Some photos from this morning.
Photo Gallery
Tag: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Saturday at IMS: IMSA Qualifies; Michelin Pilot Races into the Night
Today’s Schedule All times Eastern
7:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.: Public gates open
8-8:15 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 1
8:20-8:35 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 2
8:55-10:25 a.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Practice 2 (GTD/LMP3/LMP2)
9:10-10:40 a.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Practice 2 (GTD PRO/GTP)
11-11:15 a.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge Qualifying (TCR)
11:20-11:35 a.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge Qualifying (GS)
11:50 a.m.-12:40 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 1 (50 minutes)
1-1:15 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Qualifying (GTD/GTD PRO)
1:25-1:40 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Qualifying (LMP2/LMP3)
1:50-2:10 p.m.: IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship Qualifying (GTP)
2:30-3:10 p.m.: Porsche Carrera Cup Race 1 (40 minutes)
3:30-4:10 p.m.: Michelin Pilot Challenge Pre-Race (Open Grid/Fan Walk)
4:30-8:30 p.m.: Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 for the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge (Four hours)
Fans at IMS get their first look at IMSA qualifying today. The five classes split into three groups-the two GTD classes, LMP2 and LMP 3, and GTP. The first two groups have 15 minutes each, and the GTP has 20 minutes. That is it. No knockout qualifying, just the fastest time .
I plan to explore the IMS merchandise shop today. I had just a brief look yesterday. IMSA also has a merchandise tent in the infield. I am having technical difficulties posting photos to my blog. I may just have to a separate post with just photos.
The day ends with a four hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race. The series qualifies this morning, each class getting 15 minutes on track. The Michelin Pilot Challenge also runs a four hour race at Daytona the day before the Rolex 24 hours.
I’ll be back after qualifying.
Here are a couple photos from yesterday.
Porsche Leads Practice 1
Matt Campbell and Porsche picked up where he left off in summer testing at IMS, driving the number 7 Team Penske Porsche to the top speed in in IMSA Weather Tech’s first practice session. His fast lap was 1:14.184. Porsche was very strong in the test at IMS.
Jack Hawksworth led the GTD Pro class in a Vasser Sullivan Lexus with a lap of 1:23.636. Hawksworth has driven this course when he competed in the Indycar series.
The other class leaders:
LMP2-Mikkel Jensen TDS Racing Oreca 1:17.231
LMP3-Garrett Grist JrIII Racing Ligier 1:20.737
GTD Patrick Gallagher Turner Motorsport BMW 1:24.019
The serioes has one more practice beginning at 8:55 tomorrow morning before qualifying starts at 1 pm.
Notes
Attendance was decent for a Friday in September. I have not heard any word on ticket sales, but I think the weekend will see a good crowd. The weather was just perfect for racing today and it is expected to continue the rest of the weekend.
The pit configuration is similar to Formula 1. The temporary grandstands behind the pits are not in place. IMSA teams have a lot of equipment. The walkway behind the pits is very tight.
Shortly after my last post in which I said I did not see anyone I knew, I did something about it. I went back to Pagoda Plaza and found two people I recognized from Twitter, @Indynathan and @GasolineAly. We talked for awhile and visited the Toronto Motorsports trailer. problem solved.
By the way Toronto Motorsports has an amazing diecast inventory of classic sports cars. If you come to IMS this weekend, check them out.
This will do it for me for today. Michelin Pilot Challenge has a practice at 7:15 this evening. I’m excited to see how this track performs at night. No lights have been added to the track.
Stranger in a Familiar Land
WE are about two hours from the first IMSA Weather Tech practice. Michelin Pilot Challenge just concluded their first practice session. Porsche Carrera Cup is getting set for their second round on track.
As I walked through the plaza and through the garage area, something felt odd. I realized I had not seen anyone that I knew. So far it is a new group of fans here. I’m sure Indycar fans will be here the rest of the weekend, but what a strange feeling to walk around the place I’ve been coming to multiple times for more than 50 years and not see one person that I recognized.
From earlier:
IMSA-Sports Cars Return to IMS
IMSA- Sports Cars Return to IMS
In the just completed Michelin Pilot Challenge practice round, Robert Wickens finished third in class, 0.14 seconds off the leader.
Here is a photo of the coolest looking car in the field.
I will be back after IMSA Weather Tech Practice.
IMSA Features Unique, Class-Based Challenge of ‘Race within a Race’
From IMS. This is a better explanation than I could give. I will have my preview later today.
| INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023) – Sports car racing returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks on Sept. 15-17, with the unique, “race within a race” format of class racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge series. Just one type of race car competes either on the 2.5-mile oval or the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at the Racing Capital of the World during NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. The length of those series’ races also is measured by laps. IMSA is different. Five different classes of cars will race simultaneously when the featured WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race starts at 1:10 p.m. ET Sunday on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course. And the race is not measured by laps; it’s measured by time – two hours and 40 minutes, in this case. Drivers from all over the world compete for overall victory but also for first place within their respective class. That unique format always keeps the racing interesting, and the varying speeds of the five classes of machines creates intense racing within classes and plenty of traffic for the fastest classes to navigate for most of the race. The five classes of cars in the series are comprised of two styles of cars – prototype, which showcases the latest automotive technology and are designed uniquely for the racetrack; and GT, based on road-going production models. So, let’s take a look at the five classes of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: Grand Touring Prototype (GTP): The newest and most technologically advanced Prototype race car debuted in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship this season, featuring a common hybrid powertrain for all entries that takes kinetic energy gained in braking and stores it in batteries for later use when needed. Four global automotive manufacturers – Acura, BMW, Cadillac and Porsche – are entered in the class. Each manufacturer developed its unique internal combustion engine and bodywork styling. Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2): The Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2) is a closed-cockpit car developed by four approved constructors. In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, LMP2 cars are eligible to compete in other global series such as the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans. Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3): The Le Mans Prototype 3 (LMP3) is an entry-level closed-cockpit car developed by four approved constructors. In addition to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, LMP3 cars are also eligible to compete in the IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge – one of IMSA’s driver development series – as well as other international series such as the European Le Mans Series (ELMS). GT Daytona Pro (GTD PRO): GTD PRO, which debuted in 2022, includes race cars built to FIA GT3 technical regulations and offers the opportunity for factory teams and driver lineups to compete in the class. Manufacturers competing in this class in 2023 include Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. GT Daytona (GTD): The GT Daytona cars are enhanced – not defined by – technology and use the global FIA GT3 specification. The GTD class consists of cars from leading manufacturers such as Acura, Aston Martin, BMW, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lexus, McLaren, Mercedes-AMG and Porsche. The Michelin Pilot Challenge also is racing this weekend at IMS. That series also features a “race within a race,” but with just two classes of production-based sports cars and touring cars. There will be two unique aspects of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 race Saturday at IMS. First, it’s the longest race of the weekend – four hours. Second, since the race starts at 4:30 p.m. ET, it will finish at 8:30 p.m. under the cloak of darkness with the cars’ headlights illuminating the track. That doesn’t happen with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES or NASCAR. A look at the two classes :Grand Sport (GS): The Grand Sport class consists of SRO GT4-homologated cars with engines tuned to produce between 400 and 450 horsepower. Competition is equalized by adjustments to fuel-tank capacities, ride height, power and weight. Eligible cars include the Aston Martin Vantage GT4, Audi R8 GT4, BMW M4 GT4, Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R, Ford Mustang GT4, McLaren 570S GT4, Mercedes-AMG GT GT4, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport and Toyota Supra GT4. Touring Car (TCR): The Touring Car class consists of WSC TCR-homologated cars with engines tuned to produce between 300 and 350 horsepower. Competition is equalized by adjustments to fuel-tank capacities, ride height, power and weight. Eligible cars include the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce TCR, Audi RS3 LMS DSG, Audi RS3 LMS SEQ, Honda Civic FK7 TCR, Hyundai Elantra N TCR and Hyundai Veloster N TCR. This exciting event weekend also will feature two single-make series in which competitors race the same brand of car, placing the skill of the driver in the spotlight. The Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America features a 50-minute race at 11:50 a.m. Saturday and another 50-minute event at 10:40 a.m. Sunday. Drivers compete in machines from the exotic Italian marque. Porsche enthusiasts also can see the evocative German machines compete in identical 911 GT3 Cup race cars in two Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup North America races this weekend. Both races are 40 minutes each. Race 1 is at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, with Race 2 at 9:40 a.m. Sunday.Tickets and information for the TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks are available at IMS.com. TIRERACK.COM BATTLE ON THE BRICKS SCHEDULE Friday, Sept. 151 0-10:30 a.m.: Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Practice 110:45-11:30 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Practice 1 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 1 1:45-2:25 p.m.: Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Practice 2 2:40-4:10 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Practice 1 (all classes) 4:30-5:15 p.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Practice 2 5:30-6 p.m.: Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Qualifying 7:15-8:30 p.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Practice 2 Saturday, Sept. 16 8-8:15 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 18:20-8:35 a.m.: Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Qualifying 28:55-10:25 a.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Practice 1 (GTD, LMP2, LMP3) 9:10-10:40 a.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Practice 1 (GTP, GTD PRO) 11-11:15 a.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Qualifying (TCR) 11:20-11:35 a.m. Michelin Pilot Challenge Qualifying (GS) 11:50 a.m.-12:40 p.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 11-1:15 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (GTD PRO, GTD) 1:25-1:40 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (LMP2, LMP3) 1:50-2:10 p.m. WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Qualifying (GTP) 2:30-3:10 p.m. Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Race 1 4:30-8:30 p.m. Indianapolis Motor Speedway 240 Michelin Pilot Challenge Race Sunday, Sept. 17 9:40-10:20 a.m. Porsche Deluxe Carrera Cup Race 2 10:40-11:30 a.m. Lamborghini Super Trofeo North America Race 2 1:10-3:50 p.m. TireRack.com Battle on the Bricks WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Race |
Battle on the Bricks Weekend Schedule
Sportscar racing returns to IMS for the first time in 9 years this weekend as IMSA brings the Weather Tech Championship a three other series to the speedway. Here is an early look at the schedule:
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT-INDYCAR Fans Can Celebrate Season Champs Sept. 21 at IMS
From Indycar:
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, Sept. 1, 2023) – INDYCAR fans can participate in the salute of 2023 season champions in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone at the INDYCAR Victory Lap Celebration on Thursday, Sept. 21 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Doors open for the event, hosted by NBC NTT INDYCAR SERIES announcer Leigh Diffey, at 7 p.m. ET at the Gallagher Pavilion in the Pagoda Plaza at IMS. Fans can register for free tickets at www.indycar.com/victorylap. Quantities are limited, so fans are encouraged to register promptly.
Awards will be presented to the 2023 champions in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone during the program that starts at 7:30 p.m. Drivers finishing second through fifth in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings and the 2023 Rookie of the Year also will attend and be honored. The Manufacturers Championship trophy also will be presented.
Both series have two race weekends remaining, Sept. 1-3 at Portland International Raceway in Portland, Oregon, and Sept. 8-10 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, California.
500 Veteran Mickey Rupp, 87
| INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023) – Mickey Rupp, who started the 1965 Indianapolis 500 but gained even more acclaim as a recreational vehicle and sport fishing equipment entrepreneur, died Aug. 20. He was 87. Rupp, a native of Mansfield, Ohio, qualified 15th and finished sixth in the No. 81 G.C. Murphy Gerhardt/Offy rear-engine car in 1965. He passed his rookie test in a front-engine Chapman Special Offy roadster that year before moving to the rear-engine car for practice, qualifying and the race. That sixth-place performance would have earned Rookie of the Year honors in many editions of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” but the 1965 rookie class was arguably the strongest in “500” history. Mario Andretti finished third and Gordon Johncock fifth ahead of Rupp. Future “500” legend Al Unser and future Indy pole winner and USAC national champion Joe Leonard were among the eight other rookies in the field that year who finished behind Rupp. Rupp’s INDYCAR SERIES driving career was quite short, with just five starts overall in 1964 and 1965. But he finished in the top 10 in three of those five races, with a best result of fifth at Milwaukee a week after he finished sixth at Indianapolis.His commitment and responsibilities to his growing recreational vehicle empire pulled Rupp from the driver’s seat. Rupp started building kart kits in his basement in the late 1950s and then began manufacturing his designs that included such innovations as step frames, improved braking systems and eventually four-wheel independent suspension. His Dart Karts immediately became very popular and were produced through the late 1960s, and his brother-in-law – legendary Indianapolis 500 chassis designer A.J. Watson – appeared in a magazine ad for the 1959 Dart Kart.His company, Rupp Manufacturing (which was renamed Rupp Industries), also produced popular mini-bikes, snowmobiles and off-road vehicles distinguishable by their performance and bright red color schemes.Dart Kart also gained marketplace recognition due to racing sponsorships in the early 1960s, including a USAC sprint car owned by Watson and driven by A.J. Foyt in 1960 and the car that Don Davis drove in the 1961 Indianapolis 500.Rupp Manufacturing reached new heights in 1963 and 1964 when its karts and minibikes were supplied to Sears, which successfully sold them through the company’s widely circulated Sears Catalog.Rupp sold Rupp Industries in the late 1970s and turned his design and entrepreneurial skills to the water. An avid sport fisherman, Rupp designed and manufactured an outrigger system that also gained rapid popularity.Rupp Marine Inc. was formed in 1980 as demand grew for Rupp’s outrigger designs, and the company still produces sport fishing hardware sold globally from its base in Stuart, Florida. |
Bill Vukovich II- End of the Line for a Legendary Name
We have lost another legendary family. Bill Vukovich II, son of the 1953 and 1954 Indianapolis 500 winner, died last night at the age of 79. He was the last of the Vukovich family.
His father, Bill Vukovich, was my first racing hero, and I was excited when Bill Junior came to the Speedway in 1968. He had big shoes to fill, and he did well.
Bill, Junior was only 10 years old when his father died. I wonder how much better a driver he might have been if he could have learned from Bill, Senior.
Vukovich won Rookie of the Year honors in 1968 with a seventh-place finish. In 1973 and 1974 he finished second and third in the 500, and earned three top 5s and six top 10s in his Indianapolis career.
Vukovich finished second in points in the 1972 USAC season. He split his time between USAC and THE ppg series later in his career.
Vukovich endured the worst of racing. His father, Bill, died in an accident while leading the 1955 Indianapolis 500, and his son, Billy III, died in a practice accident in a midget in Bakersfield, California.
With the help of IMS next May, we can say a proper farewell to the Vukovich family. The 108th running of the 500 will be the 70th anniversary of the senior Vukovich’s second straight victory. I hope management can fit in a tribute to one of the Speedway’s legendary names.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 