IndyCar
Indy 500 Racing Notebook: Bob Jenkins honored; Mario wins again; Milo Ventimiglia honorary starter; Danica driving and more!
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – The Indianapolis 500 racing notebook is loaded with news including longtime broadcaster Bob Jenkins being honored at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway; Mario Andretti winning again; Chip Ganassi Racing’s Ricky Davis honored; Simon Pagenaud goes to the dogs; ‘This Is Us’ star Milo Ventimiglia waving the green flag and Danica Patrick getting back behind the wheel.
Bob Jenkins wins Robin Miller Award:
- Veteran broadcaster Bob Jenkins is this year’s winner of the Robin Miller Award, presented annually to a member of the media for their dedication to INDYCAR racing and the Indianapolis 500. Jenkins is not working the month of May at the Speedway as he is being treated for brain cancer. Jenkins has done play-by-play for both INDYCAR and NASCAR in addition to decades of radio and television work. The award is about “honoring an unheralded individual who has dedicated a significant portion of their life to IndyCar racing while bringing unbridled passion and unrelenting work ethic to enrich the sport.”
Mario Andretti and Robin Miller honored:
- 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti and journalist Robin Miller each received the Bob Russo Founders Award at Indianapolis on Friday. The award is presented to the individual that demonstrated tireless efforts and dedication to auto racing. Andretti received the award for 2020 and Miller received the award for 2021.
Ganassi’s Ricky Davis wins Clint Brawner Award:
- Longtime Chip Ganassi Racing Crew Chief Ricky Davis is this year’s winner of the Clint Brawner Award. The award is presented every year to the Indianapolis 500 Chief Mechanic who “exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise” of Brawner, a self-taught mechanical genius. Davis has been with CGR for 26-years, winning with drivers Scott Dixon, Dario Franchitti, Juan Pablo Montoya and, more recently, Alex Palou and Felix Rosenqvist.
Pagenaud partners with Julius K-9 and K-9 Comfort Dogs:
- 2019 Indianapolis 500 Simon Pagenaud and his partner Julius K-9 presented a $5,000 check to Lutheran Church Charities K-9 Comfort Dogs, an organization who provides Comfort Dogs for those affected by tragedies. LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs were in New York and New Jersey visiting victims of Superstorm Sandy, and in Connecticut after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Lutheran Church Charities currently has over 130 LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs serving in more than 27 states. For more information visit, www.comfortdogs.com.
Milo Ventimiglia named honorary starter:
- Milo Ventimiglia, one of the stars of NBC’s “This Is Us” will serve as the honorary starter for the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Ventimiglia will be waving the green flag and sending the field of 33-drivers into turn one for ‘The Greatest Spectacle In Racing’. Ventimiglia starred in the 2019 adaptation of the best-selling novel “The Art of Racing In The Rain”, which focuses on a family dog who evaluates his live through the lessons learned by his human owner, a professional race car driver played by Ventimiglia.
Danica Patrick to drive Corvette pace car:
- 2004 Indianapolis 500 ‘Rookie of the Year’ Danica Patrick will pace the field of 33-drivers and cars for this year’s race in a Chevrolet Corvette. Patrick, who drove for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Andretti Autosport before moving over to NASCAR, was the first woman to lead the race back in 2004 and won a race in Motegi Japan in 2007. Patrick retired from professional driving and now hosts a podcast and owns a winery.
2022 Indianapolis 500 Logo Unveiled:
- The Indianapolis Motor Speedway unveiled the logo for the 2022 Indianapolis 500, which will take place on May 29, 2022. The logo incorporates the Wreath that all winners receive in victory lane. Speedway President J. Douglas Boles said the logo design uses another of the Speedway’s iconic images. This year’s logo incorporates the Pagoda and logos the past few years have included the twin checkered flags and the yard of bricks.
SPEEDWAY, IN (May 18, 2025) – Robert Shwartzman, a rookie driver, and PREMA Racing, a first-year NTT INDYCAR SERIES team are on the pole position for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
“Honestly it’s unbelievable,” said Shwartzman, from Tel Aviv, Israel. “I was just thinking in my dreams fantasizing, How will it feel to take pole position in Indy 500? How is the vibe? Then I was, like, Yeah, Robert, get back to reality. You have a new car, new team, you are a rookie. How can you expect to be in this position? It’s just in your dreams.”
The dream came true when Shwartzman ripped off a four-lap average speed of 232.790 mph in the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet during the Firestone Fast Six. PREMA, which joined the NTT INDYCAR SERIES this season after years of success in European racing, became the first team to claim the “500” pole in its first attempt since Mayer Motor Racing put Tom Sneva on the pole in 1984.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato will start second after a four-lap average of 232.478 in the No. 75 AMADA Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
“I’m very happy for the team who put my car, the 75 car, on the front row, which is amazing result because I think we were kind of a roller coaster situation,” said Sato. “Not just today, but through yesterday and probably the last two weeks. As everybody knows that the team has to build brand new car after we had a moment in open test.”
Pato O’Ward will join Shwartzman and Sato on the front row after turning a 232.098 four-lap average in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.
“Super stoked to have my first front row start here at the 500,” said O’Ward. “Definitely was pushing for that pole. This is obviously the first time that I’ve had a true shot to compete for pole, but also compete to be one of the best three. We’ve got the best view going into turn one.”
Scott Dixon, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner, will start fourth after a four lap average of 232.052 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“Definitely a roller coaster throughout qualifying, especially on the second day,” said Dixon. “Huge thanks to everybody on the No. 9 PNC Bank team. There’s so much effort that goes into this, I can’t thank everybody enough. P4 definitely a spot we can win from an that is the goal.”
Dixon, a six-time Series Champion who has won the Indianapolis 500 pole position five times, was surprised to see who ended up on the pole.
“Rookie on the pole with Shwartzman, how wild is that,” asked Dixon. “New team, I didn’t see that coming at all.”
Felix Rosenqvist qualified fifth at 231.987 in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian.
Dixon’s CGR teammate three-time series Champion and current points leader Alex Palou, who has won four of the first five races this season, qualified sixth at 231.378 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Marco Andretti, Marcus Armstrong and Rinus VeeKay earned the final three spots in the field in Last Chance Qualifying. Andretti, grandson of 1969 Indianapolis 500 winner Mario Andretti, will start 31st in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda of Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian.
Armstrong rebounded from a vicious crash Saturday to qualify 32nd at 229.091 in the No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian.
VeeKay was the last driver to earn a spot in the 33-car lineup, qualifying 33rd at 226.913 in the No. 18 askROI Honda of Dale Coyne Racing and hanging on to hope while his rookie teammate, Jacob Abel, fell short of making the field in the last run of the LCQ session. Abel’s last-ditch attempt reached 226.394 in the No. 75 Miller High Life Honda.
Noticeably absent from the run for the pole position was Team Penske. Two Penske drivers, Josef Newgarden and Will Power, didn’t make their respective one attempt after violating INDYCAR Rule 14.7.8.16, an unapproved body fit on the rear attenuator of the car. Scott McLaughlin crashed the No. 3 Pennzoil Chevrolet in the morning practice and will be forced to go to a backup car.
“The rule is pretty black and white,” said O’Ward, when asked about the Penske rule violation. “Those cars should have been in the last chance qualifier. Like, those cars should have never — obviously they didn’t do anything in the Fast 12, but they should have been brought into the LCQ because they had that yesterday, I guarantee you.”
Up next is a practice session from 1-3 p.m. ET Monday (FS1, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
SPEEDWAY, IN (Pittsburgh Racing Now) – Alex Palou is continuing his incredible 2025 by posting the fastest 4-lap average on Saturday’s NTT INDYCAR SERIES Day 1 of qualifying for the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Palou’s 4-lap average speed of 233.043 mph on his only qualifying attempt of the day in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was good enough to stay atop the charts as positions 1-30 were ‘locked-in’ in the 33-car field.
“Super happy,” said Palou, who has four of the first five events of 2025. “I don’t know if there’s more (speed in the car), but there’s always more. The line between more and too much is very thin here at IMS. We’ll see what we have for tomorrow (Sunday).”
Palou and the 11 other fastest drivers will participate in Top 12 Qualifying at 4:05 p.m. ET Sunday, which will whittle the field to the Firestone Fast Six that will compete for the NTT P1 Award at 6:25 p.m.
Rinus VeeKay and Jacob Abel of Dale Coyne Racing, Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian and 2020 “500” pole sitter Marco Andretti of Andretti Herta w/Marco & Curb-Agajanian will compete for the three final spots in the 33-car starting field in Last Chance Qualifying from 5:15-6:15 p.m.
Armstrong crashed in the morning practice and his MSR team thrashed to get another car prepared to get on track.
Colton Herta suffered a scary crash as his No. 26 Gainbridge Honda lost grip in Turn 1 on his first qualifying lap.
Herta’s Andretti Global team immediately went to work on a backup and Herta was able to go back out at 4:45 p.m. Herta qualified 29th at 230.192.
Graham Rahal was the final driver to earn a guaranteed spot on Saturday. Rahal qualified 30th at 229.863 mph in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
Indy 500 Day 1 Qualifying 2025 Indy 500 Qualifying Procedure
SPEEDWAY, IN (May 16, 2025) – Scott Dixon is no stranger to speed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and he proved it again on Fast Friday, posting the fastest qualifying simulation during practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500.
Dixon’s four-lap average was 232.561 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
“I think there’s still some good speed still left in the car,” said Dixon, the 2008 Indianapolis 500 winner. “The car is really smooth, and I’m pretty conservative, as well. So, we’ll see. Who knows what tomorrow (Saturday) is going to bring? I think conditions are going to be pretty tough.”
Two-time reigning NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion Alex Palou, who has won four of the first five races this season, posted the second fastest qualifying sim of the day with a four-lap average of 232.307 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin posted the fastest lap of the day, a 233.954 mph, in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet but with the benefit of an aerodynamic tow.
It was not all roses for CGR as second-year driver Kyffin Simpson suffered a nasty crash coming out of Turn 4. Simpson’s No. 8 Journie Rewards Honda briefly got airborne, came down on its left side before landing on its wheels and sliding across the track and making contact with inside wall on pit lane. Simpson was not hurt but will go to a backup car.
Simpson wasn’t the only one who went for a wild ride. Arrow McLaren’s Kyle Larson spun in Turn 3, sending the No. 17 Hendrick Cars.com Chevrolet into the SAFER barrier.
Larson was not hurt and after repairs were made to his car, he was able to return to the track for a shakedown run in the final hour of practice.
Saturday at Indianapolis starts with a practice session from 8:30-9:30 a.m., with two 30-minute groups (FS2, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
The first day of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying takes place from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., FS1; 1:30-4 p.m., FS2; 4-6 p.m., FOX; FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network) where positions 13-30 in the starting field will be set.
Sunday will be day 2 of Qualifying with the Last Row Shootout, Top 12 and Firestone Fast Six qualifying sessions deciding the rest of the 33-car starting grid.
The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 25 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
Robert Shwartzman and PREMA Racing win pole position for 109th Indianapolis 500
Christopher Bell outduels Joey Logano for first career NASCAR All-Star win
Alex Palou fastest on Day 1 of Indianapolis 500 qualifying
Rahmer and Norris Get Second Wins of the Season at Lincoln Speedway in Fallen Firefighters Memorial
Scott Dixon and Alex Palou lead qualifying simulations during Indy 500 Fast Friday
Alex Palou wins Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Autocross for a cause as FastTrackPGH accelerates to cure Huntington’s Disease
Macri Snatches Sterner Memorial at Lincoln Speedway
Alex Palou’s last lap wins NTT INDYCAR SERIES pole position at Barber
