Tag: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NTT INDYCAR SERIES Tests To Take Place Thursday-Saturday March 28-30 on IMS Road Course

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From Indycar:

Editor’s note: Turn 2 mounds will be open for viewing.

  2023 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge champion Josef Newgarden to unveil Gate 2 banner Saturday at 12:15 p.m. ET

Three days of NTT INYCAR SERIES testing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, covering the 2.2-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with hybrid technology in addition to team testing ahead of the Saturday, May 11 Sonsio Grand Prix, is scheduled for Thursday-Saturday, March 28-30.
Testing of the INDYCAR hybrid unit, which will make its debut later this year, will involve drivers from AJ Foyt Racing, Dale Coyne Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, Juncos Hollinger Racing, Meyer Shank Racing and Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Team testing on the 2.439-mile layout involves drivers from Andretti Global on Friday, March 29 and Ed Carpenter Racing and Team Penske on Saturday, March 30.

During a break in testing Saturday, 2023 Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge champion Josef Newgarden will join IMS President J. Douglas Boles to unveil the banner above Gate 2, which annually honors the previous year’s “500” champion.


THURSDAY, March 28 (INDYCAR Hybrid Testing)
Who: Tom Blomqvist, Meyer Shank Racing
Romain Grosjean, Juncos Hollinger Racing
Jack Harvey, Dale Coyne Racing
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Sting Ray Robb, AJ Foyt Racing
Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET


FRIDAY, March 29 (INDYCAR Hybrid Testing, Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test)
Who: Agustin Canapino, Juncos Hollinger Racing (Hybrid)
Marcus Ericsson, Andretti Global (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybrid)
Santino Ferrucci, AJ Foyt Racing (Hybrid)
Pietro Fittipaldi, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Hybrid)
Colton Herta, Andretti Global (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybrid)
Kyle Kirkwood, Andretti Global (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybrid)
Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing (Hybrid)
Felix Rosenqvist, Meyer Shank Racing (Hybrid)
Nolan Siegel, Dale Coyne Racing (Hybrid)
When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

SATURDAY, March 30 (INDYCAR Hybrid Testing, Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test)
Who: Christian Lundgaard, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Hybrid)
Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybird)
Josef Newgarden, Team Penske (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybrid)
Will Power, Team Penske (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non hybrid)
Christian Rasmussen, Ed Carpenter Racing (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non hybrid)
Rinus VeeKay, Ed Carpenter Racing (Sonsio Grand Prix Team Test, non-hybrid
)When: 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
12:15 p.m.: Unveiling of the Gate 2 banner with 2023 Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden and IMS President J. Douglas Boles and availability 
 

Rock Legends George Thorogood & The Destroyers To Headline Miller Lite Carb Day Concert May 24 at IMS 

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From IMS. I guess Taylor Swift was busy that day.


 Special Guest Gin Blossoms To Open; Full Day of Entertainment Includes Kid Quill

INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, March 19, 2024) – George Thorogood & The Destroyers, who have been rocking together for more than five decades, will headline the Miller Lite Carb Day Concert on Friday, May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as part of a full day of on- and off-track action and entertainment.
George Thorogood & The Destroyers will be joined by special guest Gin Blossoms, who will open the show. The Carb Day concert gates will open at 2 p.m. this year, allowing for additional entertainment, including Indianapolis recording artist Kid Quill.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.
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 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and the INDYCAR Pit Stop Challenge.
“Carb Day is the unofficial start to summer and the kickoff to race weekend for many of our fans; they take the day off from work and spend it at IMS,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “From on-track action like the final practice and Pit Stop Challenge to hip DJs and cool rock concerts, it’s a day like no other at the Racing Capital of the World. George Thorogood & The Destroyers, as well as Gin Blossoms and Kid Quill, are a great addition to a full day of entertainment.”
George Thorogood & The Destroyers got their start on a small bandstand in Lane Hall at The University of Delaware on the evening of Dec. 1, 1973. Though the three-piece band – consisting of a guitarist, a drummer and their rhythm guitarist – had barely rehearsed, guitarist George Thorogood and drummer Jeff Simon had been bashing out covers of songs they loved – including “No Particular Place To Go,” “Madison Blues” and “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” – in suburban Wilmington, Delaware, basements since they were teens.
The Lane Hall audience was wary at first.
“Then it was like somebody flipped a switch,” Simon said. “Everybody hit the dance floor all at once.”
Five decades, 15 million albums and more than 8,000 performances later, few bands can still rock the house like George Thorogood & Destroyers. And for Thorogood, Simon, and longtime Destroyers Bill Blough, Jim Suhler and Buddy Leach, their Bad All Over The World – 50 Years of Rock Tour is a celebration like no other.Gin Blossoms have undoubtedly left their mark on the rock music map. The Grammy-nominated band’s fusion of melodic rock, pop, folk and country elements has helped pave the way for the modern rock of today.
Boasting record sales of over 10 million, fans around the world are very familiar with Gin Blossoms’ five-time platinum breakthrough album, “New Miserable Experience,” containing gems like “Until I Fall Away,” “Found Out About You,” “Hey Jealousy” and “Allison Road.”Those hit tracks were followed by the Empire Records platinum soundtrack hit, “Til I Hear It From You.”
In 1996, the singles “Follow You Down” and “As Long As It Matters” hit the radio again in a huge way, making their “Congratulations I’m Sorry” record another platinum success. Their latest release, 2018’s “Mixed Reality,” shares that same timeless feel, packed with 15 songs.
Kid Quill’s sound is a hybrid of hip-hop, pop and alternative. He has grown a core fan base from touring throughout the early stages of his career. Over recent years, he’s performed at festivals such as Firefly, Electric Forest, Breakaway and Lollapalooza, where he broke the record for highest attendance at the BMI Stage.
As an independent artist, Kid Quill has amassed more than 200 million streams, became a global ambassador for the Indiana Pacers and was selected for Soundcloud’s First On Soundcloud Class of 2021. He will release new music leading up to his highly anticipated upcoming album scheduled for spring 2024.
Miller Lite Carb Day general admission tickets start at just $45. A limited number of concert pit package upgrades that include general admission are available for $75. A very limited supply of exclusive VIP platform tickets also is available for $275, including concert pit access, snacks, two complimentary drinks and dedicated bars.
Ticket prices will increase as the concert draws closer, so fans are encouraged to buy now.
The 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 26. Tickets are on sale at IMS.com or by calling or visiting the IMS Ticket Office.

 

Iconic Blue Envelopes Containing Indy 500 Tickets Mailed to Fans across Globe

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One of the three best days of the year!

From IMS:

  INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, March 12, 2024) – Indianapolis 500 fans will watch their mailboxes after the highly anticipated blue envelopes featuring Race Day tickets were mailed Tuesday, March 12 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office.
AJ Foyt Racing’s Sting Ray Robb and Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist (photo, left, right, with IMS President J. Douglas Boles) were on hand to assist with the initial mailing, which included shipments to all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and 36 countries around the world as race fans eagerly await the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26.
“This is really cool,” Robb said. “It’s the start of what we dream about during our offseason, and it feels like it’s becoming real as we approach the Month of May.
“It’s really cool to see physical tickets still going out to the fans because you see people who have been coming to the track for 50, 60, 70 years for the ‘500,’ and they probably still have some of those tickets laying around. We’re continuing that history here today.”
Rosenqvist and Robb also took time to write notes and signatures on a few envelopes, with Rosenqvist’s special messages going to ticket buyers from his native Sweden.
“It’s cool to give a little message to some select fans back home,” Rosenqvist said. “It gives you a perspective of what we are doing. It’s so cool that people are coming from all around the world to watch this race. It means so much to me. I actually live here in Indy now, and the Indy 500 is both the greatest race in the world and my home race, but the fact that people are coming from my home country to watch, it gives you an idea how big it is.”
It takes approximately nine weeks to package all pre-ordered tickets for mailing, from orders the day after the previous year’s race up to current orders. Hard work from employees in the Ticket Office and other Penske Entertainment Corp. departments ensures the ticketing process runs smoothly and on schedule
.A few facts and figures about this year’s initial ticket mailing:
Number of tickets sent: More than 190,000 items (includes 160,000 Indy 500 Race Day tickets, parking, qualification and practice tickets, concert tickets, etc.)
Number of blue envelopes sent: More than 26,000
Number of U.S. Postal Service trays to accommodate envelopes: More than 580
Weight of all ticket envelopes and trays in first mailing: More than 5,300 pounds
Hours needed to fill envelopes by hand: More than 800 person-hours.
Number of working days to package envelopes: 48
Number of Penske Entertainment employees who fill envelopes: 48
Number of states distributed: 50
Number of countries distributed: 36 (including United States)Federal postal inspectors came to IMS with a large truck for the first mailing.
Robb and Rosenqvist joined several IMS employees in helping to load the trucks.
Receiving an eagerly awaited blue envelope in the mail is a rite of spring for thousands of fans of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” But why are the envelopes blue?
In the 1970s, Indianapolis 500 tickets were mailed in brown envelopes with the IMS return address in the upper left corner. In the 1980s, a heavier-stock, gray-colored envelope was introduced to mail the tickets, with just the IMS Post Office box number in the upper left corner. A computerized printer also was used for the first time in the 1980s to print ticket customers’ name and address on each envelope.
When the NASCAR Cup Series was added to the IMS schedule in 1994, the Ticket Office needed a way to distinguish between the envelopes containing tickets for the Indianapolis 500 and the annual NASCAR race, especially if the Postal Service returned the envelope as non-deliverable.
So, the IMS Ticket Office decided to color-code the ticket envelopes for each event. Indianapolis 500 ticket envelopes became blue, Brickyard Weekend envelopes became purple, GMR Grand Prix envelopes became green, and ticket envelopes for other IMS events use a variety of colors, including red, cream, gray and yellow.
Tickets for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26, the Sonsio Grand Prix on Saturday, May 11 and all other Month of May events are available at IMS.com/Tickets or via the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700. 

Requiem

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In memory of Steve Chicoine, who took life’s checkered flag in January. 2024.

At 12:30 last Friday afternoon a wall of bricks crushed me. I noticed my friend Brian, a photographer, in the media center at St. Petersburg. We hadn’t seen each other since Iast season. I walked over to his desk to say hello. The wall began shifting.

“You got my email about Steve?” he asked.

“No, what about him?” I had just talked to two other mutual friends about him who told he was coming to Indy for the 500.

“He passed away,” Brian said, and the wall tumbled on me.

Brian showed me the email he thought he had sent me the Sunday before. I never received it. A check through my inbox didn’t show it.

I Googled Steve’s obituary. The rest of the afternoon I felt like I was watching everything from afar. I was there but detached from everything. There was work to do, and it got completed in a perfunctory manner.

Indycar regular fans may know he is. He always wore a white hat and white shirt with tan or white slacks.

I first met Steve here in St. Pete in 2013. I can’t recall how we started talking, but we recognized ourselves in each other- two IndyCar nerds hanging out together. A walk out to the spot where we met, on the plaza in front of the Dali Museum, cleared my head a bit.

Steve was a regular at St. Pete and Indianapolis. Occasionally he would go to Detroit after the 500 and then go to other nearby races if his schedule allowed before going home to New Hampshire.

After he graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Steve served in the Army for two years, then worked as an animal inspector for the US Department of Agriculture.

Steve went to every race on the schedule one season, something I tried to do a couple of years ago.

There are two stories we always laughed about. Before the race one year in St. Pete, we were standing in the empty paddock in front of Bobby Rahal’s team tent. Fans were walking by heading to their seats.

“Bobby! I’m a big fan! Nice to meet you!” He shook Steve’s hand and walked away smiling.

We looked at each and then burst out laughing. As you can see from the photo, Steve looks nothing like the bald heavy Bobby Rahal.

In Detroit one year, I was invited to wave the green flag to start qualifying. I’m up in the starter’s stand, green flag in hand, and someone shouts from the grandstand behind me.

“What the heck are doing up there?’

I turned around to see Steve, smiling.

I will miss Steve, and the races may be a little less fun for a while. But I know he is at peace.

Heck, he gets to watch his favorite, Ted Horn, Vuky, Justin, and Dan race on that big track in the sky.

Newgarden Unveils Vivid 108th Indianapolis 500 Ticket

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NDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024) – Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Josef Newgarden paid homage to one of Team Penske’s sponsors – Shell – when he unveiled the ticket for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Thursday, Feb. 29 in Indianapolis.

Newgarden earned his first victory in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” last May in the No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Team Penske Chevrolet, and one of the many honors bestowed upon the winner is unveiling the ticket for the next year’s race.

Featuring the winning driver on the next year’s “500” ticket dates to Mauri Rose’s appearance in 1948. Nashville native Newgarden dropped the cover from a billboard-sized version of the colorful ticket, affixed to the side of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis parking garage and viewable from the parking lot of the adjacent Shell gas station.

Designed in house by Senior Art Director Mandy Walsh, the ticket features a photo of Newgarden jumping from the car on the famous Yard of Bricks last May 26 before he climbed through the fence to join fans in the grandstands. In addition to honoring Shell with the location of the ticket unveil, Newgarden shared Shell gift cards with the first 108 fans as a continuation of his fan-focused celebrations.

“My initial reaction seeing the ticket is how special it is,” Newgarden said. “It reminds me of right at the end of the race and the moment I was able to have with the crowd. To me, that was almost more significant than winning the race itself – was having the opportunity to celebrate with everyone who comes to the Indy 500.

“The ‘500’ is so much bigger than just me – it’s everybody who makes it out. There are generations upon generations who have been going to that race and have made it so historic. That’s what this ticket signifies. It’s that celebration with the community and what makes the Indy 500. It’s different than what you normally see. People are used to seeing Victory Lane. This is seeing the event for what it is and the significance and honor of being able to be there.”

Newgarden will defend his Indianapolis 500 victory Sunday, May 26 in the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with live coverage starting at 11 a.m. ET on NBC, Peacock and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Tickets for the Indy 500 and all Month of May activities are on sale at IMS.com, by calling the IMS Ticket Office at 317-492-6700 or by visiting the ticket office.

The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season starts Sunday, March 10 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding in St. Petersburg, Florida (live, noon ET, NBC, Peacock, INDYCAR Radio Network). 

A better view:

Indycar Slays the Dragon

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The weaving, bobbing moves down the front stretch in the final laps of the Indianapolis 500 are gone, banished yesterday i a ruling by Indycar. The Dragon, which started in 2019 with Simon Pagenaud trying to break the draft and maintain his lead over Alexander Rossi, reached a ridiculous extreme in 2023 when Josef Newgarden used the pit entry lane to fend off Marcus Ericsson. Ericsson followed Newgarden into the area below the pit line.

Newgarden came close to the attenuator, the outer end cap to the pit wall. In the past, the attenuator has caused massive crashes. Kevin Cogan in 1989 hit the attenuator head on and his car split in two, with the engine sliding down pit lane. In 2020, Oliver Askew hit the end of pit wall late in the race, causing an extensive debris field. Askew got a concussion as a result of the impact.

In 2024, drivers will not be allowed to go below the pit line exiting turn 4. I think this is a good move by Indycar. It should force drivers to conform more to the one defensive move rule.

The series did not address the cause of the chaotic ending to last year’s race, which was the excessive use of the red flag. In their desperation to have a green flag finish, race control threw three red flags. Chaos reigned on the restarts as drivers weren’t sure how many more chances they would have to improve their position. I understand that a ruling is coming that will designate the last lap on which a red flag may be used, barring safety concerns. I hope it is around lap 180.

Safety Improvements

IMS has made several physical improvements to track safety, installing more SAFER barriers and refreshing the existing foam walls.

Inside turn 1,700 feet of catch fence has been added behind the wall, and 800 feet of new SAFER barrier is in turn 4,

In the north short chute, 85 feet of the foam wall replaces a guardrail.

Around the entire track, new SAFER wall has replaced all the preexisting barriers.

Sato Returns to RLL for the 500

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From Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing:

ZIONSVILLE, Ind. (February 15, 2024) – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, Takuma Sato, will return to the team for the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500. AMADA AMERICA, Inc. a leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry, will be the primary sponsor for 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 winner Sato’s No. 75 Honda-powered entry in the May 26 event.

Sato competed for RLL in 2012 and from 2018-2021. He has earned six NTT INDYCAR SERIES wins, four of which have come with RLL, including the team’s second Indy 500 win in 2020. Most recently, Sato competed in oval races with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2023. The 2024 Indy 500 will mark his 15th time to participate in the Indianapolis 500 and sixth with RLL.

AMADA was the primary sponsor of the team’s No. 30 entry at the Children’s of Alabama Indy Grand Prix at Barber Motorsports Park on April 30, 2023 and this will be their first time to participate in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” They will also be a major associate sponsor of the No. 30 entry driven by Pietro Fittipaldi for the 2024 Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, near their Buena Park, Calif. headquarters.

Sato, a native of Tokyo, Japan, has made 220 starts in the INDYCAR SERIES since his rookie season in 2010, which is sixth among active drivers and 22nd all-time. His Indy car highlights include wins in the 2017 and 2020 Indianapolis 500, 2013 Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, 2018 Portland Grand Prix, 2019 Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama and Bommarito 500 at WWT Raceway, with four of the six coming with RLL. Of his 14 podium finishes to date, 10 have come with RLL as have three of his 10 Indy car poles. Prior to joining the INDYCAR SERIES, he competed in 90 Formula One races between 2002-2008 with his highest finish of third at the 2004 United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opens Sunday, March 10 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida, for the 20th Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. North America’s premier open-wheel series will crisscross the United States, including a stop for the 108th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 26, before culminating in Nashville for the championship finale Sunday, Sept. 15. All on-track action can be seen on NBC or NBC’s Peacock Premium streaming service or USA Network. For more information about the series or team, visit http://www.indycar.com and http://www.rahal.com.

About AMADA AMERICA, Inc.
AMADA AMERICA, INC. is headquartered in Buena Park, California. AMADA is the leading global machine tool manufacturer and supplier in the sheet metal industry. The AMADA brand represents Quality, Service, and Sustainability. AMADA machine tools consistently set global standards for performance and reliability. Each year, AMADA continues to develop and perfect innovative sheet metal manufacturing solutions with the objective of maximizing our customers’ productivity.

About Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, based in Zionsville, Ind., is co-owned by three-time IndyCar Champion and 1986 Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Rahal, former CBS Late Show host David Letterman and Mi-Jack co-owner Mike Lanigan. In 2024, the team will compete in its 33rd year of competition and will attempt to add to its 30 Indy car wins – including the 2004 Indy 500 from pole with Buddy Rice and the 2020 Indy 500 with Takuma Sato — their 37 poles, 111 podium finishes and 1992 series championship. The team also competed in the American Le Mans Series from 2009-2013 as BMW Team RLL where they won both the Manufacturer and Team Championships in the GT category in 2010 and swept all three GT titles in 2011 – Manufacturer, Team and Driver. In 2012, the team finished second in the Team Championship and third in the Manufacturer Championship and in 2013, the team finished second in the Driver, Team and Manufacturer Championship. From 2014 to 2021, BMW Team RLL competed in the GTLM class of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a two-car program. In 2022, BMW M Team RLL competed in the GTD PRO class in IMSA while simultaneously ramping up for a two-car program in the much-anticipated GTP class in IMSA for 2023. In total, the team has earned 23 wins – including the 2019 and 2020 Rolex 24 at Daytona endurance races, 30 poles and 101 podium finishes prior to the start of the 2024 season. BMW M Team RLL highlights also include second-place finishes in the Manufacturer, Team and Driver championships in 2015 and 2017 and being named the 2020 Michelin North American Endurance Champions.

QUOTEBOARD

TAKUMA SATO, Driver of the No. 75 AMADA Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I’m absolutely thrilled to make my return to the 108th Indy 500 with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. A heartfelt thank you to Bobby, Mike, and David and the entire organization for this incredible opportunity. Gratitude overflows as I am driving the No. 75 entry with primary sponsorship from AMADA. My journey with RLL spans over a decade marked by shared successes and rejoining the team fills me with immense excitement. Here’s to reconnecting with familiar faces and forging new alliances. I just can’t wait to get to work.”

STEPHEN KEATING, EVP of Sales & Key Accounts, AMADA: “We are incredibly excited to partner with the renowned Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing team at the 108th running of the Indy 500! Our partnership signifies a joint commitment to engineering excellence and innovation. We eagerly anticipate that this iconic race will demonstrate the strong collaboration between our two technology-driven organizations.”

BOBBY RAHAL, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “We’re very pleased to welcome back Takuma to the team. We obviously had a great deal of success together and as I’ve said many times, Takuma’s spirit is something that motivates not only me and the entire team, but also his fans. We’re looking forward to his contributions and having a successful Indy 500.
“We were actively looking for a machine tool company a few years ago that could give us a competitive advantage, and we got to know AMADA and learn more about the tremendous machines and the technology services they provide. And, of course, our facility is a showcase for some of their technology in our production area. After having them with us as a primary sponsor in 2023, we’re thrilled that the relationship continues to grow. I can’t imagine a better match than AMADA, Takuma and our team.”

MIKE LANIGAN, Co-Owner of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: “It’s exciting to have Takuma return to the team for the Indianapolis 500. As he has shown, he knows how to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and his experience will add value to our overall program. It’s also particularly exciting to have a globally-recognized company like AMADA join us in this program after first working together in 2023.”

The First Signs of Spring

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The 2024 Indycar season takes another step forward this week. On Thursday the track build officially begins in St. Pete for the March 10 season opener. I continue to be amazed at how quickly the track is built and then torn down after the race. I will be on site to cover the event.

Another good sign last week was the Arrow McLaren livery presentations of their three 2024 cars.

The cars of Alexander Rossi, David Malukas, and Pato O’Ward

I like Rossi’s car the best. It has the throwback feel of the Marlboro McLaren F1 car. The white trim gives it a clean look.

Malukas’s car is too similar to Scott Dixon’s machine. It seems like all Indycar teams have to employ a certain combination each year, and we see a field full of nearly identical themes.

Pato’s car does not look different from the car he has run the last couple of years. i assume this a brand mandate, I don’t dislike it, I was just hoping for something a bit bolder.

Bumping At the 500

The entry list for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 could end up at 35 or 36.

In addition to the 27 full time teams, Andretti will field a car for Marco Andretti, and Arrow Mclaren is adding Kyle Larson. Ed Carpenter Racing brings in a third car for Christian Rasmussen. Abel Motorsports should return with R C Enerson. Dreyer and Reinbold with Don Cusick has announced Ryan Hunter-Reay and Conor Daly.

There is talk that Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will have an entry for two-time 500 winner Takuma Sato.

A. J. Foyt Racing will decide by the end of February if they will run a third car for the 500, which would put the field at 35. There may be one other entry.

We won’t have to worry about guaranteed spots in 2024.

IMS Solar Eclipse Event Features Astronauts and Racers

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Indianapolis Motor Speedway will be one of three official NASA sites for the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse. The Speedway has an extensive program planned,

STEM education, simulations, and an accommodation for the visually impaired are all part of the day’s activities. There will be two locations for people to set up their telescopes.

In a press briefing this afternoon, IMS president Doug Boles outlined the program, which will be supervised by Purdue University.

Ed Carpenter will run a few laps at 1 pm, just before the eclipse begins.

There will be an autograph session featuring astronauts and race drivers.

Boles said that more than 10,000 tickets have been sold, and that he expects about 25,000 to be in attendance. Tickets are $15, and kids 18 and under are free.

The eclipse begins at 1:50 pm EDT, and totality occurs from 3:06-3:09 pm. IMS will hand out special viewing glasses to all attendees.

The full schedule can be found at ims.com.