Rookie of the year at Indy 2016.

                                                        Who wil be the 2016 Rookie of the Year?

                                                     Rookie contender Matt Brabham



From Jim Clark to Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves to Ryan Hunter-Reay, just to name a few, some of the best drivers in Indianapolis 500 history have been named Sunoco Rookie of the Year.

After the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500  this Sunday, one driver from a field of five "500" newcomers will become the 63rd winner of the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award, along with its new trophy and $50,000 prize (that's in US dollors)

"We are thrilled to continue our sponsorship of the Sunoco Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year award in 2016. The list of previous award winners is filled with iconic names like Andretti and Donohue, and we look forward to seeing another talented driver add their name to the history books this weekend," said Cynthia Archer, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Sunoco. "This year's rookies have shown their skill and strengths throughout the Month of May, and we look forward to recognizing one of them as the 2016 Sunoco Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year following the 100th Running of the 500.

Alexander Rossi qualified highest of the five rookies, landing in 11th on the grid in the No. 98 NAPA Auto Parts/Curb Honda. The native Californian, now an Indianapolis resident, made five starts in Formula One in 2015. This year, he's 17th in points in the Verizon IndyCar Series with a season-best 10th-place finish earlier this month at the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the IMS road course.

The next rookie on the grid is Max Chilton, starting 22nd in the No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. The Englishman finished fifth in points in the 2015 Indy Lights season and is 16th this year in the Verizon IndyCar Series with top finish of seventh on the other oval race of the season to date, at Phoenix.

Matt Brabham will make history on Sunday when the Australian becomes the third third-generation driver at the Indianapolis 500, piloting the No. 61 PIRTEK Team Murray Chevrolet from the 27th starting spot. His grandfather, Jack Brabham, made four Indy starts with a high finish of ninth as a rookie in 1961, while father Geoff Brabham was a popular competitor with 10 starts including a high of fourth in 1983.

Spencer Pigot, starting 29th in the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Lanigan/Mi-Jack/Manitowoc Honda, won the Indy Lights title last year behind six wins, four poles and 10 podium finishes. The Florida native, now living in Indianapolis, finished 11th earlier this month at the Angie's List Grand Prix of Indianapolis.

A fan favorite on Sunday is sure to be Englishman Stefan Wilson, starting 30th in the No. 25 Driven2SaveLives-KV Racing Technology Chevrolet. Stefan's late older brother, Justin, made eight "500" starts with three top-10 finishes.

The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 is now just day away and the city is a buzz with the thousands of fans that are descending on the city and yesterday there was a heavy influx of people arriving via all forms of transport. There is clearly no question now this race will make history at the Brickyard. The city of Indy is Eady that's for sure.

                                       

                                                        The skyline of the city of Indy

                                              Photos from the David Turner collection.

Like the look of Indy check out my book as well and get the true vibe for the race.
https://www.amazon.com/Mystique-Indy-Brickyard-David-Turner-ebook/dp/B01EEROF5U

2016 Indy 500 could sell out!!

Another week and more news as the countdown to the running of the 100th Indy 500 draws closer.

This week President Mark Miles of Hulman & Company ,the company behind the Speedway and the IndyCar Series said that they guarantee there will be the full field of 33 cars in the 100th Indianapolis 500, and he's also predicting the race will be sold out for the first time in 20 years. "We've got a very good chance of selling every seat and you might be surprised how soon it happens. All of the suites are already sold out and we're looking at building 12 temporary ones to accommodate the demand. And we're already way ahead of total ticket sales a year ago."

While IMS never releases crowd figures, the last full house was in 1995 prior to the Indy Racing League/Championship Auto Racing Teams split. That's when scalpers got three to five times face value and the Speedway sported in excess of 275,000 permanent seats. That number was cut back to 257,325 by 2004, according to The Indianapolis Star, and following another reduction in 2012, now stands at roughly 235,000. This is of course before you look at the infield general areas and the stand up crowd and this is how the number then tops 400,000.

"It's really good, the best it's been since the Split (ChampCar v Indy Racing League) ," said Mike Peduto, who started Circle City Tickets in the early 1980s. "It was soft last year but it seems like everyone wants to go this year to the 100th. It's going to be neat to see it full again."

Miles claims the Snake Pit in Turn 3 topped 20,000 people alone last year and has even more demand this year, but with all the parking and other entertainment in the infield, there's not a lot room for fans other than the spectator mounds.

As for the news on drives and entries this week. IMS is making sure the traditional 11 rows of three remains intact, Miles said: "We've very confident it's going to happen and we'll make sure it does."

IMS has helped out with engines, aero kits and money the past few May's and right now there are 29 confirmed driver/car combinations and this is still pretty early days in many ways.

In driver news this week Veteran Townsend Bell is certain he's going to have a ride, he's just not sure who with at the moment, and 2015 Rookie of the Year Gabby Chaves is close to having enough funding but still needs $100,000, while '96 Indy winner Buddy Lazier was at the Phoenix test and is returning with his own team.

Beth Paretta and Katherine Legge of Grace Autosport have been embraced by Chevrolet and Honda and are trying to work out a co-op deal with an established team. Simona de Silvestro and Oriol Servia are also hoping to land something by May, as is Tristan Vautier and Carlos Huertas.

The current available seats appear to be Michael Andretti's fifth car, SPM's third car and KVSH's third car. Right now as it stands Honda powers 15 cars and Chevy 14 and each manufacturer has agreed to provide 18 if needed (36) so hence the chance of a real Bump Day in 2016.

Things are without a doubt building all the time and the feeling of the field topping 33 for Bump Day weekend and this possible 36 or more still seems to have a lot of merit as people desire to be part of the biggest race the Speedway has ever hosted.

Full time teams and drivers head to Phoenix next weekend for the second round of the 2016 Championship and the first visit back to Phoenix in many years. The interesting shape oval will also mark the first short track oval of the season as well after the first round was held on the downtown streets of St Pete with Juan Pablo Montoya taking the win just two weeks ago.

Quotes are supplied form the IMS Media Service.

Photos are from the David Turner collection and were taken at both the 98th (2014) and 99th (2015 Indy 500's

St Pete Results

The 2016 IndyCar season is underway.

Round 1 held today on the downtown streets of St Petersburg, Florida provided a very good gauge as to what to expect in 2016.

Penske Racing strong and fast across all four cars. The weak link maybe the team mates all racing each other as the season goes on and the risk of tripping up on each other as we saw in the season closer in 2015. The surprise on race day to see Will Power not make the start after the effects of the crash from practise and now on the concussion check list as well. He will have time to recover before round 2 but will now have no points on the board after the opening round. Stand in driver and super sub these days Oriol Servia doing a great job but very hard to do a lot with very little time in the car and forced to start from the rear of the grid. Montoya while wining the race having steering arm issues with the car in the closing stages but now a back to back winner and certainly on form in 2016 and when he wins he simply just gets stronger.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing -- Scott Dixon clearly the team leader no question of that. The weak link there maybe the support he can get from the team mates if it becomes a championship battle again. TK doing a good job to finish inside the top ten with a car the seemed to not suit him and using Dixon's race set up for there race and having brake issues across the whole race weekend. Concerns from the race the team and for Dixon suffering with overheating issues, its the same sort of issue that cost him the win in 2015 at Indy. Homework from the team will be required there for sure.

Andretti Autosport -- the leading Honda team but looking like a lack of sponsorship on all the cars and one has to wonder if funding will come into play. Hunter Reay the man to beat within that team. Macro Andretti needing to get results in 2016 that's for sure.

In the solid performances bracket Sato for AJ Foyt Racing and Aleshin for SMP Racing good strong runs and both Honda powered and earning good results.

The season now is underway and the teams have a few weeks until round 2 at Phoenix on April 3rd a track that will be new in the 2016 line up but the teams gaining fresh knowledge after several days of pre season testing there just a few weeks ago. There is however nothing like a race weekend to make the teams know its game time again.

Constant theme across the event was talk of the 100th running of the Indy 500 and teams very clearly thinking that before the championship at this stage and once again proving the pulling power that Indy has. That insight will be there for you to read in my new book Mystique of Indy Inside the Brickyard out soon so keep an eye out for it. Plus if you live in New Zealand I am pleased to say I am back on the radio on race days with Glen Larmer and TAB Trackside radio to bring race reports including live coverage from Indy in May both on qualifying weekend and race weekend.

The results then of today's Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and the opening Verizon IndyCar Series race held on the 1.8-mile St. Petersburg street circuit are reflected below.

The order of finish, starting position in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, laps completed and reason out (if any):

1.  (3) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 110, Running
2.  (1) Simon Pagenaud, Chevrolet, 110, Running
3.  (5) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Honda, 110, Running
4.  (2) Helio Castroneves, Chevrolet, 110, Running
5.  (17) Mikhail Aleshin, Honda, 110, Running
6.  (10) Takuma Sato, Honda, 110, Running
7.  (4) Scott Dixon, Chevrolet, 110, Running
8.  (12) Carlos Munoz, Honda, 110, Running
9.  (19) Tony Kanaan, Chevrolet, 110, Running
10.  (13) Charlie Kimball, Chevrolet, 109, Contact
11.  (9) Jack Hawksworth, Honda, 109, Running
12.  (18) Alexander Rossi, Honda, 109, Running 
13.  (20) Conor Daly, Honda, 109, Running
14.  (21) Spencer Pigot, Honda, 109, Running
15.  (14) Marco Andretti, Honda, 109, Running
16.  (6) Graham Rahal, Honda, 109, Running
17.  (16) Max Chilton, Chevrolet, 109, Running
18.  (22) Oriol Servia, Chevrolet, 109, Running
19.  (8) James Hinchcliffe, Honda, 109, Running
20.  (15) Luca Filippi, Honda, 108, Running
21.  (7) Sebastien Bourdais, Chevrolet, 87, Contact 
22.  (11) Josef Newgarden, Chevrolet, 47, Electrical                              


Race Statistics
Winner's average speed:   89.006 mph
Time of Race: 02:13:28.4650
Margin of victory: 2.3306 seconds
Cautions:  2 for 16 laps
Lead changes: 4 among 4 drivers

Lap Leaders:
Pagenaud 1 - 48
Daly 49 - 63
Montoya 64 - 81
Hunter-Reay 82-84 
Montoya 85 - 110

Verizon IndyCar Series Point Standings: Montoya 51, Pagenaud 43, Hunter-Reay 36, Castroneves 32, Aleshin 30, Sato 28, Dixon 26, Munoz 24, Kanaan 22, Kimball 20.


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Photos of Juan Pablo Montoya after wining the 2015 Indy 500 from Perspective Group Ltd  - Media and David Turner

All Will Power in St Pete

                                                  The latest from St Petersburg, Florida.

Australian driver Will Power's qualifying dominance on the streets of St. Petersburg couldn't be stopped even by illness. Battling a stomach virus, Power broke the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg track record in each of the first two segments of knockout qualifying and then turned the best lap in the Firestone Fast Six to collect the Verizon P1 Award. The sixth St. Pete pole position puts Power at the front of the pack for the 110-lap race on the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit, as the Verizon IndyCar Series drops the green flag on the 2016 season March 13.

It was Will Power, who set the track record of 1 minute, 0.6509 of a second (106.841 mph) in 2015 qualifying, toppled the mark in the first segment today with a lap of 1:00.5678 in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. He advanced to the Firestone Fast Six with another record-setting lap of 1:00.0658 (107.882 mph) using a new set of Firestone alternate tires.

While he didn't quite match that effort in the final segment, Power's lap of 1:00.2450 (107.561 mph) was nearly two-tenths better than anyone else in the Firestone Fast Six and easily good enough to secure the 43rd pole of his career, fifth on the all-time Indy car list. It also led a Team Penske sweep of the first four St. Pete starting positions for the second straight year.

"What a great run today for the Verizon Chevy team," said Power, who won the St. Pete race in 2010 and 2014. "It's an awesome feeling to be able to put the new-look Verizon car on pole again here at St. Pete.

"Unfortunately, I've been feeling pretty ill all day," he added. "It was a struggle to get through qualifying, honestly, but we were able to do it and after the Verizon P1 Award presentation I just started feeling a lot worse.

"The car was great today and a big credit to the guys for doing a terrific job in qualifying. I'll try to get some good rest tonight and come back ready to race on Sunday."

Simon Pagenaud, in the No. 22 Hewlett Packard Enterprise Chevrolet, will start second following a lap of 1:00.4421 (107.210 mph). Three-time St. Pete winner Helio Castroneves qualified third in the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet (1:00.4995, 107.108 mph) and defending race winner Juan Pablo Montoya fourth in the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet (1:00.5312, 107.052 mph).

"Great effort for the whole organization," Castroneves said. "To have 1-2-3-4 again, it shows we're really working together as a team. We want to win as a team and we're going to keep pushing. Great effort for Team Penske."

Reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon was the top non-Penske qualifier, fifth in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet (1:00.5395, 107.038 mph).

"Good to see Chevy (sweep) the top five," Dixon said. "Sad to see the first four being Penskes. That's the way it is."

Ryan Hunter-Reay, in the Andretti Autosport No. 28 DHL Honda, was sixth (1:00.8803, 106.438 mph).

Thinking of going to the Indy 500 this year? Check out my travel guide

Photo and detailed information via IndyCar Media.

Look out for Mystique of Indy: Inside the Brickyard out soon on Amazon.com. Can't wait to share it with you all. David.