Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Practice Begins for a Very Different 500

thepitwindow

Good morning from the 71st and Michigan Road media center annex of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Practice begins today for the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 on August 23.

Today’s schedule all times ET:

11-1 Veterans

1-3  Rookie Orientation and refreshers

3-5:30  All cars

Coverage: NBC Gold

The weather forecast seems to be improving for the week. Today should be dry.

My race preview will come out next week.  Some story lines to follow for now:

No Fans

For the first time in he race’s history, the 500 will take place with no fans watching.  How will it affect the drivers?  I have wondered if having fans in the stands on race day affects the drivers’ perspectives in certain areas of the track.

The winner will not hear  cheers while on the victory podium or see the fans waving on his cool down lap. That will be disappointing to whomever wins.

The pre race grid will be eerily quiet with the throngs that usually pack the front stretch.

We have seen two races without fans. They seemed weird, but the 500 will seem even stranger, I think. The energy fans bring to this race is unlike the buzz at any other track.

Aeroscreen

The aeroscreen gets its first test on the speedway this week. We know from iIowa that it performs as it was designed to. Will it hold up at higher speeds in a similar incident? How will it affect handling? Will passing be more difficult?

Will the extra weight slow the cars? Will the aeroscreen act as front downforce?

Indycar has once again modified the cooling system with larger tubing and a filtration system to keep debris out of the cockpit. I will be looking for what the drivers think of the changes.

Helio’s Last Ride for Penske?

2020 could be the final year in which Helio Castroneves drives at Indianapolis for Roger Penske. The three time 500 winner has been driving full time for Penske in IMSA, but that program ends after this season. The full time drivers have been told to seek other rides. Castroneves has expressed interest in returning to Indycar full time.  He may have to settle for a mid pack team next year. How Castroneves does this year may determine where he ends up next year.

No Women in the Field

For the first time in 20 years the field will not have a female driver. Pippa Mann could no put together a program for 2020. It may be a few years before we see the next woman drive in the 500.

Bump Tales Bumped This Year,  Pole Tales Coming

Because there will be no bumping, Bump Tales will spend the year in quarantine. Tomorrow, look for the first edition of Pole Tales, stories of how poles were won before the Fast Nine came into being.

 

 

 

 

Dragonspeed Fills the Field at 33; Hoosier Hundred Returns

thepitwindow

Yesterday Dragonspeed confirmed Ben Hanley will drive the number 81 in the 104th running for the Indianapolis 500.  The entry is the 33rd for the race, avoiding a less than full  field for the first time since 1947. Given the economic climate I think it is quite an accomplishment to have 33 cars this year.

Two other possible entries, Juncos Racing and Top Gun Racing, decided not to pursue an entry until next year. Juncos ran out of time to secure sponsorship and get a car built in time. Top Gun had a sponsor withdraw because there would be no track activation. Cutting the purse in half also figured into their decision. R. C. Enerson was scheduled to drive for Top Gun.

Five rookies are entered- Pato O’Ward, Oliver Askew, Rinus VeeKay,  Alex Palou, and Dalton Kellett. O’Ward passed his rookie test last year but did not qualify for the race.

This year’s race will be the first without a female driver since 1999. Pippa Mann was unable to put a program together for this year.

Because there are only 33 cars, there will be no Last Row Shootout next Sunday, but the Fats Nine will still take place.

The entry list, thanks to Eric Smith of Race Review Online:

Chevrolet (17)

Team Penske (4) – Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Josef Newgarden and Helio Castroneves

Ed Carpenter Racing (3) – Ed Carpenter, Conor Daly, Rinus VeeKay R

Arrow McLaren SP (3) – Pato O’Ward R, Oliver Askew R, Fernando Alonso

AJ Foyt Racing (3) – Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball, Dalton Kellett R

Carlin (1) – Max Chilton

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (2) – Sage Karam, JR Hildebrand

DragonSpeed (1) – Ben Hanley

Honda (16)

Andretti Autosport (6) – Zach Veach, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, James Hinchcliffe, Colton Herta, Marco Andretti

Chip Ganassi Racing (3) – Scott Dixon, Felix Rosenqvist, Marcus Ericsson

Rahal/Letterman/Lanigan Racing (3) – Graham Rahal, Takuma Sato, Spencer Pigot (Citrone/Buhl partnership)

Dale Coyne Racing (3) – Santino Ferrucci, Alex Palou R, James Davison

Meyer Shank Racing (1) – Jack Harvey (Andretti alliance)

Hoosier Hundred Gets New Life

The Hoosier Hundred, thought to be gone after 2019, will return to Indiana State Fairgrounds August 23. The race began in 1953 as part of the USAC national championship. It is now an event in the USAC Silver Crown series. Ther ace is scheduled for 8pm, well after the 500 is over, but activities begin with practice and qualifying during the 500.

The race is able to return because of the pandemic. The track was going to be resurfaced with a limestone base and become a full time harness racing facility. The work never got started due to the pandemic, so this may truly be the final Hoosier 100.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday at 10 am ET at usactickets.com. Seating capacity is limited to 25%.

Indianapolis 500 Daily Broadcast Schedule

thepitwindow

here is the broadcast schedule leading up to the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500. The race day broadcast begins at 1 pm ET with the green flag at approximately 2:30 pm ET. Practices are only on NBC Gold, which i think NBC should open up at a deeply discounted price. They had a half price sale at the mid point of the season last year.

 

wp-15969887477041282209669309490219.png

 

Different Month, Not the Same Feeling

thepitwindow

Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been promoting the slogan,” Different Month, Same Feeling.” I think they can stop now. I never thought the feeling would be the same. Following yesterday’s announcement, There is definitely not the same feeling. I’m not sure if there is any feeling left.

I still believe it is the correct call to not allow fans for everyone’s safety. I don’t blame IU Health, the governor, or the mayor. My understanding is that it was Roger Penske’s call. Penske didn’t become a successful businessman by making bad decisions. This is defintiely a call for the long term of the speedway and the sport, although the short term is going to hurt.

There are some things that Indycar, IMS, and NBC could do to alleviate the angst of the fans. NBC could have a two week special price on NBC Gold for practices and qualifying. NBC could show the race not necessarily commercial free, but with ad overlays so that the action is on screen for the entire 200 laps. The Speedway could offer 2020 ticket holders a small gift shop coupon good through next May 30.

But life and racing go on. As of today, according to their websites, World Wide Technology Raceway (Gateway)  and IMS are still selling tickets to their next events for now. As we found out the last few days, things can change quickly.

The doubleheader at Gateway will have two 200 lap races instead of the traditional 248 lap race. Qualifying will follow the same format as at Iowa, where the second lap determines the starting spot for race 2.

IMS Schedule for the Indianapolis 500

wp-15966523595088496496510939413423.png

I will post each day’s schedule beginning next Wednesday. I’m wondering if the qualifying format will change if there are only 32 or 33 entries

IMS Grandstands Stay Empty as the Race Goes On

thepitwindow
In the end, it came down to a decision to save lives. I didn’t expect the announcement this soon, but it is better for fans who have travel and lodging reservations to cancel.  It will be sad to see empty stands while activities leading up to the 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 move along at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway the next two weeks.  Today’s decision to run all track sessions, including the race without fans is sending shock waves through the Indycar fan community.
The postponement of Mid Ohio and the moving back of opening day by 24 hours led me to suspect something bigger was coming. While I halfway expected the announcement of no fans at the race, a total ban on fans for practice and qualifying came as a shock. Practice day crowds are quite small and distancing would be easy. On qualifying days the crowds are larger, but nothing approaching Race Day. Carb day was the one day other than race Day that concerned me crowd wise.
COVID cases in Marion County have been going up. The have tripled since mid June and have increased the past two weeks. I think IMS and Indycar are erring on the side of safety.  Yes, they had a plan which was approved by state and local health officials. It is an excellent plan, very thorough and well thought out. i have no doubt IMS would execute the plan well. The one thing that troubled me was the enforcement of fan requirements. I wonder if that is the component which made the track decide that having fans was too big a risk.
The decision is a huge financial blow to IMS, Indycar, and the teams. How many of the smaller teams will still be in business next year, or even be able to finish the season? Will the purse for the 500 be diminished? It will be a struggle to get 33 cars this year, and it may be a struggle to reach that number for the next couple of years.
 Here is the full statement from IMS:

Update from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway

August 04, 2020 | By Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway today issued the following statement:

“It is with great regret that we announce the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 will take place on Aug. 23 without fans. This tough decision was made following careful consideration and extensive consultation with state and city leadership.

“As dedicated as we were to running the race this year with 25 percent attendance at our large outdoor facility, even with meaningful and careful precautions implemented by the city and state, the COVID-19 trends in Marion County and Indiana have worsened. Since our June 26 announcement, the number of cases in Marion County has tripled while the positivity rate has doubled. We said from the beginning of the pandemic we would put the health and safety of our community first, and while hosting spectators at a limited capacity with our robust plan in place was appropriate in late June, it is not the right path forward based on the current environment.

“We encourage Hoosiers to continue making smart decisions and following the advice of our public health officials so we can help get Indiana back on track.

“Penske Corporation made a long-term investment to be the steward of this legendary facility. While we were very excited to showcase the investments and enhancements we have made in the guest experience, we know we have reached the right decision. As much as Roger Penske and everyone associated with the ‘500’ wanted to race with fans this year, we ultimately reached this conclusion in partnership with the state of Indiana and city of Indianapolis.

“Our commitment to the Speedway is unwavering, and we will continue to invest in the Racing Capital of the World. We encourage everyone to watch this year’s race on NBC, and we look forward to welcoming our loyal fans back to ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ on May 30th of 2021.”

Further Information from IMS

  • All on-track activity during the month of August, including practice and qualifications, will be closed to the general public.
  • Individuals who still have tickets to this year’s Indy 500 will be credited for the 2021 Indianapolis 500 and will retain their seniority and their originally assigned seats.
  • The first Indy 500 practice will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 12, with a full schedule available on IMS.com.
  • All of the action from IMS can be viewed via NBC Sports Gold, NBCSN or NBC. Visit IMS.com or INDYCAR.com for a comprehensive streaming and broadcast schedule.
  • The 104th Running of the Indy 500 will take place Sunday, Aug. 23, with national coverage beginning on NBC at 1 p.m. ET.
  • Local Central Indiana coverage of the race will be available on NBC affiliate WTHR.
  • Broadcast coverage of qualifications on Saturday, Aug. 15 begins on NBC at 3 p.m. ET.
  • Sunday, Aug. 16 broadcast coverage of Pole Day begins on NBC at 1 p.m. ET.

Opening Day Moved

thepitwindow

Practice for the 104th running of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will begin on Wednesday, August 12, rather than Tuesday, August 11. No official reason for the move has been given, but Wednesday will be split between veterans and rookie orientation/refresher sessions.

In effect, Thursday will be the only full practice day before Fast Friday.

The move is likely a cost saving move for the track and the teams. It may also be an attempt to allow more time to have 33 entries. My count comes up a couple short of a full field right now. If this year has taught us anything, it is to be prepared for things to change. I think this may not be the only change we see before the 23rd.

Please check on the day of your track visit just to make sure things are scheduled as you thought.

 

Mid Ohio Postponed

thepitwindow

From Indycar this afternoon:

The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio will be postponed to later in 2020
LEXINGTON, Ohio (August 1, 2020) – INDYCAR and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Coursehave agreed to postpone The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio scheduled for Aug. 7-9 until a date to be determined in September or October. This decision was made through communication with local health officials given the current environment.
Our team continues to work with all of our partners and our local government to identify a date later this year when we can host The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. More information will be forthcoming as it becomes available. Visit midohio.comfor ongoing updates.
We appreciate the patience and understanding of our fans as we navigate this postponement.
ABOUT MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE
A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 330 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is owned and operated by Green Savoree Racing Promotions since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.

Controversy- a 500 Tradition

thepitwindow

I used to officiate high school basketball. After a game, my partner and I would say, ” We must have had a good game because both sides were mad at us.” If we apply that standard to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, they are doing a great job. At least two entities have issues with the track. Controversy is nothing new to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It even predates the 500 mile race at the track. There was the original, deadly surface which caused several fatal  accidents, followed by the somewhat controversial finish of the first race in 1911, qualifying controversies, and more arguments about the finishing order of certain races, notably 1981 and 2002. This is not new, but it is more about what happens off the track.

IU Health, the Speedway’s medical partner, issued a statement asking the track to hold the race with no fans. Their plea comes after IMS produced what I think is a thorough and comprehensive plane for fan safety which has the approval of the Marion County Health Department and state medical officials. The track responded with a strongly worded rebuttal.

IMS requested input from IU Health and received no response. I would think if you are investing sponsorship in a place that asks for input, you should give it, rather than wait until a plan comes out and then take issue with the contents.  IU Health actually seems more concerned with the activities outside the track- fans going to restaurants, staying in hotels, and shopping. The speedway has no control over what the fans do outside the track. Businesses have plans in place which I hope will mitigate any spread of the virus.

While I am not a fan of running the race at all this year, I understand why Roger Penske feels the need to have it. I get why he wants to have fans. Like everyone else, i made my choice about attending. I agree that IU Health has a point, but where were they when the plan was being put together? Their statement seems like a blindside attack. I wonder how this issue will affect their partnership with IMS in the future.

Fickle Fans

When the Speedway asked ticket holders to state their preferences about reassigned tickets or credits, some fans had a difficult decision. Some decided to skip this year’s race while others requested the maximum number of tickets allowed.

There was a period of tension while those that chose to keep their seats waited to see if they would receive their full allotment and if their new seats were close to their original places.

That phase soon was replaced by relief upon learning that their order had been fulfilled, many for the maximum number they requested. As fans began receiving tickets this week, the joy has turned to some grumbling. I saw one person on Facebook complain about the spacing and stating their intent to sit with their friends anyway. The fan practically dared the track to enforce the seat assignments. If they feel that way about their seats, are they feeling that way about the mask requirement too?

From what I have seen and heard of the seating plan, it is well done. There is plenty of space between groups of assigned seats. I don’t know why people are complaining about getting seats when tickets are limited to a small percentage of capacity.  If you are unhappy with your seats, stay home and watch the race on television. But first, turn in your tickets so that someone else who wants to go has a chance.

I’m not worried about IMS weathering this storm. It has gone through much worse. Remember 1964 and 1973?

I will wait until next year when with luck and hopefully a vaccine we can enjoy the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 on its proper date of May 30.