In preparation for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers will participate in an Open Test from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (ET) Tuesday, April 28 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday, April 29 on the famed 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
On Tuesday, veterans will take to the oval from 10:05 a.m.-noon, with Rookie Orientation Program and refresher tests from noon-2 p.m. and all participants on track from 2-6 p.m. All cars are scheduled to be on track from 10 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. Wednesday.
The Southeast Vista grandstands and the Turn 2 Viewing Mounds will be open for public viewing. Guests will park across 16th Street in Lot 3P and will enter through Gate 3. Guests with an ADA parking placard will park in the Front Museum Lot and sit in South Terrace East. Security will be on site to assist fans with crossing 16th Street. Concessions and merchandise will be available for purchase.
The test will be streamed on the INDYCAR YouTube channel. Live timing will be available on INDYCAR.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
Photo: Louis Meyer (second from left in car) after the 1936 race.
Third in a series
1936 saw records set, traditions begin, and the first three-time winner in Speedway history as Louis Meyer took his third checkered flag in eight years. Meyer started 28th after bat6tling engine issues all month. But on race day, the power plant came to life as he carved his way through the field to take the lead on lap 89. He lost the lead briefly to Ted Horn, went back into first place on lap 147 and was never caught.
“We sure had a swell ride,” Meyer said after the race. The Indianapolis Star reported that Meyer called the Miller car the best he had ever driven.
Louis Meyer
Wilbur Shaw actually completed the 500 miles on track in less time than Meyer, but a 17-minute pit stop to tighten loose hood straps cost him the victory. Shaw led 51 laps and finished seventh.
For the 24th running of the Indianapolis 500 cars had a fuel limit of 37.5 gallons for the race. Seven cars ran out of fuel, the first on lap 180, and the last on lap 196.
Meyer set a race record of 109.069 miles an hour. A record crowd of 170,000 watched the historic win.
The number three is tie4d to the 1936 in several ways. Meyer won his third 500, and three long standing traditions were born that day. Meyer was the first recipient of the Borg-Warner trophy. After the race he asked for a glass of buttermilk. Drinking milk after winning the race did not become a tradition immediately. In the early 50s drivers drank a cup of water presented by track president Wilbur Shaw.
Meyer was also the first race winner to receive the pace car.At the suggestion of pace car driver Tommy Milton, the only other multiple 500 winner at the time, Meyer was given the Packard that paced the field.
Louis Meyer drove in three more 500-mile races. He crashed in 1939 and retired immediately. Meyer partnered with Dale Drake to, produce the Meyer-drake engine, a co9ntinuation of the Offenhauser power plant. The engine would be in every winner of the race until1968.
It did not take long for another driver to win three times, or for that matter, for a second driver to accomplish the triple victory. Wilbur Shaw took his third win in 1940, and Mauri rose won number three in 1948, Despite World War II interrupting racing from 1941-1945, IMS saw two new three-time winners in the span of just eight races. The next driver to accomplish three trips to Victory Lane? A. J. Foyt in 1967
The decision by the FIA to stage two F2 makeup races in Miami and Canada next month has ended any chance of Colton Herta driving in the Indianapolis 500.
The top ladder series in Formula 1 lost two races in the Middle East that were cancelled due the conflict in Iran. Unlike the top series, F2 has to make up the races for contractual reasons.
Andretti Global had planned to run car 98 as their fourth entry with Herta as the driver. The original F2 schedule had no race43s in May. Team owner Dan Towriss first said that a replacement driver would fill the seat. He later said that that the team would just go with their fulltime IndyCar series lineup.
The 98 car, which has been a fourth entry for Andretti since the team downsized to three full time cars, had been driven in the 500 by Marco Andretti, who retired after the 2025 race. Many drivers were interested, but the team decided there was no one that fit their profile.
Without the 9, there are 32 entries for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. One of the smaller teams, either Dale Coyne Racing or A. J. Foyt Racing, will need to field a third car. Prema is still attempting to get a car entered for the race, but I am not holding my breath.
A shortage of drivers is not the issue. It is all about money and available equipment. Some drivers seeking a ride are Katherine Legge, Stefan Wilson, and Devlin deFrancesco. All three can bring money to a team. One name which hasn’t been mentioned is J. R. Hildebrand. I have no idea why.
I am positive there will be 33 starters for the race. We are at the point where we have one lst puzzle pice that just can’t find where to go.
Notes
A. J. Foyt Racing has signed Toby Sowery as a reserve driver. Sowery starred in Indy Lights and has been driving in IMSA the last two years.
According to the team press release, Sowery will begin his role at the next round in long beach.
“In his role as Reserve Driver, Sowery will support the team across testing, simulator development and race operations, providing experienced technical feedback while maintaining full race readiness throughout the season,” the release states.
He was like a comet, a brilliant star who raced across the racing heavens and burned out in an instant. Frank Lockhart came to the 1926 race to drive in relief of Bennett Hill, but when owner-driver Pete Kreis became ill with pneumonia, Lockhart got the ride.
(For more about Pete Kreis, I recommend The Last Lap by William Walker, available at Octane Press.)
It took the rookie three attempts to qualify the car, and he started the race from the middle of row seven in the 28 car field. Lockhart quickly moved through the field at the start of the race; He had assumed the lead the lead when the race was halted by after 71 laps.
Pole sitter Earl Cooper did not lead a lap and retired after 74 laps with transmission problems. The first sixty laps saw a battle for the lead between Phil Shafer and Dave Lewis. Shafer finished 10th, while Lewis retired after 92 laps.
Lockhart took the lead on lap 50 and led all but six laps the rest of the way.
It took an hour for the track to dry. Lockhart led through lap 100, then Harry Hartz led six laps. Lockhart regained the lead on lap 107 and was never caught.
Rain began again on lap 152 and intensified eight laps later. The race was stopped and declared official. Lockhart won by nearly two laps over Hartz, who had an issue on his final pit stop.
In 1926, 350 miles needed to be run for the race to be official. It was the first time the Indianapolis 500 had been stopped and called complete because of rain. There would not be another rain shortened race until 1973.
In 1927 Lockhart qualified on the pole but dropped out after 120 laps with a broken connecting rod. He had led 110 laps.
Unfortunately, 1927 was to be Lockhart’s final 500. He was killed in Daytona Beach, Florida, the following April attempting to set a land speed record. A tire blew out on his second pass sending the car into a barrel roll. Lockhart was thrown from the Stutz Blackhawk Special Streamliner and died instantly.
In his two Memorial Day starts, Lockhart led 205 of 280 laps run.
Frank Lockhart finished second in the season points in both 1926 and 1927, winning nine races. His tragic demise cut short what would have been stellar career.
Notes
For the 1926 race, riding mechanics were optional, but none were used.
The race was the first race in which no starter from the inaugural event in 1911 drove.
All starters received prize money. Lockhart won $35,600, and last place finisher Albert Guyot took home $500.
It appears a pattern is beginning to develop in years that end in the number six. The 1916 race was scheduled for a shorter distance. The 1926 race was shortened by rain. As we go through this series, we’ll find more oddities about the races each mid-decade.
1926 began a string of three consecutive races won by rookies.
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 7, 2026) – Thirty-seven identical 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST trucks were staged on the main straightaway April 7 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a clear sign the Month of May is around the corner.
A longtime tradition, the “Festival Event Vehicles” have reminded Indianapolis-area residents of the upcoming Indianapolis 500 since the 1960s. The unique fleet of trucks will turn heads and capture attention throughout the state in the lead-up to the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Presenting the trucks were J. Douglas Boles, INDYCAR and IMS president; Dave Neff, 500 Festival president and CEO; and Alyssa Haba, Chevrolet motorsports marketing and activation senior manager.
“We are excited to unleash all 33 of the 500 Festival board members and the 500 Festival Princesses to serve as brand ambassadors for the Indianapolis 500 across the state these next couple months,” Neff said. “This is our state’s crown jewel, and there is no better time of year in the state of Indiana.”
The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 RST 4WD Crew Cab is powered by a 5.3-liter V-8 and boasts 355 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. With body-color bumpers, center grille bars and door handles and dark nameplate badges, the Festival Event Vehicle is designed for those who seek adrenaline and action.
Built by fellow Hoosiers at the Fort Wayne Assembly plant, these trucks are ready to hit the streets with a Summit White exterior, Jet Black leather interior, 20-inch high-gloss Black-painted aluminum wheels and custom Indianapolis 500 graphics. Celebrating America’s 250, these unique graphics feature eye-catching, American flag-inspired stripes and Easter eggs hidden throughout the design.
“The tradition of providing Festival Event Vehicles is a hallmark in the countdown to the Month of May and the Indianapolis 500,” Haba said. “Seeing these Silverados on the road throughout Central Indiana will embody the passion Chevrolet, IMS and the 500 Festival have for the Indianapolis 500.”
The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. Visit IMS.com for tickets and more information on all Month of May events and activities at IMS.
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 80 countries. 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.
Editor’s note: Today begins a weekly series of looks back at anniversary races beginning with 1916. I will cover the 500s of 1916, 1926, 1936, 1946, 1956, and 1976 as we get closer to the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.
The distance for the sixth running of the Memorial Day Classic at the Indianapolis Motr Speedway was set at 300 miles, not the 500 miles run from 1911 to 1915. Speedway president Carl Fisher thought that 500 miles was too long, and that a shorter race would hold the fans’ attention and be more exciting.
According to the Indianapolis Star, the race wasn’t that exciting, with “only” 2 accidents. A crash on lap 61 caused serious injury to relief driver Jack LeCain, who suffered a double skull fracture. He was taken to the hospital. A newspaper story on June 3 reported that he would recover, although at that time he had not regained the ability to speak. Information on LeCain beyond that date could not be found.
In n1916 Europe was in turmoil as tensions which would lead to what became World War I were beginning to brew. Fisher liked to promote the race as an International Sweepstakes, and he encouraged participation from European drivers and manufacturers. The simmering conflicts caused parts shortages, and some European cars decided to skip the race. As a result, only 21 cars started the race, the smallest field in the history of the race.
Ralph Mulford qualified on the last qualifying day and started 20th. Louis Chevrolet started 21st. Jack LeCain qualified a car and would have started 22nd but had to withdraw the entry due to crankshaft problems. He would drive relief for Jules DeVigne, and he crashed on lap 61. Riding mechanic Harry Harkness also suffered injuries, although they were not as serious as KeCain’s.
At the start, Eddie Rickenbacker grabbed the lead from his mid front row spot from pole sitter Johnny Aitken and led the first nine laps. Aitken went to the point on lap 10 when Rickenbacker dropped out of the race and held the lead through lap 17. Dario Resta took first place on the 18th lap and led the rest of the way. Aitken retired on lap 69 with valve problems.
Dario Resta
Resta, in a Peugeot, won by nearly two minutes over Wilbur D’Alene’s Duesenberg, with the Peugeot of Mulford another two and a half minutes back. Resta’ lead was comfortable enough that hie drove his last lap at a leisurely 60 miles an hour.
Resta went on to win the AAA National Championship, also winning the Vanderbilt Cup race for the second year in a row.
Resta drove in just three 500s, 1915, 1916, and 1923. He was second in 1915 from the outside front row starting position. His final 500 ended after 87 laps with mechanical issue. Resta won 10 AA championship races before returning to Europe. He died in a racing accident at Brooklands England, attempting to set a land speed record.
The 1917 was reset to the 500-mile distance, never to change again. A dispute between Fisher and local hotel owners over price gouging nearly caused Fisher to move the race to Cincinnati. Cooler heads prevailed.
It became a moot point, as the United States became involved in the European war. There was no race in 1917 or 1918.
The Things You Find Out
In researching for this story, I learned that Resta’s wife, Mary, was the sister of driver Spencer Wishart, who was killed in a 1914 race in Elgin, Illinois. Wishart had driven in the first four Indianapolis 400swith a best finish of second in 1913.
Only the top 10 finishers received prize money. Resta won $12,000 for the victory. 10th place Ora Haibe took home $800.
One thing i would like to find out is if tickets were printed for 1917, and if any exist today. What a collector’s item that would be!
Special Guest Switchfoot To Open; Fans Can Expect Full Day of Entertainment
INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, March 24, 2026) – Grammy and Academy Award-nominated Counting Crows will headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 22, 2026, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Counting Crows will be joined by special guest Switchfoot, which will open the show. Miller Lite Carb Day is a full day of on- and off-track action and entertainment. All general admission, concert pit and VIP Deck concert tickets include admission to the concert and to on-track activities that day at IMS, which include the final practice for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, the second annual Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 and the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge. “Miller Lite Carb Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “From 33 drivers speeding around the track in the final ‘500’ practice to the Wienie 500 and Pit Stop Challenge, there is no shortage of on-track action leading into a legendary rock concert in Turn 3. It’s a day like no other at the Racing Capital of the World, and many of our fans take the day off work to spend it at IMS, a tradition we can all celebrate.” Tickets are on sale now at IMS.com, by calling 317-492-6700 or by visiting the IMS Ticket Office at the IMS Administration Building. Counting Crows have enchanted listeners with an intensely soulful and intricate take on rock & roll for more than three decades. Exploding onto the music scene in 1993 with their multi-platinum breakout album, “August and Everything After,” the band has gone on to release seven studio albums, selling more than 20 million records worldwide, and is revered as one of the world’s most pre-eminent live touring rock bands.The band’s double-platinum sophomore studio album, “Recovering the Satellites,” debuted at number one and further solidified their growing reputation as one of the leading American alternative rock bands in the world. In 2004, Counting Crows recorded the chart-topping “Accidentally in Love” for the animated motion picture “Shrek 2.” The instant success of the track earned the band an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 2005 Academy Awards, a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media.In 2021, Counting Crows ranked No. 8 on Billboard’s “Greatest of All Time: Adult Alternative Artists” 25th-anniversary chart. The band released their latest full-length album “Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!” to rave reviews in May 2025. In December 2025, HBO premiered, “Counting Crows: Have You Seen Me Lately?” part of the “Music Box” documentary series. The film also received widespread acclaim and chronicles the band’s rise to fame, the pressures of success and the creation of some of their most celebrated albums. Switchfoot – consisting of Jon Foreman (vocals, guitar), Tim Foreman (bass), Jerome Fontamillas (keys, guitar) and Chad Butler (drums) – has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide of their 13 studio albums, including their 2003 triple-platinum breakthrough “The Beautiful Letdown” and 2009’s Grammy Award-winning “Hello Hurricane.”Through a unique blend of emotionally intelligent and uplifting brand of alternative rock, Switchfoot has earned a devoted and loyal global fan base. The band has racked up a string of alternative radio hit singles and performed sold-out tours in more than 40 countries. Switchfoot also has raised more than $3 million to aid kids in through their BRO-AM Foundation. Miller Lite Carb Day general admission tickets start at $50. A limited number of concert pit package upgrades that include general admission are available for $90. A very limited supply of exclusive VIP platform tickets also is available for $285, including concert pit access, snacks, two complimentary drinks, dedicated bars and restroom trailers. The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. Tickets are on sale at IMS.com or by calling or visiting the IMS Ticket Office.
With yesterday’s confirmations of Takuma Sato and Helio Castroneves to ride in the 110th Indianapolis 500, the field stands at 31. There has been no formal announcement that Colton Herta will be in the fourth Andretti car, but from what I’m hearing, that edal is complete. The entry list then stands at 32.
The organization that acquired Prema is likely to enter one car, and I’m hearing Abel Motorsports may enter a car. Katherine Legge is working to secure a drive, but which team she would be with is unclear.
I see another 34 car entry list. The former Prema group is scrambling to have a car on track for Long Beach, so I can’t see them fielding two entries for Indy.
Here is a break down of the entry list as it stands now:
For the first time since 2008 IndyCar has averaged more than 1 million television viewers for the first three races. Whatever the series and its tv partner are doing, it’s working.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 