Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Kaiser Unhurt in Crash; Andretti First to 230 MPH

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Just before noon Kyle Kaiser spun and had hard contact with the thid turn wall. The car spun and rolled partway like Pato O’Ward did yesterday. The I’m pact put a small gouge in the track, which the  IMS crew patched.

The car was destroyed. Juncos brought a second tub from their shop on Main Street in Speedway and will rebuild this car, which is primarily used for road courses. Juncos does not have a sponsor for the 500, but Kaiser had enough speed to easily be in the field.

Marco Andretti was the first driver to reach 230 mph, with a lap of 230.851. Three other drivers are also over 230. Conor Daly, Spencer Pigot, and Simon Pagenaud are second through fourth at the moment.

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At 2:25, the track went yellow for moisture. The minimum down time will be thirty minutes.

Honda powered cars appear to be better than the Chevys without a tow. Ed Carpenter, however, in a Chevy is first on no tow list.

Pato O’Ward was back on track this morning in acar with the same livery as Max Chilton’s. I’m sure it will be repainted if he makes the race.

I will close with some photos of what was left of Kaiser’s car.

 

 

Fast Friday May Sort Out Qualifying Picture

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Above: Carlin crew works to get Pato O’Ward’s car ready after his crash. Phot: Kyle McInnes

 

It’s called Fast Friday and with the added boost the engines get today speeds will definitely be faster than they have been  the rest of week.  We may get a glimpse of what qualifying will look like tomorrow.

Today will be cloudy with temperatures in the low 80s. Rain is still in the forecast for Sunday, which means tomorrow’s results will stand if Sunday is completely washed out.

This year’s qualifying format is different than last year’s. Tomorrow all 36 cars get a chance to make qualifying runs.  The top 30 are locked in the field. On Sunday the top nine qualifiers will have one attempt runs to determine the pole and the order of the first three roles. Cars that qualified 31-36 on Saturday then will each have one attempt to get the final three spots in the field.

I will not rehash my thoughts on this qualifying format here, but I refer you to two previous posts. My feelings haven’t changed on this matter.

https://wordpress.com/post/thepitwindow.blog/8989

https://wordpress.com/posts/thepitwindow.blog?s=The+soul+of+

The speeds from the last three days mean nothing.  Thereare some stories to watch closely the next two days.

Alonso

The rain yesterday kept Fernando Alonso from getting on track with his back up car. Look for a lot of running for McLaren today. They may try out both cars.  Alonso had not shown much speed before the crash, How McLaren rebounds from their setback will be intriguing.

I think he just barely squeezes into the field.

O’Ward

Pato O’Ward’s crash yesterday cost him valuable track time. He will be using his converted road course car, which is inherently slower on the oval. O’Ward is another driver who could be one of the six who will need a good run on Sunday to make the race.

Juncos

Juncos Racing learned at the beginning of the week that their sponsorship fell through. Despite the setback, Kyle Kaiser has kept the car in the top 20 this week. Getting in the field with no outside funding would be a great story. This is the type of drama that makes qualifying compelling.

Pippa Mann and James Hinchcliffe

Both drivers missed the race last year. Both have been running well enough to qualify. Hinchcliffe is in better shape with an established team in Arrow Schmidt Peterson.  He has shown resiliency a year after missing the race before. The circumstances aren’t as severe this time, the return would still be a story in perseverance.

Mann is with a new team, Clauson-Marshall Racing, her efforts to race in the 500 may again result in frustration.  She works all year to secure funding for a ride and I’m not sure what her future holds should she fail to make the race again.

The Fast Nine Repeat?

I see the Fast Nine looking the same as last year- four Penskes, three Carpenter cars, and two others, very possibly Scott Dixon and Sebastien Bourdais again.

Ed Carpenter is  my pick for the pole, although I would not be shocked if one of his teammates is fastest.

Takuma Sato is my dark horse for a top nine spot.

Going Home?

As far as who will not make the field, I think Ben Hanley of Dragonspeed will not make the field. He will join Pippa Mann and James Davison.

Back later with a practice update and some interesting comments from this morning’s press conferences.

Bump Tales- 1991: Willy T. Ribbs Breaks the Last Barrier

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Above: Willy T. Ribbs celebrates after qualifying for his first 500 in 1991.

By comparison, Breaking speed barriers-at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway were easy to accomplish. Other barriers had been as rigid as the old concrete walls at the Speedway. In 1977 Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the race. I’ll tell her story next week.   The final barrier stood another 14 years.

It was a long road to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Willy T. Ribbs. Ribbs had driven most everything, from SCCA sports cars to NASCAR.  Ribbs was the first black driver to drive a Formula 1 car in a test. He first entered the 500 in 1984, but did not appear.  In 1985 he came to the track, but withdrew during rookie orientation.

Six years later he was back with Derrick Walker, a Buick powered car, and no sponsor.  During the second week of practice leading up to the final  qualifying weekend, the team lost four engines. Now, on Bump Day, Ribbs was still not in the field.  Sunday got off to an ominous start.  A turbocharger failed just before 1 o’clock. After a ninety minute repair the engine was fired again and began to smoke. The engine was blowing oil. The pump had taken on shrapnel from the turbocharger.

By the time Ribbs could get out for practice, it was 3:30.  Finally at 5:15 Ribbs rolled off the line for a qualifying run. He posted the fastest time of the day, 217.358 and bumped 1983 race winner Tom Sneva from the field. Willy T. Ribbs was the African American to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

A story for another time is the history of black drivers attempting to enter the 500.

Unfortunately, his race didn’t last long. Ribbs was out after just five laps with another engine failure, finishing 32nd.

In 1992 Ribbs returned with a somewhat stronger effort. he qualified 30th and finished 21st.

The final Speedway barrier had been broken.

 

Day 3 Final- Rain Shortens Day, Prevents Alonso Return

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Above: Ed Jones led Day 3 practice with a speed of 227.843. Photo by Kyle McInnes

Rain and lightning shortened practice today. With lightning within eight  miles of the track, the yellow flag waved and the session was declared over. The rebuilt McLaren did not get on track.  As I type a rain shower is ten minutes away and there are now reports of hail in the area.

The rain means tomorrow the drivers begin with a green track. Speeds will build as the rubber gets built up on the track. With the extra boost allowed for qualifying, speeds should rise quickly.

Ed Jones set the day’s fastest time of 227.843 early and held the top spot the rest of the day.

The rest of the top five:

Takuma Sato   226.699

Zach Veach  226.070

Senastien Bourdais  225.996

Colton Herta  225.458.

 

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Ed Jones talks about his day .

Jones said, “From the get go things have gone very well” at Ed Carpenter Racing. “Ed Carpenter is mostly focused on ovals and it shows,” he added.

Pit Lane Parley Special Podcasts

In addition to tomorrow’s regular weekly podcast, Pit Lane Parley will have a series of exclusive driver interviews this weekend. Sage Karam, Santino Ferrucci, Ben Hanley, and possibly one other guest will talk with Mike Joachim. Times are not announced, so  check their schedule.

 

Bum p Tales returns tomorrow morning.  Look for a qualifying preview on Wildfire Sports tomorrow as well.

 

Just Past Mid Day Update

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Felix Rosenqvis.

t’s car was back on pit road. They are using an asymmetrical front wing setup with the Gurney flap only on the left side.

Carlin could be in some difficulty after Pato O”Ward’s heavy crash at 12:17 this morning. O’Ward was cleared to drive at the infield medical center. I spoke to Trevor Carlin who said they have another chassis. I’m not sure where that is coming from.

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O’Ward got a little airborne but didn’t flip over. The holes cut in the floor likely prevented that.  He still slid on two wheels before the car stopped upright.

As of 2:30 pm, Ed Jones, Takuma Sato, and Sebastien Bourdais have the day’s top speeds. Jones’ best lap was 227.843.  He is also first on the no tow rankings. Spencer Pigot and Ed Carpenter are in the top ten, at 5th and 7th. All three ECR cars have consistently been in the top ten this week.

NBC continues to show clips of really bad crashes.  I hope this is not  something planned for the broadcast this weekend and Race Day.

The video boards have not been on today.  I am trying to discover the reason.

A yellow was thrown at 3:10 for Pippa Mann requesting a two in. The car slowly returned to the pits on its own.

Fernando Alonso should be on track by 4 pm. His repaired or rebuilt back up car is in the gararge area.

Pit Lane Parley

Please give a listen to the Pit Lane Parley podcast. They are doing a great job with commentary and special interviews. Their main episode will be up on Friday. Go to piylaneparley.simplecast.com.

 

 

Day 3 at IMS-Focus Begins to Turn to Qualifying

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Above: Conor Daly (R) and Colton Herta side by side in yesterday’s practice session

Today the focus begins to slowly turn to the coming weekend of qualifying.  Two teams, McLaren and the Ganassi car of Felix Rosenqvist, will use back up cars today after yesterday’s accidents.  McLaren is also rebuilding the primary car and may run it tomorrow before deciding which to qualify.

Penske continues to lead the speed chart, but I don’t think we know yet what Andretti has.  Ed Carpenter Racing has also been consistently in the top 10 and Dale Coyne racing showed some quickness yesterday as well.

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Takuma Sato signs autographs for fans in Gasoline Alley

Continue reading “Day 3 at IMS-Focus Begins to Turn to Qualifying” →

Day 2 Wrap-up

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Photo: Felix Rosenqvist at the Indycar Grand Prix. Photo by Kyle McInnes

Felix Rosenqvist spun in turn two at 5:02. His car snapped as it appeared he caught the grass with his left front tire. He backed into the outside wall the went head on into the tire barrier on the inside.  His spinning car just missed clipping Will Power and Jack Harvey just missed running into Rosenqvist. He was checked and released from the infield medical center.

After just a few minutes of green flag running, the yellow flew for a track inspection. Another track inspection with seven minutes left, the track closed for the day.

Josef Newgarden’ s earlier time of 228. 856 held as the fastest of the day. Alexander Rossi was 34th quickest but had the fastest no tow speed.

Alonso talked to NBC Sports about his accident.

“It was understeer on the car, and even if I lifted the throttle on the entry of the corner, it was not enough, and I lost completely the front aero. The wall came too close and too quickly. Unfortunately, it happened today. We will lose a little bit of running time again. I’m sorry for the team, but we will learn and hopefully, we will come back stronger tomorrow. I’m disappointed and sad for the team and for the guys. We worked quite a lot on the car and definitely now it’s quite damaged, so I feel sorry for the team and for my mistake. We will learn from this and hopefully tomorrow we’re back on track and back stronger”

McLaren is repairing the primary car and also building the backup car. they will try both tomorrow and decide which car to qualify.

Notes

The F1 grid lines are slowly returning as the sealant lightens.

Newgarden said that like last year it is difficult to follow especially in a deep pack of cars. He thinks the race will be similar to last year, but it will depend on the temperature. A cooler day might see better racing than a warm day. Newgarden also noted that the team or other teams as well have not tried all the downforce and aero tools Indycar has made available this year.

Rossi said the team completed their checklist for today and then parked the car. He didn’t seem concerned about his speed ranking today and thought being first on the no tow list was irrelevant.

Hulman & Company Sells Clabber Girl

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Some interesting news this morning – Hulman & Company has sold Clabber Girl Baking Powder to B&G Foods. Clabber Girl has been part of Hulman & Company for more than a century. Mark Miles, Hulman CEO, said the sale was “to fully focus on the continued growth and direction of Indycar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and IMS Productions.”

Here is the news release. I will have some thoughts in my 3 pm update.

Hulman & Company Sells Clabber Girl Corporation to B&G Foods, Inc.

TERRE HAUTE, Ind., May 15, 2019 – Hulman & Company announced today the sale of Clabber Girl Corporation to B&G Foods, Inc. (NYSE: BGS), a leading manufacturer, seller and distributor of shelf-stable and frozen foods across North America.

“Our core focus is the pursuit of world-class motorsports competition and entertainment,” Hulman & Company President & CEO Mark Miles said. “This decision positions us to fully focus on the continued direction and growth of INDYCAR, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions. It also provides Clabber Girl with a well-prepared owner ready to use its vast expertise and considerable resources to accelerate the growth of the newest member of its impressive portfolio.”

“The Hulman-George family takes great pride in the Clabber Girl brand’s success, history and critical role in the development and rich cultural fabric of Terre Haute,” Hulman & Company Chairman of the Board Anton Hulman “Tony” George said. “Clabber Girl will always be a cherished and celebrated part of our legacy, and we’re excited we’ve found a strong steward for its very bright future.”

Like Clabber Girl, B&G Foods has spent more than a century in the food business. The company maintains more than 50 brands and 2,500 employees across North America. This includes Ortega, Green Giant, Cream of Wheat, Mrs. Dash, Back to Nature and many others.

“We are excited to join the B&G Foods family as we add our iconic Clabber Girl brand to its impressive portfolio of brands consumers both recognize and trust,” Clabber Girl President and COO Gary Morris said. “Clabber Girl will benefit from the knowledge and reach B&G Foods will provide as a seasoned food manufacturer and distributor. Together, we will continue to grow this historic business.”

Guggenheim Securities, LLC acted as Hulman & Company’s financial advisor for this transaction.

 

Source: Hulman & Company PR

 

 

500 Practice Day Two

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The second day of practice for the Indianapolis 500 gets a bit of an early start today. Pato O’Ward will have the track to him self from 10:20 -11:00 to complete his rookie test. the 31 car had mechanical issues yesterday which prevented him from getting all three phases done.

At 11 the track opens until 6 for all cars to practice. The current weather forecast calls for a 20% chance rain early. The predicted high is 67 degrees.  Conditions should be good for some more high speeds.

We should get a better idea of which cars and teams are strongest today. yesterday was mainly just feeling out the track, the new Firestone compound, and the aero tweaks that Indycar has allowed for the race this year.

Today’s practice will be on NBC Gold with continuous coverage from 11-6.

As of now, Bump Tales will be posted tomorrow morning. The schedule may change, however. I will let you know tonight.

Unless something major happens, i will have a 3 o’clock update and an end of day wrap up. Thanks to everyone who followed along yesterday.

if you’re going to the track, be safe and have a great time.