More on Bobby Allison from IMS

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This story is from IMS. My story from earlier today-

Bobby Allison, 1937-2024

Stock Car Legend, Indy 500 Veteran
Bobby Allison Dies at 86 
 INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024) – Stock car racing legend Bobby Allison, who also made two Indianapolis 500 starts in the 1970s with Team Penske, died Saturday, Nov. 9 in Mooresville, North Carolina. He was 86.
Allison was one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history, with his 85 victories fourth on the all-time win list at stock car racing’s highest level. His 336 top-five finishes are second only to Richard Petty.
Allison also won the 1983 championship and finished runner-up five times during a Cup Series career that lasted from 1961 through 1988.He delivered on NASCAR’s biggest stages, winning the Daytona 500 in 1972, 1982 and 1988, and was triumphant in the Southern 500 four times and the World 600 three times.
During the early 1970s, less-restrictive team contracts and sponsor commitments allowed drivers to cross over to other series, and Allison was drawn to the Indianapolis 500 after team owner Roger Penske noticed his speed in a Can-Am car during a test in late 1972 on the road course at Riverside, California.
Penske suggested that Allison test an INDYCAR SERIES car, and he was impressively quick during a trial run at Ontario (California) Motor Speedway, which had identical dimensions to Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
That opened Allison’s eyes to the possibility of attempting to compete at Indy, and the family genes of speed already were confirmed in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1970 when brother Donnie finished fourth and was named Rookie of the Year.
Penske named Bobby Allison to his Indy 500 team in 1973 as teammates with defending winner Mark Donohue and oval specialist Gary Bettenhausen.
Allison qualified 12th with a four-lap average speed of 192.308 mph, then the fastest speed ever by a rookie, aided by this being the second year the cars featured huge, bolt-on rear wings to substantially increase downforce.That promising qualifying run went up in smoke – literally – on the ill-fated Race Day in 1973 when a connecting rod broke on his Team Penske McLaren/Offenhauser on the first lap, relegating him to 32nd place.
Allison did not return to Indy in 1974, shaken by the death of friend Swede Savage in July 1973 from injuries suffered in a crash in the 1973 Indianapolis 500. But Allison was back in Team Penske’s lineup in 1975, as teammate to Tom Sneva.
Allison qualified 13th and spent nearly the entire first half of the race running in the top 10, including leading Lap 24 during pit stop cycles. He was running eighth when a gearbox failure ended his race after completing 112 laps. He was credited with a deceptive 25th-place finish in his second and final Indianapolis 500 start.
He also made four other USAC Championship Trail starts in 1975 for Team Penske, with a best finish of sixth at Ontario.
Florida native Allison then focused on NASCAR as the leader of a group of drivers who moved to Hueytown, Alabama, in the late 1950s to compete for higher purses on short tracks in that state, earning the moniker “The Alabama Gang.” Other early drivers in that “gang” included his brother Donnie and Red Farmer, with Jimmy Means, Neil Bonnett, Bobby Allison’s son Davey Allison and Hut Stricklin later affiliated with that group.
Bobby Allison, then age 50, memorably held off his son Davey for victory in the 1988 Daytona 500. He also earned national attention nine years earlier when he jumped into a fight in the infield between his brother Donnie and Cale Yarborough on the last lap of the 1979 Daytona 500.
Bobby Allison’s driving career ended in 1988 after he suffered serious injuries in a crash at Pocono Raceway. He then fielded a Cup Series team from 1990-96, with marginal success.
Allison’s accomplishments earned him induction into many racing Halls of Fame, including the second class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2011, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1992 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1993.
He was named as one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers during the organization’s 50th anniversary in 1998 and again was acclaimed as one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers during the 75th anniversary celebration in 2023. Allison also was named NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver six times. 

Bobby Allison, 1937-2024

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Bobby Allison, a two time starter in the Indianapolis 500- and three-time Daytona 500 winner, died yesterday. Allison started the 500 in 1973 and 1975, driving for Roger Penske. He qualified well, 12thn in 1973 and 13th in 1975, but mechanical issues relegated him to finishes of 32d and 25th.

Bobby and his older brother Donnie were stars in the second decade of NASCAR, and Bobby’s son Davey was a rising star who died in a helicopter crash in 1993, just 11 months after Bobby’s other son, Clifford, died in a practice crash at Michigan International Speedway.

Donnie and Bobby helped put NASCAR on the map in 1979 when hey were involved in the fight with Cale Yarborough in the Daytona 500. Yarborough and Donnie collided, and Bobby pulled over to see if everyone was okay. The ensuing scuffle made national headlines and contributed to NASCAR’s growth in popularity.

Bobby also drove in four other IndyCar races in 1975, with a best finish of sixth in the first of two races at Ontario Motor Speedway. He also drove at Pocono and Michigan.

Bobby held off his son Davey for his last win in the 1988 Daytona 500, when he was 50 years old.

In my younger days when I followed all sorts of racing it was hard not to root for bobby Allison. He was true racer. If drivers like him were still in NASCAR, I might still be following it. I don’t think I can name five of their drivers today. Rest in Peace, Racer. Thanks for the great memories.

Big Machine Extends Partnership with IMS

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  INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024) – Big Machine Distillery – home of Big Machine Vodka Spiked Coolers and Ascot Award-Winning Borchetta Bourbon – has extended its multiyear partnership with Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As an official partner of IMS, Big Machine, a valued IMS partner for more than a decade with its music & entertainment and spirits brands, continues its dedication and passion for motorsports.
“Big Machine’s continued enthusiasm for IMS and motorsports is incredible,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Scott Borchetta and his team have been engaged and dynamic partners in a variety of ways for more than 10 years. Their continued commitment to the Speedway helps provide our fans with the best experience possible.”
Music mogul Scott Borchetta acquired and created Big Machine Distillery in 2015 with the desire to venture into the business of producing and marketing high-quality craft spirits. With his brother Mark Borchetta, they have disrupted the spirits industry with the development of a proprietary Platinum Filtration system for the Double Gold Award-winning Big Machine Platinum Filtered vodka brand, the only system of its kind in the world.
Big Machine has produced many multi-award-winning products, including their popular Spiked Coolers and their highly acclaimed Borchetta Bourbon, which is beautifully packaged and honors a different legendary INDYCAR race car each year. The Distillery’s family of spirits also consists of a true craft Tennessee Whiskey – Clayton James, New American style gins, moonshines and single batch rums.
“We are so proud to continue our relationship with Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Big Machine Founder and Chairman Scott Borchetta said. “IMS is unlike any other sporting venue in the world, and the Indy 500 is always a memory-maker, which aligns with all Big Machine brands: making memories.”
Tickets for marquee events in 2025 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – including the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG and the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks – are on sale online at IMS.com and at the IMS Ticket Office. 
 

Shwartzman Returns to PREMA for IndyCar Debut

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From PREMA:

PREMA Racing is thrilled to announce that Robert Shwartzman will be joining the team for the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Reuniting with the PREMA family after a successful stint in Endurance racing, the 25-year-old Israeli will return to single-seaters, completing the team’s Chevrolet-powered effort for the upcoming season.
 
Shwartzman joined PREMA for the first time in 2018, claiming third place in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and ending up as the top rookie of that year, to which he added the Toyota Racing Series title. In 2019, he cruised to the inaugural FIA Formula 3 Championship title of the new era, kicking off PREMA’s dominant form in the series.
 
He stayed with the team for his jump to the FIA Formula 2 Championship, where he achieved six wins and 14 podium finishes in two seasons, becoming vice-champion in 2021. He made his Formula 1 testing debut in 2020 with Scuderia Ferrari, continuing to test with the Italian squad and Haas F1 Team the following year.
 
In 2022, he was appointed as a test driver by Scuderia Ferrari and made several Formula 1 testing and free practice appearances, while also performing simulator duties. In 2023, after joining the Italian manufacturer’s F1 reserve driver pool, he entered the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, securing one win. For 2024, he was confirmed as a reserve driver in Formula 1, and made his prototype racing debut, driving a Ferrari 499P in the FIA World Endurance Championship. After taking part in his maiden Le Mans 24 Hours, he delivered a memorable win at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin.
 
Coming back to PREMA Racing, he will be joining forces with fellow alumni Callum Ilott for the team’s ground-breaking INDYCAR debut. While facing new challenges, including racing on ovals, his raw speed, experience, and insight into the team’s work ethic and method will make him a brilliant asset for the coming season and beyond.

Rene Rosin – Team Owner, PREMA Racing
“We are extremely delighted to welcome Robert back to the PREMA family. We have had some exceptional seasons together, winning a lot of races and the 2019 FIA F3 title, and we also thoroughly enjoyed working with him. He is an extremely talented driver and I think that, by working together, we will be able to overcome the steep learning curve that lies ahead of us. I cannot wait to see him and Callum compete under the PREMA banner again.”

Piers Phillips – CEO, PREMA Racing INDYCAR
“Having completed our line-up is a major step forward as our operation continues to prepare for its first INDYCAR season. Robert has a very impressive resume and has been competitive everywhere he went, from single-seaters to GT and prototypes. We think his skills and versatility will help him considerably, and will also help our team to learn faster and be more efficient. We look forward to getting the work started with Robert, Callum and Chevrolet as soon as possible.”

Robert Shwartzman
“I’m definitely very very excited to be back at PREMA to start a new adventure in INDYCAR. Everything will be new to us and there will be many challenges, but it will also be a lot of fun and a lot of work at the same time. I think a very successful future lies ahead for us. INDYCAR is a very competitive series, with so many strong drivers, and I’m looking forward to the racing, as it looks really cool. I have never driven on ovals and to master them, it will be a completely new challenge. However, with PREMA we achieved a lot in the past, and I think that my F1 and Endurance experience will be helpful to make us evolve fast and get up to speed quickly.”

Five Years Ago

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November 4, 2019- I had just left the coffeehouse after breakfast with a group of my friends. My plan was to go to the gym, then run some errands. A text as I got to my car changed my schedule, and it changed much more.

“What do you think of Penske buying the Speedway?” my friend asked.

I had no idea what she was talking about. I read the article attached to the text.

I drove home, checked my email, and saw that a press conference was set at IMS for 10 am. I changed clothes- after all, you want to look nice for an ownership change like this- and drove to the track.

After five years of Penske ownership of IMS and the IndyCar series, what has improved? What still needs to change? I have a few thoughts.

IMS

The improvements Penske has made to Indianapolis Motor Speedway are sweeping and were sorely needed. The track and facilities have never looked better in my lifetime. Everyting is pristine, and the added touches such as the tables outside the main grandstands and the new grab n go market in the plaza have brought the track into the 21st century.

I love the additional high quality video boards and the new PA system.

Bringing an IMSA event to IMS is a high quality enhancement to the racing programs at IMS.

I am still not completely sold on the qualifying format for the Indianapolis 500, although I have warmed up to it a bit. I still think the pole should be decided on Saturday so that the winner can use Sunday for publicity while the rest of field is set. If there has to be a shootout, go back to nine cars. Twelve is overkill and cheapens that segment of qualifying.

The IndyCar Series

If it were not for Roger Penske, there might not be a series today. He purchased it at the right time, and he kept it going through COVID. I am not sure if COVID caused some of the delays in the hybrid debut, but it did not help the situation.

The competition has been at a high level, although I felt it dropped of a bit this past season.

The series itself seems to be mired in a time warp. A new chassis is badly needed. The hybrid boost needs to be turned up. The schedule has also gone stale, although the addition of Milwaukee and Nashville mad for a great ending to the year.

I do have hope for the future, however. The 2026 schedule looks like it may be a radical departure from what we have seen with the addition of a proposed race in Mexico and possibly Brazil. My only hope is that the schedule expands to 18 races and that no oval race is sacrificed.

IMS and the 500 are in good shape. The series has an opportunity in the next couple of years to get stronger, but there cannot be huge delays as there with the hybrid. A new car no later than 2027 would be helpful, but 2026 would probably be ideal for the new machine.

Simpson Confirmed at Ganassi; Browne, Koolen Fill CGR Indy NXT Seats

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Chip Ganassi Racing today confirmed Kyffin Simpson as driver of the number 8 car for the 2025 IndyCar season. The move was long anticipated. Simpson, 19, from the Caymen Islands, drove car 4 for Ganassi in 2024, finishing 21st in the standings. Simpson finished 21st on the lead lap in the Indianapolis 500, leading three laps.

Ganassi Indy NXT

Neils Koolen and Jonathan Browne will drive for Ganassi’s new Indy NXT team. Both drivers have some Indy NXT experience, driving for HMD in 2024.

Koolen (l), Browne (r)

Koolen, 23 years old from the Netherlands,, finished 10th in the Indy NXT race at IMS last May. He also spent time in the European le Mans Series in 2024.

Browne, 24, ran the entire season for HMD, finishing 13th in the standings. The Irish driver earned eight Top 10 finishes.

Floersch Tests IndyNXT; IndyCar Grid Still in Limbo

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HMD Motorsports announced last week that Formula 3 driver Sophia Floersch will drive in today’s Indy NXT test at Barber Motorsports Park.

Floersch, 23, has driven in Formula 3 and has also driven in the European Le Mans Series. In 2018 Floersch suffered a spine fracture in a horrific accident in Macau when her got airborne and landed outside the track after tearing through the catch fence. She underwent a 10 hour surgery and made a full recovery.

Floersch is exploring her options for 2025and has not signed with any series.

IndyCar Grid- Still 5 Seats Open

Filling the IndyCar grid for 2025 will come down to who has the cash. There are two open seats at Dale Coyne Racing, two at Juncos Hollinger Racing, and one opening at Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

While no drivers have been formally announced for the second car at Meyer Shank Racing, the third Chip Ganassi Racing seat, or the second car at PREMA, it is presumed that they are all spoken for.

Available drivers include Rinus VeeKay, Linus Lindqvist, Conor Daly, Jack Harvey, Sting Ray Robb, Devlin DeFrancesco, Jamie Chadwick, and Katherine Legge.

Robb and de Francesco have money, and they could possibly help find a teammate.

Coyne might try to cobble together a rotating lineup as he did last season, but the charter rules limit each entry to three drivers a season.

I think VeeKay, Robb, and Lundqvist have the best chance at landing full time rides, while the others we may see in part time roles. It would be a shame not to see Jamie Chadwick make her IndyCar debut this season.

Pato on a Roll

The Pato O’Ward frenzy at the Grand Prix of Mexico this past weekend was quite a sight to behold, and it made the absence of an IndyCar race in Mexico even more of a glaring schedule omission. I am hopeful the race will happen in 2026, and there is now more room for optimism.

Several credible sources are reporting that O’Ward will run some demo laps in an IndyCar during the Formula E weekend at the circuit in January.

2025 IMS Event Tickets On Sale Now at IMS.com, Ticket Office 

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From IMS:

 INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024) – Tickets for marquee events in 2025 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway – including the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the Brickyard 400 presented by PPG and the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks – are on sale online at IMS.com and at the IMS Ticket Office.
The IMS Ticket Office is located on the first floor of the IMS Administration Building at 4790 W. 16th St. in Indianapolis. Hours of operation are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday. Tickets also can be purchased by calling 317-492-6700.
“After an unforgettable 2024, it’s now time to start looking forward to the 2025 schedule at IMS and welcoming fans back to the Racing Capital of the World for another racing season,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said.
“Other than renewal, buying now provides the best available seats at the lowest prices we offer and is a perfect time for our fans to make plans to be part of the many great racing events at IMS in 2025.”
Tickets for the following 2025 events are on sale at IMS.com/tickets and the Ticket Office:
Sonsio Grand Prix: Saturday, May 10
Miller Lite Carb Day: Friday, May 23
Legends Day presented by Firestone: Saturday, May 24
109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge: Sunday, May 25
Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit: Sunday, May 25
Brickyard Vintage Racing Invitational: Saturday, June 14-Sunday, June 15
NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 250: Saturday, July 26
NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 presented by PPG: Sunday, July 27
IMSA TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks: Friday, Sept. 19-Sunday, Sept. 21
Intercontinental GT Indianapolis 8 Hour: Friday, Oct. 17-Sunday, Oct. 19
Customers also can purchase admission to practice, qualifications and the Indianapolis 500 public drivers’ meeting, as well as parking, camping, hospitality and public credentials (Bronze Badge, Silver Badge, garage passes, pit passes) for these events at IMS.com.
Fans also can purchase infield camping for the Sonsio Grand Prix, Brickyard Weekend and the IMSA TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks.
All products are on sale at their lowest remaining prices, with increases coming in 2025. The $4 per-ticket service fee will be waived on items purchased before Jan. 6.
Kids 15 and under will continue to be admitted free in general admission locations to all 2025 racing events at IMS when accompanied by an adult general admission ticketholder.
Miller Lite Carb Day and Coors Light Snake Pit concert lineups will be announced soon.
The Firestone Legends Day concert once again will be held at the Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park.
Performers and ticket sale information will be announced later
.Fans can apply to receive tickets for the 2025 Driven2SaveLives BC39. Dates for this event will be announced later. 

My IndyCar Rules Change Wish List

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

There seems to be a bit of a break in the IndyCar news cycle. The boff time was nice, and I spent the last 11 days living in movie theaters enjoying the Heartland Film Festival. Now, back to work.

This is my annual plea for the series to amend some rules. some of these changes i have advocated before, and a couple are based on things that happened in 2024.

Keep the pits open during a yellow. Gathering up the field causes more yellow laps, and it has caused some running order confusion leading to even more yellow laps. Not closing the pits avoids penalties, and cars that absolutely need a splash of fuel can keep their track position. This procedure will also add some randomness back to the sport. The series is overmanaging the races (See last 10 laps of 2023 Indianapolis 500).

Throw the yellow when it needs to be thrown. If the pits are kept open, there is no need to delay a yellow, or allow a yellow to give an advantage to car that spun. Immediate yellows will avoid dangerous situations like we had in Toronto, where Pato O’Ward was a sitting duck. O’Ward got hit by three cars, and Santino Ferrucci got airborne.

Set oval qualifying order by practice speeds. The current practice is for cars to qualifying in inverse order of entrant points. This gives the series virtually the same qualifying order every oval race. By using inverse order of practice speeds, we will see a new order each race, and the fastest car will still be up front. Occasionally a leader will have a bad practice, and go early, but again, more randomness.

The Indianapolis 500 sets qualifying order by random draw; why can’t there be randomness at the other ovals as well? It is one step IndyCar could do to make oval qualifying a bit more interesting.

Stiffer penalties for restart violators. Leaders who do not follow the correct restart procedures should have some sort of penalty. Going to the rea or a drive through is too severe. Perhaps they should give up two spots. if they’re fast enough to lead, they should be able to get back out front. Also, race control needs to wave off restarts if the field is not set properly.

Vary the length of the two races at doubleheaders. The doubleheader may be heading toward extinction, but as long as they are on the schedule, I think the first race should be longer than the second. If one tenth of the distance is added to Race 1 and subtracted from race 2, the mileage would be the same. A longer first race and a shorter second race would also let the fans head home earlier on Sunday. Sometimes Sunday’s race seems exactly the same as Saturday’s- the same pit windows, same fuel saving strategy- which longer and shorter races could avoid.

Keep exploring the use of alternate tires on ovals. The alternate tires on ovals is intriguing. It seemed to work well at Nashville, and I think Firestone can continue to refine the differences between the two compounds. Anything that will spice up the ovals. I’m in favor of.

I’m sure the series officials will read this and take these ideas to heart as they always do. Anyway, it’s great to be back. There is some news to catch up on, and I will share that in the next day or so.