FrankCanada97
Roughly the size of a baaaaaarge
Round 6 of the 2017 IndyCar Series season is the crown jewel of American open wheel racing, the Indianapolis 500. On Sunday May 28th, 33 drivers will battle over 500 miles for victory, a bottle of milk, their likeness being cast on the Borg Warner Trophy and a place in motorsports history.
Where and when to watch?
On track sessions run between 12:00pm ET and 6:00pm ET on May 15th through to the 22nd with a final practice on the 26th. Qualifying takes place over two days on the 20th and 21st. The race is on the 28th with tv coverage starting at 11:00AM ET.
Practice and Qualifying is livestreamed on IndyCar's Youtube channel
For live timing and scoring, go to IndyCar's Race Control web page.
Timezone conversion
Race broadcasts May 28th 11:00AM ET, 4:00PM BST, 5:00PM CET:
United States - ABC
Canada - City, Sportsnet 360
United Kingdom - BT Sport
The Circuit:
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval Configuration
Seating Capacity: 400,000
200 laps
2.5 miles/4.02336 km
One-lap record: 1996, Arie Luyendyk (237.498 mph; 382.182 km/h average speed)
The Cars:
The IndyCar series consists of teams running the same base Dallara DW12 chassis with an engine and aero combo provided by either Honda or Chevrolet. The engines are 2.2L twin-turbo V6s running between 550-700 horsepower depending on turbo boost pressure.
At Indianapolis, all teams will be running speedway aero.
Chevrolet:
Honda:
Entry List:
Notable Teams and Drivers:
A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Chevrolet)
Owned by four-time Indy 500 winner, 24 Hours of Le Mans winner, Daytona 500 winner and the winningest IndyCar driver in history, A.J. Foyt. Foyt's team hasn't quite lived up to its namesake ever since his retirement from racing. However, he fields a team of unremarkable yet competent drivers.
From left to right:
Conor Daly, Carlos Muñoz, Zach Veach
#4 Conor Daly
Hometown: Noblesville, Indiana
Son of former IndyCar and F1 driver Derek Daly, Conor Daly spent most of his junior career in Europe achieving a race victories in the GP3 series and testing with the Force India F1 team. Having found no viable path to F1, Daly returned to the states to start his IndyCar career.
#14 Carlos Muñoz
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia
The 2014 IndyCar rookie of the year, Carlos Muñoz has shown his competence as a driver while racing in his former Andretti Autosport team. Twice a runner-up in the Indianapolis 500, Muñoz will be looking for his maiden victory.
#40 Zach Veach
Hometown: Stockdale, Ohio
A capable driver in various American open wheel junior series, Zach Veach is in his first year of racing the big cars. Indianapolis will only be his second start in an IndyCar.
Andretti Autosport (Honda)
Owned and managed by former IndyCar driver Michael Andretti. This team is just below the powerhouses of Penske and Ganassi, but are very strong at the Indy 500. Their large driver lineup ensures that at least one of them has a chance to fight for victory.
From upper left to bottom right:
Fernando Alonso, Marco Andretti, Jack Harvey, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato
#29 Fernando Alonso
Hometown: Oviedo, Spain
Let's face it, this guy is probably the only reason why you're here. Fernando Alonso, the two-time Formula 1 World Champion, made the shocking decision to forego the Monaco Grand Prix and instead race at the Indianapolis 500. Hoping to find relief from his nightmarish McLaren-Honda, Alonso and McLaren teamed up with Andretti Autosport for an entry in the 500. He follows in the footsteps of other F1 drivers entering the 500 with no superspeedway experience, most notably Nelson Piquet (let's hope this story doesn't end like his) and Nigel Mansell.
#27 Marco Andretti
Hometown: Nazareth, Pennsylvania
The most recent Andretti to attempt to break the Andretti Curse. Son of Michael Andretti and grandson of legend Mario Andretti, Marco is unfortunately not nearly as talented. Thanks to nepotism, he can look forward to keeping his job at Andretti Autosport for the rest of his mediocre career. However, Indy is the one track that he can perform well on. I don't expect him to win, but if the Cubs can break their curse, I guess anything is possible.
#50 Jack Harvey
Hometown: Bassingham, Lincolnshire, England
A rookie to the 500, Harvey competed in two seasons of Indy Lights finishing runner-up in the championship both times. He previously raced in Europe in the GP3 series and was the 2012 British Formula 3 Champion.
#28 Ryan Hunter-Reay
Hometown: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
The most accomplished American IndyCar driver on the grid, Hunter-Reay was the 2012 series champion and 2014 Indy 500 race winner. As the most consistent driver on Andretti Autosport, Hunter-Reay will always be in contention for a strong result.
#98 Alexander Rossi
Hometown: Nevada City, California
The last American to drive in F1, Rossi made the move stateside when he couldn't secure enough funding to retain his Manor seat. He hasn't regretted that decision, as he won the 2016 Indy 500 in his first try. The first American rookie to win the race since 1928. Perhaps it's some inspiration for Alonso to look to.
#26 Takuma Sato
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Another former F1 driver, Sato has a reputation of being fast but sometimes pushing too hard and crashing. He hasn't changed his driving style much when he joined the IndyCar series resulting in a lot of work for mechanics and large bills from Dallara. He hopes to change his fortunes for the better by joining the Andretti Autosport team. His most famous Indy 500 moment is breaking the hearts of Japanese viewers everywhere on the last lap of the 2012 race.
Chip Ganassi Racing (Honda)
One of the two top dogs in IndyCar, Chip Ganassi racing along with rival Team Penske dominate the sport. Chip Ganassi has fielded many championship winning cars in his 20+ years in the sport. His drivers have also yielded four Indy 500 victories. Having made the switch from Chevy to Honda this year, it would be easy to say that they are now the strongest Honda powered team on the grid. CGR is anchored by two of IndyCar's best drivers. However, they also employ two of the worst drivers in the series.
From upper left to bottom right:
Max Chilton, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball
#8 Max Chilton
Hometown: Reigate, Surrey, England
Yet another former F1 driver, Max Chilton brought his money to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2016 after an unremarkable season in Indy Lights. Out of the full-time drivers, he finished second last in the 2016 season. A carry-over from his Manor-Marussia days I'm sure. At least you can count on him to finish the race.
#9 Scott Dixon
Hometown: Aukland, New Zealand
With four IndyCar series championships under his belt and 40 IndyCar race victories (4th-most all time), Scott Dixon is one of IndyCar's best drivers in history. Now in his 16th season with Chip Ganassi Racing, Dixon looks to add to his sole 500 victory from 2008.
#10 Tony Kanaan
Hometown: Salvador, Brazil
Sometimes mistaken for Vin Diesel, Tony Kanaan is a perennial fan favourite. He is very active with fans and is personable with everyone. With a record 270 consecutive race starts, Kanaan is the well respected elder statesman of the IndyCar. He won the 2013 Indy 500 with the former KV Racing team.
#83 Charlie Kimball
Hometown: Camarillo, California
The only IndyCar race winner with Type 1 diabetes, Charlie Kimball races with a sensor under his skin to monitor his blood sugar level which can be displayed on his steering wheel. He has a tendency to get in way of others more faster than him (as JR Hildebrand painfully found out). With mediocre championship results, his sponsorship is the only thing keeping him in a race seat. However, he placed 3rd and 5th in the last two Indy 500s and is no doubt an inspiration to diabetics everywhere.
Dale Coyne Racing (Honda)
Infamous for employing only ridebuyers in years past, Dale Coyne has started to hire drivers based on merit. As a result, his team has made quite the turnaround from being a backmarker team. A driver combo of a four-time series champion and an accomplished rookie ensures that this team has nowhere to go but up.
From left to right:
Sébastien Bourdais, Ed Jones, Pippa Mann
#18 Sébastien Bourdais
Hometown: Le Mans, France
After winning four straight championships in the former Champ Car series from 2004 to 2007, Bourdais signed on with Red Bull and Toro Rosso to race in F1. Unfortunately, he happened to be teammates with future four-time Formula 1 World Champion Sebastian Vettel. After being shown the door by Red Bull and competing at Le Mans with the factory Peugeot team, Bourdais returned to American open wheel racing in 2011. No longer at a top team, Bourdais has nonetheless achieved several race victories since his return.
#19 Ed Jones
Hometown: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The first Emirati IndyCar driver, Ed Jones is the reigning Indy Lights champion. As a result of being the only full-time rookie in the series, he is also the de facto 2017 IndyCar rookie of the year.
#63 Pippa Mann
Hometown: Ipswich, Suffolk, England
In a race that once saw four women start the Indy 500, Pippa Mann is the last active female driver to enter the race. After finishing 5th in the 2010 Indy Lights season, Mann never found the opportunity or funding to race in the IndyCar series full-time. She has made a few appearances over the years only racing at ovals, notably at Indianapolis.
Ed Carpenter Racing (Chevrolet)
Owned and managed by driver Ed Carpenter, this team particularly performs well on ovals.
From left to right:
Ed Carpenter, JR Hildebrand
#20 Ed Carpenter
Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana
The stepson of Tony George (the man who nearly destroyed IndyCar racing), Ed Carpenter is a stereotypical American race car driver who literally can only turn left as he refuses to drive on road courses and street circuits. Carpenter however, is quite good at only turning left. His one goal is to achieve victory at his home track.
#21 JR Hildebrand
Hometown: Sausalito, California
As the 2009 Indy Lights champion, JR Hildebrand had a promising career to look forward to. He was signed with Panther Racing and as a rookie was one lap away from winning the 2011 Indy 500. Unfortunately, he came upon Charlie Kimball at the final corner. His career never sufficiently recovered, his team closed shop after the following season and he couldn't secure a full-time race seat for the next 5 years. With the departure of Josef Newgarden to Team Penske, Hildebrand has finally found a full-time seat at Ed Carpenter Racing. He will be looking to repeat his Indy Lights form and achieve the Indy 500 victory that eluded him.
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda)
A team with a long history in IndyCar, but not quite as successful as the top dogs. RLL is co-owned by former driver Bobby Rahal, former Late Show host David Letterman and businessman Mike Lanigan.
From left to right:
Graham Rahal, Oriol Servia
#15 Graham Rahal
Hometown: New Albany, Ohio
Graham Rahal is the son of three-time series champion Bobby Rahal. Unlike Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal actually has talent and wasn't given the race seat by his father. In 2007, Rahal at age 18 was the youngest driver to debut in American open wheel racing. He raced for various teams while becoming the youngest race winner in IndyCar history at age 19 before being hired by his father in 2013.
#16 Oriol Servia
Hometown: Pals, Spain
Oriol Servia is the 1999 Indy Lights champion and a veteran of the IndyCar series. Never finding much success over the years, he nonetheless became a competent racer. In recent years, he has been making part time appearances as a capable backup driver.
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda)
Managed by former IndyCar driver Sam Schmidt. After a testing crash in 2000 rendered him quadriplegic, Schmidt made the transition from driver to team owner competing in the Indy Lights series. His team moved up to the IndyCar series and has found notable success in Indy 500 qualifying.
From left to right:
Mikhail Aleshin, Jay Howard, James Hinchliffe
#7 Mikhail Aleshin
Hometown: Moscow, Russia
An accomplished driver in the European junior scene (including beating Daniel Ricciardo to the 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 title), Mikhail Aleshin entered the IndyCar series in 2014 and found a liking towards oval racing. However, due to sanctions placed on his sponsors in response to Russian involvement in Ukraine, Aleshin sat out the 2015 season. Aleshin returned in 2016 and thanks to the current presidency, he won't have to worry about the status of his sponsors (or his visa).
#77 Jay Howard
Hometown: Basildon, Essex, England
Jay Howard is the 2006 Indy Lights Champion. Unfortunately, he has been unable to find a permanent race seat anywhere and has spent the following years making one-off appearances at ovals.
#5 James Hinchcliffe
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario, Canada
The self-proclaimed mayor of "Hinchtown", James Hinchcliffe is a fan-favourite with a large internet presence. He is the 2011 IndyCar rookie of the year and finished second in season 23 of "Dancing with the Stars". After nearly dying in a 2015 Indy 500 practice crash, Hinchcliffe made a triumphant return the next year to put the car on pole. He looks to top that feat with a maiden victory.
Team Penske (Chevrolet)
Roger Penske is a veritable juggernaut in the racing world. His operations span the globe having competed in IndyCar, NASCAR, Le Mans, Formula 1 and V8 Supercars. To race for Team Penske is both an honour and a privilege, as his team's expertise have led to 15 Indy 500 victories. Roger Penske does not mess around and only hires the best drivers available. Team Penske, along with rival Chip Ganassi Racing, are perennial contenders for the championship.
From upper left to bottom right:
Hélio Castroneves, Juan Pablo Montoya, Josef Newgarden, Simon Pagenaud, Will Power (Yes, that is his actual name).
#3 Hélio Castroneves
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Castroneves is the longest tenured driver at Team Penske, having signed on with the team after their original free agent signing (Greg Moore) died in the final race of the 1999 CART season. Despite driving for the best team in the sport for 17 years, Castroneves has not yet managed to win a single driver's championship. At the twilight of his career, his only championship is 1st place in season 5 of "Dancing with the Stars". However, he is a three time Indy 500 winner and hopes to join IndyCar legends A.J. Foyt, Rick Mears and Al Unser Sr. as four time Indy 500 winners.
#22 Juan Pablo Montoya
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Has a sensitive head. An accomplished driver, Montoya won the 1998 Formula 3000 championship before winning the 1999 CART championship as a rookie. Also as a rookie, Montoya won the 2000 Indy 500. Montoya then spent the next few years in Formula 1 with varying degrees of success. After a less than stellar stint in NASCAR, Montoya returned to IndyCar in 2014 achieving another Indy 500 win in 2015 and placing 2nd in that year's driver's championship. This year, he is making a one-off appearance at Indy after retiring from full-time IndyCar racing.
#2 Josef Newgarden
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
After several seasons strong results at Ed Carpenter Racing, Newgarden was hired by Roger Penske to replace the retiring Montoya. He has emerged as one of America's future stars of IndyCar racing, already placing higher results than his more veteran teammates.
#1 Simon Pagenaud
Hometown: Montmorillon, France
An ace road course driver, Pagenaud is the reigning IndyCar series champion. Of course with the schedule consisting of mostly road courses and street circuits, that is to be expected. However, Pagenaud can hold his own on the ovals as well and can be counted on to always be in contention for race victory.
#12 Will Power
Hometown: Toowoomba, Australia
Another road course ace, Will Power is the 2014 IndyCar champion. Not quite as good on the ovals as his contemporaries, Power is nonetheless a very capable driver. Power is also well-known for his outbursts of emotion, some of which include: calling another driver a "wanker", flipping the double birds at the race director and shoving an attending medical worker.
Same with Monaco and the 600. DVR is going to get a work out.
