Tag: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Gallagher Grand Prix Race Preview

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Today’s Indycar Schedule: All Times Eastern

Gates Open 8:30 AM

9:30 AM – 11:00 AM ET Practice 1 Peacock

1:00 PM – 2:15 PM ET Qualifying Peacock

NASCAR practices run in between the Indycar sessions.

Indycar once again gets to be a guest in their own house. The Gallagher Grand Prix, a part of Brickyard Weekend, is somewhat a leftover from the pandemic years when Indycar scrambled to build a schedule.

There are just four on track sessions for the series, which completes its entire program around 2:30 tomorrow afternoon.

The IMS road course has been dominated by Team Penske drivers, who have have won eight times on this layout. Will power leads the way with five, including his victory in the 2021 race on this weekend. He is the heavy favorite again.

The NTT Indycar Series has had great momentum this season with really good racing and improved attendance at most tracks. I hope the off track drama involving Alex Palou and his Chip Ganassi Racing Team, and to some extent McLaren, can be shoved completely out of the way for a couple days.

I think that may be hard, as all eyes will be on Palou’s performance and the team’s strategy. Palou has finished sixth, sixth, and 13th in his last three races and is 44 points behind leader Marcus Ericsson.

A Change at the Top?

Will Power trails Ericsson by just eight points and he has a good chance to retake the top spot tomorrow. In May, Power finished third and Ericsson fourth in the GMR Grand Prix. Power also won the pole for that race.

Will Power can take the points lead at a track where he has dominated

The results in May gave Power the points lead, which Ericsson took over two weeks later by winning the Indianapolis 500. How ironic should Power take the lead for the second time at the same track.

Will Newgarden Race?

Late Thursday afternoon, the Indycar medical staff cleared Josef Newgarden to drive in this morning’s practice only. He will undergo another evaluation afterwards to determine if his weekend can continue.

Newgarden is third in points, 34 points behind. Missing a race would be a severe blow to his title chances, but the health and safety of the drivers has to take priority here.

Rookie Battle Tightening

Christian Lundgaard’s DNF Sunday and David Malukas’ eighth place finish shrunk Lundgaard’s lead to just four points in the rookie standings. I think Malukas will take the lead after tomorrow’s race. He has matured quickly after a difficult start to the season.

Consistency from AMSP?

Pato O’Ward had a win and a second place last weekend. Felix Rosenqvist finished seventh Sunday after crashing out of Race 1 at Iowa. The team has had difficulty stringing successful weekends together. If O’Ward is to make a run at the title, a series of strong results is imperative.

Notes

I think this is Power’s race to lose. The end of the season is setting up with some intramural team battles. Team Penske has Power and Newgarden , Ganassi has Ericsson, Scott Dixon, and Palou is still in the mix.

Tomorrow will be Alexander Rossi’s last race for Andretti Autosport at IMS. It’s sad to see his time at the team end on such a sour note. Rossi won the Indianapolis 500 as a rookie in 2016 with Andretti.

IMS has scheduled a major announcement at 11 AM this morning in the Dex Imaging Media Center. I suspect a new series is coming to the track in 2023.

Gallagher Grand Prix Fast Facts

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Race weekend: Friday, July 29 – Saturday, July 30Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise)
Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES 85 laps / 207.3 miles
Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation.
Firestone tire allotment: Five sets primary, four sets alternate (Note: A sixth set of primary tires is available to any car fielding a rookie driver.)Twitter: @IMS @INDYCAR, #GallagherGP, #IndyCar
Event website: www.ims.com
NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com
2021 race winner: Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet)
2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet), 1:10.7114, 124.167 mph
Qualifying lap record: Will Power, 1:07.7044, 129.687 mph, May 12, 2017 (Set in Round 3 of knockout qualifying)
NBC Sports race telecast: Noon ET Saturday, July 30, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe.
Peacock Premium Live Streaming: All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice sessions and qualifying will stream live on Peacock Premium, NBC’s direct-to-consumer livestreaming product. and NBC’s Gallagher Grand Prix race telecast will be simulcast on the streaming service, while Peacock Premium’s exclusive post-race show – featuring driver interviews, podium ceremonies and post-race analysis – will be streamed following the race.
INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the anchor alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Chris Denari, Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn, Brad Gillie and Brett McMillan are the pit reporters. The Gallagher Grand Prix race (noon ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates (race only), SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.
At-track schedule (all times local):
FRIDAY, JULY 29 (All times are local)
9:30-11 a.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (90 minutes), Peacock Premium
1 p.m.: Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock Premium(Live)
SATURDAY, JULY 30
8:15-8:45 a.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock Premium
Noon:
NBC on air12:23 p.m.: “Drivers, start your engines”
12:30 p.m.: Gallagher Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC (Live)
NTT INDYCAR SERIES Championship facts:
Marcus Ericsson leads the NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship with five races to go for the first time in his INDYCAR SERIES career. Ericsson, who took the points lead at Road America in June, has led the point standings after six of the 12 races this season.
Since the first INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, the winning driver has won the INDYCAR SERIES championship twice: Simon Pagenaud in 2016 and Scott Dixon (2020-Race 1).
Key championship point statistic: Since 2008, the championship leader with five races to go has gone on to win the championship eight times. Those drivers were: Scott Dixon (2008, 2018 and 2020), Dario Franchitti (2011), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2012), Simon Pagenaud (2016), Josef Newgarden (2019) and Alex Palou (2021).
Point differential: The eight points that separate Marcus Ericsson and Will Power is tied — with the 2009 season – for the second-closest point margin with five races remaining since INDYCAR SERIES racing was unified in 2008. Before this season, the average lead with five races to go since 2008 was 43.7 points.

Six drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All are entered this year.
Team Penske has eight wins on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020-Race 2, 2020-Race 3, 2021-Race 2). Andretti Autosport, Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP are the only other teams to win at the track. Andretti Autosport won the GMR Grand Prix with Colton Herta in May, while Ed Carpenter Racing won in 2021-Race 1 with Rinus VeeKay. Chip Ganassi Racing won with Scott Dixon in 2020-Race 1, and Arrow McLaren SP won the inaugural race in 2014 with Simon Pagenaud when it was known as Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Five NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas – are entered. All five raced in the GMR Grand Prix in May.
Milestones: Helio Castroneves will attempt to make his 370th INDYCAR SERIES start, which would break a tie with A. J. Foyt and give him sole possession of third on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time starts list … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 301st consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history … With his next win, Dixon will break a tie with Mario Andretti and take sole possession of second on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list with 53 wins … With his next pole position, Will Power will tie Mario Andretti for the INDYCAR SERIES record for most career poles with 67 … With his next win, Power will tie Michael Andretti for fourth on the INDYCAR SERIES all-time victory list.
 

Cornelison To Sing National Anthem at IMS for First Time at Brickyard Weekend 

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From IMS:


 INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, July 19, 2022) – Jim Cornelison, best known for singing “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” before the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and performing the national anthem for Chicago Blackhawks’ and Chicago Bears’ games, will sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the Gallagher Grand Prix NTT INDYCAR SERIES race Saturday, July 30 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

For six consecutive years, Cornelison has stirred Hoosier hearts with his moving rendition of “(Back Home Again in) Indiana” as part of the pre-race ceremony for the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Now, for the first time, he will lend his voice for the national anthem to kick-start the first race of the historic, tripleheader Brickyard Weekend when the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Cup Series take on the thrilling 14-turn, 2.439-mile IMS road course during a race weekend steeped in IMS heritage.

“The national anthem is an integral, historic part of our pre-race pageantry and tradition,” IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “As we welcome the NTT INDYCAR SERIES back to IMS for another race on the road course, it’s fitting that Jim, who plays such a pivotal role in one of our Indianapolis 500 pre-race traditions, is also back at the Racing Capital of the World performing for our fans at the track and those watching on NBC.”

Since beginning his professional singing career in 1993, Cornelison made his name through performances at opera houses around the world and national anthem performances for professional sports teams in Chicago, including the Bears, Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks. He performed at the nationally televised, historic opening game of the NFL’s 100th Anniversary Season and received further national recognition for his performances at the PGA’s 2012 Ryder Cup, Chicagoland Speedway’s NASCAR races and the Indianapolis 500.

NBC’s live coverage of the Gallagher Grand Prix starts at noon (ET) Saturday, July 30.Visit ims.com to purchase tickets for Brickyard Weekend, which includes the Gallagher Grand Prix and Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard (NASCAR Xfinity Series) on Saturday, July 30 and the Verizon 200 at the Brickyard (NASCAR Cup Series) on Sunday, July 31.

TK Goes Dirt Trackin’

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Tony Kanaan stepped out of his comfort zone at IMS this afternoon and took some laps in a midget on the dirt track. The exhibition was a prelude to the upcoming BC39 Driven to Save Lives USAC midget race August 3-4.

Strapped in, ready to go

Kanaan had never driven a midget racer before today. His first run was tentative. He got some some advice from Tim Clauson, father of the late Bryan Clauson, before his second 12 lap set. Kanaan was much smoother on his final run.

Tim Clauson

Kanaan’s first set of laps:

His impressions:

“I’m never going to complain about an Indycar being loose again,” he said.

Kanaan shares his experience

He quickly added, “I really want tio drive one of these things (in a race).”

Kanaan acknowledged that his Indycar sponsors might have the final word on whether he can entera midget event.

From IMS: Billows To Retire as Director of Medical Services for INDYCAR, IMS after 2022 Season 

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 Vaizer To Become First Woman To Take Top Medical Role
INDIANAPOLIS (Sunday, July 17, 2022) – Dr. Geoffrey Billows announced during the NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers’ meeting Friday, July 15 at the Honda Indy Toronto that he will step down as director of medical services for INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway after the 2022 season.
Dr. Julia Vaizer will succeed Billows as the director of medical services for INDYCAR and IMS, becoming the first female medical chief in the history of the sanctioning body and the track. Vaizer, who has served as the assistant medical director for INDYCAR and IMS since 2021, also served as acting medical director when Billows was on a short medical leave of absence earlier this spring.
Billows plans to continue contributing to INDYCAR and IMS medical services in a part-time capacity starting in 2023. He has undergone treatment for parotid salivary cancer since November 2020.
“It’s no secret that the last 20 months have been quite challenging for me,” Billows said. “After a lot of consideration and discussion with my wife, I have decided to retire at the end of this season. This is something I plan to battle and live for many years, and I thought, ‘I should enjoy whatever time I have left.’ But I’m staying on so I can help part time because I enjoy it so much.
“The opportunity to work with INDYCAR and IMS has been an opportunity of a lifetime. It’s been a career unlike none other. I think it’s quite rewarding. It not only gives me a chance to help take care of the drivers but to also have the chance to promote safety in the motorsports industry.”
Billows began working at IMS during his residency in 1993, volunteering at the IU Health Emergency Medical Center in the infield during race events. He served as an AMR INDYCAR Safety Team physician and deputy medical director and became IMS director of medical services in 2006. Billows assumed the role of INDYCAR director of medical services in 2016.Besides providing medical care to drivers and spectators at IMS and on INDYCAR race weekends, Billows worked tirelessly with INDYCAR officials and the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team to enhance driver safety in motorsports, becoming a respected global leader in the field.
Throughout his career with IMS and INDYCAR, Billows also served an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the Indiana University School of Medicine.
“Dr. Billows has been an integral part of INDYCAR’s success both on and off the track,” INDYCAR President Jay Frye said. “His guidance and expertise have been tremendous assets to the series, the drivers and all our stakeholders. We are excited for him to spend more time with his family and grateful that we’ll still get to see him around the racetrack.“
Dr. Billows and Dr. Vaizer have been working very closely together over the last few years, so we know this will be a seamless transition. We look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Vaizer as she trailblazes into her new leadership position as INDYCAR’s first female medical director.”
Said IMS President J. Douglas Boles: “There aren’t enough words to express our full sense of gratitude and respect for Dr. Billows and his service to our racing community. We’re so appreciative of his contributions and so glad we’ll still see him at the IU Health Infield Care Center during the Month of May and more. We also know Dr. Vaizer is extremely well prepared for this new role and congratulate her on this exciting opportunity.”
Vaizer has worked under Billows with the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team since 2020 and became the first person to complete the IU School of Medicine Motorsports Fellowship in July 2021. She has been associated with motorsports medicine since 2017 and began her involvement with INDYCAR and IMS the following year while attending a motorsports medicine elective training program. Vaizer also serves as an assistant professor of clinical emergency medicine at the IU School of Medicine and as the assistant medical director for IU Health LifeLine.
She received her undergraduate degree in 2011 from the University of Florida and received her medical degree in 2016 from the University of Central Florida. She completed her emergency residency training at Detroit Receiving Hospital in 2019 and completed a dual EMS/motorsports medicine fellowship at IU School of Medicine in 2021.
“Dr. Billows has been a friend, a mentor, a teacher and like family to me,” Vaizer said. “There are a lot of emotions of excitement for him to take a new stage in his life and spend more time with his family. It’s wonderful that he’s going to stay on as an INDYCAR physician.
It’s a huge honor to be chosen to carry on his legacy. It fills me with inspiration. I know I will work really hard to continue doing what he established as one of the most successful medical teams in the world of motorsports. I cannot wait for the next chapter and see how we can continue to improve the field of motorsports medicine for the next generation to come.”
Said Billows: “Dr. Vaizer is not only a very skilled and talented emergency medicine physician but a gifted educator. She’s the only physician on the face of this planet to who has completed a formal, post-graduate, university-based motorsports medicine fellowship. I have 100% confidence in turning the position of medical director over to her.” 

Herta, Rossi Lead IMS Road Test Day

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Simona De Silvestro on track at Thursday’s test

Colton Herta and Alexander Rossi were the tow fastest drivers in Thursday’s test on the IMS road course. Eight drivers from four teams turned laps on a day that might closely reflect the conditions for the Gallagher Grand Prix July 30.

Herta was happy to drive the track on which he won the GMR Grand Prix in May in dry conditions.

“It’s good to get an understanding of what its going to be like that day,” Herta said.

Colton Herta

Grosjean Talks about May

Romain Grosjean had an issue with his car in the morning and only ran two laps. he talked about his experience in his first Indianapolis 500.

“I was annoyed with the car. I hope I never have that car again,” he told the media. Asked his impression of the opening ceremonies, Grosjean said “That was really cool.”

Romain Grosjean

Kirkwood Excited for Mid Ohio

Kyle Kirkwood is looking forward to next weekend’s race at Mid Ohio. The rookie for A. J. Foyt Racing has had a lot of success there when he was driving in The Road to Indy.

“Mid Ohio is my number one track. I can’t wait to go to that one,” Kirkwood said. he also noted that the Lexington track is probably the best road course for the team.

“I just love driving that track” he said.

Kirkwood said Iowa was “a lot of fun to drive.”

Kirkwood thought the 500 pre race was “Amazing. I don’t think anything really compares to that. You sit on the grid, and I’ve never had that sensation of the crowd and the prerace ceremonies. I thought it was pretty big at St. Pete. Pretty much every other grid I go to will be less nerve wracking because of the experience I had at the 500.”

Kyle Kirkwood

Photo Gallery

Simona De Silvestro prepares to go on track
Pato O’Ward
Alexander Rossi
Devlin Defrancesco
Much of test days is sitting in the car

Eight Drivers Testing on IMS Road Corse Thursday

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Eight drivers from four teams will participate in a test on the IMS Road Course Thursday. The test is a makeup from a scheduled session that was rained out in April.

Drivers taking part:

Kyle Kirkwood (A.J. Foyt Racing)

Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist (Arrow McLaren SP)

Devlin DeFrancesco, Romain Grosjean, Colton Herta, Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport)

Simona De Silvestro (Paretta Autosport)

Fans may watch from the turn 2 mounds east of the museum. No time frame has been posted, but generally tests at IMS run from 9-5 approximately. There will be a one hour break at noon. The test will not be streamed since it is considered a private test.

Notes

Indy Lights driver Benjamin Pederson will test for Juncos Hollinger Racing next Monday at Sebring. Pederson is looking to move up to Indycar in 2023.

Team Penske swept the top three spots at the 19 car test at Iowa Speedway yesterday. Indycar races at Iowa July 23 and 24.

500 Veteran Rasmussen Dies

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From IMS:

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, June 6, 2022) – Eldon Rasmussen, a Canadian driver who made three starts in the Indianapolis 500, died June 5. He was 85.

Rasmussen, a native of Edmonton, Alberta, competed in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” in 1975, 1977 and 1979.

His best start was 32nd in 1975 and 1977, with a best finish of 13th in 1977 in the No. 58 Rent-a-Racer, Inc. entry that featured a “Ras-car” chassis he built with his considerable fabrication skills.

In the 1975 race, Rasmussen was involved in one of the most dramatic accidents in Indianapolis 500 history. Tom Sneva was trying to lap Rasmussen and ran over his left front wheel, launching Sneva’s car into the Turn 2 wall. The car exploded and disintegrated upon impact, but Sneva miraculously escaped serious injury.

Rasmussen started racing on dirt tracks in Southern Alberta, including making more than 600 starts in the touring CAMRA series. He made more than 50 USAC Sprint Car starts before climbing to the USAC National Championship throughout the 1970s, with three top-10 finishes in 23 career starts. His finished a career-best seventh in a 100-mile heat race in 1975 at Ontario Motor Speedway, and he finished ninth in the 500-mile feature that weekend.

He retired as a driver in 1979 after suffering an injury in a crash at Pocono Raceway and then returned his focus to his in-demand work as a race car engineer, designer, builder and fabricator in the Indianapolis area.

Rasmussen designed and built some of the first wings for Indianapolis 500 cars and created innovative rear wings for NHRA Top Fuel dragsters. He also built machines for varied racing disciplines, including ice racing, motorcycle sidecar racing and karting.

Rasmussen was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2001.