nikita Johnson winning his second race of the year.

In the first round of qualifying Will Power lost his brakes entering turn 5 and went nose first into the barrier. Power was not injured, but he will again start at the rear of field. Power has had a difficult beginning in phase two of his career. Since he joined Andretti, Power has had some form of contact every weekend.

In a fierce, competitive qualifying session, Alex Palou won the pole position. he edged David Malukas by 11 hundredths of a second. Points leader Kyle Kirkwood will start fifth.

“Honestly, one of the best cars I’ve driven,” Palou said. “This morning (in practice) I already felt the car was really, really good, really well balanced. We just wanted to start up front, capitalize on a really good car we had today and see for tomorrow. Really happy to get our first pole this year.”

Graham Rahal will start third, Marcus Armstrong rolls off fourth, and Romain Grosjean will start from sixth.

Grosjean had a great lap going in Round 1 until he was impeded by Sting Ray Robb. Grosjean still advanced, while Robb lost his two best laps to that point.

McLaughlin’s crew got his backup car ready. he finished seventh in his group and will start 14th tomorrow.

Notes

IndyCar’s competitiveness was on full display with six teams reaching the Fast Six, and a seventh team starting seventh.

Palou is the fourth different driver to take pole in four races in 2026.

It was a great day for the AMR Safety team and all who helped implement the safety innovations on these race cars. Two drivers escaped serious injuries this afternoon thanks to car’s design.

Of the seven different teams will grid in the first three and a half rows, McLaren is conspicuously missing.

Results