Tag: NTT Indycar Series

Collet Tops Overall Chart; Newgarden Best in Final Practice

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Caio Collet had the fastest speed of two day IndyCar Open test in this morning’s session at 226. 381 miles per hour. The speed held through the afternoon round, which was led by Josef Newgarden at 225.617.

Practice began 75 minutes late as the track dried from overnight and morning rain, bvut once things started, the morning session got very busy quickly.

The 24 year old Brazilian rookie driver for A J Foyt Racing was very happy with his run, but a bit surprised.

Caio Collet

“No, no, never expected that,” Brazilian driver Collet said. “Obviously, the team has a good background here and has done really, really well the last couple of years, especially last year. As a rookie, I was just trying to learn things and see how everything went. But the team, they did a really good job and got me up to speed quickly, and I got really comfortable.

“Obviously, a lot of things I still have to learn, especially in traffic. I have to understand how to manage traffic and how to get by people. But I think by myself I felt really good, and the team gave me a really good car both days.”

The cool, windy afternoon was not without issues. A caution came out as a fox scampered across the track between turns 1 and 2. IndyCar’s television partner just had to get a plug in.

Katherine Legge completed the two phases of the refresher program with an hour alone on the track and the remainder during the final practice.

Late in the session, Jack Harvey’s car began trailing a large plume of smoke between turns and three and four. The white contrail followed Harvey into the pits where he was greeted by the AMR Safety Team. The wind took the smoke cloud southward through the pits where it lingered for a minute or two.

While a loo at the combined results of the four sessions shows Collet on top, some things stand out. Newgarden and Conor Daly were consistently near the front of the charts. Takuma Sato finished seventh overall but showed consistent lap times.

Alex Palou ranks fourth on the combined sheet driving e the car in which he won Long Beach. How fast will, he be in his speedway car?

I was struck by the /slowness of the Andretti cars- Will Power 18th, Kyle Kirkwood 27th, and Marcus Ericsson 31st.

It was fun to see cars on track in oval trim. Next week’s Sonsio Grand Prix may be a bit anticlimactic..

Notes

Some sad news today as we learned of the death of Merle Bettenhausen. Bettenhausen is the last of the Bettenhausen family, whose patriarch, Tony, won two national titles. He achieved on of his titles without winning a race.

Merle’s brother Gary was a talented driver popular with fans in the 80s. Another brother, Tony, drove and then owned a champ car team until his death in a plane crash.

I will have a more detailed story about Merle and his family on Friday.

Happier stuff

IMS looked race weekend ready this week. The grounds crew obviously has worked hard to make the facility almost sparkle.

Saturday the Month of May kicks off with the Mini Marathon in the morning and the REV event at IMS at night. Preparations for REV were underway this we3ek.

It appears that the track is about 10 days away from selling out the grandstands.

The 2028 car may be revealed sometime this month.

Thanks for following along the past two deays. I’m justb getting started.

Collet Tops Morning Session

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Caio Collet turned the fastest speed of the two-day open test at IMS in the just completed first practice period of the day.

The top six:

  1. Collet 226.381 mph
  2. Newgarden 226.223 mph
  3. Daly 224.785 mph
  4. Malukas 224.377 mph
  5. Sato 224.130 mph
  6. Rosenqvist 224.104 mph
  7. It’s nice to see an A. J. Foyt Racing car ahead of the field,

Overnight and early morning rain pushed the sstart of the first round to 11:15 am Eastern time. Katherine Legge has the track to herself to complete the refresher program.

The next all car session is scheduled to begin at 2:15 pm and run until 5 pm.

The pace car for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be revealed tomorrow morning. The pace car announcement used to be o I looked forward to, but since it has become exclusively a Chevrolet product, it’s just not that big a deal to me. I loved the anticipation of seeing which car company would lead the field to then green flag. Another fun tradition assigned to the dustbin of history.

I will have a wrap-up this evening.

From earlier:

70 Years Ago: USAC Begins, Pagoda Goes; Flaherty Dominates

Daly Paces Day as Part Timers Take Top 3 Spots

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On a perfect day for running, Conor Daly led the opening test day at IMS with a speed of 225.394 mph. Helio Castroneves and Takuma Sato were second and third quickest. Sato, in third, was just 0.1 seconds behind Daly. The trio are all part time drivers. Sato and Castroneves drive only in the 500.

Daly cautioned everyone to not read too much into the results.

“There are several cars that aren’t running their race cars yet,” Daly said. “It’s just testing; we can’t overreact to test results. But honestly, every time we went out there, we did seem to be pretty quick, which is good. Our mission this month (May) is one day at a time.”

Daly led the pack for a while in the morning session as well. The fast times were with a tow. Kyle Kirkwood was the fastest without a tow on Tuesday.

The day started under a cloud cover with a bit of a chill in the air, but by noon blue sky and sunshine broke through. While the temperature didn’t rise much, it was pleasant and great for running. Wednesday’ s forecast calls for even cooler temperatures. Rain starting tonight could continue into the morning, possibly delaying the 10 am scheduled start.

All rooki3es- Dennis Hauger, Jacob Abel, Mick Schumacher, and Caio Collet- passed the Rookie Orientation Program.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, Jack Harvey, and Ed Carpenter completed their refresher laps. Katherine Legge had gearbox control issues and did not turn a lap. She will have an opportunity Wednesday during the noon-1 pm lunch break to complete the refresher phases.

Notes

There is always something special about the first spring day of practice at IMS. For me it marks the official end of winter, and a promise of warm days and race cars ahead. It is part of the circadian rhythms of anyone born n Central Indiana.

I don’t know what Arrow McLaren was aiming for with this look, but it appeared to be some sort of camo. Each car had the words “Test Spec” on the side.

In addition to Daly, the Team Penske cars looked strong today. It was nice to see Will Power on top of the pylon for a bit this afternoon, but Andretti looked a little off pace. Chip Ganassi racing did not run their speedway cars today.

Tomorrow, I will be on site in the afternoon. Look for a story mid-morning about 1956 500 in honor of its 70th anniversary.

Newgarden Paces Morning Session; Two Drivers Need to Complete ROP/Refreshers

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In a clean dat=y to date, cars are running at IMS as preparations begin for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. The tops ix this morning:

  1. Newgarden 223.415 mph
  2. Sato 222.850 mph
  3. O’Ward 221.842 mph
  4. McLaughlin 221.715 mph
  5. Ferrucci 221.449 mph
  6. Malukas 221.441 mph

The ROP/Refresher session saw all but two drivers complete their tests. Four time winner Helio Castroneves, 2014 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ed Carpenter, Jack Harvey completed the refresher program. Katherine Legge had a gearbox issue. She went out for an install lap with a minute left in the allotted time period. Legge is not eligible to participate in this afternoon’s practice.

Caio Collet, Mick Schumacher, and Jacob Abel completed the rookie orientation program. Dennis Hauger has completed phase 2 of the rookie program and is eligible to run this afternoon.

A cool cloudy morning has turned unto a partly sunny afternoon with pleasant temperatures.

I’ll be back with a wrap-up of the day’s acivities this evening.

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      IMS Open Test Days Begin

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      The schedule:

      Streaming on the IndyCar YouTube channel.

      Tuesdsay:

      10:00am-10:05 Install laps

      10:05- Noon Veterans

      Noon-2 pm Rookies/refreshers tests

      2-6 pm All eligible cars

      Entry list:

      Weather- Forecasted high of 64 degrees this afternoon after a stormy night. Rain should not be a factor during the test.

      Today and tomorrow mark the unofficial opening of the track for May. Given the IndyCar schedule this year, I wonder why this test couldn’t have been conducted early next week, you know, when it is actually MAY. .IIn the years when the race id on the 24th I always feel like we get gypped out of a whole week of May. Fortunately, t5his occurs occasionally, and the following year the Indianapolis 500 assumes its rightful and proper date on the calendar of May 30.

      I would not read too much into the speeds over the next two days. conditions will be cooler than they will be in three weeks, and we don’t know what each team is looking for this week.

      Juncos Hollinger, Dreyer & Reinbold Form Partnership

      A technical alliance and co entry arrangement was announced yesterday between full time team Juncos Hollinger Racing and Indy only team Dreyer &Reinbold. The link to the full story is here:

      Juncos Hollinger Racing and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Announce Co-Entry Partnership & Technical Alliance for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 — Juncos Hollinger Racing

      Rinus VeeKay’s car will carry Wedbush sponsorship. Wedbush was on the DRR cars last byear.

      I wonder how many cars will be in their 500 liveries the next two days. I will try to get as many photos as I can.

      I’ll have a report after the rookie/refresher test and a wrap-up at the end of the day.

      IndyCar: Sorry, No Vacancies

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      There is a limerick by Edward Lear with the line, “…It is just as I feared,” and I recalled it Saturday when i saw the following blurb from Adam Stern:

      “Beginning with the 2027 IndyCar Series season, entry fields at all races outside of the Indianapolis 500 will be limited to chartered teams only. This decision was reached after thoughtful consideration with key stakeholders and, in particular, series suppliers who are making plans for the upcoming season as all parties look to build the series’ health and on-track competition.”

      This scenario was one of my first concerns when IndyCar announced its charter system which took effect with the 2025 season. I had a feeling that charters would eventually lead to a closed shop and here we are, beginning next year

      If a team doesn’t have a charter, they will not be allowed to race at any event other than the Indianapolis 500. The team known as Prema will likely not be seen again, unless its new owners decide to enter the 111th running of the 500.

      Dreyer and Reinbold’s plans of someday entering races other than Indianapolis have been dashed. They will remain an Indy only team for as long as they wish, but no more. It’s a hollow reward for a team that has been loyal to the series and previously ran full time.

      Non charter teams entering the Indianapolis 500 receive only $100,000 for making the race unless their car does extremely well in the race. How many will reconsider since they will take a loss?

      I’m not sure this move adds value to the charters as IndyCar believes it will. Charter teams are guaranteed a spot in every race other than Indianapolis. Leaders’ Circle money won’t increase, and an owner who really wants out will probably take a lower price just to be done with it.

      Othe unintended consequences I see:

      Third OEM Less Likely

      Chevy and Honda were each granted a charter beginning in 2028 and will pair with an existing two car team. A third OEM would want the same deal, raising the grid to 28. Does engine number three take a charter from the worst performing team? Does IndyCar ask for volunteers?

      I don’t see this situation as attractive to another brand. The brevity of the IndyCar statement leaves a lot of contingencies unanswered.

      New Blood

      IndyCar could lose a generation of young drivers under the new policy. Does this undermine the value of an Indy NXT championship? There is very little room the champion of the top ladder series to enter the grid now. Linus Lundqvist still hasn’t found a full time home. Andretti Global has had to loan out its last two Ondy NXT champs, Kyle Kirkwood and Dennis Hauger, to other teams until the team had an opening.

      Safer cars, which I am grateful for, have prolonged careers. I can see two former Indianapolis 500 winners driving in their final race May 24.

      Current drivers aren’t getting any younger. Will Power and Scott Dixon are 45 years old, and Romain Grosjean is 38,

      Five of the eight one-off drivers in this year’s 500 are receiving adds for their AARP cards. Helio Castroneves will be 50 by race day, Takuma Sato is 49, and Ryan Hunter-Reay, Ed Carpenter, and Katherine Legge are 45 years old,

      With no seats available, the younger drivers will turn to other series, and likely will not return to IndyCar.

      Adding Charter Value While Keeping Things Open

      As my three readers know, I enjoy spending IndyCar’s money. Here I go again with some ideas to make the charters more valuable while allowing open entries all season.

      For the 500: A minimum of $200,00 for one-off entries; a minimum of$300,000 for charter teams.

      For the season: Expand the leaders’ Circle to include all charter teams and give performance bonuses based on the season standings. Pay any non-charter entrants who qualify for a race a minimum amount.

      The Indianapolis 500 has always been an open event except for the IRL years. IndyCar has always welcomed all comers to their events. The open philosophy is something the series should embrace, not try to eliminate.

      Elkins Joins INDYCAR Officiating as Managing Director of Officiating 

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      From IndyCar Officiating:

        INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, April 21, 2026) – Veteran motorsports officiating and competition executive Scot Elkins has been named managing director of officiating (MDO) by the Independent Officiating Board (IOB) of INDYCAR Officiating.
      In December 2025, INDYCAR Officiating – a new independent and not-for-profit organization – was established and governed by the three-person board of Raj Nair, Ray Evernham and Ronan Morgan. Working with the established team in race control and technical inspection, Elkins will oversee those areas and report directly to the IOB – with no oversight from INDYCAR or Penske Entertainment officials – and provide officiating governance and management.

      Indiana native Elkins, 56, assumes his new role in a return to INDYCAR SERIES racing after having served as the technical director, operations for the Champ Car World Series from 2005-08. During that time, he led the technical operations and competition management as he created and enforced competition rules and developed safety protocols before coordinating the INDYCAR merger and transition period in 2008.
      In addition to his INDYCAR experience, Elkins provides over 25 years in race officiating, competition management and technical regulations across FIA Formula E, FIA Formula One, NASCAR and IMSA. Since 2014, he has served as the president of The Elkins Group, a leading consulting firm in race officiating, competition management and technical regulations, and safety leadership, working with Extreme E, DTM, Formula E, Formula One, NASCAR, FIA Rally Cross, FIA World Endurance Championship and X Games
      .Previously, Elkins was the vice president, competition and technical regulations (2013-14) and chief operating officer (2008-13) for IMSA, and prior to his INDYCAR experience he served as an adjunct professor of motorsports management at Indiana State University (2006-08), manufacturing engineer at Toyota (2004-05) and an engineering team manager at Robert Yates Racing in NASCAR (2000-04)

      .“INDYCAR Officiating already has something truly special, teams in race control and technical inspection who are exceptional at what they do and have earned the deep respect of this paddock,” Elkins said. “Together with the Independent Officiating Board, our mission is to build on that foundation, bringing greater transparency and consistency to an operation that this sport and its competitors depend on.“

      ]Having worked across some of the most respected motorsport series internationally and here in North America, I have seen first-hand what world-class officiating looks like, and it looks like INDYCAR. Growing up in Indiana with the Indianapolis 500 as part of my life for as long as I can remember, I could not be more proud or more motivated to serve this sport.

      ”Elkins’ other officiating and industry leadership experience include board memberships with the International Council of Motorsport Sciences (2021-present), Motorsport Safety Foundation (2015-present) and ACCUS-FIA (2009-15).

      “After a diligent and thorough search for the MDO position, it was clear that Scot’s credentials were an ideal fit,” IOB chairman Nair said. “The depth and breadth of his experience are primed to greatly contribute to INDYCAR Officiating. We know that he will successfully integrate with the current INDYCAR Officiating personnel and provide strong leadership and guidance for this crucial group as we move this mission forward.”

      IOB members will work with Elkins to ensure a seamless onboarding and successful integration for a Monday, May 11 start.
      The next INDYCAR race weekend is on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the Sonsio Grand Prix, race six of the 18-race 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
      Race coverage Saturday, May 9 begins at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX, FOX One and the FOX Sports app. INDY NXT by Firestone races its second doubleheader of 2026 at 4 p.m. Friday, May 8 (available on FS2) and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 9 (FS1), with both races also available on FOX One and the FOX Sports app. Audio coverage of all on-track sessions is also provided by the INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls via SiriusXM Channel 218 and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA. 

      Abel Motorsports Enters 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge with Jacob Abel

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      From Abel Motorsports:

             Abel Motorsports returns to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing for the first time since 2023.-         Jacob Abel returns for his first NTT INDYCAR SERIES action of 2026, after spending time racing in IMSA and the Asian Le Mans Series. 
      Speedway, Ind. (April 20, 2026) – Abel Motorsports announced today their entry into the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on Sunday May 24 with Louisville Kentucky driver Jacob Abel behind the wheel of the No 51. Abel Motorsports will again be partnered with Chevrolet, marking their second venture together at the Speedway, and Jacob Abel’s first foray with the Chevrolet family. 
      “I am excited and grateful to be able to return to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to have a shot at the Indianapolis 500. It’s been a lifelong dream to compete in that race and to have the opportunity to do it with Abel Motorsports and Chevrolet makes it even more special,” said Jacob Abel.2024 was both a breakout year for Abel Motorsports and Jacob Abel as the pairing scored three pole positions and three wins on their way to second in the INDY NXT drivers’ championship. That propelled Jacob Abel to the premier North American open-wheel racing series, the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2025. 
      “The Indianapolis 500 is the greatest race in the world and the teams that compete reflect that. Having won races and competed for championships with Abel Motorsports over my whole career, I am very confident in the program that they put together.”
      “It is going to be amazing to share this experience with not only my actual family, but the team that has become my family over the years. The preparations have been ongoing for some time, and I’m eager to finally get on track,” exclaimed the 25-year-old. 
      As Bill Abel’s team continued to grow alongside his son’s career, the opportunity to have Jacob back in the mix at Abel Motorsports and on the biggest stage the Indianapolis 500, was something the elder Abel was determined to make happen.
      “We’re all beyond excited to have Jacob back with us at Abel Motorsports and ecstatic to be returning to the Greatest Spectacle in Racing! It takes a lot of special people to make this happen, and I can’t thank Chevrolet and INDYCAR enough for their help and belief in bringing this to life,” stated Team Owner Bill Abel. 
      “We have a tremendous group at Abel Motorsports, with a lot of NTT INDYCAR SERIES experience and we really feel like we are in a great spot to give Jacob everything he needs. To have the opportunity to compete in the Indianapolis 500 in 2023 with RC Enerson was so cool and I’ll never forget the moment immediately after we qualified and put RC in the show… it was really emotional and special to me. Now, to have the opportunity to come back here with Jacob as our driver, it doesn’t get any better than that!” 
      For veteran Team Manager John Brunner, the opportunity to run Jacob Abel with the Abel Motorsports team is something that brings a smile to his face. 
      “The opportunity to enter a car in the Indy 500 is always an exciting adventure but this is quite special to do it with Jacob as the driver. The Abel’s hired me in 2021 to help build on the team that they had already assembled and to help Jacob with the next levels of his open-wheel journey. The Indy 500 was our goal and we are here thanks to the support of our crew and families, INDYCAR, Firestone, and Chevrolet,” said Brunner. 
      Practice for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 begins on Tuesday May 12 and leads into qualifying on May 16th and 17th. The Indianapolis 500 Presented by Gainbridge goes green on Sunday May 24th with coverage beginning live on FOX at 10:00am ET. Keep up with Abel Motorsports all month long by following the team on social media, @abelmotorsports, or by visiting www.abelmotorsports.com
      About Abel Motorsports: Abel Motorsports Team Principal Bill Abel began racing motocross in 1972, earning numerous championship titles as he continued the family motorsports tradition. In 2015, Abel Motorsports was launched starting in the USF2000 series and building their way up the junior open-wheel ladder. Abel Motorsports was able to capture the inaugural Formula Regional Americas Championship with driver Kyle Kirkwood.
      Today, Abel Motorsports is a leading force in the INDY NXT by Firestone Championship, the official development series of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, where the team operates as a multi-car organization focused on the future. 2024 was a breakout season for Abel Motorsports scoring three wins, three pole positions, and 12 podiums on their way to second in the entrant championship.Always looking towards the future, Abel Motorsports made their foray into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in 2023 as the team entered the 107th running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indianapolis 500 with driver RC Enerson.
      About Abel Construction Company: Abel Construction Company is a fourth-generation, family-owned builder headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with offices in Simpsonville, Lexington, Nashville, Fort Myers, Naples, Indianapolis and Anderson. Specializing in automotive, industrial, and commercial construction, serving clients who require disciplined execution and long-term reliability.Our purpose is straightforward: help our clients achieve their goals. That focus carries through every phase of a project, from early planning through construction and ongoing facility support. As a family-owned business, we approach each engagement with accountability and continuity, bringing dedication, positivity, and integrity to the work. We design, build, manage, and maintain commercial and industrial facilities with a client-first mindset, emphasizing quality, consistency, and practical outcomes at every stage.

      Long Beach Wrap Up

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      The result was inevitable. Ale4x Palou took the lead with 32 laps to go with a lightning quick pit stop to come out ahead of Felix Rosenqvist and won his third race of 2026. After a promising start to the year, which saw three different winners in three races and Palou second in the standings, we are back to 2025. Perhaps the month of May can salvage the season for the rest of the grid.

      The processional race saw pole sitter Felix Rosenqvist jump to the lead and hold it except for five laps during the first pit stop round. When he shuffled back to the top, Rosenqvist maintained a 1.5 to 2 second lead over Palou until the pit stops under the day’s only caution flag.

      When Palou exited the pits in first on the primary tires, it was game over. Palou is back in the points lead by 17 points over Kyle Kirkwood.

      Awful Start: Long Beach is not known for great starts as the last rows are generally just rounding the hairpin when the green flies, but yesterday saw the worst start I’ve ever seen for this race. The first three rows were in formation followed by a large gap to an unorganized row four. The rest of the field wasn’t even in view. I don’t know why the star wasn’t waved off.

      Either move the start line down the front straight a bit or have a standing start. The finish line can return to its current position. Another possibility is to start the race on Pine Street.

      Soft tires too hard? The alternate tires lasted a full 30 laps. While the blistering was severe, the tire did not cause a big enough drop off to allow for any real racing. If the series wants the red tire used twice in a race, it has to force different strategies. The cars who made three stops didn’t have a chance.

      Another Bad Break for Power: Will Power was enjoying his cleanest weekend of 2026. He did not contact anything on Friday or Saturday. He started seventh and spent the day in the top 10, even getting into the lead during pit stop shuffles. On the final stop, however, while exiting his pit box he made contact with a crew member of Caio Collet’s car. The drive through penalty sent him to the rear of the field. he recovered to finish 19th.

      Good Days: Nolan Siegel finished 12th, his best result of the year. Siegel started last and rove a steady race.

      Dennis Hauger improved to 11th from his 19th starting spot.

      Alexander Rossi came home 9th after starting18th.

      Obsession: Why FOX became so enamored with Josef Newgarden and spent innumerable laps showing him drive alone on a clear track is beyond me. Newgarden made an early pit stop and did cycle to the lead when the rest of the field made their first stops. It was clear that Newgarden would need two more stops while the leaders had a good chance to only need one more trip to the pits. His lead and chance for victory was ephemeral, but FOX kept up the narrative.

      The more compelling story was how Rosenqvist could hold off Palou.

      Final Thoughts: The Fast Six shootout was the highlight of the weekend. It was dramatic thanks to the tweaks in format that IndyCar implemented.

      While racing at Long Beach has never been great, yesterday’s contest was devoid of drama and action. Palou’s pass of Pato O’Ward on lap two was the only significant pass of the race.

      The good news is that a week from tomorrow, the circus moves to IMS for an entire month. I can’t wait.