Sam Schmidt Tag

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief Schmidt Peterson Motorsports has confirmed that a third entry for the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil will be a partnership with French team, Calmels Sport, and will feature pilot Tristan Gommendy. The 38-year-old Frenchman last raced in America during the Champ Car era in 2007 with PKV Racing before moving back to Europe to compete in multiple junior formula series. The chance to drive in next year’s Indy 500 will also be his first on an oval, having spent theRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Staff Writer This coming weekend the Verizon IndyCar Series will kick off the Month of May with the 4th running of the INDYCAR Grand Prix. The race weekend is slated for May 12-13, 2017. About the Race The INDYCAR Grand Prix is round five of seventeen for the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2017. The event is held on a permanent road course, one of six such events in 2017. The defending race winner is Simon Pagenaud. For the Team Penske driver, it was his third consecutive seriesRead More

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief LONG BEACH, California – Sam Schmidt will go faceoff against racing icon Mario Andretti at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 13. The duo will take the fight in semi-autonomous cars on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile permanent road course prior to the INDYCAR Grand Prix. Schmidt fell victim to a crash while testing an Indy car in 2000, having been paralyzed ever since. He teamed with Arrow Electronics and will pilot the Corvette Z06 SAM – a car modified with sensors and innovative technology that allows him toRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter Jay Howard will make his return to the Verizon IndyCar Series in the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The Britton, who has started 12 IndyCar races, will drive the No. 77 Team One Cure foundation Honda, which is also supported by NASCAR and IndyCar veteran Tony Stewart. “I can’t begin to tell you how honored I am to have this opportunity,” Howard said. “I’m not one to give up on a dream and I have every bit of determinationRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter IndyCar team owner Sam Schmidt will become the first American to receive an autonomous vehicle drivers licence in his home state of Nevada. Schmidt was paralyzed from the neck down in a testing accident at the now closed Walt Disney World Speedway in January of 2000. He has since gone on to become a mainstay in the Verizon IndyCar Series and the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Championship and currently fields entries for James Hinchcliffe and Mikhail Aleshin. Two years ago, Schmidt began collaborating withRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Staff Writer Armed Forces Pole Day is behind us, and the grid is set for the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. While many of the old-timers, like myself, miss the days of packed grandstands and true bump-day drama, the events of this past weekend produced a number of compelling stories. Let’s take a look at five takeaways from the on-track action. 1 ) Who’s sand-bagging now? Get your tin-foil hat ready, here’s a conspiracy theory for you. Amidst all ofRead More

By Josh Farmer, IndyCar Reporter INDIANAPOLIS – On a day when many super teams struggled, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports stole the show during qualifications for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. After finishing third in the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis, James Hinchcliffe an claimed an emotional pole for the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’ Almost a year ago, the 29-year-old Canadian was fighting for his life after a suspension part penetrated his right leg and thigh after a part failure sent him into theRead More

By Frank Santoroski, Staff Writer With the uncertainly surrounding the domed skid issue for Indianapolis, team-owner Sam Schmidt stated publicly that getting a veteran driver in his car may be the best course of action. Although names like Brian Vickers and Gabby Chaves were rumored, Schmidt ultimately went with experience, confirming 41 year-old Oriol Servia for his third car at the historic 100th running of the Indianapolis 500. Servia has 198 starts between CART, ChampCar and the IndyCar Series, including seven previous Indianapolis starts. The effort with Schmidt-Peterson will beRead More

Conor Daly has more than proved that he belongs in the Verizon IndyCar Series after just a few starts this season. He did a sufficient job at Long Beach subbing for Rocky Moran Jr. at Dale Coyne Racing, after getting the call while eating at the Honda Hospitality Tent.  Sam Schmidt then called him to race in a third car at the Indianapolis 500, but that ended before it started as the fuel cell leaked on the parade lap. Daly took it like a man, didn’t whine or complain andRead More

The inaugural Indy Grand Prix of Louisiana winner was medically ruled out of competing in the Indianapolis 500. James Hinchcliffe was practicing earlier this week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after qualifying for the 24th position out of 33 when a piece of the right front suspension failed, sending Hinchcliffe into the wall at over 225 mph. A piece of the suspension then went through his right leg and pierced his left leg, making his being extricated from the cockpit even more of a challenge than it normally is afterRead More