No Fans for July 4 at IMS

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Sad news, but not unexpected. I hope this isn’t a foreshadowing of the 500 in August. The statement from IMS:

The upcoming Fourth of July race weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will run without spectators due to the COVID-19 pandemic, IMS officials announced today following extensive consultation with local and state officials.

 

Stage 5 of Indiana’s reopening plan allows for sporting venues to host public events with social distancing and is scheduled to begin July 4 in most counties. However, Marion County – home to Indianapolis, the state’s largest city – recently entered Stage 3 of the road map 10 days after the majority of counties. This follows nationwide trends suggesting larger municipalities should exercise caution in navigating plans to reopen.

 

“While we certainly worked diligently to run our events with spectators, we reached a point where we needed to make a final decision because the race weekend is less than a month away,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President & CEO Mark Miles said. “Today it’s not possible to be confident that Indianapolis will be at Stage 5 of the state’s reopening plan by the Fourth of July weekend.

 

“We are extremely appreciative of the time and expertise Governor Holcomb, Mayor Hogsett and state and local public health officials have given us over the last few months. This was a collaborative process and a decision we’re all aligned with after thorough review of the situation. We remain committed to welcoming the world’s greatest fans to the Speedway for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race in late August.”

 

The culminating event of the holiday weekend will be renamed the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records, in recognition of the company’s ongoing efforts to support the supply chain of hand sanitizer available to the public. In early March, when the pandemic started to hit hard, Big Machine Distilleries recognized the great shortage of hand sanitizer and immediately pivoted and started production to assist the local community and first responders with product. Inquiries from across the country soon dictated a full-blown national awareness, which has led to the name change of the race. The company and its Big Machine race drivers will announce plans to donate bottles of hand sanitizer to Indianapolis front-line workers around the event weekend.

 

Everyone in Central Indiana and around the country can tune in to the historic NASCAR-INDYCAR double-header weekend live on NBC. The marquee holiday weekend at IMS will mark the first time the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series have shared the same track with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on the same event weekend. The GMR Grand Prix for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Pennzoil 150 for the NASCAR Xfinity Series are scheduled for Saturday, July 4, while the Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records for the NASCAR Cup Series is scheduled for Sunday, July 5.

 

Fans who have purchased reserved seats or general admission tickets to the GMR Grand Prix, Pennzoil 150 or Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 Powered by Big Machine Records will have the option for a credit to future IMS events, such as the 2020 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge or Harvest GP, or a refund. IMS will contact these fans directly.

 

Other public events surrounding the weekend have been canceled given the decision to run all races without fans. This includes the Driven2SaveLives BC39 USAC Midget race and the FGL Fest concert. Fans who have purchased tickets to these events also will have the option to receive credit to a future IMS event or a refund and will be contacted directly by IMS.

 

The NBC television schedule for the weekend will be released soon.

 

Daly Eager to Begin Double Team Season

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The strange twisting path Conor Daly has taken in Indycar rounds another corner this season. Daly will drive for two teams- Ed Carpenter Racing on the road and street courses; and Carlin Racing on the ovals. A season originally planned to begin at St. Pete for ECR now launches at Texas for Carlin.

“…it’s strange obviously. It’s not how you’d like to do things ideally. But it’s a great opportunity to be a full-time INDYCAR driver again. So I’m going to look at it like that, ” Daly said on the makeup of his full time season.

Daly thinks his experience in the races he ran in 2019 for Carlin will be helpful this season, and it gives him a level of comfort as the sole Carlin entry this weekend.

Daly said, “By the end of the season together, or the oval season that we did together, we were fighting quite a lot at the sharp end in Gateway. I love that track, but I also really enjoy driving the car there, too. It’s great to have the support of Gallagher still, have a great-looking car to drive on the ovals this year, albeit an interesting new schedule with the doubleheader at Iowa will be interesting and everything in general about this year will be different, but it will be cool. I’m excited to get it going with these guys on Saturday night.”

He is not a fan of the aeroscreen and Daly realizes it will be an unknown factor for everyone Saturday night. He understands the reason the series implemented the device.

“I think publicly I’ve said I’m not a huge fan of it. But I understand the reasons obviously why it’s been introduced. I respect what the series wants to do, the direction they’re taking obviously. But, yeah, it obviously presents a lot of interesting variables. …Yeah, it’s exciting because it’s all new, but it’s also like I don’t know what’s going to happen. It should be interesting.”

Daly thinks not having fans in the stands at Texas will weird at first, but once the visors go down and the cars are rolling the focus will be on the racing itself.

“…when we line up on that grid two- by-two, we close the visor, that’s all that needs to be said. We’re going to be going racing. There’s going to be a pace car out there that’s going to be leading us around. Realistically all focus is on the job at hand. I think it’s going to be strange basically before and after the race. But during there’s not a lot of time that you spend looking anywhere else other than the racetrack right in front of you. It will be interesting and it will be strange.”

This is an important season for Daly, who has been an itinerant driver in the Indycar paddock for most years.  He has the ability to make a car better, as he did with carlin last season. Having five secure races with a team he drove for in 2019 should help further develop Carlin’s program.  With Carpenter, Daly has another great chance to succeed at the Indianapolis 500.

 

VeeKay Cleared to Enter US

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Per Racer magazine, Ed Carpenter Racing rookie driver Rinus VeeKay  is on his way to the United States from Mexico. VeeKay will begin his NTT Indycar Series career Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway in the Genesys 300. The Dutch driver had been in quarantine in Mexico the last two weeks.

Alex Palou, who drives for Dale Coyne Racing Team Goh, entered the United States last week.

All drivers scheduled to participate in Saturday night’s season opener are now in the country.

Carlin Withdraws the 31 for Texas

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In a statement from Carlin Racing PR this morning, the 31 car will not race at Texas.  Their statement:

Due to the economic impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the planned No. 31 Carlin entry will not be entered in this weekend’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener at Texas Motor Speedway. We will continue to work with our partners in Europe and aim to have two entries for the remainder of the 2020 season. Conor Daly will represent Carlin this weekend in the Genesys Technology 300 as originally planned in the No. 59 Gallagher Carlin Chevrolet.

This may be a trend this season. The shutdown has had a financial impact throughout the world. Still no word on whether Rinus VeeKay will be driving Saturday. Daly was previously committed to Carlin for this race.

 

Race Week Begins at Last

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I said it three months ago. It didn’t stick. Now i will say it again with more certainty. It’s race week for Indycar. The NTT Indycar Series begins its season this coming Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Fans will not attend, although the governor of Texas said that race tracks could have a crowd at 25% of capacity. Track president Eddie Gossage said there would not be enough time to arrange for a crowd this coming weekend.

Amid all the stress of the coronavirus and the protests of the death of George Floyd that have caused much destruction, the race will be a welcome respite for weary fans.

The broadcast schedule (All times ET):

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Palou Returns, Will VeeKay Make it?

Alex Palou returned to the United States this week and will be able to drive Saturday. We still have not heard if Rinus Veekay will be in the country in time. The Depart of Homeland Security rule allowing athletes to return from Europe did not include motorsport originally. Indycar and IMSA have been scrambling to get drivers and team personnel here to begin their seasons.

IndyLights Will Not Run in 2020

As I began writing this post, I received the sad news that IndyLights will not run this year. This is a tough break for several drivers. Kyle kirkwood, the favorite to win the title, will lose out on the scholarship to be in an Indycar in2021. For the full story, go to  TSO Ladder presented by Cooper Tires. The link:

BREAKING – Indy Lights suspended for the 2020 season.

A Positive End

I want to finish this post on a positive note. Just before midnight Saturday I met my new foster greyhound, Paradigm.  One of her great great grandparents was named Flying Penske. Fate? Her status may soon change from foster to adoption. Stay tuned.

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The Tires They Are A-Changin’- New Procedures for Texas

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The NTT Indycar Series has added two tweaks to the June 6 schedule at Texas Motor Speedway. We have already seen the event shortened to 200 laps/300 miles from its traditional 248 laps/360 miles. This isn’t the first time we have seen the Texas race run a bit differently. Remember the twin races where the drivers spun a tire to determine Race 2’s starting position? That was fun. For this race, it’s nothing that drastic. One change I like, the other I’m not excited about, but I feel is necessary for the season opener.

The day of the Genesys 300 will begin with a 30 minute test session for  rookies Alex Palou, Rinus VeeKay, and Oliver Askew. The 80 minute practice session begins immediately at the conclusion of the rookie test period. With testing cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, Indycar felt the rookies should get extra time on the 1.5 mile oval.  This is a great and necessary move by Indycar. It doesn’t completely erase my concerns for the event, but it does help lower them a bit.

The second change is a 35 lap maximum stint for tires during the race. Several factors led to this decision. First, the divers haven’t been on track in nearly nine months except for testing almost three months ago. Second, tire supplies are down because of the changes in work time caused by the pandemic pandemic. And the new aeroscreen creates a change in the center of gravity which will affect tire wear.

I don’t like mandated stints. Indycar did this at Texas a couple years ago when tire wear became an issue. The decision came after the race had started. At least the rule is clear for the entire race. The tire rule takes fuel strategy out of the race but when the yellows come could dictate tire strategy. Teams get nine sets of Firestone tires for the entire day. The team that manages their tires the best should do very well.