Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Qualifying Wrap Up- Rinus the Comeback Kid

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Rinus VeeKay had a rollercoaster day, but he turned out to be the star of Indianapolis 500 qualifying today. His first qualifying attempt looked to be a very solid top 12 run, but he crashed hard in turn 3.

The crew put the car back together in under three hours- an amazing turnaround time. After a mid afternoon run just to get into the field, VeeKay went out in the final minutes and put the car in the top 12 to be eligible to vie for the pole tomorrow.

On the other end of the spectrum, Graham Rahal once again faces a restless night as he needs to wait until tomorrow to attempt to make the race. Rahal got onto the track with six seconds remaining, but the crowd di not get a second dramatic run.

The track was busy virtually all day. In the final two hours cars made multiple attempts to either get into the top 12 or just get into the top 30 to lock down a spot in the 500.

Notes

Kyle Larson overcame a first attempt engine issue to place sixth.

Pato O’Ward had a mostly frustrating day but did end up 10th.

Chevrolet engines endured six plenum fires today, and Honda changed at least two engines. Engine issues have abounded this season.

Only three Hondas are in the top 12.

Team Penske occupies the entire front row.

Felix Rosenqvist continues his qualifying mastery. He was seventh today.

Nolan Siegel may not make the race, but he has not given up. Returning from Thursday’s’ big crash, Siegel made numerous attempts, but is still on th outside.

It’s nice to see former winners Takuma Sato and Ryan Hunter-Reay in the top 12. Five former winners will fight for the pole Sunday.

Alex Palou was left sitting first in line when time expired. It will be srange not seeing a Ganassi car in the top 12.

The Provisional Grid

Midday Qualifying Update

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Qualifying for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 turned dramatic before it started. Scott Dixon did not present his car as Honda decided to change the engine in the number 9.

Kyle Kirkwood qualified first at 232.764 mph. Scott McLaughlin then blew past Kirkwood with a 233.758 mph average. After Kyffin Simpson set am time, Rinus VeeKay spun in turn 3 on his first lap. the car suffered right side damage. VeeKay has stared the race on the front row the last three years. thjat streak is in jeopardy.

McLaren Miseries

Arrow McLaren was expected to put up a fight against Team Penske for the pole. Their day has gone like this:

Kyle Larson aborted his run after a plenum issue. He just completed a run and is currentlyn sixth.

Alexander Rossi pulled his car out of line to keep it cool. He has since placed the car fourth provisionally.

Pato O’Ward pulled his car out of line, then made a run. He had the same issue as Larson, but O’Ward finished the four laps. He is currently 32nd.

Callum Ilott qualified at his appointed time and had aa solid run. His car was disqualified in tech for a non compliant rear wheel offset. He has not made another attempt as of this moment.

Ganassi’s Qualifying Reign Is Over

Chip Ganassi Racing has had a frustrating week. Linus Lundquist crashed on Wednesday, All the cars have not had the speed they have shown at IMS the last three years.

As of now their positions are-Alex Palou 9th

Marcus Armstrong 11th

Kyffin Simpson 14th

Scottb Dixon 17th

Linus Lundqvist 23rd

Since 2020 no Ganassi car has qualified worse than 14th.

Current standings as of 2:47 pm.

Practice Complete

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After a fog delay of 30 minutes practice for qualifying began. Just five cars in Groupm1 took advantage of their half hour. Nolan Siegel returned top the track in a backup car after his accident yesterday.

Linus Lundqvist was fastest in Group 1 at 232.525 mph.

Chip Ganassi expressed concern about his team’s performance this week.

Marcus Ericsson did not go out in Group 1. Odd since his car was involved in an accident Thursday.

“We used to be the fastest Honda. We’re not even that right now,” Ganassi said.

Ganassi and Coyne were the only teams to have all of their cars take practice laps.

No cars from Penske, Andretti, Meyer Shank, Rahal, Carpenter, or McLaren saw pit lane this morning.

Alex Palou led Group 2 with a lap of 232,727 mph. He also had the best 4 lap average of the nine cars tha ran this morning. Nolan Siegel’s 4 lap average was only 224 mph.

Next up is qualifying, set to begin on time at 11 am Eastern.

Qualifying Day

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INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 17, 2024) – Information about 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge practice and PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying track activity Saturday, May 18 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

SCHEDULE (All times local):
8 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open
8:30-9 a.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice (Group 1)
9-9:30 a.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice (Group 2)
11 a.m.-5:50 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Qualifying

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $35. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to selected grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points. Free entry for all military personnel with a valid military ID.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (8 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 9, Gate 10, and Gate 10A.
PARKING: Free parking is located in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40), in the for motorcycle parking and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway West Museum Lot, Tower Lot, Flag Lot and Lot 7 (North 40) for ADA parking. Paid parking is $20 in Gate 1 and $10 in Main Gate, Lot 2, Lot 3G and Lot 3P. Paid ADA parking is $20 in Gate 1 and $10 in Lot 2, Lot 3P and Lot 3G. Bicycle parking is located outside Gate 1, Gate 6 and Gate 9

.CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Fans should be prepared to complete their ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during the event via debit or credit card.Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is closed for a major renovation, reopening in Ap

Fast Friday Lives Up to Its Name

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A day of no rain and fast speeds combined to make Fast Friday the best day of practice week. Attendance was verygood. I heard from several fans about how long it took to get in this morning. There was drama, speed, and worry. In other words, a typical practice day. Josef Newgarden goes into the weekend as the favorite for the pole, while the usually fast Ganassi team is struggling to find speed. Trouble bit a team that could not afford to lose track time.

Nolan Siegel’s crash just past midday has been the only damper on the afternoon. Siegel spun exiting turn 2 and flipped upside down. Siegel was released from the infield care center. The car suffered extensive damage. I just received word that the team will use a spare car.

Josef Newgarden set a blistering 4 lap average of 234.063. Colton Herta set the fastest single lap time of 234.974.

Drivers on the bubble

Nolan Siegel

Marcus Ericsson

Katherine Legge

Team Rahal?

Qualifying is looking like a Team Penske/Arrow McLaren duel with maybe a sleeper from Andretti or Meyer Shank sneaking. Chevrolet has definitely had the upper hand this week.

Where’s Ganassi?

Chip Ganassi Racing cars have not been in the Fast 12 conversation much today. Scott Dixon is the fastest of the team with the 21st fastest single lap.. No cars are in the top 15 in 4 lap runs.

Alex Palou lost an engine, setting his program back. He returned late in the day.

Mechanical woes

It seems as if there have been a lot more mechanical issues this year. Conor Daly had an upright fail yesterday. Kyle Larson’s crew changed engines yesterday. Alex Palou lost an engine today. Pietro Fittipaldi and Takuma Sato have had gremlins interfere with their day today.

The qualifying order is going on right now. Team Penske has drawn three numbers in the top 10. McLaughlin -2 Power- 9, and Newgarden- 10. Kyle Kirkwood just drew the number 1.

Alexander Rossi will be last car in line.

An early look at the weather shows just a slight chance of a late afternoon shower, Sunday looks dry. Temperatures will be in the 80s, hotter than it has been all week. I will have the latest forecast in the morning.

Results

Good Morning- It’s Fast Friday

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Welcome to IMS on a gray day. Practice is two hours away and the rain should hold off until after 3 pm. I expect a very busy time on the track when practice opens at noon.

In a press conference this morning, Shell/Pennzoil announced a new racing oil called Performance Plus Racing Oil. It is a re-refined base oil, essentially recycled oil. It is supposed to be longer lasting than previous oils. This oil wil eventually get to everyday consumers, bui infrastructure to mass produce it needs to be in place.

Rick Mears (far right), Scott McLaughlin, and Mark Miles join Shell representatives to talk about a new oil

Bree Sandlin, Vic President of Shell Lubricants Marketing North America, said that extended oil life technology is advancing rapidly. Some motor oils can now go10,000 miles between changes. The goal is to produce an oil that can last 20,000 miles.

Post crash updates

Marcus Ericsson will be going to a backup car.

Linus Lundqvist’s car has been repaired and will return to the track today. Lundqvist said that he is eager to get back on track as soon as possible. He said yesterday’s incident was the biggest crash of his career.

I will have a story later today about what Mike Hull said in this morning’s press conference. Mike always tells like it is.

The two seater cars have been on track all morning, so we should be good to start right on time at noon.

Pennzoil, INDYCAR Launch Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil at Indianapolis 500

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New Racing Oil To Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions [1]
throughout NTT INDYCAR SERIES
 
INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 17, 2024) – Shell, Pennzoil and INDYCAR continue to advance their sustainability journey by unveiling the new Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil[2] using re-refined base oil (RRBO) to deliver top engine performance with less greenhouse gas emissions.1 INDYCAR teams will use Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil during the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge and throughout the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

“We are thrilled to have Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil as the Official Lubricant of the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and to help showcase the advancements in technology and performance of motor oil made with a re-refined base oil,” said Bree Sandlin, vice president, Shell Lubricants Marketing North America.
“INDYCAR is a premier testing ground to prove the reliability and durability of our lubricant technologies for use in demanding road conditions.”The use of RRBO in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil conserves non-renewable resources by reducing its use of base oils made from primary fossil material. The re-refined base oil component used reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 50%[3] compared to the base oil used in the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.When combining RRBO with our premium additives, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil delivers a 15% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions1 compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 racing season.

“Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil has been rigorously tested and approved by INDYCAR, Chevrolet and Honda to meet the high-performance requirements for racing without compromise to performance,” said Bassem Kheireddin, Shell Motorsports technology manager.

“The addition of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil using re-refined base oil is another significant milestone as we continue to move toward a more sustainable future for the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the motorsports industry,” Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO Mark Miles said.
Re-refined base oil (RRBO)
The re-refined base oil (RRBO) used in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is created from used lubricants that undergo advanced re-refining processes, resulting in high-quality base oil that can be used as a component to formulate new lubricant products. Generally, when oil has reached the end of its ‘useful’ life and has been drained from a vehicle or equipment, re-refining can remove depleted additives and contaminants that accumulate in motor oil during use.
1] For the purpose of claims related to Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil, references to “less/reduced greenhouse gas emissions” or “reduced carbon footprint” are limited to “Cradle-to-Gate” emissions attributed to this Pennzoil product compared to the Pennzoil products formulated for the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES “Cradle-to-Gate” means the life cycle stages of a product from raw materials through the production process. For the avoidance of doubt, “Cradle-to-Gate” excludes emissions associated with distribution, a customer’s use and end-of-life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil. Biogenic credit has been applied to “Cradle-to-Gate” estimation, meaning the CO2 that has been removed from the atmosphere during the growth phase of bio-material in the product has been accounted for as a credit. Biogenic CO2 removals can be due to actual and mass balanced attributed content, meaning that part of the biogenic content can be assigned via an accounting approach, rather than be physically present. “Cradle-to-Gate” emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.
[2] Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is a high-performance motor oil for use in racing engines, containing Pennzoil 0W formulations specifically engineered for the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. The “plus” (+) symbol in Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil denotes the inclusion of re-refined base oil in the formulation. For the avoidance of doubt, Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil is not formulated for use in consumer vehicles.
[3] For the purpose of claims related to the re-refined base oil component used in the formulation of Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™, references to “reduced greenhouse gas emissions” refer to “Cradle-to-Refinery Gate” emissions of the re-refined base oil component only attributed to this Pennzoil product. “Cradle-to-Refinery-Gate” includes raw materials and production of the base oil only and for the avoidance of doubt, this excludes emissions associated with other raw materials, production, distribution, a customer’s use and end- of- life of the Pennzoil Performance+ Racing Oil™. The carbon intensity associated with re-refined base oil is calculated based on primary activity data from the producer following industry best practice guidance, including API Technical Report 1533 (Lubricants Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprinting—Methodology and Best Practice). This Technical Report , published by the American Petroleum Institute, defines terminology and identifies and captures industry practices. “Cradle-to-Refinery Gate” emissions may be subject to change as a result of changes in the product specifications, changes in emission factors, or otherwise.

Fast Friday

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Waiting for a weather update. We might get some running in to start on time, but rain may come in around 2 pm or so. Keep checking back on Xwitter and The Pit Window Facebook page.

From late last night:

 INDYCAR Statement on Passing of Eddie Gossage 

‘FAST FRIDAY’ SCHEDULE (All times local):

10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Public gates open

Noon-6 p.m.: NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice (All cars)

TICKETS: General Admission tickets are $25. Children 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult. The General Admission ticket will provide the opportunity to move between the IMS infield viewing mounds and first-come, first-served access to selected grandstands to view racing action from different vantage points.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (10 a.m.-6 p.m.): Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 3, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7S, Gate 7, Gate 10, Gate 10A.

PARKING: Free public parking is available in Turn 3 and Lot 7 (North 40). Free ADA parking in Lot 7 (North 40), West Museum Lot, Tower Terrace Lot and Flag Lot. Paid parking is available in Lot 2, Lot 3P, Lot 3G, Gate 1 Lot, and Main Gate Lot. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 2, Lot 3P and Gate 1 Lot.

CASHLESS OPERATIONS: The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a cashless facility. Fans should be prepared to complete their ticket, credentials, parking, concession and merchandise purchases with ease during their event via debit or credit card.

Tap-to-pay phone payments will be accepted, as will credit and debit transactions. Cash-to-Card machines, which convert paper money onto a temporary debit card, will be located in Pagoda Plaza and outside Turn 1 by concessions stand 7. These funds can be spent inside the venue, outside the venue, online or anywhere in the world where Mastercard/Visa debit cards are accepted.

MUSEUM: The IMS Museum is closed for a major renovation, reopening in April 2025. To learn more, please visit imsmuseum.org/renovation.