Bommarito Automotive Group 500 Moves to Sunday Primetime on FOX

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Editor’s Note: This is big news. I am glad to see FOXZ having some flexibility aqnd trying to boost ratings.

From IndyCar:

INDYCAR, FOX Sports Announce Several Broadcast Time Updates for 2025 Season
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 14, 2025) – FOX Sports and INDYCAR have announced updates to several broadcast start times for the 2025 INDYCAR season, including a move to a night race for the annual NTT INDYCAR SERIES event at World Wide Technology Raceway. The tune-in time for the Father’s Day Sunday, June 15 Bommarito Automotive Group 500 is now scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX. It is the first-ever scheduled primetime network NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on a Sunday night.
Since its first race in 1997, WWT Raceway has been a fan favorite that has produced intense and thrilling wheel-to-wheel short-track racing, including an event record for most on-track passes in 2024. This year’s edition on the 1.25-mile oval is the first scheduled night race at the track since 2019 and the first to air on primetime broadcast television.
“This is a massive primetime showcase under the lights for the stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “This is also a tremendous display of partnership from both FOX Sports and our friends at World Wide Technology Raceway, who’ve worked with us to generate this exciting opportunity for our sport. Race weekend in St. Louis is just a month away, and fans in venue and around the country are in for a real treat when INDYCAR arrives in town.”
Adjustments to broadcast times have also been announced at four other venues.
In collaboration with FOX Sports and INDYCAR promoters, the tune-in time adjustments capitalize on opportunities to further build an audience for North America’s premier open-wheel series. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the only premier motorsports series in North America with all races broadcasting live on network television. So far in 2025, the average race audience has grown 15 percent across the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season, significantly higher than comparable trendlines across professional sports.
Updated 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (All Times EASTERN):

Sunday, June 15
World Wide Technology Raceway
FOX
Previous Time 3 p.m.
New Time 8 p.m.

Sunday, June 22
Road America
FOX
Previous Time 3:30 p.m.
New Time 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 6
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
FOX
Previous Time 2 p.m.
New Time 1 p.m.

Sunday, July 13
Iowa Speedway Race 2
FOX
Previous Time 2 p.m.
New Time 1 p.m.

Sunday, July 20
Streets of Toronto
FOX
Previous Time 2 p.m.
New Time Noon
The full 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule can be found here.


INDY NXT by Firestone Updates
With broadcast times adjusted for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, times for FOX Sports’ coverage of INDY NXT by Firestone at three venues also have been updated. As part of the new media rights deal between FOX Sports and INDYCAR announced last June, the entire INDY NXT season is available live on television for the first time.
In addition to the new times, the adjusted 2025 schedule moves the race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course from FS2 to FS1 resulting in 13 of the 14 races of the INDY NXT championship to be featured on that network.
INDYCAR NXT by Firestone is also gaining significant momentum through exposure via FS1 and FS2, reaching more than five times its comparable audience from the previous season.

Updated 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone Races (All Times EASTERN):

Sunday, June 15 World Wide Technology Raceway FS1 Previous Time Noon New Time 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, June 22 Road America FS1 Previous Time1 p.m. New Time 11 a.m.
Sunday, July 6 Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course FS1 Previous Time11:30 a.m. New Time 10:30 a.m.

The full 2025 INDY NXT by Firestone schedule can be found here.
The next race in the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship is the 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Sunday, May 25. Coverage begins at 10 a.m. ET on FOX, FOX Deportes and the FOX Sports app. The award-winning INDYCAR Radio Network is available on SiriusXM channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

Day 2 at IMS

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From IMS


INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 13, 2025) – Information about 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice track activity Wednesday, May 14 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
SCHEDULE (All times local):
10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open10 a.m.-noon: Indianapolis 500 Refresher Tests
Noon-6 p.m.: Practice (all cars)
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.
PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 10, Gate 10A
PARKING: Free public parking is available in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). Free motorcycle parking in South Carousel Lot. ADA accessible parking is available in the following lots: West Museum Lot, Flag Lot, Tower Lot, Northwest Gravel Lot and Lot 7 (North 40).
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 10 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.

Day 1- Short but Fast

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IndyCar had just short of three hours of time on the first day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, and drivers made the most of it. Will Power turned the fastest lap at 227.026 miles per hour with teammate Josef Newgarden just behind at 226,971 mph. The third Penske car of Scott McLaughlin was fifth.

Power told me this morning that he was looking forward to getting back on an oval.

From earlier:

Pole Tales: 1955- Hoyt Takes Pole as Others Wait

Series points leader Alex Palou had the third fastest time followed by Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon.

While Marcus Ericsson and Marco Andretti were in the top 10, the Andretti cars of Colton Herta and Kyle Kirkwood ended the day in 16th and 19th. Kirkwood, however, had the fastest no tow speed.

The PREMA team struggled as expected. Robert Shwartzman ran just six laps and Callum Ilott turned 17 laps.

Tomorrow’s schedule has been modified a bit to accommodate the refresher program for Tony Kanaan, which was supposed to take place today. The refresher session will go from 10 am until noon tomorrow morning, and the regular practice period from noon to 6 pm will follow.

Results

Eight Former Winners, Five Series Champs Starting ‘500’ Preparation 

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From IMS:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 13, 2025) – Practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts May 13 with a field consisting of eight former winners of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and five NTT INDYCAR SERIES champions.There are 34 entries set to contest the 33 starting spots for this year’s edition of the “500.” Practice is scheduled to start today, with PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying on May 17-18. All track activity on the historic 2.5-mile oval leads into Race Day, Sunday, May 25.
SEE: Entry List
Josef Newgarden earned his second career “500” victory last May after passing Pato O’Ward on the final lap, his second straight Lap 200 pass to earn another spot on the Borg-Warner Trophy.Newgarden became just the sixth driver to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in consecutive years, joining Wilbur Shaw (1939-40), Mauri Rose (1947-48), Bill Vukovich (1953-54), Al Unser (1970-71) and Helio Castroneves (2001-02). No driver ever has won three in a row, Newgarden’s target this May.Other former winners aiming for a spot in the race this year include four-time winner Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021) and two-time winner Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), plus single winners Scott Dixon (2008), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Marcus Ericsson (2022). The record for winners in one field is 10, set in 1992.
Castroneves earned a spot with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in the most prestigious club in motorsports – four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500 – with his emotional victory in 2021, for Meyer Shank Racing. A record-breaking fifth would put Castroneves alone at the top with most victories. Additionally, Castroneves is 50 years old, and a victory would make him the oldest winner in “500” history, a record held by Unser, who won the 1987 edition just five days shy of his 48th birthday.
The field includes five past INDYCAR SERIES champions: Dixon, Hunter-Reay, Newgarden, two-time reigning champion Alex Palou and Power.
2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson will attempt for the second straight year to become the fifth driver to complete the Memorial Day “double” of racing in the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the same day, joining John Andretti, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and Kurt Busch. The last driver to complete the feat was Busch in 2014.
Larson earned “500” Rookie of the Year honors last year after qualifying fifth and finishing 18th. But he never turned a wheel in the NASCAR race at Charlotte due to rain ending the race early just as he arrived at the track.
Four drivers are competing for Rookie of the Year honors in 2025: Jacob Abel, Louis Foster, Nolan Siegel and Robert Shwartzman.
Live Race Day coverage begins on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network at 10 a.m. (ET), with the green flag set for 12:45 p.m.

2025 ENTRY BREAKDOWN:
Winners (8): Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato
Rookies (4): Jacob Abel, Louis Foster, Robert Shwartzman, Nolan
U.S. drivers (15): Jacob Abel, Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Conor Daly, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Kyle Kirkwood, Kyle Larson, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Sting Ray Robb, Alexander Rossi, Nolan Siegel
International drivers (19, from 13 countries): Marcus Armstrong, Helio Castroneves, Devlin DeFrancesco, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Louis Foster, Jack Harvey, Callum Ilott, Christian Lundgaard, Scott McLaughlin, Pato O’Ward, Alex Palou, Will Power, Christian Rasmussen, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, Robert Shwartzman, Kyffin Simpson, Rinus VeeKay
Engines (34): Chevrolet 18, Honda 16 (all cars use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires)

Pole Tales: 1955- Hoyt Takes Pole as Others Wait

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High winds with gusts up to 36 mph greeted the drivers on Pole Day 1955. The quickest drivers decided to wait to make their qualifying runs, and as the afternoon wore on and the winds didn’t subside, several of the pole contenders, including Jack McGrath, Walt Faulkner, and Bill Vukovich, agreed to not run until the next day.

However, not every driver knew of the deal. At 5:33 pm, just 27 minutes before the end of qualifying for the day, Jerry Hoyt pulled his car into the qualifying line. When a driver asked Hoyt if he remembered the deal, Hoyt responded, “What deal?”

“I didn’t make any agreements with anybody,” Hoyt told Jep Cadou, Jr. of the Indianapolis Star.

Seven other cars got into line behind Hoyt, but because of the late hour, only three attempts were made, two successfully. After Hoyt averaged 140 mph, Pat O’Connor took to the track. He was waved off after three laps and a 137 mph average. O’Connor would come back Sunday to qualify in eighth place.

Tony Bettenhausen qualified second at 139 mph. Sam Hanks was about to head on to the track as the gun sounded, ending Pole Day with just two qualifiers.

The next day Jack McGrath would take the final front row spot. Defending race winner Bill Vukovich qualified fifth.

Hoyt was the first Indianapolis native to win the pole since Bill Cummings in 1937. His rookie year was 1950, and Hoyt also drove in the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500s. His best starting spot was seventh in 195, but he never finished the race, with results of 21sr, 23rd, and 26th.

He fared no better in 1955, dropping out after just 40 laps with an oil leak and ending the day in 31st place. Bettenhausen would finish second, and McGrath dropped out after 54 laps with a magneto problem.

The high winds that day may have been an omen of the dark path that befell the racing world in 1955. Jerry Hoyt died in a sprint car accident in Oklahoma City on July 10, driving a car owned by 1955 500 winner Bob Sweikert, one of several drivers from the 1955 500 to lose their life behind the wheel.

Opening Day- Eyes on the Skies

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Welcome to the first day of practice for the 109th Indianapolis 500. Details for the day can be found here:

Tomorrow at IMS

Grandstands open today, per Eric Smith of IndyCa

• B Penthouse •

Backstretch Mounds •

E Penthouse •

E Stand (10-17) •

Gas Alley Roof •

North Vista ADA •

NW Vista (1-4) •

NW Vista Deck (1-4) •

Paddock (9-12) •

Pit Road Terrace •

South Terrace •

South Terrace East •

Tower Terrace (37-42) •

Tower Terrace ADA •

Turn 2 Mounds •

Turn 3 Mounds •

Turn 4 Mounds

I expect these stands will be open tomorrow and Thursday as well, with a few more opening for Fast Friday.

Today looks to have the best chance for rain in the afternoon. If you’re going to the track, be prepared to seek shelter if necessary.

I will provide updates throughout the day and I will have some thoughts from drivers. I’m also planning to review the 2025 race program.

Tomorrow at IMS

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It’s finally here! Opening Day for the 500!

From IMS:

Tuesday, May 13 
 INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 12, 2025) – Information about 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice track activity Tuesday, May 13 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local):10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open
Noon-2 p.m.: Practice (all cars)
2-4 p.m.: Indianapolis 500 Refresher Tests (Two hours, if needed)
4-6 p.m.: Practice (all cars, session may start earlier depending on Refresher Test status)

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.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 10, Gate 10A

PARKING: Free public parking is available in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). Free motorcycle parking in South Carousel Lot. ADA accessible parking is available in the following lots: West Museum Lot, Flag Lot, Tower Lot, Northwest Gravel Lot and Lot 7 (North 40).

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 10 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.

Grand Prix Weekend Wrap Up

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With the Sonsio Grand Prix weekend concluded, it’s time for the big show to begin. Practice starts tomorrow for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500. But first, here are a few items I didn’t get to Friday or Saturday.

Attendance was decent, but I don’t think it was one of the top three crowds in this event’s history. Still, the race draws more fans than an opening day of practice would have, and some people need to choose between this race and the 500 to attend. If I needed to choose for budgetary reasons, this event would come in a distant second every time.

The new midway merchandise shop is a great addition to the various merchandise locations at the track. It does not supplant the other shops of stands but enhances them. There is no team or driver merchandise here, only IMS related gear.

Upscale brands Lululemon and Under Armour are featured. The store ios laid out like a department store with women’s, men’s and kid’s sections clearly marked.

My favorite part of the place, however, was the artwork above the shelves and the lighted panels on the end caps.

This one is my favorite

Team and driver merhandise can be found in the tent just north of the store.

Museum Chat

I had an opportunity Friday to talk with Jason Vansickle, Museum Vice President of Curation and Education, about the origin of the revamped Museum. Jason has been with the Museum since 2011 while he was in college, and he began working full time in 2015.

The revamped exhibition space has 30, 000 additional square feet with the renovation of the basement and the expanded third floor.

What the public sees is the result of visits to other museums both automotive and non-automotive, and the ideas were distilled by the JRA interpretive group out of Cincinnati to develop the display areas.

The goal was to tell the story of the Speedway in an orderly, chronological fashion, honoring its past and looking to its future.

The Qualifying Zone has a driector of education. The area, geared toward kids and kids at heart, is a multi-sensory, hands-on area with STEM components designed to engage new, young fans.

The three rotating exhibits in the basement will change in September and November.

Jason told me that the museum will keep the timed ticket policy, which has allowed for a nice flow of visitors, although walk-ins are welcomed. The busiest days have seen 1,500 visitors.

Time slots for Carb Day are close to being all filled.

I also learned that as many as 14 historic cars may take a lap on Race Day. The Museum has 150 cars in its collection. Some are on loan, and the ones not on display are in an offsite facility.

I want to thank Jason for being so generous with his time. and thanks to Kelsey Burr, the Museum Communications Manager, for arranging our meeting.

A Ray(hal) of Hope Dims: Sonsio Grand Prix Quick Thoughts

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A pass for the lead in the first turn of the race by Graham Rahal on Alex Palou gave fans hope of a different outcome today, but it was not to be. Palou passed Rahal with27 laps to go and ran out to a five second victory over Pato O’Ward. Rahal recovered to finish sixth after an issue on his final pit stop,

The race was arguably the most interesting of the year. There were two passes for the lead and a caution period. On lap 70 David Malukas pulled into the grass and parked with wisps of smoke coming from the rear. The caution was the first of the IndyCar series since the first lap of the season 408 laps ago. The fans cheered wildly at the sight of the amber lights.

Did the Tire Rule Help?

The requirement for teams to use two sets of each tire compound out some intrigue into the race. Pato O’Ward said that he liked the rule and wished it had been used earlier.

“I liked the rule, we should use that at Detroit and should have used them at St. Pete and Thermal,” O’Ward said.

Third place finisher Will Power agreed, adding that St. Pete and Thermal would have been “very different races” with this rule.

I think it helped the race a bit. We didn’t see fuel saving, and it was fun guessing which tires would be used when.

Andretti Swings

Kyle Kirkwood turned what had been a difficult Friday into a top 10 finish. The third year driver finished eighth after starting 21st.

Meanwhile, Marcus Ericsson started 20t but dropped out after six laps with a drive train issue. Ericsson has had a string of misfortunes this year and is 16th in the points.

Movin’ on Up

Other big movers were Rinus VeeKay, from 24th to ninth, and Scott Dixon from 16th to fifth.

Today’s race was one of the better ones of this Grand Prix. I believe it was the best race of the season as far as drama and intrigue. This event is beginning to reach a place where it can stand on its own, rather than just the undercard to the Indianapolis 500.

Thanks for following along this weekend. The real fun begins Tuesday.

Results