Welcome to May! Sonsio Grand Prix Preview

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A race that began in 2014 as an experiment to try to draw more fans to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway during May has turned into a popular, well attended event.

Now known as The Sonsio Grand Prix, the road course race kicks off the month of May at the Speedway. The speedway counts 20 races on its road course, including the two Harvest Classic races during the pandemic, the season opener in 2020, and the second race which ran during Brickyard weekend.

Team Penske, as expected, has won eight times on the circuit which winds through the infield, although Alex Palou has won the last two years, and is a heavy favorite to win again.

If you’re looking for a different type of race than the processional caution free shows the season has presented so far, I suggest you wait another couple of weeks. In the past two years, there has been one caution each in 2023 and 2024. Last year the caution lasted two laps in the last third of the race. In 2023 the only yellow came on lap 2 and lasted three laps. Coincidentally car 51 was involved both years.

The best races have been when the track was wet. Colton Herta’s win in 2022 on a very rainy day was one of my favorite races anywhere. Simon Pagenaud chased down Scott Dixon to win in 2019 on a damp track where tire strategy played a huge role.

In an attempt to put on a better show, IndyCar has modified the tire requirements for this weekend. Teams must use two sets of the alternate tires and two sets of the primary tires. The requirement to use a sticker set of alternates is not in effect. Teams have five sets of primaries and four sets of reds.

Will it help? Possibly. The race is normally a three-stop event, so the rule is not adding a stop, but it might take away a fuel saving attempt. I’m optimistic but should there be an early caution a tire only stop is possible.

It would be easy to concede the win to Palou, but I think his spell will break Saturday. Christian Lundgaard is coming on strong, and I think he just might be standing on top of the podium at the end of the day.

Other questions to ponder during the two day event-

Will Team Penske get back to their usual selves at a track they have dominated? Can Kyle Kirkwood rebound from his worst showing of the season last Sunday? Does Rinus VeeKay give Dale Coyne Racing another top 10? VeeKay has won on this track.

I will be on site this weekend. look for throughout each day leading up to the race. I can’t wait to get back to IMS and start the month of May.

Sonsio Grand Prix Fast Facts 

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From IndyCar

 Race weekend: Friday, May 9-Saturday, May 10
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise)
Media Links: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Entry List (PDF) | INDY NXT by Firestone Entry List (PDF) | Trackside Media Guide (Interactive PDF)
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 85 laps / 207.3 miles | INDY NXT by Firestone: 35 laps / 85.365 miles or 55 minutes (each race)
Push to Pass parameters: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 200 seconds of total time with a maximum single duration of 20 seconds. Push to Pass is not available on the initial start or any restart unless it occurs in the final two laps or three minutes of a timed race. | INDY NXT by Firestone: A maximum of 50 activations total or 150 seconds of total push to pass time.
Hybrid energy deployment parameters: Unlimited activation, with a maximum deployment of 425 kilojoules (kj) per lap
Firestone tire allotment: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Five sets primary (hard) and four sets alternate (soft) to be used during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires in the first practice session. Teams must use two sets of primary and two sets of alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.
 INDY NXT by Firestone: Four new sets to be used during the doubleheader weekend with one new set used for qualifying and another new set used during each race. A carryover set from the Barber event may be used during practice.
X: @IMS, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Instagram: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Threads: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYGP, #INDYCAR
Facebook: @indianapolismotorspeedway, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
TikTok: @indianapolismotorspeedwy, @INDYCAR, #INDYCAR
YouTube: @IMS, @INDYCAR
Event website: www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/
NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com |
 INDY NXT by Firestone website: www.indynxt.com
2024 race winners:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
INDY NXT by Firestone
Race 1: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports)
Race 2: Louis Foster (No. 26 Andretti Global)
2024 NTT P1 Award winner (NTT INDYCAR SERIES):
Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda), 1 minute, 9.0004 seconds, 127.251 mph
2024 INDY NXT by Firestone pole winner:
Race 1: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports) 1:14.9358, 117.172 mph
Race 2: Jacob Abel (No. 51 ABEL Motorsports) 1:15.0528, 116.990 mph
Qualifying records:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying)
INDY NXT by Firestone Ed Jones, 1:14.6743, 117.583 mph, May 13, 2016
FOX Sports telecasts:
NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Practice 1, 9:30 a.m. ET, Friday, FS2 (live); Practice 2, 1 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 4:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS1 (live); Warmup, 11:30 a.m. ET Saturday, FS1 (live); Race, 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, 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, 11 a.m. ET, Friday, FS2 (live); Qualifying, 2:30 p.m. ET Friday, FS2 (live); Race 1, 7 p.m. ET Friday, FS1 (live); Race 2, 1 p.m. ET Saturday, 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, while guest analysts Santino Ferrucci (Race 1) and Tim Cindric (Race 2) will join for the race telecasts.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Alex Wolff, Rob Blackman and Rich Nye are the pit reporters. The Sonsio Grand Prix race (4 p.m. ET Saturday), the INDY NXT by Firestone Grand Prix doubleheader (6:55 p.m. ET Friday and 12:55 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices 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 practices, 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):
Friday, May 9
9:30-10:50 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (split group format), FS2 (Live
)11:05-11:55 a.m. INDY NXT by Firestone practice, FS2 (Live)
1:10-2 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (35 minutes of green flag – limited guarantee), FS2 (Live)
2:30-3 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone qualifying, (two groups/12 minutes each), FS2 (Live)
4:35 p.m. Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), FS1 (Live)
7:01 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 “Drivers, start your engines”
7:06 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (Live)
Saturday, May 10
11:32-11:57 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup (25 minutes), FS1 (Live)
1:01 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 2 “Drivers, start your engines”
1:06 p.m. INDY NXT by Firestone Indianapolis Grand Prix Race 2 (35 laps/55 minutes), FS1 (Live)
4:30 p.m. FOX on air
4:45 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix “Drivers, start your engines”
4:52 p.m. Sonsio Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), FOX (Live)

“WHAT TO LOOK FOR” AT IMS:
Palou Eyes IMS Three-peat: Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing has won three of 2025’s first four races and leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points standings by 60 points. He’s also won the past two Sonsio Grands Prix. Palou could become the first driver since Josef Newgarden won three straight races at World Wide Technology Raceway from 2020-2022.
Among tracks on the current NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, three in a row has only been accomplished four other times. Bobby Rahal won four in a row at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca (1984-87), Al Unser Jr. won four in a row at Long Beach (1988-91) Michael Andretti won three straight at Portland (1990-1992) and Sebastien Bourdais won three in a row at Long Beach (2005-07).
Penske’s Power Play:  Roger Penske may be the owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but IMS has long been a Team Penske playground, and that includes races on the road course. Led by Will Power’s five race wins, Roger Penske’s drivers have won eight times on this circuit, including two wins from Simon Pagenaud (2016, 2019) and another from Josef Newgarden (2020).
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes:
The Sonsio Grand Prix will be the 17th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course. Active race winners expected to compete are Alex Palou, Alexander Rossi, Colton Herta, Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden and Will Power.
Four drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Will Power and Graham Rahal. All are entered this weekend. Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Chip Ganassi has four wins – with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1 and 2023-Race 2 and Alex Palou in 2023-Race 1 and 2024. Andretti Autosport and Ed Carpenter Racing are the only other teams to win at the track. Andretti Autosport won the Sonsio Grand Prix with Colton Herta in May 2022 and Gallagher Grand Prix with Alexander Rossi in August 2022, while Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay.
Three NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Jacob Abel, Louis Foster and Robert Shwartzman – are entered and will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car on the IMS road course for the first time alongside veteran driver Nolan Siegel. Milestones: Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 344th consecutive start, extending his INDYCAR SERIES record.

INDY NXT by Firestone Notes:
INDY NXT by Firestone will conduct a doubleheader weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend with a pair of 35-lap races. Dennis Hauger continued his dominating season scoring his second straight win on May 4 at Barber Motorsports Park and sits atop the point standings.Juan Manuel Correa will make his INDY NXT debut in the first of several starts this season with HMD Motorsports. The American / Ecuadorian driver has raced in FIA Formula 3 and Formula 2 as well as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Rolex 24 at Daytona. Correa demonstrated remarkable resilience, particularly after recovering from a life-threatening crash in 2019. His recovery and return to racing were a testament to his grit and determination.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the home race for second-year driver Jack William Miller, the son of former INDYCAR SERIES competitor Dr. Jack Miller. The younger Miller, who hails from Indianapolis and attends IU Indianapolis, competes for ABEL Motorsport with Miller Vinatieri Motorsports – a team co-owned by Dr. Jack Miller and former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Group qualifying will decide the starting grids on during the Indianapolis Grand Prix doubleheader. Based on the best lap times from the practice session immediately preceding qualifying, the fastest driver in that session will choose which group will compete in the first of the two qualifying segments. With 12 minutes allotted for each group (with a guarantee of one timed lap), the fastest driver between the two sessions will be awarded the Race 1 pole position with the drivers who finished behind that driver, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). The grid for the second race will be determined by each drivers’ second fastest lap, with drivers who finished behind the polesitter, in order and in that group, occupying the odd-numbered starting positions (3, 5, 7, etc.) for the race and the drivers who finished in order from the other group occupying the even-numbered starting positions (2, 4, 6, etc.). One driver and entrant championship point will be awarded to the fastest car in each qualifying group for each race. 

Parkside Collectibles Announces 2025 INDYCAR Vol. 1 Trading Card Set 

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From Indycar:

 New Set Available Online and Through Major Retailers Starting in Month of May

LOS ANGELES (Tuesday, May 6, 2025) – Parkside Collectibles is launching the 2025 INDYCAR Vol. 1 trading card set, offering fans an immersive experience into the thrilling world of INDYCAR SERIES racing. The set features cards of top drivers like Alex Palou, Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward, highlights iconic race moments and tracks, and includes special insert cards.
“We’re thrilled to bring another season of high-octane excitement directly to INDYCAR fans with this year’s Vol.1 collection,” says Eric Christensen, CEO of Parkside Collectibles.
Each Hanger Pack (25 cards) contains base cards, foil parallels, a Marquee Moments card, a Vintage card, a random insert and a Pit Pass card. Collectors can also chase rare autograph cards (averaging one per 10 packs) from drivers like Scott McLaughlin and Sting Ray Robb, as well as unique Relic cards with race-used materials.
The 2025 INDYCAR Trading Card Set Vol. 1 is available today on shop.indycar.com and starting May 15 at Target, hobby shops and online at parksidecards.com.
Last year’s set was the No. 1 new item across INDYCAR merchandising and licensing in terms of units purchased.
“INDYCAR and Parkside Collectibles have teamed up to bring our fans an incredible and highly engaging trading card set for 2025,” said INDYCAR Chief Marketing Officer Alex Damron. “This will be a highly popular item at IMS during an epic Month of May and also throughout the rest of the season both in store and online.”
Explore the full checklist here!
About Parkside Founded with the vision to rekindle and nurture the passion for trading cards, Parkside Collectibles is a pioneer in offering affordable, captivating trading card products. With a dedication to engaging both young fans and veteran collectors, Parkside brings the excitement of various sports leagues, including NWSL, INDYCAR, US Women’s Soccer, Big 3 Basketball, Fan Controlled Football, Major League Lacrosse, and more, into the hands of enthusiasts. Embodying the nostalgic charm of discovering collectible trading cards at your local corner store, Parkside is committed to creating products that resonate with fans of traditional and new sports and entertainment brands, all while maintaining a price point reminiscent of simpler times. Our commitment lies in crafting memorable collecting experiences that connect fans with their favorite sports moments and icons, ensuring that the joy of collecting thrives across generations. For more information on Parkside Collectibles, please visit www.parksidecards.com. 
About INDYCAR INDYCAR is the Indianapolis-based governing body for North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, and its developmental series, INDY NXT by Firestone. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES features an international field of the world’s most versatile drivers – including championship contenders Josef Newgarden (USA), Alex Palou (Spain) and Pato O’Ward (Mexico) – who compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road courses. The 2025 season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada and is highlighted by the historic Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES, INDY NXT by Firestone, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. For more information on INDYCAR and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, please visit www.indycar.com. For more information on INDY NXT by Firestone, please visit www.indynxt.com. 

Sonsio Grand Prix Schedule- Update

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All times Eastern

Friday, May 9

IndyCar practice 1 9:30-10:50 FS2

Indy NXT practice 11:05-11:55 FS2

1:10-2 IndyCar Practice 2 (35 minute guarantee) FS2

2:30-3 Indy NXT Qualifying FS2

4P35-6 IndyCar Qualifying FS1

7:06 IndyNXT Race 1 35 laps or 55 minutes FS!

Saturday, May 10

11:32-11:57 IndyCar Warm Up FS1

1:06 Indy NXT Race 2 35 laps or 55 minutes FS1

4:30 FOX on air FOX

4:52 Sonsio Grand Prix Green Flag 85 laps FOX

Quick Thoughts- Children’s of Alabama Grand Prix

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Lets’ start with the positives.

Alex Palou put on a clinic today. He drove a masterful race, aided by great pit strategy, and perfect pit execution. Palou has won three of the first four races and finished second in the fourth. He enters the IMS races with a 61 point lead over Christian Lundgaard.

Lundgaard has suddenly become the leader at Arrow McLaren. His second place today is his third straight podium finish. I would not count him out of standing on the top step of the platform one time before June. Lundgaard is the only driver with a shot at possibly catching Palou.

If Rinus VeeKay isn’t a unanimous pick for Driver of the Day, there just wasn’t a winner today. The Netherlands driver backed up his Fast Six from Saturday with a fourth place finish, one spot higher than where he started the race. He has done well at Barber, but to drive a Dale Coyne Racing machine to such heights is an accomplishment.

VeeKay finished just 0.33 of a second behind third place Scott McLaughlin.

Today’s race saw some of the best racing of the year with some battles in the top 10.

The best news of the weekend- I heard that Barber will be run in April in 2026, where it rightly belongs.

Now for the rest of the day:

FOX showed more improvement during the broadcast, but some key items are still lacking. I don’t know why there is still no pit timer. There were several bad pit stops, which they covered, but how much time was lost? I would like to know. This information will be essential during the Indianapolis 500 in three weeks.

Once again there was no pass for the lead, or even a fight for the top spot. While there were some great battles, it was evident that passing is very difficult. Is the hybrid really holding back the racing that much? I would hate to see a processional 500 like we had in the late 2000s.

All four races in 2025 have had a sameness to them. They have been mostly processional with pit strategies being the one intriguing thing about them. That is great for the hard core fan, but it isn’t going to lure new fans in. Perhaps it’s the lack of yellows, 339 consecutive laps of green flag, which is another thing altogether, or perhaps it is the drag of the hybrid.

Thanks for following along this weekend. Tomorrow I start covering the month of May. It’s hard to believe there is another race in just six days.

Results

Barber Qualifymg Wrap Up

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New blood in the Top 12, but the Gast Six ended with the same old faces at the top.

Louis Foster, Nolan Siegel, Kyffin Simpson, and Marcus Armstrong made it into Round 2, but the Fast Six looked pretty much the same. Scott McLaughlin, Will Power, Colton Herta, and Alex Palou battled for the pole. In the end, Palou won his first pole of the year, edging McLaughlin and Herta. For Power, it was his first trip out of round 1 this season. Siegel earned his first career Fast Six, and Rinus VeeKay gave Dale Coyne a rare appearance in the final round.

FOX improved their qualifying coverage by adding the deltas to sixth and first to the scoring chart. Fans have been clamoring for this all season. It added to the drama, especially in the last two minutes of each session.

Results

INDYCAR Announces Race Tire Rule Update for Sonsio Grand Prix

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    Firestone alternate tire

    From IndyCar. An interesting rule change for next weekend.

    INDYCAR has announced an update to the race tire usage requirements for the Sonsio Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course on Saturday, May 10.

    For the race, teams will be required to use:

    • Two sets of alternate compound tires (one more than previously required)
    • Two sets of primary compound tires (one more than previously required)

    There are no requirements in terms of new (sticker) sets of tires used in the race. The two completed laps needed to satisfy the tire requirement rule, where one (1) lap must begin once the Green Flag has been displayed to the Race Leader (Rule 15.3.3.2.3.) for each of the four sets (Rule 15.3.3.2.) remains in effect.

    The update strives to ensure an all-out, driving on the limit, thrilling and entertaining product for fans and generate even more strategic challenges for North America’s premier open-wheel racing series. Additionally – working with Firestone – the current, standard event weekend road and street circuit tire allocation that began this season (five sets of primaries and five sets of alternates) was contemplated with this tire requirement format option in mind. The tire allocation for the IMS road course, the only two-day road and street circuit event on the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule, remains unchanged at five sets of primaries and four sets of alternates.

    “INDYCAR is continually looking into ways to improve an already extraordinary on-track product,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Firestone is a terrific partner, and their higher degradation alternate tire has given strategists plenty to think about on road and street circuits this year. We expect this update will challenge teams and drivers even more.”

    In an additional move to ensure more robust on-track activity during the Sonsio Grand Prix event, Practice 2 on the IMS road course will be adjusted from a limited green flag guarantee of 45 minutes to 35.

    Following the event on the IMS road course, INDYCAR will review both updated procedures and evaluate its use for future races.

    Coverage of the Sonsio Grand Prix, round five of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship, begins at 4:30 p.m. ET Saturday, May 10 on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network. The first practice of the weekend is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET Friday, May 9 and can be seen on FS2.

    The next NTT INDYCAR SERIES event is the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix powered by AmFirst on Sunday, May 4. Coverage begins at 1:30 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.