A 36th Entry? Boles Clarifies Some Issues

May 11, 2021 thepitwindow

Phot from Top Gun Twitter page

Top Gun Racing may be on the brink of entering the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. The second year team, with R C Enerson driving, tested the number 75 Chevy powered car at World wide technology raceway on Monday. There has been no formal announcement of an entry. There was speculation as to whether the team would get an engine lease. The car would be the 36th entry in the 500, meaning three cars will not make the race.

I hope they keep the Johnny Lightning tribute livery.

Boles Gives Some Clarity on Fan Attendance

Last night on Trackside Doug Boles answered fan questions about attending events at IMS this month. I have received a lot of questions from readers about policies. Boles addressed many of their concerns. A summary of some of the major points he covered:

The infield is open; the spectator mounds are closed. Th area behind the pagoda is open. Fans may enter the infield via one of the two tunnels underneath the the front stretch.

Proof of vaccination is not required to enter IMS, but it is required for badge holders who wish to visit the garage area, Boles did not mention a limit on the number of fans who could be in Gasoline Alley at one time.

Tickets may be purchased at the entry gates for practice and qualifying. Tickets may be purchased at a will call trailer for the GMR Grand Prix on race day.

There is no grid walk for the GP.

There is no Monday practice the day after qualifying and no pit access for Bronze Badge holders. Boles hopes to have a practice day where badge holders can have pit access in the future.

Fans may watch practice from the Tower terrace seats.

Cooler limits are the same as they have always been- 14″ x14″.

The pre race for the 500 will celebrate the life of Bobby Unser and Takuma sato will receive recognition for winning the 2020 race.

Vaccinations are available across from Gate 2 and also inside the track at first aid station at gates 1, 6, and 9.

I am anticipating a heavy news day with possibly the entry list for the 500 coming out this afternoon. I will be back later today with more up dates.

GMR Grand Prix Schedule and Networks

May 11, 2021 thepitwindow

All Times Eastern

Friday

7:30am 6:00pm- Gates Open

8:00am 8:20am- Indy Pro 2000 Quals

8:35am 9:05am INDY LIGHTS Q1

9:30am 10:15am INDYCAR Series Practice 1 Peacock

10:40am 11:20am USF2000 Race 1

11:45am 12:35pm Indy Pro 2000 Race 1

1:00pm 1:45pm NTT INDYCAR Series Practice 2 Peacock

2:10pm 3:10pm INDY LIGHTS Race 1 Peacock

3:25pm 4:05pm USF2000 Race 2

4:30pm 5:45pm NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qual. / Firestone Fast 6 Peacock (live)

NBCSN– 6 pm ET (Delayed)

Saturday

7:30am 5:00pm Gates Open

7:50am 8:40am Indy Pro 2000 Race 2

8:55am 9:25am Indy Lights Qualifying 2

9:40am 10:20am USF2000 Race 3

10:45am 11:15am NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm-Up Peacock

11:40am 12:30pm Indy Pro 2000 Race 3

12:45pm 1:45pmINDY LIGHTS Race 2 Peacock

2:39pm ‘Drivers Start Your Engines’ NBC

2:45pm GMR Grand Prix – Green Flag NBC

Where’s the 500 Buzz?

May 10, 2021 thepitwindow8 Comments

It’s May 10 and I’m still not feeling it. MAY 10th! Perhaps it’s because the track isn’t open yet, or that I haven’t received my race tickets. Maybe it’s the lousy weather Indianapolis is enduring right now. Whatever the cause, the 500 buzz that I usually feel around May 1 isn’t there.

Moving the GMR Grand Prix back a week might not have been such a good idea. The later date has kept things low key as we wait for the track to open halfway through the month. I felt a little bit of excitement when I picked up my Bronze Badge at the track last week. The email from the speedway telling me my tickets had been mailed perked me up some as well, but that high withered when the blue envelope still hadn’t arrived by Saturday.

What will it take to get the buzz going again? Being at the track first thing Friday morning after my traditional Opening Day breakfast at Charlie Brown’s should do the trick. It has been two years since I have been inside the track during May. It was nice seeing some racing at IMS in October, but it wasn’t the same. Friday can’t get here soon enough.

There are some racing friends I haven’t seen since the 2019 500. I am excited to see them again as well. Sadly some are skipping this year, too, but it will be great to see those who do attend. I am normally a patient person except for one month a year. I hope the schedule returns to a more regular path in 2022.

Meanwhile, I will set my alarm for Friday morning, hope my 500 tickets arrive this week, and get my buzz restarted.

The Pit Window Turns 5

May 9, 2021 thepitwindow4 Comments

It began with a reflection on my first 500 Mile Race in the year of the 100th running. I never expected to last through the end of the 2016 season, but here we are. May 9 is the 5th anniversary of The Pit Window’s first post. It has been an amazing journey with lots more to come.

This little blog has taken me places I never dreamed of going, and has given me opportunities to meet and talk with people in the racing world I never thought I would have the chance to be within 10 feet of. I have made some great friendships on this journey.

I mainly enjoy writing the historical pieces. “Bump Tales” is my favorite feature, and it will make a brief appearance in the next week or so. I also enjoy the breaking drama, such as qualifications day in 2018 when Pippa Mann and James Hinchcliffe addressed the media after failing to qualify for the race.

So many people have helped and encouraged me to begin this little adventure, and many more who have helped me along the way. I thank all of you who are too numerous to name. I would leave someone out. .

The biggest thanks,however goes to the fans who continue to read The pit Window. I appreciate your support and thank you for reading.

I will be back tomorrow as we get ready for the opening of IMS and GMR Grand Prix week.

The Rocket Lands at IMS Museum

May 8, 2021May 8, 2021 thepitwindow

Just 16 hundredths of a second stands between Rick Mears and a fifth Indianapolis 500 victory. The margin by which Gordon Johncock beat Mears to the checkered flag in 1982 is portrayed in a tableau of sorts in the exhibit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum honoring the man known as “The Rocket.” The special exhibit opened May 2 and runs through March 20, 2022.

The four cars in which he won the 500 are also present, along with one of his first race car, an off road dune buggy he built with the help of his brother Roger and father Bill.

From there, Mears went to the Pikes peak Hill Climb in another specially built car. Mears won the 1976 Hill Climb in the Porsche powered car built by Paul Newman and Doug Dreager. The following year Mears attempted to qualify for the 500.

His car was not fast enough to make the race, but a conversation with Roger penske after qualifying led to a career shaping relationship between the two. Mears would drive for Penske the remainder of his time in Indycar.

Rick Mears 1977 car for Indianapolis. Livery shown is not the livery he drove and the car number was 77.

Mears first win came in his second 500 in 1979. he drove a tactical race, which became his style. Mears also won the first of what grow to be a record six poles at Indianapolis. He won from the pole twice more. The race has been won from the pole 21 times, which makes his accomplishment stand out even more.

Rick Mears winning car in 1979, the first of four victories for Mears in the 500.

The 1982 race finish had the cars too far apart. While Bob Jenkins radio call is quoted on the wall, the cars have a lot more separation in the display.

The 1982 finish was much closer than this. Johncock’s car (foreground) leads mears car across the line. The actual finish below.

The exhibit contains just a few memorabilia items from Mears. The best things are two of his helmets.

New for this exhibit is the car information presentation. Instead of a placard to read, visitors scan a QR code which displays the information on their phones. By scanning the first one, fans can scroll through to subsequent cars and give themselves a self guided tour of the display. This system allows fans to read information without waiting for the person in front of them to finish reading the placard. Welcome to the future of museums.

“Rocket Rick Mears” is a nice tribute to a driver as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of his last win at Indianapolis.

Museum Touch Ups

The IMS Museum has upgraded the display cases in the winners’ gallery. The case on the north wall is a tribute to the Hulman Family’s 74 years of ownership. It contains a nice timeline of improvements to the facility. The displays on the south wall are tidier and less cluttered, with a display of early racing helmets and other historical items. The walls look much neater and have a cleaner look than I have seen on previous visits.

1968: The Unser Family Legend Begins

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 thepitwindow

In 1967 the turbine engine powered car driven by Parnelli Jones dominated the race, only to drop out while leading with four laps to go. A. J. Foyt went on to win his third Indianapolis 500 in six years. For 1968 the turbine engine cars were back in force,determined to flip the sport to a new breed of power. STP entered three cars, and five other turbine cars also came to try to make the race. It appeared a different kind of power was about to erase 70 years of internal combustion technology.

The front row featured two turbines in the first two spots and Bobby Unser in the third spot. Unser, entering his sixth race, began the 1968 race with a best finish of eighth in 1966, a race which saw only seven cars running at the end. Joe Leonard on the pole and 1966 winner Graham Hill next to him on the grid were expected to run away with the event.

Bobby Unser (L) prevented an all turbine front row.

While the power of the cars appeared poised for a transition, the 1968 race program reflected other transitions. The memorial page acknowledged the death of Ray Harroun, winner of the first 500 in 1911, on January 19. A more recent winner, Jim Clark , who ran away with the 1965 race, lost his life in a Formula 2 accident in Hockenheim, Germany, April 7. The deaths were almost bookends of the race’s history to that point.

STP bought a full page ad touting the turbine, calling it “A Quiet revolution.

A new product which would revolutionize consumer spending was in its infancy in 1968- the credit card. Most were specific to a product, and some were beginning to expand their use, like the Standard Oil card. Notice the 10 digit number.

1968 featured one of the hot air balloon races, honoring the first event held at IMS in 1909. The third day day of qualifying paused for two hours as the balloons launched. There was generally a lot of down time on Day 3 of qualifying, but in 1968 the constant rain put track time at a premium. The balloon races ended a couple years later when the basket of a competitor couldn’t launch in the wind and plowed into an infield restroom.

Back to the race:

Unser passed Leonard for the lead on lap 8. the race turned into a three way battle between Unser, Leonard, and Lloyd Ruby. Leonard took the lead on lap 175 and appeared headed for victory. As the race restarted on lap 191, Leonard’s car suddenly came to a halt in turn 1 with a fuekl shaft problem. Unser went on to claim the first of his three 500 mile race wins. it was also the first of nine wins for the Unser family.

In June USAC limited the air inlet of turbines to 12.5 square inches from the 15.9 they had been allowed. The smaller intake rendered them uncompetitive. Only one turbine entered the race the next year, and then the silent revolution disappeared.

35 Entries for the 500; Notes

May 6, 2021 thepitwindow

The entry list for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 stands at 35 after the announcement of Stefan Wilson to the number 25 car at Andretti Autosport. I think that is where it will stay. Top Gun Racing has no engine lease at the moment, and it is getting late. The entry which Spencer Pigot drove in 2020, would need to get a Chevy engine. I’m not sure that will happen.

Thirty-five entries after a tumultouous year like 2020 is a very healthy number. There will be bumping, and two cars will go home on May 23. Here is the entry list as of this morning:

Chevrolet-17

Team Penske (4)-Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Scott McLaughlin

A. J. Foyt Racing (4)- Sebastien Bourdais, Dalton Kellett, Charlie Kimball, J. R. Hildebrand

Carlin Racing (1)- Max Chilton

Arrow McLaren SP (3)- Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Juan Pablo Montoya

Ed Carpenter Racing (3) – Ed Carpenter, Rinus VeeKay, Conor Daly

Dreyer and Reinbold (1)- Sage Karam

Paretta (1)- Simona De Silvestro

Honda– 18

Andretti Autosport (6)-Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Marco Andretti, AStefan Wilson

Chip Ganassi Racing (4)- Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou, Tony Kanaan

Dale Coyne Racing (3)- Ed Jones, Pietro Fittipaldi, Cody Ware

Meyer Shank Racing (2)- Jack Harvey, Helio Castroneves

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (3)- Takuma Sato, Graham Rahal, Santino Ferrucci

Notes

Amazon Prime has a documentary about Alex Zanardi playing. I thought it was available last night, but it was not. I hope to watch it this weekend.

Several people received emails last night that their tickets for the 500 have been mailed. It was a welcome sight in the Inbox.

Not Indycar related, but Penske and Porsche have entered into a partnership to develop the Porsche LMDh prototype which will begin competition in 2023. The car is eligible to compete at both the Rolex 24 and Le Mans. I doubt this alliance will lead to Indycar’s third OEM.

Coming attractions

Some posts on The Pit Window leading up to May 30 that are in the planning stages:

Daily track reports

Indianapolis 500 program retrospectives- I will take a nostalgic look at 1968, 1975, and 1981 as a tribute to Bobby Unser.

A couple of the always popular 9in my mind) Bump Tales.

My annual post on how to fix Indy 500 qualifying.

A report on the new Rick Mears exhibit at the IMS Museum.

A Great Day for Two Good Guys

May 5, 2021 thepitwindow2 Comments

It’s only Wednesday and the emotions in the Indycar family have been riding a roller coaster since Sunday. The joy of Pato o’Ward’s victory was tempered with the news of Bobby Unser’s death. But yesterday, two of the nicest guys in the paddock had great days. Robert Wickens drove a car at speed for the first time since his horrific crash at Pocono in 2018. Stefan Wilson confirmed he has a ride for the Indianapolis 500.

Stefan Wilson Returns to 500 with Andretti

May 4, 2021 thepitwindow2 Comments

Andretti Autosport announced Stefan Wilson as the driver of car 25 in the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. Wilson’s entry will be the sixth car in the Andretti stable. The announcement from the team:

STEFAN WILSON RETURNS TO ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT WITH LOHLA SPORT FOR THE 105th RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

05.04.21

• Wilson and LOHLA SPORT to complete Andretti Autosport’s six-car Indy 500 lineup
• Premier women’s golf lifestyle brand LOHLA SPORT to make their debut in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indianapolis 500 for Wilson’s third start at the Greatest Spectacle in Racing

Andretti Autosport announced today that Stefan Wilson and new partner LOHLA SPORT will join the five-time Indianapolis 500 winning team for the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 to complete the team’s six-car lineup. Wilson, who ran the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 with Andretti Autosport and competed for the team in Indy Lights, will team up with the new premier women’s golf lifestyle brand to run the No. 25 LOHLA SPORT Honda.

“We’re excited to not only welcome Stefan back to the team, but also to have a new partner in LOHLA SPORT come on board to experience their first Indy 500,” said Michael Andretti, Chairman and CEO, Andretti Autosport. “We have a great history with the Wilson family and we’re hopeful we can build on successes we’ve had in the past this May.”

“After leading laps with Andretti Autosport at the Indianapolis 500 in 2018, I’m hungry to return and finish the job. I’ve worked tirelessly to make this return happen and I am so thankful that LOHLA SPORT has believed in me to represent them,” said Wilson. “It’s a dream come true to rejoin Andretti and also partner with Honda once more in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. The icing on the cake is we get to do this with a brand new company in LOHLA SPORT, a premium women’s apparel brand already captivating the golf lifestyle scene. Among the fans and partners involved with the Indianapolis 500, we have a huge amount of golf enthusiasts, so I’m excited to get them exposed to what LOHLA SPORT is all about. None of this would have happened without Don and Carolyn Cusick, who are avid racing and golf enthusiasts and also shareholders in LOHLA SPORT. This program also represents the birth of Cusick Motorsports, and I am hopeful the 2021 Indianapolis 500 will be a springboard to many exciting opportunities for the Cusick Motorsports brand in the future. Lastly, I am thankful to have Expedia Group’s VIP Access join the effort, along with Menlo Ventures, VSRS and Liberty Group.”

Debuting in January of 2021, LOHLA SPORT has quickly captivated the golf, country club and resort market. The brainchild of recognized fashionista Lisa O’Hurley, former Golf Channel and GOLFINO executive with more than two decades in the industry, the brand’s impeccable sense of style features colorful, on-trend European designs with Los Angeles flair. Formal collaboration with London-based Paul Rees – renowned creator of countless Burberry, Aquascutum and GOLFINO hits – has LOHLA SPORT in roughly 100 exclusive golf shops coast to coast.

“Taking this cool, market-broadening road to Indy doesn’t happen every day,” said O’Hurley. “LOHLA SPORT is proud to support women who love golf and love all sports as our outfits are fit for the course, court, racetrack and everywhere between.”

Also joining the effort is Cusick Motorsports, created by Don and Carolyn Cusick as a business incubator in racing; VIP Access, Expedia Group’s network of premium, invitation-only properties; VSRS, specializing in forging exclusive relationships in the automotive sector; Menlo Ventures, an investment firm having backed 70+ public companies and Liberty Group, specializing in wealth management, tax planning and estate law.

“As a lifelong INDYCAR fan I have always wanted to attend the Indianapolis 500 live, but never found my way there until now,” said Don Cusick. “Thankfully the stars aligned this year, meeting Stefan Wilson and creating this amazing partnership. From casually asking Stefan if he had any contacts for great seats at Indy and half-jokingly telling him the best seat would have him driving in it. As it turns out I’m getting the second-best seat in the house as the sponsor of the number 25 Andretti Autosport Indy car driven by Stefan. LOHLA SPORT is a company I am invested in, owned by our family friend Lisa O’Hurley. I couldn’t be more excited for the month of May and this opportunity to sponsor Stefan Wilson, one of the truly great people in motorsports.”

The No. 25 LOHLA SPORT Honda and Wilson will make their 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut on with Opening Day on May 18 before the green flag waves for the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday, May 30 with broadcast on NBC.