Category: Auto Racing

VeeKay Takes Pole in Youthful Fast Six

thepitwindow

Photo: Kyle McInnes

Rinus VeeKay tok the pole for tomorrow’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama with a lap of 1:06.25. Pato O’Ward, last year’s polke winner, will join VeeKay on the front row. O’Ward was 0.15 seconds slower than VeeKay.

Alex Palou, 2021 race winner and series champion, will start third, the same position he won the rac from last year. Scott McLaughlin, Alexander Rossi, and Felix Rosenqvist round out the first three rows.

As startling as the names in the Fast Six were, equally shocking was who was not in it. Scott Dixon missed the Fast Six at Barber for the first time. He will start 13th. Power had been in the Fast Six nine times in the 11 races here, will start 19th. Josef Newgarden will start seventh and Colton Herta 10th. Romain Grosjean will start eighth.

Colton Herta waited a bit too long to make his final run in the round of 12. That session ended early when Marcus Ericsson went off track and brought out the red flag with 25 seconds left.

The results set up a Fast Six with drivers who had 16 poles between them and an average age of 26 years.

In the Fast Six, VeeKay was the last car on track and nipped O’Ward at the line. The pole was VeeKay’s second career pole. The first came aqt the 2020 Harvest Classic Race 1 at IMS.

Notes

Veekay is the fourth different pole winner and ECR is the fourth different team to win a pole in 2022. Pole winners have won two of the three races this season.

Chevy has been quite strong this year. The manufacturer has three poles and has won the first three races of 2022.

How good are rookies Callum Ilott and Kyle Kirkwood? Ilott will nstart b11th and Kirkwood lines up 21st, but people were disappointed that neither advanced further today.

David Malukas continues to struggle. He has had wall contact every weekend this season.

Kudos to Alexander Rossi’s team and others from Andretti Autosport for getting the 27 car back together after after the big crash this morning. Rossi rewarded them as the onlky Andretti car to make the Fast Six.

Will rain affect the brace tomorrow? The latest radar looks as if there will be rain this afternoon, possibly during the final practice session later today.

Tomorrow’s forecast as of 2:50 pm Central calls for a 46-48 % chance of rain during race time tomorrow, with a better chance for in the hours leading up to the noon start.

Results:

1. (21) Rinus VeeKay, Chevrolet, 01:06.2507 (124.980 mph)
2. (5) Pato O’Ward, Chevrolet, 01:06.4003 (124.698)
3. (10) Alex Palou, Honda, 01:06.4415 (124.621)
4. (3) Scott McLaughlin, Chevrolet, 01:06.4967 (124.517)
5. (27) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 01:06.5549 (124.409)
6. (7) Felix Rosenqvist, Chevrolet, 01:06.6410 (124.248)
7. (2) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 01:06.3348 (124.821)
8. (28) Romain Grosjean, Honda, 01:06.3820 (124.733)
9. (15) Graham Rahal, Honda, 01:06.6339 (124.261)
10. (26) Colton Herta, Honda, 01:06.7295 (124.083)
11. (77) Callum Ilott, Chevrolet, 01:07.2000 (123.214)
12. (8) Marcus Ericsson, Honda, 01:07.3561 (122.929)
13. (9) Scott Dixon, Honda, 01:06.5142 (124.485)
14. (30) Christian Lundgaard, Honda, 01:06.7462 (124.052)
15. (45) Jack Harvey, Honda, 01:06.6511 (124.229)
16. (06) Helio Castroneves, Honda, 01:06.8138 (123.926)
17. (51) Takuma Sato, Honda, 01:06.7541 (124.037)
18. (18) David Malukas, Honda, 01:06.8898 (123.786)
19. (12) Will Power, Chevrolet, 01:06.7775 (123.994)
20. (29) Devlin DeFrancesco, Honda, 01:07.0242 (123.537)
21. (14) Kyle Kirkwood, Chevrolet, 01:06.8213 (123.913)
22. (20) Conor Daly, Chevrolet, 01:07.0350 (123.518)
23. (4) Dalton Kellett, Chevrolet, 01:07.6869 (122.328)
24. (60) Simon Pagenaud, Honda, 01:07.1052 (123.388)
25. (11) Tatiana Calderon, Chevrolet, 01:07.9248 (121.900)
26. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Honda, 01:09.0075 (119.987) 
 

VeeKay Leads Disjointed Practice; Rossi Crashes

thepitwindow

Photo by Kyle McIness

Rinus VeeKay took second practice honors with a lap of 1:05.9284. The Ed Carpenter Racing driver was the only one with a lap under 1:06 in the final practice before qualifying for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. Pato O’Ward was close with a quick circuit of 1:06.0136.

Twqo red flags interrupted the round and brought Indycar’s new time policy into play. Alexander Rossi spun as he entered the front strecth and and backed in to the guard rail, sustaining heavy damage to the rear of the car. the attenuator cut the right front tire of Helio Castroneves’ car. Rossi was running fifth at the time. With no chance to improve his time, he ended 20th. The red flag lasted 15 minutes, which used up the extra time allotted for completing a practice session.

The clock stopped at first, then began running again before the green flag waved again.

With about 12 minutes left Will Power hit a kerb, slid into the gravel and stalled in the turn 8-9 area. The green returned with seven minutes left.

Romain Grosjean and Josef Newgarden also had off track excursions and were able to continue.

Notes

Scott McLaughlin continues to be the fastest Team Penske driver. McLaughlin was fourth this morning. Josef Newgarden was 11th and Power 16th.

Callum Ilott was again the top rookie with another top ten run, in ninth

Seven teams had drivers in the top 10.

The teams that tested at barber three weeks ago have had the best results in the two sessions.

Qualifying begins at Noon Central time on Peacock.

Results-Top 13

.

Barber Qualifying Could Determine Race Outcome

thepitwindow

Today’s Schedule: All Times Centrtal

Saturday, April 30

  • Gates open 7:30AM
  • Radical Cup Race #2 8:00 – 8:45AM
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 9:00 – 10:00 AM Peacock
  • USF 2000 (Q2) 10:15 – 10:45AM
  • INDY LIGHTS (Q) 11:00 – 11:30AM
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying/Firestone Fast 6 12:00 – 1:15 PM Peacock
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Driver Autograph Session 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM
  • Indy Pro 2000 Race #1 1:30 – 2:20PM
  • INDY LIGHTS (Final Practice) 2:35 – 3:05PM
  • USF 2000 Race #1 3:20 – 4:05PM
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES (Final Practice) 4:20 – 4:50 PM Peacock
  • Radical Cup Race #3 5:05 – 5:50PM
  • Indy Pro 2000 (Q2) 6:05 – 6:30PM

Today’s qualifying carries a lot of importance. Will Power won the race from ninth place in 2012. That is the lowest starting position of a race winner here.

The teams that tested here, mainly Ganassi and Andretti, were strongest in practice yesterday. The teams that didn’t test, namely Team Penske did not fare so well yesterday except for Scott McLaughlin, who was fifth in Friday’s practice. Will Power admitted to being nervous about the team’s chances for qualifying.

It is never wise to put too much stock in a weekend’s first practice. Cars have not had a chance to try out the alternate red tires yet. Some cars perform differently on reds. Certain drivers are becoming Friday stars who fade fast when the sun comes up again.

There is also a slight chance of rain today. Qualifying should be fine. The best chance for rain is between 2 pm and 6 pm. Rain could affect the final Indy Lights and Indycar practices. The rain chance at 2 pm is 50%. Qualifying should be fine, but we’ll probably see rain tires ready on pit road.

There is a 50% chance of rain Sunday. Scattered thunderstorms are predicted, which would make the race a lot more interesting.

Here is the full practice sheet from yesterday:

Notes

I was sad to see that some land on the approach road to the track is for sale and that cutting of trees has already begun. Barber has one of the prettiest approaches to the main gate of any track.

Scott McLaughlin has the weekend’s best livery.

Scott Dixon will make his 292nd consecutive Indycar start Sunday, the second longest streak in Indycar history.

Marcus Ericsson will start his 50th Indycar race.

Tatiana Calderon Eager To Race on a Natural Road Course

thepitwindow

Tatiana Calderon seems to have found some pace at Long Beach. She attributes the improvement to her training regimen and adjustments to the car. She hopes returning to natural road courses will give her confidence a boost.

“I trained quite hard physically for Long Beach, changed my routine even changed a few things in the car that I was not that comfortable with. Finding some setup stuff that I feel more confident now and I’m happy to be bac on a permanent track that I’m more used to and exploring the limit of the car. “

Calderon, a rookie with A. J. Foyt Racing, said her first Indycar race was a shock because it was the first time she had spent more than 20 laps in a row in the car.

She is most familiar with natural, permanent road course and is looking forward to this afternoon’s practice.

“First practice, the goal is to be as prepared as possible for qualifying. And I think step by step getting confidence. This is a completely different setup. type of track to the ones previously so it’s going to be very different. And I hope that I can just maybe be quicker, straight away so that I have this new work for tomorrow’s practicing.”

Tatiana Calderon at Long Beach Phot by Chris Jones

“Certainly, I think, you know, knowing in your mind that you will be go leaping into a corner you’re not facing the worst. You’re you’ve got your back on I think that that gives you an extra feel of confidence to explore the limit a little bit more I think I’m more comfortable with that. So hopefully that’s a good sign.”

For the rest of the season, Calderon is looking forward to several tracks.

“Obviously Indianapolis has that history that it has. I’ve never been around it in any type of car so that’s very interesting. And Road America seems like very big elevation changes. A certain flow that we like and Mid Ohio because that’s the only track I’ve been through in an IndyCar where I just did my test for the first time.”

Barber Preview- Milestones on the Line

thepitwindow2 Comments

Photo: Alex Palou on his way to winning the 2021 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama

Greetings from Birmingham. It was a long drive down with awful traffic and lots of road work, but I made it. It’s hard to believe that this weekend’s race is just the 12th Hoinda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.It seems as if this race has been on the schedule a long time. The track announced this afternoon that Saturday is now sold out. Previously Barber ahd declared Sunday a sellout as well. There are still tickets available for today.

Today’s Schedule:

Friday, April 29– All times Central

  • Gates open 7:30AM
  • Radical Cup (P2) 8:00 – 8:30AM
  • Indy Pro 2000 (P1) 8:45 – 9:15AM
  • USF Juniors Race #2 9:30 – 10:15AM
  • Radical Cup (Q) 10:30 – 11:00AM
  • Indy Pro 2000 (Q1) 11:15 – 11:45AM
  • USF 2000 (P1) 12:00 – 12:30PM
  • Radical Cup Race #1 12:45 – 1:30PM
  • INDY LIGHTS (P1) 1:45 – 2:30PM
  • NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 3:00 – 4:00 PM Peacock
  • USF 2000 (Q1) 4:15 – 4:45PM
  • INDY5K Presented by BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama 5:30 PM
  • Racing For Children’s Dinner at Barber Museum 6:00 PM

Barber returns to a spot on the calendar closer to its regular slot. The past two years the race was in early April and the normally beautiful landscaping still wore much of its brown winter coat. Everything should be blooming quite nicely this weekend.

There are three milestones on the line this weekend.

Scott Dixon is still seeking his first win at Barber. Dixon has finished on the podium here more than any other driver- nine times, including second place six times. A win will also tie him with Mario Andretti with 52 career races won. Chip Ganassi Racing was strong at Barber in 2021. Dixon will have to battle teammate Alex Palou, last year’s winner.

Josef Newgarden has won the last two races. A third straight win would give Team Penske four straight wins for the year. A $1 million bonus is Newgarden’s if he takes the checkered flag Sunday. The PeopleReady Force for Good Challenge goes to the first driver to win on each of the three types of tracks Indycar races on. Barber is the first natural road course of the year. Newgarden has an oval and a street course victory to date. Newgarden has won at Barber three times, twice for Penske. Team Penske has won six of the 11 races at Barber.

Will Power will seek his fifth pole at Barber, which will extend his record here. No other driver has more than two poles on this track. Power has not won the pole at Barber since 2017. He remains four poles behind Mario Andretti, the career leader with 67. Power has just one pole in his last 19 races.

Rookies on the Road

Indycar needs to get a natural road course on the schedule earlier than race number 4. The road courses are where the five rookies spent the majority of their time in junior series. Many of the freshman class should do well throughout the weekend.

Three rookies, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, and Devlin DeFrancesco, drove at Barber in Indy Lights in 2021. How well will that experience help them this weekend? I think Kirkwood will adapt the best of this trio. Kirkwood will have his best result of the year Sunday. Malukas and DeFrancesco have struggled in their first three races. I think they will have another tough weekend.

Tatiana Calderon showed improved pace at Long Beach. I am looking forward to seeing if her progress continues on a natural road course. I think this track will suit her style better than the street courses did.

The rookie to watch is Callum Ilott. He has really taken to Indycar. I am impressed with his calm demeanor. Ilott could have a very good race Sunday.

One Strong Favorite, Many Contenders

Newgarden has to be the early pick to win. He has won here three times with two different teams. He has won the previous two races this season. His team has half a dozen wins at this track.

We do have to look at Alex Palou, last year’s winner. Palou has finished every race this year in the top 5. He had a chance to win at Long Beach. The defending series champion will be in contention Sunday.

Is this Scott Dixon’s year? A virtual perennial podium finisher in Alabama, Dixon seeks not only his first Honda Indy 200 win, but his first win of the year. Dixon has won just once in his past 19 races.

Pato O’Ward, the 2021 pole winner, can think of no better way to celebrate his new AMSP contract than by sweeping the pole and the victory. His fifth place finish at Long Beach was the his best result of the season, and the new contract signing might give him and the team more momentum.

Will Power seems more relaxed and is racing better than he has the past two seasons. Power could win the pole and get his third Barber victory.

Andretti Rebound

Andretti Autosport’s struggles this season got a boost at Long Beach with Colton Herta’s pole and Alexander Rossi’s top ten finish. The team has won twice at Barber with Ryan Hunter-Reay. They need a good weekend before heading to Indianapolis for the next two races.

Romain Grosjean is on the verge of his first Indycar win. I think it will come in one of the next two races.

My pick- Will Power. He is motivated and riving very well. Power seems more focused on race results than poles lately, and I think it has helped his driving.

I will be on site with several reports all three days.

IMS Releases May Schedule

thepitwindow

The month of May schedule is announced in the following IMS press release. It looks like things are back to normal.

From IMS:

 Month of May Schedule Packed with Action, Excitement on IMS Oval, Road Course 
 INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, April 27, 2022) – It’s almost time to come Back Home Again.The Month of May will return to its normal schedule at Indianapolis Motor Speedway with full seating capacity, including the traditional lineup of on-track and off-track activities surrounding the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 and the GMR Grand Prix on Saturday, May 14.
Fans can enjoy 11 days of on-track activity on the IMS road course and the historic, 2.5-mile oval. Action on the road course for the GMR Grand Prix will start Friday, May 13, with practice for the Indianapolis 500 starting Tuesday, May 17 on the oval.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers will line up to take the green flag for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” at 12:45 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 29 on the historic, 2.5-mile oval (live on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo, INDYCAR Radio Network).
The ninth GMR Grand Prix will kick off the Month of May at IMS at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 11 on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course (live on NBC, Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Helio Castroneves will capture the attention of the sporting world as he tries to follow his emotional, record-tying fourth Indianapolis 500 victory in 2021 with a fifth win, elevating him above A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as the most successful Indy 500 driver. On the road course, Team Penske will look to continue its hot start to the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season – it has won the first three races – with its sixth GMR Grand Prix victory.
“We have looked forward to a ‘normal’ Month of May for more than two years, and we can’t wait to see all of our loyal fans at the Racing Capital of the World,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “But as anyone who has attended even one Indianapolis 500 or GMR Grand Prix knows, there is nothing ordinary about this magical time of the year at IMS. It’s so special, with action, excitement and memories every single day. We truly welcome everyone back home again.”
Among the highlights of the Month of May at IMS is an exciting new format for PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22.
After Day One of qualifying from noon-5:50 p.m. (ET) Saturday, May 21, Day Two will include two rounds of qualification attempts to decide the first four rows, including pole position.
Starting in reverse order of speeds based on Day One, each of the top 12 drivers will have a guaranteed attempt to post a traditional four-lap qualifying time starting at 4 p.m. The fastest six will advance to the Firestone Fast Six at 5:10 p.m. to determine positions one through six and compete for the NTT P1 Award for pole. The slowest six will fill out starting positions seven through 12 according to their recorded time.
In the Firestone Fast Six, each entrant is again guaranteed one attempt and will qualify in reverse order based on their Top 12 qualification results. The fastest wins pole position, which includes a $100,000 prize, with the remaining five drivers filling out the remainder of the first two rows.
A post-qualifying practice from noon-2 p.m. Monday, May 23 will give fans another opportunity to see NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers hone setups in traffic before Race Day.
Miller Lite Carb Day will feature the final practice before Race Day, with cars on track from 11 a.m-1 p.m. Friday, May 27. The popular INDYCAR Pit Crew Challenge also returns after a two-year hiatus, rewarding the fastest crews in the sport and putting their talent in the spotlight from 2:30-4 p.m.
Month of May action will start on the IMS road course with the GMR Grand Prix, with two full days of on-track action open to the public Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14 featuring the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship.
The GMR Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 14. Only two drivers have swept this event and the Indy 500 in the same year – Will Power in 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2019.
A great variety of live music also will complement the exciting on-track action throughout Race Weekend.
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. 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 3:30 p.m. on the Miller Lite Stage inside Turn 3 of the IMS oval, a new location this year.
Country music superstar Dierks Bentley will headline the Firestone Legends Day Concert on Saturday, May 28. Special guests Ashley McBryde and Dillon Carmichael will open the show, which begins at 7 p.m. (ET) at the TCU Amphitheater in White River State Park, further expanding the celebration of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” into downtown Indianapolis.
Superstar DJ and producer Martin Garrix will headline a stellar lineup of global electronic music artists at the Indy 500 Snake Pit presented by Coors Light on Sunday, May 29. deadmau5, Galantis, Steve Aoki and Yellow Claw also will perform at the Race Day concert during the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Performances begin at 8:15 a.m. in the infield adjacent to Turn 3 of the IMS oval.
Tickets are on sale now at IMS.com for the ninth GMR Grand Prix and 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. All fans 15 and under are admitted free for general admission with an accompanying paying adult. There is no free admission for reserved seats on Race Day for the Indianapolis 500 or GMR Grand Prix.

NINTH GMR GRAND PRIX PUBLIC SCHEDULE
(All times local, subject to change; all on-track activity on IMS road course)
FRIDAY, May 13 (General admission $20)
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
8-8:30 a.m.
USF2000 Qualifying
8:45-9:15 a.m.
Indy Pro 2000 Qualifying
9:30-10:30 a.m.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (45 minutes)
10:45-11:30 a.m.
Indy Lights Practice 1
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
USF2000 Race 1
12:45-1:45 p.m.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes)
2-2:30 p.m.
Indy Lights Qualifying
2:45-3:35 p.m.
Indy Pro 2000 Race 1
4-5:15 p.m.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES NTT P1 Award Qualifying
5:35-6:30 p.m.
Indy Lights Race 1 (35 laps or 55 minutes)
SATURDAY, May 14 (General Admission $40; Reserved Seats Start at $41)
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
8:05-8:50 a.m.
USF2000 Race 2
9:10-10 a.m.
Indy Pro 2000 Race 2
10:30-11 a.m.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup
11:15-11:55 a.m.
USF2000 Race 3
12:10-1 p.m.
Indy Pro 2000 Race 3
1:20-2:15 p.m.
Indy Lights Race 2 (35 laps or 55 minutes)
2:40-3:05 p.m.
Silver/Bronze Badge Grid Walk
3:30 p.m.
Ninth GMR Grand Prix (85 laps)
5:45 p.m.
GMR Grand Prix Post-Race Track Invasion
106th INDIANAPOLIS 500 presented by Gainbridge PUBLIC SCHEDULE
(All times local, subject to change; all on-track activity on IMS oval)
TUESDAY, May 17 (General Admission $15)
8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
9-11 a.m.
Veteran Practice
1-3 p.m.
Rookie Orientation Program, Veteran Refresher Tests
3-6 p.m.
Open Practice
WEDNESDAY, May 18-THURSDAY, May 19 (General Admission $15)
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
Noon-6 p.m.
Open Practice
FRIDAY, May 20 – FAST FRIDAY (General Admission $15)
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
Noon-6 p.m.
Open Practice
6:15 p.m.
Qualifications Draw
SATURDAY, May 21 – PPG Presents ARMED FORCES QUALIFYING (General Admission $20)
8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
9-10:30 a.m.
Pre-Qualifying Practice (Two groups)
Noon-5:50 p.m.
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying (Setting positions 13-33 or 13-30 if there are more than 33 entries)
SUNDAY, May 22 – PPG Presents ARMED FORCES QUALIFYING (General Admission $20)
10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Last Chance Practice*
12:30-2 p.m.
Top 12 Practice
2-3 p.m.
Last Chance Qualifying (Positions 31-33)*
4 p.m.
Top 12 Qualifying
5:10 p.m.
Firestone Fast Six Qualifying for NTT P1 Award
5:40 p.m.
NTT P1 Award Presentation
* — if necessary
MONDAY, May 23 (General Admission $15; Infield Access Only for Fans)
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Public Gates Open (Gates 2, 4, 6S, 7, 7S only)
Noon-2 p.m.
Open Practice
TUESDAY, May 24-THURSDAY, May 26
No track activity
 
FRIDAY, May 27 – MILLER LITE CARB DAY (General Admission $40)
8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Public Gates Open
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Final Practice
2:30-4 p.m.
INDYCAR Pit Stop Challenge
4-6 p.m.
Miller Lite Carb Day Concert, Turn 3 infield
SATURDAY, May 28 – LEGENDS DAY presented by Firestone (General Admission $10)
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Public Gates Open
9-10 a.m.
Full Field Driver Autograph Session, Pagoda Plaza
10:30 a.m.
Public Drivers’ Meeting, Tower Terrace
Noon-1:30 p.m.
AES 500 Festival Parade, downtown Indianapolis
7 p.m.
Firestone Legends Day Concert, TCU Amphitheater in White River State Park, downtown Indianapolis
SUNDAY, May 29 – RACE DAY (General Admission $50; Reserved Seats Start at $55)
6 a.m.-4 p.m.
Public Gates Open
7 a.m.
Indy 500 Snake Pit presented by Coors Light Gates Open, Turn 3 infield
12:45 p.m.
106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge (200 laps)
 
 
 

And Then There was One

thepitwindow4 Comments

Photo: Ed Carpenter celebrates winning one of his three poles for the Indianapolis 500

There were four. There were three. There are two. Eventually there will be one, and I would be okay with that. I am talking about qualifying days. Granted, we no longer need four days to qualify 33 cars Up until the early 1960s, when speeds were under150 mph, each car took about ten minutes on track to complete a qualification run. Today a car gets in its out lap, warmup lap, four timed circuits and a cool down lap in about six minutes.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced its format for qualifying for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. The basics of the past few years are there. The three cars on the last row on Saturday must defend their spots on Sunday against any cars that ranked 34th or lower the first day. The fastest qualifiers from Saturday run for the pole on Sunday.

The final two hours on Sunday, 4-6 PM, will be on NBC

The one change in wording I like involves the last row shootout. If there are only 33 entries, which should be the case this year, there is no last chance qualifying.

At the other end of the field, however, I’m not sold on the idea. The Fast Nine is gone. Instead, the 12 quickest cars from Saturday will each make a run in a 45 minute period. The fastest six advance to another round of four lap runs within a 30 minute time period.

I get why they are doing this- Sunday content is desperately needed. The cars in these two rounds get national television time- six cars get two appearances on camera. I might be happier with this except for a new twist from the Fast Nine concept. In the Fast Nine, each driver had just one attempt. It was dramatic. There was no margin for error. A driver makes a slight bobble in a turn and loses a chance at the front row.

The new wording says each car is “Guaranteed” one attempt. Multiple attempts are possible if time permits. I think this cheapens the pole. I would prefer that they kept the one shot only format. The release did not specify if cars could wait before making their first run and try to run out the clock on another car looking to make a second run.

Each of the fastest 12 Saturday drivers will get points for making the Sunday round based on the second day results. The pole winner gets 12 points nd each subsequent position receives one point less. I have never been a fan of qualifying points except for the single point for pole that is awarded in every other race during the season. If you have read this blog long enough, you know I’m not a fan of the current points system overall.

The money for winning the pole remains at $100,000 The amount hasn’t changed in nearly 50 years. In 2022 a driver must make three qualification runs to earn the pole, yet he receives the same amount of money as a driver in 1983 took home for just one qualifying run. The prize money needs to increase for the pole by a lot.

With no last row/bumping sessions on Sunday, the published schedule has a Fast 12 practice which ends at 2 pm. Qualifying doesn’t begin until 4 pm, leaving a two hour gap. Since the final two rounds are on NBC, the program probably can’t be moved up.

What to Do?

I appreciate IMS attempting to make Sunday’s schedule more full. The new format still is vulnerable to gaps when there are only 33 entries. I realize the unintended hole was caused by television time slots. What if qualifying was just one day?

Qualify on Saturday. Go to 7 pm if necessary. There will be plenty of daylight left. The schedule would look like this:

8:30 AM- 10:30 AM Practice 2 groups

!1:00 AM- 5:45 PM Qualifying positions 10-33 set

6:15 PM-7:00 PM Fast Nine shootout, one attempt per car.

Sunday could be the practice day which is now held on Monday. It could also serve as the rain date if weather interferes with Saturday’s schedule.

An alternate proposal is to make Saturday (Speedy Saturday?) a practice day and use the above schedule on Sunday.

The advantage of finishing qualifying on Saturday is having the pole winner available on Sunday to appear on NBC during game breaks and Sunday morning shows.

The series and the speedway have struggled to make qualifying more appealing over the last several years. I hope they can settle on a concept that works well, makes everybody happy, and brings back larger crowds. Attendance has been up, but constant and radical format changes confuse the fans. I am interested in hearing your suggestions. Please feel free to comment, and please keep it civil.

IMS Revises, Expands Qualifying Format

thepitwindow

The Qualifying format has been changed and Sunday’s front of the field program has expanded. IU have thoughts which I will get to tomorrow. here is the IMS announcement. I will post the qualifying format graphic in a few minutes.

Qualifying Procedure Expanded
for 106th Indianapolis 500  Additional Round To Establish First Four Rows, Decide Pole Position
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 26, 2022) – The most pressure-filled four laps in racing have become even more challenging for those looking to qualify well and win the pole position for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
INDYCAR officials have announced adjustments to PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22, which sets the field for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
SEE: Qualifying Format Graphic
After Day One of qualifying from noon-5:50 p.m. (ET) Saturday, May 21, Day Two will include two rounds of qualification attempts to decide the first four rows, including pole position.
Starting in reverse order of speeds based on Day One, each of the top 12 drivers will have a guaranteed attempt to post a traditional four-lap qualifying time starting at 4 p.m. The fastest six will advance to the Firestone Fast Six at 5:10 p.m. to determine positions one through six and compete for the NTT P1 Award for pole. The slowest six will fill out starting positions seven through 12 according to their recorded time.
In the Firestone Fast Six, each entrant is again guaranteed one attempt and will qualify in reverse order based on their Top 12 qualification results. The fastest wins pole position, which includes a $100,000 prize, with the remaining five drivers filling out the remainder of the first two rows.
“We have an incredibly deep field heading into this year’s Indianapolis 500,” said INDYCAR President Jay Frye. “The timing is right to implement a new and dramatic way to expand one of the most intense weekends on our calendar. Winning pole position for the ‘500’ is an incredible feat, and with this new format, it will be even more challenging.”
2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship points will be awarded for those who advance to the Top 12 qualifying session. The Indy 500 pole winner will receive 12 points, the second fastest will receive 11, and points awarded will decrease by one-point increments down to 12th fastest (one point).
“Indianapolis 500 qualifying weekend always is special,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said “This format will give our fans even more opportunities to see INDYCAR’S world-class drivers compete on racing’s biggest stage. While winning the race is the ultimate prize, capturing pole position for the ‘500’ is one of motorsports’ most prestigious honors and almost a race within a race. I cannot wait to see this expanded format on the final Sunday before Race Day.”
A Last Chance Qualifying session for spots 31-33 is scheduled from 2-3 p.m. (ET) Sunday, May 22 if there are more than 33 entries competing for a spot in the world’s most prestigious auto race. Each entry is guaranteed one attempt and can make multiple attempts until time expires. If multiple attempts are made, previous times are withdrawn, and the fastest non-qualified car assumes the 33rd spot.
PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying Schedule (All times ET, subject to change):
Saturday, May 219-10:30 a.m.: Pre-Qualifying Practice: Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network Noon-5:50 p.m.:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying: Setting positions 13-33 (or 13-30 if more than 33 entries) Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network
Sunday, May 22
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Last Chance Practice (If necessary): Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network
12:30-2 p.m.: Top 12 Practice: Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network
2-3 p.m.: Last Chance Qualifying: (Positions 31-33, if necessary) Peacock Premium, INDYCAR Radio Network
4 p.m.: Indianapolis 500 Top 12 Qualifying: NBC, INDYCAR Radio Network
5:10 p.m.: Firestone Fast Six: NBC, INDYCAR Radio Network
5:40 p.m.: NTT P1 Award Presentation: NBC, INDYCAR Radio Network
A practice session for all 33 Indianapolis 500 starters is scheduled for noon-2 p.m. Monday, May 23, with live coverage on Peacock Premium and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
Fans will be permitted in the infield only. Gates 2, 4, 6S, 7 and 7S will be open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Bronze and silver badges will be honored for gate admission and corresponding garage and pit access.
Live coverage of the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 29 on NBC, Peacock Premium, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The full Month of May schedule will be announced later.
The 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season continues Sunday, May 1 at Barber Motorsports Park for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama presented by AmFirst. Race coverage begins at 1 p.m. on NBC, with INDYCAR Radio Network coverage available at 12:30 p.m.