IndyCar Category

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – After a solid week of practice leading into the weekend, Marco Andretti endured one of the toughest qualifying efforts of his career at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 29-year-old became part of the drama in attempting to make the Fast Nine Shootout on Saturday, getting bumped out in the waning minutes by Andretti Autosport teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay just moments after doing to same to the 2014 Indianapolis 500 champion. More misfortune hit Andretti leading up to his run in the opening round of qualifying onRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Josef Newgarden missed out on sitting on pole for the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil by 0.04s in the final seconds of Sunday’s Fast Nine Shootout. The 25-year-old went out fourth put down the fastest single lap on the afternoon at 231.551 mph on the opening of his four circuits around the 2.5-mile oval. With an energetic roar from the crowd, Newgarden came across with a four lap average of 230.700 mph and jumped to the top of the scoring pylon.Read More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Nearly a year after his near fatal crash at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, James Hinchcliffe claimed the pole position during qualifying for the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The Canadian was the final car to qualify in the Fast Nine Shootout to determine the pole. He had to beat a seemingly perfect qualifying run set by Ed Carpenter Racing’s Josef Newgarden. Newgarden set the fastest lap of the day with a 231.551 mph flyer and ended up with a four lap average ofRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Alex Tagliani will start the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil from the tail of the field following a crash during Sunday qualifying for spots 10-33. The Canadian spun off Turn 4 and slid into the attenuator at pit entrance with the nose of his No. 35 Alfe Heat Treating Special Honda, bouncing off and making three full spins while hitting both the inside and outside wall before coming to a stop. Tagliani, the 2011 Indy 500 polesitter, was checked and releasedRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Scott Dixon will have to go to a new Chevrolet engine prior qualifying for the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Near the end of final practice Sunday morning, the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet slowed down suddenly. The team discovered an issue with the engine and are currently making the change. Dixon, the defending Verizon IndyCar Series champion, missed out on the Fast Nine yesterday as CGR failed to have a car advance for the second time in the lastRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Max Chilton has been in the Verizon IndyCar Series for only a short time, but already the rookie has noticed its growing popularity. In one week, the former Formula 1 driver will pilot the No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet and embark on his first career Indianapolis 500. The 25-year-old has appearances at the famed Monaco Grand Prix, but admitted that he has “enjoyed” the challenge of oval racing. Following his departure from F1, Chilton raced in Indy Lights, the undercard to theRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Tony Kanaan struggled during his first and only attempt to break into the Fast Nine Shootout during qualifying on Saturday. The 41-year-old had an early draw and could only muster a four lap average of 227.679 mph with his No. 10 NTT Data Chevrolet. Regardless of the pace set in qualifying, Kanaan mentioned that the race-ability of the cars felt the same as last year. “I think for what I’ve seen, it’s pretty similar to last year,” Kanaan said. “You’re going to see theRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Mikhail Aleshin made more qualifying attempts than anybody during qualifying for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, but it was his final attempt that payed dividends for his team. Aleshin’s first qualifying attempt solidly placed him in the top 10 with a 229.190 mph 4 lap average. Nearly two and a half hours later, Aleshin elected to go back out on track in order to give the Fast Nine another shot. Inching close to the wall each lap, theRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – James Hinchcliffe soared to the top of the pylon in one of the most dramatic Indy 500 qualifying sessions in recent memory, solidifying himself into the Fast Nine Shootout with a chance to win the pole on Sunday for the 100th Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2016. Hinchcliffe’s first qualifying attempt wasn’t fast enough to advance, but in the final 30 minutes of the session the Canadian went out again and put down an electrifying four lap average of 230.946 mph in his No.Read More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Alexander Rossi led final practice with a lap of 231.249 mph before qualifying begins for the 100th Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The Andretti Autosport rookie continues to impress with his overall pace during the week of preparation for the milestone event, while some of his Rookie of the Year rivals have stumbled. Just minutes into the session, Max Chilton spun and found the Turn 2 wall and will likely have to go to a backup car for qualifying on Saturday afternoon.Read More