THE 100TH RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 – RACE PREVIEW
An historic day in American motorsports is upon us. ‘The 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Presented by Penngrade Motor Oil’ takes place on Sunday 29th May where 33 drivers will battle it out to be the 100th face carved onto the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy.
Televised all over the world and with an estimated 350,000 spectators trackside, nobody will argue that the Indy 500 is ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’.
The inaugural Indy 500 was contested back in 1911, and in 2011 the race celebrated its 100 year anniversary. But due to 6 races being cancelled during the first and second world wars (1917/1918 & 1942-45), 2016 will actually be the official 100th running of this historic race.
Of the current crop of drivers contesting the 2016 Verizon Indycar Series Championship, Brazilian Helio Castroneves has had the most success in this race winning it on three previous occasions (2001, 2002 & 2009). Reigning Indy 500 Champion Juan Pablo Montoya has won it twice (2000 & 2015).
They will be joined by four other previous winners, Scott Dixon (2008), Tony Kanaan (2013), Ryan Hunter-Reay (2014) & Buddy Lazier (1996) in his only planned start of 2016.
Roger Penske – of Penske Racing – is the team owner with the most success in the race, having won it on 16 occasions. Castroneves, the driver of his #3 car, is vying this year to try and join AJ Foyt, Al Unser Jr and Rick Mears in being a four-time winner of this event.
Frenchman Simon Pagenaud with three wins already this season, goes into the race with a commanding 76-point lead in the standings.
But this could change considerably as not only is the Indy 500 a double points race, but also big points are available for qualifying. A perfect weekend for one driver could see them picking up 42 points for qualifying on the pole and 100 points for the race win.
The only other double points race is at Sonoma for the last race of the season.
BRITISH ENTRIES
There are five British entries in the race. But only two of them are currently competing in the main championship. Firstly, Bradford-born Jack Hawksworth enters the race for the third time, but only his second attempt in his #41 AJ Foyt ABC Supply car. Hawksworth is hoping to better his previous best finish of 20th back in 2014 when he drove for Bryan Herta Autosport.
Secondly, ex Formula-One driver Max Chilton makes his first ever Indy 500 appearance this year. The 25-year-old from Surrey is in his very first season with Chip Ganassi racing and is relatively new to oval racing. Although Chilton did make a very promising start in his first oval outing with an impressive 7th place finish at Phoenix in the second race of the season.
Of the one-off entries, Surrey-born Katherine Legge makes her third Indy 500 attempt this time with a Grace Autosport entry; an all-female race team promoting engineering as a career path for young women.
Another female driver competing in this year’s race is Londoner Pippa Mann. This will be her sixth start in the race, her previous best finish being 20th back in 2011 with Conquest Racing. For the third year running Mann will drive a Dale Coyne Racing car with a pink livery to promote the Susan G. Komen cancer outreach program.
The final British entry is a poignant one. Sheffield-born Stefan Wilson will drive the #25 car for KVSH racing in honour and memory of his brother Justin Wilson who tragically died in an IndyCar race at Pocono last year.
Although this will be his first Indy 500, Stefan Wilson is no stranger to this form of racing. He has two race wins in the Indy Lights series and a fourth place finish at the Indianapolis circuit back in 2011.
FOR THE WIN
For the race win, it would be hard to look too far past the big three teams. Team Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Motorsport.
The smart money would be on the likes of Castroneves, Montoya, Pagenaud, Power, Dixon, Kanaan or maybe the Andretti drivers, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
But remember 2011? JR Hildebrand? Going into the final corner of the last lap in the lead. Then misjudging an overtake on a backmarker and hitting the wall? Handing the race to Dan Wheldon?
Anything can happen in the Indy 500 and this time the stakes have never been higher.
Given a choice, ask any driver if they would rather win the Indy 500 or the IndyCar series championship? Without any doubt they would all say the Indy 500.
While the points haul may be big for a successful weekend, it’s the race itself, the history and prestige that makes this the race they all want to win.
Being the 100th winner only makes it even more special.
All Times are UK British Summer Time (BST)
PRACTICE 1 - Mon 16th May (5pm – 11pm)
PRACTICE 2 - Tues 17th May (5pm – 11pm)
PRACTICE 3 - Wed 18th May (5pm – 11pm)
PRACTICE 4 - Thurs 19th May (5pm – 11pm)
PRACTICE 5 - Fri 20th May (5pm – 11pm)
PRACTICE 6 - Sat 21st May (1pm – 3pm)
QUALIFYING 1 (All Cars) - Sat 21st May (4pm – 10pm)
PRACTICE 7 - Sun 22nd May (5pm – 7pm)
QUALIFYING 2 (Posns 10-33) - Sun 22nd May (7:45pm – 9:45pm)
QUALIFYING 3 (Fast 9) - Sun 22nd May (10pm – 10:45pm)
PRACTICE 8 - Mon 23rd May (5:30pm – 9pm)
FINAL PRACTICE - Fri 27th May (4pm – 5pm)
PIT STOP COMPETITION - Fri 27rd May (6:30pm – 8:30pm)
THE 100th RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500 MILE RACE
PRESENTED BY PENNGRADE MOTOR OIL – Sun 29th May (5pm – 8:30pm)
