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.
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 15, 2026) – The NTT IndyCar Series is making it’s first visit to a new street circuit in Markham, Ontario but a familiar face topped the speed charts after the first practice.
Four-time Series Champion Alex Palou turned the fastest lap around the 12-turn, 2.19-mile temporary street course, a 1-minute, 14.9915-seconds (100.811 mph) lap in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
A.J. Foyt Racing rookie Caio Collett was second quick with a 1-minute, 15.0454-seconds (100.739) in the No. 4 Chevrolet.
Louis Foster was third quick in the No. 45 Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda at 1:15.0278 (100.702) followed by Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin 1:15.2981 (100.401). Will Power rounded out the Top 5 at 1:15.3152 (100.378).
Palou’s Chip Ganassi Racing teammates were not as strong. Six-time Series Champion Scott Dixon was 20th at 1:16.4583 (98.877) in the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda. Kyffin Simpson was 24th at 1.17.3893 (97.688) in the No. 8 Sunoco Honda. Simpson made contact with the wall at Turn 6, causing damage to the rear suspension. Simpson limped to pits for repair and returned to action later in the session.
Practice 2 is set for 2:30 p.m. as delayed track construction forced officials to cancel Friday’s activities and condense Saturday’s schedule. NTT P1 Pole Qualifying is set for 6:30 p.m. ET
MARKHAM, ONTARIO (August 14, 2026) – Issues with the completion of the temporary street circuit in Markham Ontario has forced the NTT INDYCAR SERIES first practice to be moved to Saturday as all of Friday’s on-track activity had to be scrubbed from the schedule.
“INDYCAR is incredibly disappointed that our promoter was not able to complete the track build on time, despite significant support from our team on site,” INDYCAR President J. Douglas Boles said. “Ontario has always been a magnificent market for our sport and the number of spectators that attended today is a shining example of that. New events can always pose logistical challenges and we join in the frustration of our loyal fans and apologize.”
Green Savoree Promotions also issued a statement.
“Ensuring the safety of the drivers and the completion of the certification process of competing on a brand-new racetrack delayed all on-track activities today. Today’s sessions have been rescheduled to Saturday, August 15, to allow for further track preparations.”
“We greatly appreciate all the fans who made it out to the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham today and chose to spend the day with us. The attendance and support were overwhelming.”
The revamped schedule calls for the first practice to take place at 10:00 a.m. followed by a second practice at 2:30 p.m. and P1 Pole Qualifying at 6:30 p.m.
PORTLAND, OR (August 9, 2026) – Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing are closing in on another NTT IndyCar Series Championship after winning Sunday’s Only Bulls Portland Grand Prix.
Palou started second and passed Felix Rosenqvist during the first round of pit stops by staying out an extra lap and using the ‘overcut’ to get the lead and then dominated, leading 60 of 110-laps to grab his sixth victory of 2026.
“Everybody at CGR and Honda did an incredible job,” said Palou, who started second. “I had an absolute rocket ship today. It was very, very nice to drive every single lap.”
“We had to do something different than Felix,” said Barry Wanser, team manager for the No. 10 Honda. “We had to go longer than him. It takes a lot of performance by Alex and certainly the Honda engine to give us the fuel mileage to jump in one more and do the overcut. That helped us. We had a pretty smooth pit stop and got the jump there.”
Rosenqvist, who started on the pole in the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Grateful Dead Honda, closed to within a second late but couldn’t get back to the front.
“He got us in a sequence,” said Rosenqvist, the 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner. “I got kind of twisted up leaving my box because I was so close to the Schumacher crew. I think between the overcut and that, we kind of lost the position. From there on we just sat in second.”
Andretti Global’s Will Power finished third in the No. 26 TWG Honda to lockout the podium for the manufacturer.
“Great day for us,” said Power. “Great day for Andretti. Didn’t quite have the pace I think the top two guys. Probably about a tenth off. Just seriously fast pace all day. Qualifying laps, really good quality. Such a quality field now.”
The victory for Palou increased his Championship lead to 110 points over Kyle Kirkwood of Andretti Global, a gap of more than two races with just five races remaining this season.
“Chip puts the best guys around me, but then also everybody is just executing,” said Palou. “That car is a rocket ship, and I’m just lucky enough to drive it.”
The next NTT IndyCar Series race is the inaugural Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the streets of Markham, Ontario.
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