Round 5: The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. May 14 - 26.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Round 5: The 108th running of the Indianapolis 500. May 14 - 26

With the first practice session starting tomorrow, it's time to get the thread for the 108th running of the Indianapolis 500 underway.

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This year there are 34 confirmed entries. It was hoped Abel Motorsports would be competing in this year's race but funding was not forthcoming.

There are 8 previous winners, 2 of whom are multiple winners, plus there are 7 Rookie drivers. Rookie Orientation took place in April during open testing.

NASCAR legend Kyle Larson and 2021 Cup Series champion, is trying to join Tony Stewart as the second driver ever to achieve the “Double”, finishing both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. The car is a joint entry with IndyCar team Arrow McLaren and Cup Series team Hendrick Motorsports. Tony Stewart achieved this twice, in 1999 and 2001. The second time finishing 6th in the 500 and 3rd in the 600.

From 2014 to 2022, double points were awarded. That was changed last year, with standard race points now awarded. Bonus points awarded during qualifying remain unchanged from 2022.

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Qualifications Format:

Qualifications will continue to use the two-day format that has been in place since 2019. In 2022, the Fast 9 was replaced with the Top 12 and pole position decided by the Firestone Fast 6.

A blind draw is conducted prior to each qualification day.

Each car is permitted two warmup laps prior to the timed qualification laps. The race director may permit three warmup laps if deemed necessary.

A qualification attempt consists of four timed laps. The aggregate time is recorded as the official qualifying time for the car.

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Day 1: Full Field Qualifying
Saturday - 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM: Live on Peacock.

Qualifying will take place for positions 1-30.
Positions 13-30 will be set and those drivers will not requalify on Sunday.
Cars 1-12 will advance to the Top 12 Qualifying round on Sunday, with pole decided by the Firestone Fast 6

When every car in the qualifying order for Saturday has been presented with at least one chance to qualify, teams may choose from two lanes for a second and subsequent attempts.

Lane 1 is the priority lane. Cars in this lane get priority access to the track ahead of Lane 2. However, cars in this lane must withdraw their qualified time.
Lane 2 is for cars that have already qualified, but wish to try and improve their position.

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Day 2: Pole Day
Sunday 19, 3:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Live on NBC and Peacock

Top 12 Qualifying.
Positions 7-12 will be determined.
The order is based on Saturday's times, slowest to fastest, with each car guaranteed one attempt.

Last Chance Qualifying
Positions 31-33 will be determined.
Each car is guaranteed one attempt and may make multiple attempts until time expires. Each car’s most recent qualification speed will remain eligible for the starting lineup, until the time is withdrawn or qualifications end.

Firestone Fast Six
Positions 1- 6 will be determined.
The order is based on times from the Top 12 Qualifying earlier on Sunday, slowest to fastest. Each car is guaranteed one attempt. The fastest car in the Firestone Fast Six will take pole.

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History
Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the world's oldest, purpose-built tracks that is still in use. In 1905 Indiana businessman Carl G. Fisher, envisioned building a circuit after watching some of the world's earliest car races in France. He felt Europe had the upper hand in car design and thought one reason was the lack of permanent testing facilities for American car manufacturers. After another visit to Europe and seeing the banked oval at Brooklands, England, he decided to build his own track.

Fisher convinced local businessmen James A. Allison, Arthur Newby and Frank W. Wheeler to join him in purchasing Pressley Farm, five miles outside of Indianapolis and totalling 328 acres for about $72,000. On March 20, 1909, The Indianapolis Motor Speedway company was incorporated and construction began that month.

The track surface consisted of packed soil covered by two inches of gravel, two inches of limestone covered with a solution of tar and oil, or taroid, one–two inches of crushed stone chips, also drenched with taroid and topped with crushed stones.

The first motorsport event was a series of motorcycle races planned over two days, under the sanction of the Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM), starting on August 14, 1909. Concerns about the track surface stopped the event part way through day one. Five days later 15 teams arrived for the first car event, held over three days. This was not without incident. On day one Wilfred Bourque suffered a rear-axle failure, resulting in his car flipping end over end on the main straight, before crashing into a fence post, killing him and his mechanic Harry Halcomb. On day three the right front tire blew on Charlie Merz's car, knocking down five fence posts and dozens of spectators, killing two as well as his mechanic Claude Kellum. Ten laps later, after another accident, the race was cancelled.

The AAA, American Automobile Association, announced it would boycott further events unless the surface was changed. A concrete surface was considered but the track owners decided to pave the entire facility with bricks, after tests proved their durability. Five Indiana manufacturers supplied 3.2 million, 10-pound bricks. Each was hand laid on a 2 inch bed of sand, then levelled and the gaps filled with mortar. A concrete wall 33 inches tall was also constructed in front of the main grandstand and around all four corners to protect spectators. The final brick was made of gold and laid in a special ceremony by Governor Thomas R. Marshall.

In December 1909, the track reopened for testing, with speeds of up to 112 mph being reported. Racing returned the next year, with a series of short races held over the three main holiday weekends: Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day.

The following year, 1911, racing was just confined to Memorial Day and the very first 500 mile race was held on May 30. It was won by a former racer and Marmon engineer Ray Harroun, who came out of retirement for just one race, driving the legendary Marmon-Wasp and who started 28th. Since then, the event has usually been held on the Sunday before Memorial Day, though there have been exceptions, due to World Wars I and II, the weather intervening and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic.

A Change of Ownership
It was the suspension of the race for the duration of World War II that would lead to the track coming under new ownership. Eddie Rickenbacker, an American air ace in World War I with 26 victories and Medal of Honor recipient, had purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Carl Fisher for $700,000, on November 1, 1927. Prior to his Word War 1 accoplishments, Rickenbacker had been a succesful race car driver, participating in the first two Indianapolis 500s as well as finishing 5th and 3rd in the 1915 and 1916 AAA Championship Car seasons. It was during his ownership that the first radio broadcast of the race took place in 1922.

With the war over, the track and facilties had fallen into a state of disrepair, with the possibility of the speedway becoming a housing development. on November 29, 1944, three-time 500 winner Wilbur Shaw came to the speedway for a 500-mile tire test approved by the government for Firestone. Shaw was shocked at the state of the speedway and contacted Eddie Rickenbacker, only to discover that it was for sale. Shaw then sent out letters to the automobile industry to try to find a buyer.

Anton "Tony" Hulman Jr., businessman from Terre Haute, Indiana was looking for a way to promote his company Clabber Girl, which produced baking powder. Influenced by Shaw, Hulman & Co, the fanily owned business which owned Clabber Girl, purchasd the speedway on November 14, 1945, with Shaw becoming the track's President. It was during this time that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network was founded. Indianapolis Motor Speedway remained in Hulman & Cos until its sale to Roger Penske in 2019.

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Notable upgrades have taken place over the years. In 1961 the whole course was resurfaced, save for a three foot-wide section of the historic bricks at the finish line, which remain today as the fabled Yard of Bricks.

The first changes to the track itself came in 1993, when acceleration and deceleration lanes were installed and the traditional apron on the inside of the turns was grassed over, effectively narrowing the circuit.

Track layout:


Length: 2.5 Miles (4.02 Km)
Straightaways: 5/8 of a mile (1000 m)
Short chutes: 1/8 of a mile (200 m)
Turns: 4, with 9.2º banking. 1/4 of mile (400 m)

1 lap record:
Arie Luyendyk, May 10, 1996. 00:37.895 seconds, 237.498 mph (382.216 kmh).
Reynard 94i-Ford Cosworth XB,
Indy Racing League.

4 lap average record:
Arie Luyendyk, May 12, 1996. 2:31.908, 236.986 mph (381.392 kmh),
Reynard 94i-Ford Cosworth XB,
Indy Racing League.

Will either the 1 lap or 4 lap average be broken this year?

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Some 500 Trivia:

1911: Ray Harroun was the first winner of the 500, driving a Marmon-Wasp.
Race Time: 6:42:08.039. Average speed: 74.59 mph (120.04 km/h).

1913: Jules Goux of France was the first European and the first Rookie, excluding the innaugural race, to win,

1919: The 33 car field was established. The AAA mandated that each car on-track should have 400 feet all to itself. One lap of 2.5-miles divided by 400 feet is 33.

1920-21: Ralph DePalma was the first driver to take consecutive poles.

1922: Jimmy Murphy was the first driver to win the race from pole position.

1936: Louis Meyer was the first driver to win three times, 1928, 1933, 1936. It was after his third win that the Lois Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk, something his mother had encouraged him to drink on hot days, hence the tradition of the bottle of milk.

1940: Wilbur Shaw was the first driver to win back to back races, 1939-1940

1947: Mauri Rose and Bill Holland, scored the first team 1, 2 for entrant Lou Moore

1952: Art Cross won the first Rookie of the Year Award. He finished 5th.

1961: Australian Sir Jack Brabham, the 1959 and '60 F1 champion, was the first driver to race a rear engined car, a Cooper-Coventry Climax, finishing 9th.

1965: Jim Clark became the first Scotsman to win and first driver to win in a rear engined car, in the Lotus 38-Ford.

1966: Graham Hill won The 50th Indy 500, in a Lola T90-Ford and was the first Englishman, as well as the first Rookie winner since 1927.

1967: Parnelli Jones raced the first gas turbine powered car, the Granatelli STP-Paxton Turbocar, finishing 6th.

1977: Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indy 500. She finished 29th
A.J. Foyt became the first driver to win 4 times.

1987: Al Unser became the oldest winner at 47.

1989: Emerson Fittipaldi became the first Brazilian driver to win.

1990: Arie Luyendyk became the first Dutch driver to win

1992: A.J. Foyt became the oldest driver to start the race at 57.

1992: Al Unser Jr. beat Scott Goodyear by 0.043 seconds in the 500's closest finnish.

1992: Lyn St. James won the first Female Rookie of the Year Award. She finished 11th.

1995: Jacques Villeneuve became first Canadian driver to win.

1996: Arie Luyendyk sets a new 1 lap track record of 37.895 seconds, 237.498 mph (382.216 kmh) and a new 4-lap average track record of 2:31.908, 236.986 mph (381.392 kmh). He also recorded an unofficial 1 lap of 00:37.616 seconds, 239.260 mph (385.052 kmh).

1997: Arie Luyendyk became the first Dutch multiple winner, 1990 and 1997

1999: Kenny Bräck became first Swedish driver to win,

2005: Danica Patrick became the first female driver to lead the Indy 500.

2008: Scott Dixon became first New Zealander to win.

2009: Danica Patrick finished 3rd, the highest position for a female driver.

2016: Alexander Rossi won the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, the first Rookie since 2001.

2017: Takumo Sato became the first Japanese driver to win.

2018: Will Power became the first Australian driver to win.

2020: Takuma Sato became the first Japanese multiple winner, 2017 and 2020.
The was the first 500 to be held behind closed doors, as well as being held in August, due to the Covid-19 pandemic

2021: Brazillian driver Hélio Castroneves became the fourth driver to win 4 times.
2001, 2002, 2009, 2021
This was also the fastest race, with a time of 2:37:19.3846 and an average speed of 190.690 mph (306.885 km/h)
There were only 2 caution periods for 18 laps, a race record.

A record nine former 500 winners took part, three were multiple winners.*
Helio Castroneves, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021*
Takuma Sato, 2017, 2020*
Simon Pagenaud, 2019
Will Power, 2018
Alexander Rossi, 2016
Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000, 2015*
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 2014
Tony Kanaan, 2013
Scott Dixon, 2008

2022: Scott Dixon set the record fastest pole, with a 4 lap average of 234.046 mph (376.660 km/h)
The starting field was the fastest in Indianapolis 500 history, with an average speed of 231.023 mph (371.795 km/h)
Scott Dixon takes the record for most laps led, 95.

2023: Alex Palou set a new record fastest pole, with a 4 lap average of 234.217 mph (376.936 km/h)
The first 234 mph front row and first European front row.
Chip Ganssi Racing were the first team to have three consecutive poles
Team Penske win their 19th Indy 500
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There have been 10 Rookie winners:
Ray Harroun, 1911 (inaugural race)
Jules Goux, 1913
Rene Thomas, 1914
Frank Lockhart, 1926
George Souders, 1927
Louis Meyer, 1928
Graham Hill, 1966
Juan Pablo Montoya, 2000
Helio Castroneves, 2001
Alexander Rossi, 2016

There have been 9 women drivers:
Janet Guthrie, 1977-79
Lyn St. James, 1992-97, 2000
Sarah Fisher, 2000-04, 2007-10
Danica Patrick, 2005-11, 2018
Milka Duno, 2007-09
Ana Beatriz, 2010-12, 2021
Simona de Silvestro, 2010-12, 2021.
Katherine Legge, 2012, 2013, 2023
Pippa Mann 2011, 2013-2017, 2019

The driver with the most wins is 4.
Hélio Castroneves: 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021
Rick Mears: 1979, 1984, 1988, 1991.
Al Unser Sr.: 1970, 1971, 1978, 1987.
A.J. Foyt: 1961, 1964, 1967, 1977.

The team with the most wins:
Team Penske, 19.
1972, 1979, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2023.

First two-time winner: Tommy Milton (1921, 1923)

First three-time winner: Louis Meyer (1928, 1933, 1936)

The driver/team owner with the most wins:
A.J. Foyt. 1964, 1967, 1977.

Current driver with the most wins:
Hélio Castroneves. 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021.

Only five drivers have won the Indianapolis 500 two years in a row
Wilbur Shaw 1939-'40
Mauri Rose 1947-'48
Bill Vukovich 1953-'54
Al Unser 1970-'71
Helio Castroneves 2001-'02

The car number with the most wins is #3 with 11.

The team with the most Poles:
Team Penske, 18.
1977, 1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2019

The driver with the most poles:
Rick Mears, 6 - 1979, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991

The driver with the most wins from pole: Rick Mears, 3 – 1979, 1988, 1991.

The starting grid position with the most wins is pole, with 21.

The car number with the most Poles is #1, with 13.

Chassis manufacturer with most wins, Dallara 21.

Engine manufacturer with most wins, Offenhauser 27.

Tyre manufacturer with most wins, Firestone 74.

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Last year's race:
https://www.indycar.com/news/2023/05/05-28-500-lead

Pole:
Alex Palou,
Chip Ganassi Racing
Dallara IR18-Honda HI23TT Indy-V-6
Combined four lap average 2:33.7037 minutes. 234.217 mph (376.936 km/h)

Winner:
Josef Newgarden,
Team Penske,
Dallara IR18-Chevrolet Indy V6.

Laps: 200
Distance: 500 Miles (805 km)
Race Time: 2:58:21.9611
Average Speed: 168.193 mph (270.681 km/h).

Fastest lap: David Malukas - Dale Coyne Racing w/HMD Motorsports
Lap 136. 39.8193 sec, 226.021 mph, (363.745 km/h)

Caution periods: 6
Laps: 27

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Event Schedule

Practice 1 - Tuesday, May 14, 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM ET

Practice 2 - Tuesday, May 14, 1:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Practice 3 - Wednesday, May 15, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Practice 4 - Thursday, May, 16 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Practice 5 - Friday, May 17, 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM ET

Practice 6 - Saturday, May. 18 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM ET

Qualifications Day 1 - Saturday, May 18. 11:00 AM - 5:50 PM ET

Practice 7 - Sunday, May 19. 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET

Qualifications Top-12 - Sunday, May 19. 3:05 PM - 4:05 PM ET

Qualifications Last Chance - Sunday, May 19. 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM ET

Qualifications Firestone Fast 6 - Sunday, May 19. 5:25 PM - 5:55 PM ET

Practice 8 - Monday, May. 20 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM ET

Final Practice (Carb Day) - Friday, May 24. 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET

Race Day - Sunday, May 26. 12:38 PM - 3:45 PM ET

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Race Broadcast
Sunday, May 26th.
NBC, Peacock: 11:00 AM ET, 4:00 PM UTC, 5:00 PM BST
Sky Sports F1: 5:00 PM BST

[joeb]

Wow first practice is already tomorrow!

[NaBUru38]

The 34th driver has been announced as Callum Ilott will drive the #6 McLaren.

• Foyt: #14 Santino Ferrucci, Sting Ray Robb.
• McLaren: #5 Pato O'Ward, #6 Callum Ilott, #7 Alexander Rossi, #17 Kyle Larson.
• Dreyer & Reinbold: #23 Ryan Hunter-Reay, #24 Conor Daly.
• Carpenter: #20 Ed Carpenter, #21 Rinus VeeKay, #33 Christian Rasmussen.
• Juncos: #77 Romain Grosjean, #78 Agustin Canapino.
• Penske: #2 Josef Newgarden, #3 Scott McLaughlin, #12 Will Power.

Honda

• Andretti: #26 Colton Herta, #27 Kyle Kirkwood, #28 Marcus Ericsson, #98 Marco Andretti.
• Ganassi: $4 Kyffin Simpson, #8 Linus Lundqvist, #9 Scott Dixon, #10 Álex Palou #11 Marcus Armstrong.
• Coyne: #18 Nolan Siegel, #51 Katherine Legge.
• Meyer Shank: #06 Hélio Castroneves, #60 Felix Rosenqvist, #66 Tom Blomqvist.
• Rahal: #15 Graham Rahal, #30 Pietro Fittipaldi, #45 Christian Lundgaard, #75 Takuma Sato.

Fun facts:

• 14 countries: United States (13), New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom (3 each), Brazil, Denmark (2 each), Argentina, Australia, Cayman Islands, France, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain (1 each).
• 8 former winners: Castroneves, Dixon, Ericsson, Newgarden, Hunter-Reay, Power, Rossi, Sato.
• 7 rookies: Armstrong, Blomqvist, Larson, Lundqvist, Rasmussen, Siegel, Simpson.
• Oldest: Castroneves (49); youngest: Simpson (19).
• Engines: 18 Hondas and 16 Chevys.

[broadrun96]

JHR running new liveries for the 500. Grosjean overhead is great



https://racer.com/2024/05/13/jhr-unv...-500-liveries/

[joeb]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The 34th driver has been announced as Callum Ilott will drive the #6 McLaren.

• Foyt: #14 Santino Ferrucci, Sting Ray Robb.
• McLaren: #5 Pato O'Ward, #6 Callum Ilott, #7 Alexander Rossi, #17 Kyle Larson.
• Dreyer & Reinbold: #23 Ryan Hunter-Reay, #24 Conor Daly.
• Carpenter: #20 Ed Carpenter, #21 Rinus VeeKay, #33 Christian Rasmussen.
• Juncos: #77 Romain Grosjean, #78 Agustin Canapino.
• Penske: #2 Josef Newgarden, #3 Scott McLaughlin, #12 Will Power.

Honda

• Andretti: #26 Colton Herta, #27 Kyle Kirkwood, #28 Marcus Ericsson, #98 Marco Andretti.
• Ganassi: $4 Kyffin Simpson, #8 Linus Lundqvist, #9 Scott Dixon, #10 Álex Palou #11 Marcus Armstrong.
• Coyne: #18 Nolan Siegel, #51 Katherine Legge.
• Meyer Shank: #06 Hélio Castroneves, #60 Felix Rosenqvist, #66 Tom Blomqvist.
• Rahal: #15 Graham Rahal, #30 Pietro Fittipaldi, #45 Christian Lundgaard, #75 Takuma Sato.

Fun facts:

• 14 countries: United States (13), New Zealand, Sweden, United Kingdom (3 each), Brazil, Denmark (2 each), Argentina, Australia, Cayman Islands, France, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain (1 each).
• 8 former winners: Castroneves, Dixon, Ericsson, Newgarden, Hunter-Reay, Power, Rossi, Sato.
• 7 rookies: Armstrong, Blomqvist, Larson, Lundqvist, Rasmussen, Siegel, Simpson.
• Oldest: Castroneves (49); youngest: Simpson (19).
• Engines: 18 Hondas and 16 Chevys.

Question is, who will be sitting on the sidelines after the 19th? I am leaning towards a non season long competitor, but who knows. After the Rahal debacle last year anything is possible.

Originally Posted by broadrun96

JHR running new liveries for the 500. Grosjean overhead is great

https://racer.com/2024/05/13/jhr-unv...-500-liveries/

First thing I thought of, where are the sponsors? I'm guessing they get added later but wanted to show off the new colors first.

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by joeb

Question is, who will be sitting on the sidelines after the 19th? I am leaning towards a non season long competitor, but who knows. After the Rahal debacle last year anything is possible.

Yeah, only needs one to mess up.

I have to admit I am worried.

[broadrun96]

My money is on Siegel or RHR being in the knockout group and prob 33 and 34 at the end

[joeb]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Yeah, only needs one to mess up.



I have to admit I am worried.

No need to worry Stingy is a lock.

[broadrun96]

Rain shortened day 1, some old dude on top

Stingy in the Top 10, only 29 cars went out, Power slowest but he ran VERY slow with Larson and JoNew at over minute. Rinus slowest at speed.

https://racer.com/wp-content/uploads...-p1_7a575a.pdf

[Adam43]

Best time on his 4th lap. Only did five. That’ll do, thanks for coming.

Dixon did nine laps, although interestingly they only filled the car for seven.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by Adam43

Best time on his 4th lap. Only did five. That’ll do, thanks for coming.

Dixon did nine laps, although interestingly they only filled the car for seven.

That completely checks out

[joeb]

What year is this? Marco and Takuma in the top 3?

[bjohnsonsmith]

It's continuing to rain, with practice extended to 7:00 PM this evening. Practice will start at 10:00 AM tomorrow.


https://www.indycar.com/News/2024/05/05-15-Rain-Delay

[v8supes]

They should run the race with qualifying power. The cars look so easy to drive in race trim.

[codename_47]

Ahhh, the fortnight (with 9 days of track action) of May!

v8supes They should run the race with qualifying power. The cars look so easy to drive in race trim.

Think the plan is to be steadily increasing the boost over the next few years isn't it?

[Tourer]

Thanks for the great intro bjs.

Looking forward to the qualifying runs this weekend - between those, Imola & Supercars from Perth, there'll be a fair bit of couch time coming up.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by codename_47

Ahhh, the fortnight (with 9 days of track action) of May!







Think the plan is to be steadily increasing the boost over the next few years isn't it?

Boost and hybrid addition