Indy Racing Revolution
A long day ended happily for Katherine Legge, who's now just 15 laps at 210+ miles per hour away from being cleared to compete in the 2012 Indianapolis 500.
Early Thursday morning, her Dragon Racing team was finally able to get on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time this month after gaining approval to switch from Lotus to Chevrolet engines.
With Legge's Rookie Orientation Program as the main priority, her veteran teammate and four-time Champ Car World Series champion Sebastien Bourdais attempted to shake down her No. 6 TrueCar machine, but thanks to problems on the machine, Legge herself didn't get a lap in until almost Noon ET.
With INDYCAR deciding to push the start of Thursday's '500' practice back to 1 p.m. ET in order to accommodate her, Legge cleared the first phase (10 laps at 200-205 mph). Afterwards, the sanctioning body then gave Legge 40 more minutes after the 6 p.m. ET closing gun to complete her second phase (15 laps at 205-210 mph).
Fortunately, the Englishwoman was up to the task as the sun began to set. After another shakedown by Bourdais, Legge stepped into the No. 6 and posted multiple laps at 210 mph en route to passing Phase II.
"It's unbelievably satisfying," said Legge, who can complete the final phase of ROP (15 laps at 210+) during any open practice before Saturday's Pole Day event. "This morning, we had a small issue with the car, but we were still able to complete the first phase. The team has done a great job. They are all really tired, and they worked really hard to put the engine in and get all the bits on to get us out.
"So it's thanks to them that we were able to do what we did today. And also Sebastien. He shook down the car and made sure everything was fixed from this morning. I can go home now very happy."
Bourdais was able to turn laps in his own No. 7 Chevrolet during the final 30 minutes of the main practice session, topping out at 214.715 mph. Afterwards, he said that Dragon would focus on other matters outside of qualifying setups during tomorrow's "Fast Friday" activities.
"Tomorrow will be a different deal with the increased boost level, but I can't say we feel ready for anything right now," the Frenchman said. "But we have a good baseline, and we won't worry too much about qualifying setup. We'll just do as much running as we can, get some data work on the car and traffic and go from there."
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While Dragon got their Indy program rolling at last, the rest of the field continued to focus on race setups and drafting in the final practice before the aforementioned boost increase that will see them through the entire weekend.
The drafting part came into play in the final 30 minutes with many cars working in traffic and completing passes down the straightaways. With about 22 minutes remaining, one of those drivers in the thick of it all -- Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon -- busted a 223.088 mph lap to go to the top of the charts late.
"We didn't have the speed; these speeds are all big tows, so it doesn't really matter much," said Dixon, a former '500' winner in 2008. "For us, we're just working on the race car, and I think we've made big improvements on how it feels. For me, I feel happy, because we made the car feel a lot nicer to drive, and especially in traffic, it pulls up better, I think."
American rookie Josef Newgarden was second-fastest with a lap at 222.7, followed by fellow USAer Graham Rahal in third (222.080). Current IZOD IndyCar Series points leader Will Power was fourth-quickest (221.932) and Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson was P5 (221.715).
Now comes what should be a very interesting "Fast Friday" as most of the paddock will find out how their cars react with the extra boost and go through another learning experience with the Dallara DW12s.
"The biggest thing, honestly, will be gearing," said Ben Bretzman, lead engineer for the No. 77 Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports Honda of rookie Simon Pagenaud.
"We're going to go quite a bit faster, so we're going to need to make sure we have the gears right. Unfortunately, we're not going to have a lot of running on it. It's up to simulations and what information Honda can give us on how fast they think we might go based on just general power. We have to gear the car correctly for that.
"From a chassis standpoint, it's a bit of an unknown. It will get a little bit more load in the corner, because you'll be going faster, so you might need to adjust the platform. But in general, we'll just need to make sure we are geared right."
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Bryan Clauson's No. 39 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing machine will have sponsorship from Curb/Agajanian, who served as a co-owner on the late Dan Wheldon's '500' winning car last season. Curb/Agajanian has helped Clauson before, riding along with him in sponsorship and co-ownership capacities as he drove to the 2011 USAC National Driving Championship.
"It’s really cool to bring another company to our Indy 500 program that is highly involved with my USAC programs," Clauson said in an SFHR statement. "With Curb/Agajanian’s rich background in racing, I really hope we can bring them to victory lane this May."
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Other cool stuff
Vitor Meira says he's looking for "a good car" to drive as he hunts for a gig in this year's '500.' The affable Brazilian, who did not return to A.J. Foyt Racing after last season, has been running stock cars in his homeland for the time being. "I respect this place too much to come here and just drive around," he said. "We're trying to put together a program, even as late as it seems, but it has to be the right car, so that it's a bit less hectic. I'm waiting and we'll see what happens."
For '500' race day, Lotus-powered drivers Jean Alesi and Simona de Silvestro may be facing what INDYCAR race director Beaux Barfield called a "start-and-won't-go-very-long" situation, according to a piece from SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett. The piece also quotes INDYCAR engine director Trevor Knowles as saying that the Lotus engines shouldn't be given "a bye" -- i.e. extra turbo boost to help them get closer to the Chevy and Honda contingents. INDYCAR's rule is that all cars must have a pace within 105 percent of the fastest car's pace...
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Quotes/materials taken from team releases and series trackside reports were used in the making of this article.
no comments
Early Thursday morning, her Dragon Racing team was finally able to get on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time this month after gaining approval to switch from Lotus to Chevrolet engines.
With Legge's Rookie Orientation Program as the main priority, her veteran teammate and four-time Champ Car World Series champion Sebastien Bourdais attempted to shake down her No. 6 TrueCar machine, but thanks to problems on the machine, Legge herself didn't get a lap in until almost Noon ET.
With INDYCAR deciding to push the start of Thursday's '500' practice back to 1 p.m. ET in order to accommodate her, Legge cleared the first phase (10 laps at 200-205 mph). Afterwards, the sanctioning body then gave Legge 40 more minutes after the 6 p.m. ET closing gun to complete her second phase (15 laps at 205-210 mph).
Fortunately, the Englishwoman was up to the task as the sun began to set. After another shakedown by Bourdais, Legge stepped into the No. 6 and posted multiple laps at 210 mph en route to passing Phase II.
"It's unbelievably satisfying," said Legge, who can complete the final phase of ROP (15 laps at 210+) during any open practice before Saturday's Pole Day event. "This morning, we had a small issue with the car, but we were still able to complete the first phase. The team has done a great job. They are all really tired, and they worked really hard to put the engine in and get all the bits on to get us out.
"So it's thanks to them that we were able to do what we did today. And also Sebastien. He shook down the car and made sure everything was fixed from this morning. I can go home now very happy."
Bourdais was able to turn laps in his own No. 7 Chevrolet during the final 30 minutes of the main practice session, topping out at 214.715 mph. Afterwards, he said that Dragon would focus on other matters outside of qualifying setups during tomorrow's "Fast Friday" activities.
"Tomorrow will be a different deal with the increased boost level, but I can't say we feel ready for anything right now," the Frenchman said. "But we have a good baseline, and we won't worry too much about qualifying setup. We'll just do as much running as we can, get some data work on the car and traffic and go from there."
---
While Dragon got their Indy program rolling at last, the rest of the field continued to focus on race setups and drafting in the final practice before the aforementioned boost increase that will see them through the entire weekend.
The drafting part came into play in the final 30 minutes with many cars working in traffic and completing passes down the straightaways. With about 22 minutes remaining, one of those drivers in the thick of it all -- Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon -- busted a 223.088 mph lap to go to the top of the charts late.
"We didn't have the speed; these speeds are all big tows, so it doesn't really matter much," said Dixon, a former '500' winner in 2008. "For us, we're just working on the race car, and I think we've made big improvements on how it feels. For me, I feel happy, because we made the car feel a lot nicer to drive, and especially in traffic, it pulls up better, I think."
American rookie Josef Newgarden was second-fastest with a lap at 222.7, followed by fellow USAer Graham Rahal in third (222.080). Current IZOD IndyCar Series points leader Will Power was fourth-quickest (221.932) and Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson was P5 (221.715).
Now comes what should be a very interesting "Fast Friday" as most of the paddock will find out how their cars react with the extra boost and go through another learning experience with the Dallara DW12s.
"The biggest thing, honestly, will be gearing," said Ben Bretzman, lead engineer for the No. 77 Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports Honda of rookie Simon Pagenaud.
"We're going to go quite a bit faster, so we're going to need to make sure we have the gears right. Unfortunately, we're not going to have a lot of running on it. It's up to simulations and what information Honda can give us on how fast they think we might go based on just general power. We have to gear the car correctly for that.
"From a chassis standpoint, it's a bit of an unknown. It will get a little bit more load in the corner, because you'll be going faster, so you might need to adjust the platform. But in general, we'll just need to make sure we are geared right."
---
Bryan Clauson's No. 39 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing machine will have sponsorship from Curb/Agajanian, who served as a co-owner on the late Dan Wheldon's '500' winning car last season. Curb/Agajanian has helped Clauson before, riding along with him in sponsorship and co-ownership capacities as he drove to the 2011 USAC National Driving Championship.
"It’s really cool to bring another company to our Indy 500 program that is highly involved with my USAC programs," Clauson said in an SFHR statement. "With Curb/Agajanian’s rich background in racing, I really hope we can bring them to victory lane this May."
---
Other cool stuff
Vitor Meira says he's looking for "a good car" to drive as he hunts for a gig in this year's '500.' The affable Brazilian, who did not return to A.J. Foyt Racing after last season, has been running stock cars in his homeland for the time being. "I respect this place too much to come here and just drive around," he said. "We're trying to put together a program, even as late as it seems, but it has to be the right car, so that it's a bit less hectic. I'm waiting and we'll see what happens."
For '500' race day, Lotus-powered drivers Jean Alesi and Simona de Silvestro may be facing what INDYCAR race director Beaux Barfield called a "start-and-won't-go-very-long" situation, according to a piece from SPEEDTV.com's Marshall Pruett. The piece also quotes INDYCAR engine director Trevor Knowles as saying that the Lotus engines shouldn't be given "a bye" -- i.e. extra turbo boost to help them get closer to the Chevy and Honda contingents. INDYCAR's rule is that all cars must have a pace within 105 percent of the fastest car's pace...
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Quotes/materials taken from team releases and series trackside reports were used in the making of this article.
no comments
Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge are back on track. Literally.
The two drivers had not been able to turn a lap of practice this month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to their Dragon Racing team's attempts to break away from Lotus to run Chevrolet power. Dragon team owner Jay Penske recently filed a lawsuit against Lotus in an attempt to get out from the British manufacturer's ranks.
But this morning, official word came out that Dragon has been allowed by INDYCAR to make the jump to the Bowtie.
Here's the official release from the sanctioning body:
INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD IndyCar Series, confirmed today that it has approved an engine partner change for Dragon Racing.
The two drivers had not been able to turn a lap of practice this month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway due to their Dragon Racing team's attempts to break away from Lotus to run Chevrolet power. Dragon team owner Jay Penske recently filed a lawsuit against Lotus in an attempt to get out from the British manufacturer's ranks.
But this morning, official word came out that Dragon has been allowed by INDYCAR to make the jump to the Bowtie.
Here's the official release from the sanctioning body:
INDYCAR, the sanctioning body for the IZOD IndyCar Series, confirmed today that it has approved an engine partner change for Dragon Racing.
The team will transfer from Lotus to Chevrolet power for the entries driven by Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge. The change is effective immediately.
Lotus and Dragon Racing have worked together to find a solution they are both happy with.
"We are pleased to see this issue resolved as we head into the final practice days in advance of qualifying," said Randy Bernard, CEO, INDYCAR. "I have to thank all parties for working together to help preserve the traditions of the Indianapolis 500."
INDYCAR officials will make provisions for Legge to begin the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program today. Bourdais will need to complete an Indianapolis 500 refresher program, which can be conducted anytime the track is open for practice.
To that end, Bourdais turned laps early Thursday morning in Legge's No. 6 car for his Indy 500 refresher course, while Legge herself is expected to begin her ROP later today.
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Rookie pilot still leads Wednesday's practice with lap of 222.785 mph
Josef Newgarden may have been the first to get in touch with the walls of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May, but the American rookie avoided major damage to his fast No. 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda.
With 16 minutes left in Wednesday's Indy 500 practice session, Newgarden lost control of his car coming out of Turn 4 and spun twice before taking a light brush from the inside retaining wall that separates the track from pit road.
He was later checked, cleared, and released from the infield care center, and afterwards, his comments indicated that he realized how fortunate he was.
"You don't get many lucky breaks around this place, and I think I just got one," he said. "The guys have done a great job putting together such a good car, and I don't want to hurt the thing. I'll try to learn what happened and why the thing got around on me.
"Everyone's trying to figure out the race car around this place, and obviously I have a little more work to do. We were old on our tire run and trying to run as far as possible to see how the car reacts, and I think it's just difficult to run in the tow, and today, I got bit by it a little."
Despite the incident, Newgarden still topped the session with a lap of 222.785 miles per hour, topping the three full-time Andretti Autosport drivers -- Marco Andretti (222.108), Ryan Hunter-Reay (221.763), and James Hinchcliffe (221.638). Dario Franchitti (221.623) rounded out the top five.
Only one day of practice remains before "Fast Friday" and the anticipated turbo boost increase that all cars will have through qualifications on Saturday and Sunday.
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The orange-and-white No. 98 car that took the late Dan Wheldon to victory in last year's Indianapolis 500 is now on display at the Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum -- the first of numerous tributes this month for the Englishman.
On Race Day, May 27, the owner of that car, Bryan Herta, will take the No. 98 for a lap around the 2.5-mile oval in honor of Wheldon shortly before the command is given to start engines. In addition, he will be featured on all Race Day technical inspection stickers put on the cars.
Also, fans will receive a cardboard version of white sunglasses (one of the fashion-forward Wheldon's favorite accessories) to wear on the parade lap and on Laps 26 and 98 -- nods to the numbers of his '500' winning cars in 2005 and 2011.
"Dan embodied the spirit of the Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway like few who have ever raced here," said IMS president/CEO Jeff Belskus. "He loved this race and this special place so much, and his fans and everyone associated with 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' returned that affection with equal passion.
"We're honored to pay tribute to Dan - an incredible father, husband, friend and driver - through these activities this year. But rest assured, he will be remembered forever at IMS."
Wheldon's widow, Susie, will also be in attendance at the Public Driver's Meeting on May 26, the day before the race. She is slated to receive her late husband's 'Champion of Champions' ring for his 2011 '500' triumph upon her arrival in Indianapolis.
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Jean Alesi may be cleared for his first Indianapolis 500, but the Lotus-powered Frenchman is once again having a tough time trying to get his car up to speed.
Both he and his other Lotus-powered comrade, HVM Racing's Simona de Silvestro, have had to cope with their engine's lack of power, and neither of them are feeling very good about their machines.
"Right now, I feel very unsafe, being quite slow in the middle of the track," said Alesi, driver of the No. 64 Fan Force United Lotus. "So I am quite concerned for my fellow drivers if we are not able to get the speed that we need. I am flat out, and I have reached 205 [mph] as the maximum that I can see. So it is not a comfortable position right now."
As for De Silvestro, she and her team are trying to keep cool in an increasingly tough situation.
"When you do only 200 mph, you don't have enough downforce, which makes it a little bit trickier," she said. "The good thing on the team side is that everybody is being patient and really working through the things.
"That's what we have to do this month - just be really patient about it and try to improve every time we go out there. Hopefully, for qualifying and the race, we'll have something that's race-able."
Both Alesi and De Silvestro topped out in the 205 mph range on Wednesday; Alesi at 205.389, De Silvestro at 205.009.
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Other cool stuff
The final five spots in the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge were filled on Wednesday morning via time trials. Advancing to the Challenge on Carb Day, May 25, are: The No. 4 squad of Panther Racing (J.R. Hildebrand), the No. 14 squad of A.J. Foyt Racing (Mike Conway), the No. 22 squad of Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Oriol Servia), the No. 28 squad of Andretti Autosport (Ryan Hunter-Reay), and the No. 38 squad of Chip Ganassi Racing (Graham Rahal)...
Fans will get to interact with Indy 500 drivers during the Indy 500 Soiree on Friday, May 25 at 7 p.m. ET at LiveAndGlobal.com/IndyCar. The webcast, hosted by Helio Castroneves and James Hinchcliffe, will emanate from the Soiree at the Lucas Estate in Carmel, Indiana and feature interviews with INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and country music legend Garth Brooks. Brooks' charitable foundation, Teammates For Kids, is the main beneficiary of the Soiree as it undertakes its Child Life Zone project at Indianapolis' Riley Hospital for Children...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article.
no comments
Josef Newgarden may have been the first to get in touch with the walls of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this May, but the American rookie avoided major damage to his fast No. 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda.
With 16 minutes left in Wednesday's Indy 500 practice session, Newgarden lost control of his car coming out of Turn 4 and spun twice before taking a light brush from the inside retaining wall that separates the track from pit road.
He was later checked, cleared, and released from the infield care center, and afterwards, his comments indicated that he realized how fortunate he was.
"You don't get many lucky breaks around this place, and I think I just got one," he said. "The guys have done a great job putting together such a good car, and I don't want to hurt the thing. I'll try to learn what happened and why the thing got around on me.
"Everyone's trying to figure out the race car around this place, and obviously I have a little more work to do. We were old on our tire run and trying to run as far as possible to see how the car reacts, and I think it's just difficult to run in the tow, and today, I got bit by it a little."
Despite the incident, Newgarden still topped the session with a lap of 222.785 miles per hour, topping the three full-time Andretti Autosport drivers -- Marco Andretti (222.108), Ryan Hunter-Reay (221.763), and James Hinchcliffe (221.638). Dario Franchitti (221.623) rounded out the top five.
Only one day of practice remains before "Fast Friday" and the anticipated turbo boost increase that all cars will have through qualifications on Saturday and Sunday.
---
The orange-and-white No. 98 car that took the late Dan Wheldon to victory in last year's Indianapolis 500 is now on display at the Speedway's Hall of Fame Museum -- the first of numerous tributes this month for the Englishman.
On Race Day, May 27, the owner of that car, Bryan Herta, will take the No. 98 for a lap around the 2.5-mile oval in honor of Wheldon shortly before the command is given to start engines. In addition, he will be featured on all Race Day technical inspection stickers put on the cars.
Also, fans will receive a cardboard version of white sunglasses (one of the fashion-forward Wheldon's favorite accessories) to wear on the parade lap and on Laps 26 and 98 -- nods to the numbers of his '500' winning cars in 2005 and 2011.
"Dan embodied the spirit of the Indianapolis 500 and Indianapolis Motor Speedway like few who have ever raced here," said IMS president/CEO Jeff Belskus. "He loved this race and this special place so much, and his fans and everyone associated with 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' returned that affection with equal passion.
"We're honored to pay tribute to Dan - an incredible father, husband, friend and driver - through these activities this year. But rest assured, he will be remembered forever at IMS."
Wheldon's widow, Susie, will also be in attendance at the Public Driver's Meeting on May 26, the day before the race. She is slated to receive her late husband's 'Champion of Champions' ring for his 2011 '500' triumph upon her arrival in Indianapolis.
---
Jean Alesi may be cleared for his first Indianapolis 500, but the Lotus-powered Frenchman is once again having a tough time trying to get his car up to speed.
Both he and his other Lotus-powered comrade, HVM Racing's Simona de Silvestro, have had to cope with their engine's lack of power, and neither of them are feeling very good about their machines.
"Right now, I feel very unsafe, being quite slow in the middle of the track," said Alesi, driver of the No. 64 Fan Force United Lotus. "So I am quite concerned for my fellow drivers if we are not able to get the speed that we need. I am flat out, and I have reached 205 [mph] as the maximum that I can see. So it is not a comfortable position right now."
As for De Silvestro, she and her team are trying to keep cool in an increasingly tough situation.
"When you do only 200 mph, you don't have enough downforce, which makes it a little bit trickier," she said. "The good thing on the team side is that everybody is being patient and really working through the things.
"That's what we have to do this month - just be really patient about it and try to improve every time we go out there. Hopefully, for qualifying and the race, we'll have something that's race-able."
Both Alesi and De Silvestro topped out in the 205 mph range on Wednesday; Alesi at 205.389, De Silvestro at 205.009.
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Other cool stuff
The final five spots in the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge were filled on Wednesday morning via time trials. Advancing to the Challenge on Carb Day, May 25, are: The No. 4 squad of Panther Racing (J.R. Hildebrand), the No. 14 squad of A.J. Foyt Racing (Mike Conway), the No. 22 squad of Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing (Oriol Servia), the No. 28 squad of Andretti Autosport (Ryan Hunter-Reay), and the No. 38 squad of Chip Ganassi Racing (Graham Rahal)...
Fans will get to interact with Indy 500 drivers during the Indy 500 Soiree on Friday, May 25 at 7 p.m. ET at LiveAndGlobal.com/IndyCar. The webcast, hosted by Helio Castroneves and James Hinchcliffe, will emanate from the Soiree at the Lucas Estate in Carmel, Indiana and feature interviews with INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard and country music legend Garth Brooks. Brooks' charitable foundation, Teammates For Kids, is the main beneficiary of the Soiree as it undertakes its Child Life Zone project at Indianapolis' Riley Hospital for Children...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article.
no comments
The team of Baltimore-based Race On, LLC and Andretti Sports Marketing has officially been cleared to take over as the Grand Prix of Baltimore's third promotions group. The city's spending board approved a deal with the group earlier Wednesday according to the Baltimore Sun.
According to a press release, ASM is providing "all operations, sales, marketing, logistics and publicity efforts" for Race On, a company led by J.P. Grant of Grant Capital Management (Columbia, Md.) and Greg O'Neill of BMW Construction Specialists (Curtis Bay, Baltimore). Kevin Healy, already the managing director of the ASM-promoted Milwaukee IndyFest event, will serve in the same position for Baltimore.
Tickets will go on sale Monday, May 28 at RaceOnBaltimore.com and at local Ticketmaster outlets. The event weekend, which will also feature the American Le Mans Series, runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, 2012.
"We have an experienced and professional team in place that can build the Grand Prix of Baltimore into a premier sporting event," said ASM CEO and Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti in the release. "We've already seen tremendous interest in the event from fans and sponsors and the backing of strong local business leaders at Race On.
"We're all committed to make this a great event to benefit the city of Baltimore."
After the demise of both the race's original promoter, Baltimore Racing Development, and its most recent one, Downforce Racing, ASM and Race On will be counted on to move quickly in shoring up the event -- one that proved popular with drivers and fans last season, but soon took multiple PR hits in the wake of BRD's large financial problems and Downforce's inability to keep it moving along.
"We're working under an aggressive timeline, but we're very pleased with the rapid progress being made on the logistical and business fronts," said Grant in the release. "As the principle investors in the Grand Prix of Baltimore, Greg O'Neill and I are honored to support a world-class event for a world-class city.
"It's our goal to deliver a product in which all Baltimoreans - and all race fans - can take great pride." no comments
According to a press release, ASM is providing "all operations, sales, marketing, logistics and publicity efforts" for Race On, a company led by J.P. Grant of Grant Capital Management (Columbia, Md.) and Greg O'Neill of BMW Construction Specialists (Curtis Bay, Baltimore). Kevin Healy, already the managing director of the ASM-promoted Milwaukee IndyFest event, will serve in the same position for Baltimore.
Tickets will go on sale Monday, May 28 at RaceOnBaltimore.com and at local Ticketmaster outlets. The event weekend, which will also feature the American Le Mans Series, runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 2, 2012.
"We have an experienced and professional team in place that can build the Grand Prix of Baltimore into a premier sporting event," said ASM CEO and Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti in the release. "We've already seen tremendous interest in the event from fans and sponsors and the backing of strong local business leaders at Race On.
"We're all committed to make this a great event to benefit the city of Baltimore."
After the demise of both the race's original promoter, Baltimore Racing Development, and its most recent one, Downforce Racing, ASM and Race On will be counted on to move quickly in shoring up the event -- one that proved popular with drivers and fans last season, but soon took multiple PR hits in the wake of BRD's large financial problems and Downforce's inability to keep it moving along.
"We're working under an aggressive timeline, but we're very pleased with the rapid progress being made on the logistical and business fronts," said Grant in the release. "As the principle investors in the Grand Prix of Baltimore, Greg O'Neill and I are honored to support a world-class event for a world-class city.
"It's our goal to deliver a product in which all Baltimoreans - and all race fans - can take great pride." no comments
Marco Andretti busts a 223.6 lap to lead fourth day of practice
American driver Marco Andretti has had a quiet 2012 season so far, but after leading the Tuesday time sheets at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a lap at 223.676 mph, the pilot of the No. 26 RC Cola/Andretti Autosport Chevrolet is confident of his chances to break through with an Indy 500 victory in a week and a half.
"I'm really pleased with where we are at with the race car so far," said Marco. "I have just been really working on the car in a pack, and just trying to stay flat in traffic. We have the car to the point now that I am confident to say we would be the ones to beat if the race was today.
"The speed on its own, I'm a little concerned about. I've said it before, I'll say it again -- if we start 33rd, we can still win this race."
Marco led a Chevy-powered 1-2-3 on the sheets, with three-time '500' winner Helio Castroneves claiming the second-fastest lap of the day at 222.025 mph and another Andretti Autosport driver, James Hinchcliffe, going P3 at 221.864 mph.
Work on race setups and running well in the draft continued for teams on Tuesday, and in Marco's mind, the draft will play a key role on Race Day. But while the new Dallara DW12s can create a good tow for another car in its wake, it may also prove problematic if drivers are unable to resist the temptation to make a daring pass going into the tight corners of IMS.
"The thing I am concerned about is the last minute, because what happens is you get a decent tow, but then that last couple of car lengths, it really sucks you in, so a lot of guys are going to be, 'No, I can't get him, can't get him,'" he said. "Then they are going to feel [the tow], and they are going to be doing last-minute dive-bombs.
"That will be interesting, but you just have to be heads-up. That's all."
Chip Ganassi Racing's Graham Rahal was the lone Honda-powered driver in Tuesday's "Fast Five" with a lap at 221.855 mph, followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay (also of Andretti Autosport) and his best lap of 221.814 mph.
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Race setups will likely be the main focus of teams on Wednesday and Thursday, but with 'Fast Friday' looming, you can bet that there's been some thinking around the paddock about the extra boost that all cars will be given for that day and this weekend's qualifications.
"You will be going into the corners 10 mph faster, or whatever it's going to be," said Chip Ganassi Racing's Graham Rahal about the boost increase that should yield an extra 40 to 50 horsepower. "We expect the boost change to be a 4-5 mph lap average speed difference. That's a lot. That's a big change.
"Hopefully, the handling won't change too much because we've worked hard to get out car where's it's comfortable and fast. But I would think it would be a little bit different."
The boost increase will only take place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and will go back to regular levels for Race Day on May 27.
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Other cool stuff
Tony Kanaan will once again be slinging dirt next month in the Prelude To The Dream at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio. The former IndyCar champion will make his third appearance at the Late Model charity race, which also features stars from NASCAR, NHRA and the World of Outlaws. The race will take place on June 6 and will be televised on pay-per-view, with net proceeds going to Feed The Children...
Tickets for the 40th edition of the Indy 500 Last Row Party on May 25 are on sale for $50 per person and are starting at $450 for a table of 10. The event, which features the 31st, 32nd and 33rd place qualifiers for the '500' in a light-hearted roast, will take place at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course pavilion in Indianapolis. Go to IndyPressFoundation.org or call either 317-631-6400 or 317-701-1130 to get your tickets...
Seven teams have qualified for the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day, May 25, through their work in the first four IZOD IndyCar Series events. Those teams are: The Nos. 2, 3, and 12 squads from Team Penske (with drivers Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, and Will Power), the Nos. 9 and 50 squads from Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti), and the No. 26 and 27 squads from Andretti Autosport (Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe). The rest of the 12-team Challenge field will be filled tomorrow morning at the Speedway through time trials...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article. no comments
American driver Marco Andretti has had a quiet 2012 season so far, but after leading the Tuesday time sheets at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a lap at 223.676 mph, the pilot of the No. 26 RC Cola/Andretti Autosport Chevrolet is confident of his chances to break through with an Indy 500 victory in a week and a half.
"I'm really pleased with where we are at with the race car so far," said Marco. "I have just been really working on the car in a pack, and just trying to stay flat in traffic. We have the car to the point now that I am confident to say we would be the ones to beat if the race was today.
"The speed on its own, I'm a little concerned about. I've said it before, I'll say it again -- if we start 33rd, we can still win this race."
Marco led a Chevy-powered 1-2-3 on the sheets, with three-time '500' winner Helio Castroneves claiming the second-fastest lap of the day at 222.025 mph and another Andretti Autosport driver, James Hinchcliffe, going P3 at 221.864 mph.
Work on race setups and running well in the draft continued for teams on Tuesday, and in Marco's mind, the draft will play a key role on Race Day. But while the new Dallara DW12s can create a good tow for another car in its wake, it may also prove problematic if drivers are unable to resist the temptation to make a daring pass going into the tight corners of IMS.
"The thing I am concerned about is the last minute, because what happens is you get a decent tow, but then that last couple of car lengths, it really sucks you in, so a lot of guys are going to be, 'No, I can't get him, can't get him,'" he said. "Then they are going to feel [the tow], and they are going to be doing last-minute dive-bombs.
"That will be interesting, but you just have to be heads-up. That's all."
Chip Ganassi Racing's Graham Rahal was the lone Honda-powered driver in Tuesday's "Fast Five" with a lap at 221.855 mph, followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay (also of Andretti Autosport) and his best lap of 221.814 mph.
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Race setups will likely be the main focus of teams on Wednesday and Thursday, but with 'Fast Friday' looming, you can bet that there's been some thinking around the paddock about the extra boost that all cars will be given for that day and this weekend's qualifications.
"You will be going into the corners 10 mph faster, or whatever it's going to be," said Chip Ganassi Racing's Graham Rahal about the boost increase that should yield an extra 40 to 50 horsepower. "We expect the boost change to be a 4-5 mph lap average speed difference. That's a lot. That's a big change.
"Hopefully, the handling won't change too much because we've worked hard to get out car where's it's comfortable and fast. But I would think it would be a little bit different."
The boost increase will only take place this Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and will go back to regular levels for Race Day on May 27.
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Other cool stuff
Tony Kanaan will once again be slinging dirt next month in the Prelude To The Dream at the famed Eldora Speedway in Ohio. The former IndyCar champion will make his third appearance at the Late Model charity race, which also features stars from NASCAR, NHRA and the World of Outlaws. The race will take place on June 6 and will be televised on pay-per-view, with net proceeds going to Feed The Children...
Tickets for the 40th edition of the Indy 500 Last Row Party on May 25 are on sale for $50 per person and are starting at $450 for a table of 10. The event, which features the 31st, 32nd and 33rd place qualifiers for the '500' in a light-hearted roast, will take place at the Brickyard Crossing Golf Course pavilion in Indianapolis. Go to IndyPressFoundation.org or call either 317-631-6400 or 317-701-1130 to get your tickets...
Seven teams have qualified for the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge on Carb Day, May 25, through their work in the first four IZOD IndyCar Series events. Those teams are: The Nos. 2, 3, and 12 squads from Team Penske (with drivers Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, and Will Power), the Nos. 9 and 50 squads from Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti), and the No. 26 and 27 squads from Andretti Autosport (Marco Andretti and James Hinchcliffe). The rest of the 12-team Challenge field will be filled tomorrow morning at the Speedway through time trials...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article. no comments
A few days ago, I wrote that Jean Alesi, the 47-year-old ex-Formula One driver, was the lone rookie that had not yet passed all three phases of the Rookie Orientation Program. Obviously, that was a mistake as Katherine Legge of Dragon Racing is also a rookie that hasn't passed ROP yet. In fact, she hasn't turned in a lap at all due to her team's ongoing attempts to gain a release from Lotus and switch to Chevrolet.
Both Legge and her veteran teammate, Sebastien Bourdais, have yet to hit the track this May as a result. Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star has reported that Dragon is believed to have secured two Chevy leases if the team can get the release.
I regret the error. -- The Management no comments
Both Legge and her veteran teammate, Sebastien Bourdais, have yet to hit the track this May as a result. Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star has reported that Dragon is believed to have secured two Chevy leases if the team can get the release.
I regret the error. -- The Management no comments
IndyCar rookie breaks the 222 mph barrier in Monday practice
IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Josef Newgarden is acclimating quite nicely to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- and may also be turning into a potential dark horse for the Indianapolis 500.
The Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver led his second practice session of the Month of May on Monday, turning a quick lap of 222.486 mph in the No. 67 Dollar General Honda as he and other competitors looked to see how their Dallara DW12s reacted in the draft.
"It looks like everyone was trying to race runs, and we kind of jumped in, as well," said Newgarden. "It was a lot of fun. It was good to run out there with the guys, and I think we need to do more of that probably and figure out how the car operates in the draft a little bit.
"Certainly learned a lot of the way it reacts today, and we just got to keep progressing with and trying to make it even more comfortable during the race. Obviously, that's the important time."
Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay (221.639) and Marco Andretti (221.519) took their Chevrolet-powered cars to second and third on the charts respectively. RHR was one of the many that looked for a steady car around others.
"We ran on our own most of the day just trying to sort out some pretty big setup changes, and then at the end we ran in a group with our teammates here, and a few others joined in," said Hunter-Reay. "Everybody is trying to run in groups and get that feel for the car in traffic, and I think we accomplished that today with the DHL Sun Drop car."
2008 Indy winner Scott Dixon was fourth-fastest at 221.499 mph, while Andretti one-off Sebastian Saavedra posted the fifth-quickest lap at 220.785 mph.
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Speaking of Marco Andretti, his No. 26 RC Cola squad has a new leader in the pit box with Kyle Moyer calling the shots there after team owner Michael Andretti (Marco's father) moved over to work with Hunter-Reay's No. 28 DHL/Sun Drop team.
According to Marco, the fact that both he and his dad (who called Marco's first three races of 2012 before the change was made in Brazil) share fiery personalities on the track proved to be a hindrance instead of a help.
"It's better for the team," he said. "Dad and I are very passionate. Our work environment might be a little more hectic for others because we always shouting at each other. We still get the job done, but we're always shouting at each other. We just wanted to make it nicer. I'm a very animated person on the radio and so is he, and that's why it didn't work."
Moyer, a longtime Andretti hand, seems to be balancing things out for Marco, who comes into Indianapolis after a subpar four races (best finish: 11th) to begin the 2012 campaign.
"I'll be flipping out about something, and [Moyer will] say, '10-4'," said Marco. "It's jelling a lot better."
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As the Honda Indy Toronto announced that it would continue racing through 2014, INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard appeared to give a sign of how important Canada will be in helping the series expand its North American presence.
James Christie of The Globe and Mail, a Canadian national daily, has reported that Bernard mentioned Vancouver, Calgary and Quebec City as being, in Christie's words, "on the radar screen," for future events. Vancouver hosted Champ Car from 1990 to 2004 under the Molson Indy Vancouver banner.
However, Christie also stresses in the same piece that Bernard called it "premature" to identify the three cities as potential sites.
"It would be great to have another race in Canada," Bernard said in the piece, "but we want to concentrate on making Edmonton and Toronto the two best races we could have."
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Other cool stuff
Alex Tagliani's No. 98 Barracuda Networks/Bryan Herta Autosport Honda will feature the logo of the famous Gumball 3000 road rally. This year's Gumball run, taking place on May 25-31, will stretch from New York to Los Angeles -- with a stop at Indianapolis to have the Gumballers accompany Tagliani's machine on the grid before the start of the Indy 500...
Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe has his own craft beer. Indianapolis-based microbrewery Flat 12 Bierworks has created the "Hinchtown Hammer Down Lager" in honor of the Canadian driver, who currently sits third in IZOD IndyCar Series points. The final name of the brew was chosen by 'Hinch' after contests on Twitter and Facebook allowed fans to post their own ideas on what to call it...
Matt Scheidler, a former webmaster for Indianapolis radio stations WIBC and WFNI, has set out to create a primary online source for Indy 500 videos at RacingIndy.com. The new site, which brings together quality videos from YouTube and other sites, allows visitors to search for clips by driver and by year. The videos range from '500' race broadcasts to TV and online interviews with competitors...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article. no comments
IZOD IndyCar Series rookie Josef Newgarden is acclimating quite nicely to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- and may also be turning into a potential dark horse for the Indianapolis 500.
The Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver led his second practice session of the Month of May on Monday, turning a quick lap of 222.486 mph in the No. 67 Dollar General Honda as he and other competitors looked to see how their Dallara DW12s reacted in the draft.
"It looks like everyone was trying to race runs, and we kind of jumped in, as well," said Newgarden. "It was a lot of fun. It was good to run out there with the guys, and I think we need to do more of that probably and figure out how the car operates in the draft a little bit.
"Certainly learned a lot of the way it reacts today, and we just got to keep progressing with and trying to make it even more comfortable during the race. Obviously, that's the important time."
Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay (221.639) and Marco Andretti (221.519) took their Chevrolet-powered cars to second and third on the charts respectively. RHR was one of the many that looked for a steady car around others.
"We ran on our own most of the day just trying to sort out some pretty big setup changes, and then at the end we ran in a group with our teammates here, and a few others joined in," said Hunter-Reay. "Everybody is trying to run in groups and get that feel for the car in traffic, and I think we accomplished that today with the DHL Sun Drop car."
2008 Indy winner Scott Dixon was fourth-fastest at 221.499 mph, while Andretti one-off Sebastian Saavedra posted the fifth-quickest lap at 220.785 mph.
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Speaking of Marco Andretti, his No. 26 RC Cola squad has a new leader in the pit box with Kyle Moyer calling the shots there after team owner Michael Andretti (Marco's father) moved over to work with Hunter-Reay's No. 28 DHL/Sun Drop team.
According to Marco, the fact that both he and his dad (who called Marco's first three races of 2012 before the change was made in Brazil) share fiery personalities on the track proved to be a hindrance instead of a help.
"It's better for the team," he said. "Dad and I are very passionate. Our work environment might be a little more hectic for others because we always shouting at each other. We still get the job done, but we're always shouting at each other. We just wanted to make it nicer. I'm a very animated person on the radio and so is he, and that's why it didn't work."
Moyer, a longtime Andretti hand, seems to be balancing things out for Marco, who comes into Indianapolis after a subpar four races (best finish: 11th) to begin the 2012 campaign.
"I'll be flipping out about something, and [Moyer will] say, '10-4'," said Marco. "It's jelling a lot better."
---
As the Honda Indy Toronto announced that it would continue racing through 2014, INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard appeared to give a sign of how important Canada will be in helping the series expand its North American presence.
James Christie of The Globe and Mail, a Canadian national daily, has reported that Bernard mentioned Vancouver, Calgary and Quebec City as being, in Christie's words, "on the radar screen," for future events. Vancouver hosted Champ Car from 1990 to 2004 under the Molson Indy Vancouver banner.
However, Christie also stresses in the same piece that Bernard called it "premature" to identify the three cities as potential sites.
"It would be great to have another race in Canada," Bernard said in the piece, "but we want to concentrate on making Edmonton and Toronto the two best races we could have."
---
Other cool stuff
Alex Tagliani's No. 98 Barracuda Networks/Bryan Herta Autosport Honda will feature the logo of the famous Gumball 3000 road rally. This year's Gumball run, taking place on May 25-31, will stretch from New York to Los Angeles -- with a stop at Indianapolis to have the Gumballers accompany Tagliani's machine on the grid before the start of the Indy 500...
Andretti Autosport's James Hinchcliffe has his own craft beer. Indianapolis-based microbrewery Flat 12 Bierworks has created the "Hinchtown Hammer Down Lager" in honor of the Canadian driver, who currently sits third in IZOD IndyCar Series points. The final name of the brew was chosen by 'Hinch' after contests on Twitter and Facebook allowed fans to post their own ideas on what to call it...
Matt Scheidler, a former webmaster for Indianapolis radio stations WIBC and WFNI, has set out to create a primary online source for Indy 500 videos at RacingIndy.com. The new site, which brings together quality videos from YouTube and other sites, allows visitors to search for clips by driver and by year. The videos range from '500' race broadcasts to TV and online interviews with competitors...
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Quotes/materials taken from series trackside reports were used in the making of this article. no comments
Andretti Autosport's Sebastian Saavedra leads second day of '500' practice
After running most of 2011 in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Sebastian Saavedra decided to take a step back by returning to Firestone Indy Lights. But while some assumptions would see that as a bad thing, the Colombian came off looking shrewd when he announced that he would join Andretti Autosport's Lights squad and also return to the big leagues in a fifth Andretti car at the Indy 500.
So far, things are going well for him in Lights, where he currently leads the standings with one win and three podium finishes in as many races. And now, he can brag about leading a practice session at the '500.' With his mom in attendance on Mother's Day, Saavedra threw down the top lap of Sunday's session at 221.526 miles per hour in the No. 17 Team AFS Chevrolet.
Saavedra pulled off the big lap with help from his teammates for the month and Andretti regulars Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe, who were in front and provided him with a tow.
"We've been struggling the past couple of years, and so starting the month of May this way, it's a very satisfying feeling," said Saavedra, who qualified on the bubble in 33rd place in the 2010 '500' and then missed the show last year. "There's some big strategy at Andretti Autosport, and we're five cars and all of us, we have homework to do every day. We have things to try, and we sit down all together to see what works, what we need to try for the next day, but everything is a big strategy.
"Everything needs to be very well established. It's the professional way to do it."
After him was the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing duo of two-time defending USAC champ Bryan Clauson (221.173 mph) and series rookie Josef Newgarden (221.158 mph) in second and third position respectively. The small team, which has proven to be quite competitive on ovals in the past, has been strong in the early going at IMS.
That said, Clauson didn't seem to expect to be as quick as he's been out of the gate.
"If you had told me that we were going to come out here the first two days and top the speed charts, I would have told you that you were crazy," said the native Hoosier. "Another great day for us. These SFHR boys build fast Honda race cars. It's been a lot of fun to step into a great situation for myself, and I'd like to say I was doing an awesome job, but they are making my job a heck of a lot easier with the race cars they put out there."
Honda-powered drivers put up four of the top five laps in Sunday's incident-free session -- Clauson, Newgarden, Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (220.829) and Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson (220.615). A total of 1,138 laps were run.
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Wade Cunningham became the seventh driver to complete all three phases of the Rookie Orientation Program on Sunday.
After completing the first two phases on Thursday, the former Firestone Indy Lights champion strung together 15 laps at over 210 mph in the No. 41 A.J. Foyt Racing Honda to pass the final phase. He topped out at 216.657 mph, good for 23rd-fastest on the time sheets.
Once Phase Three was in the books, Cunningham and his team set out to make methodical gains on their own.
"It got hotter in the afternoon, so I lost a bit of speed, but we focused mostly on running by ourselves," he said. "Basically, just trying to learn the car because we have no knowledge or background with the car, so we're doing basic mechanical changes and trying to find what the car needs. We weren't setting the world on fire. We didn't try, but we made gains and I think we have a decent handle on what we need from the car and how it needs to be driven.
"It's new for me and new for the team, so a relatively happy day."
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With Cunningham passing ROP, that leaves Jean Alesi as the lone rookie yet to get full clearance to race. The former Formula One driver has passed the first two phases so far but didn't get through the final phase today.
However, he's got a pretty good helper on his side as he strives to bring both Fan Force United and himself into their first '500.' 1996 Indy winner and early IRL stalwart Buddy Lazier has been enlisted to give Alesi advice on how to tackle the famous Brickyard.
That said, Lazier wasn't just at the Speedway for wholly advisory reasons. He's also hoping against hope for a chance to take the grid once more.
"Yeah, sort of," he said. "But it is late, and there isn't a lot of equipment. But trust me, if someone is looking for someone to put in a race car, I would love to be the one, that is for sure."
Lazier, also a former series champion in 2000, made 13 starts at the Speedway from 1996 to 2008 with four different teams.
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Quotes/materials used from series press releases were used in the making of this article.
no comments
After running most of 2011 in the IZOD IndyCar Series, Sebastian Saavedra decided to take a step back by returning to Firestone Indy Lights. But while some assumptions would see that as a bad thing, the Colombian came off looking shrewd when he announced that he would join Andretti Autosport's Lights squad and also return to the big leagues in a fifth Andretti car at the Indy 500.
So far, things are going well for him in Lights, where he currently leads the standings with one win and three podium finishes in as many races. And now, he can brag about leading a practice session at the '500.' With his mom in attendance on Mother's Day, Saavedra threw down the top lap of Sunday's session at 221.526 miles per hour in the No. 17 Team AFS Chevrolet.
Saavedra pulled off the big lap with help from his teammates for the month and Andretti regulars Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe, who were in front and provided him with a tow.
"We've been struggling the past couple of years, and so starting the month of May this way, it's a very satisfying feeling," said Saavedra, who qualified on the bubble in 33rd place in the 2010 '500' and then missed the show last year. "There's some big strategy at Andretti Autosport, and we're five cars and all of us, we have homework to do every day. We have things to try, and we sit down all together to see what works, what we need to try for the next day, but everything is a big strategy.
"Everything needs to be very well established. It's the professional way to do it."
After him was the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing duo of two-time defending USAC champ Bryan Clauson (221.173 mph) and series rookie Josef Newgarden (221.158 mph) in second and third position respectively. The small team, which has proven to be quite competitive on ovals in the past, has been strong in the early going at IMS.
That said, Clauson didn't seem to expect to be as quick as he's been out of the gate.
"If you had told me that we were going to come out here the first two days and top the speed charts, I would have told you that you were crazy," said the native Hoosier. "Another great day for us. These SFHR boys build fast Honda race cars. It's been a lot of fun to step into a great situation for myself, and I'd like to say I was doing an awesome job, but they are making my job a heck of a lot easier with the race cars they put out there."
Honda-powered drivers put up four of the top five laps in Sunday's incident-free session -- Clauson, Newgarden, Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (220.829) and Dale Coyne Racing's Justin Wilson (220.615). A total of 1,138 laps were run.
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Wade Cunningham became the seventh driver to complete all three phases of the Rookie Orientation Program on Sunday.
After completing the first two phases on Thursday, the former Firestone Indy Lights champion strung together 15 laps at over 210 mph in the No. 41 A.J. Foyt Racing Honda to pass the final phase. He topped out at 216.657 mph, good for 23rd-fastest on the time sheets.
Once Phase Three was in the books, Cunningham and his team set out to make methodical gains on their own.
"It got hotter in the afternoon, so I lost a bit of speed, but we focused mostly on running by ourselves," he said. "Basically, just trying to learn the car because we have no knowledge or background with the car, so we're doing basic mechanical changes and trying to find what the car needs. We weren't setting the world on fire. We didn't try, but we made gains and I think we have a decent handle on what we need from the car and how it needs to be driven.
"It's new for me and new for the team, so a relatively happy day."
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With Cunningham passing ROP, that leaves Jean Alesi as the lone rookie yet to get full clearance to race. The former Formula One driver has passed the first two phases so far but didn't get through the final phase today.
However, he's got a pretty good helper on his side as he strives to bring both Fan Force United and himself into their first '500.' 1996 Indy winner and early IRL stalwart Buddy Lazier has been enlisted to give Alesi advice on how to tackle the famous Brickyard.
That said, Lazier wasn't just at the Speedway for wholly advisory reasons. He's also hoping against hope for a chance to take the grid once more.
"Yeah, sort of," he said. "But it is late, and there isn't a lot of equipment. But trust me, if someone is looking for someone to put in a race car, I would love to be the one, that is for sure."
Lazier, also a former series champion in 2000, made 13 starts at the Speedway from 1996 to 2008 with four different teams.
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Quotes/materials used from series press releases were used in the making of this article.
no comments
Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing's Josef Newgarden led an American 1-2-3 at the top of the time sheets during Saturday's incident-free opening practice for the 2012 Indianapolis 500.
The pride of Hendersonville, Tennessee led the charts with a lap of 220.250 mph in the No. 67 Dollar General Honda, with Panther Racing's J.R. Hildebrand in P2 at 219.693 mph in the No. 4 National Guard Chevrolet and SFHR's second driver for the month, Bryan Clauson, in P3 at 219.632 in the No. 39 Honda.
In his first year of IZOD IndyCar Series action, Newgarden has impressed with both his natural talent and humility. He showed the latter in his post-practice comments, crediting SFHR for their ability to produce "really good, reliable, comfortable race cars."
"That's all it is, really," he said. "They make our job really easy, and I think that's what you guys are seeing. It bodes well, if anything; it's not really a big deal to be quick on this day, but it speaks well for the team. I think the team deserves that credit. I'm really happy for them that they get the credit because they do deserve it. They do a good job, and I'm proud to be with them."
As for Hildebrand, who finished second in last year's '500' after crashing with the lead on the final lap, he feels that he and Panther are ready to go one spot further and finally end a string of four consecutive runner-up finishes in the race. That said, they're also taking their time figuring out how to get the most out of their new equipment at Indy.
"There's a lot of new things for us with the chassis and the motors," Hildebrand said. "I think having a methodical approach in how to make the car quicker and the sensitivity to adjustments this year is going to be more important than in years past."
Clauson, the two-time defending USAC champion, is also expecting to have a good month as he makes his Indy 500 debut.
"It will be interesting to see as the month goes on where guys end up," the Indiana native said. "It's hard to tell whose flat-out at this point and who is not. But I felt really good about our car and the program we have in place for the rest of the month."
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Jay Howard was recently released from his obligation to drive for Michael Shank Racing's Indy 500 program due to the team's continued difficulties in landing a competitive engine. But the British driver and former Firestone Indy Lights champion hasn't given up on his '500' hopes yet. He was on the scene Saturday at IMS, pounding the pavement in search of potential opportunities.
"You know, stranger things have happened," said Howard. "Over these last four weeks of the roller coaster -- it looked like it was going to happen, wasn't going to happen, was going to happen -- and then with all the other drama that May brings, we're still hopeful. You never stop working on it, but we'll have to wait and see."
Drivers certainly have their routines, and Howard has one that he hopes will help him get on the grid.
"It's funny, I used to carry my helmet and gear everywhere, no matter if I went to Florida or Texas, wherever," he explained. "If I wasn't in a car, I'd carry my gear but never got the opportunity to get in a car. The first time I didn't take my gear, I got a call. So now I'm not taking my gear anywhere. I guess that's my little superstition."
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In a move that could coax an extra four to five mph out of the cars, INDYCAR has confirmed that it will increase boost levels to 140 kPa (kilopascals) on all cars for "Fast Friday" practice and next weekend's qualifying sessions.
The increase will yield an extra 40-50 horsepower for the three days of action. According to INDYCAR engine development director Trevor Knowles, that may lead to speeds of 225 mph -- the target that INDYCAR had in mind for the new car at Indianapolis -- should the weather remain in good standing.
All other practice sessions and Race Day, May 27 will maintain a 130 kPa boost level.
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Other cool stuff
The white outside SAFER Barriers of the Speedway will now feature some advertising for this year's race. Saturday's opening practice revealed two ads on the north end of the track -- one for Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka and another for Shell's V-Power brand of gasoline. According to Curt Cavin of The Indianapolis Star, two more ads are slated to go up at the entrance of Turn 3 and exit of Turn 4...
Heading to IMS soon? Take along a pair of sunglasses for Schmidt/Hamilton Motorsports driver Simon Pagenaud. The IndyCar rookie plans on donating all of the pairs he collects to Goodwill of Indianapolis at the end of the month. Fans are encouraged to bring the sunglasses to him during autograph sessions, but he will accept sunglasses at any time. In addition, the Sam Schmidt Motorsports garages in Gasoline Alley will have collection bins outside...
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Quotes/materials from team releases and series trackside reports were used in the making of this article.
no comments
Plus: Jean Alesi makes headway in Rookie Orientation Program
The reborn Chevrolet vs. Honda rivalry will begin to play out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, when the first practice for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 takes place from Noon-6 p.m. ET.
But first, it had to get out of the courtroom on Wednesday, when INDYCAR held another protest hearing about a new compressor cover for the single turbo-charger. Chevrolet filed its second protest on the matter following INDYCAR's decision to allow Honda use of the new 0.71 A/R cover for its single-turbo layout at the most recent race in Brazil -- a race that Chevy-powered driver Will Power won to keep the Bowtie a perfect 4-for-4 on the track this season.
The first hearing ended with INDYCAR's decision being upheld by a three-person panel. On Friday, word came from the sanctioning body that the second hearing ended the same way, this time via a ruling from retired Indiana Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm.
Honda Performance Development's vice president, Steve Eriksen, had this to say in a statement:
"We are pleased that Justice Boehm’s ruling has again confirmed INDYCAR’s initial step to address parity of the Series-mandated single and twin turbochargers. This has been INDYCAR’s intention ever since the matter first came under discussion in late 2010. We eagerly look forward to continuing our battle with Chevrolet and Lotus as practice sessions for the Indianapolis 500, 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' begin this weekend."
With the result final and binding, the matter is finally closed...Which I'm sure makes some IZOD IndyCar Series fans quite relieved. Now let's hope Chevy and Honda can just go about their business on the track.
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Thursday was a quiet first day of Rookie Orientation for former Formula One driver Jean Alesi, who will attempt to make his Indy 500 debut this year.
The 47-year-old only logged 18 laps and ran a top speed of just 186.387 mph in his No. 64 Fan Force United Lotus. But after getting used to the Speedway on Thursday, the ex-Ferrari shoe turned it up on Friday by passing through the first two speed phases of his rookie program.
As a result, Alesi can practice on Saturday with the rest of the field -- although he will need to pass the third and final phase of the program (15 laps at 210+ mph) before next weekend's qualifying sessions.
His fastest lap on Friday was set at 208.975 mph.
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One of the biggest current stars of the Indy 500 will sport a new number for the month of May.
In a nod to his sponsor's 50th anniversary, Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver and two-time '500' winner Dario Franchitti has had his car number flipped from its familiar No. 10 to No. 50. The change will be in effect for Indy only. no comments
The reborn Chevrolet vs. Honda rivalry will begin to play out at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, when the first practice for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 takes place from Noon-6 p.m. ET.
But first, it had to get out of the courtroom on Wednesday, when INDYCAR held another protest hearing about a new compressor cover for the single turbo-charger. Chevrolet filed its second protest on the matter following INDYCAR's decision to allow Honda use of the new 0.71 A/R cover for its single-turbo layout at the most recent race in Brazil -- a race that Chevy-powered driver Will Power won to keep the Bowtie a perfect 4-for-4 on the track this season.
The first hearing ended with INDYCAR's decision being upheld by a three-person panel. On Friday, word came from the sanctioning body that the second hearing ended the same way, this time via a ruling from retired Indiana Supreme Court Justice Theodore Boehm.
Honda Performance Development's vice president, Steve Eriksen, had this to say in a statement:
"We are pleased that Justice Boehm’s ruling has again confirmed INDYCAR’s initial step to address parity of the Series-mandated single and twin turbochargers. This has been INDYCAR’s intention ever since the matter first came under discussion in late 2010. We eagerly look forward to continuing our battle with Chevrolet and Lotus as practice sessions for the Indianapolis 500, 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' begin this weekend."
With the result final and binding, the matter is finally closed...Which I'm sure makes some IZOD IndyCar Series fans quite relieved. Now let's hope Chevy and Honda can just go about their business on the track.
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Thursday was a quiet first day of Rookie Orientation for former Formula One driver Jean Alesi, who will attempt to make his Indy 500 debut this year.
The 47-year-old only logged 18 laps and ran a top speed of just 186.387 mph in his No. 64 Fan Force United Lotus. But after getting used to the Speedway on Thursday, the ex-Ferrari shoe turned it up on Friday by passing through the first two speed phases of his rookie program.
As a result, Alesi can practice on Saturday with the rest of the field -- although he will need to pass the third and final phase of the program (15 laps at 210+ mph) before next weekend's qualifying sessions.
His fastest lap on Friday was set at 208.975 mph.
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One of the biggest current stars of the Indy 500 will sport a new number for the month of May.
In a nod to his sponsor's 50th anniversary, Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver and two-time '500' winner Dario Franchitti has had his car number flipped from its familiar No. 10 to No. 50. The change will be in effect for Indy only. no comments
