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The Windscreen arrives.

INDYCAR will take the next step in the evolution of its driver safety program by testing a windscreen on an Indy car for the first time on track, Thursday, Feb. 8, at ISM Raceway. The test will be held in conjunction with the Verizon IndyCar Series' preseason open test near Phoenix.

The windscreen, under development for nearly two years, will be affixed to a Chip Ganassi Racing Honda driven by four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon. The primary goal of the test will be to validate visual acuity for the driver in various lighting conditions - under full sun, at dusk and at night under track lighting. Seen above is my good friend and Dixon Crew Chief Blair Julian (in black at rear) assisting in the fitting of the screen for the test.

The testing will take place on the day set aside for rookie oval testing and Dixon is expected to turn his first laps in the late afternoon. 

"This has been a long process, one that's been very methodical and purposeful," INDYCAR President of Competition and Operations Jay Frye said of the windscreen project. "We have been striving to create a safety piece that aesthetically looks good and works in all conditions, and this is a test of those things. Any piece we put on an Indy car must work for multiple types of venues and different lighting conditions. It has to be versatile."

The windscreen is made of a proprietary Opticor advanced transparency material by PPG, the same material the company uses in its production of fighter jet canopies. The material has shown to be stronger, lighter and more impact-resistant than polycarbonate previously used, according to Jeff Horton, INDYCAR's director of engineering and safety, who has spearheaded windscreen development with Dr. Terry Trammell, INDYCAR medical consultant.

The prototype windscreen has been tested in a scale-model wind tunnel and racing simulator at Dallara, INDYCAR's chassis producer. Harding Racing's Gabby Chaves provided driver feedback after testing in the Dallara driving simulator last year. The on-track test at ISM Raceway is the next step in its evolution, though Frye said there is no timetable for implementation in Verizon IndyCar Series competition.

"We've tested this at Dallara's simulator, but this will be the first time it has been on a car at speed," Frye said. "So, this is just the next step in the process."

It certainly will be very interesting to read and hear the comments after the test and the INDYCAR version is certainly way more pleasing on the eye than the currently seen versions of the F1 Halo due to be used in this years up coming F1 Season.

Photos from INDYCAR Media.

Things changing for the Indy 500 and other pre season changes

Indianapolis 500 qualifying points modified among 2018 rules updates

INDYCAR teams have received the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series Official Rule Book that includes rules updates and procedural modifications for the upcoming season. Among the changes are the amount of championship points earned for Indianapolis 500 qualifying.

Qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil are set for May 19-20, a week ahead of the 102nd running of the race on May 27. This year, driver and entrant points will be awarded to the top nine qualifiers for the race. The pole winner earns nine points and the second-fastest qualifier eight points, with awarded points decreasing by one point for each position down to one point earned by the ninth-fastest qualifier.

Race points for the Indianapolis 500 and the 2018 season finale, the Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sept. 16, will still pay double the normal points for driver and entrant.

Among other changes for 2018:

• The qualifying order for all oval track events except the Indianapolis 500 will be determined by entrant points entering the event. The qualifying order will run in reverse order of entrant points, with the highest in entrant points qualifying last. A car without entrant points will be placed at the front of the qualifying line. If more than one car has no entrant points entering an event, a blind draw among those cars will determine their qualifying order at the front of the line. The qualifying order for the Indianapolis 500 will still be determined by a blind draw.
• Times have been set for the series-wide open test at ISM Raceway (formerly Phoenix Raceway), scheduled for Feb. 9-10. The track will be open to all cars from 3-6 p.m. and 8-11 p.m. ET both days. INDYCAR has also added four hours of track time on Feb. 8 (3-7 p.m. ET) for rookie drivers to complete their oval test assessments.
• The series-wide open test at Portland International Raceway will be held Aug. 30, a day prior to the beginning of the Grand Prix of Portland race weekend. Indy car racing returns to the Pacific Northwest for the first time in 11 years in 2018.
• A schedule change for the month of May will see the INDYCAR garages closed on May 13 - the day after the INDYCAR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course - to allow teams time off for Mother's Day. The track will not be open to the public on this day. The garages will be open on May 14, but there will be no on-track activity. Practice for the 2018 Indianapolis 500 begins Tuesday, May 15 on the IMS oval, with the first two hours open for rookie orientation and veteran refreshers, then to all cars. Practice continues May 16-18, ahead of qualifications weekend May 19-20.
• INDYCAR is granting teams that did not participate in fall manufacturer testing with the universal aero kit an additional half day of private testing. The testing is limited to one car per team and must take place in conjunction with the team's first on-track test of 2018. Each team is permitted five hours of track time and two sets of Firestone tires.
• Working with Firestone, INDYCAR has increased the tire allotment at five events. The race weekends at ISM Raceway, the Raceway at Belle Isle Park in Detroit, Texas Motor Speedway, the streets of Toronto and Iowa Speedway will see teams receive an additional set of tires. In a related change, drivers outside the top 10 in the point standings will no longer have an extra set of tires available to them for the opening practice session of a race weekend.
• The minimum car weight for 2018 has been increased by 10 pounds - to 1,620 pounds for road and street courses and short ovals, 1,590 pounds for superspeedways (both do not include fuel, drink bottle and its contents, driver and driver equivalency weight) - to accommodate for new parts and additional on-car cameras related to the universal aero kit all competitors will run in 2018.

The 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule consists of 17 races, beginning with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 11 and concluding with the Grand Prix of Sonoma on Sept. 16. Teams will gather for a series-wide open test at ISM Raceway on Feb. 9-10, with the second day of testing offering free admission for fans to attend.  

Media supplied from IndyCar Media Services and photos from the David Turner collection.

Back Home Again

Beloved Indianapolis 500 Icon Nabors Passes Away

Actor-Entertainer Sang 'Back Home Again in Indiana' during Pre-Race Ceremonies for 36 Years

Actor-entertainer Jim Nabors, one of the most beloved figures in Indianapolis 500 history for his stirring pre-race rendition of "Back Home Again in Indiana," passed away Thursday, Nov. 30 at his home in Hawaii. He was 87.

Nabors sang the iconic tune 36 times between 1972 and 2014 during pre-race ceremonies for the Indianapolis 500. Although born in Alabama, Nabors was considered a true Hoosier due to his performances at the "500" but even more so because of his warmth, grace and generosity, and his very close relationship with the Hulman-George family, owners of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"Jim Nabors was such a kind, caring man, and we will miss him greatly," the Hulman-George family said. "Jim was born in Alabama, but he became a Hoosier to all of us almost immediately after he began his superb performances of 'Back Home Again in Indiana' starting in 1972. He loved coming back home to the Speedway almost every May for more than 40 years and seeing his friends and race fans, who loved him dearly. Jim was not only a treasured friend, but truly a cherished member of our family.

"We will never forget his genuine kindness, sincerity and loyalty. He was a wonderful man who inspired millions of people across the globe every May and throughout his entire life."

Nabors was best known for his television portrayal of bumpkin Gomer Pyle in the "The Andy Griffith Show" in the early 1960s and for his starring role in the popular spin-off television comedy "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." from 1964-69. His catchphrase on both shows, "Gollllll-ly!" was flavored with the Southern drawl of his native Alabama.

But Nabors also had an extensive background in singing with his rich baritone in cabaret and night club performances before his acting career. He sang on episodes of "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." and on televised variety shows and theater performances for many years.

Nabors' journey to performing "Back Home Again in Indiana" was an anecdote he enjoyed telling. He was the guest of casino magnate Bill Harrah at the 1972 Indianapolis 500 when, on Race Morning, Nabors was approached shortly before pre-race ceremonies to sing during the festivities. He presumed he would be asked to perform the national anthem.

Instead, race officials asked Nabors to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana." He didn't know the lyrics, so he scrawled them on the palm of his hand and wowed the huge crowd with his performance.

Nabors returned to sing each year from 1973-78, becoming a big hit with fans and the Hulman-George family. Other singers performed the song from 1979-82, with Nabors returning in 1983 and 1984. Nabors was in Indianapolis to sing in 1986, but the race suffered two full days of rain delays. He was unable to return to sing when the race ran the following weekend.

In 1987, Nabors began a run of singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" for 27 of the next 28 years. He missed the 2007 race due to illness, and his rendition in 2012 was taped in advance and shown on the track's video boards since Nabors couldn't travel from Hawaii due to illness.

Nabors' final performance came in 2014, when he also joined IMS Chairman of the Board Emeritus Mari Hulman George to give the command to start engines for the 98th Indianapolis 500.

That gesture was a prominent example of the extremely close friendship between Nabors and the Hulman-George family, especially Mari Hulman George. Nabors, fellow actor and entertainer Florence Henderson and Mari Hulman George enjoyed spending time together for decades as an almost inseparable trio of best friends during all Race Weekend activities, such as the Public Drivers Meeting, 500 Festival Parade and Victory Celebration.

Nabors' common touch and humility also were displayed annually to thousands of IMS fans who loved him dearly as an institution of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." He always had a kind word for everyone and posed for countless pictures and signed seemingly limitless autographs. Nabors often visited the gift shop in the IMS Museum on Saturday of Race Weekend after the 500 Festival Parade, unassumingly walking in, waving and greeting excited IMS employees with genuine affection and enthusiasm about making his annual return to the Speedway.

"Everyone at IMS is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our dear friend Jim Nabors," IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. "Jim's stirring rendition of 'Back Home Again in Indiana' became as much of a tradition of the Indianapolis 500 as the command to start engines or the winner's bottle of milk.

"But more importantly, Jim was such a nice man. He was beloved by our fans because he loved the Speedway and the '500' just as much as them. He wasn't born in Indiana, but he was a true Hoosier. We always will remember Jim and extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends."

Nabors is survived by his husband, Stan Cadwallader.

Information from IMS Media.

New look IndyCar in 2018

IndyCar have announced that longtime partner Dallara Automobili will manufacture the universal bodywork kit that will fit the current Dallara IR-12 chassis for the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

The universal kit to be used by all teams next season was a collaboration between INDYCAR and Dallara with the style design support of Chris Beatty, a concept design and 3D animation consultant based in the United Kingdom. The goal was to make the car resemble past Indy car favorites with a sleek, bold look while incorporating the latest technological and safety advancements.

The process of creating the next-generation Indy car began in April 2016 when INDYCAR, sanctioning body for the premier North American open-wheel racing series, set the criteria for potential manufacturers. The design process commenced in November with hand drawings outlining the general design of the car.

"This has been a collaborative effort from multiple parties, including input from our paddock and fans," said Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations.

"Dallara has been a great partner, and we couldn't be more enthused with the look, the safety enhancements and the performance objectives of the 2018 car."

Dallara has supplied safety cells for the Verizon IndyCar Series since 1997 and been the sole chassis supplier since 2008. It has also supplied since 2015 the chassis used in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires, the top level of the INDYCAR developmental ladder. Dallara will continue to support Verizon IndyCar Series teams through its U.S. headquarters and engineering center a few blocks south of Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.

"2017 marks the 20th anniversary of our presence in INDYCAR, and it is a great honor for us to continue our partnership with the Verizon IndyCar Series," said Andrea Pontremoli, Dallara CEO and general manager. "Our main goal for the new aero kit was to work on the style, trying to maintain the American essence of the car and the series keeping a good level of performance and safety."

INDYCAR has scheduled the first test of the universal kit's superspeedway oval configuration for July 25-26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The road-course configuration will be tested Aug. 1 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the day following the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, the 13th race on this year's Verizon IndyCar Series schedule. Other tests are scheduled for Aug. 28 (at Iowa Speedway) and Sept. 26 (at Sebring International Raceway).

INDYCAR unveiled first renderings of the 2018 car design Jan. 12 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Additional, more detailed images followed in March and May.

Verizon IndyCar Series teams will still be able to choose between Chevrolet and Honda engines for competition in 2018. As with the current aero kits provided by Chevrolet and Honda through the end of this season, the universal car will come in two configurations: one for superspeedway ovals and the other for street courses, road courses and short ovals.

A key component of the new car is its ability to generate most of its downforce from underneath as opposed to the top side, which differs from the current bodywork kits. The change reduces the turbulence a leading car produces in its wake, improving the chances of a trailing car to make a pass. More passing typically generates more exciting racing.

INDYCAR's aerodynamic target safety enhancements include side impact structures in the car's sidepods and repositioned radiators to assist in reducing the severity of side impacts by crushing on impact. Other noticeable features in the new car images include a lower engine cover to provide a more traditional Indy car look. Turbocharger inlets are moving to the inside of the radiator inlet ducts.

The rear wing and front wing main plane are smaller in the new car look, and the centerline wicker from the nose of the car to the cockpit is tapered. The rear wing in the street course/road course/short oval configuration is lower and wider. The fins on the leading edge of the sidepods of the current car will be minimized on the 2018 car.

Information supplied from IndyCar Media Services.

Sato takes the 101st Indy 500

Sato becomes first Japanese winner of Indy 500 in thrilling finish.

Sunday, May 28, 2017. Kiwi Team Manger for Sato played a major role in the race win for first time winner Sato. New Zealander Paul (Ziggy) Harcus well known in the IndyCar paddock claimed another 500 victory today and back to back wins as well in his role as team manager at Andretti Autosport and today May 28th 2017 in his season role this season in charge of race tactics for Sato.

Many wondered if an experienced Formula One driver competing for Andretti Autosport could win the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. It happened, just not by the one some expected.

Takuma Sato capped off another thrilling Indianapolis 500 that featured a record number of drivers leading the race. The driver of the No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda edged three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves to the finish line by 0.2011 of a second to become the first Japanese winner of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Sato passed Castroneves for the lead on Lap 195 - the last of 35 lead changes in the 200-lap race on the historic 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and the seventh straight year that the decisive pass for the Indy 500 lead occurred in the last six laps. Sato held off aggressive charges from Castroneves, the driver of the No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, in the sixth-closest finish in Indy 500 history.

After spending seven years in Formula One, Sato came to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2010. His only previous Indy car victory was in 2013 with AJ Foyt Racing on the streets of Long Beach, California. Sato joined Andretti Autosport this season, and his first oval win today is the fifth for Andretti Autosport in the Indianapolis 500 - including three in the last four years.

"It's such a privilege to win here," said Sato, who crashed while battling eventual winner Dario Franchitti for the lead on the final lap of the 2012 Indy 500. "So whether it was the first attempt or eighth attempt or you had a drama in the past, it doesn't really matter. Winning today, it's just superb.

"But, yes, I do feel after 2012 I really needed to correct something I left over. Today, I was so happy that I made it and won in a good move."

Sato is the 71st driver to win an Indianapolis 500 in its 101 runnings. The best previous finish by a Japanese driver was fifth by Tora Takagi in 2003.

Castroneves overcame a black-flag penalty for jumping a restart and dodged mayhem in two race incidents to finish second at Indy for the third time - making him one of seven drivers with three Indianapolis 500 runner-up finishes. It is the 41st second-place finish of the Brazilian's 20-year Indy car career, which ranks second all time.

"The Shell Fuel Rewards Chevy team almost got it done today," said Castroneves, attempting for the eighth straight year to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as four-time Indy 500 winners. "It was so close. 

"I say, 'great job' to my guys," added Castroneves, who recovered from his worst Indy 500 start (19th) and the pit drive-through penalty to finish runner-up. "They worked their tails off, we saw it all today. We were in the back and we led some laps. We avoided disaster and we almost got (win) No. 4."

Dale Coyne Racing rookie Ed Jones finished a career-best third. Like Castroneves, Jones had to climb from the rear of the field after having the rear wing assembly on his No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Honda replaced during a pit stop.

"We kept pushing on, kept making up positions," the 23-year-old from Dubai said. "I had a great Dale Coyne Racing car underneath me the whole way that got me to make those passes. ... Congrats to Sato. I didn't really have the pace for him and Helio at the end, but we did the best we could."

Fernando Alonso was the most heralded rookie coming into the race. The two-time Formula One champion, who bypassed today's F1 Monaco Grand Prix to fulfill a dream to drive in the Indy 500, started fifth, ran up front most of the day and led 27 laps in the No. 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda. Alonso's race came to a premature conclusion 24th place with a mechanical issue after 179 laps.

"Obviously disappointed not to finish the race because every race you compete, you want to be at the checkered flag," Alonso said. "Today, (it) was not possible. Anyway, (it) was a great experience, the last two weeks. I came here basically to prove myself, to challenge myself. I know that I can be as quick as anyone in an F1 car. I didn't know if I can be as quick as anyone in an Indy car.

"Thanks to IndyCar, an amazing experience," the 35-year-old Spaniard added. "Thanks to Indianapolis, thanks to the fans. I felt at home. I'm not American, but I felt really proud to race here."

Despite going a lap down early with handling issues, Chip Ganassi Racing's Max Chilton led the most laps (50) before finishing fourth. It was the best showing of the 26-year-old Brit's two-year Verizon IndyCar Series career.

"I don't think anyone has ever won this race without a little bit of luck," said Chilton, driver of the No. 8 Gallagher Honda. "When we did end up getting out front, the car was really quick and you can see why this place is so special and so electric in that moment. ... To come from a lap down to lead and have a chance to win here at Indy is a massive accomplishment for the whole team."  

A total of 15 drivers led the event, breaking the record of 14 set in 2013. The race was slowed by 11 cautions periods for a total of 50 laps. A red flag stopped action for 19 minutes to repair the SAFER Barrier and catch fencing in the short chute between Turns 1 and 2. It was the result of a Lap 53 collision between Jay Howard and pole sitter Scott Dixon that vaulted Dixon's car into the safety materials on the inside of the track. Neither driver was injured.

"I'm just a little beaten up," said Dixon, driver of the No. 9 Camping World Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing. "It was definitely a bit of a rough ride.

"I was hoping that Jay was going to stay against the wall, but obviously, there was the impact. I had already picked that way to go and there was nowhere else to go to avoid him. It was definitely a wild ride. Big thanks to the Holmatro Safety Team, INDYCAR and Dallara and everyone for the safety standards we have on these cars."

Buddy Lazier was involved in a single-car incident on Lap 122. The 1996 Indy 500 winner spun and contacted the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier in the No. 44 Lazier Racing-StalkIt-Tivoli Lodge Chevrolet. Complaining of chest discomfort, Lazier was transported to IU Health Methodist Hospital, where he was treated and released.

The final caution flag waved on Lap 184 when the cars of James Davison and Oriol Servia touched in Turn 2, sparking a five-car incident that also collected James Hinchcliffe, Josef Newgarden and Will Power. None of the drivers was injured.

Sato becomes the sixth different winner in as many Verizon IndyCar Series races this season and jumps to third place in the standings. Castroneves leads with 245 points while reigning series champion Simon Pagenaud, Sato and Dixon each has 234. Alexander Rossi is fifth in points with 190 after finishing seventh today.

Photo of Paul Harcus at IMS 2016 David Turner Collection

Media quotes ex IndyCar Media

The Field is set for the 101st Indy 500

All go for the 101st.

Scott Dixon thrilled Indianapolis 500 qualifying fans like they haven't been in more than two decades, capturing the pole position for the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil with the fastest average speed since 1996.

The four-time Verizon IndyCar Series champion and fourth-winningest driver in Indy car history completed four on-the-edge laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval at 232.164 mph. The 10-mile run in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was the best speed seen at IMS since Arie Luyendyk set the track record of 236.986 mph in second-day qualifying on May 12, 1996.

"It feels fast," Dixon said. "Any speed (above) 215 or 220 around this place feels really fast, but I think you just block it all out. You're constantly just trying to feel how the car is, see where you can place it, see if you can improve the next lap. It's been so intense this weekend just trying to hold on to the car for the four laps. I think that's where all the focus has been.

"But I think for the Verizon IndyCar Series, it's cool to see these speeds gradually creeping up. It's good to see we've made a big improvement. I think I did a 227 average last year, so it's a nice little jump."

It is Dixon's third Indy 500 pole position - he won from the front spot in 2008 - and the 26th of his 17-year Indy car career, moving the 36-year-old New Zealander past Paul Tracy and alone into 11th place on the all-time poles list.

The third-fastest driver in first-day qualifying Saturday, Dixon was the seventh of nine to make an attempt in the Fast Nine Shootout under late-afternoon Indiana sunshine today. His first lap of 232.595 mph was also the fastest official lap recorded at IMS since the 1996 Indy 500 race. Luyendyk still holds the single-lap standard, 237.498 mph, also set during his record qualifying run.

Dixon will start on point for the third-fastest field in Indy 500 history, with a 228.400 mph average. Joining him on the front row are Ed Carpenter in the No. 20 Fuzzy's Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet and defending Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi in the No. 98 NAPA Auto Parts/Curb Honda.

In the process of taking the top spot, Dixon ended a string of six straight Verizon IndyCar Series race poles won by Team Penske, dating to the 2016 season finale at Sonoma Raceway. It also marked the 88th pole in Indy car history for Chip Ganassi Racing and its fifth at the Indianapolis 500.

Though qualifying points aren't officially awarded until after the race completion, Dixon has the provisional points lead by 21 over 2016 series champion Simon Pagenaud heading into Indy 500 worth double the normal race points.

"Today, we managed to get it done and we're starting in the right place," said Dixon, the 40-time Indy car race winner. "The hard part now is to keep it there."

Carpenter, fastest in first-day qualifying, put together a four-lap run of 231.664 mph to collect his third front-row start in the Indianapolis 500. He was the 2013 and '14 pole sitter.

"That's all she had," Carpenter said. "Would it have been fun to win a third pole? Yes, but at the same time to be in the middle of the front row with two former 500 champions, hopefully I can convert from the front row this time and earn a victory." 

Rossi started 11th as an Indy 500 rookie a year ago, fell back midway and won the 200-lap race on a risky fuel strategy. He qualified third at 231.487 mph to secure a career-best start in a Verizon IndyCar Series race - his previous best was fifth earlier this season at Long Beach - and the first front-row start of his Indy car career.

"You're always disappointed if you're not in front, but I think it's a good effort from the team," Rossi said. "Seeing Scott's speed is pretty impressive; I know we couldn't have done that. We've got to be content with the front row."

Rossi was one of four Andretti Autosport entries to compete in the Fast Nine Shootout. Teammates Takuma Sato (No. 26 Andretti Autosport Honda) and Fernando Alonso (No. 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda) earned the fourth and fifth starting positions, respectively, with Marco Andretti (No. 27 United Fiber & Data Honda) qualifying eighth.

Alonso had the most eventful day of the Andretti drivers. His car underwent a lightning-quick engine change following the pre-qualifying practice session, but it didn't unnerve the two-time Formula One champion making his Verizon IndyCar Series and oval track debut. The 35-year-old Spaniard was the first of the Fast Nine drivers to surpass 231 mph with a four-lap average at 231.300.

"The practice felt good on the car and then we spotted some issues with the engine," Alonso explained. "At one point in the morning, we didn't know if we were able to run in qualifying because we had to change the whole engine. But the team was amazing. They were guys from all six (Andretti) teams working on car (No.) 29 just to make it possible, so thanks to all that teamwork, I was able to go for qualifying."

Rounding out the top nine qualifiers were JR Hildebrand (No. 21 Preferred Freezer Service Ed Carpenter Chevrolet) in sixth, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan (No. 10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) seventh and Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) ninth.

Andretti Autosport landed a fifth driver in the top 10 when 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay led Group 1 qualifying to determine race starting positions 10 through 33. The driver of the No. 28 DHL Honda ran four laps at 231.442 mph, which would have been good enough for fourth had it come in the Fast Nine Shootout. As it stands, Hunter-Reay will start on the inside of Row 4, with Ed Jones (No. 19 Boy Scouts of America Dale Coyne Racing Honda) and Oriol Servia (No. 16 Manitowoc Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) alongside.

Team Penske, with a record 16 Indianapolis 500 wins, struggled in qualifying. Power was slowest in the Fast Nine Shootout and starts on the outside of Row 3. Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya qualified on the outside of Row 6 and three-time winner Helio Castroneves on the inside of Row 7, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud occupying the inside and middle of Row 8.

Thirty-two cars qualified today. The 33rd position on the grid will be filled by James Davison, named today to replace the injured Sebastien Bourdais in the No. 18 GEICO Honda for Dale Coyne Racing. Bourdais sustained multiple pelvic fractures and a fractured right hip when he crashed making a qualifying attempt Saturday.

According to Dr. Geoffrey Billows, INDYCAR medical director, the four-time Indy car champion underwent successful surgery Saturday night at IU Health Methodist Hospital. Bourdais released a statement today.

"I want to thank everybody for the support and the messages," the 38-year-old with 36 career Indy car wins said. "Quite a few drivers have already dropped by. It's going to take time, but I'm feeling pretty good since the surgery. I'll be back at some point. Just don't know when yet."

Thanks for quotes ex IndyCar Media

Photos from David Turner collection Indy Grand Prix 2017

Alonso, Phoenix and Dixon

Alonso, Dixon Phoenix and More.

After spending the last week in Las Vegas at a Television Expo and Conference (my real job) what better thing to do than jump in the car and shoot over to Phoenix for two days it’s only a short little drive just a few hours so easy.

Worth it? Heck yes. This great one-mile dogleg oval in the desert is demanding interesting scary and cool all wrapped up into one that’s for sure. Even the pit lane for the IndyCars stretches along the main straightaway and into turn one so some teams are even pitting on a curve. Now that requires focus from the driver that’s for sure. More on that soon.

News surrounding the 101^st Indy 500 seems to be all focused around one thing ‘Alonso’ and anything about him. News from a very good source is that at the Honda simulator test he did last week before heading back to Europe for this weekends Russian F1 Grand Prix he was on it. Not in a little way either he was straight into his work and started really turning good times and positive feedback to everyone at Honda. Naturally of course come May 3rd and his private test at the speedway it might be a different ball game but the gut feeling is this guy could be on the verge of something very special indeed. I watched him last week at Alabama and his associated press conferences and I have never seen him so relaxed, so free to talk and meet the fans and that can only mean one thing to me, take note everyone this guy is here to turn heads and win a race that’s for sure.

Recently in the US Media he commented how amazed he is from the fan base in the US. He spoke of his F1 trips here where hardly anyone knew who he was, while this trip during a flight delay at a New York airport he had masses of people come up and wish him the best and complement him on the road ahead. Such a different thing for him. He is in for many different things in the coming weeks the U.S. media do things different to F1, the fans are different as well and above all the series is different but its one he is welcomed to and one he seems to be very happy with and so very relaxed about the job in hand. It all bodes well for a great showing at Indy that’s for sure. The pressure will really be on for the Andretti Autosport team as the prepare a total of six cars for the 500 that’s a massive undertaking at any time but now with the world watching on around this one driver the task will be no mean feet for the team to cope with along with looking after its regular drivers and the additional fifth car for Jack Harvey which was always planned for.

Now to Phoenix and Dixon the defending winner here and he is firmly after his first win for season 2017. On the podium every race this season but not the top step (yet) but this is a great start for him in the quest for another championship. Clearly the number one at Ganassi as well when you judge it on pure performance over his teammates in my view.

Friday saw a new twist in the Indy Car series a single two-hour practice session and then a two-hour break and then straight into qualifying.

Practice was mid afternoon and it was hot very hot and several dust storms halted the running at times as the wind built but Dixon was strong in this session and rounded out the afternoon in the sixth spot but it was last weekends race winner Newgarden that topped the afternoon timesheets.

Come qualifying and the evening cooled rapidly as the teams lined up for the single car dash. It was Helio Castroneves that simply stunned every one taking pole position "People don't realize that qualifying is extremely difficult. I took it to the limit - I had one eye closed and one eye open. Experience is a big part of this and today was really, really good. The conditions were really difficult today in practice - the gusting winds were horrendous. We worked mostly on the race setup (in practice). My engineer did a phenomenal job and obviously everybody at Team Penske - the REV Group car was really fast. Qualifying is one thing - the race is another - but I'm really confident going into tomorrow."

As for Dixon they slightly miss read how cool it was going to get and he lines up in the eight spot for the race "The ambient conditions changed a lot from practice to qualifying. We found a lot and learned that we were a bit too conservative in qualifying. We came up a little short and we know we can trim out a bit more for the race in the NTT Data No. 9. It was a little bit too easy which means we have room to go faster which is good for the race tomorrow."

Race day dawned another typical day for the area and was in the upper 20s temperature wise. 4pm saw the 100 lap race for the USAC Silver Crown Cars featuring regular visitor to the New Zealand Speedway scene Jerry Coons Jr, he was to finish the race 5^th “The big thing obviously is the change in the back straightaway. When we first started running it, we were kind of used to being really flat. You could run flat-footed through the dog leg and then back up out of it. In first practice with a full load of fuel you could flat-foot it through there, but in practice it was a little bit hairy trying to run through it flat-footed. Our car got a little bit light coming out of it, so that was probably the biggest change, just having to kind of breathe it though there.”

Bobby Santos took the win in a great last 12-lap battle amongst the top 4 cars. It was awesome to see Silver Crown cars return to the track and the history they have with this track and the return of growth to the USAC pavement series.

As the skies darked and the sun set it was time to get into the 250-lap IndyCar race and the fourth of the season for the series. Just as it had the night before as the sun went down the temperature went with it.

It was to become the story of the bright yellow car of Pagenaud that claimed this one and control the race from a pitstop that fell at just the right time. New Zealand’s Scott Dixon battled hard all race and become the “best in class” as he called it becoming the first Honda powered car home in 5^th but the big thing for Dixon fans is the points haul and the fact only Dixon and Pagenuad are to have top five finishes in every race this season. One can kinda sense where this might be heading even now.

So it was the reigning series champion Pagenaud who drove away from the field in the final half of the Desert Diamond West Valley Phoenix Grand Prix taking the race win by 9.1028 seconds over teammate Will Power and assuming the points lead after four races of the 2017 season. 

He collected his 10th win of his IndyCar career and led a Chevy sweep of the top four positions on the 1.022-mile oval that has hosted 63 Indy car races dating to 1964. It was also win No. 450 for Team Penske in all racing competitions and its 100th on Indy car ovals.

"I can't explain how excited I am," Pagenaud said. "Ovals are not my specialty - I grew up in Europe racing go-karts. I learned about ovals when I was 26 years old so I had to learn the skill and the technique that I didn't know. 

"Man, this is incredible. What a win!"

Pagenaud really took control midway through the 250-lap race, running longer while other frontrunners had to stop for fuel and tires. Pagenaud pitted on Lap 140 with a one-lap advantage on the field under a caution period caused when Takuma Sato's car made contact with the Turn 4 barrier. Pagenaud returned to the track in first place and led the final 114 laps. It certainly is a track that did not provide a lot of passing that’s for sure and there was a lot of talk about the drivers saying let us have more power and less down force here and force us to race harder and pass. Running the road course spec aero on this little oval proved that the grip was there but sadly the passing wasn’t.

Team Penske's four drivers led all 250 laps, the first time a team has paced every lap in a race since Team Penske did the same thing in the first race of Belle Isle doubleheader last year. Power led 59 laps in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet before finishing second. "It was good night considering where we've finished the last few races," said Power, whose best result this season prior to tonight was 13th. "I'm happy to finish second and get some points."

Pole sitter Helio Castroneves led 73 laps in the No. 3 REV Group Team Penske Chevy and finished fourth. Josef Newgarden, the winner of last week's Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, led two laps in the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevy and ran up front most of the night until contact with Ryan Hunter-Reay forced an unscheduled pit stop and Newgarden finished ninth.

JR Hildebrand finished third in the No. 21 Fuzzy's Vodka Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet the best result for Hildebrand since his memorable runner-up finish in the 2011 Indianapolis 500 when he crashed while leading on the final lap. Hildebrand was pleased with the nights showing after he sat out last week's race at Barber Motorsports Park while a broken bone in his left hand mended from an April 9 crash in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. "The car was just awesome all day," Hildebrand said. "Excited to get the result for the team, for sure. The car was bitchin'. I think at the end of the race we had obviously one of the top three, but I think we might have had the best car on the track."

Pagenaud now holds an 18-point advantage in the championship over Scott Dixon, who moved up to second in the points table. Newgarden sits third in the standings, 26 points out of first place.

After the race Dixon said "Obviously, it was a tough night for the No. 9 NTT Data car, and all the Honda entries I think. Chevy had a leg up on us here and they showed that tonight. We tried to keep our nose clean but just didn't have anything for them tonight. Hopefully we can get some momentum back at the Grand Prix of Indy next month."

Sebastien Bourdais of Dale Coyne Racing, who led the points entering the night, was caught in a five-car incident on the opening lap when Mikhail Aleshin spun and collected the cars of Bourdais, Marco Andretti, Max Chilton and Graham Rahal in Turn 2. No drivers were injured. Bourdais finished 19th and dropped to fourth in the standings.

The Verizon IndyCar Series heads to an open test on Tuesday at Gateway Motorsports Park, where the series will race under the lights on Aug. 26^th so busy times ahead as the month of May kicks off.

The season is now and truly alive and kicking and now we will see who is strong and can cope and who gets lost along the way.

Phoenix great track that’s for sure just needed some passing added to the mix but as for the venue a gem in the sand that’s for sure.

Photos all David Turner Phoenix  2017

Bourdais takes the first round of 2017.

On Sunday March 12th 2017 Sebastien Bourdais went for a Sunday drive in his adopted American hometown, but it was far from leisurely. The Frenchman charged from last to first to win the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the opening race on the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series schedule.

Bourdais piloted his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda to a 10.3508-second victory over countryman Simon Pagenaud in the 110-lap race on the 1.8-mile temporary street circuit to secure the 36th victory of his illustrious Indy car career. It moved the 38-year-old Bourdais past Bobby Unser into sole possession of sixth place on the all-time win list.

"It's probably the hardest race to recover, the (pit) windows are really narrow and it's really hard to pass," said Bourdais, whose Indy car career began 14 years ago at the inaugural St. Petersburg race.

Bourdais moved to St. Petersburg permanently more than a decade ago and rejoined Coyne's team this season after leaving it six years ago. 

"It's putting the band back together and hopefully we'll have many more days like this," he said.

After crashing his car in the first round of qualifying Saturday, Bourdais started today's race at the rear of the 21-car field. He had advanced to ninth place when the second and last full-course caution flag waved on Lap 26. When seven cars in front of Bourdais made pit stops under the yellow, Bourdais seized the advantage. He passed reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Pagenaud for first place on Lap 37 and led 69 of the last 84 laps.

"Honestly, I'm a little speechless," said Bourdais, the four-time Indy car champion who now has led 2,526 laps in his career, good for 22nd place all-time. "We had a miserable day yesterday (in qualifying) and that was all me, and today we turned it into a great day. Once you're in the lead here, it's awful difficult to lose it unless you throw it away, so I sure tried not to do that again."

Pagenaud finished runner-up at St. Petersburg for the second consecutive year. The Team Penske driver of the No. 1 PPG Automotive Refinish Chevrolet used the 2016 St. Pete result as a launching pad to his first series championship.

"At the end (of the race), I pushed really, really hard at the beginning of the stint on the (Firestone alternate) red tires to try to come back and get (Bourdais) on the pit sequence," Pagenaud said. "And I pushed so hard that actually the tires dropped off really quickly afterwards and I couldn't keep up toward the end of the stint.

"I'm very happy that we finished second, which is where we finished last year, so hopefully that's good luck."

2008 Indy 500 winner and four time series champ Scott Dixon placed third in the No. 9 GE LED Lighting Honda, marking the 90th time the Chip Ganassi Racing driver has finished in the top three and tying the New Zealander with Helio Castroneves for sixth on the all-time podium chart.

Andretti Autosport teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay and Takuma Sato finished fourth and fifth, respectively, giving Honda four of the top five finishers. Bourdais' win is the first for Honda on a temporary street circuit since the manufacturer swept the Houston doubleheader in June 2014, also the last time Dale Coyne Racing won a race.

The next stop on the 17-race Verizon IndyCar Series schedule is the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach the weekend of April 7-9 on another street circuit before the teams then hit the permanent race circuits and the ovals.

Media quotes from Indy Car media and photo from the David Turner collection of Bourdais at the driver intros at the 100th running of the Indy 500.