129 replies to this topic

[prommer]

*Actually, uh, we’re, uh, only at 32 and holding… nothing to see here…

**NOT a circle, nor really an oval, tbh, more like a rounded rectangle. Or, as Alonso put it astutely 5 years ago, a road course with four straights and four Parabolicas.

***Weather permitting, and the month of April is as cruel in Indy as the month of May.

 

32 is just a number...

 

All the participants for the Indy 500 will be converging on Indianapolis for an Open Test to be held this Wednesday and Thursday, April 20-21. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em on Wednesday.  Tires, I mean. Tires.

 

Wednesday April 20 (all times Eastern Daylight Time)

11am - 1pm: Veteran drivers only

1pm – 3pm: Rookie drivers only (rookie orientation program)

3pm - 6pm: All-skate

 

Thursday April 21

10am - 4pm All-day, All-skate (but don’t be surprised if the early part of the session is held for any rookie who didn’t complete ROP the day before)

 

Where can I see it?

GREAT QUESTION. Full coverage is on Peacock in the USA; overseas, well, hopefully there will be a livestream on the Indycar website or on Youtube perhaps. Maybe a Nigerian? Pretty please? Indycar, are you listening?

Live Timing should be up on the Indycar website regardless of TV coverage

And, probably, for esteemed forum member BSquared only, in-person attendance available on the Turn 2 viewing mounds.

 

Who’s in it?

Well, first of all, we’ve got a bumper rookie class this year. Seven of them, though two of them may end up playing with the veterans. Grosjean and Johnson already “passed” Rookie Orientation back in October, although they didn’t officially finish Stage 3 due to a rainout, so they owe the stewards just a few ROP laps. Whether this means they get to play with the rookies or with the veterans on Wednesday is unclear.

 

Kyle Kirkwood (#14 – Foyt)

David Malukas (#18 – Coyne)

Romain Grosjean (#28 – Andretti)

      (note: first Indy 500 for Grosjean, but he’s ran two ovals now, Gateway last season and Texas this season.)

Devlin DeFrancesco (#29 – Andretti)

Christian Lundgaard (#30 – Rahal)

Jimmie Johnson (#48 - Ganassi) (second Indycar season, but first year on ovals, bless you Chandra)

     (note: JJ finished an impressive 6^th at the Texas oval last month but fractured a finger at Long Beach last week, which may hinder his progress at this test).

Calum Ilott (#77 – Juncos)

 

Here are the full-season veterans (bold denotes former Indy 500 winners):

Josef Newgarden (#2 – Penske)

Scott McLaughlin (#3 – Penske)

Dalton Kellett (#4 – Foyt)

Pato O’Ward (#5 – McLaren)

Helio Castroneves (#06 – Shank)

Felix Rosenqvist (#7 – McLaren)

Marcus Ericsson (#8 – Ganassi)

Scott Dixon (#9 – Ganassi)

Alex Palou (#10 – Ganassi)

J.R. Hildebrand (not in bold, ouch!) (#11 – Foyt, ride-share with Calderon)

Will Power (#12 – Penske)

Graham Rahal (#15 – Rahal)

Conor Daly (#20 – Carpenter)

Rinus Veekay (#21 – Carpenter)

Colton Herta (#26 – Andretti)

Alexander Rossi (#27 – Andretti)

Jack Harvey (#45 – Rahal)

Takuma Sato (#51 – Coyne)

Simon Pagenaud (#60 – Shank)

 

And here are the part-time entries and one-offs to fill out (well…) the field.

Juan Montoya (#6 – McLaren)

Santino Ferrucci (#23 - Dreyer and Reinbold)

Sage Karam (#24 - Dreyer and Reinbold)

Ed Carpenter (#33 - Paretta, haha still playing, Carpenter, ovals-only entry)

Tony Kanaan (#84 – Ganassi)

Marco Andretti (#98 - Top Gun, nah just playing, Andretti)

 

Why are we only at 32 entries? Isn’t Indycar booming?

Well, therein lies a discussion. There are a lot of limiting factors.

1. Engine leases are limited. Honda has agreed to provide up to 18 engines, Chevy up to 16.  That means we max out at 34 at best.
2. Good quality pit crews and team members are at a premium, because they’ve been soaked up by the 26 full season entries. Whoever runs the 33^rd entry is going to be cobbling together a team at the last moment. Paging the Wood Brothers…
3. The highest in line for the 33^rd entry would probably be Paretta Autosport and Simona deSilvestro, with their Penske technical backing; however, they only have partial season funding and have committed themselves to running street and road courses later in the season, rather than spending it all on Indy.
4. In late breaking news, Juncos-Hollinger has said they will run a 33^rd car as an absolute last resort, but they “really don’t want to”. That’s rousing enthusiasm, ain't it?
5. The next closest would be Cusick Motorsports with Stefan Wilson, but they have yet to secure full funding.
6. Everyone else on the sidelines needs more money/tubs/engine leases than we have need for the magical “33”, frankly. Some of the names involved are interesting, anyhow. Kat Legge, Zach Veach, Ryan Hunter-Reay, RC Enerson among others. Bring your helmet to the Turn 2 mounds.

 

So, are we ready? Let’s enjoy anywhere from zero to two rain-specked days of 32 cars running around in rectangles!

 

LFG!!!

[boomn]

Thanks for the heads-up!  I'm going to turn this on during the work day for some interesting background sounds

[BarryinIN]

I’m pretty free those days. I should head over.
Eh, if I wouldn’t get worked up over the good old days of not so long ago. I held up well at the MotoAmerica races two years ago, but that’s different.

[Risil]

I’m pretty free those days. I should head over.
Eh, if I wouldn’t get worked up over the good old days of not so long ago. I held up well at the MotoAmerica races two years ago, but that’s different.

Do it for the tenderloins. If they have those during practice day.

[GlenWatkins]

Thanks for the heads up, prommer!

[lustigson]

 

32 is just a number...

 

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

[Izzyeviel]

[Vitesse2]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

It is huge! Saw it in the metal at Goodwood FoS many moons ago. IIRC it was parked alongside Shaw's Boyle Special Maserati 8CTF ...

[jcbc3]

I like the 'knees around the ears'-driving position. Looks uncomfortable.

[jonpollak]

That’s a Parnelli trademark.

I hope to see some of this on the bus while driving from Denver to Chicago…( I am sure I’ll have to explain to the crew ‘why,what, when, what if, is this’ and more questions of a confused nature)
Jp

[ezequiel]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

Indeed! Almost as big as a current F1 car!

[H0R]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

[loki]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

That’s papaya, thank you very much…

 

 

 

[paulb]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

Someone spilled pea soup on a McLaren.

 

Thanks for the OP, prommer!

 

I'm excited for this even though I won't be able to watch.

[DS27]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

 

 

I wish I could unsee that

[boomn]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

I'm ok with dropping down to 31 cars if it means kicking that car out for bringing disrepute to the 500.  Sorry Felix, it's nothing personal

[Jim Thurman]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

It is huge! Saw it in the metal at Goodwood FoS many moons ago. IIRC it was parked alongside Shaw's Boyle Special Maserati 8CTF ...

I like the 'knees around the ears'-driving position. Looks uncomfortable.

I have, as the 30-year old kids might put it, mad respect for the early racers (1900s to World War I). Those guys were like the astronauts of their time. Wrestling those behemoths, on those wheels and tires. They weren't just cowboy luddites either. I've read articles from the era where Harroun, by then a team manager, talked of strategies and trying different technical ideas.

Edited by Jim Thurman, 19 April 2022 - 16:16.

[Collombin]

Wasn't his whole race strategy based on sticking to a steady 75 mph whilst others were over 80 and ruining their tyres?

[aportinga]

Have to wonder when we get to 40? I mean there cannot be THAT much of a profit for the "Captain" in all this - probably none at this point when you figure in all he has spent since acquiring the series and 500 facility.

 

I have too say Mark Miles made the early difference and Penske has brought a good deal of hope but what will it take to bring ICS to the level of growth F1 has seen in the States? It's primarily a mid-west sport. Drivers cannot seem to break the AOW bubble - even when they have made appearances on Dancing with the Stars and other shows. There are some characters there for sure - as well as some second generation drivers which is always great. However with F1 having 3 races in the States, it's clear who is at the top of the heap - and I am not saying that ICS needs to be at the top in America to be good - just questioning how it can break barriers to get into the mainstream media in the US specifically. The general public could not even name the last few 500 winners - fact! 

 

Did the split cause that much damage?

 

I'd certainly like too see a new chassis without all the fairings BS. I'd like to swap the halo for the current windscreen which reminds me of the Firestone-Firehawk mascott.

 

 

Maybe a universal engine with WEC?

 

Do we need to start breaking speed records?

 

I know plenty of fans who make their first trip to RA and love the show - continue to go back. But that does little to get on the evening news, grow the sport, sell more and make more $$$ to keep teams afloat, make it more appealing to investors and grow the numbers for all the owners at the table.

Edited by aportinga, 19 April 2022 - 16:52.

[PayasYouRace]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

 

Had you never seen a photo of it with Ray Harroun at the wheel? Maybe he was a dwarf?

[PayasYouRace]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

 

That's disgusting.

[Collombin]

Had you never seen a photo of it with Ray Harroun at the wheel? Maybe he was a dwarf?

Doubt it. Parnelli is roughly 5'10 and Harroun looked bigger in the car.

[prommer]

As expected, Paretta Autosport is out of the running for 33rd car, as they announced their partial schedule today.  Road America, Mid-Ohio and Nashville, with a possibility of a fourth race (Laguna, one assumes).

 

Also, they are now aligned with Ed Carpenter rather than Penske, with GM backing.

 

https://racer.com/20...rpenter-racing/

[prommer]

And if I had waited a day to post this thread, I could've just copypasta'd Indycar's own OP. Better late than never, I guess.

 

All 13 hours of track action can be viewed live in the U.S. on Peacock Premium, NBC’s live streaming service. International fans can view the test on IndyCar Live!

The INDYCAR Radio Network will provide coverage for the all-cars sessions. The coverage will be on network affiliates, including racecontrol.indycar.com and the INDYCAR App powered by NTT DATA.

 

https://www.indycar....pentest-preview

[eibyyz]

Have to wonder when we get to 40? I mean there cannot be THAT much of a profit for the "Captain" in all this - probably none at this point when you figure in all he has spent since acquiring the series and 500 facility.

 

I have too say Mark Miles made the early difference and Penske has brought a good deal of hope but what will it take to bring ICS to the level of growth F1 has seen in the States? It's primarily a mid-west sport. Drivers cannot seem to break the AOW bubble - even when they have made appearances on Dancing with the Stars and other shows. There are some characters there for sure - as well as some second generation drivers which is always great. However with F1 having 3 races in the States, it's clear who is at the top of the heap - and I am not saying that ICS needs to be at the top in America to be good - just questioning how it can break barriers to get into the mainstream media in the US specifically. The general public could not even name the last few 500 winners - fact! 

 

Did the split cause that much damage?

 

I'd certainly like too see a new chassis without all the fairings BS. I'd like to swap the halo for the current windscreen which reminds me of the Firestone-Firehawk mascott.

 

 

Maybe a universal engine with WEC?

 

Do we need to start breaking speed records?

 

I know plenty of fans who make their first trip to RA and love the show - continue to go back. But that does little to get on the evening news, grow the sport, sell more and make more $$$ to keep teams afloat, make it more appealing to investors and grow the numbers for all the owners at the table.

 

Well, I have sad news about media coverage--NA$CAR and F1 don't fare any better in the media, at least from my vantage.

 

Local news has changed drastically in the past ten years.  My local sports segment (Omaha, Nebr.) can have only one story a night.  In the past, the last-place station in the market had dropped sports coverage totally.  

 

National broadcast news?  Maybe if there's a wreck at Daytona or 'Dega.  Or the Bubba deal.  

 

I remember when ESPN and CNN had competing sports news programs every evening.  CNN has gone to all-politics and ESPN SportsCenter is NBA and NFL and occasional MMA and boxing.  

 

Newspapers?  Fuhgeddaboutit.  Nothing, not even in the agate type.  I haven't read the local fishwrap in over twenty years.

 

Point is, those who are interested in auto racing news know where to find it--and it isn't in the "Legacy Media", it's Racer and Motorsport's websites.  Downside is that the prospective customer doesn't know what they don't know.

[Vitesse2]

Doubt it. Parnelli is roughly 5'10 and Harroun looked bigger in the car.

FWIW Harroun was a couple of inches taller than Wilbur Shaw - you can see them together in the 1946 Firestone film Crucible of Speed. Go to 11 minutes in in this video:

 

[prommer]

Nathan Brown @By_NathanBrown 39m

 

Mark Miles on the status of this year's Indy 500 field: "I think we can pretty much guarantee there will be 33 cars in the field. "And I wouldn't rule out one more beyond that."

 

[Collombin]

FWIW Harroun was a couple of inches taller than Wilbur Shaw

Sadly Wilbur Shaw's height is a bit of a mystery. It's often said he was in the 5'3 kind of territory, but DCD reckoned that was unfair and that he was nearer 5'7 - but of course they never met.

[FLB]

Doubt it. Parnelli is roughly 5'10 and Harroun looked bigger in the car.

Where is Donald Davidson when we need him!   

 

(How tall was Ray Harroun, Mr. Davidson?)

[maximilian]

FINALLY another IndyCar practice!  Can't wait!! 

[Vitesse2]

According to his WW2 draft board, Ray Harroun was 5'7" and weighed 140 pounds. On WW1 draft cards the options for height were just 'tall/medium/short'. Harroun was a medium!

 

So maybe Wilbur was about 5'5"?

[Collombin]

Harroun was a medium!

People have got so much bigger. Shorty Cantlon was 5'2 but by the 1970s you could be called Tiny for being 6'5.

[FLB]

People have got so much bigger. Shorty Cantlon was 5'2 but by the 1970s you could be called Tiny for being 6'5.

Tiny Lund helping to save Marvin Panch's life at Daytona in 1963 and then taking his car over for the 500 (and winning) is probably my all-time favourite 'feel-good' motorsport story.

[jonpollak]

Where is Donald Davidson when we need him!

Ask lotuspoweredbyford
He’s in the know ya know
Jp

[juicy sushi]

Have to wonder when we get to 40? I mean there cannot be THAT much of a profit for the "Captain" in all this - probably none at this point when you figure in all he has spent since acquiring the series and 500 facility.

 

I have too say Mark Miles made the early difference and Penske has brought a good deal of hope but what will it take to bring ICS to the level of growth F1 has seen in the States? It's primarily a mid-west sport. Drivers cannot seem to break the AOW bubble - even when they have made appearances on Dancing with the Stars and other shows. There are some characters there for sure - as well as some second generation drivers which is always great. However with F1 having 3 races in the States, it's clear who is at the top of the heap - and I am not saying that ICS needs to be at the top in America to be good - just questioning how it can break barriers to get into the mainstream media in the US specifically. The general public could not even name the last few 500 winners - fact! 

 

Did the split cause that much damage?

 

I'd certainly like too see a new chassis without all the fairings BS. I'd like to swap the halo for the current windscreen which reminds me of the Firestone-Firehawk mascott.

 

 

Maybe a universal engine with WEC?

 

Do we need to start breaking speed records?

 

I know plenty of fans who make their first trip to RA and love the show - continue to go back. But that does little to get on the evening news, grow the sport, sell more and make more $$$ to keep teams afloat, make it more appealing to investors and grow the numbers for all the owners at the table.

The aeroscreen is definitely here to stay.  It solves a problem the Halo did not, and the drivers want it, and the series won't throw out their R&D investment.  A universal engine is happening, but it won't be with the WEC.  Super Formula and Super GT are both going to switch to a new engine in the 2024-25 time frame, and they're talking a 2.4 litre twin-turbo v6, in common with Indycar (which Honda will appreciate, and Toyota might feel enables them to return to IndyCar).  Maybe Toyota then uses that motor in their WEC program as well, but I dunno.  Given Super Formula recently annouced they're looking at zero-carbon fuel, flax composite bodywork, and low carbon tires, that ties in perfectly with Indycar's green goals as well.

 

I think the reality is that motorsports has become niche.  In the same way downhill skiing, cycling, and the like are niche.  If you can be sustainable and profitable, then you're golden, but mainstream fame is probably not happening unless the stars align in a fluke event (like DTS), and isn't a forever thing.

[prommer]

The man loves his golf.

 

(but then he got snubbed by the IMS tour bus  )

 

[prommer]

Theoretically, this is the link for all non-USA streaming:

 

https://www.indycar....to-watch/stream

 

I wish I could edit the OP to put this link at the top of the page, but do check in and let me know if it works for you, wherever you are. There's a 10 page pdf of countries from Afganistan to Zimbabwe, so it better work!

 

Canada has the option of streaming on SportsnetNOW and of course Peacock in the USA. Other local rightsholders may be showing it as well. Press the Mauve button on your Sky Q remote and maybe it will show you some Indycats? I dunno.

 

Weather is holding fast for now! (@@Indycar_Wxman)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jonpollak]

Mauve
126 LeeFilters
Jp

[Peat]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 

 

https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

 

I have no idea what's going on at McLaren Group. The last few years liveries (F1 & IndyCar) have been decent then along came 2022...

I can only imagine the gfx guy/gal wants the sack but keeps getting lauded for this tripe. 

"I'm NOT the Messiah!"

[Beri]

Who on earth thought that Cyan, Orange and Olive Drab would make for an appealing colour combination? 
 
https://twitter.com/...423976444178432

 
Well the non olive ones arent much better either

https://twitter.com/...1661705/photo/1

[paulb]

Well the non olive ones arent much better either

https://twitter.com/...1661705/photo/1

It appears to me they just want to be unique and “memorable” rather than be appealing. Marketing, eh? They should go all the way and have the driver and crew suits in the same themes. What a mess that would be.

[lotuspoweredbyford]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel.

Here is some rare video of Harroun actually driving the Wasp in 1961.


https://twitter.com/...b_az7y3kHTEXBIw

[Risil]

Oh my, that thing was huge!

 

Just realised that I'd never seen a picture of the Wasp with a person behind the wheel. 

 

9.8-litre straight six don'tcha know.

[Collombin]

Here is some rare video of Harroun actually driving the Wasp in 1961.


https://twitter.com/...b_az7y3kHTEXBIw

"Three time national driving champion Earl Cooper". Only in the same way that Alberto Ascari was a 3 time WDC (except that 2 of Ascari's were genuine).

[paulb]

Here is some rare video of Harroun actually driving the Wasp in 1961.


https://twitter.com/...b_az7y3kHTEXBIw

That's tremendous! Eddie Rickenbacker, WWI ace, too. 

[FLB]

A long-time Indy tradition is 'paused indefinitely':

 

https://www.indystar...ely/7360339001/

[red stick]

A long-time Indy tradition is 'paused indefinitely':

 

https://www.indystar...ely/7360339001/

In our local Audubon Society education on this topic has been a project for several years, so I can only add, about damn time.  

[Risil]

Sounds like a good opportunity to put the petunias back in Turn 4.

[FLB]

We may see more running tomorrow. Cold and some rain this morning.

 

https://www.wundergr...date/2022-04-20

 

https://www.wundergr...date/2022-04-21

[red stick]

Sounds like a good opportunity to put the petunias back in Turn 4.

Maybe Pagenaud could help . . .