Nolan Siegel easily completed his IMS rookie test this morning under clear skies and cool conditions. He needed to repeat the test he passed early because he failed to qualify for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 in May. With his new ride at Arrow McLaren for 2025, qualifying should not be an issue.
“I’m going to be way better prepared this year,” Siegel said. “I’m excited to get back.”
“I’ll have more preparation, more time with the team. more time in the car, and more actual practice time here at the track.”
Siegel feels that knowing wht bhe will be doing for the next couple of years takes a lot off his plate. h ed rove seven different types of cars innthe first five months of 2024.
The four cars testing this afternoon-Marcus Ericsson, Alex Palou, Josef: Newgarden, and Pato: O’Ward will do install laps and then return at 1 pm ET to begin the testing which goes until 5 pm.
Received confirmation that Sting Ray Robb will test in the number 18 car for Dale Coyne Racing tomorrow.
The clock went to zero, the checkered flag waved, and my life long dream of going to Le Mans accomplished. I will try o distill my thoughts into two blogs. There are too many to condense in to one. If you are a reader of my blog and not a personal friend, consider yourself lucky. My friends w2ill be hearing ab out this for months, maybe until next June.
My first impression of the entire week is that Le Mans blows Indianapolis away. This is not meant to be a put down of most beloved 500. It is a matter of scale. Everything is bigger in Le Mans. From the pre race buildup that begins with scrutineering, to the post-race podium ceremony, everything is made to feel like it is the most important event.
Pre-Race
The palpable buzz in the crowd built all day. The grid walk, like those of Sebring and the Rolex 24, was a madhouse of fans looking for their favorite teams. The scene reinforced why I don’t do grid walks anymore. I was content to watch from the stands.
The brief simple pre-race ceremony was direct and to the point. I remember when the 500 opening ceremony was like that.
Two things stood out. The parade of flags of each drivers’ nation acknowledge that Le Mans is an international event. Flag bearers then moved to stand by the cars of that country. It’s as if this race is the Olympics of motorsport.
La Marseilles– I have always liked the French national anthem, but to hear it sung accompanied by a brass band live brought me to tears. It is such a stirring anthem.
The cars then started and rolled off for the pace lap, The field lined up, came off the final turn, the tricolor waved, and the clock started.
The Race
At the end of lap 1, when Ferrari had already jumped to the lead, I had to remind myself that I was not dreaming. After the second lap, I settled into watching the race. I was glad that the rain had held off for the start.
Rain would play a major role in the story of the 2024 edition of Le Mans. An early shower had some teams deciding to go to wet tires immediately. Others stayed out. The shower was brief, and the track dried quickly. That set up two different strategies early. In a 24 hour race, even early decisions can have a long-term effect.
The four hour full course yellow for rain set up an intriguing ending.
In the end, Ferrari won again. Nolan Siegel was the American bright spot as part of the winning LMP2 United Autosport team.
Watching Le Mans
Veterans of Daytona and Sebring are accustomed to walk around to various vantage points during the race. everyone has their favorite spots for the start and the finish. At Le Mans this is difficult to do because of the siz of the track. I wanted to go watch from Arnage. All I had to do was leave the track, catch a bus and take it to catch another bus, reenter a track gate. The process took nearly an hour because of the long lines waiting to board the buses.
Of course, three minutes after arriving, the rain started. It was one of the heavier downpours akthough it di not last long.
Arnage is a slow corner right after the high speed Indianapolis corner. It is a public road that has been incorporated into the track. I got a few photos, but not as many as I had hoped.
The track has provided several big screen televisions in the several villages for fans to watch the race.
Going to L e Mans has fulfilled a 65-year-old dream of mine. My heart was so full at the end of the race. Le Mans is more than a 24 hour race. It is an entire week of revealing the components one by one. It’s a fascinating process.
In the week before the race, I learned a lot about myself as well. I can travel alone to Europe. I learned enough French to understand what people told me and to make myself understood. Thanks, Google Translate and my AirBnB host.
I have a few more things to share, including some travel tips, then I will move on. I promise. Thanks for following along and allowing me to share the journey of a lifetime.
It is not very often that the star of qualifications weekend doesn’t make the race. But on Sunday, Nolan Siegel showed what a true racer is. After a serious crash on Friday which destroyed his car, the Dale Coyne team went to a backup car- one they use for road courses.
The speed was never there, but yesterday the car improved enough to where it could possibly compete in the Last Chance Qualifying. Thanks to a mistake by Marcus Ericsson on his first run, Siegel had a chance.
Ericsson bumped Siegel with less than three minutes to go, and the rookie then went on track to attempt to regain his position. After a first lap that was not good enough to make the field, Siegel crashed at the exit of turn 1 and will not race next Sunday.
When the week began, I had doubts about Siegel even being entered in the race, but I, along with many fans, came away from the track yesterday with nothing but respect for Siegel.
He told the media Sunday afternoon, “I was going to go home because I went flat and did everything I could do. I wasn’t going to go home because I lifted, so here I am.”
“…we’ve had a difficult couple of days, and we pulled through it as a team. The maturity. We did everything we possibly could. I feel like we maximized the runs today. Yeah, I mean, that’s all you can do,” Siegel concluded.
Siegel will be back, and he will make the race, likely next year
If there is a Spirit of Indy Award, Nolan Siegel would be the 2024 recipient.
A Near Costly Mistake
Marcus Ericsson lifted at after crossing the line to complete his third lap on his qualifying run, resulting in a lap of 195 mph for lap 4. His first three laps would have easily put him in the field.
It appears he miscounted the laps. With the pressure he was facing, it is understandable that he was so focused on having a good run that the lap count was not on his mind.
Ericsson is in good company, however. Wilbur Shaw miscounted qualifying laps once and slowed on his final lap thinking he was done. Fortunately, his crew got him to not complete the last lap. Under the format then, once a car finished its run, there was no going again in the same car.
Rahal Struggles
RLL struggled for speed at IMS for the second year in a row. Christian Lundgaard is the fastest on the team in 28th. Pietro Fittipaldi starts 30th, and Graham Rahal brings up the rear of the field.
Rahal is the only starter to average les than 230 mph.
The team seemed to make progress last year after the 500, but it appears their speedway program is mired in the same spot as 2023. I hope the team can find an answer for next year. It is painful to see Graham struggling at IMS.
Legge Finds Speed
With all the buzz surrounding the other three cars trying to make the field yesterday, Katherine Legge almost quietly went out and posted the fastest speed in the Last Chance round.
Her average of 230.092 was her fastest time of the week. Between her effort and the wiork to get Siegel on the grid, the Dale coyne teamdeserves praise for their hard work.
Dale Coyne Racing today named Indycar veteran Jack Harvey, Indy NXT driver Nolan Siegel, and sports car ace Colin Braun as drivers in a split program for the 2024 season.
Harvey will drive car 18 in 14 races. Siegel will take the wheel of the car for Thermal, Long Beach, the Indianapolis 500, and Toronto.
Colin Braun will drive the 51 at St. Pete and Thermal, with the possibility of more races later in the season.
Rick Ware Racing returns as a partner on the 51 car.
Coyne has signed INVST as a sponsor.
I wonder why Harvey was not given the opportunity to drive in the 500 after his banzai qualifying run last year. Siegel could drive at Indy in the 51.
The 51 still has an open seat for 16 races. I’m sure they will have a driver for the 500, but what about the rest of the season?
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 