Grid Penalty for Car 10, Palou
Tag: NTT Indycar Series
Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear Fast Facts
| Race weekend: Friday, June 11 – Sunday, June 13 Track: Raceway at Belle Isle Park, a 2.35-mile, 14-turn temporary street course (clockwise) Race distance: 70 laps / 164.5 miles (both races) Media Links: Race 1 Entry List | Race 2 Entry List | Driver Video Quotes Push-to-pass parameters: 150 seconds of total time with a maximum time of 15 seconds per activation (for each race) Firestone tire allotment: Eight sets primary, five sets alternate (weekend). Teams must use one set of primary and alternate tires in each race. One additional set available to teams fielding a rookie driver is available for the first session of the weekend. Twitter: @DetroitGP @IndyCar, #DetroitGP, #IndyCar Event website: http://www.DetroitGP.com INDYCAR website: www.IndyCar.com 2019 race winners: Race 1: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet); Race 2: Scott Dixon (No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) 2019 NTT P1 Award winners: Race 1: Alexander Rossi (No. 27 NAPA AUTO PARTS Honda) 1:14.1989, 114.018 mph; Race 2: Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet) 1:14.8607, 113.010 mph. Qualifying lap record: Takuma Sato, 1:13.6732, 114.831 mph, June 4, 2017 NBC Sports race telecasts: Race 1 Qualifying, 11 a.m. ET Saturday NBCSN (live); Race 2 Qualifying, 9 a.m. Sunday, NBCSN (live); Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 1, 2 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC (live); Chevrolet Dual in Detroit Race 2, noon ET Sunday, NBC (live). Leigh Diffey is the play-by-play announcer for NBC’s coverage of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, alongside analysts Townsend Bell and Paul Tracy. 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. INDYCAR Radio Network broadcasts: Mark Jaynes is the chief announcer alongside analysts Davey Hamilton and Nick Yeoman. Jake Query and Michael Young are the turn announcers with Ryan Myrehn and Joel Sebastianelli in the pit lane. The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit doubleheader will air live on network affiliates, SiriusXM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app powered by NTT DATA. All NTT INDYCAR SERIES practices and qualifying are available on SiriusXM 205, indycar.com and the INDYCAR Mobile app. At-track schedule (all times local): Friday, June 11 5 – 6:15 p.m. – NTT INDYCAR SERIES practice #1, Peacock Premium Saturday, June 12 11 – 11:45 a.m. – Race 1 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Two rounds of knockout qualifying/10 minutes each), NBCSN, Peacock Premium (live) 1:20 p.m. – Driver introductions 1:58 p.m. – Command to start engines 2:05 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #1 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live) Sunday, June 13 9:15 – 10 a.m. – Race 2 qualifying for NTT P1 Award (Two rounds of knockout qualifying/10 minutes each), NBCSN, Peacock Premium (live) Noon – Driver introductions 12:43 p.m. – Command to start engines 12:50 p.m. – Chevrolet Dual in Detroit #2 (70 laps/164.5 miles), NBC (live) Race notes: There have been six different winners in six NTT INDYCAR SERIES races to start the 2021 season. Alex Palou (Barber Motorsports Park), Colton Herta (Streets of St. Petersburg), Scott Dixon (Texas Motor Speedway-1), Pato O’Ward (Texas Motor Speedway-2), Rinus VeeKay (Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course-1) and Helio Castroneves (Indianapolis 500) have all won in 2021. The last time there were seven different winners to start the season was 2017. The record for most different winners in a season is 11 in 2000, 2001 and 2014. There have been eight different winners in the last 10 NTT INDYCAR SERIES races (Colton Herta, Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay and Helio Castroneves) The only repeat winners in that stretch are Newgarden (2 wins – Harvest GP-1 and St. Petersburg in 2020) and Herta (2 wins – Mid-Ohio-2 in 2020 and St. Petersburg 2021). The Chevrolet Dual in Detroit will be the 28th and 29th INDYCAR SERIES races conducted at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park and the 30th and 31st INDYCAR SERIES races held in Detroit. A 2.5-mile street circuit in downtown Detroit hosted CART events from 1989-1991. Scott Dixon has won three times at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, tied with Helio Castroneves for most wins by an INDYCAR SERIES driver at the track. In addition to Dixon, other previous Belle Isle winners entered include Sebastien Bourdais (2015 Race 2 and 2016 Race 1), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2018 Race 2), Josef Newgarden (2019 Race 1), Simon Pagenaud (2013 Race 2), Will Power ( 2014 Race 1 and 2016 Race 2) and Graham Rahal (2017 Race 1 and Race 2). There have been 17 different pole winners in the previous 25 races. Pole winners entered in this year’s race are Josef Newgarden (2019 Race 2), Alexander Rossi (2019 Race 1 and 2018 Race 2), Graham Rahal (2017 Race 1), Takuma Sato (2014 Race 2, 2017 Race 2), Simon Pagenaud (2016 – Race 1 and Race 2), Will Power (2015 Race 1) and Scott Dixon (2008 and 2012). Four drivers have won the race from the pole: Graham Rahal (2017, Race 1), Scott Dixon (2012), Helio Castroneves (2001) and Robby Gordon (1995). The driver who has gone on to win the championship has won at Detroit five times. Josef Newgarden won Race 1 in 2019, Scott Dixon won Race 1 in 2018, Will Power won Race 2 in 2014, Alex Zanardi won on Belle Isle in 1998, Bobby Rahal won at Belle Isle in 1992 and Emerson Fittipaldi won in downtown Detroit in 1989. Scott Dixon has competed in 18 previous races at Belle Isle, most of any driver. Thirteen drivers entered have led laps at the track (Dixon 127, Graham Rahal 107, Simon Pagenaud 93, Will Power 50, Takuma Sato 44, Sebastien Bourdais 38, Josef Newgarden 33, Ryan Hunter-Reay 20, Santino Ferrucci 20, Alexander Rossi 19, James Hinchcliffe 11, Conor Daly 4 and Marcus Ericsson 2) Seven drivers will race NTT INDYCAR SERIES cars at the Raceway at Belle Isle for the first time: Romain Grosjean, Jack Harvey, Jimmie Johnson, Dalton Kellett, Scott McLaughlin, Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay. Scott Dixon has made 278 consecutive starts heading into the weekend, which is the second-longest streak in INDYCAR SERIES racing. Dixon, the longest-tenured driver for Chip Ganassi Racing, is third on the all-time victory list with 51 wins. Will Power is tied with Al Unser for fifth on the all-time list with 39 wins and Sebastien Bourdais is seventh on the all-time list with 37 wins. |
St. Pete Extends Indycar Through 2026
Indycar now has its season opener set for the next five years as the St. Pete City Council unanimously agreed to an extension of the race through 2026 on the event’s original date in March. The full announcement from the city:
St. Petersburg City Council unanimously extends Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg through 2026
| Grand Prix will return to its traditional March date in 2022 |
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| ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (June 9, 2021) – The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will remain a cornerstone event on the downtown streets and waterfront through at least 2026. St. Petersburg City Council unanimously approved a two-year extension to the existing agreement with Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC (GSSP) on June 3rd. This spring break racing tradition has been a marquee event on the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ annual calendar for the past 17 years. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg brings worldwide exposure and spectators from across the globe to the City of St. Petersburg. “I am thrilled that the Grand Prix will be in the Sunshine City through 2026. I want to thank City Council for recognizing the importance of this race in St. Pete,” said St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman. “I also want to thank Kim (Green) and Kevin (Savoree), and everyone at the Grand Prix for not only organizing and promoting one of our city’s best events year after year, but for their dedication to our community.” Set to return to its traditional position on the calendar during the second weekend of March in 2022, the dates for the next five Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg races are: March 10-13, 2022 March 9-12, 2023 March 7-10, 2024 March 6-9, 2025 March 12-15, 2026 “There is no better backdrop than downtown St. Petersburg and its picturesque waterfront for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg to showcase the NTT INDYCAR SERIES,” said Kim Green, co-owner, chairman and CEO of GSSP. “The success and continued growth of the event has only been possible with the overwhelming support and collaboration with the City of St. Petersburg’s Councillors, Mayor Kriseman and his fantastic team.” The City of St. Petersburg’s “Embrace the Race” campaign has worked alongside local businesses to create a great experience for visitors. The efforts multiply the economic impact which the race has on St. Petersburg and local surrounding communities each year. The event has also had an ongoing impact on the local community through fundraising efforts for the Police Athletic League of St. Petersburg. Over a four-year span via the MBA 5K Run on the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Track, over $216,000 has been raised for the Police Athletic League and American Stage Theatre. The 5K run and walk event is planned to return in 2022 after being put on pause for 2021. The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is run on a 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary waterfront circuit that includes a combination of adjacent downtown streets circling Pioneer Park, The Mahaffey Theater, the Salvador Dali Museum and extending onto the runways of Albert Whitted Airport. The set up and tear down process has become more efficient each year. Most recently it took 25 days to construct the circuit and the removal was done within six days thanks to the support of local vendors like Stepp’s Towing and the development of a collaborated plan with the City of St. Petersburg’s administration and events team. For event information, visit gpstpete.com. Also, follow the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on social media using #FirestoneGP for additional ongoing updates and news. |
About Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg:The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is a race event held during Florida’s spring break season each March and rescheduled to the last weekend of April this year. Traditionally the site of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ season-opening race, St. Pete is a destination city hosting this annual motorsports tradition and offering a festival atmosphere with its downtown location. The temporary circuit is a 1.8-mile, 14-turn configuration using the streets circling Pioneer Park, the Duke Energy Center for the Arts, The Dali Museum and extending onto the runways at Albert Whitted Airport, which overlooks the waterfront of Tampa Bay and picturesque St. Petersburg Harbor and Marina. Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is owned and operated by Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC. Green Savoree St. Petersburg, LLC is owned by Green Savoree Racing Promotions 2, LLC whose other subsidiaries also promote three additional INDYCAR races, The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (July 2-4, 2021), Honda Indy Toronto, and Grand Prix of Portland (Sept. 10-12, 2021).
For more information, visit gpstpete.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @GPSTPETE or follow the event on Twitter @GPSTPETE and Instagram @GPSTPETE using #FirestoneGP.
Daly Has Confidence Heading to Belle Isle
Photo by James Black, Indycar
Conor Daly enjoyed his time off from Indycar, but he is ready to head to Detroit for this weekend’s grand prix on Belle Isle. Daly loves this track, and he has had success here, with a second place and he also led laps at the race which follows the Indianapolis 500.
Daly’s Ed Carpenter Racing had a great May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Rinus VeeKay winning the GMR Grand Prix, placing two cars in the Fast Nine, and Daly leading the most laps in the Indianapolis 500. Team owner Carpenter finished fifth, VeeKay eighth, and Daly 13th after a tire from Graham Rahal’s car damaged the nose of Daly’s car.
Despite losing a chance for the win, Daly remains upbeat and confident as the series heads to the halfway point of the 2021 season this weekend. In a very positive press availability Tuesday, Daly outlined his reason for his optimism.
“It’s one of my favorite tracks, even 2015there in the Arrow machine for Hinch after he had the mix-up with the wall at Indy. That was one of my most fun weekends, still to this day. In the rain, leading the race there up against those guys as a complete and utter rookie. I love the track. Love the race weekend. I think it’s done so well.”Daly believes the team has momentum, not necessarily from just the 500, but from the GMR Grand Prix as well.
“…what I look forward to most is the progress we made at the Indy GP. That’s what I’m most excited about. That is such a short weekend, you get right into oval stuff. We made a lot of progress there. I’m excited to see if we can continue that for another good run at Detroit.”
For the first time in his career, Daly is developing continuity with a team. He thinks that has contributed to his success in 2021.
“I think for years I’ve been talking about creating continuity. I think we see right now what continuity is doing for this whole group, both Rinus and I. We get better. Your goal as a driver is to improve constantly, work with your team to just keep building that pyramid up, keep going.Rinus is doing that. I think I’m doing that. I don’t think we’ve been able to obviously translate to results yet for several things that have been out of our control obviously. But we’re in the fight rather than a lot of the races last year we were nowhere even near the talk of anything. But now we’re putting ourselves up there.”
On the progress ECR has made from 2020 to this season, Daly said,
“Leaps and bounds. Massive, massive amounts of progress. Certainly for me personally because I kind of know, obviously not going to give away everything we’re doing, but I know that Rinus and I drive different cars, very different cars. A lot of the times we just haven’t been able to get what I needed out of it. It’s much easier for Rinus. He’s obviously very, very quick, very, very talented.”
Daly summed up his and the team’s approach for the rest of the season:
“We’re just going to keep going at it every weekend, trying to be the best we can be. I feel really good about myself and my team, yeah. That’s the goal, is to just be happy and be ready to execute every weekend.
I mean, I’ve learned a lot about myself I guess. I think I’ve also tried to do a lot of work on my own brain, which I think has been helpful because a lot of the stuff, when you look at a year going into it, none of this crazy stuff is going to happen, it’s just going to be great, every race is going to be great.All this crazy stuff has happened, and you can’t change your attitude. You have to go into Detroit, It’s going to be great, it’s going to be perfect, we’re going to execute.”
Rahal, Bourdais Ready to Move on From Indy
TThe Indianapolis 500 didn’t end well for either Graham Rahal or Sébastien Bourdais, but both are ready to move on to focus on the remaining two-thirds of the Indycar season.
Rahal discussed how his race ended in general terms, concluding,
“Everybody accepted what went wrong. Now we’re moving forward. Now we’re focused on Detroit and making the restof this year as best we can.
I think it’s great to turn the page now, move forward to a race that I’ve loved so much.”
Bourdais, like Rahal a two time winner at Detroit, is also eager to return to a place where he has had success.
“There was that dismal weekend at Texas. None of our fault, but that definitely set the tone a little bit for a bit of a moreconservative 500. When you’ve pretty much already wipedout your crash budget in a matter of 24 hours, I think we allfelt very conservative, maybe a little bit too conservative, in quallie trim and everything…just looking forward to the next ones, keep our a relatively new group kind of all working together
and trying to make the best of our situation in a very, very competitive field right now.”
Rahal and Bourdais expressed apprecifationor Roger Penske and his team for torture of the Detroit Grand Prix, one of the races that was canceled due to the pandemic in 2020.
Bourdais : “…we can thank, like Graham was saying, Roger and the entire team on the INDYCAR SERIES side, the Detroit side for putting all the hard work, letting us do ourthing, doing it all together.
on the weekend ahead.”
Rahal: “I want to say thanks to Roger and Bud and the group for keeping their heads down and making Detroit happen thisyear. I know for a while it was looking pretty limited fan-wise and everything else. We’re certainly excited to be back. It’s become a staple on the INDYCAR circuit. We’re excited to get a chance to turn the page from Indy, move on, hopefully have a great weekend.”
Both drivers expressed concern about the physical nature of the bumpy Belle Isle track and the heat that the aeroscreen will generate in the cockpit.
Bourdais talked about the aeroscreen,
“The aeroscreen safety-wise, particularly for the ovals and the superspeedways, just a single biggest investment forsure is concerned as far as safety is concerned. For me for sure on the street courses I sometimes wish the screenwasn’t there because I feel like it’s making things extremely difficult and uncomfortable in the car. I think it’s just onevery tough compromise, right? You just add that big safetypiece on an existing car that really wasn’t designed for anything like this, how you manage the airflow andeverything around.For sure when it gets hot and humid, particularly on streetcourses, the body temperature inside the 120 degree cockpit gets pretty critical. Yeah, it’s never really a fun last10, 15 laps of those races. Doing it twice in a weekend, I think that dehydration level is going to be tough. “
Rahal added,
” I do think it’s going to be an exceptionally physical weekend. It looks hot, upper 80s and sunny. Detroit doesnot have any long straightaways really. I do think it’s goingto be a pretty physical weekend.Aside from everything else, everybody is pretty used to it now. We’re a year into this thing. The aeroscreen has been a great addition, a great addition to the sportsafety-wise. You look at the saves it’s already had in itstime. I think it’s been great.No, I think we’ll just go at it and try to make sure that youget rested up on Saturday night if you have a full day on Saturday because Sunday is going to be another bruiser.”
Detroit Weekend Schedule
A little bit of a bit of a different schedule this year in Detroit. There is only one late afternoon practice session Friday, and the qualifying procedure each day sees a slight modification.
Instead of the fastest driver in each of those two groups making up. the front row, an extra 10 minute round has been added with the fastest six from each group running for the pole. I assume that the the groups switch. order for Sunday’s qualifying.
The IMSA race is Saturday afternoon at 5 pm following the Indycar race
Road America Allows Fans Paddock Access
From Road America moments ago:
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FANS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE PADDOCK AT THE 2021 REV GROUP GRAND PRIX PRESENTED BY AMERICAN MEDICAL RESPONSE AND IMSA SPORTS CAR WEEKEND ELKHART LAKE, Wis., May 26, 2021 – As the NTT INDYCAR REV Group Grand Prix presented by American Medical Response welcomes fans again at America’s National Park of Speed, June 17-20, attendees will also be able to access the paddock free of charge. Additionally, at this year’s IMSA SportsCar Weekend, August 5-8, all fans will once again be welcome in the paddock, where race teams and drivers prepare the cars that compete on the 4-mile, 14-turn circuit. Tickets are now available for both events at www.roadamerica.com “We are fortunate that our fans understood the situation we faced last season, and now they have the opportunity to get closer to the action at Road America,” said Mike Kertscher, Road America’s President and General Manager. “So don’t wait, get your tickets online now, print them at home and get ready for an action-packed summer at America’s National Park of Speed.” The REV Group Grand Prix presented by American Medical Response weekend schedule, June 17-20, will also be bolstered by Vintage Indy and the Radical Cup series, plus two junior development series of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, including the Indy Pro 2000, and USF2000, of which many drivers of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES are graduates. Additionally, all first responders including Police, Fire, and EMS will receive FREE access for the entire NTT IndyCar Series REV Group Grand Prix presented by American Medical Response weekend by showing proof of active status at the gate in the form of a department-issued ID or badge. The IMSA SportsCar Championship and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, August 5-8, will be one of the most incredible weekends of sports car racing in the world. Fans will get to see the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge race on Saturday, with the WeatherTech® SportsCar Championship race on Sunday, plus races from the IMSA Porsche Carrera Cup North America and the Mazda MX-5 Cup. Every general admission ticket includes walk-in access to the paddock. Bicycles must be walked in the paddock, and due to space considerations, golf cart access may be restricted in high-traffic areas. Tickets are available, and fans are welcome. Additional event details, ticket pricing, and camping information can be found at www.roadamerica.com or by calling 800-365-7223. Anyone 16-years-old and under is FREE with a paying adult at the gate. Racing runs rain or shine. To plan your visit, check out Road America’s Frequently Asked Questions webpage at www.roadamerica.com/faq ### |
| About Road America: Established in 1955, Road America is conveniently located between Milwaukee and Green Bay in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The world’s best racers have competed at this legendary four-mile, 14-turn road circuit for over 65 years. Along with over 500 events held seasonally at the 640-acre facility, several major weekends are open to the public, which include the IndyCar Series, the MotoAmerica Series, three vintage racing events, numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) events, the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and NASCAR. Road America’s park-like grounds offer amazing viewing opportunities, numerous camping options, fantastic concessions, and high-speed excitement to hundreds of thousands of spectators each year. Fans can also stay and play in cabins conveniently on the grounds and find all sorts of souvenirs, collectibles, and apparel at the 7,500 sq. ft Paddock Shop. Affectionately known by many as America’s National Park of Speed, Road America can accommodate groups of all sizes, including weddings and corporate events in the Tufte Conference Center. In addition to public race weekends, Road America offers various group event programs, including geocaching, disc golf, and off-road adventure tours, karting, and the Road America Motorcycle and Driving Schools. For more information, visit http://www.roadamerica.com Follow Road America on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube or call 800-365-72 |
Some Final Thoughts on Qualifications
Should Indianapolis 500 qualifying be just a one day show? The last chance shootout resulted in almost an hour of no on track action. The shootout should probably be flexible depending on the number of cars involved. I will expand on this thought tomorrow.
What happened to Chevy? The engines seemed equal with Honda during the week, but they didn’t take kindly to the added boost. I hope they are more competitive during the race.
One thing I realized I was missing yesterday- the sounds of the cars firing to go onto to the track for their qualifying runs, and th3e sounds of the cars on the backstretch. The PA crew for some reason thinks every moment has to be filled with their mostly inane chatter or bad 80 rock n roll music. Here is what I want from the PA- car location, lap number, speed, brief driver bio. I don’t want music during the out and warmup laps. I want to hear the cars. End of old man rant.
The forecast temperature for Sunday right now should make for a pleasant day for fans and possibly allow some passing. Warning- it’s only Monday and this is Indiana.
This weekend’s attendance was the biggest qualifying crowd since 2016. people were excited to get back to the speedway after last year. The big test comes next year, when we will see if qualifying cab draw the same or better crowd.
So few cars took advantage of the practice time offered this weekend. I wonder if those pre -qualifying periods will be reduced in the future. Only 5 of 14 cars took practice laps yesterday.
It seems like the pole winner for the Indianapolis 500 should get a special pole award sticker rather than the one given out at every other race.
The first three rows are a nice representation of the state of Indycar- veterans and young drivers competing against each other. I am comforted seeing that when the older drivers retire that there will be a smooth transition to the new stars.
By the way- It’s Race Week!
Dixon Goes 233; Pole Battle Wide Open
Photo: Scott Dixon by Chris Owens, Indycar
Scott Dixon had the fastest single lap of 233.302 mph on unusual final day of practice before qualifications start tomorrow for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500. The lap was with a tow. Today is the second day this week that Dixon had the fastest lap.
It was a different type of practice day. The NNT Indycar Series allowed each car an additional 85-90 horsepower, which helped increase speeds by about five to seven miles an hour. Most of the day saw cars on track by themselves, or at most maybe two other cars also running. All the teams were doing simulated qualifying runs, and the drivers seemed to allow each other space to get their runs in. Each team hoped to do four or five runs today. In the final half hour several cars hit the track for a final shakedown. It was the busiest time all day.
The best lap results:
While a great single lap is nice, tomorrow it’s an average of four laps tha makes up the qualifying speed. The best four lap averages today:Marcus Ericsson – 231.950 mph
Colton Herta – 231.726 mph
Pato O’Ward – 231.522 mph
Alexander Rossi – 230.999 mph
Stefan Wilson – 230.844 mph
Takuma Sato – 230.819 mph
Ed Carpenter – 230.423 mph
Santino Ferrucci – 230.364 mph
Ed Jones – 230.251 mph
Rinus VeeKay – 230.234 mph
Qualifying happens with no other cars on track. here are the cars who were best running alone:
Saturday’s qualifying will lock in starters 10-30. Qualifiers 1-9 will each get one qualifying run Sunday to determine the pole. The last rwo will also have a Sunday session among qualifiers 31st -35th, with the fastest three on Sunday starting the race.
Big Crowd, Race Atmosphere
Today was closer to a normal day at the track. The crowd was by far the largest of the week. It took me 30 minutes to park, something I used to experience on qualifying days. The B and E penthouse stands were quite full.
The Pagoda Plaza also had fans everywhere, much more like a typical day at the track. IMS will have more grandstands open tomorrow, including some in turns 2 and 4.
Pole Favorites?
We could sse the youngest pole sitter in history. We also might see the okldest pole sitter in history. This is a wide open battle. My Fast Nine picks who will be going for the top spot on Sunday are Dixon, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato, Marcus Ericsson, Conor Daly, Ed Carpenter, Alex Palou, Colton Herta, and Josef Newgarden.
Who’s Going Home?
Two drivers will not make the race. I think R. C . Enerson and Dalton Kellett will be on the outside looking in after Sunday.
I will be abck early in the morning with a preview of the day, including seating and parking information. I will also have the qualifying order.
The Pit Window by Mike Silver 