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Mid Ohio Practice 2 and Qualifying Groups

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Alex Palou led the final practice before qualifying for the Honda Indy 200 in a session full of off track excursions. Palou led a top five of Christian Lundgaard, Louis Foster, Pato O’Ward, and Felix Rosenqvist. The gap between first and fifth was three tenths of a second.

\Marcus Ericsson went off in turn 13 and hit the tire barrier, bringing out a red flag with 21 minutes left in the session. Colton herta went into the sand at turn four but kept going, reentering the track at the entrance to turn 5, r missing an approaching car. Scott McLaughlin also tried out the turn 4 trap and the grass. He nearly stalled, but he kept the car moving and continued on track.

Gapping

Will Power and Colton Herta both complained about cars backing up on track to create a gap in order to get a decent lap in practice. I saw a near collision in turn 4 this morning because a car was creeping along on the racing line. It was so blatant I thought the driver deserved a drive through.

If a car wants to get clear track, which I get, he needs to stay off the racing line until he is up to speed.

Results

Qualifying Groups

F1-Movie Review

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Five minutes into F1- The Movie, I had a conversation with Inner Racing Nerd.

“Stop rolling your eyes. You knew this wasn’t going to have any connection to reality. Just relax and enjoy it for what it is.”

And that is what he did, for the most part. F1 is a light summer entertainment, nothing more. If you were looking for a film to show what racing is all about, pick some other movie.

The story centers on Sonny Hayes, who 30 years ago was an upcoming F1 driver. His career ends after a horrific crash in Spain. Since then, he is an itinerant driver, have helmet, will race. Sonny has no interest in a full time gig or sticking to any particular series.

He is a character we have seen before-the washed-up athlete with a jaded attitude, called in to help a younger version of himself, or help an old friend. He is Crash Davis from Bull Durham, and he is Norman Dale from Hoosiers.

Just after helping a GT team win the Rolex 24, Sonny sets off for Mexico to drive in the Baja rally. He encounters a friend from his F1 days, who now is the proud owner of the worst team on the grid. He begs Sonny to come back and help him.

After showing initial reluctance, Sonny joins the team, bringing an unorthodox style to the races in order to help his young teammate. Again, I had to quiet Inner Racing Nerd, who said, “He’s going to set a record for the fastest driver to 12 penalty points!” I could not argue, but again, let’s just go with what happens.

The racing scenes are fun and exciting but have no connection to reality. We see the obligatory airborne car, and the even more obligatory car bursting into flames.

In the end, Sonny brings the team to respectability and sets up his teammate for a successful F1 career. Sonny then returns to North America and heads for the Mexican desert to try to get a ride for the next cross-country rally.

Brad Pitt is adequate as Sonny Hayes, and Damson Idris does a decent job as Joshua Pearce, his teammate. The best performance is by Kerry Condon as the team’s chief engineer.

The photography creates thrilling, up close racing scenes, which makes the film worth seeing.

I would recommend F1 as a light summer entertainment, and a good chance to see race cars on screen. If you are looking for a more serious movie about racing, watch Rush.

Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Fast Facts

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From IndyCar:

  Race weekend: Saturday, June 14-Sunday, June 15
Track: World Wide Technology Raceway, a 1.25-mile oval in Madison, Illinois
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline 260 laps / 325 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway 75 laps / 93.75 miles
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Unlimited activation with a maximum deployment of 150 kilojoules (kJ) per lap.
]Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Ten new sets for use during the event weekend. An extra set will be provided to teams participating in the high-line session before final practice. INDY NXT by Firestone: Three new sets for use during the event weekend.
X: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARInstagram: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARThreads: @WWTRaceway, @IndyCar, #Bommarito500, #INDYCARFacebook: @WWTRaceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARTikTok: @WWT_Raceway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCARYouTube: @INDYCAR
Event website: www.wwtraceway.com/I
NDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com
2024 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIESJosef Newgarden (No. 2 PPG Team Penske Chevrolet)
INDY NXT by Firestone Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES): Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 DEX Imaging Team Penske Chevrolet), 50.0079 seconds, 179.972 mph (two laps)
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner: Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global), 54.8614 seconds, 164.109 mph (two laps)
One-lap qualifying lap record: NTT INDYCAR SERIESWill Power, 23.7206, 189.709 mph, Aug. 25, 2017
INDY NXT by FirestoneLouis Foster, 27.3986, 164.242 mph, Aug. 16, 2024
FOX Sports telecasts: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 3 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); High-line and Final Practice, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 8 p.m. ET Sunday, FOX (live). Will Buxton is the play-by-play announcer for FOX’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.
 INDY NXT by Firestone: Practice 1, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS2 (live); Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday, FS1 (live). Kevin Lee is the play-by-play announcer for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone alongside analyst Jack Harvey. Georgia Henneberry is the pit reporter.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside driver analyst Davey Hamilton. Nick Yeoman is the turn announcer. Jake Query and Michael Young are the pit reporters. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline race (7:30 p.m. ET Sunday), INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway (4:25 p.m. Sunday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. All INDY NXT by Firestone practice, qualifying sessions and races are available on SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation 218, indycar.com/leaderboard and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
SATURDAY, JUNE 14
10:20 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES installation laps
10:30-11:30 a.m. — NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, FS1
12:05-12:50 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS1
2 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 NTT P1 Award qualifying (single car/cumulative time of two laps), FS1
3:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway Qualifying, FS2
4:45-5:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES high-line session (two groups/15 minutes each), FS2
5:30-6:30 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES final practice, FS2
SUNDAY, JUNE 15
3:31 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway “Drivers Start Your Engines”
3:35 p.m. – INDY NXT by Firestone INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway (75 laps / 93.75 miles), FS1 (Live)
7 p.m. – FOX on air
7:15 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”
7:20 p.m. – Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline (260 laps/325 miles), FOX (Live)
Race Notes: here have been two winners in the first seven NTT INDYCAR SERIES races. Alex Palou (Streets of St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club, Barber Motorsports Park, Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and Indianapolis Motor Speedway) and Kyle Kirkwood (Streets of Long Beach and Streets of Detroit). The record for most wins in a season is 10, held by A.J. Foyt (1961) and Al Unser (1970).
The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the first Sunday night INDYCAR SERIES race held at World Wide Technology Raceway. The track held scheduled Saturday night races from 2017-2021, while the 2023 race ran under the lights after a weather delay. The Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Axalta and Valvoline will be the 17th INDYCAR SERIES race at World Wide Technology Raceway. 
Josef Newgarden won at WWTR for the fifth time in 2024. Paul Tracy won the first INDYCAR SERIES race at WWTR in 1997. Two-time WWTR race winners Scott Dixon (2020 Race 1 and 2023) and Will Power (2018) are the only former winners entered in this year’s race.
Team Penske has won nine times at World Wide Technology Raceway. Penske’s winning drivers are Paul Tracy (1997), Gil de Ferran (2002), Helio Castroneves (2003), Josef Newgarden (2017, 2020-Race 2, 2021, 2022 and 2024) and Will Power (2018). Chip Ganassi Racing has four wins at WWTR, with Alex Zanardi (1998), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000) and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1 and 2023). Twenty-three drivers have competed in past INDYCAR SERIES races at World Wide Technology Raceway. Scott Dixon has 10 starts, the most among the entered drivers. Rookies Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman, along with veteran Christian Rasmussen will make their first start at WWTR. Fourteen entered drivers have led laps at the track (Josef Newgarden 599, Will Power 450, Scott Dixon 379, Pato O’Ward 159, Colton Herta 134, Scott McLaughlin 79, Marcus Ericsson 16, Alexander Rossi 16, David Malukas 15, Sting Ray Robb 8, Nolan Siegel 8, Graham Rahal 7, Felix Rosenqvist 4 and Conor Daly 1).
Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 347th consecutive start, extending his record streak…Dixon passed Mario Andretti for the all-time lead in INDYCAR SERIES starts with his 408th start at Indianapolis on May 25 and will extend his record to 410 with a start Sunday…Graham Rahal will attempt to make his 300th INDYCAR SERIES start. He would become the 11th driver to reach the milestone.
INDY NXT by Firestone Notes: Andretti Global’s Dennis Hauger leads INDY NXT by Firestone to World Wide Technology Raceway, looking to continue his dominance of INDYCAR’s official development series. The 22-year-old Norwegian driver has never raced on an oval and leads his teammate Lochie Hughes by 38 points heading into a pivotal championship stretch of four races in five weeks.
The INDY NXT by Firestone at World Wide Technology Raceway will be the series’ 15th race at World Wide Technology Raceway. Previous INDY NXT by Firestone winners at WWT Raceway include Lee Bentham, Townsend Bell, Dan Wheldon, Jeff Simmons, Oliver Askew, David Malukas, Christian Rasmussen and Louis Foster. 

Final Thoughts on the 109th Indianapolis 500

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There is just no getting around it. Yesterday’s Indianapolis 500 was a strange two part race. Part 1 saw 45% of the laps run under caution. Part 2 was caution free until the second half of the last lap.

There was little passing for the lead, but the number of pit strategies scrambled the top of the field. but kept the leaders in traffic all day. Traffic played a part in the end of the race.

Teammates Devlin DeFrancesco and Louis Foster were having arguably the best battle on the track- for 14th place. Unfortunately, they were right in front of the race leaders. Yes, they have a right to stay on the lead lap, but with 10 laps to go in the race, and knowing they would get a wave around if the yellow came out, why not make them step out of the leaders’ way? It could have been a terrific three car finish between Palou, Ericsson, and Malukas.

Sometimes the 500 just produces a race that is not great. Part of it may have been the weather, but I think the hybrid and its extra weight hampered what had been a great show the last few years.

How much does it hurt to lose Indy?

I don’t know who snapped this shot, but Marcus Ericsson was despondent after the race. He told the media it was “pretty painful,” and that it would keep him up for several nights.

Ericsson went a little wide going into turn 1, and Palou was able to slip by him.

I appreciate Alex Palou drinking the milk, then triumphantly raising the bottle in tribute instead of pouring it over his head. I always thought the winner pouring the milk over his head was ridiculous. I hope Palou has started a trend to end that practice. Now if he just hadn’t kissed the bricks…

I thought yesterday’s singing of the National Anthem was the worst I have heard at the 500 since Steven Tyler sang in 2001. Natalie Grant’s version reinforced my belief that at every sporting event, the venue should just paly an instrumental recording of the anthem by the US Army Band.

The helicopters that followed the field around on the pace and parade laps were distracting and annoying. The field for the Indianapolis 500 lined up in11 rows of three in perfect formation coming to the green flag is one of the most beautiful sights in all of sports. It doesn’t need a so called “enhancement” or any additive feature at all. It stands on its own.

Rookie of the Year?

While all the rookies finished 15th or lower, Robert Shwartzman winning the pole is the thing that will get him the award. Nolan Siegel was likely in line for it until his crash on the final lap.

Penske Fires Cindric, Ruzewski, Moyer

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Editor’s note: The following is from the NTT IndyCar Series. I will have comments later today.

Team Penske Parts Company with Three Members of Management

INDYCAR

INDYCAR.com

Editorial Staff

1 HOUR AGO

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Team Penske parted company May 21 with Team President Tim Cindric, INDYCAR Managing Director Ron Ruzewski and INDYCAR General Manager Kyle Moyer from the organization after two of the team’s entries were found in violation of INDYCAR rules last weekend.

“Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,” Roger Penske said. “We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.”

The team’s No. 2 and No. 12 cars did not make an attempt Sunday during the Top 12 Qualifying session for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge because they were found in pre-qualifying technical inspection to be in violation of INDYCAR Rule 14.7.8.16, an unapproved body fit on the rear attenuator of the car. Those entries were moved to the rear of the field, starting 32nd and 33rd, respectively, for the Indianapolis 500 this Sunday, and each entry was fined $100,000 by INDYCAR.

Last year at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg, Florida, Team Penske was in violation of the two “Push to Pass” parameters, INDYCAR Rule 14.19.15 and 14.19.16. The team’s No. 2 and No. 3 entries were disqualified from that event, and its No. 12 entry received a 10-point penalty.

A team statement said further announcements will be made this week related to personnel and replacements for the Indianapolis 500.

Cindric joined Team Penske at the end of the 1999 INDYCAR SERIES season as the president of Penske Racing Inc. He was elevated to the role of president of Penske Performance in 2005.

Ruzewski came to the team at the start of the 2005 INDYCAR SERIES season. He was named managing director before the 2019 season after serving as the team’s technical director.

Moyer joined Team Penske before the 2015 INDYCAR SERIES season. He moved into the role as general manager for Team Penske’s INDYCAR SERIES program in 2019.

Thoughts on an Extended Qualification Weekend

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It’s a shame that what should be a huge celebratory pole win has been overshadowed by the Team Penske scandal. Robert Shwartzman’s pole, the first by a rookie since Teo Fabi in 1983, should be the talk of the fans and the paddock.

Instead, we are discussing the second Penske cheating issue in as many years. I agree with the penalties handed down this morning by IndyCar, and I appreciate their quick action. As Doug Boles said this morning,

“(the 500) is the biggest race in the world, and integrity is paramount…”

From earlier

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

So, back to the weekend. I’m not sure why Rinus VeeKay went out for a second run and risked putting himself out of the race. If did it to run out the clock, he went too early. There was plenty of time left for Jacob Abel to still have another attempt.

Questions:

Why is RLL’s one off entry for the 500 always the fastest qualifier on the team?

How is David Malukas 10 spots better than Santino Ferrucci?

Should the qualifying format be tweaked?

I’ll answer the last question. A little bit. Each car should be limited to no more than four attempts on Saturday. Any time a car goes out for an attempt, their current time is erased.

IndyCar on FOX: I watched just a part of the broadcast last night, and I saw the Colton Herta interview. Send Chris Myers back to Daytona. He looked and sounded bored, and as if he really didn’t want to be here. Colton had to correct him as to the name of the race. His response was that he works the Daytona 500. Leigh Diffey called the Indy 500 and he never confuses IMS for Daytona. I found Myers to be unprofessional and I hope he is not here Sunday.

To end on a positive not: It’s RACE WEEK!

Today at the Track

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Monday, May 19 
 INDIANAPOLIS Information about 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying track activity Monday, May 19 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
SCHEDULE (All times local):
11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Public gates open
1-3 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice
TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $25. The general admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to selected grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. Separate ticket required for entry each day.PUBLIC GATES OPEN (11 a.m.-3 p.m.): Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 10, Gate 10A.PARKING: Free public parking is available in N Lot. Free ADA accessible parking is available in the West Museum Lot, Tower Lot, and Flag Lot. Free motorcycle parking is available in South Carousel Lot.CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in the IMS Museum, Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $25, seniors (55 and over) are $23, and military (former and active) are $18. Tickets can be purchased online at https://imsmuseum.org/tickets/. Gate admission must be purchased as well as Museum admission.

From earlier

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

Good Morning from IMS

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Welcome to a frosty Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the temperature is 48 degrees. The first IndyCar practice is scheduled to start in about 10 minutes. Cars are in their pit boxes.

Yesterday Jacob Abel revealed his livery for the Indianapolis 500, a tribute to Dannt=y Sullivan’s winning car from 1985.

As tribute liveries go, this is a very nice one. It evokes the original. A rear enginecar to rear engine car tribute is easier to do than trying to replicate a front engine livery on one of today’s cars.

After practice I will be exploring the new merchandise shop, and I plan to visit the museum and get some more insight into the renovated facility.

Reminder, the first four sessions of Indy NXT and IndyCar are on FS2.