In the biggest racing news of the weekend, IMS announced the return of the Weinie 500. The race will be sandwiched between the Carb Day practice for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 and the Pit Stop competition.
The announcement from IMS:
Oscar Mayer Weinie 500 Returns to Miller Lite Carb Day May 22
The meatiest race in motorsports is officially back!
Oscar Mayer announced the second annual Wienie 500 will return to the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Miller Lite Carb Day, Friday, May 22, leading up to the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Sunday, May 24.
The race returns with a sizzling new twist! Following a disappointing performance in last year’s race, the Sonoran Dog is officially relegated due to not cutting the mustard, leaving a spot open for a new regional dog to enter the competition.
Race lovers can visit @Wienermobile on Instagram to cast their vote in the first-ever ‘Pick Your Dog’ Wienie 500 bracket where they can choose from a fresh lineup of seven new regional hot dogs or opt to give Sonoran Dog another shot at qualifying.
Editor’s note: ECR also confirmed that Ed Carpenter will drive a third car in the Indianapolis 500.
From ECR;
Team Development at the Forefront of ECR’s Preparation for Its Fifteenth NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season
(INDIANAPOLIS) January 21, 2026 – ECR announced today a series of organizational improvements and team growth ahead of the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The Indianapolis-based race team heads into Season Fifteen on the heels of its best campaign in several years, highlighted by Christian Rasmussen’s victory at the Milwaukee Mile. ECR will strive for more in 2026 with an expanded leadership team, a more robust engineering department, and an increased emphasis on pit lane performance.
Ted Gelov
Owner and Chairman Ted Gelov joined the team prior to the 2025 season and continues to guide the organization through a rejuvenated era. Co-owner Ed Carpenter also serves as CEO, making him the only individual in the 33-car Indianapolis 500 field who handles both the responsibility of driving the racecar while owning and operating his own team.
Ed Carpenter
Tim Broyles
From ECR’s inception, the team has operated under the direction of Team President Tim Broyles. He became the organization’s first employee in late 2011 and shaped the program into a race-winning operation within its first year. Broyles is one of the most experienced individuals in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES paddock, now in his 38th year of working in professional motorsports.
Derek Davidson
Joining the competition management side of the team is Derek Davidson, who works alongside Broyles as Team Manager. Davidson was an accomplished USAC racer before beginning his INDYCAR career as a fabricator, mechanic and Crew Chief. Over the past 20 years, Davidson worked his way up through the ranks of race team operations. He spent the last decade in team management roles before joining ECR’s leadership.
Matt Barnes
After serving as Race Engineer for one of ECR’s two entries and most recently as Chief Engineer, Matt Barnes will step into the role of Vice President of Competition. Drawing on 23 years of expertise, he now oversees all aspects of the engineering department. Like Broyles, Barnes joined ECR before the team’s first season and is one of the 10 original hires still with the organization.
With Barnes assuming management of the engineering department, Quentin Montigaud has been promoted to Race Engineer of Alexander Rossi’s No. 20 Chevrolet. Montigaud, from France, began his engineering career nine years ago in Formula E. He has spent his entire INDYCAR career with ECR and was most recently Performance Engineer on the No. 20. As Montigaud begins his first season as Race Engineer, he will have the guidance of both Barnes and Pete Craik. Craik will remain Race Engineer of the No. 21, a role he has held since Rasmussen’s first race at ECR. The Australian began his career in Supercars before moving to the United States and has spent 19 years engineering Supercars, INDYCAR, and NASCAR. He has led of one of ECR’s two entries as Race Engineer for the past seven years. ECR’s engineering department gains additional depth with the addition of Robert Gue. A 23-year motorsports engineering veteran, Gue will lead development efforts for the team as Senior Project Engineer. With an increased emphasis on pit lane performance, ECR has added a full-time Strength and Conditioning Coach. Before joining ECR, Chase Campbell worked with collegiate and professional athletes for 10 years. He leads routine workouts for the No. 20 and No. 21 crews, as well as open lift sessions for all team members. Campbell also oversees daily pit stop practice for both crews and serves as the team’s Pit Stop Coach. Additionally, he has taken on the role of Strength and Conditioning Coach for Carpenter, Rasmussen, and Rossi. Rasmussen and Rossi will be on track for the first time this year at Phoenix International Raceway on February 17-18 as part of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Open Test. The 2026 season begins in the Streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sunday, March 1.
About ECRECR (Ed Carpenter Racing) first entered the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2012. The Indianapolis-based race team is led by owners Ted Gelov and Ed Carpenter and has proven its versatility by collecting wins across every type of track the series competes on – street and road courses, short ovals, and speedways. For the 2026 season, Indianapolis 500 champion Alexander Rossi will return as driver of the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet, while new NTT INDYCAR SERIES race winner Christian Rasmussen remains in the No. 21 Splenda Chevrolet. Carpenter, a three-time pole winner of the Indianapolis 500 (2013, 2014, and 2018), will round out ECR’s three-car lineup for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500. More information on ECR can be found at www.ecrindy.com.
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026) – Coca-Cola Consolidated, the nation’s largest Coca-Cola bottler, today announced a multiyear partnership designating Coca-Cola as the official soft beverage and water sponsor of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Through the partnership, Coca-Cola Consolidated will serve as the official partner of the Indy 500 Red Carpet and will participate in multiple community activations, including Indy 500 Porch Parties and Bike to the 500. “Coca-Cola Consolidated has been our neighbor and a part of the community for generations,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Sharing a Coke with fellow race fans will once again be a Race Day tradition.” “As Indianapolis’ local Coca-Cola bottler and the official beverage provider for IMS, we are thrilled to partner as the official soft beverage and water sponsor,” said Heather Hucks, vice president of consumer connections at Coca-Cola Consolidated. “There’s just something special about watching a race with a Coca-Cola in your hand, and we’re excited to be part of creating lasting memories alongside race fans, while taking important steps to positively impact the Indianapolis community.” Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Coca-Cola Consolidated is the largest Coca-Cola bottler in the United States. Coca-Cola Consolidated serves more than 13,700 businesses in Indiana and has more than 1,300 teammates working in nine facilities across the state, helping bring economic opportunity to the local community. For over 124 years, Coca-Cola Consolidated has been deeply committed to the consumers, customers and communities it serves. Tickets for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are on sale at IMS.com.
I trust everyone had a nice holiday last week, and as we look ahead to 2026, I want to say thank you to everyone who visited this site during the year. It was another great year, and next May will mark 10 years of writing this humble column.
What can we look forward to in 2026? First, I don’t see Alex Palou dominating again as he did this past season. He is still the favorite for the title, but winning eight races in 2026? Probably not.
The new officiating board has more distance from Penske Entertainment, but the series ownership is still paying for it. We should know the officiating staff early next month. Will there much change in the philosophy of running the races? I doubt that we will notice any difference. One change I want to see is when a yellow is warranted, throw it without regard to pit cycles or whatever. If it ruins someone’s race, that’s the breaks.
I’m sad to see that Conor Daly won’t have a full-time ride in 2026. Daly always seems to help a team improve, and I’m not going to be happy with whomever gets the Dale Coyne seat.
For me, the most exciting possibility is the chance of Katherine Legge returning to the Indianapolis 500. Legge may have an opportunity to secure a ride, and she says she would like to do the IndyCar race at Phoenix along with driving in a NASCAR race that same weekend.
I have always considered Legge the best of the female drivers, and I hope she gets another shot at Indy. Legge has never had the best equipment at the 500, and I hope 2026 marks a change in her 500 career.
Old Indianapolis 500 pace cars are fun to see. Most vintage car shows will have a replica of at least one from a random year. The IMS Museum currently has eight pace cars on display in an exhibit called Setting the Pace.
It is not a profound exhibit, nor does it break new ground. It was fun to recall the races the cars on the floor led to the green flag. At the same time, the memories were bittersweet when I thought of how all three major car companies i9n the United States would rotate each year to provide the official pace car.
I don’t see a return to that practice anytime soon, given Chevrolet’ ties to Roger Penske and the company’s involvement in the IndyCar series.
The cars in the display:
2025 Corvette
1996 Dodge Viper
1977 Oldsmobile
1967 Mercury
The 1977 Olds is behind the Mercury
1991 Dodge Viper
1915 Packard (cover photo)
1971 Dodge Charger
1997 Monte Carlo (Brickyard 400)
The 1967 pace car was driven by 1957 winner Sam Hanks. Carl Fisher drover the Packard.
The 1996 Dodge Viper is my favorite of this group. My favorite pace car of all time is the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro, followed closely by the 1961 gold Ford Thunderbird.
The Museum at Eight Months
Monday was my first visit to the museum since May, and there were some minor changes. The Starting Line Experience is the same, and still a thrilling thing to witness.
The cars in the Winners’ Gallery have been rearranged, and I think some cars moved downstairs and others up to the main floor. As I said after my initial visit, it is a minor quibble as to which car belongs where in which gallery. There are only three sacred cars which must stay in the main section at all times- the Boyle Maserati, the Fuel Injection special, and the Rislone Special.
The Maserati has assumed a rightful spot alone at the entry to the main gallery. This is the greatest car in Indianapolis 500 history, with top five performances, including two victories, from 1939 through the end of the 1940s.
While I never saw the Fuel Injection Special race, the car driven by Bill Vukovich won the first race I listened to on the radio in 1953, and won again the following year.
It is a shame that this car cannot take a lap on race morning.
One other car of note is the Miller Special of 1928. The Miller cars of the lat 1920s and early 1930s were some of the most beautiful cars ever to run at 16th and Georgetown. Louis Meyer drove this gorgeous machine to victory for his first of three 500 wins.
Thanks for following along on my two part museum excursion. There is some IndyCar news to talk about, which I will get to in a day or two,
As a kid growing up in Indiana, May 30 meant turning on the radio and listening to the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. I was unaware at the time that the 1953 race, the first one that I listened to, was the first flag to flag coverage from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway network.
“Now Stay Tuned” presents the story of broadcasting the race is on display in the exhibit gallery at the IMS Museum. I found the display fascinating. I learned much about the pre-IMS network days, which date back to 1922, the first year that there was radio coverage of the event. Local station WOH carried the race, and in 1923, station WLK added coverage.
In 1929 WFBM radio in Indianapolis covered the entire race. the entire race. Sportscaster Graham McNamee was the lead announcer from 1928-1931.
Oddly there was no radio coverage in 1932, as the speedway felt the radio station weren’t contributing their fair share of compensation. There was a national conflict between radio stations and newspapers at the time, and the newspapers who covered the race probably complained as well.
From 1934 to 1950 the mutual Broadcasting network went live for the start of the race, then throughout the afternoon had periodic updates before returning to cover the finish. A track reporter was stationed in turns 1 and 2, and another reported was in turns 3 and 4. Bill Slater anchored the broadcasts. In 1951 Mutual dropped out when their sponsor decided to spend their dollars elsewhere.
Local station WIBC took over the broadcasts. Sid Collins, who had been a turn reporter for Mutual in 1948 and co-anchored the race in 1950, became the lead announcer. The format for1951 and 1952 was the same as the mutual program, but in 1953 the full race coverage that we know today began.
Sid Collins deserves a permanent spot in the museum.
Collins was the lead announcer through the 1976 race. He died in early May of 1977. Paul Page assumed the anchor role.
Radio board used in the early days of IMS Radio Network
One of my favorite parts of the exhibit was the old-fashioned radio, similar to the one on which I heard that first broadcast. It is one of two interactive components in the display.
The set has three buttons. The first button plays “The 500 Song.”
Button number two presents Sid Collins’ sign off of the 1976 race, his final one. As he closed the broadcast of each 500, Collins had an inspirational quote, which he applied to the race winner, then he bade his audience farewell with the promise to meet again the following May. This recording gave me goosebumps.
The third button takes the listener to the next May where turn 3 reporter Jim Shelton gives a touching tribute to Collins, asking for a moment of silence. More goosebumps were detected.
The other interactive section is a broadcast booth where visitors can call a segment of one of four races of their choosing. The call is recorded and can be played back. I chose the finish to the 2011 race. Don’t look for it on Sports Center.
While radio makes up the bulk of the exhibit, television also has a decent share of the area. The first broadcast was in 1949 as WFBM (now WRTV channel 6) launched the first television station in Indianapolis. The 500 was their first program. Coverage had three cameras on the front stretch.
I have heard stories about track president Wilbur Shaw not wanting television at all, and that he had cameras moved from other areas. After the television coverage of the rain shortened 1950 race, Tony Hulman decided no more TV, The ban lasted 20 years until ABC began showing a two hour tape delayed showing in prime time in 1971.
From 1964-1970, the race was shown on closed circuit television in theaters around the country. Charlie Brockman anchored the closed circuit telecasts.
ABC began its live broadcasts in 1986, but they had to wait a week to present the twice rained out event.
The exhibit is a great trip down memory Lane for anyone who began following the race in the 50s, and it is very educational for younger fans. I will have more photos from the exhibit on The Pit Window Facebook page in a day or two.
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025) – Indianapolis Motor Speedway captivated the racing world on social media Sept. 23 with a series of viral posts highlighting a historic repave project that uncovered the Speedway’s iconic brick racing surface and the original crushed stone-and-tar track surface. Now, IMS is releasing a four-part miniseries documenting the project as part of its flagship “Behind the Bricks” program beginning Monday, Dec. 8. A new episode will be released daily through Thursday, Dec. 11. A full-length documentary with additional interviews and footage will be released Friday, Dec. 12. Each episode can be seen on IMS social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube. Fittingly, the release coincides with the time when the original brick paving project was completed in 1909. A trailer teasing the upcoming series was released today on IMS social media channels. The series features stunning footage not just of the repave project but the uncovering of the brick racing surface and the jaw-dropping discovery of the crushed stone-and-tar surface that takes fans back to the beginning of the Racing Capital of the World in 1909. It includes interviews with project experts and former IMS Historian Donald Davidson. “It’s not often that we get to really see the full history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in front of our eyes,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway and INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “What started as a project to fix a bump in Turn 2 turned into a historic, and at times, overwhelming exploration that uncovered aspects of his racetrack that have not seen the light of day, literally, in over 116 years. I can’t wait for our fans to see it all unfold on ‘Behind the Bricks.’” IMS was originally paved in spring 1909 with a surface consisting of crushed stone and tar. Track conditions proved to be treacherous that summer, and in fall 1909 the surface was paved with 3.2 million bricks, giving it the nickname “The Brickyard.” The paving project was completed in early December, and the track surface was dedicated by future United States Vice President, then-Indiana Gov. Thomas Marshall on Dec. 17. One of the endearing traits of IMS has been the brick surface tucked underneath the modern-day asphalt racing surface. In 1937, all four turns of the 2.5-mile oval were paved before that year’s Indianapolis 500, officially covering the bricks that were uncovered in 2025. Additional track paving projects took place in 1938, 1939, 1961, 1976, 1988, 1995 and 2004, placing the brick surface approximately 7 inches below the current racing surface. However, the freeze and thaw of Indiana winters allowed the bricks below the surface to move and expand, presenting as bumps in the current racing surface at the exit of Turn 2. IMS grinded the bumps to keep the track surface smooth for years, but a lasting solution was needed. So, in September, IMS milled the racing surface and removed bricks in the areas that were creating the problem. IMS will keep the excavated bricks for preservation. A block of crushed stone and tar removed during the process is on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. As “Behind the Bricks” documents, a new layer of asphalt was placed in the 100-foot section of racing surface that spans the width of the track and was diamond-grinded to match the existing track surface texture. Defending Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou and two-time race winner Takuma Sato tested the repaved surface Oct. 21. Both drivers gave the new surface positive reviews. “It’s a little bit smoother, which I think is going to be a huge gain for the race, especially when we’re following cars,” said Palou, the four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion. “It’s great. I cannot wait to go racing.” Tickets for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are on sale now at IMS.com.
Editor’s Note: I apologize for being mostly absent the past two months. I had a brief hospital stay and I have made two trips to Florida to get winter headquarters ready to go on the market. I am currently in Florida, and will head home Saturday, hopefully for a longer stay.
From IMS:
INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025) – 2025 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge winner Alex Palou unveiled his likeness on the Borg-Warner Trophy on Nov. 19 in Indianapolis, one of the most significant honors since he earned his first Indy 500 victory May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Palou, driving the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, earned the first oval victory of his career and became the first Spaniard to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He passed Marcus Ericsson on Lap 187 and never trailed thereafter, earning Chip Ganassi Racing’s sixth Indy 500 victory. The unveiling took place at The Above Event Center at Commission Row. Located in downtown Indianapolis, it is part of the Pacers Sports & Entertainment Complex known as Bicentennial Unity Plaza. Following the unveil, Palou attended the Indiana Pacers’ game with the Borg-Warner Trophy. It was a full-circle moment as he also attended an Indiana Pacers’ playoff game following his Indy 500 win. The bas-relief, sterling silver image of Palou is the 112th face to be affixed to the iconic trophy, awarded annually to the winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1936. “This is one of those days that I knew I wanted to be part of at some point in my career,” Palou said. “I knew it was going take a lot of work, and finally to be here and to get to see the trophy for the first time, it’s amazing. “I know that it’s always going to be there forever, if I race one more year or if I race 50 more years. And whatever the history of INDYCAR is going to be, it’s always going to be there. So, it’s great to be part of all those amazing drivers. And, yeah, I feel that now. I want to get that face again on that trophy. Try and be part again of the history of our sport.” Renowned sculptor Will Behrends created Palou’s image, as he has for every winner since 1990.Behrends begins his creative process by studying a series of 360-degree photos of the winner to get a baseline for sculpting. Palou then visited Behrends’ studio in Tryon, North Carolina, for an in-person session where Behrends constructed a full-scale clay model of the driver’s face.This life-size clay version is used as reference for Behrends to construct the smaller model, a piece created out of a mixture of oil-based clay. The smaller clay model is turned into a mold and cast in wax before being sent to a jeweler to be transformed into sterling silver. Behrends completes his process by polishing and buffing the sculpture before adhering it to the trophy. “I’m honored to continue one of the greatest traditions in all of sports and unveil the latest addition to the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy at this beautiful venue,” said Michelle Collins, global director, Marketing and Public Relations, BorgWarner. “Alex’s victory exemplifies that tenacity and constant commitment to excellence will result in success, on and off the track. On behalf of everyone at BorgWarner, congratulations to Alex and the team at Chip Ganassi Racing.” Originally designed in 1935, the sterling silver trophy measures over 5 feet, 4-3/4 inches tall and weighs more than 110 pounds as it carries the sculpted face of every victor since 1911 and of former IMS owner Tony Hulman. Early next year, Palou will receive his BorgWarner Championships Driver’s Trophy, also known as a “Baby Borg,” a miniature replica of the large-scale Borg-Warner Trophy. Tickets for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and all Month of May events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway are on sale at IMS.com.
2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay will join Arrow McLaren Racing the 110th running of the 500. Hunter-Reay will drive car number 31.
The signing is a great one for the team, adding experience and expertise to a group just on the verge of Indy success that just a little extra boost.
The news release frorm Arrow McLaren:
“I am beyond primed and ready to make the absolute most of this partnership”- Ryan Hunter-Reay
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2012 INDYCAR SERIES Champion, will join the Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500, completing the team’s four-car lineup for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Ryan joins the team with a wealth of experience and a proven championship pedigree, having made 395 INDYCAR SERIES starts over 21 seasons, earning 18 victories and 47 podium finishes. His storied open-wheel career is highlighted by success at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway where he will attempt to qualify for his 18th Indy 500 in May. The veteran will be one of five active drivers competing who boast an INDYCAR SERIES Championship and an Indy 500 victory alongside Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou and Will Power.
Arrow McLaren continues its tradition of running an additional distinguished driver in the iconic 500-mile race. In past years, two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso (2017, 2020), two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya (2021, 2022), 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan (2023) and two-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kyle Larson (2024, 2025) have all raced in papaya in the Indy 500 as one-off entries for the team. Ryan will join Arrow McLaren’s full-time lineup of Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard at the IMS during the Month of May in 2026.
Ted Gelov
Ed Carpenter
Tim Broyles
Derek Davidson
Matt Barnes
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 