Category: Auto Racing
Pocono Spotter Guide
Open-Wheels 500 Pit Stop Competition to be Sponsored by “The Pit Window”
Open-Wheels Staff
August 12, 2019 | 2:00 PM
The “Day Before the 500” has its first presenting sponsor as The Pit Window will become the official sponsor of the Open-Wheels Pit Stop Competition. The fun event will be held Saturday, November 16 following the final one-hour Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race practice session and the Veterans 100.
“To partner with Mike Silver and his website, The Pit Window, is an exciting venture and I am happy he jumped on-board to help sponsor our pit stop competition,” said Tanner Watkins, owner and editor of Open-Wheels.com and the president of the Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race.
“Mike’s passion for IndyCar racing and this history of racing at Indianapolis is evident in his coverage of the NTT IndyCar Series on The Pit Window, and I am thankful that his passion has spilled over into sim racing! Mike is a worthy partner and I look forward to working with him throughout the month of November.”
The Pit Stop Competition will be a 40-lap race in the Dallara IR-18 Indy car with reduced fuel tank capacity and no yellow flags. The emphasis will be placed on drivers who can not only be quick on-track, but speedy and efficient coming in and out of the pit lane. The winner of the race will take home a cash prize as well.
“The Pit Window is proud to sponsor the Open-Wheels Pit Stop Competition in conjunction with the Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race,” said Mike Silver, the owner of The Pit Window. “This event fits perfectly with The Pit Window‘s goal of engaging fans of open-wheel racing with IndyCar racing and related activities.”
The Pit Window is a helpful and insightful website that Silver uses to document the Indianapolis 500, the history of IndyCar, and even the latest current-day news around American open-wheel racing.
“Since I began The Pit Window in 2016 I have taken a look at the history of IndyCar in general, with a focus on the Indianapolis 500,” adds Silver. “Many times, my posts are from my personal experiences at the Indianapolis 500. I have been fortunate enough to meet many past winners.
“The Pit Window also provides coverage every race weekend with commentary and keeps fans up to date on the latest news. You can find The Pit Window at thepitwindow.blog, @PitWindow on Twitter, and on Facebook at by searching “The Pit Window.”
Drivers can register for the Open-Wheels Pit Stop Competition when they submit their entry to the 2019 Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race. The entry form will go live on Tuesday, October 1 and will be accessible via Open-Wheels.com, the iRacing forums and Open-Wheels’ social media outlets.
The 2019 Open-Wheels.com 500 Mile Race presented by Mitchell Transmissions will go green on Sunday, November 17, broadcast live by RaceSpot TV.
ABC Supply Entry List
Daly Confirmed for Carlin Seat on Last Two Ovals of the Season
Carlin Racing announced today that Conor Daly will drive the 59 car at both the ABC Supply Co. 500 at Pocono and the Bommarito Automotive Group 500k at World Wide Technology Raceway. From Carlin’s Twitter page:
Daly will have driven in every oval on the 2019 schedule. He drove for Andretti Autosport in the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500, finishing 10th. Daly also drove for Carlin at Texas and Iowa.He finished 11th at Texas and 13th at Iowa. He finished fifth in 2017 driving for A. J. Foyt Racing in the inaugural race at Gateway.
Daly will return to Andretti in the season finale at Weather Tech Raceway Laguna Seca. His seven races this year is the most he has driven since his season with Foyt.
1958 – Foyt’s Rookie Year
Most people remember 1958 for just one thing- the first lap accident in which popular driver Pat O’Connor lost his life. An overlooked aspect of the 42nd Indianapolis 500 is that it is the first 500 in which both a Foyt and an Unser started the race. Both were rookies. A. J. Foyt started 12th and Jerry Unser started started 24th. Neither would finish the race. It would be five more years before the names Foyt and Unser again appeared in the same 500.
I purchased a 1958 program at the Legends Day memorabilia show this past May. It seems odd to say I was disappointed, but this was one of the few programs I have bought there that does not contain a starting lineup sheet or notes by the original owner. The program is in good condition with just some minor wear and tear. Nevertheless, I found it fascinating.
Two photos caught my attention. The first one below shows a young Bill Vukovich, Jr. talking with 1949 winner Bill Holland. Vukovich had to be in his mid teens at the time. The second photo below shows Tom Carnegie in an ad for Genatt Photo, a local photo store which filmed the 1958 500.
An ad in the program is for Casite, a product that looks similar to STP. It was produced by Hastings Manufacturing, which manufactured piston rings. Otehr companies no longer in business that bought ad space in 1958 were Eastern Airlines, Bear, which performed wheel balancing and alignment for the cars in the race; Stark & Wetzel, a local meat company; and L. Strauss & Company. Strauss presented a trophy to the winner of the race.
The program contains several feature articles written by local sportswriters. One is about the Speedway museum, which was celebrating its second year. One thing I had forgotten is that admission was free at that time. It wqas a small space with just a few cars and lots of photos and trophies. Besides the Borg-Warner Trophy, the Wheeler-Schebler trophy also had a place of honor.
Another story looks back on the 1928 race. It was the first of Louis Meyer’s three victories. Echoes of today’s racing world were evident even in 1928. Meyer drove a car that wilbur Shaw had hoped to race. Shaw couldn’t get enough money to buy the. Alden Sampson put up the money to get Meyer the ride. Shaw started on the last row. He qualified on race morning in a car Pete DePaolo had wrecked attempting to qualify.
The 1958 race got off to a horrific start. There was some confusion among the front row drivers, mainly between pole sitter Dick Rathmann and second place starter Ed Elisian. each accused the other of starting the accident. From what I have read, Elisian tried to jump the start. Five of the six cars in the first two rows were out on the first lap. O’Connor was killed instantly when his rolled over. Three cars from the last three rows also became involved. Unser went over the wall in what would be his only 500 appearance.
Jimmy Bryan, who started seventh, led 139 laps and won by 27 seconds over rookie George Amick. Foyt finished 16th after spinning out on lap 148. he went on to have a decent career. Unser, out after the first lap melee, died of injuries suffered in a practice crash at the Speedway the following May. The total purse for the race was a record at the time- $304,000. Bryan won a third of the total.
Thoughts on McLaren
Silly Season was straightforward this year. Alexander Rossi stays with Andretti. Done. Wrap it up. Look to next year. Today, with McLaren’s announcement that they are joining Arrow Schmidt Peterson for 2020, the dam has burst. There are ripples throughout the paddock. Here are some of my thoughts about this development.
McLaren has a lot to prove after their debacle in May. Will partnering with Schmidt Peterson help them?
I’m disappointed that McLaren does not add to the car count. I’ve said before they are looking to come in the easy way, becoming part of an existing team instead of building their own team with a technical alliance with an established team.
It’s a shame the way Honda’s hand was forced to make this deal happen. I can’t think of a Chevy team that would be a good match for McLaren. I’m not sure they even considered one.
My first concern was for James Hincliffe and Robert Wickens. In Marshall Pruett’s story, he said that the commitment to Wickens will be honored. Later this morning, Hinchcliffe issued the following statement:
I hope he also has a contract extension. Hinchcliffe’s current contract expires after the 2020 season. He also is losing his Honda commercial deal. I hope that he receives compensation for that.
Marcus Ericsson was likely going somewhere else anyway. he may be in a carlin car next year. Which brings up the question- who will drive the second car for the new team? Fernando Alonso said he is not interested in a full time Indycar ride.
Colton Herta may be available, but I think he will become the fifth driver at Andretti Autosport. If he is, is Conor Daly once again out of a potential full time ride? It’s those paddock ripples splashing up.
With whom does Meyer Shank now partner with as they prepare for a full schedule in 2020? The team is committed to Honda. An alliance with Andretti or Coyne seems most probable. I don’t think Ganassi is interested in being anyone’s partner.
The new team name is Arrow McLaren Racing SP. It bothers that mcLaren comes before Schmidt and Peterson and that the two founders names are reduced to initials. Since mcLaren is buying the team or acquiring the shares of either owner, I guess it’s a name recognition thing.
The biggest positive in today’s events is that Indycar now has a worldwide name in its paddock. it should help with recognition in Europe and may cause a bit of a bump in the United States.
I will keep updating as i learn more. Everything I just wrote could be incorrect by now.
Daly Returns to Andretti for Finale; Some Other Tidbits
Photo from @FollowAndretti Twitter feed
The jaws are back. Andretti Autosport announced today that Conor Daly will drive the number 25 USAF car, the same one he drove in this year’s Indianapolis 500, in the NTT Indycar Series finale at Weather Tech Raceway. In the 500 Daly started 11th and finished 10th. he ran as high as fifth during the race.
This season Daly has also driven twice for Carlin Racing- at Texas, finishing 11th after a 19th place start, and at Iowa, where ended 13th from 16th on the grid.
I am glad Daly will drive for Andretti again this season. I was hoping he would be back in this car before Laguna Seca. Part of the reason I think the team is entering him in the finale is to serve as a point blocker to help Alexander Rossi get the championship. It would depend on where Daly qualifies, but it could help.
McLaren Closer to Indycar?
This Tweet from Adam Stern indicates some progress by McLaren toward the 2020 Indycar season. The engine issue and James Hinchcliffe’s contratc still seem like huge stumbling blocks. There is word McLaren is also after Colton Herta. I think there is still a lot of work to be done before we see orange cars on the grid full time.
Third Car for Rahal?
In an interview with RACER magazine Bobby Rahal said this week that a third car for Rahal letterman Lanigan Racing is closer than they’ve been before. The third RLL car has been a perennial Silly Season story. I hope it finally appears at St. Pete next March.
More Indy Lights Drivers Test Indycar
Oliver Askew tested with Chip Ganassi Racing at Portland International Raceway yesterday. The CGR team was impressed with his performance. Rinus VeeKay also tested for Ed Carpenter Racing the same day at Portland.
Andretti Autorsport Indy Lights driver Ryan Norman also tested for Andretti at Mid Ohio last week.
I don’t get too excited about Indy lights drivers testing with Indycar teams. It’s great that they get the experience, but the tests have zero implications for future Indycar rides.
I’m thinking the hybrid engine may not be the last bombshell announcement of this Silly Season. We need a race soon. Very soon.
Hybrids, Rumors, Trophies on Vacation
Just a few notes and comments today:
Reaction has been mixed, to put it mildly, about the new hybrid technology coming to Indycar in 2022. I still think it’s a good thing for the series. Eventually every racing series will employ some form of hybrid technology. From what I’ve seen, the Indycar version will not be full blown electricity. The engines will still be loud, and, I hope, faster. I’m hoping that the use of the KERS system for push to pass limits the ability of the lead driver to defend. I would rather have drivers pass on pure speed and ability. Those days may be gone for the most part.
We won’t know for several months what the new system will look like or what it will do on the cars. Let’s just wait and see what happens. If it opens the door to a third OEM, or even better, a second chassis, I’m all for it. As Paul Dalbey pointed out yesterday in his post on The Field of 33, first year costs may affect car counts, especially at the Indianapolis 500. You can read his post at https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/92400962.
The McLaren Puzzle
If you thought Silly season ended with Alexander Rossi and Honda staying with Andretti Autosport, think again. The latest talk is that McLaren is looking to join Arrow Schmidt Peterson. My understanding is that the team would switch to Chevy. This deal would not add cars to the grid. There are questions that make this deal iffy. ASPM has another year on its contract with Honda. James Hinchcliffe’s contract runs through the end of 2020. If Hinchcliffe drives a Chevy, he also loses the Honda commercials.
We know contracts can be bought out. As we’ve seen recently with drivers, contracts aren’t ironclad. Gabby Chaves and Pato O’Ward are two recent examples. There are lots of things in play here. Pop some popcorn, sit back and watch.
My opinion is that McLaren is cutting corners trying to enter Indycar. Rather than establishing a team through a technical alliance with another team, they are trying to buy a team instead. It seems the lessons of May have not gotten through to them. If they do become part of Schmidt organization, I hope they are willing to listen to the people there who know what they are doing this time.
There is also talk of Marcus Ericsson moving to Carlin and Felipe Nasr, who recently tested with ASPM replacing him. Nasr is a former F1 driver who is doing very well driving for Action Express in IMSA.
Pagenaud Reveals His Borg Warner Likeness…in France?
It appears another Indianapolis 500 tradition has gone by the wayside. In the past, the new 500 winner’s face on the Borg Warner trophy was unveiled at an early December ceremony at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. Yesterday Simon Pagenaud’s image on the trophy was revealed in Paris. I hope this is a one time occurrence.
The December event brought some attention to the race and the series in what is a slow news period for the NTT Indycar Series and the Speedway. I wonder if IMS is still planning something for December. The unveiling was the night before the PRI show opens at the Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis. It was a nice lead-in to the show.
I’ll be back in a couple days to look at the 1958 Indianapolis 500 program.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 