Indianapolis Motor Speedway Tag

By INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS – In what has become another May tradition, the Indianapolis 500 practice session on the day after qualifications provided a true indication of the thrills that fans can look forward to in this year’s running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” All 33 drivers turned precious laps in race-like conditions on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval, the three-hour session serving as an appetizing preview for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. In all, 2,526 laps were completed, with Dreyer &Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — USAC racer Chris Windom will not participate in Friday’s Freedom 100 after an incident damaged his car beyond repair with the time available before Friday. The No. 33 Belardi Auto Racing entry was in Turn 2 when Windom lost control and barely collided with teammate Santi Urrutia. The damage Windom’s car sustained would not be repairable to the teams’ satisfaction for Friday’s 40 lap race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “He got a little loose in Turn 2 and obviously hit the wall,” saidRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Despite the nerves that existed within, Sebastien Bourdais battled through them to qualify fifth for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The traditional weekend of qualifying features the ultimate blend of courage and speed with Bump Day on Saturday and Pole Day on Sunday. The pressure to put together four crisp laps around the daunting Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always at an all-time high. Taking an Indy car to its limits – and past them – is somethingRead More

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is like a second home to Ed Carpenter. The Verizon IndyCar Series team owner/driver, who grew up and still lives in Indianapolis, showed his lasting affinity for the cathedral of motorsports by winning the Verizon P1 Award in pole day qualifying for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. Driving the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet for his namesake team, Carpenter thrilled the hometown crowd by putting together a sensational four-lap, 10-mile run at 229.618 mph in the Fast Nine Shootout featuringRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Danica Patrick completed a stressful Pole Day performance to qualify seventh for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The 36-year-old from Roscoe, Illinois, turned a four-lap average of 228.090 mph (2 minutes, 37.8326 seconds) after being the first driver of the Fast Nine to go out. The end result put her on the inside of the third row, beside a pair of Indy 500 champions in Helio Castroneves (eighth) and Scott Dixon (ninth) for the May 27 race.Read More

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer INDIANAPOLIS — Pole Day Qualifying for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 begins shortly. Positions 10-33 qualify first before the Fast Nine Shootout. Each car is guaranteed at least one attempt. Scroll down for later attempts, this is being updated as each car completes an attempt. Qualifying order is reverse of Saturday’s results, the Fast Nine will not be filled in with car numbers until they qualify. James Davison in the No. 33 Belardi/Byrd/Foyt/Hollinger Chevrolet Lap 1: 227.226 mph Lap 2: 226.576 mph Lap 3:Read More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – Brian Belardi got his first taste of the emotions that come with attempting to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. The co-owner of the No. 33 Foyt with Byrd/Hollinger/Belardi entry endured a 24 hours that saw driver James Davison crash on Friday, only to come back and take the final spot among the field of 33 on Bump Day qualifying on Saturday. The four-lap average of 224.798 mph (2 minutes, 40.1439 seconds) around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway was enough to keep him on theRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief INDIANAPOLIS – It was the drama everyone missed, but it wasn’t the outcome expected as the return of Bump Day for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 claimed James Hinchcliffe. The 31-year-old Canadian, who is currently fifth in the Verizon IndyCar Series championship standings, was knocked out of the field of 33 with 18 minutes remaining in the session. He went out for a second attempt, but a vibration on the warm-up lap drew concern and returned to the pits with 11 minutes remaining. FromRead More

By INDYCAR INDIANAPOLIS – The first day of qualifying for the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil was its typical emotional roller coaster. It was filled with nail-biting four-lap attempts, rain delays that ruined strategies, last-minute bids to bump into the field of 33 and ultimate heartbreak for those left on the outside looking in. The cars and drivers that will start the race on May 27 were established in qualifying on Saturday. Two drivers – Verizon IndyCar Series regular James Hinchcliffe and Indy-only pilot Pippa Mann –Read More

By Aaron Bearden, Open Wheel Editor INDIANAPOLIS – Danica Patrick’s Verizon IndyCar Series return has gone better than most anticipated thus far. Saturday’s qualifying run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway exceeded even her own expectations. Patrick laid down a four-lap average speed of 227.610 mph in her lone qualifying attempt to slot in ninth during the opening day of time trials for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. The run guarantees the Illinoisan a shot at the pole in Sunday’s ‘Fast Nine’ qualifying round. “This exceeded it,” Patrick said of herRead More