Tag: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Rosenqvist’s Season Coming Together

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Indycar photo by Joe Skibinski

Felix Rosenqvist believes his season is beginning to come together. He has qualified well, but errors in the races have held him back. He sees his sixth place finish in Saturday’s GMR Grand Prix as a positive sign, but he wasn’t completely satisfied.

“Yeah, it was a solid weekend,” the driver of the number 7 Arrow McLaren SP car said. “You know we we’ve had really good qualifying performance the last couple of races and I think last week and actually Barber half of the race was really good and then we made some mistakes and this race we were I think honestly we were the quickest on track and like all conditions and unfortunately we had a collision with Pato in the middle of the race.

“I’m still kind of bummed about it because I think we had a chance to win but it was good to be back in the top six for our season is very good. I think we had some momentum to run on this morning.”

Rosenqvist felt the first practice went well.

“Good, ” he said. ” Not really much to report. We didn’t do much traffic running. We just tried to like set up the car and make sure the car is fine for the weeks to come. And I felt good because I have a good baseline and we would know more and this afternoon when we were running traffic a bit more.”.

“I never really felt like this place is that green like you always come out the first run and you have pretty good grip and obviously the track grips up during the day.”

Rosenqvist said he will work on passing more this afternoon. He thinks it will be difficult to pass more than one car at a time.

“It seems like it’s very easy to pass one car. And then when you have two cars in front, it’s tricky. And then when you have three cars in front, it becomes really difficult. So you want to be up front no matter what’s you know. I think being second is probably the optimal spot in the race. Yeah, that’s the way it’s right now.”

This is a season on the brink fo rRosenqvist, but he is confident that the results will come.

Dixon Tops Opening Session

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Scott Dixon led the first practice for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. His Chip Ganassi Honda put in a lap of 227,119 mph. Teammate Marcus Ericsson was second quickest at 226.965 mph. Four Hondas and six Chevys were in the top 10.

Sage Karam in a Dreyer and Reinbold car was the fastest Chevy in third place a 226.388 mph.

Scott McLaughlin was the first car on track when the green flag waved at 9 am.

The session ran without interruption.

Teams of Note

Chip Ganassi Racing had three cars in the top 10. Alex Palou was eighth at 225.278 mph.

Dreyer and Reinbold put both cars up front. Karam was third and Santino Ferrucci was sixth.

J. R. Hildebrand and Kyle Kirkwood were 10th and 11th for A. J. Foyt Racing.

Kyle Kirkwood

Results:

Opening Day

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Good morning from IMS.

Today’s Schedule– All times Eastern

8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open

9-11 a.m.: Veteran Practice

1-3 p.m.: Veteran Refresher Tests

3-6 p.m.: Open Practice

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $15 for Indy 500 practice days. Children 15 and under are admitted free with paying adult.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (8 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 10 and Gate 10A.

PARKING: Free parking for Indianapolis 500 practice is located in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40), in the South Carousel Lot for motorcycle parking and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum Lot for ADA parking.

It is opening day for practice for the 106th running of the Indianapolis 500. Todays ay be the only completely dry day of the week. I expect a lot f running this morning. practice today is different from the rest of the week. The time is divided into three segments- veterans, rookies and refreshers, and free practice for everyone. Stefan Wilson needs to take the refresher test. All other rookies and returning veterans passed their required tests at the Open Test in April.

I like to get as many photos taken on the first day. several cars have special liveries. If you like the color orange, this is your year at the 500. At least five cars have orange in their paint schemes.

Most teams will probably work on race setups today. I don’t think either engine manufacturer wants to show their hand just yet. Has Honda found something to catch up to Chevy?

Notes

USF2000 driver Myles Rowe, who entered last weekend as the points leader, will be able to complete the season thanks to Roger Penske. Penske gave the driver, who was last year’s race for Equality and Change pilot for Force Indy, the funds to finish the season. Rowe needed a cash infusion just to compete last weekend. The kid is talented and deserves a chance.

It sounds like the track is close but not close enough with ticket sales to lift the television blackout on NBC. I am still seeking clarity on whether local viewers could watch the race live on Peacock.

Today I will have posts after each session and about anything else that comes up today.

Castroneves’ Drive for Five in Spotlight among 106th Indianapolis 500 Field 

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I think there are several compelling stories which I will explore this week

From IMS:


 Eight ‘500’ Winners To Compete in ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ May 29
INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 16, 2022) – Eight winners are among the field of 33 drivers assigned to cars for the 106th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 29 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Helio Castroneves’ quest to become the first five-time winner of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” taking center stage during the Month of May.
Four-time winner Helio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), two-time winners Juan Pablo Montoya (2000, 2015) and Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), plus single winners Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019) are the past winners aiming for another victory this year. The record for winners in one field is 10, set in 1992.
SEE: Entry List
Castroneves joined A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears in the most prestigious club in motorsports – four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500 – with his emotional victory May 30, 2021 in the No. 06 AutoNation/Sirius XM Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing. Castroneves, 47, remains with Meyer Shank this season for his drive for five and would become the third-oldest winner in Indianapolis 500 history – behind Al Unser and Bobby Unser – with a victory this year.
Brazilian native Castroneves also is trying to become the first repeat winner since he achieved the feat with his first two victories, in 2001 and 2002. BorgWarner is offering a $400,000 bonus this year to Castroneves if he can achieve back-to-back victories.
The field includes seven past INDYCAR SERIES champions: Dixon, Kanaan, Montoya, Josef Newgarden, reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou, Pagenaud and Power.
Seven drivers also will compete for Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Rookie of the Year honors, the biggest rookie crop since 2014, when there also were seven first-time starters. This year’s group includes the high-profile debuts of seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and Formula One veteran Romain Grosjean and also includes Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas.
Andretti Autosport and Chip Ganassi Racing each have entered five cars, the most of any team.
Practice opens Tuesday, May 17 and runs through Friday, May 20. PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday, May 21 and Sunday, May 22, followed by a two-hour practice Monday, May 23. The traditional final practice, two hours again this year on Miller Lite Carb Day, will be held Friday, May 27.Live Race Day coverage begins on NBC, Telemundo Deportes on Universo and the INDYCAR Radio Network at 11 a.m. (ET), with the green flag set for 12:45 p.m.
2022 ENTRY BREAKDOWN:
Winners (8): Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato
Rookies (7): Devlin DeFrancesco, Romain Grosjean, Callum Ilott, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard, David Malukas
U.S. drivers (13): Marco Andretti, Ed Carpenter, Conor Daly, Santino Ferrucci, Colton Herta, JR Hildebrand, Jimmie Johnson, Sage Karam, Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Josef Newgarden, Graham Rahal, Alexander Rossi
International drivers (20, from 14 countries): Helio Castroneves, Devlin DeFrancesco, Scott Dixon, Marcus Ericsson, Romain Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Callum Ilott, Tony Kanaan, Dalton Kellett, Christian Lundgaard, Scott McLaughlin, Juan Pablo Montoya, Pato O’Ward, Simon Pagenaud, Alex Palou, Will Power, Felix Rosenqvist, Takuma Sato, Rinus VeeKay, Stefan Wilson
Engines (33): Honda 17, Chevrolet 16 (all cars use Dallara chassis and Firestone tires) 

GMR GP Wrap Up- This is What Racing is All About

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Last night I had the kind of restless sleep that is usually reserved for the night before then Indianapolis 500. It was one of my last mornings to sleep in, but I awoke before 5 AM still excited about the race. I began to watch the replay of the GMR Grand Prix. my heart was racing just thinking about watching it. The first lap set the tone for the race.

Yesterday’s race is what racing is all bout- fighting changing conditions, making snap tire decisions, passing, taking risks. Many races these days are run somewhat on the conservative side, but yesterday’s show was a fun damn the point standings full speed ahead race. I can’t recall a race that exciting and intriguing.

Some fans have compared the GP to Nashville last year. I thought that was just slapstick follies. Fontana in 2015 had lots of action, but the rain Saturday added an element of tension to the event.

I hope we have a tone for a 500mile race that will be just as incredible. This race will stick with me for a long time.

Aeroscreen’s First Rain Test

The aeroscreen had its first test of performing in the rain. Reviews from the drivers are mixed. In a post race interview Conor Daly, who finished fifth, said,

“…the water just stayed in the center of the
screen, and I don’t know why, but even as you went faster,
which you would hope it would clear, it didn’t. Again, I can’t
say anything.”

Runner-up Simon Pagenaud suggested a wiper.

“I mean, if we had a wiper, it would probably help, but that
was the first real race with the aeroscreen, so you got to
give credit to INDYCAR. The safety is amazing, but in
these conditions you would need a wiper like they do in the
sports cars.
It’s very similar to a wind screen you have on a sports car.
There’s a (inaudible) wiper. It’s possible, and it would
probably help in these conditions.”

Will Power had a different perspective.

“Actually, I didn’t have much problem with
the rain. The worst part for me was when it was half wet.
We’re on drys, and you have kind of that gritty just dirt on
top of water. That was when I struggled to see a little bit,
but in the full wet, I mean, the biggest problem for me was
the spray from the cars.
There’s really nothing can you do about that with
open-wheel cars. It’s just going to be a lot of spray.”

When the aeroscreen was under development, what would happen during rain was one of my concerns. Unfortunately, there was no good way to test for this situation. Now that Indycar has some feedback, they will look for ways to improve visibility in wet conditions.

Rosenqvist Begins to make His Case

Felix Rosenqvist is in a contract year and it is widely assumed that he is fighting for his job. he has qualified well this season, with one pole and three Fast Six appearances, but has faded in several of the races. Yesterday he started and ended sixth despite a collision with teammate Pato O’Ward on lap 42. Rosenqvist has climbed into the top half of the standings. He needs a good showing on May 29 to help his position on the team.

Ericsson: Adversity is My Friend

This is nopt a direct quote from Marcus Ericsson, but it could be. In last year’s victory at Nashville, he ran into the back of Sebastien Bourdais, causing his car to get airborne. After serving a penalty and thanks to some timely cautions, he ended up in victory circle.

Saturday Ericsson started 18th and found himself in the lead nearing the halfway point during a caution. He stayed out hoping the race would be called at the and made official at the 43 lap mark. The race continued and Ericsson was forced to pit on lap 47. He dropped far down the standings, but came back to finish fourth.

Like 2021, Ericsson is one of those drivers you don’t really notice who is suddenly in contention. I think he will have a great second half of the season.

Thanks for following along this weekend. I will have a photo gallery up on The Pit Window on Facebook and on @tutorindie and @Pit WindowToo on Twitter in a bit.

Caesars Sportsbook Named Official Sports Betting Partner of Indy 500, IMS 

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From IMS:

 Partnership Includes Exclusive Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza for Upcoming Races at IMS and more
INDIANAPOLIS (Saturday, May 14, 2022) – Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) (“Caesars”) and Indianapolis Motor Speedway (“IMS”) today announced a partnership to make Caesars Sportsbook an Official Sports Betting Partner of the Indy 500 and IMS. The collaboration also makes Caesars Sportsbook a sponsor for the remaining IMS races on the 2022 calendar, starting with the GMR Grand Prix on May 14, and includes the opening of the very first exclusive betting lounge at the Racing Capital of the World.
The Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza will greet spectators on practice and race days during the Month of May providing Caesars Sportsbook app users with an elevated viewing experience, complimentary food and drink, live entertainment and racing games to go along with branded giveaways throughout the course of every race. Additionally, Caesars Sportsbook receives access to IMS logos and marks, digital and social media assets, as well as a variety of exclusive VIP speedway experiences for its users at IMS available through the industry-leading loyalty program, Caesars Rewards.
“The Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500 are iconic American sports traditions,” said Eric Hession, co-president of Caesars Digital. “Partnering with one of racing’s most iconic venues and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ provides our customers with unique experiences through Caesars Rewards. This will be an impactful partnership for us that builds upon our commitment to the state of Indiana alongside the investments into our resorts and the communities they serve.”
“We’re extremely excited about this partnership with Caesars and believe their on-site presence – which is a first for our storied facility – will give fans a new opportunity to engage with the on-track action at the Racing Capital of the World,” said Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles. “This is another reason to look forward to an epic and historic Month of May at IMS.”
Caesars has a legacy in Indiana through its best-in-class resorts, including the newly branded Horseshoe Indianapolis, Harrah’s Hoosier Park and Horseshoe Hammond. Most recently, Caesars shared plans for a $39 million investment to expand the casino gaming floor of Harrah’s Hoosier Park shortly following the completion of its significant $33.7 million enhancement and expansion to Horseshoe Indianapolis resulting in 25,000 square feet of new gaming space, including a live World Series of Poker Room with 20 tables.
The IMS partnership includes race day support with video board placements, PA announcements and program ads to promote Caesars Sportsbook. In celebration of the 106th running of the Indy 500, Caesars Sportsbook will offer new customers an exciting promotion: download the Caesars Sportsbook app and make a first-time deposit of $20 to receive $106 in free bets along with entry into the Caesars Sportsbook Lounge at Pagoda Plaza.
Eligible sports fans can download the Caesars Sportsbook app on iOS or Android and earn Tier Credits and Reward Credits with every bet they place redeemable for exclusive benefits and member rates at all Caesars destinations along with once-in-a-lifetime experiences through the Caesars portfolio of resorts and partnerships.
For real-time industry updates and to follow the Caesars empire, players can engage with the Caesars Sportsbook social handle @CaesarsSports on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) is the largest casino-entertainment Company in the U.S. and one of the world’s most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since its beginning in Reno, NV, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.’s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah’s®, Horseshoe®, and Eldorado® brand names. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. offers diversified gaming, entertainment and hospitality amenities, one-of-a-kind destinations, and a full suite of mobile and online gaming and sports betting experiences. All tied to its industry-leading Caesars Rewards loyalty program, the Company focuses on building value with its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to its employees, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. For more information, please visit. www.caesars.com/corporate. Please play responsibly. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-800-9WITHIT (1-800-994-8448). 

Singin’ in the Rain- Herta’s Early Stop Pays Off

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Some quick thoughts on a wild day at IMS:

The GMR Grand Prix was a two-hour long endurance race. I felt I was at the Rolex 24 for most of the race. Some quick thoughts. I will follow up with more tomorrow.

Honda finally broke through with a victory.

The race was not the prettiest I’ve ever seen, but gosh it was entertaining. Strategy changed almost every lap, contenders spun, came back, and spun again. Teams gambled, and some won while others lost. The drama and intrigue made for a fascinating event.

As we saw in 2019, this race is helped by rain.

A Good Day for Some Rookies

Four rookies had their best finishes of the year today. Callum Ilott was eighth, Christian Lundgaard ninth, David Malukas 12th, and Tatiana Calderon came home 15th. Calderon led a lap.

I can’t recall a race before today in which Will Power was on the pole and didn’t lead a lap.

Power has finished third or fourth in every race this season.

ECR Figuring Out Road Courses

Ed Carpenter Racing seems to have gotten a handle on road courses. The team has been in three Fast Six rounds and has twqo top five finishes.

Conor Daly’s fifth place today was his first top five in five years. Daly started fourth.

Rinus VeeKay has a pole and a fourth place start and finished third at Barber.

In 2019 Simon Pagenaud showed how good he was on a wet track, winning the GMR Grand Prix with a last lap pass. Today in less than ideal conditions he finished second after starting 20th. Definitely the driver of the day.

Alex Palou worked his way back to 18th after his early spin. He was not able to get his lap back because of the way the yellows fell. This track has been a difficult one for Palou. Last summer he finished last when his engine expired.

Thanks for following along. i will have more tomorrow on this wild race.

Ericsson Fastest in Morning Warm Up

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Marcus Ericsson turned the quickest lap in the final warm-up session for the GMR Grand Prix. Ericsson edged Callum Ilott by 0.113 seconds. Pole sitter Will Power was ninth and Alex Palou, who starts second, was eighth.

Six Honda cars were in the top 10 in the thirty -minute practice, which ran green the entire way.

Reminder- the green flag time has been moved up to 3:07 pm Eastern to avoid as much of the thunderstorms as possible. The documentary The Club will still air at 2 pm on NBC.

The chance of rain may cause some teams to rethink their starting tire choices.

Some photos from the warmup.

Sato pit stop.

Will Power

Notes

Caesar’s Sportsbook has taken over the spot where the memorabilia show used to be. It is a betting parlor. I’m not sure if I like this idea.

The race will go on if there is only rain. Lightning will cause a red flag. I believe a halt for lightning will be at least thirty minutes. 44 laps will be an official race.

Results

Race Day- Wet or Dry?

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Today’s Schedule

  • May 14 – $40 for General Admission. $50 for flex ticket seating in Northwest Vista (Sections 11-20), Southwest Vista (Sections 1-10), Tower Terrace (Sections 37-47 and 75-79) and Paddock (Sections 9-14). Children 15 and under are admitted free with flex ticket paying adult. Reserved seats range from $41-105.

Public Parking: Parking for the GMR Grand Prix is available in a variety of locations around the track:

  • May 14 – paid public parking is available in Lot 1A, Lot 2 and Main Gate parking lots for $20. Gate 1 Lot (Parcel B) parking is available for $50. Motorcycle parking is also available at South Carousel Lot for $20. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 3P and Lot 2. Free parking is located in Lot 7 (North 40).

SATURDAY, May 14 (General Admission $40; Reserved Seats Start at $41)
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Public Gates Open

8:05-8:50 a.m. USF2000 Race 2

9:10-10 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 Race 2

10:30-11 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Warmup Peacock

11:15-11:55 a.m. USF2000 Race 3

12:10-1 p.m. Indy Pro 2000 Race 3

1:20-2:15 p.m. Indy Lights Race 2 (35 laps or 55 minutes) Peacock

2:40-3:05 p.m. Silver/Bronze Badge Grid Walk

3:30 p.m. Ninth GMR Grand Prix (85 laps) NBC, Peacock

5:45 p.m. GMR Grand Prix Post-Race Track Invasion

Weather is the word for the day. Thunderstorms are predicted for late morning and scattered storms may visit the track this afternoon.

The latest from @Indycar_Wxman:

It looks like rain may come after 4 pm which will add intrigue to the event. Will someone go to rain tires before the rain comes? Who dives into the pits first?

The grid has several drivers starting farther back than usual. It should be an interesting race watching them climb to the front. I an going to be watching Colton Herta, Scott Dixon, and Simon Pagenaud work their way forward.

Will Power and Alex Palou should battle for the win. Palou and Josef Nwgarden saved a set of reds by starting the Fast Six on blacks before switching to reds

Whichever way the weather turns out, it should be a fascinating race.

I’ll be back after the morning warm up.