Tag: Indianapolis 500

Practice and Qualifying Schedule and Channels

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This might be a good week to sign up for Peacock if you haven’t done so yet. All times Eastern

Tuesday Streaming on Peacock, 10-2, 3-6

Gates Open 9:00am 6:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Oval Veterans Practice 10:00am 12:00pm

Indianapolis 500 ROP & Refreshers 12:00pm 2:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Practice 3:00pm 6:00pm

Wednesday Streaming on Peacock 12-6

Gates Open 10:00am 6:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Practice 12:00pm 6:00pm

Thursday Streaming on Peacock 12-6

Gates Open 10:00am 6:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Practice 12:00pm 6:00pm

Fast Friday Streaming on Peacock 12-6

Gates Open 10:00am 6:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Practice 12:00pm 6:00pm

Qualifying

Saturday

Gates Open 8:00am 6:00pm

Indianapolis 500 Practice 9:30am 10:30am Streaming on Peacock 9:30-10:30

Indianapolis 500 Qualifying 12:00pm 5:50pm Streaming on Peacock 12-6

NBC will have a one hour live broadcast from 2-3pm

Sunday

Gates Open 9:00am 7:00pm

Last Chance Practice 11:00am 11:30am Streaming on Peacock*

Fast Nine Practice 11:30am 12:00pm Streaming on Peacock*

Last Chance Qualifying 1:15pm 2:30pm Streaming on Peacock 12-6

Fast Nine Qualifying 3:00pm 3:45pm

NTT IndyCar Series Practice 5:00pm 7:00pm

NBC will broadcast live from 2:30-4:30 pm

* Peacocok lists a one hour slot from 10-11, but the program description says you can watch both practice sessions. 10-11won’t do it for the practices. Only three hours of live television. Sad.


Entry List for 500 Shows 35 Cars

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Just released from Indycar:

Nine Winners among Deep Field for 105th Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge
35 Cars Entered To Compete in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ May 30
Entry List link:
http://www.imscdn.com/indycar_media/documents/2021-05-12/indycar-entrylist-indianapolis%20500.pdf

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 12, 2021) – Nine winners – just one shy of the event record – are among the field of drivers assigned to 35 cars entered for the 105th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 30 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Three-time winner Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009), two-time winners Juan Pablo Montoya (2000, 2015) and Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), plus single winners Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019) are the past winners aiming for another victory this year in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” The record for winners in one field is 10, set in 1992. Castroneves will bid to become the fourth member of the elite four-time winner’s club featuring A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. Sato, 44, will try to become the first repeat winner since Castroneves in 2001-02 and the first driver ever to win the world’s most prestigious auto race three times after age 40. The field includes eight past INDYCAR SERIES champions: Sebastien Bourdais, Dixon, Hunter-Reay, Kanaan, Montoya, Josef Newgarden, Pagenaud and Power. Dixon is the reigning and six-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion. A talented trio will compete for Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Rookie of the Year honors: RC Enerson, Pietro Fittipaldi and Scott McLaughlin. Fittipaldi is the grandson of two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Emerson Fittipaldi. 2010 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Simona De Silvestro returns to the race for the first time since 2015, attempting to make her sixth start in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Andretti Autosport has entered six cars, the most of any team. Practice opens Tuesday, May 18 and runs through Friday, May 21. Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, May 22 and Sunday, May 23. The traditional final practice, two hours again this year on Miller Lite Carb Day, will be held Friday, May 28. Live Race Day coverage begins on NBC and the INDYCAR Radio Network at 11 a.m. (ET), with the green flag set for 12:30 p.m. 2021 ENTRY BREAKDOWN: Winners (9): Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato
Rookies (3): RC Enerson, Pietro Fittipaldi, Scott McLaughlin
U.S. drivers (13): Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Conor Daly, RC Enerson, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Sage Karam, Charlie Kimball, JR Hildebrand, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Alexander Rossi
International drivers (22): Sebastien Bourdais, Helio Castroneves, Max Chilton, Simona De Silvestro, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Pietro Fittipaldi, Jack Harvey, James Hinchcliffe, Ed Jones, Tony Kanaan, Dalton Kellett, Scott McLaughlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Pato O’Ward, Simon Pagenaud, Alex Palou, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, Rinus VeeKay, Stefan Wilson
Engines (35): Chevrolet 18, Honda 17 (all cars use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires)

Corvette Will Lead Field to Green

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News from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

2021 Mid-Engine Corvette Stingray Convertible To Lead Field to Green Flag of 105thIndianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge

This is the 18th time a Chevrolet Corvette has paced ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, May 11, 2021) – The 2021 mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible will lead the 33-car field to the green flag for the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 30, 2021. The Arctic White Stingray will be the first convertible since 2008 to pace the iconic race.

Chevrolet and Corvette have led the starting field more than any other manufacturer and nameplate, respectively. The 2021 race marks the 32nd time for Chevrolet to pace dating back to 1948, and the 18th time since 1978 for America’s favorite sports car.

“The Chevrolet team is privileged every time we’re invited to pace the Indianapolis 500,” said Steve Majoros, vice president of Chevrolet Marketing. “We are confident the track-capable Corvette Stingray Convertible will catch every race fan’s eye as it leads the pack toward the Yard of Bricks. From the color scheme, to the special race weekend decals and how the safety lighting is skillfully integrated into the nacelles of the hard-top convertible Corvette’s revolutionary appearance, we’re putting Chevrolet’s best on display for the fans.”

The exterior and interior of the Corvette Convertible will be on full display as the car fulfills responsibilities on and off track. Sky Cool Gray and Strike Yellow upholstery selected for the cabin influenced the racy exterior appearance of the pace car. A close look at the car reveals Indianapolis 500 logos adapted specifically for pace car use, an exclusive stripe package, unique Stingray decals and more.

For racers, highly visible safety lighting on the pace car is a top priority. Corvette designers prioritized form and function by incorporating four lights into each of the tonneau cover nacelles, in addition to strobe lights in the headlights, front louvers and taillights. This maintains the Corvette Convertible’s signature silhouette and eliminates need for a traditional lightbar.

“The 2021 Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible is such a world-class performance car that’s a perfect match to lead the talented field of 33 drivers to the green flag in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’” Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said. “We continue to be grateful for our strong, enduring partnership with Chevrolet and its many contributions to the success of our events and the exciting appeal of competition at the Racing Capital of the World.”

The mid-engine 2021 Corvette Stingray was engineered first and foremost as a convertible. The convertible maintains the tunnel-dominant structure and use of high-integrity die-cast parts found in the Stingray coupe.

Like the coupe, the Stingray convertible’s design was inspired by fighter jets. The tonneau cover features aerodynamically shaped nacelles influenced by the housing used for jet engines. The nacelles, which were also used as inspiration on the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV) I and II, as well as the Corvette SS and SR2 concepts, help reduce air recirculation into the cabin and provide a remarkably exotic profile with the top up or down. The tonneau also provides a rear power-adjustable window and a vent for mid-engine cooling.

The 2021 Corvette Stingray convertible is powered by the next-generation 6.2L Small Block V-8 LT2 engine, the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment. It will produce 495 horsepower (369 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque when equipped with performance exhaust — the most horsepower and torque for any entry Corvette.

The LT2 is paired with Chevrolet’s first eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which provides lightning-fast shifts and excellent power transfer. This transmission is uniquely designed to provide the best of both worlds: the spirited, directly connected feeling of a manual and the premium driving comfort of an automatic. The double-paddle de-clutch feature even allows the driver to disconnect the clutch by holding both paddles for more manual control.

When combined, the advanced propulsion system, revised chassis tuning and retractable hardtop make the Stingray the most no-compromise Corvette convertible in history.

Chevrolet has a storied history at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet was founded in 1911, the year of the inaugural 500-mile race. Company co-founder and namesake Louis Chevrolet, along with brothers Arthur and Gaston, competed in early Indy 500s. Arthur competed in the 1911 race and Gaston won in 1920.

Nine drivers with Chevrolet engines have combined to win “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” 11 times, with Rick Mears, Emerson Fittipaldi, Arie Luyendyk, Al Unser Jr., Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Will Power and, most recently, Simon Pagenaud in 2019.

Team Chevy also has won the NTT INDYCAR SERIES manufacturer championship six times since 2012.

Visit IMS.com for more information about this year’s schedule.

The race will be televised live on NBC for the third consecutive year, with the pre-race show starting at 11 a.m. The INDYCAR Radio Network will provide live coverage of the race to its affiliates and on Sirius 211, XM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile App powered by NTT DATA.

About Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the world’s largest spectator sporting facility, has been the worldwide leader in motorsports entertainment since opening in 1909. IMS is hosting the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 30, the world’s most prestigious auto race. The Month of May will start Saturday, May 15 with the GMR Grand Prix for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES on the IMS road course. The Speedway also will host the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NTT INDYCAR SERIES on the same weekend Aug. 13-15 for three exciting races on the road course, including the first Cup Series race on the circuit Sunday, Aug. 15. IMS also will welcome the competitors of the Intercontinental GT Challenge Powered by Pirelli/GT Challenge World Challenge America and the ground-breaking Indy Autonomous Challenge on separate event weekends in October 2021. IMS, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader. To purchase tickets or for more information, please visit ims.com.

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com(opens in a new window).

Dixon Leads on a Day That Felt Like May

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Photo: Scott Dixon by Chris Owens, Indycar

On a warm sunny day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a day that finally felt the way May should feel, Scott Dixon led Indianapolis 500 practice. His 226.829 mph lap was the best of the week. Ed Carpenter Racing teammates Conor Daly and Ed Carpenter followed Dixon. Daly was just 0.0801 seconds behind Dixon.

Dixon’s Chip Ganassi racing teammates, Marcu Ericsson, Tony Kanaan, and Alex Palou, also finished the day in the top 10. Ericsson was fourth, Kanaan, fifth, and Palou eighth. The third Ed Carpenter car of Rinus VeeKay just missed the top 10 with an 11th place result for today’s session. The carpenter and Ganassi teams have been the strongest overall for the first two days of practice.
Nineteen drivers turned more than 100 laps each.

The results for May 19, Practice Day 2::

Enerson Plays Beat the Clock

R C Enerson could not complete his rookie test yesterday because of a broken half shaft. Indycar allowed him to use the hour before practice began to complete the 20 laps he needed. Enerson need five laps at a speed between 210 and 215 mph, then 15 laps at 215 or better. He got through the five laps, but getting the fifteen above 215 was a struggle. When the hour was up, eberson was one lap short. Officials gave his Top Gun racing team a little more time to complete the lap. at 12:07 pm, Enerson passed his rookie test.

R C Enerson exits turn 1 as ghe completes his rookie test.

35 cars are now eligible to attempt to qualify for the 33 spots in the field on Saturday. Top Gun did not return to the track, but should be out tomorrow.

Shopping on Camera

After a leisurely lunch at one of Chez IMS’s splendid picnic tables, I noticed this small structure, the Indy Express Shop powered by Verizon. It is a merchandise and snack shop that I fear might become the norm. It is shopping with Big Brother.

To enter, you must download the Indy Express shop app and scan a reader at the door. Once inside, choose your items and leave. Cameras in the ceiling somehow bill your account. I find this a creepy concept. I guess the only good thing about it is the staff is not rude.

Photos

Here are some photos I took today.

Scott McLaughlin
Conor Daly
Colton Herta chats with some fans.

GMR Grand Prix Schedule and Networks

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All Times Eastern

Friday

7:30am 6:00pm- Gates Open

8:00am 8:20am- Indy Pro 2000 Quals

8:35am 9:05am INDY LIGHTS Q1

9:30am 10:15am INDYCAR Series Practice 1 Peacock

10:40am 11:20am USF2000 Race 1

11:45am 12:35pm Indy Pro 2000 Race 1

1:00pm 1:45pm NTT INDYCAR Series Practice 2 Peacock

2:10pm 3:10pm INDY LIGHTS Race 1 Peacock

3:25pm 4:05pm USF2000 Race 2

4:30pm 5:45pm NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qual. / Firestone Fast 6 Peacock (live)

NBCSN– 6 pm ET (Delayed)

Saturday

7:30am 5:00pm Gates Open

7:50am 8:40am Indy Pro 2000 Race 2

8:55am 9:25am Indy Lights Qualifying 2

9:40am 10:20am USF2000 Race 3

10:45am 11:15am NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warm-Up Peacock

11:40am 12:30pm Indy Pro 2000 Race 3

12:45pm 1:45pmINDY LIGHTS Race 2 Peacock

2:39pm ‘Drivers Start Your Engines’ NBC

2:45pm GMR Grand Prix – Green Flag NBC

Where’s the 500 Buzz?

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It’s May 10 and I’m still not feeling it. MAY 10th! Perhaps it’s because the track isn’t open yet, or that I haven’t received my race tickets. Maybe it’s the lousy weather Indianapolis is enduring right now. Whatever the cause, the 500 buzz that I usually feel around May 1 isn’t there.

Moving the GMR Grand Prix back a week might not have been such a good idea. The later date has kept things low key as we wait for the track to open halfway through the month. I felt a little bit of excitement when I picked up my Bronze Badge at the track last week. The email from the speedway telling me my tickets had been mailed perked me up some as well, but that high withered when the blue envelope still hadn’t arrived by Saturday.

What will it take to get the buzz going again? Being at the track first thing Friday morning after my traditional Opening Day breakfast at Charlie Brown’s should do the trick. It has been two years since I have been inside the track during May. It was nice seeing some racing at IMS in October, but it wasn’t the same. Friday can’t get here soon enough.

There are some racing friends I haven’t seen since the 2019 500. I am excited to see them again as well. Sadly some are skipping this year, too, but it will be great to see those who do attend. I am normally a patient person except for one month a year. I hope the schedule returns to a more regular path in 2022.

Meanwhile, I will set my alarm for Friday morning, hope my 500 tickets arrive this week, and get my buzz restarted.

The Rocket Lands at IMS Museum

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Just 16 hundredths of a second stands between Rick Mears and a fifth Indianapolis 500 victory. The margin by which Gordon Johncock beat Mears to the checkered flag in 1982 is portrayed in a tableau of sorts in the exhibit at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum honoring the man known as “The Rocket.” The special exhibit opened May 2 and runs through March 20, 2022.

The four cars in which he won the 500 are also present, along with one of his first race car, an off road dune buggy he built with the help of his brother Roger and father Bill.

From there, Mears went to the Pikes peak Hill Climb in another specially built car. Mears won the 1976 Hill Climb in the Porsche powered car built by Paul Newman and Doug Dreager. The following year Mears attempted to qualify for the 500.

His car was not fast enough to make the race, but a conversation with Roger penske after qualifying led to a career shaping relationship between the two. Mears would drive for Penske the remainder of his time in Indycar.

Rick Mears 1977 car for Indianapolis. Livery shown is not the livery he drove and the car number was 77.

Mears first win came in his second 500 in 1979. he drove a tactical race, which became his style. Mears also won the first of what grow to be a record six poles at Indianapolis. He won from the pole twice more. The race has been won from the pole 21 times, which makes his accomplishment stand out even more.

Rick Mears winning car in 1979, the first of four victories for Mears in the 500.

The 1982 race finish had the cars too far apart. While Bob Jenkins radio call is quoted on the wall, the cars have a lot more separation in the display.

The 1982 finish was much closer than this. Johncock’s car (foreground) leads mears car across the line. The actual finish below.

The exhibit contains just a few memorabilia items from Mears. The best things are two of his helmets.

Mears’s 1979 helmet.

New for this exhibit is the car information presentation. Instead of a placard to read, visitors scan a QR code which displays the information on their phones. By scanning the first one, fans can scroll through to subsequent cars and give themselves a self guided tour of the display. This system allows fans to read information without waiting for the person in front of them to finish reading the placard. Welcome to the future of museums.

“Rocket Rick Mears” is a nice tribute to a driver as we commemorate the 30th anniversary of his last win at Indianapolis.

Museum Touch Ups

The IMS Museum has upgraded the display cases in the winners’ gallery. The case on the north wall is a tribute to the Hulman Family’s 74 years of ownership. It contains a nice timeline of improvements to the facility. The displays on the south wall are tidier and less cluttered, with a display of early racing helmets and other historical items. The walls look much neater and have a cleaner look than I have seen on previous visits.

1968: The Unser Family Legend Begins

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In 1967 the turbine engine powered car driven by Parnelli Jones dominated the race, only to drop out while leading with four laps to go. A. J. Foyt went on to win his third Indianapolis 500 in six years. For 1968 the turbine engine cars were back in force,determined to flip the sport to a new breed of power. STP entered three cars, and five other turbine cars also came to try to make the race. It appeared a different kind of power was about to erase 70 years of internal combustion technology.

The front row featured two turbines in the first two spots and Bobby Unser in the third spot. Unser, entering his sixth race, began the 1968 race with a best finish of eighth in 1966, a race which saw only seven cars running at the end. Joe Leonard on the pole and 1966 winner Graham Hill next to him on the grid were expected to run away with the event.

Bobby Unser (L) prevented an all turbine front row.

While the power of the cars appeared poised for a transition, the 1968 race program reflected other transitions. The memorial page acknowledged the death of Ray Harroun, winner of the first 500 in 1911, on January 19. A more recent winner, Jim Clark , who ran away with the 1965 race, lost his life in a Formula 2 accident in Hockenheim, Germany, April 7. The deaths were almost bookends of the race’s history to that point.

STP bought a full page ad touting the turbine, calling it “A Quiet revolution.

A new product which would revolutionize consumer spending was in its infancy in 1968- the credit card. Most were specific to a product, and some were beginning to expand their use, like the Standard Oil card. Notice the 10 digit number.

1968 featured one of the hot air balloon races, honoring the first event held at IMS in 1909. The third day day of qualifying paused for two hours as the balloons launched. There was generally a lot of down time on Day 3 of qualifying, but in 1968 the constant rain put track time at a premium. The balloon races ended a couple years later when the basket of a competitor couldn’t launch in the wind and plowed into an infield restroom.

Back to the race:

Unser passed Leonard for the lead on lap 8. the race turned into a three way battle between Unser, Leonard, and Lloyd Ruby. Leonard took the lead on lap 175 and appeared headed for victory. As the race restarted on lap 191, Leonard’s car suddenly came to a halt in turn 1 with a fuekl shaft problem. Unser went on to claim the first of his three 500 mile race wins. it was also the first of nine wins for the Unser family.

In June USAC limited the air inlet of turbines to 12.5 square inches from the 15.9 they had been allowed. The smaller intake rendered them uncompetitive. Only one turbine entered the race the next year, and then the silent revolution disappeared.

35 Entries for the 500; Notes

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The entry list for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 stands at 35 after the announcement of Stefan Wilson to the number 25 car at Andretti Autosport. I think that is where it will stay. Top Gun Racing has no engine lease at the moment, and it is getting late. The entry which Spencer Pigot drove in 2020, would need to get a Chevy engine. I’m not sure that will happen.

Thirty-five entries after a tumultouous year like 2020 is a very healthy number. There will be bumping, and two cars will go home on May 23. Here is the entry list as of this morning:

Chevrolet-17

Team Penske (4)-Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Scott McLaughlin

A. J. Foyt Racing (4)- Sebastien Bourdais, Dalton Kellett, Charlie Kimball, J. R. Hildebrand

Carlin Racing (1)- Max Chilton

Arrow McLaren SP (3)- Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist, Juan Pablo Montoya

Ed Carpenter Racing (3) – Ed Carpenter, Rinus VeeKay, Conor Daly

Dreyer and Reinbold (1)- Sage Karam

Paretta (1)- Simona De Silvestro

Honda– 18

Andretti Autosport (6)-Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Marco Andretti, AStefan Wilson

Chip Ganassi Racing (4)- Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou, Tony Kanaan

Dale Coyne Racing (3)- Ed Jones, Pietro Fittipaldi, Cody Ware

Meyer Shank Racing (2)- Jack Harvey, Helio Castroneves

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (3)- Takuma Sato, Graham Rahal, Santino Ferrucci

Notes

Amazon Prime has a documentary about Alex Zanardi playing. I thought it was available last night, but it was not. I hope to watch it this weekend.

Several people received emails last night that their tickets for the 500 have been mailed. It was a welcome sight in the Inbox.

Not Indycar related, but Penske and Porsche have entered into a partnership to develop the Porsche LMDh prototype which will begin competition in 2023. The car is eligible to compete at both the Rolex 24 and Le Mans. I doubt this alliance will lead to Indycar’s third OEM.

Coming attractions

Some posts on The Pit Window leading up to May 30 that are in the planning stages:

Daily track reports

Indianapolis 500 program retrospectives- I will take a nostalgic look at 1968, 1975, and 1981 as a tribute to Bobby Unser.

A couple of the always popular 9in my mind) Bump Tales.

My annual post on how to fix Indy 500 qualifying.

A report on the new Rick Mears exhibit at the IMS Museum.