GMR Grand Prix Qualifying Groups
Tag: NTT Indycar Series
O’Ward Sets Practice 2 Pace
The kids took over in GMR Grand Prix practice in the second session. The top five drivers are all 25 years old or younger.
Pato O’Ward grabbed the fastest time late in the session from Alex Palou. The top four drivers recorded laps in the 1:09 bracket. The top 23 cars are within one second of O’Ward’s time. Practice had two red flag interruptions, both within the first seven minutes of the session.
Alex Palou was first in the morning practice and second in the afternoon.
Dalton Kellett spun off track into the sand trap and could move. David Malukas went off track to avoid Kellet’s car. Malukas was able to continue back to the pits.
Jimmie Johnson went off track min the same area a few minutes later. The rest of the practice was green.
As I expected, some drivers who were down nthe chart in the morning practice improved their times. Rinus VeeKay was fourth this afternoon after ending the morning session 21st. Veekay was the first driver to turn a lap under 1:10.
Callum Ilott dropped to 19th from second in the just completed round. Christian Lundgaard, fifth in the just completed practice, improved from14th this morning.
Notes
I noticed a few more new things around the speedway.
BMW has a new building in turn three. I am not sure what the building will be used for.
Recycling cans are prevalent throughout the grounds next to trash cans. It’s nice to see some tangible environmental commitment by IMS.
Results:
Palou’s Last Lap Quickest in Practice 1
Indycar Photo by Chris Jones
Series points leader Alex Palou posted the fastest time of the first practice session as th NTT Indycar Series began preparing for tomorrow’s GMR Grand Prix. Palou’s lap of 1:10.4555 nipped rookie Callum Ilott by 0,0038 seconds.
The session was green for the first 43 and a half minutes. Helio Castroneves spun and stalled at pit in bringing out the red flag. There was enough time for one more flying lap, and Palou edged Ilott, who had led for the previous eight minutes.
At one point three former pole winners for this race were at the top of the pylon. Will Power led Felix Rosenqvist and Simon Pagenaud. While the top ten contains no real surprises, Rinus VeeKay, the 2021 winner in 21st is puzzling. Also Josef Newgarden in16th and Scott McLaughlin in 17th is a shock. I think these three will show better in session 2, which begins at 12:45 pm.
I spoke with Callum Ilott after practice.
He told the run was “really good. I just thought we had to improve a couple of things and then at the end we put it together and it was quite good’ We got the new tires I think a lot of other people used the new tires.”
Ilott described the track as “Really green because as the painted part for the oval transferring off of that onto the road course was a little bit different so we had to rubber it in.”
As far as changes for session two, Ilott thinks the team will make a few.
“I think so. I just haven’t told them everything I was feeling so I think they’re making the changes. “
Notes
Fans are slowly entering the track.
It has been nice seeing people I haven’t seen since 2019. I’m glad to see that they are healthy.
The Wifi in the stands seems to be improved.
I continue to be impressed by the cleanliness of IMS since Roger Penske bought the track.
Matthew brabham won the pole position for Indy Lights Race 1.
Back after Practice 2.
Results:
Race Preview: GMR Grand Prix
Photo: Rinus VeeKay on his way to victory in the 2021 GMR Grand Prix
Today’s Schedule:
All times local
FRIDAY, May 13 (General admission $20)
Paid public parking is available in Lot 1A, Lot 2 and Main Gate parking lots. Motorcycle parking is also available in South Carousel Lot via Gate 2. Paid ADA parking is available in Lot 3P and Lot 2. Parking is $10 on Friday.
Free parking is available in Lot 7 (North 40) and Infield Turn 3.
7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Public Gates Open- pedestrian gates open on Friday, May 13: Gate 1, Gate 2, Gate 4, Gate 6S, Gate 7, Gate 7S, Gate 9, Gate 10 and Gate 10A.
8-8:30 a.m. USF2000 Qualifying
8:45-9:15 a.m. Indy Pro 2000 Qualifying
9:30-10:30 a.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 1 (45 minutes) Peacock
10:45-11:30 a.m. Indy Lights Practice 1
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. USF2000 Race 1
12:45-1:45 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES Practice 2 (45 minutes) Peacock
2-2:30 p.m. Indy Lights Qualifying
2:45-3:35 p.m. Indy Pro 2000 Race 1
4-5:15 p.m. NTT INDYCAR SERIES NTT P1 Award Qualifying Peacock
5:35-6:30 p.m. Indy Lights Race 1 (35 laps or 55 minutes)
Good morning from IMS! It’s great to be back at the Speedway to kick off the fortnight of May with the GMR Grand Prix weekend.
2022 will be the first time since Roger Penske bought the track that the May schedule will operate in mostly normal fashion, with infield viewing and no crowd restrictions or other COVID limitations.
Saturday’s race is the ninth GMR Grand prix, which has been run every year except 2020 two weekends before the Indianapolis 500. In 2020 the race moved to July 4 due to COVID. No fans were allowed inside the track, a policy that continued for the 500 that year.
The race began as a way to bolster track attendance during May for the days leading up to practice for the 500. The event appears to do what it was intended to do- bring fans in on what used to be a sparsely attended opening day of practice.
Team Penske has dominated this race. Will Power has three poles and three wins in this race. Simon Pagenaud has won three times, twice while driving for Penske. Power also has two poles and two wins in the road course race held later in the year. Team Penske drivers have owned this track configuration.
The armor took a big dent in 2021 when Romain Grosjean won the pole and Rinus Veekay won the race. Will things return to normal things year? I’m not so sure. Veekay hopes to back up his pole and third place finish at Barber with another pole and a win.
VeeKay told the media Wednesday,
“…we know we have a very good car here.
We’ve always been fast here since my first-ever race here.
I think I was a little sad after the race that I didn’t win last
weekend. I think we had the opportunity to, and of course
you want to grab it and take it.
Yeah, had a few bad sleeps because of that, but I think
right now, I’m just extra motivated to go for that win this
weekend and defend my win from last year.”
Some other things to look for this weekend:
Honda Catching Up?
Chevrolet power has won all four races this season. Honda is just a tick behind. Will May be the month they close the gap? In spite of being shut out of the winner’s circle, Honda driver Alex Palou leads the points standings. The only Honda wins on th IMS road course belong to Pagenaud when he drove for Schmidt-Peterson and Dixon in 2020.
Will Track Experience Help the Rookies?
Four of the six rookies have driven on the road course in the Road to Indy. Only Tatiana Calderon and Callum Ilott will see the track for the first time. The junior experience may help this rookie class have their best performances of the season.
Grosjean Breakthrough?
Last year Romain Grosjean broke the Penske grip on the pole and led much of the race. He ended the day in second place. I think his first Indycar win will be at this track. I’m not sure whether it will be this weekend or at the end of July.
I think it is time for Will Power to finally win a race in 2022. he has been hanging around the front all season. A poor qualifying run at Barber probably cost him a victory two weeks ago. Power does not have poor qualifying in the GMR Grand Prix.
I will be back after the first practice.
GMR Grand Prix Spotter Guide
Scanner frequencies included this week.
The Twelfth Row- Three Quick Notes
Just a few notes about the past few days in Indycar.
IMS at last got the pace car driver right. I cringe every year when a celebrity is named to drive the pace car. A professional driver should lead the field to the green. If the track had a celebrity passenger, I’d be fine with that. Sarah Fisher is the best choice. I hope they make her the permanent pace car driver for the 500.
I love the look of the pace car.
The Never Ending Silly Season
News this week that Alexander Rossi’s 2023 plans are settled come a week after Pato O’Ward’s new contract extension came to light. Will we know every driver’s 2023 plans by Mid Ohio? What fun is that?
I would like to just enjoy the year as it unfolds with the championship, surprise pole and race winners, and jus the fun of an Indycar season. In season future driver placement is not enjoyable. Can we wait until September?
The talk is reaching the same level of annoyance I feel during early December college basketball games when the “experts” start to talk about tournament seeding.
Carvana Trouble
Last night Carvana laid off 1,200 employees. Does this move put Jimmie Johnson’s funding in jeopardy? I hope not, but the news is troubling.
Carvana has had great sponsor activation with great television spots featuring Johnson and displays at the races. I would hate to see them leave Indycar.
This is a developing story. I hope the 48 car can finish the season.
GMR Grand Prix Fast Facts
IMS image
| Race weekend: Friday, May 13 – Saturday, May 14 Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course (clockwise) Race distance: NTT INDYCAR SERIES 85 laps / 207.3 miles | Indy Lights: 35 laps/55 minutes Push-to-pass parameters: 200 seconds of total time, with a maximum time of 20 seconds per activation. Firestone tire allotment: Six sets primary, four sets alternate (Note: A seventh set of primary tires is available to any car fielding a rookie driver.) Twitter: @IMS @INDYCAR, #ThisIsMay, #IndyCarEvent website: www.ims.com NTT INDYCAR SERIES website: www.indycar.com | Indy Lights website:www.indylights.com 2021 race winners: NTT INDYCAR SERIES: Rinus VeeKay (No. 21 SONAX Chevrolet) Indy Lights: Linus Lundqvist and David Malukas 2021 NTT P1 Award winner: Romain Grosjean (No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda), 1:09.4396, 126.447 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: 3 p.m. (ET) Saturday, May 14, 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 GMR 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. The Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis doubleheader will be streamed on Peacock Premium with practice and qualifying being shown on INDYCAR Live! INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analyst Davey Hamilton. Jake Query, Nick Yeoman and Michael Young are the turn announcers. Ryan Myrehn and Rob Blackman are the pit reporters. The GMR Grand Prix race (3 p.m. ET), Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis doubleheader (5:25 p.m. ET Friday and 1:10 p.m. ET Saturday) and all NTT INDYCAR SERIES and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practices and qualifying sessions air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 160, racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. At-track schedule (all times local): FRIDAY, MAY 13 (All times are local) 9:30-10:30 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice (45 minutes), Peacock Premium10:45-11:30 a.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires practice, INDYCAR LIVE!12:45-1:45 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice, (45 minutes) Peacock Premium2-2:30 p.m. – Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires qualifying (Sets lineup for Race 1 and Race 2), INDYCAR LIVE!4 p.m. – Qualifying for the NTT P1 Award (three rounds of NTT INDYCAR SERIES knockout qualifications), Peacock Premium(Live)5:30 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 “Drivers, start your engines”5:35 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 1 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium SATURDAY, MAY 1410:30-11 a.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES warmup, Peacock Premium1:15 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 2 “Drivers, start your engines”1:20 p.m. – Indy Lights Grand Prix of Indianapolis Race 2 (35 laps/55 minutes), Peacock Premium3 p.m. – NBC on air3:39 p.m. – “Drivers, start your engines”3:45 p.m. – GMR Grand Prix (85 laps/207.3 miles), NBC (Live) NTT INDYCAR SERIES Notes: Pato O’Ward broke Team Penske’s three-race win streak by winning the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama on May 1. Alex Palou’s third podium finish of 2022 gave him the series points lead for the first time this season. Palou, the 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, leads Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin by three points and the top four drivers in the standings are separated by just 10 points heading into the critical Month of May, which has more than 250 points to offer with races on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, PPG Armed Forces Qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and the double points-paying Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in the next three weekends. The GMR Grand Prix will be the 12th INDYCAR SERIES event conducted on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course. Active race winners who are expected to compete are: Rinus VeeKay, Scott Dixon, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud and Will Power. ACTIVE RACE WINNER WINS SEASONS Will Power 5 2015, 2017, 2018 (GMR Grand Prix); 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-2); 2021 (Gallagher Grand Prix)Simon Pagenaud32014, 2016, 2019 (GMR Grand Prix) Scott Dixon 1 2020 (GMR Grand Prix) Josef Newgarden 1 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1) Rinus VeeKay 1 2021 (GMR Grand Prix)Four NTT P1 Award winners have won the GMR Grand Prix from the pole: Will Power in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016. Power also won the second Harvest GP race from pole in 2020. ACTIVE POLE WINNER POLES SEASONS Will Power 5 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020 (GMR Grand Prix and Harvest Grand Prix-2) Pato O’Ward 1 2021 (Gallagher Grand Prix) Romain Grosjean 1 2021 (GMR Grand Prix) Rinus VeeKay 1 2020 (Harvest Grand Prix-1) Felix Rosenqvist 1 2019 Simon Pagenaud 1 2016 Sebastian Saavedra 1 2014 Eight drivers have competed in every INDYCAR SERIES race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power, Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato. All but Hinchcliffe and Hunter-Reay are entered this year. Scott Dixon has finished first or second in four of the last five GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis. Dixon won his first race on the IMS road course in July 2020.J osef Newgarden can clinch the PeopleReady Force For Good Challenge’s $1 million prize by winning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course – where he won in 2020 in the Harvest Grand Prix. Newgarden has won on an oval (Texas Motor Speedway) and street circuit (Streets of Long Beach). A win on a road course would earn him a $500,000 bonus and a matching $500,000 donation for his charities, Wags and Walk Nashville and SeriousFun Children’s Network. 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). Ed Carpenter Racing, Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren SP are the only other teams to win at the track. 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. ix NTT INDYCAR SERIES Rookie of the Year contenders – Tatiana Calderon, Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas – are entered. All but Lundgaard will race an NTT INDYCAR SERIES car at IMS for the first time. Lundgaard made his series debut at the track last summer in the Gallagher Grand Prix. Twenty-two of the drivers entered in the event have competed in INDYCAR SERIES races on the IMS road course. Twelve entered drivers have led laps in the GMR Grand Prix: Will Power 210, Scott Dixon 69, Simon Pagenaud 68, Romain Grosjean 44, Graham Rahal 36, Rinus VeeKay 33, Josef Newgarden 25, Felix Rosenqvist 15, Alexander Rossi 2, Marcus Ericsson 1, Jack Harvey 1 and Alex Palou 1.Milestones: Felix Rosenqvist will attempt to make his 50th NTT INDYCAR SERIES start … Scott Dixon will attempt to make his 293rd consecutive start, the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES history. Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Notes: Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires will conduct the first of three doubleheader weekends with a pair of 35 lap races on Friday and Saturday. Linus Lundqvist, who won one of the two races at Indianapolis in 2021, took the series points lead with his win at Barber Motorsports Park on May 1. The field for the weekend’s doubleheader races will be set by a single qualifying session on Friday. The two drivers who have won Indy Lights races this season – Matthew Brabham of Andretti Autosport and Linus Lundqvist of HMD Motorsports with Dale Coyne Racing – are also the only entered drivers to have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Brabham won Race 1 of a doubleheader at IMS in May 2014 while Lundqvist won Race 1 of last season’s doubleheader. |
Foyt Unveils 500 Livery for Hildebrand
ABC Supply Unveils Homes For Our Troops-Themed Indy 500 Car and $1 Million Donation Match
BELOIT, Wis.—May. 9, 2022—When drivers start their engines at the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, race fans will see a new look for the No. 11 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet — and have a chance to make a million-dollar impact that supports military Veterans. Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives, will be gifted the design of the Indy car by its sponsor, ABC Supply, to bring awareness to their mission. ABC Supply will also match all donations made to HFOT — up to $1 million total — from Saturday, May 21, through Monday, May 30.
A longtime supporter and friend of AJ Foyt Racing, ABC Supply continues its sponsorship of the team
in the Indy 500 while bringing attention to HFOT’s important work. With nearly 90 percent of its donations going directly to building homes and rebuilding lives, HFOT rarely advertises and relies on word-of-mouth awareness. The visibility at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will showcase their mission to a national audience. The car’s stars and stripes design celebrates American pride and prominently features the HFOT mission of “Building Homes. Rebuilding Lives.”
To date, HFOT has built and donated over 330 homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans. After the homes are built, the relationships between HFOT and their Veterans continue — the organization provides a pro-bono financial planner to assist with budgeting, homeownership education, a peer mentoring program and more.
“We are thrilled ABC Supply is choosing to spotlight Homes For Our Troops through this initiative,” says HFOT President and CEO Tom Landwermeyer. “In addition to generating revenue, it will raise much
needed awareness about our mission. ABC Supply has been a tremendous partner and we are grateful for their commitment to our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives.”
ABC Supply Co. Inc., the nation’s largest wholesale distributor of roofing, siding and other select exterior building products, has been a multimillion-dollar supporter of HFOT since 2020.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be back at the Indy 500 with AJ Foyt Racing and raise awareness for
our friends at Homes For Our Troops,” says Mike Jost, chief operating officer of ABC Supply. “HFOT is an incredible organization and we’re honored to play a part in bringing more attention to the great work they do.
“I think the fans will love it, and I think the fans will be so happy to see the American flag — especially
with our team,” says A.J. Foyt. “I would like to thank ABC Supply for supporting Homes For Our Troops. It’s great.”
“To support this organization at the Speedway, bring attention to Veterans and some of the challenges that they face, and to highlight the things that people and organizations like Homes For Our Troops are
doing to give them opportunities to better their lives is such a special thing to be able to be a part of,” says J.R. Hildebrand, driver of the No. 11 car.
Learn more about the “Homes For Our Troops” Indy car and how the organization is supporting Veterans.
Foyt Reveals 500 Livery for Car 11
A release today from A. J. Foyt Racing:
ABC Supply Unveils Homes For Our Troops-Themed Indy 500 Car and $1 Million Donation Match
BELOIT, Wis.—May. 9, 2022—When drivers start their engines at the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, race fans will see a new look for the No. 11 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet — and have a chance to make a million-dollar impact that supports military Veterans. Homes For Our Troops (HFOT), a nonprofit that builds and donates specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives, will be gifted the design of the Indy car by its sponsor, ABC Supply, to bring awareness to their mission. ABC Supply will also match all donations made to HFOT — up to $1 million total — from Saturday, May 21, through Monday, May 30.
A longtime supporter and friend of AJ Foyt Racing, ABC Supply continues its sponsorship of the team
in the Indy 500 while bringing attention to HFOT’s important work. With nearly 90 percent of its donations going directly to building homes and rebuilding lives, HFOT rarely advertises and relies on word-of-mouth awareness. The visibility at “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” will showcase their mission to a national audience. The car’s stars and stripes design celebrates American pride and prominently features the HFOT mission of “Building Homes. Rebuilding Lives.”
To date, HFOT has built and donated over 330 homes for severely injured post-9/11 Veterans. After the homes are built, the relationships between HFOT and their Veterans continue — the organization provides a pro-bono financial planner to assist with budgeting, homeownership education, a peer mentoring program and more.
“We are thrilled ABC Supply is choosing to spotlight Homes For Our Troops through this initiative,” says HFOT President and CEO Tom Landwermeyer. “In addition to generating revenue, it will raise much
needed awareness about our mission. ABC Supply has been a tremendous partner and we are grateful for their commitment to our mission of Building Homes and Rebuilding Lives.”
ABC Supply Co. Inc., the nation’s largest wholesale distributor of roofing, siding and other select exterior building products, has been a multimillion-dollar supporter of HFOT since 2020.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be back at the Indy 500 with AJ Foyt Racing and raise awareness for
our friends at Homes For Our Troops,” says Mike Jost, chief operating officer of ABC Supply. “HFOT is an incredible organization and we’re honored to play a part in bringing more attention to the great work they do.
“I think the fans will love it, and I think the fans will be so happy to see the American flag — especially
with our team,” says A.J. Foyt. “I would like to thank ABC Supply for supporting Homes For Our Troops. It’s great.”
“To support this organization at the Speedway, bring attention to Veterans and some of the challenges that they face, and to highlight the things that people and organizations like Homes For Our Troops are
doing to give them opportunities to better their lives is such a special thing to be able to be a part of,” says J.R. Hildebrand, driver of the No. 11 car.
Learn more about the “Homes For Our Troops” Indy car and how the organization is supporting Veterans.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 