Tag: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Fast Friday Lives Up to Its Name

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A day of no rain and fast speeds combined to make Fast Friday the best day of practice week. Attendance was verygood. I heard from several fans about how long it took to get in this morning. There was drama, speed, and worry. In other words, a typical practice day. Josef Newgarden goes into the weekend as the favorite for the pole, while the usually fast Ganassi team is struggling to find speed. Trouble bit a team that could not afford to lose track time.

Nolan Siegel’s crash just past midday has been the only damper on the afternoon. Siegel spun exiting turn 2 and flipped upside down. Siegel was released from the infield care center. The car suffered extensive damage. I just received word that the team will use a spare car.

Josef Newgarden set a blistering 4 lap average of 234.063. Colton Herta set the fastest single lap time of 234.974.

Drivers on the bubble

Nolan Siegel

Marcus Ericsson

Katherine Legge

Team Rahal?

Qualifying is looking like a Team Penske/Arrow McLaren duel with maybe a sleeper from Andretti or Meyer Shank sneaking. Chevrolet has definitely had the upper hand this week.

Where’s Ganassi?

Chip Ganassi Racing cars have not been in the Fast 12 conversation much today. Scott Dixon is the fastest of the team with the 21st fastest single lap.. No cars are in the top 15 in 4 lap runs.

Alex Palou lost an engine, setting his program back. He returned late in the day.

Mechanical woes

It seems as if there have been a lot more mechanical issues this year. Conor Daly had an upright fail yesterday. Kyle Larson’s crew changed engines yesterday. Alex Palou lost an engine today. Pietro Fittipaldi and Takuma Sato have had gremlins interfere with their day today.

The qualifying order is going on right now. Team Penske has drawn three numbers in the top 10. McLaughlin -2 Power- 9, and Newgarden- 10. Kyle Kirkwood just drew the number 1.

Alexander Rossi will be last car in line.

An early look at the weather shows just a slight chance of a late afternoon shower, Sunday looks dry. Temperatures will be in the 80s, hotter than it has been all week. I will have the latest forecast in the morning.

Results

Good Morning- It’s Fast Friday

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Welcome to IMS on a gray day. Practice is two hours away and the rain should hold off until after 3 pm. I expect a very busy time on the track when practice opens at noon.

In a press conference this morning, Shell/Pennzoil announced a new racing oil called Performance Plus Racing Oil. It is a re-refined base oil, essentially recycled oil. It is supposed to be longer lasting than previous oils. This oil wil eventually get to everyday consumers, bui infrastructure to mass produce it needs to be in place.

Rick Mears (far right), Scott McLaughlin, and Mark Miles join Shell representatives to talk about a new oil

Bree Sandlin, Vic President of Shell Lubricants Marketing North America, said that extended oil life technology is advancing rapidly. Some motor oils can now go10,000 miles between changes. The goal is to produce an oil that can last 20,000 miles.

Post crash updates

Marcus Ericsson will be going to a backup car.

Linus Lundqvist’s car has been repaired and will return to the track today. Lundqvist said that he is eager to get back on track as soon as possible. He said yesterday’s incident was the biggest crash of his career.

I will have a story later today about what Mike Hull said in this morning’s press conference. Mike always tells like it is.

The two seater cars have been on track all morning, so we should be good to start right on time at noon.

Pennzoil, INDYCAR Launch Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil at Indianapolis 500

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New Racing Oil To Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions [1]
throughout NTT INDYCAR SERIES
 
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 17, 2024) – Shell, Pennzoil and INDYCAR continue to advance their sustainability journey by unveiling the new Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil[2] using re-refined base oil (RRBO) to deliver top engine performance with less greenhouse gas emissions.1 INDYCAR teams will use Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil during the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and throughout the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“We are thrilled to have Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil as the Official Lubricant of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and to help showcase the advancements in technology and performance of motor oil made with a re-refined base oil,” said Bree Sandlin, vice president, Shell Lubricants Marketing North America.
“INDYCAR is a premier testing ground to prove the reliability and durability of our lubricant technologies for use in demanding road conditions.”The use of RRBO in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil conserves non-renewable resources by reducing its use of base oils made from primary fossil material. The re-refined base oil component used reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50%[3] compared to the base oil used in the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.When combining RRBO with our premium additives, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil delivers a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions1 compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 racing season.

“Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil has been rigorously tested and approved by INDYCAR, Chevrolet and Honda to meet the high-performance requirements for racing without compromise to performance,” said Bassem Kheireddin, Shell Motorsports technology manager.

“The addition of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil using re-refined base oil is another significant milestone as we continue to move toward a more sustainable future for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the motorsports industry,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said.
Re-refined base oil (RRBO)
The re-refined base oil (RRBO) used in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is created from used lubricants that undergo advanced re-refining processes, resulting in high-quality base oil that can be used as a component to formulate new lubricant products. Generally, when oil has reached the end of its ‘useful’ life and has been drained from a vehicle or equipment, re-refining can remove depleted additives and contaminants that accumulate in motor oil during use.
1] For the purpose of claims related to Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil, references to “less/reduced greenhouse gas emissions” or “reduced carbon footprint” are limited to “Cradle-to-Gate” emissions attributed to this Pennzoil product compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES “Cradle-to-Gate” means the life cycle stages of a product from raw materials through the production process. For the avoidance of doubt, “Cradle-to-Gate” excludes emissions associated with distribution, a customer’s use and end-of-life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil. Biogenic credit has been applied to “Cradle-to-Gate” estimation, meaning the CO2 that has been removed from the atmosphere during the growth phase of bio-material in the product has been accounted for as a credit. Biogenic CO2 removals can be due to actual and mass balanced attributed content, meaning that part of the biogenic content can be assigned via an accounting approach, rather than be physically present. “Cradle-to-Gate” emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.
[2] Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is a high-performance motor oil for use in racing engines, containing Pennzoil 0W formulations specifically engineered for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The “plus” (+) symbol in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil denotes the inclusion of re-refined base oil in the formulation. For the avoidance of doubt, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is not formulated for use in consumer vehicles.
[3] For the purpose of claims related to the re-refined base oil component used in the formulation of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™, references to “reduced greenhouse gas emissions” refer to “Cradle-to-Refinery Gate” emissions of the re-refined base oil component only attributed to this Pennzoil product. “Cradle-to-Refinery-Gate” includes raw materials and production of the base oil only and for the avoidance of doubt, this excludes emissions associated with other raw materials, production, distribution, a customer’s use and end- of- life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™. The carbon intensity associated with re-refined base oil is calculated based on primary activity data from the producer following industry best practice guidance, including API Technical Report 1533 (Lubricants Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting—Methodology and Best Practice). This Technical Report , published by the American Petroleum Institute, defines terminology and identifies and captures industry practices. “Cradle-to-Refinery Gate” emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.

Fast Friday

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Waiting for a weather update. We might get some running in to start on time, but rain may come in around 2 pm or so. Keep checking back on Xwitter and The Pit Window Facebook page.

From late last night:

 INDYCAR Statement on Passing of Eddie Gossage 

‘FAST FRIDAY’ SCHEDULE (All times local):

10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open

Noon-6 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice (All cars)

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $25. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to selected grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7S, Gate 7, Gate 10, Gate 10A.

PARKING: Free public parking is available in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). Free ADA parking in Lot 7 (North 40), West Museum Lot, Tower Terrace Lot and Flag Lot. Paid parking is available in Lot 2, Lot 3P, Lot 3G, Gate 1 Lot, and Main Gate Lot. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 2, Lot 3P and Gate 1 Lot.

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Fans should be prepared to complete their ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during their event via debit or credit card.

Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is closed for a major renovation, reopening in April 2025. To learn more, please visit imsmuseum.org/renovation.

A Near Perfect Day

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Photo by Kyle McInnes

On the third day they practiced. After two days plagued by rain and limited track time, Thursday at IMS was as close to a perfect practice day as anyone could ask for.

Skies were sunny, the temperature was warm but not too hot, and the teams took full advantage of the welcome break in the weather.

Pato O’Ward took the fastest time early- 228.861- and was never caught. He said he is really happy with his car. O’Ward said drivers will need some practice time with the extra boost the cars will receive for qualifying tomorrow. If tomorrow is a rainout, he hopes the series will provide extra practice time on Saturday.

Linus Lundqvist crashed in turn two. He entered the turn high and hit the wall on the backstretch. After an 18 minute halt, action resumed.

Several teams practiced drafting; others worked ion qualifying simulations. The track was quite busy for about two hours. Teams took a brief break, then resumed running.

Around four o’clock Marcus Ericsson spun in turn four. He hit the outside wall and slid across the pit entry, hit the inside wall then collided with the pit attenuator. Ericsson will drive a backup car, but the engine was not damaged.

Practice resumed for about 40 minutes before rain stopped the running again. The track went green with 26 minutes to go. Another round of moisture ended thed the day about 10 minutes early.

Notes

There was a great crowd today as fans took advantage of what was the best weather day of the year.

The field ran a total of 1,897 laps.

The top 23 were separated by less than a second.

Troubles–

Kyle Larson’s car had an engine change this morning. He ran about 30 laps.

Sting Ray Robb ran just 14 laps today.

Alexander Rossi suffered gear box issues early, but he still turned 61 laps.

Fast Friday practice begins at noon tomorrow. Cars get 100 horsepower extra boost.

Thanks for following along on what has been a busy day.

Practice Update: O’Ward to the Front; Lundqvist Crash

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In a hectic first two and a half hours of practice, Pato O’Ward surged to the top of the pylon with a lap of 228.861 mph, knocking Josef newgarden from the point. Team Penske still shows strength with all three cars in the top 10. Alex Palou is currently third, just a tick ahead of Colton Herta, the two fastest Hondas.

The first wall contact of the season involved Linus Lundqvist hitting the wall at the exit of turn 2. He entered the turn very high and made contact with the right rear. The car slid down and stopped in the grass, Lundqvist was uninjured.

Notes

Kyle Larson received a new engine this morning.

As I drove in on 16th Street this morning, there was a long double more than a half mile long waiting to enter Gate 2. There are a lot of school field trips here today as well. Looks like fans are taking advantage of the best day we have seen this week.

Sounds as if we are entering a bit of a down time as far as track activity. Given the forecast and the lost time this week, I’m a bit surprised.

Current Standings

It’s a Beautiful Day at IMS

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Good morning from IMS. The weather is beautiful today for the first time this week and no rain interruptions are expected. Let’s enjoy today and not worry about tomorrow.

28 cars have been on track so far. Josef Newgarden just turned the fastest lap of 226.684 mph. Colton Herta had the early lead. Herta has been the fastest Honda in the limited practice time so far. The three Team Penske cars have been the class of the field.

Coming Up

Tomorrow morning Indycar and Shell will present an update on their sustainability efforts.

Sometime next week we might get the details of the Indycar Charter program. The new broadcast package may be close to an announcement as well.

It appears Indycar will not set a cutoff lap for throwing a red flag during the 500. I wish they would. I would like to see lap185 as the last lap that could be red flagged. Any later than that, we will see another manipulated finish where the leader gets a deserved victory taken away from him.

I’ll be back later today with an update and I will also have an end of day wrap up.

Day 4- A Better Day Ahead?

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From @Indycar_Wxman last night:

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 15, 2024) – Information about 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice track activity Thursday, May 16 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local):

10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open

10 a.m.-6 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice (All cars) Peacock and Indycar radio

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $25. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to selected grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7S, Gate 7, Gate 10, Gate 10A.

PARKING: Free public parking is available in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). ADA accessible parking is available in the following lots: West Museum Lot, Flag Lot, Tower Terrace Lot and Lot 7 (North 40).

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Please be prepared to complete your ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during your event via debit or credit card. 

Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is closed for a major renovation, reopening in April 2025. To learn more, please visit imsmuseum.org/renovation.