INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, April 30, 2026) – The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X – a true American hypercar and America’s quickest production car– will lead the field to the green flag for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.The Corvette ZR1X Pace Car invites race fans to celebrate America’s semi-quincentennial anniversary with purpose-driven patriotism and American craftsmanship forged into this year’s bold livery .Indiana University Head Football Coach Curt Cignetti, in celebration of IU Football’s undefeated National Championship season, has been named honorary Pace Car driver and will pace the field of 33 drivers in the Corvette ZR1X to start “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” “America’s hypercar will be front and center at the Indianapolis 500, and it has the speed to stay there,” Global Corvette and Performance Cars Team Executive Chief Engineer Tony Roma said. “The ZR1X is made for the racetrack. This Corvette, inspired by America’s 250th anniversary, will absolutely give Coach Cignetti and the fans a thrill.” The Corvette ZR1X delivers 1,250 horsepower across all four wheels, combining a 186-hp electric motor on the front axle with a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 putting 1,064 hp to the rear wheels. For Pace Car duty, the ZR1X is equipped with the Carbon Aero package, including dive planes on the front bumper, underbody aero strakes and the rear wing, which creates more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed.The Corvette ZR1X achieves incredible acceleration – capable of zero to 60 mph in under 2 seconds – and can reach 233 mph, approaching speeds seen by race cars in the field .“As we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, this Pace Car design reflects both where we’ve been and where we’re headed,” Chevrolet Global Executive Design Director Phil Zak said. “Every element – from the badging to the colors – were deliberately crafted to honor this milestone while expressing a forward‑looking vision of Chevrolet design.”Designed in tandem with the Stars and Steel Collection, the Pace Car features the stars‑and‑stripes decals running across the car. This exclusive ZR1X was custom painted, appearing Arctic White from the driver side and Admiral Blue from the opposite profile. Every detail was considered, including the painted striping running down the ZR1X’s carbon fiber spine on the rear hatch. Inside, Santorini Blue seats are paired with red accent seat belts and red stitched floor mats for a cohesive, performance‑driven interior. “Having America’s sports car, the Corvette, pacing the field feels especially fitting this year as we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “With race car-like performance, the Corvette ZR1X is the perfect choice to pace the field of 33 in the Indianapolis 500.”Corvette is the longest-running car nameplate in automotive industry history, so it’s no surprise Corvette has paced “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” more times than any car. The 2026 race marks the 37th time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948 and the 23rd time overall, all since 1978, for America’s favorite sports car. Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information on all Month of May events and activities at IMS.
Caio Collet had the fastest speed of two day IndyCar Open test in this morning’s session at 226. 381 miles per hour. The speed held through the afternoon round, which was led by Josef Newgarden at 225.617.
Practice began 75 minutes late as the track dried from overnight and morning rain, bvut once things started, the morning session got very busy quickly.
The 24 year old Brazilian rookie driver for A J Foyt Racing was very happy with his run, but a bit surprised.
Caio Collet
“No, no, never expected that,” Brazilian driver Collet said. “Obviously, the team has a good background here and has done really, really well the last couple of years, especially last year. As a rookie, I was just trying to learn things and see how everything went. But the team, they did a really good job and got me up to speed quickly, and I got really comfortable.
“Obviously, a lot of things I still have to learn, especially in traffic. I have to understand how to manage traffic and how to get by people. But I think by myself I felt really good, and the team gave me a really good car both days.”
The cool, windy afternoon was not without issues. A caution came out as a fox scampered across the track between turns 1 and 2. IndyCar’s television partner just had to get a plug in.
Katherine Legge completed the two phases of the refresher program with an hour alone on the track and the remainder during the final practice.
Late in the session, Jack Harvey’s car began trailing a large plume of smoke between turns and three and four. The white contrail followed Harvey into the pits where he was greeted by the AMR Safety Team. The wind took the smoke cloud southward through the pits where it lingered for a minute or two.
While a loo at the combined results of the four sessions shows Collet on top, some things stand out. Newgarden and Conor Daly were consistently near the front of the charts. Takuma Sato finished seventh overall but showed consistent lap times.
Alex Palou ranks fourth on the combined sheet driving e the car in which he won Long Beach. How fast will, he be in his speedway car?
I was struck by the /slowness of the Andretti cars- Will Power 18th, Kyle Kirkwood 27th, and Marcus Ericsson 31st.
It was fun to see cars on track in oval trim. Next week’s Sonsio Grand Prix may be a bit anticlimactic..
Notes
Some sad news today as we learned of the death of Merle Bettenhausen. Bettenhausen is the last of the Bettenhausen family, whose patriarch, Tony, won two national titles. He achieved on of his titles without winning a race.
Merle’s brother Gary was a talented driver popular with fans in the 80s. Another brother, Tony, drove and then owned a champ car team until his death in a plane crash.
I will have a more detailed story about Merle and his family on Friday.
Happier stuff
IMS looked race weekend ready this week. The grounds crew obviously has worked hard to make the facility almost sparkle.
Saturday the Month of May kicks off with the Mini Marathon in the morning and the REV event at IMS at night. Preparations for REV were underway this we3ek.
It appears that the track is about 10 days away from selling out the grandstands.
The 2028 car may be revealed sometime this month.
Thanks for following along the past two deays. I’m justb getting started.
Caio Collet turned the fastest speed of the two-day open test at IMS in the just completed first practice period of the day.
The top six:
Collet 226.381 mph
Newgarden 226.223 mph
Daly 224.785 mph
Malukas 224.377 mph
Sato 224.130 mph
Rosenqvist 224.104 mph
It’s nice to see an A. J. Foyt Racing car ahead of the field,
Overnight and early morning rain pushed the sstart of the first round to 11:15 am Eastern time. Katherine Legge has the track to herself to complete the refresher program.
The next all car session is scheduled to begin at 2:15 pm and run until 5 pm.
The pace car for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be revealed tomorrow morning. The pace car announcement used to be o I looked forward to, but since it has become exclusively a Chevrolet product, it’s just not that big a deal to me. I loved the anticipation of seeing which car company would lead the field to then green flag. Another fun tradition assigned to the dustbin of history.
1956 marked a new era in auto racing. The American Automobile Association (AAA), which had sanctioned racing in the United Staes since 1903, announced at the end of 1955 that they would no longer run the sport.
AAA decide that they had had enough after 1955, which saw three drivers – Mike Nazaruk, Manny Ayullo, and Bill Vukovich- killed on track in May, and the deaths in non-championship events of Jerry Hoyt and Jack McGrath.
Speedway owner Tony Hulman created the United States Auto Club (USAC), which would serve as the sanctioning body of championship open wheel racing fora little more than 40 years.
The old Pagoda would witness its final race after a 30- year reign as the focal structure at the track. The old guard of pre-World War II drivers was dwindling, although some had a few more years left.
Heavy rains put the chances of running the race on May 30 in doubt, but brilliant work by groundskeeper Clarence Cagle and his crew got the track ready for the scheduled day.
The race itself was a chaotic affair with seven incidents between laps 21 and 160. Despite the carnage 19 cars were still running at the finish. The front row of Pat Flaherty, Jim Rathmann, and Pat O’Connor all led laps.
Flaherty took the lead for on lap 76 and was never caught.
Flaherty made Indianapolis 500 appearances off and on. 1955 and 1956 were the only consecutive years in which he ran the race. He was injured severely in a race in August but survived. He would not return to the speedway until 1959, his final 500. One of the fortunate drivers of the era, Flaherty died in 2002 at age 76.
The Pagoda was razed about a month following the 40th running of the 500, and its replacement was the rather pedestrian steel and glass master control tower, a non-descript square typical of architecture of the time. The tower was replaced by the current pagoda in the early 2000s.
1957 would also see a wall separating the pits from the race track, and the modern pit lane began to take shape. The modern era had begun.
Notes
Flaherty’s driving career at Indy had some unusual characteristics. He drove in five races, but only two consecutively as noted above. He finished 10th in 1950 and 1955. In all five races Flaherty finished within two positions of where he started.
Flaherty replaced 1955 winner Bob Sweikert, who had left the Zink team earlier in the year.
Trepidation for the 1956 race was high after the previous year. The post-race headline in the Indianapolis Star read “Flaherty Wins As Death Shuns Wreck Strewn 500.”
While the race was going on, in Fresno, California, the family of 1953 and 1954 500 winner Bill Vukovich unveiled a memorial.
From Indianapolis Star . (left to right0 Vukovich’s daughter Marlene, widow Esther, son Bill, Jr.
On a perfect day for running, Conor Daly led the opening test day at IMS with a speed of 225.394 mph. Helio Castroneves and Takuma Sato were second and third quickest. Sato, in third, was just 0.1 seconds behind Daly. The trio are all part time drivers. Sato and Castroneves drive only in the 500.
Daly cautioned everyone to not read too much into the results.
“There are several cars that aren’t running their race cars yet,” Daly said. “It’s just testing; we can’t overreact to test results. But honestly, every time we went out there, we did seem to be pretty quick, which is good. Our mission this month (May) is one day at a time.”
Daly led the pack for a while in the morning session as well. The fast times were with a tow. Kyle Kirkwood was the fastest without a tow on Tuesday.
The day started under a cloud cover with a bit of a chill in the air, but by noon blue sky and sunshine broke through. While the temperature didn’t rise much, it was pleasant and great for running. Wednesday’ s forecast calls for even cooler temperatures. Rain starting tonight could continue into the morning, possibly delaying the 10 am scheduled start.
All rooki3es- Dennis Hauger, Jacob Abel, Mick Schumacher, and Caio Collet- passed the Rookie Orientation Program.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Jack Harvey, and Ed Carpenter completed their refresher laps. Katherine Legge had gearbox control issues and did not turn a lap. She will have an opportunity Wednesday during the noon-1 pm lunch break to complete the refresher phases.
Notes
There is always something special about the first spring day of practice at IMS. For me it marks the official end of winter, and a promise of warm days and race cars ahead. It is part of the circadian rhythms of anyone born n Central Indiana.
I don’t know what Arrow McLaren was aiming for with this look, but it appeared to be some sort of camo. Each car had the words “Test Spec” on the side.
In addition to Daly, the Team Penske cars looked strong today. It was nice to see Will Power on top of the pylon for a bit this afternoon, but Andretti looked a little off pace. Chip Ganassi racing did not run their speedway cars today.
Tomorrow, I will be on site in the afternoon. Look for a story mid-morning about 1956 500 in honor of its 70th anniversary.
In a clean dat=y to date, cars are running at IMS as preparations begin for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. The tops ix this morning:
Newgarden 223.415 mph
Sato 222.850 mph
O’Ward 221.842 mph
McLaughlin 221.715 mph
Ferrucci 221.449 mph
Malukas 221.441 mph
The ROP/Refresher session saw all but two drivers complete their tests. Four time winner Helio Castroneves, 2014 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ed Carpenter, Jack Harvey completed the refresher program. Katherine Legge had a gearbox issue. She went out for an install lap with a minute left in the allotted time period. Legge is not eligible to participate in this afternoon’s practice.
Caio Collet, Mick Schumacher, and Jacob Abel completed the rookie orientation program. Dennis Hauger has completed phase 2 of the rookie program and is eligible to run this afternoon.
A cool cloudy morning has turned unto a partly sunny afternoon with pleasant temperatures.
I’ll be back with a wrap-up of the day’s acivities this evening.
Weather- Forecasted high of 64 degrees this afternoon after a stormy night. Rain should not be a factor during the test.
Today and tomorrow mark the unofficial opening of the track for May. Given the IndyCar schedule this year, I wonder why this test couldn’t have been conducted early next week, you know, when it is actually MAY. .IIn the years when the race id on the 24th I always feel like we get gypped out of a whole week of May. Fortunately, t5his occurs occasionally, and the following year the Indianapolis 500 assumes its rightful and proper date on the calendar of May 30.
I would not read too much into the speeds over the next two days. conditions will be cooler than they will be in three weeks, and we don’t know what each team is looking for this week.
Juncos Hollinger, Dreyer & Reinbold Form Partnership
A technical alliance and co entry arrangement was announced yesterday between full time team Juncos Hollinger Racing and Indy only team Dreyer &Reinbold. The link to the full story is here:
There is a limerick by Edward Lear with the line, “…It is just as I feared,” and I recalled it Saturday when i saw the following blurb from Adam Stern:
“Beginning with the 2027 IndyCar Series season, entry fields at all races outside of the Indianapolis 500 will be limited to chartered teams only. This decision was reached after thoughtful consideration with key stakeholders and, in particular, series suppliers who are making plans for the upcoming season as all parties look to build the series’ health and on-track competition.”
This scenario was one of my first concerns when IndyCar announced its charter system which took effect with the 2025 season. I had a feeling that charters would eventually lead to a closed shop and here we are, beginning next year
If a team doesn’t have a charter, they will not be allowed to race at any event other than the Indianapolis 500. The team known as Prema will likely not be seen again, unless its new owners decide to enter the 111th running of the 500.
Dreyer and Reinbold’s plans of someday entering races other than Indianapolis have been dashed. They will remain an Indy only team for as long as they wish, but no more. It’s a hollow reward for a team that has been loyal to the series and previously ran full time.
Non charter teams entering the Indianapolis 500 receive only $100,000 for making the race unless their car does extremely well in the race. How many will reconsider since they will take a loss?
I’m not sure this move adds value to the charters as IndyCar believes it will. Charter teams are guaranteed a spot in every race other than Indianapolis. Leaders’ Circle money won’t increase, and an owner who really wants out will probably take a lower price just to be done with it.
Othe unintended consequences I see:
Third OEM Less Likely
Chevy and Honda were each granted a charter beginning in 2028 and will pair with an existing two car team. A third OEM would want the same deal, raising the grid to 28. Does engine number three take a charter from the worst performing team? Does IndyCar ask for volunteers?
I don’t see this situation as attractive to another brand. The brevity of the IndyCar statement leaves a lot of contingencies unanswered.
New Blood
IndyCar could lose a generation of young drivers under the new policy. Does this undermine the value of an Indy NXT championship? There is very little room the champion of the top ladder series to enter the grid now. Linus Lundqvist still hasn’t found a full time home. Andretti Global has had to loan out its last two Ondy NXT champs, Kyle Kirkwood and Dennis Hauger, to other teams until the team had an opening.
Safer cars, which I am grateful for, have prolonged careers. I can see two former Indianapolis 500 winners driving in their final race May 24.
Current drivers aren’t getting any younger. Will Power and Scott Dixon are 45 years old, and Romain Grosjean is 38,
Five of the eight one-off drivers in this year’s 500 are receiving adds for their AARP cards. Helio Castroneves will be 50 by race day, Takuma Sato is 49, and Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ed Carpenter, and Katherine Legge are 45 years old,
With no seats available, the younger drivers will turn to other series, and likely will not return to IndyCar.
Adding Charter Value While Keeping Things Open
As my three readers know, I enjoy spending IndyCar’s money. Here I go again with some ideas to make the charters more valuable while allowing open entries all season.
For the 500: A minimum of $200,00 for one-off entries; a minimum of$300,000 for charter teams.
For the season: Expand the leaders’ Circle to include all charter teams and give performance bonuses based on the season standings. Pay any non-charter entrants who qualify for a race a minimum amount.
The Indianapolis 500 has always been an open event except for the IRL years. IndyCar has always welcomed all comers to their events. The open philosophy is something the series should embrace, not try to eliminate.
INDIANAPOLIS, April 27, 2026 —Veteran driver Katherine Legge has been entered by HMD Motorsports with AJ Foyt Racing for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 (Indy 500). She will once again be fueled by primary sponsor e.l.f. Cosmetics, a brand from e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:ELF), the bold disrupter with a kind heart. As the only woman entered in this year’s 500-mile race, Legge continues a legacy that traces back to trailblazer Janet Guthrie — and uniquely, to four-time Indy 500 winner and team owner A.J. Foyt.
No. 11 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet RenderingNearly 50 years ago in May 1976, Guthrie fought to earn her place at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). After facing skepticism and extraordinary scrutiny, Guthrie was given a pivotal opportunity when A.J. Foyt allowed her to test one of his backup cars — a moment widely credited with changing perceptions of what women could achieve in motorsport. One year later, Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for and compete in the Indy 500, the same race in which Foyt won his record-setting fourth 500. Now, in a full-circle moment, Foyt’s team will field Legge’s entry — marking a powerful continuation of that legacy.
Legge is looking to make her fifth Indy 500 start in the No. 11 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet, after becoming just the ninth woman to qualify for the race in 2012. In 2023, she became the fastest woman to ever qualify for the race, posting an average speed of 231.07 mph. She remains one of the most accomplished female drivers in global motorsport—including being the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America, the first to lead laps in Champ Car, and the first to lead the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
The British driver enters the 2026 race following a 2025 campaign in NASCAR, where she became the first woman to qualify for a NASCAR Cup Series race since Danica Patrick’s 2012 debut, and the first woman in seven years to start a Cup race. Across 14 events spanning ARCA, the Xfinity Series (now O’Reilly), and the Cup Series, Legge recorded two top-20 finishes at the Cup level and the highest finishing position among rookie drivers in her debut race.
In a world where women receive just 1% of sports sponsorships, account for only 4% of drivers on tracks, and are twice as likely to feel forced out of racing within the first five years,* e.l.f. is committed to the belief that anything is e.l.f.ing possible when you fuel the women who are rewriting the rules. That’s why e.l.f. is bringing eyes.lips.fuel. to the Indy 500, showing up in a big way both on the track and in the Fan Zone at the largest single-day sporting event in the world.
Inspired by e.l.f.’s Glow Reviver Lip Oil Stick, the eyes.lips.fuel activation will be featured trackside at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The experience reimagines the garage — a space that has historically belonged to the men — and making it a space for every eye, lip, and face. The activation includes:·
A full-size replica of Katherine’s race car, giving fans an up-close, in-person look at the machine she’ll drive on track·
A museum-style showcase of real artifacts from Legge’s career — from her first race suit, to her helmet and earliest karting trophies — celebrating the milestones of a trailblazer in the making·
A “Kiss the Bricks” wall, allowing fans to participate in one of motorsport’s most iconic traditions and send Legge their well wishes·
A personalization station where fans can customize e.l.f. products and receive exclusive e.l.f. merchandise.
Legge was e.l.f.’s first empowered.legendary.female leading the way for a growing group of women athletes including Billie Jean King, Kendall Coyne Schofield, Ally Sentnor, Jaedyn Shaw, Jess Carter, Lo’eau LaBonta, and Flau’jae Johnson, all united by their shared commitment to positivity, inclusivity, and accessibility, and their refusal to let anyone tell them where they don’t belong
.AJ Foyt Racing, one of the most iconic teams in the history of American motorsport, has played a defining role in shaping the sport across generations. The team continues to carry forward a legacy of grit and opportunity, fielding two full-time entries in the NTT INDYCAR Series with veteran Santino Ferrucci and rookie Caio Collet—giving Legge two teammates to work alongside during “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Foyt’s partnership with HMD Motorsports began in 2025 in the junior formula ranks, fielding multiple entries in the INDY NXT by Firestone championship. Since entering the series in 2019, HMD has established itself as a powerhouse program—earning a team championship, two driver titles, multiple Rookie of the Year honors, and advancing several drivers to the NTT INDYCAR Series
.The Indy 500 remains the largest single-day sporting event in the world and one of racing’s ultimate tests—500 miles at speeds exceeding 230 mph, where precision, endurance, and mental resilience are pushed to their limits. Legge will begin preparations for the event with the Indy 500 Open Test (April 28–29), followed by official practice beginning May 12 and qualifications set for May 16–17. The race will be held May 24, with coverage beginning at 10 a.m. EDT on FOX
.Off the track, Legge continues to expand her platform across media and storytelling. Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legge returned earlier this year for Season 2 on iHeart, where she recently welcomed AJ Foyt Racing President, Larry Foyt. She is also the author of the children’s book Kat’s Magic Helmet, published in 2025.
*Sources: BBN, Autoweek, More Than Equal
QUOTE BOARD
Katherine Legge, Driver of the No. 11 e.l.f. Cosmetics Chevrolet Dallara: “We worked incredibly hard to be back at this year’s Indianapolis 500, and I don’t take a single moment of it for granted. I’m beyond grateful to e.l.f. Cosmetics for believing that women deserve to take up space in every arena—including this one. Together, we’re proving that when you invest in a woman’s dream, there’s no limit to what she can achieve. It honestly feels like Christmas being back at the 500. Every time I return, I gain a deeper appreciation for what it takes—not just to compete here, but to earn the opportunity to be here in the first place. I’m reminded that I’m a small part of this enormously storied event. To the AJ Foyt Racing organization, HMD, Chevrolet, IndyCar, and my team at BRANDed Management—thank you for fighting tirelessly to make this possible.”
Patrick O’Keefe, Chief Integrated Marketing Officer, e.l.f. Beauty: “Together with Katherine Legge, we’re fueling a movement for the next generation of dreamers. eyes.lips.fuel. isn’t just a tagline – it’s our commitment to every eye, lip and face watching who needs to see that they belong on that track, behind that wheel, and in any arena they choose. We’re democratizing access to sports by showing our community exactly what’s possible when someone believes in you and fuels your journey.”
Larry Foyt, President, AJ Foyt Racing: “AJ Foyt Racing has always been about giving racers a real shot. The collaboration with our partners at HMD and e.l.f. Cosmetics has helped bring this program to the grid. Katherine has earned this opportunity, and we’re committed to giving her a strong, competitive platform.”Mike Maurini, President, HMD Motorsports: “This is a tremendous opportunity for HMD Motorsports and an incredibly proud moment for everyone involved with our organization. We have worked hard to establish HMD as a leader in driver development, and to now be part of an Indianapolis 500 program alongside AJ Foyt Racing and Katherine Legge is something very special. Katherine brings a wealth of experience, AJ Foyt Racing brings unmatched history, and together we believe we have assembled a program that can make a strong impression throughout the Month of May.”
ABOUT KATHERINE LEGGEKatherine Legge is a trailblazing British racing driver and one of the leading women in international motorsports. She is the fastest woman to ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500 and has earned historic firsts across open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing. Legge became the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America in 2005, the first woman to lead laps in Champ Car, and one of the few women to compete across NASCAR, INDYCAR, IMSA, and global endurance events, including the 24 Hours of Daytona and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. A vocal advocate for representation in motorsport, Legge has appeared on TODAY, CBS Mornings, The Drew Barrymore Show, Ellen, The Tamron Hall Show, 60 Minutes, Modern Marvels, and Jay Leno’s Garage. For more information, visit http://www.katherinelegge.com.
ABOUT E.L.F. COSMETICSe.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF) is fueled by a belief that anything is e.l.f.ing possible. We are a different kind of company that disrupts norms, shapes culture and connects communities through positivity, inclusivity and accessibility. e.l.f. Cosmetics, our global flagship brand, makes the best of beauty accessible to every eye, lip and face by bringing together the best of beauty, culture and entertainment. Our superpower is delivering universally appealing, premium quality products at accessible prices that are e.l.f. clean and vegan, all double- certified by Leaping Bunny and PETA as cruelty free. We are proud to have products made in Fair Trade Certified facilities. Learn more at http://www.elfcosmetics.com.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 