Indy Car News

NTT IndyCar Series News Conference- Team Penske

Indianapolis - RIS - May 17, 2019 - It is day four, Fast Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Boost has been turned up on the cars for today and tomorrow. An additional 50 or so horsepower has been added to both the Honda and Chevy engines. 

 Speeds, naturally, jumped as soon as the green flag to signal the start of practice, flew over the famed oval. 

 Kyle Kaiser, in the Juncos number 32, make very hard contact with the turn three wall. Kaiser was on just his second lap going into the turn a little low. His left rear got down on the white line at apex, making the car very loose. 

Indianapolis - RIS - May 17, 2019 - In the first hour of Fast Friday practice, Kyle Kaiser, in the Juncos number 32, make very hard contact with the turn three wall. Kaiser was on just his second lap going into the turn a little low. His left rear got down on the white line at apex, making the car very loose. 

With the words "Please exit the grandstands in an orderly fashion" blaring through the public address system, practice for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500 came to a close 90 minutes early.

Ed Jones scored the twofer - both the day's fastest driver and the day's fastest no-tow speed - 227.843 and 224.957mph respectively.

Jones was the lone Chevrolet-powered driver in the top five. Hondas powered the remaining best - Takuma Sato, Zach Veach, Sebastien Bourdais, and rookie Colton Herta.

INDIANAPOLIS - May 16, 2019 - At approximately 12:17pm Patricio O’Ward in the Carlin number 31, entry, made hard contact in the turn two SAFER barrier as the front end lost downforce and spun with the back end making contact. The car the nearly flipped hitting on the left side, finally landing right side up. on the track.

O’Ward was following the car of Helio Castroneves and apparently washed out in dirty air generated in the wake of the Pennzoil car.

O’Ward was clear to drive from the Infield Care Center. He said, “I am okay, we will be back. I hit a pretty hard smack and am a bit sore. I just lost it. Not much more to say.”

The weather was perfect at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sunny, mild temperatures, little to no wind. Thirty-four of the day's 36 practicers gathered useful information to prepare for their weekend qualification attempts.

Two practicers emerged a bit worse for wear. And a bit wiser.

IndyCar rookie and polesitter in last weekend's Grand Prix of Indianapolis, Felix Rosenqvist, lost control of his #10 NTT Data Dallara/Honda during practice for this year's Indianapolis 500.

Fernando Alonso, veteran of the 2017 Indianapolis 500 and two-time Formula One driver, lost control of his #66 McLaren Racing Dallara/Chevrolet entering Turn 3 of the famous 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway during open practice for the 103rd running of the Indy 500.

The complete results from the first day of 2019 Indianapolis 500 practice.

Welcome to Racing Information Service's coverage of the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race. RIS on-site coverage of Indy began over thirty years ago, and remains the longest-running online news source for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.

The Indianapolis 500 - the crown jewel of the NTT IndyCar Series - is the first oval on the 2019 schedule. With a field containing a number of talented rookies with virtually no oval experience, today's practice session will start to shuffle the cards.

There are currently 36 car/driver combinations to fill 33 positions on the Race Day grid.

Practice begins at 11 a.m. local time. Open practice ends at 1 p.m. for Rookie Orientation and Veteran Refresher runs. Twenty-nine car/driver combinations are expected on-track today.

INDIANAPOLIS - RIS - AUGUST 24, 2018 - Former Indycar driver, Derek Daly in a statement late yesterday to RIS, said the incident leading up to his dismissal as an analyst from WISH-TV in Indianapolis, stemmed from a chat he had as a rookie driver at the Indy 500 in 1983.

“I used a common saying in Ireland, (and in the USA at that time) ‘I am the (n-word) in the wood pile,’ to describe that  I was the unknown on the team. We had experienced crew and engineers, so I was the variable. Robbin Miller heard my use of the word and told me that was offensive in the States. I have never use that word since.”

The origin of the phrase “(N-word) in the wood pile”, does indeed date back to the late 19th century, and has the meaning "some fact of considerable importance that is not disclosed—something suspicious or wrong.”

RIS/Larry Clarino

Willy T Speaks On the Derek Daly Controversy

By Mark Dill,

MDE, Inc.

www.FirstSuperSpeedway.com

Yesterday’s news that retired Formula One and IndyCar veteran driver Derek Daly was dismissed from his role as motorsports analyst for WISH, an Indianapolis television station, shocked the media community in the Hoosier capital. The action stemmed from allegations that Daly used a racial slur during a radio interview 35 years ago.

Long Pond, PA - RIS - Alexander Rossi makes at statement at Pocono Raceway, “It’s Not Over, Till It’s Over!” With four races yet  to run Rossi takes his #27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda and wins the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway. The Pole Sitter Will Power lost the lead on the very first lap, but took it back about lap 110, but it didn’t take long for Rossi to make his statement and finish ahead of Power with about 4 seconds to spare. 

Long Pond, PA - RIS - Will Power uses will power to win his 53rd Pole Starting Position in IndyCar for the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway. With a blistering speed of 219.942 MPH for his first lap of qualifying he took and made one dominating statement….. “I am the Power to beat!”

THE HOTTEST INDY 500 IN HISTORY MAKES FOR A WILD RACE; HILDEBRAND PLACES 11^TH; KARAM RUNS 6^TH BEFORE LATE RACE INCIDENT

102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 race results

Will Power, Roger Penske, Tim Cindric and Jon Bouslog

THE MODERATOR: First sweep of Indianapolis in the month of May, you're the points leader. None of that matters right now, you're an Indianapolis 500 winner.

WILL POWER: Exactly. Overwhelming. Amazing. It's funny, you forget where you are, you're so immersed in the race. You don't even realize. On the white flag lap I started screaming because I just knew I was going to win it. Unbelievable. Never been so excited.

THE MODERATOR: They handed you the milk bottle. I'm not sure you realized that's what it was.

WILL POWER: No, I knew you drink milk here. Believe me. I've seen a few of my competitors do it. Yeah, no, I just hesitated a bit because I'm not supposed to eat dairy, but I didn't care. I just drank it.

'What They're Saying' from the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500

WILL POWER (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 race winner): "Man, I just can't believe it. I changed my attitude a lot after Barber. Very positive, I had a great month. I just can't believe it. I've got to thank Roger Penske, Verizon and my parents for allowing me to get to this point. I just ... I can't describe it. I feel like collapsing. I want to cry. I couldn't stop screaming. I can't believe it." (About last restart): "I'm like, 'I have to get these guys.' I don't know how much fuel they got, but this is the restart of my life. And then I go on, and the two (Stefan Wilson and Jack Harvey) pit, and I'm like, 'Man, I think I'm going to win this!' I was screaming with one to go. Man, I got this. Unbelievable. I was wondering if I was ever going to win it, and thoughts went through my mind during the month like that. In my career, I've had so many wins, so many poles. But everyone always talks about the '500.' And I won it. I just couldn't imagine winning a race in front of crowd like this, this many people. It's just amazing. What an event. I love it."

SPEEDWAY, IN – RIS – Did you know that each Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 sidewall is designed for a specific position on an IndyCar for each specific race? Pay attention to the Firestone “F-Shield” on the sidewall.

'What They're Saying' from Indianapolis 500 Carb Day practice

                        For Immediate Release   Dixon helps unveil teaser trailer for 'Born Racer' documentary

In what has become another May tradition, the Indianapolis 500 practice session on the day after qualifications provided a true indication of the thrills that fans can look forward to in this year's running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Qualifying Results from the Freedom 100 - seventh race in the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires 2018 series.

'What They're Saying' from Indianapolis 500 Bump Day qualifying

'What They're Saying' from Indianapolis 500 Fast Friday

Fast Friday was just that at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With added horsepower at their disposal, drivers exceeded 231 mph for the first time in practice this week for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, on the eve of qualifying for the world's largest single-day sporting event.

INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, May 18, 2018) - Fast Friday was just that at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

With added horsepower at their disposal, drivers exceeded 231 mph for the first time in practice this week for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, on the eve of qualifying for the world's largest single-day sporting event.

Marco Andretti was fastest with a lap of 231.802 mph in the No. 98 U.S. Concrete/Curb Honda. It earned the Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian driver a $10,000 check from Harding Group for turning the top lap in Fast Friday practice.

'What They're Saying' from Day 3 of Indianapolis 500 practice

JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet): "Interesting day with a lot going on. We did qualifying work. We did race work. Hopefully, we can get some time out tomorrow, but it looks like the weather forecast is not so good, so we tried to get most of our qualifying work done today. We'll see what the weekend holds, but we still need a little work in race conditions. That's what we were chasing at the end of the day. I think Team Chevy has done a great job. The car seemed quick. We just need to get a little more out of it in race trim."

'What They're Saying' from Day 1 of Indianapolis 500 practice

Andretti races to front of Indianapolis 500 practice speed chart

INDIANAPOLIS (Wednesday, May 16, 2018) - The speed chart provided the proof when Marco Andretti said he had a good race car on the second day of Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil practice.

The third-generation Indy car driver was fastest in Wednesday's seven-hour session on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, turning a 227.053-mph lap in the No. 98 U.S. Concrete/Curb Honda. Andretti led a parade of four Honda drivers atop the timesheet a day after Chevrolet owned the first three spots in Tuesday's opening practice.

Power completes journey with first Indy 500 win

As Will Power was about to finish off the biggest win of his racing career at the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, he couldn't resist letting his emotions flow.

"On the white flag lap, I started screaming because I just knew I was going to win it," Power said of the final 2.5-mile trip around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. "Unbelievable! Never been so excited."

SPEEDWAY, IN – RIS – Will Power drove his #12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet to victory in the 102nd Indianapolis 500-Mile race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  Ed Carpenter, Scott Dixon, Alexander Rossi and Ryan Hunter-Reay rounded out the top five. Power, running in third place, inherited the lead with five laps to go after Stefan Wilson and Jack Harvey, both ran out of fuel and dove into the pits. This gave Power the lead and race win.

UNOFFICIAL RACE RESULTS

Power, from Toowoomba, Australia, was the first driver to sweep both May races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This was his 34th Indy car win and Team Penske’s 17th Indy 500 victory. It was the team’s 201 Indy car win.

SPEEDWAY, IN - RIS - Welcome to RIS' coverage of the 102nd Indianapolis 500-Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hometown driver Ed Carpenter will pilot his Ed Carpenter Racing Fuzzy's Chevrolet from the pole position. This was Carpenter's third Indy 500 pole.

Six past winners are entered in today's race.

Helio Castroneves continues his quest for a record-tying fourth "500" win.

The weather forecast is for extreme heat and could set the record for the highest temperature on record.

Stay tuned as RIS brings you the sights and sounds of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. 

This year featured representative teams from Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, Schmidt-Peterson Motorsports, Rahal Letterman Lanigan, and Andretti Autosport, and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

The drivers of the respective teams competing today were Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Scott Dixon, Ed Jones, Robert Wickens, James Hinchcliffe, Alexander Rossi, Graham Rahal, and Sage Karam.

The competition is a head-to-head drag race down pit lane elimination. NHRA fans would appreciate the challenges of a getting a high-horsepower car moving quickly from a standing position, but they won't recognize the four-tire change and simulated fuel fill in mid-race.

Carb Day, traditionally the last practice before the running of the 500 Mile Race. Now it’s an excuse for a party, and Hoosiers know how to party!

The day does feature a one hour practice session for the 33 starters of the Indy 500. It was an incident free run with only one short yellow for a missing camera lens from one of the racers on-board cameras.

The practice was followed by the Freedom 100 Indy Lights race and what a race it was! We will start with the bad news, there were only eight starters, but that is were the bad news ended.

The annual all-skate flurry of Carburetion Day here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is over, and final preparations are being made before Sunday's 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race - the raison d'être of the Verizon IndyCar Series.

This is the day drivers and teams can make final tweaks to their Indy cars on-track. The cars have been silent since Monday, and this is the time to exorcize the gremlins on a hot race track.

Here's a quick visual reference guide to the pre-Carb Day paint schemes for the cars qualified for the 2018 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil fast facts

An appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," meetings with Congressional and Japanese officials and a journey to the newest city on the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule are among the many activities that the 33 drivers competing in this year's Indianapolis 500 will encounter on the annual North American media tour for the race.

In what has become a popular Indy 500 tradition, the 33 qualified drivers and one special guest driver are fanning out to 21 cities 24 hours, spreading the word about the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil that takes place on Memorial Day weekend.

The 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race is the traditional mix of former winners, veterans, sophomore rising stars, and new guys.

Here is some background on the four rookies in this year’s starting field.