Qualifying for the ABC Supply 500 has been cancelled. The field will line up according to entrant points. There will be a two hour practice once the helicopter arrives. Time of the practice is TBA at the moment.
Josef Newgarden will start on the pole with Alexander Rossi beside him.
I will keep you updated as to when the practice session is scheduled. .
Heavy rain has begun falling at Pocono Raceway. Today’s activities are on an indefinite hold. Indycar made the correct call in time to get the cars back to the paddock.
Any track activity today will be mid to late afternoon.
Good morning. It’s practice and qualifying day at Pocono Raceway for the ABC Supply 500.
Today’s schedule: All Times Eastern
Practice 1- 9:30-10:30
Qualifying 12:30-1:45
Practice 2 4:00-5:00
All sessions are streamed on NBC Gold. Qualifying will be shown delayed on NBCSN at 2:30. My Quick Thoughts will post after the television broadcast.
The race is the first of the last four races of the season and the first of three consecutive weekends of racing. After all the wild nes of the past ten days, it will be great to re-focus on the championship. After tomorrow we should have a clearer picture of how many drivers will still be in contention. I still thin k going into Portland we will be down to a two man battle between Alexander Rossi and Josef Newgarden.
I will be back after the first practice with a summary and some thoughts on the latest news.
Saturday All Times Eastern
Practice 1- 9:30-10:30 NBC Gold
Qualifications 12:30-1:45 NBC Gold
2:30-4:00 NBCSN delayed broadcast
Practice 2 4:00-5:00 NBC Gold
Sunday
Race coverage 2:00-6:00 NBCSN
Green flag scheduled for about 2:45
I sure didn’t see this pole coming. Power’s season has been difficult, and he has been out of the conversation for most of the year. He seemed almost as relieved after qualifying as he was after winning the 500 last year.
Rossi can take consolation that he is starting ahead of Newgarden this race. The first turn after the green will be interesting.
Power’s pole takes a point away from all the championship contenders.
Disappointing qualifying for Colton Herta and Spencer Pigot. Neither made the Fast Six. Herta led the last two practice sessions. Pigot was second quickest this morning.
A Ganassi car made the Fast Six, but not the one I expected. Felix Rosenqvist had decent times in practice, but was 11th overall. He had also had a couple off track excursions. Scott Dixon looked as if he had recovered from his early weekend struggles.
Rossi said he hasn’t had time to think about his renewal with Andretti yet. I still think he will win the race tomorrow.
Bourdais has been a regular in the Second Round of late. It would be great to see him get a pole this year.
All three Arrow Schmidt Peterson cars got to Round Two. James Hinchcliffe, Marcus Ericsson, and Jack Harvey all advanced. This is Harvey’s first race since Road America, which makes his advancement more impressive. I would love to see what that team can do full time. Harvey made the Fast Six at the Indycar Grand Prix and finished third.
Tomorrow looks to be the hottest day of the weekend with temperatures around 90 degrees at race time. It should make for an interesting race.
Power said his team is planning on three stops in the race.
Power felt that he would eventually get another pole. “It just got the point where God said, ‘Let him have it.’ ”
Back later with a full qualification report. Thanks for following along today.
Photo: Colton Herta exiting the keyhole in Practice 3. Photo: Mike Silver
Colton Herta picked up where he stopped yesterday afternoon, leading the NTT Indycar Series final practice session this morning. The results of this session determine the groups for the 2:35 pm qualifying rounds. Herta will lead Group 2 in Round 1. Group 2 will also include Alexander Rossi, Josef Newgarden, and Sebastien Bourdais.
Herta’s time of 1:05.704 was 0,058 seconds better than Spencer Pigot. Alexander Rossi was third quickest. Rossi struggled in both sessions yesterday and early in today’s round. Graham Rahal ended Practice two slowest of the 23 cars, but finished sixth this morning. Felix Rosenqvist dropped to twenty in today’s practice after posting a top ten speed yesterday. Scott Dixon, seventh yesterday, finished 15th today.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 