The New Year and lots of IndyCar News.

Jordan King is in a ECR in 2018.

Ed Carpenter Racing officials have announced the completed lineup of the team’s No. 20 Chevrolet with the addition of British driver Jordan King. The native of Warwickshire, England will compete in the 11 road and street course events for Ed Carpenter Racing in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet. The only owner/driver in the Verizon INDYCAR Series, Ed Carpenter, will continue to pilot the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet at all oval races. King’s transition to Indy car racing is the next step in a young career which has seen him ascend the European motorsport ranks. 

Though the 23-year-old has not yet competed in a U.S.-based racing series, he joins the INDYCAR field with numerous accolades, including the FIA Institute’s 2015 Driver of the Year and the 2013 British Formula 3 championship. “I am beyond excited to get started in the Verizon INDYCAR Series,” stated King. “After winning at Silverstone in 2016 and being able to drive in F1 practice, 2017 was not what I was hoping for. Going into the new season, I’m really looking forward to having the opportunity with ECR to work towards our collective goals. I believe that together, both of us have the capability to do well.”

After beginning in karts in 2005, King progressed to single-seaters in 2010. After two years in Formula Renault, King claimed the 2013 British Formula 3 championship in his debut season with three wins and eight podium finishes. He has spent the last three seasons honing his craft in Formula 2, previously known as GP2. While serving as a development driver for Manor F1 in 2015 and 2016, he participated in several tests and drove in practice sessions at the 2016 United States Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Most recently, King competed for MP Motorsport in the 2017 FIA Formula 2 Championship, collecting Top 10 finishes in over half of the races.

“We are very excited to welcome Jordan to the ECR family and to have him in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet for the 2018 road and street course races,” proclaimed team owner Carpenter. “I first met Jordan at Sonoma Raceway in 2016 as he was exploring opportunities in INDYCAR. He is a very motivated, intelligent and hungry driver, which is exactly what we are looking for at ECR. Jordan has had a lot of success and experience in Europe and I can’t wait to see what he is capable of with ECR in the Verizon INDYCAR series.”

Since 2014, the No. 20 has been split between Carpenter on the ovals a second driver at the remaining events. Spencer Pigot became the first driver to retain the No. 20’s road and street course seat for a second season when he drove the car in both 2016 and 2017. The 24-year-old from Orlando, Fla. was promoted to the full-time driver of ECR’s No. 21 entry for the 2018 season, providing King with the opportunity to become the road and street course driver for the No. 20. Indianapolis native Carpenter, 36, will remain the oval driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet in his 16th year of Indy car competition.

King, who will be a true Indy car rookie, is excited for the opportunity to partner with Carpenter, one of the most veteran drivers in the field. “Sharing the No. 20 seat with Ed gives me a great opportunity to learn from him and the team while racing at the road and street courses will let me put into practice what I have learned,” said King. King is represented by UK-based MB Partners. CEO Mark Blundell ( former F1 and ChampCar driver) commented, “The focus for Jordan was to give him a platform to build from in Indy Car and the opportunity with Ed and ECR is the perfect fit. Ed will be a great mentor. Having a full road and street course program alongside some oval testing will allow Jordan to show his racecraft and ability in some of the most competitive open wheel racing in the world today.”

Fans will get closer than ever to INDYCAR action with 2018 TV schedule in the US and the Global Markets.

INDYCAR and its broadcast partners announced the 2018 television schedule today featuring an expanded use of in-car cameras to bring fans the thrilling action of the Verizon IndyCar Series from a variety of new angles in the upcoming 17-race season. 

ABC and NBCSN will utilize never-before-seen views of the intense racing that the Verizon IndyCar Series offers with cameras strategically placed on the universal bodywork kit that is new for all cars in 2018. In addition to the traditional in-car position above and behind the driver's head, cameras will be mounted to the nose, sidepod and rear attenuator. There also will be expanded use of the popular visor cam mounted on the driver's helmet and pioneered by INDYCAR. 

"This is a unique opportunity to bring the sport even closer to the television audience," said Mark Miles, CEO of Hulman & Co., which owns INDYCAR and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "INDYCAR has experienced 38 percent growth in audience over the past four years and providing a firsthand look at the exhilarating action is a way to win over even more fans." 

The 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season consists of 17 races in the United States and Canada. ABC will again air five races, beginning March 11 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (12:30 p.m. ET), which opens the season for the eighth consecutive year. The network rejoins the series on May 12 for the fifth annual INDYCAR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course (3:30 p.m. ET). 

ABC will celebrate its 54th year at the Indianapolis 500 with qualifying May 19-20 (4 p.m. ET) and the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27 (11 a.m. ET). 

"The Indianapolis 500 is one of the world's iconic sporting events and it's always an honor for ESPN and ABC to bring the pageantry and excitement to our viewers as we have for the past 53 years," said Burke Magnus, ESPN executive vice president, programming and scheduling. "And with the other big events of the month of May at Indy as well as the season opener at St. Petersburg and the doubleheader in Detroit on our calendar, IndyCar Series fans will have the opportunity to enjoy a robust schedule of racing events from a diverse selection of venues." 

The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, the only doubleheader weekend on the 2018 schedule, will conclude ABC's coverage for the season (June 2-3, each broadcast starting at 3:30 p.m. ET). 

Twelve 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series races will be telecast by NBCSN, which in 2017 saw a 3 percent increase in viewership over the previous year. The network kicks off its season under the lights at ISM Raceway (formerly Phoenix Raceway) on April 7 (9 p.m. ET), followed by the historic Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (April 15, 4 p.m. ET) and Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama (April 22, 3 p.m. ET). 

Two NBCSN races will have earlier time slots than last year. The Iowa Corn 300 at Iowa Speedway on July 8 will air at 2 p.m. ET, while the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 at Gateway Motorsports Park will air at 8 p.m. ET on Aug. 25. 

NBCSN will also air Miller Lite Carb Day activities on May 25 (11 a.m. ET), which includes final practice for the Indianapolis 500 and the marquee race of the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires schedule, the Freedom 100. NBCSN will track the hunt for the Verizon IndyCar Series championship throughout its coverage of the final nine races of the season, including the previously announced new race at Portland International Raceway on Sept. 2 (2:30 p.m. ET) and culminating in the championship finale at Sonoma Raceway on Sept. 16 (6:30 p.m. ET). 

"As the cable home of the Verizon IndyCar Series, NBCSN is proud to once again showcase the exciting racing that INDYCAR delivers at each event," said Jon Miller, president, programming, NBC Sports Group. "Our schedule features iconic circuits like Long Beach and Road America and the final nine races of the season, including INDYCAR's return to Portland, as we crown another INDYCAR champion on NBCSN in 2018." 

         For U.S. readers this is the broadcast breakdown of the 2018 Season

INDYCAR names Novak as Verizon IndyCar Series race director

INDYCAR has named veteran race official Kyle Novak as race director for the Verizon IndyCar Series. Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations, made the announcement today.

As race director, Novak will lead operations in Race Control at all Verizon IndyCar Series events. Race Control utilizes a variety of video, audio and data communications to oversee all aspects of competition and assure a safe, timely and competitive event. Novak will also work in conjunction with INDYCAR's race stewards to initiate reviews of on-track incidents, though it will remain with the panel of stewards to decide whether a penalty should be levied against a driver or team.

"Throughout our extensive search for a race director, one name was mentioned repeatedly - and that was Kyle Novak," Frye said. "We have been aware of Kyle's work for the past couple of years. He's clearly impressed those he's worked with and, after meeting with him, we knew he would be a great fit for our Race Control team. Kyle has a great future and we couldn't be more excited to have him as part of INDYCAR."

Novak has spent the past three years as a race director or steward for various sports car series sanctioned by IMSA, but the 36-year-old attorney by trade has a lengthy motorsports resume. It began in drag racing, where for years he has joined his father and brother in amateur bracket racing competition near their home in Dexter, Michigan, outside Ann Arbor. They own two cars.

"Always been a gearhead," Novak said. "Always working on cars; muscle cars, mostly. That's how I got my feet wet, and then one thing led to another. And here I am."

Novak's introduction to Indy car racing came as the operations manager and director of operations for the group promoting Champ Car races in Cleveland, Denver and Houston from 2004-08. His jobs in the years that followed were as a program manager for the Volkswagen Jetta TDI Cup Series with the Sports Car Club of America; a team manager for the Battery Tender Global MX-5 Cup Series now sanctioned by INDYCAR; and then IMSA, where he has been race director for the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge and Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, while also serving as a race steward for IMSA's top series, the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.

Novak said the chance to work with Frye and other staff members he already knows simplified the decision to join INDYCAR.

"Jay and I hit it off immediately - it's the fresh outlook he brings that is a huge part of it (for me)," Novak said. "Ironically enough, three people who work in INDYCAR Race Control are some of the first people I met in the industry, and that goes all the way back to 2004. Those are among the key people I'll be working with on a day-to-day basis. There's a great deal of familiarity with them.

"Motorsports is such a small industry that many of the people who have helped me over the years have stayed with me as industry colleagues. But INDYCAR has always been at the forefront of professional motorsports in North America, and I had the opportunity on several occasions to witness that first hand, since many IMSA races are run in conjunction with INDYCAR events. I can't thank the people at IMSA enough for the opportunities I was given and for their assistance in making this a smooth transition to INDYCAR. "I can't wait to get started."

The 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season consists of 17 races, beginning with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11, concluding with the Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sept. 16 and anchored by the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27. The season will feature the highly anticipated introduction of the sleek new universal aero kit on every competing car.

Only one week into the New year and lots of announcements already and plenty more to come as well in whats shaping up to be a massive 2018 racing season.

Photos and Media Quotes provided by IndyCar Media

AJ Foyt and Tony Kanaan.

AJ Foyt, Tony Kanaan and  2018.

Just what a year 2018 maybe for IndyCar , the fans and that magic month of May. There are many great things to look forward to next year in IndyCar. Clearly it provides some of the best racing on the planet and one of the toughest championships for any driver to win. Some may say its not Formula 1 yes thats true its IndyCar and its great. To win in IndyCar you need to know how to drive from a road course to a street course to a small oval to a super speedway and then matin that all year long as well. Points in every race count. 2018 will be no different in that aspect but it will feature a clean sheet of paper in terms of aero kits and the return of a standard kit that really will create one of the best seasons ever. Why? Because every single driver and team really does have a chance in 2018 and then there is this story of Tony Kanaan and that most famous of all tracks the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As Tony prepared to sign last month with AJ Foyt Racing for the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season, the veteran driver did so with goals still to accomplish in mind. Clearly, there was the opportunity to extend a stellar Indy Car racing career that will stretch into a third decade next season. There’s also the desire that continues burning inside for a second Indy 500 victory and to return the team led by racing icon A.J. Foyt to prominence. 

But Kanaan had a couple, more subtle objectives to achieve when he signed on the dotted line. One of those goals was accomplished with the signature next to his on the contract. “I’ve always dreamed in my career to have A.J.’s autograph, which he doesn’t do it very often,” said Kanaan (above). “But I got it on my contract, so that’s plenty good.” 

The other dream Kanaan is eager to see come true next May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is more symbolic in nature. The 42-year-old Brazilian is a huge fan favourite annually at Indy, but he knows his popularity pales in comparison to that of Foyt – the first of just three four-time Indianapolis 500 winners. 

Kanaan said it’s evident from the onset of the first practice session each year, in particular with the royal treatment Foyt receives from the IMS Safety Patrol, more affectionately known as “yellow shirts” for their iconic uniforms. 

“How many times I got in trouble trying to drive my golf cart through Gasoline Alley and actually got stopped by the yellow shirts and got yelled at and got sent out,” Kanaan said, flashing a smile. “And here comes A.J., riding right by (without being stopped), saying hi and all the yellow shirts are (bowing) and like, ‘A.J.! A.J.!’” 

The 2013 Indy 500 winner cannot wait to take in that experience with the legendary Foyt next May. “Opening day (at IMS), the first thing I’m going to do is hop in that golf cart with him,” Kanaan said, the eagerness building in his voice. “I just want to have that experience. After I think I’ve seen it all at the speedway, this is one thing that I am missing and I’m doing it. A.J. – that’s a big name, it’s a legend. If I can gather half of his fan base just to cheer for me at the 500, we’re going to just dominate the place.” 

Kanaan has heard a sampling of Foyt’s legendary stories over the years, but he can’t wait to spend hours in the Foyt garage taking in as many more as he can from the man himself. It’s that connection of two great drivers from different generations that Kanaan is eager to make. “The old man has a lot of stories and a lot of experience,” Kanaan said. “I want to take it and one day I’ll be proud telling the stories that he told me and I’ll be proud to say, ‘When I drove for A.J., this is what we did.’” 

Foyt, whose 67 Indy car wins are the most in history by any driver, admits he sees parallels to his driving style and that of Kanaan. It’s one of the driving reasons why he sought to add the 2004 Verizon IndyCar Series champion for the 2018 season and beyond. “What I’ve liked about Tony is I’ve seen him when he’s been struggling, but he never gives up,” said Foyt, owner of his own team since 1966. “That’s one thing I never did. I know a lot of races I won that I wasn’t capable of winning, but I never gave up and at the end I was still there and I won the race. That’s what I really like about Tony, he never quits. I think it’s going to put AJ Foyt Racing back where it needs to be,” Foyt added. “I think he can move us right back up front where we belong.” 

Kanaan will drive the iconic No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet in the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season that begins March 11 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

Combine that and the announcement from A.J. Foyt Racing officials that 19-year-old Brazilian, Matheus Leist, will drive the No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet in the Verizon INDYCAR Series next year and you have the sense of something very special in the air and something that may only ever happen once as a passionate brazilians driver helps create a path for a new young star from his own native country.

“I wanted a fresh start for 2018. I think the combination of an experienced driver like Tony and a hungry young driver like Matt will work,” said A.J. Foyt. “I watched him in the Indy Lights this year and he won at Indy (Freedom 100 Indy Lights race). I know he’s got a lot to learn but I think he’s going to learn very quickly. I think he’ll be very good in the Indy Cars.”

Leist, currently the youngest full-time driver in the series, will be paired with the series’ most experienced driver in Kanaan, who will enter his 21st season of IndyCar competition. The rookie will benefit immensely from having the 2013 Indianapolis 500 champion and fellow Brazilian as his teammate and he knows it. “This is a special moment in my career and I’m so grateful for the things that are happening,” said Leist. “Sometimes it is hard for me to believe that I’ll be driving for the legend A.J. Foyt. Having Tony Kanaan as my teammate is incredible because he’s been an idol for me since I was a child. Tony and I are from different generations but I can’t wait to be with him at the track and learn as much as I can from him. It will be a pleasure.”

With 17 victories to his credit, the 2004 IndyCar Series champion will be a valuable asset in both developing the teenage driver and moving the team’s ambitious race program forward. “I’m happy to welcome Matheus as a teammate to Foyt and the ABC Racing family,” Kanaan said. “Matheus is an extremely talented driver with a bright future ahead of him. I’m looking forward to working together and help get AJ Foyt Racing to the next level.”

Leist’s mercuric rise to IndyCar was fueled by a championship performance in the British Formula 3 Series where he posted four victories and seven more podium finishes. The championship came down to the wire where Leist’s coolness under pressure served him well as he snatched the title from series leader Ricky Collard in the final race. It was after winning that title in 2016 that he decided to pursue a career in America. “I’ve been racing for eleven years so far, and since I started in 2006, my brother and I always dreamed of getting into a top category,” Leist revealed. “I’m so thankful for the opportunities that I had so far and for the big moments that I lived. Every day I keep telling myself that I couldn’t have made a better decision than to come to the USA at the end of 2016. America is where things happen and where the good drivers have a proper place. series and I can’t wait for this dream to come true.”

“We had to make some tough decisions but we made them with a focus on strengthening the overall program. We are positioning ourselves to be contenders next season,” said Larry Foyt, team president of A.J. Foyt Racing. “The added testing and development we are undergoing, combined with the new aero kit for all of the competition should help our overall competitiveness and consistency. We think Matheus is going to be a really good fit with Tony Kanaan because Matheus has a lot of talent and he is going to learn a lot from Tony.”

Kanaan will be running a manufacturer’s test of the new universal aero kit next month at Sebring International Raceway while Leist is scheduled to test the new car in early January at Sebring. Both Kanaan and Leist will test together there at the end of January.

Will 2018 bring some AJ Foyt magic to the table you'd have to say its kinda in the stars but has a very real sense of passion, pride and all around good vibe to it thats for sure.

New Kids on the Block.

Could be the ones to watch in 2017.

Big changes in the driver line ups at A.J.Foyt Racing this week and this news via the IndyCar Insider really warrants some attention. A.J. has always spotted talent and these two could very well be the next best thing on the block.

Having watched Carlos Munoz since he arrived on the scene this guy has a certain magic to him and twice has been unlucky not to pull off a 500 win. He was in tears this year after the race wondering how it got away from him. The thing I take from this is he wants it and wants it bad and A.J. just might be the one to ensure it happens and what a story that would be. I think I would certainly look for some surprises from these guys in 2017 and Munoz,a Chevy and A.J. well its good a great vibe.

So I share with you this release from the IndyCar Media team.

Carlos Munoz and Conor Daly are convinced it’s time for the next generation of young racers to be contenders in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

The 24-year-old drivers will look to assert themselves with AJ Foyt Racing in 2017 in a deal announced late November that has both signed to drive for the winningest driver in Indy car history. Munoz will drive the No. 14 entry based out of the team’s shop in suburban Houston. Daly will drive the No. 4 car based at the team’s second shop in Speedway, Indiana. Both cars will continue to be sponsored by ABC Supply Co.

“It’s a new chapter in my life. I’m really honored to be on this team,” Munoz said. “There were a lot of options and I know a lot of drivers called (team president) Larry Foyt. I think the best teammate is Conor. First, he’s American. Fans really like him and he’s a really good driver. He has experience. INDYCAR needs a change in generations and it’s starting right now. We are both young and we are both really fast drivers, so I think it’s a great combination for the team.”

A.J. and Larry Foyt promised major changes after a disappointing 2016 season with drivers Takuma Sato and Jack Hawksworth for the full year and Alex Tagliani for two races. Sato had the best finishes with a pair of fifths. He finished 17th in the points and Hawksworth placed 20th. Sato’s 2013 victory at Long Beach is Foyt Racing’s only win since 2003.

Carlos Munoz finished 10th in the 2016 championship, the highest points position for an Andretti Autosport driver. The Colombian has one career win at Belle Isle in 2015 and is a two-time Indianapolis 500 runner-up, including his series debut in 2013, when Daly also made his first start in the same race for Foyt and finished 22nd. “He was hard to beat there in his Andretti machine, when he started on the front row as a rookie,” Daly said of Munoz. “That was pretty impressive. We know he’s really good at Indy and really good on the ovals, for sure. He’s very brave. I have a lot of respect for him. We know he’s got a lot of experience, although we’re both young. We’re both the same age. It’s just two good, young drivers ready to continue our IndyCar careers.”

Daly, from Noblesville, Indiana., is coming off his first fulltime Verizon IndyCar Series season in which he had five top-six finishes, including a career-best second at Belle Isle for Dale Coyne Racing. He finished 18th in the points. Daly said he always kept in touch with Foyt after that first Indy 500 three years ago. “They gave me such an opportunity to get into the Verizon IndyCar Series,” Daly said. “They took a chance on me when Takuma couldn’t get into the country for a test, they tested me. After that, they hired me to drive in the Indy 500. They paid me to drive when I was 21 and coming out of Indy Lights. It was a really cool program to be a part of. They gave me my first taste and ever since then, I’ve had a really good relationship with them. I’m certainly a very, very different driver compared to 2013. I’m certainly much more ready to jump in and deliver. Thankfully, Dale Coyne gave me an opportunity to get my foot in the door and here we are. We make the progression to another team. Hopefully we can be here for a good amount of time. I’d like to be with this team for more than a year. You have to take it as it comes day by day, but I’m excited to at least get back to work and have a deal done sooner rather than later.”

Munoz and Daly were actually teammates once before for a karting race a decade ago. Munoz doesn’t remember the experience, but Daly recalled his teammate being quick and helpful. Both were in a similar situation as free agents in need of sponsorship this offseason. That won’t be a problem now because Foyt has a long-term deal with ABC Supply.

“As we celebrate our 35th anniversary at ABC Supply, we are very happy to be continuing our relationship with AJ Foyt Racing,” Keith Rozolis, ABC Supply Co. Inc. president and chief executive officer, said in a released statement. “They’ve been part of the ABC team since 2005 and our associates and customers look forward to watching Carlos and Conor compete and win in 2017.”

Munoz said he understands how the business side of racing led to him not being retained by Andretti. While some drivers might be upset about not getting a new contract after being the team’s highest points finisher, Munoz expressed gratitude to his former employer of six years, the first two in Indy Lights. “I’m always thankful to them,” he said. “They gave me my career back in auto racing from the first year I came here to the United States from Europe. That last year in Europe was really tough, so it was my last chance in America or retire. They gave me a great shot here in America to race in my first Indy 500 and I did well. I’m always going to be respectful to them. Just nowadays, you have to find a sponsor. We were bringing a little sponsor from Colombia, and this year was the limit for everything. But I’m not disappointed with them. On the contrary, I’ll always be grateful to them, with Michael and everybody who works at Andretti. We have to be realistic in motorsports right now. It’s really tough to find the sponsor that we need, we didn’t have the whole budget to be 100 percent on the grid next year. This was the best for us. I wish them the best.”

As the stepson of Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Doug Boles, Daly was raised with an appreciation for that track’s racing history. That inevitably meant Daly respected and admired A.J. Foyt, the first four-time Indy 500 winner. “I love A.J.,” Daly said. “I have a lot of respect for him and I do love the way he is. There’s no messing around with A.J. He’ll give it to you straight. A lot of people won’t do that these days. It’s cool to be working with him again. I really, really, really want to bring those guys a race win and some success because they deserve it after the last couple of years, it’s been rough (for them). If we just keep on building a team and building on my experience level, there’s no telling what we’ll be able to achieve this year.”

Because he’s come so close to winning the Indy 500, Munoz is excited about another run in May. “I love that race,” Munoz said. “I’ve raced in it four times and I know how big the race is. I know what it means to win that race. I’ve been really close twice, if I can be honest. I have two seconds, one fourth and another one I had a penalty when I was running fifth. I’ve had really good races there. I’m not putting my main objective on winning the Indy 500. Of course, everyone wants to win it. But I think what we needed to do first is put in good work with the engineers and with the mechanics and everybody who comes on board this year. We need to do a good job and do our best each race. But for sure one of the goals of the team is to do really good in the Indy 500.”

I really reckon this is one heck of a line up for A.J.Foyt Racing for 2017 and look forward to seeing these cars up and amongst it a lot next season as I feel these two young drivers with the talent they have and the depth the team has makes them not only one to watch but one of the strongest teams outside of the big three.

Photo and release ex IndyCar Media.

A.J.Foyt sees off 500 grid.

Legendary A.J. Foyt to salute the field of the 100th Indianapolis 500

Annouceed today Saturday, May 28, 2016 - As the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil has approached, the history of the race has been celebrated by countless numbers of fans and media.

That history cannot be told without a salute to A.J. Foyt. 

On Race Day, the first four-time winner of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" will offer a salute of his own to the 33 drivers who will compete in the 100th Running. Foyt will be stationed at the front of the grid and instruct the Pace Car and Row 1 to pull away for the Parade Laps, and as those drivers pull away followed by 30 more, Foyt will salute each one.

"A.J. Foyt has always been my favorite driver and I know so many of our fans hold him in the same regard," Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. "The 100th Running is all about honoring our history and A.J. is such a significant part of that, we couldn't have this race without him being part of it for our fans and for each of our drivers! We're excited to have him salute the men and woman who will write our next chapter."

Foyt, born in 1935 in Houston, Texas, started his professional racing career in USAC midget car competition before racing in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time in 1958. In 1961, he won his first Indy 500 in the No. 1 Bowes Seal Fast/Bignotti Trevis/Offy. Three years later, in 1964, he was a champion again.

Three years after that, in 1967, Foyt won again and this time in a rear-engined car, becoming the first and only man to win at Indy in both front- and rear-engine race cars. A decade later, in 1977, he became the first four-time winner, in the iconic No. 14 Coyote that he owned.

During his driving career, "Super Tex" also won the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a resume claimed by no other driver. He was named co-driver of the 20th century by the Associated Press, one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers and he has been inducted into every major motorsports Hall of Fame.

Foyt also won the Indy 500 as a car owner in 1999 with Kenny Brack. This year, AJ Foyt Enterprises has three entries in the race, driven by Takuma Sato, Jack Hawksworth and Alex Tagliani.

The legend has always said that the Indianapolis 500 made A.J. Foyt, not the other way around. On Sunday, he'll salute the person who will become the next legend of the Indianapolis 500 - the winner of the 100th Running.

Carb Day Notes from Indy

Kanaan leads Carb Day practice for 100th Indy 500

He may be starting 18th in Sunday's 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil, but Tony Kanaan believes he has a car that can win the historic race.

Kanaan, who will start on the outside of Row 6 in the No. 10 NTT Data Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing, was fastest in today's Miller Lite Carb Day practice with a best lap of 226.280 mph on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. 

Carlos Munoz was second at 224.772 mph in the No. 26 United Fiber & Data Honda, just ahead of Kanaan's teammate, Scott Dixon, third at 224.606 mph in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet."I'm happy with my car," said Kanaan, the 2013 Indy 500 winner. "Obviously, I have to pass 17 people before I get really happy with my car. After the struggle in qualifying, we really focused - me and Dixon - on the race. And you can see both of us at the top there."If anybody counts us out (for Sunday's race), it will be a big mistake."

                                                  Scott Dixon during Carb Day running.

Munoz, who will start the race from the middle of the second row, said Carb Day practice confirmed the strength of his car."Today was just a check to see the car was running good," said Munoz, who finished second to Kanaan as an Indy 500 rookie in 2013. "Everything was running good. The conditions will be different on Sunday. Every practice and qualifying I've been on the top of the charts, but that doesn't matter."

Verizon IndyCar Series points leader Simon Pagenaud, riding a three-race winning streak, was 22nd in today's practice with a speed of 222.581 mph in the No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevy.

Juan Pablo Montoya, the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion and two-time race winner, was 13th at 223.571 mph in the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevy. Teammate Helio Castroneves, the three-time Indy 500 winner, was 10th at 223.959 mph. Will Power, runner-up to Montoya in last year's race, had the fourth-fastest speed (224.384 mph) in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Ryan Hunter-Reay was fifth (224.327 mph) in the No. 28 DHL Honda. Pole sitter James Hinchcliffe was 12th fastest at 223.925 mph in the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda. More than 1,300 laps were turned in the 70-minute session, with Pagenaud and Charlie Kimball (No. 42 Tresiba Chevy) each logging 52.

The only incident of the session came when Pippa Mann spun and crashed in Turn 4, backing her No. 63 Susan G. Komen Honda into the SAFER Barrier. Mann was uninjured. "I'm absolutely fine," Mann said. "I just really feel sorry for the crew. I was trying to find some clean air in pack running there, got a little too low on the inside. Dropped the ball and gave them some work to do overnight. "The good news is the damage wasn't too bad," Mann added. "Hopefully it's the right rear corner, rear attenuator, rear wing and that's all we have to fix."

The 33 cars now sit idle until race day Sunday.

                                                  Carb Day Crowd topping 100,000

Stoneman wins Freedom 100 in closest IMS oval finish in history.

Dean Stoneman edged Ed Jones by 0.0024 of a second to win the Freedom 100 in the closest finish in Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval history, in the premier event on the Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires schedule. Starting fifth, Stoneman pushed his way to second place by Lap 9 in the No. 27 Andretti Autosport Dallara IL-15. He passed pole sitter Jones for the lead on the next lap and, while Stoneman led 30 of the final 31 laps at the start-finish line, the pair swapped the point numerous times throughout the race.

Jones took the lead on the final restart, a one-lap shootout following a caution to retrieve the stopped car of Heamin Choi. Stoneman and Jones raced side by side heading into Turns 3 and 4 on the final lap, setting up a drag race down the frontstretch to the checkered flag. The margin of victory was a few inches. "It was an amazing race," said Stoneman, who collected his second straight Indy Lights win after capturing the second race of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis doubleheader May 14. "On that last lap it was pretty close. I knew in the race I was consistent and knew where to position my car to finish the race in the lead."

Afterward, Jones felt he should have taken the outside line for the race to the checkers. "I probably chose the wrong lane, it was my fault," Jones said. "I feel like if I had gone outside maybe I would have held momentum and been able to hold him off. Unfortunately, I made the wrong call. That's what cost us."

Castroneves' crew wins pit stop challenge record eighth time

Team Penske and driver Helio Castroneves won the TAG Heuer Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge, earning a $50,000 prize. Castroneves celebrated his eighth win in the contest by climbing the fence in front of the Tower Terrance grandstand.

Castroneves beat Mikhail Aleshin of Schmidt Peterson with Team Pelfrey in the final round. This is the 17th win for Team Penske in the annual competition for Indy 500 pit crews that started in 1977. The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Castroneves in 2009.  "I went for it. I was able to stop really deep," Castroneves said. "I was able to slide in just perfect. The Pennzoil boys, the Team Penske boys, really. ... they are the fastest. All the credit to those guys. Very happy to be part of this organization."

The crew for Castroneves in the contest was made up of members from the cars of Castroneves and teammate Simon Pagenaud.

"This team has been outstanding in the pit stop competition," team owner Roger Penske said. "They work every day at the shop. We took our best guys and put them together on the two cars. ... This gives us momentum for Sunday."

The Month of May has finally arrived !

The start of the 1911 Indy 500.

Check out why Indy is Indy in my latest book

Finally the month of May 2016 has arrived and the countdown to the 100th running of the Indy 500 on May 29th just got a whole lot closer.

Kiwi Scott Dixon's car on the grid at Indy 2015.

Yes there is the Grand Prix of Indy on the famous road course at the speedway in just two weeks time but the really attention is about that famous 2.5 mile oval that is INDY. 100 races come May 29th 2016.

For the teams and drivers they are now pretty much based at the Speedway for the month very much like teams were in the past eras but now for two races rather than the one. The vibe of the speedway will be in them from now on and the countdown has really kicked off. The tensions will rise and the emotions will follow but then again this is Indy.

Is the Grand Prix a form guide to the 500 no its not as the road course and the spec of the cars is very different to the 500 however is there a mind game in there oh yes there is and don't forget the GP uses the section of turn one and the main straightaway of the oval so you know you are there thats for sure. Equally now is not the time to do something silly as the recovery time before the 500 will go very fast this now is about control focus and more. Now is not the time to be the hero save that until May 29th.

Who will be the drivers to watch in 2016 at the 500 --- simple really all of them. All 33 that take the start on May 29 are worth the price of admission alone. They all can win and nothing says that better the the performance of Juan Pablo Montoya last year after lap one he was dead last and yet he was smart and drove with his head and by lap 200 he was the leader on the only lap that ever counts the final lap and that run to the yard of bricks and the flag and not until then is it ever in the books.

Blast from the past Dario Franchitti in a Lotus at Indy 2015 

                           

The look and the sound of Dario doing a lap before the race start in 2015 summed up the history of Indy just like nothing else that day.

Naturally the big teams are the ones to watch but this is Indy and anything can happen dreams can and do come true and dreams are also shattered in the blink of an eye cause this is Indy.

The feeling is this could very much be a real sell out and while there was a sell out some 20 years ago this sell out will produce numbers never seen before as the track hosts more people in areas not possible 20 years ago so expectations of even 450,000 are possible. The all new look gateway is finished and looking great. This is May and this is Indy oh yes this really is the 500 in the month of May. The blog will feature daily updates from May 18th onwards of everything that is Indy and the 100th so be  sure to know they will be posted each and every day until the day after the 500.

I decided today is flashback day in terms of photos so here we go.

The crowd just before the race start in 2015

First lap of the 1915 Indy 500

Photo credits.  Black and white photos ex Noggles Goggles and the Indy Star file and the colour photos are ex the David Turner Collection.

Travelling to Indy the read this

Tags is back and Race Details

Really pleased to hear yesterday that my good friend Alex Tagliani is back for Indy again in 2016. He will again team up for the second year in a row with A.J.Foyt racing and what better team to be with at Indy for number 100. The thought of a Foyt driver wining the 100 is amazing and even more so in the context of the man (A.J) himself and his personal history at Indy.

Here is a really cool thing the car number Alex will use is the number. 35 and this is based on team owner A.J. Foyt's starting of 35 Indy 500s in his career and AJ was also was born in 1935.

Tagliani, is a seven-time 500 starter and he will get two races out of the arrangement he has with the team this May.

He also will compete in the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis for the first time on May 14 on the infield road course at the Speedway. The car, sponsored by Wabash-based Alfe Heat Treating, will carry the classic black-and-orange Copenhagen-style livery used by Foyt in the late part of his career and the colours that Alex drove in last year for A.J.
.

Tagliani won the pole for the 2011 500 as a then member of Sam Schmidt Motorsports team, which shared in Dan Wheldon’s victory that year with Bryan Herta Autosport.

Tagliani has led each of the past five 500s, finishing 17th in last year’s race. 

With this announcement it brings the number of confirmed 500 entries to 29.

That includes the 22 cars participating in last weekend’s IndyCar Series opener in St. Petersburg, plus the already known and confirmed rides for oval ace Ed Carpenter (Ed Carpenter Racing), the returning new star Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold/Kingdom Racing), rookie Matthew Brabham (KVSH/Team Murray), back for the 500 again with her familiar team Pippa Mann (Dale Coyne Racing), speedway dirt rack ace Bryan Clauson (Dale Coyne/Jonathan Byrd Racing) and the veteran Buddy Lazier (Lazier Partners Racing).

There is no fear of the field not reaching its traditional 33, although many more beyond that seems unlikely, but then again it is early days yet and the rumour of 37 or 38 is very possible still with both engine suppliers keen to assist.

The full break down of days leading towards May 29 is now confirmed from IMS and is as follows

May 16 – 19		Indy 500 Practice
Fri. May 20		Fast Friday
Sat. May 21		Indy 500 Qualifications
Sun. May 22		Armed Forces Pole Day
Mon. May 23		Indy 500 Practice
Thurs. May 26		Indy Lights Practice & Qualifying
Fri. May 27		Miller Lite Carb Day
		Final Indy 500 Practice
		Indy Lights Freedom 100 Race
		TAG Heuer Pit Stop Challenge
		Journey Concert
Sat. May 28		Legends Day presented by Firestone
		Blake Shelton Concert
Sun. May 29		Indy 500 Race Day
		Snake Pit presented by Coors Light

           

               Header photo above is of Alex Tagliani at the 99th Indy 500 May 2015
during the driver introductions.

From the David Turner collection

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