IndyCar
INDYCAR Drivers Frustrated With Racing At Iowa Speedway
NEWTON, IA (July 14, 2024) – NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers feel something needs to be done to make the Hy-Vee Doubleheader weekend at Iowa Speedway as exciting on-track as it has been historically.
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t bummed about the race and how it raced,” said Pato O’Ward of Arrow McLaren Racing, who finished second Friday night. “Really tough to get that second lane working, compared to I don’t know how many on-track passes we had last year, probably not even a 10th of that. That was a bit frustrating because I thought we had a very strong car, definitely a car that was capable of winning. Just no way to get around a car.”
In 2023 for race one there were 1,502 total passes, of which 319 were for position. Conversely in race one of 2024 there were 192-total passes Saturday night, 100 of those were for position.
“Unfortunately I don’t think our car and our formula works super well for this type of track adjustment,” said Saturday night’s third place finisher Josef Newgarden about the partial track repave. “We’re different than a Cup car. We’ve developed our car differently than they have. It doesn’t always mesh. It definitely didn’t mesh tonight.”
“Bit of a shame that couldn’t really do anything to pass or to do anything,” said Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, who finished second on Sunday. “It’s the most boring thing I’ve ever done. It was yesterday, as well. It’s a shame that we couldn’t really put on a better show. I think everybody will agree that it was a very boring race to drive.”
INDYCAR reduced downforce levels by about 450-pounds heading into the race weekend and tire supplier Firestone came with new right side tires after heat-related issues during a recent test session at the track. The combination led to a parade-like race on Saturday and Sunday.
“I feel like we go into it and not do the right amount of study or whatnot to get it done and to get it to work,” said Saturday night’s winner Scott McLaughlin, who finished third on Sunday. “That’s not a shot at the sport, not a shot at anything. It’s working together with the amazing people and the geniuses we have up and down pit lane. It’s just a matter of making it work.”
“I think INDYCAR could go to work with downforce levels, working with Firestone on a few other things,” McLaughlin explained. “But you just can’t blame the track because at the end of the day they have to repave this at some time.”
“We went from the best oval race we would have all season to potentially the least amount of passing,” said Sunday’s winner Will Power. “Maybe just a softer tire might just work with this downforce level. Just a softer tire. If it degrades, people go out. You can roll to the outside. I don’t know what the answer is, but we certainly got to do something for next year.”
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).
SPEEDWAY, IN (May 14, 2025) – Alex Palou is leading the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Indianapolis 500 speed charts after Wednesday’s rain-shortened practice for the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge.
Palou, a three-time series Champion, was quickest at 227.546 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. It was the fastest lap of two days of preparations this week for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
“A couple of good traffic runs,” said Palou, who is leading the 2025 Championship standing. “The car is feeling good. You always want it to feel a little bit better, but so far, so good. We did a little bit of (running in) traffic. It’s always tough when people are in different run plans.”
Team Penske’s Will Power, the 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner, continued his strong month posting the second fastest speed at 225.584 in the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet.
“I think we’ve got a reasonable package right now,” said Power. “Seems very difficult to pass when you are in the back of the pack, but car stayed really consistent through the rounds. I felt pretty good in traffic. speed doesn’t quite matter. It’s more about handling, which looks like everyone’s car is handling well too.”
Right behind Power was teammate Josef Newgarden was third quick at at 225.545 in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Chevrolet. Newgarden is trying to become the first driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in three consecutive years.
“Been up and down with the weather, but for the most part we’ve had really good running,” said Newgarden, a two-time series Champion. “Even yesterday where some rain interrupted the beginning, we still got a lot of track time, and we got a lot of track time today. No complaints so far.”
2008 Indianapolis 500 winner Scott Dixon was fourth fastest at at 225.092 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
Juncos Hollinger Racing’s Conor Daly rounded out the Top 5 at 224.931 in the No. 76 Chevrolet.
Practice started 68 minutes late due to heavy rain this morning over the 2.5-mile oval. There were further delays of 54 minutes and 15 minutes in the afternoon due to passing sprinkles.
The forecast on Thursday calls for a stray shower in the morning with hot and humid temperatures and a chance of showers later in the day.
All the fastest laps on Wednesday came with the benefit of an aerodynamic “tow” from leading cars, as teams continued to focus on finding stable setups in traffic for Race Day.
Wednesday’s delayed start prevented Tony Kanaan from taking his ‘refresher’ test, so he will attempt that Thursday morning when on-track activity opens at 10 a.m. Kanaan is a standby driver for Kyle Larson in case weather delays his attempt at the ‘double’.
The track will be open for practice for all cars from noon-6 p.m. (noon-4 p.m., FS2; 4-6 p.m., FS1; FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network).
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).
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