Tag: Tony Kanaan

Kanaan, Montoya Elected to IMS Hall of Fame

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From IMS:

Tony Kanaan and Juan Pablo Montoya Voted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame
Indianapolis 500 Winners to be Inducted at Ceremony on May 23
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum announced today the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Indianapolis 500 winning drivers Tony Kanaan and Juan Pablo Montoya. The inductees will be formally celebrated at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Dinner supported by The National Bank of Indianapolis, held on Thursday, May 23, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. The two were chosen from a ballot of 14 nominees by a national panel of more than 150 journalists, participants, and historians. This was the first year Kanaan was eligible for the Hall of Fame. 
Tony Kanaan amassed an impressive career in open-wheel racing. In 2004, driving for Andretti Green Racing, Kanaan impressively completed all 3,305 possible laps, becoming the first IndyCar driver in modern history to complete every lap of every race in a season. This led Kanaan to secure the 2004 season championship. However, the Indianapolis 500 was a race that had eluded him until 2013. On Lap 197, Kanaan passed Hunter-Reay for the lead on a restart. The race finished under caution, but Kanaan won at an average speed of 187.433 miles per hour, breaking the record set by Arie Luyendyk in the 1990 race.
 Juan Pablo Montoya found success in open-wheel, sports car, and stock car racing, but made a name for himself at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he became the first rookie winner of the 2000 Indianapolis 500 since Graham Hill in 1966. Montoya led 167 of the 200 laps to take the checkered flag and earned the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. In 2015, Montoya claimed his second Indianapolis 500 victory after battling Will Power and Scott Dixon in the final laps. Montoya competed in Formula 1 racing, including the United States Grand Prix, held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He competed in the Brickyard 400 from 2007-2014, with his highest finish being second in 2007. 
In addition to honoring the inductees, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum will celebrate Mark Miles, CEO and President of Penske Entertainment, for his contributions to the racing industry, support of the Museum, and as a leader in the community. Veteran IndyCar driver and current NBC Sports analyst James Hinchcliffe will return as emcee for the event, with special guests scheduled throughout the evening.
All proceeds benefit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, a 501c3 non-profit organization that aims to celebrate the cultural and historical significance of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway through storytelling and educational programs. Pricing is $2,000 for a table of eight and $250 for individual tickets.
Museum members will receive a discount on individual and table tickets. A separate email with discount information will be sent directly to Museum members.
Sponsorship opportunities are available; contact Andrew Weller at aweller@brickyard.com.
Image Credits: Images courtesy of IMS Photo 

Joyous Victory Celebration Caps Outstanding May

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The 500 Victory Celebration can at times be a bit of a stuffy low key affair, but last night’s banquet was ajoyous, lfun filled program. The mood was ectremely light hearted as anorther May in indianapolis came to close.

I don’t know if the 1,000 plus fans in attendance was a record for this event, but it was definitely a larger crowd than the previous two banquets.

As usual, Conor Daly was the star of the show. he always livens up the program when it’s his turn to come to the podium. Last night’s gem- Newgarden will not only have his face on the Borg Warner trophy but also his abs.

Pato offered fashion advice

Pato O’Ward and Lindsey Czarniak had a humorous discussion about Pato’s clothing choices. Lindsay dismissed him when he asked if she liked his shoes.

The emotional tribute to Tony Kanaan was a fitting send off toone of the most popular drivers IMS has seen. After his lettr to fans clip which was shown on the video boards Sundy played, Kanaan received a standing ovation usually reserved for the race winner. Helio Castroneves, Kanaan’s lifelong friend, joined the dais and the two reminisced for a bit.

Kanaan tried to get Helio to promise to stop dying his hair since Tony is done racing. The secret is out.

Josef Newgarden’s speech as full of humility and gratitude for the sacrifices his parents made to launch his racing career. Winning has opened a new side of Newgarden i hadn’t seen before. Like Will Power after his 2018 win, he seems less wound tight, and more at ease.

In May, 2021, I wrote a post wondering ahere the buzz around the 500 had gone. It was the first year after the pandemic, but the whole seemed to run in a rather perfunctory manner. This May, i felt that buzz and excitement from the start of practice for the GMR Grand Prix all the way through last evening. I athink track attendance was a reflection of that. This year felt a lot like the 70s and 80s.

The payout of the record $17 million purse:

Kanaan Leads Small Practice Group

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Under sunny skies and 55 degree temperatures.just 10 cars took advantage of the practice time prior to qualifications. Tony Kanaan turned the fastest lap at 233.026 mph.

The best story of the session was the new nmber 77 of Callum Ilott getting on track after the team decided to switch chassis at 3 pm yesterday afternoon. Ilott ran 14 laps. His best was 230.126 mph.

Kyle Kirkwood turned the most laps, 19, as only five drivers turned more than 10 laps.

With less than an hour to go before qualifying, the air temperature is 58 degrees and the track is 77 degrees.

Th qualifying order:

1 23 Ryan Hunter-Reay
2 26 Colton Herta
3 12 Will Power
4 06 Helio Castroneves
5 98 Marco Andretti
6 8 Marcus Ericsson
7 45 Christian Lundgaard
8 7 Alexander Rossi
9 9 Scott Dixon
10 60 Simon Pagenaud
11 55 Benjamin Pedersen (R)
12 51 Sting Ray Robb (R)
13 6 Felix Rosenqvist
14 66 Tony Kanaan
15 33 Ed Carpenter
16 50 RC Enerson (R)
17 30 Jack Harvey
18 20 Conor Daly
19 29 Devlin DeFrancesco
20 15 Graham Rahal
21 21 Rinus VeeKay
22 5 Pato O’Ward
23 77 Callum Ilott
24 24 Stefan Wilson
25 11 Takuma Sato
26 18 David Malukas
27 14 Santino Ferrucci
28 10 Alex Palou
29 28 Romain Grosjean
30 27 Kyle Kirkwood
31 44 Katherine Legge
32 3 Scott McLaughlin
33 78 Agustin Canapino (R)
34 2 Josef Newgarden

Kanaan: ‘I Had a Great Career’

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Tony Kanaan admits that if he hadn’t finished third in the 2022 Indianapolis 500, he probably wouldn’t be talking about his final race coming up in May. Kanaan announced yesterday that the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 would be his final IndyCar race. The Brazilian driver has driven in Indycar/Champ Car since 1998.

How does a driver know it’s time to step aside?

“You don’t,” Kanaan said. “You’re never ready for this.
But you got to weigh your options. I went from a full-time
to a part-time. You’re 48. You had a great career. As
much as you don’t want to go, it’s there. If you’re smart,
you make the right decisions at the right time.”

Kanaan in the 500 has a win in 2013, a pole, nine top five finishes and 12 top 10s. In 2011 he started 33rd and passed 10 cars by the time the field reached the backstretch at the start. Only a caution flag prevented him from picking off a couple more cars. He led in each of his first seven 500s.

Kanaan after his popular win in 2013

He has 17 wins in Indycar racing14 poles, and 79 podiums. In winning the championship in 2004, Kanaan completed every lap of the season.

Kanaan and his Arrow McLaren team also announced a sponsor, SmartStop, a storage company, and the car number for Kanaan’s last ride, 66. The number has significance for the team and driver. His 318 consecutive starts is still the record.

“No. 66. Bruce McLaren and McLaren won their first race in 1966 Mark Donohue was here in ’72. My first go-kart number was No. 6. I picked that. My entire go-kart career,
I won five championships with that number. One of the races that I couldn’t race the 6, I raced 66. When Zak told me the story, the number, it’s just perfect.
That’s what we’re banking on,” Kanaan explained.

Kanaan has never been one to hide his feelings. Asked about how emotional Race Day will be, he said, “End of May, I think it’s going to get more difficult from now
on. I’m at peace in my decision. I have a great team
behind me. I think I had a great career. I have a really
good shot of winning this thing. If I win, might be sitting
here again next year. You never know.”

How will he fill his time after May?

“I’m probably going to come and bug Mark Miles and his team and Jay Frye here. I live five, ten minutes from here. Anything I can do? Can I warm the Corvette up? The Corvette needs a ride. Hey, Doug…”

Would he consider team ownership? It doesn’t sound likely.

“I actually own an eSports team that gives
me the feeling I don’t know if I really want to own a real
team ever. You never know. I mean, I love racing. I love challenges.
If the opportunity presents, 100%. I know for a fact my wife
will not let me spend any of my money, our money – her money, sorry – in a race team. But if the opportunity presents, I’ll consider. Anything that is involved in racing and INDYCAR, I’ll be willing to consider, for sure.”

Kanaan Will End Indycar Career after Indianapolis 500

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From @Indycar on Twitter

There will be a media conference at 2 PM Eastern Time today. I will have a story up afterwards,.

The time comes for all drivers. TK will be missed.

AMSP Adds NTT Data to Car 6; Kanaan Joins for 500

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Tony Kanaan at IMS testing

Last night I learned that NTT Data had parted ways with Chip Ganassi Racing. Today AMSP announces the company as their new multi year sponsor.

The news release from Arrow McLaren SP:

“NTT DATA joining our great group of partners is a huge boost for Arrow McLaren SP”

November 1, 2022

McLaren Racing and NTT DATA today announced a multiyear partnership with Arrow McLaren SP beginning with the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season on the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet, driven by Felix Rosenqvist.  In addition, NTT DATA will partner with Arrow McLaren SP on a fourth car entry in the 2023 Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan, who will be racing in his 22nd Indy 500.

NTT DATA will be the Lead Partner on Felix’s No. 6 Chevrolet for 10 races in the 2023 season, highlighted by the season-opening Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, NTT DATA’s home race at Texas Motor Speedway, the Indy 500, Music City Grand Prix on the Streets of Nashville and the season finale at the WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. In addition to Felix’s Indy 500 entry, NTT DATA will be a major sponsor on Tony’s Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet for the world-renowned race.

The NTT DATA brand will be represented on Felix’s fire suit and team kit throughout the 2023 season. The global technology and business solutions provider will also serve as the Official IT Services Partner for the team’s operations and have associate branding on the cars of Pato O’Ward and Alexander Rossi.

NTT DATA’s parent company NTT has been the title sponsor of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2019 and is committed to delivering innovation and advancing technology through its partnerships.

Looking ahead to the 107th Running of the Indy 500, Tony joins a lineup of Arrow McLaren SP drivers who have experience at the front of the grid in the iconic race. Alexander, newcomer to the team in 2023, won the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016 and will race in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. Pato, who drives the No. 5 car, finished second in the 2022 race, followed by Felix in fourth last season. Tony secured third place in the race last year.

Tony’s resume includes an Indy 500 win in 2013, runner-up finish in 2004 and three third-place finishes over 21 appearances in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” He also has won 17 INDYCAR races and a series championship in 2004. 

This will be the first year the Arrow McLaren SP team, led by Racing Director Gavin Ward, has a four-car lineup for the Indianapolis 500.

Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, said: 

“NTT DATA joining our great group of partners is a huge boost for Arrow McLaren SP. I’m thrilled they will be representing our No. 6 car as a Lead Partner and a major sponsor for our fourth entry in the Indy 500, piloted by Tony Kanaan. Tony proved last year he can compete with the best of them, and I’m excited to see him put on a show with our team next May.”

Bob Pryor, CEO, NTT DATA Services, said: 

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with McLaren, a long-term and valued client, and to demonstrate how sponsorships simultaneously build awareness and enhance business-to-business relationships. NTT DATA is also proud of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES’ growth with a strong international stable of drivers, great leadership from Penske Entertainment, and a passionate fan base attracted to the highly competitive product – where any driver can win in any weekend.”

Felix Rosenqvist, Arrow McLaren SP driver, said:

“I look forward to representing NTT DATA once again. They’re a great partner and are committed to the series. I welcome them to the McLaren Racing family and am ready to start the season off in St. Petersburg, racing the No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren SP Chevrolet. It will also be great to race alongside Tony and learn from him as we prepare for the Indy 500.”

Tony Kanaan, Arrow McLaren SP Indianapolis 500 driver, said:

“I feel extremely lucky to get another shot racing in the Indianapolis 500. I’m excited to work with Pato, Felix and Alexander and race with the Arrow McLaren SP team. My biggest battle in last year’s race was against these three drivers so working with them and driving with them will be exciting for all of us.” Previous

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BC39 Driven to Save lives Returns to IMS

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INDIANAPOLIS (Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022) – Information about Driven2SaveLives BC39 Presented by WeatherTech track activity Wednesday, Aug. 3 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:

(All times local):

3 p.m.: Drivers’ Meeting (RSVP to Suzi Elliott, selliott@brickyard.com)

4-10 p.m.: Public gates open

6 p.m.: Hot lap sessions (12 groups)

7 p.m.: Opening ceremonies

7:10 p.m.: Heat races (12 races)

9 p.m.: Stoops Pursuit

TICKETS: General Admission seating is $35 for Driven2SaveLives BC39 Presented by WeatherTech practice and the Stoops Pursuit, which includes first-come, first-served access to the Shaw Grandstand (Infield Turn 3) at The Dirt Track at IMS. Children 15 and under are admitted free with paying adult. Pit Pass upgrades are available for $25 as an optional add-on for General Admission ticketholders.

PUBLIC GATES OPEN (4-10 p.m.): Gate 2, Gate 9, Gate 10, Gate 10A

PARKING: Paid parking is $10 in Lot 7 (North 40) through Gate 10. Two-day infield parking (pre-paid) is located at N Lot for $40 through Gate 2 or Gate 10.

KANAAN EXHIBITION LAPS: 2004 INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan will turn exhibition laps in the Clauson Marshall Racing Driven2SaveLives midget car between the heat races and Stoops Pursuit Wednesday evening.

Tony Kanaan

INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY MUSEUM HOURS (9 a.m.-5 p.m.): The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, located inside Gate 2 of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, will be open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $14 for guests over the age of 62 and $8 for guests ages 6-15. Children 5 and under and Museum members are free. Museum guests must possess an event ticket or credential to the event days and purchase a Museum admission ticket at the Museum to visit.

TK Goes Dirt Trackin’

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Tony Kanaan stepped out of his comfort zone at IMS this afternoon and took some laps in a midget on the dirt track. The exhibition was a prelude to the upcoming BC39 Driven to Save Lives USAC midget race August 3-4.

Strapped in, ready to go

Kanaan had never driven a midget racer before today. His first run was tentative. He got some some advice from Tim Clauson, father of the late Bryan Clauson, before his second 12 lap set. Kanaan was much smoother on his final run.

Tim Clauson

Kanaan’s first set of laps:

His impressions:

“I’m never going to complain about an Indycar being loose again,” he said.

Kanaan shares his experience

He quickly added, “I really want tio drive one of these things (in a race).”

Kanaan acknowledged that his Indycar sponsors might have the final word on whether he can entera midget event.

Kanaan, Ericsson Lead Carb Day; Herta May Need Backup Car

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A delayed and shortened Carb Day practice followed the pattern of the other practice sessions with Chip Ganassi Racing cars in three of the first four spots. Tony Kanaan led the way with a lap of 227.114 mph, followed by Marcus Ericsson in second with a 227,004 mph lap. Scott Dixon was furth and Jimmie Johnson seventh in another Ganassi car.

Carb Day practice began just before 1 pm after the trrack dried from morning rains. The scheduled two hour practice was reduced to 90 minutes.

The session stopped twice for incidents. David Malukas attempted a pass on Santino Ferrucci going into turn 1. They touched wheels, Malukas went high and spun, hitting the wall in much the same way Dalton kellett did last Monday. The hit wasn’t as severe as Kellet’s, but there was still suspension damage.

Herta told NBC reporter Dave Burns, “I feel a little bit of sadness for that racecar.”

With about 30 minutes left, Colton Herta hit the outside wall in turn 1. The car got airborne and landed upside down. Herta was not injured. The car cannot be repaired, and Herta will drive a backup car Sunday. Herta will keep his starting position.

Josef Newgarden completed a session high 62 laps. Ed Carpenter turned the fewest circuits at 32.

The top 14:

I will have more later. Tomorrow the public drivers’ meeting is the only thing on the Speedway calendar.