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Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Epoch Times
Herta Rebounds From Indy 500 Qualifying Wreck to Make the Field; Armstrong Still Has Work to Do
INDIANAPOLIS—Colton Herta began qualifying day for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday with a trip to the infield care center after a scary wreck in Turn 1, and he ended it with a backup car that was safely in the race Memorial Day weekend. Marcus Armstrong wasn't quite so fortunate. Just like Herta, the 24-year-old from New Zealand crashed early Saturday—his during an hour-long practice ahead of the nearly 7-hour qualifying window. But unlike the Andretti Autosport driver, Armstrong was unable to get a car hastily pieced together by Meyer Shank Racing among the top 30 on the speed chart to ensure his spot in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.' So, he will return Sunday as one of four drivers in a shootout for the final three spots on the 33-car starting grid. 'We didn't have the car built up at all. They pretty much put it together as they were rolling me out,' said Armstrong, who made two qualifying attempts but had both waved off because they were not quick enough. 'They were putting together the headrest, and I was questioning whether the seat was intact after the crash. We hadn't tested that. 'They got it done,' Armstrong added, 'and the car was definitely in a decent window where we can work on it for tomorrow.' Related Stories 5/14/2025 5/10/2025 Qualifying on Saturday decided the fast 12 that will have a chance Sunday at the first four rows—and ultimately the pole—for the race on May 25. Those that qualified in spots 13-30 locked in their positions, while Armstrong was joined by Marco Andretti, Rinus Veekay and Jacob Abel in the last-chance shootout to fill the final row for the race. Herta wound up 29th with a four-lap average of 230.192 mph. But while he was proud of what he called a 'heroic' effort by his team to build a car in about 4 1/2 hours, Herta lamented his lost shot at the Indianapolis 500 pole. 'It sucks. I think from our standpoint of where we want to be, and what we want to contend with, we're not happy just making the show,' he said. 'So when we don't get a chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.' Herta and Armstrong both wrecked in Turn 1, where winds gusting up to 30 mph that are largely blocked by the grandstands down the front stretch suddenly switch to behind the car. It was a spot that flummoxed drivers throughout qualifying, and many drivers were forced to get off the accelerator to avoid a similar fate. Herta's car hit the outside wall and then landed on its side, sliding into the short chute amid a flurry of sparks. Once it finally came to rest, the safety crew had to work together to flip it back on its tires. Herta was shaken enough that he needed help to get to a vehicle for the trip to the infield care center, but he was quickly evaluated and released. 'Luckily these days these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel—not to say that one felt good,' Herta said. 'There were no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning. Went out loose and couldn't even get Lap 1 in.' Armstrong also was able to climb from his wrecked car but was immediately helped onto a stretcher. He gave a thumbs up as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the care center, but he wasn't released until about 90 minutes later. Armstrong insisted that his confidence was unshaken, despite the hard hit. If anything, it was buoyed by the fact that his Meyer Shank Racing teammate Felix Rosenqvist was eighth-quickest in the session and will have a shot at the pole on Sunday. 'I'm good as gold, mate. I'm ready to crack one tomorrow,' Armstrong said. By Dave Skretta
Fox Sports
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Herta rebounds from Indy 500 qualifying wreck to make the field. Armstrong still has work to do
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta began qualifying day for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday with a trip to the infield care center after a scary wreck in Turn 1, and he ended it with a backup car that was safely in the race Memorial Day weekend. Marcus Armstrong wasn't quite so fortunate. Just like Herta, the 24-year-old from New Zealand crashed early Saturday — his during an hour-long practice ahead of the nearly 7-hour qualifying window. But unlike the Andretti Autosport driver, Armstrong was unable to get a car hastily pieced together by Meyer Shank Racing among the top 30 on the speed chart to ensure his spot in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.' So, he will return Sunday as one of four drivers in a shootout for the final three spots on the 33-car starting grid. 'We didn't have the car built up at all. They pretty much put it together as they were rolling me out,' said Armstrong, who made two qualifying attempts but had both waved off because they were not quick enough. "They were putting together the headrest, and I was questioning whether the seat was intact after the crash. We hadn't tested that. 'They got it done,' Armstrong added, 'and the car was definitely in a decent window where we can work on it for tomorrow.' Qualifying on Saturday decided the fast 12 that will have a chance Sunday at the first four rows — and ultimately the pole — for the race on May 25. Those that qualified in spots 13-30 locked in their positions, while Armstrong was joined by Marco Andretti, Rinus Veekay and Jacob Abel in the last-chance shootout to fill the final row for the race. Herta wound up 29th with a four-lap average of 230.192 mph. But while he was proud of what he called a 'heroic' effort by his team to build a car in about 4 1/2 hours, Herta lamented his lost shot at the Indianapolis 500 pole. 'It sucks. I think from our standpoint of where we want to be, and what we want to contend with, we're not happy just making the show,' he said. 'So when we don't get a chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.' Herta and Armstrong both wrecked in Turn 1, where winds gusting up to 30 mph that are largely blocked by the grandstands down the front stretch suddenly switch to behind the car. It was a spot that flummoxed drivers throughout qualifying, and many drivers were forced to get off the accelerator to avoid a similar fate. Herta's car hit the outside wall and then landed on its side, sliding into the short chute amid a flurry of sparks. Once it finally came to rest, the safety crew had to work together to flip it back on its tires. Herta was shaken enough that he needed help to get to a vehicle for the trip to the infield care center, but he was quickly evaluated and released. 'Luckily these days these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel — not to say that one felt good,' Herta said. 'There were no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning. Went out loose and couldn't even get Lap 1 in." Armstrong also was able to climb from his wrecked car but was immediately helped onto a stretcher. He gave a thumbs up as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the care center, but he wasn't released until about 90 minutes later. Armstrong insisted that his confidence was unshaken, despite the hard hit. If anything, it was buoyed by the fact that his Meyer Shank Racing teammate Felix Rosenqvist was eighth-quickest in the session and will have a shot at the pole on Sunday. 'I'm good as gold, mate. I'm ready to crack one tomorrow,' Armstrong said. ___ AP auto racing: recommended
Mint
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Mint
Herta rebounds from Indy 500 qualifying wreck to make the field. Armstrong still has work to do
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta began qualifying day for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday with a trip to the infield care center after a scary wreck in Turn 1, and he ended it with a backup car that was safely in the race Memorial Day weekend. Marcus Armstrong wasn't quite so fortunate. Just like Herta, the 24-year-old from New Zealand crashed early Saturday — his during an hour-long practice ahead of the nearly 7-hour qualifying window. But unlike the Andretti Autosport driver, Armstrong was unable to get a car hastily pieced together by Meyer Shank Racing among the top 30 on the speed chart to ensure his spot in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.' So, he will return Sunday as one of four drivers in a shootout for the final three spots on the 33-car starting grid. 'We didn't have the car built up at all. They pretty much put it together as they were rolling me out,' said Armstrong, who made two qualifying attempts but had both waved off because they were not quick enough. "They were putting together the headrest, and I was questioning whether the seat was intact after the crash. We hadn't tested that. 'They got it done,' Armstrong added, 'and the car was definitely in a decent window where we can work on it for tomorrow.' Qualifying on Saturday decided the fast 12 that will have a chance Sunday at the first four rows — and ultimately the pole — for the race on May 25. Those that qualified in spots 13-30 locked in their positions, while Armstrong was joined by Marco Andretti, Rinus Veekay and Jacob Abel in the last-chance shootout to fill the final row for the race. Herta wound up 29th with a four-lap average of 230.192 mph. But while he was proud of what he called a 'heroic' effort by his team to build a car in about 4 1/2 hours, Herta lamented his lost shot at the Indianapolis 500 pole. 'It sucks. I think from our standpoint of where we want to be, and what we want to contend with, we're not happy just making the show,' he said. 'So when we don't get a chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.' Herta and Armstrong both wrecked in Turn 1, where winds gusting up to 30 mph that are largely blocked by the grandstands down the front stretch suddenly switch to behind the car. It was a spot that flummoxed drivers throughout qualifying, and many drivers were forced to get off the accelerator to avoid a similar fate. Herta's car hit the outside wall and then landed on its side, sliding into the short chute amid a flurry of sparks. Once it finally came to rest, the safety crew had to work together to flip it back on its tires. Herta was shaken enough that he needed help to get to a vehicle for the trip to the infield care center, but he was quickly evaluated and released. 'Luckily these days these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel — not to say that one felt good,' Herta said. 'There were no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning. Went out loose and couldn't even get Lap 1 in." Armstrong also was able to climb from his wrecked car but was immediately helped onto a stretcher. He gave a thumbs up as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the care center, but he wasn't released until about 90 minutes later. Armstrong insisted that his confidence was unshaken, despite the hard hit. If anything, it was buoyed by the fact that his Meyer Shank Racing teammate Felix Rosenqvist was eighth-quickest in the session and will have a shot at the pole on Sunday. 'I'm good as gold, mate. I'm ready to crack one tomorrow,' Armstrong said.
Fox Sports
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Herta, Armstrong clear to drive after crashes as teams race to ready backup cars at Indy qualifying
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Colton Herta crashed heavily in qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 on Saturday, hours after Marcus Armstrong was taken away on a stretcher after a scary crash of his own at nearly the same spot at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Both of the drivers eventually were cleared to drive again, but whether their cars would be ready was another story. Their teams were frantically trying to get backups prepared, and in Armstrong's case, that happened to be one of its road-course cars. 'I'm doing well,' said Armstrong, whose hit came during an hour-long practice before qualifying even began. 'Obviously it was a rather large hit, but I'm feeling OK now. ... Fingers crossed we'll get out for an install (run) or even a full run if we're lucky.' Qualifying on Saturday decides the fast 12 that will have a chance Sunday at the first four rows — and ultimately the pole — for the race on May 25. Those that qualify in spots 13-30 lock in their positions, while the slowest four cars or those that are unable to post a time Saturday go into a last-chance shootout Sunday to determine the final three spots on the 33-car grid. Herta and Armstrong both wrecked in Turn 1, where winds gusting up to 30 mph that are largely blocked by the grandstands down the front stretch suddenly switch to behind the drivers. Herta's car hit the outside wall and then landed on its side and slid into the short chute before coming to rest, and safety crews had to work together to flip it back on its tires. Herta needed help to reach a vehicle that took him to the infield car center, but he was released a short while later. By then, his team at Andretti Autosport was already deep into preparing a backup car to get him back on the track. 'Luckily these days these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel — not to say that one felt good,' Herta said. 'There were no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning. Went out loose and couldn't even get Lap 1 in." Armstrong also was able to climb from his wrecked car but was immediately helped onto a stretcher. He gave a thumbs up as he was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the care center, where he was released about 90 minutes later. The 24-year-old from New Zealand said his confidence was unshaken, despite the hard hit. And if anything, it was buoyed by the fact that his teammate, Felix Rosenqvist, posted the sixth-fastest four-lap average during his qualifying run. 'That was one of my first reactions when I got to the hospital unit. I was like, 'I'm ready to go into (Turn 1) flat again,' maybe with a little more downforce this time. But I'm ready for it,' Armstrong said. "We have fast cars, fundamentally, and Felix was quick this morning. He did like, 234 (mph) in practice having watched me do what I did. 'We want to check that the cars are all right first and the numbers are OK," Armstrong said, "before we go do anything special.' ___ AP auto racing: recommended
Fox Sports
28-02-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Who are the 10 best INDYCAR drivers of all time?
The 2025 INDYCAR season has an incredible amount of hype around it after an epic 2024 season that featured seven different drivers winning across 17 total events. That led to a battle for the championship that was settled during the final race. With the INDYCAR season starting on March 2 on FOX (and all races this season being broadcast on FOX networks), and a deep group of drivers competing for the win, it got us thinking — who are the best drivers in INDYCAR history? If you're looking for a ranking of current drivers only, here are the active rankings. That said, here are the 10 best INDYCAR drivers of all time. 10 best INDYCAR drivers of all time 10. Johnny Rutherford After making his debut in 1962, Rutherford delivered his first victory just three years later in Atlanta. By the time his career was over, he had competed in 315 races, grabbing pole position in 23 and claiming victory in 27 of them. He won the Indianapolis 500 three times, a mark only nine other drivers have reached. 9. Dario Franchitti One of the more recognizable names on the list, Franchitti made 265 INDYCAR starts and collected four championships in the process. He earned 31 wins, claimed 92 podiums and 33 poles over that span. Moreover, he had 119 top-five finishes and currently sits tied for third for most championships of all time. 8. Will Power With 302 starts under his belt, Power is a household name among INDYCAR followers. In that time, Powers has earned two championships with 44 race wins overall. He has also earned an impressive 70 poles. Those 70 poles are the most in INDYCAR history, making him one of the top drivers in the sport's history. 7. Al Unser Jr. One of the most famous drivers ever, Unser is scheduled to be a grand marshal for this year's 50th Anniversary Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, a locale he's very familiar with. He's the winningest driver in Long Beach history with six victories over eight years. Unser also claimed two Indy 500 wins in his decorated career. 6. Michael Andretti Andretti is one of the most accomplished drivers, continuing with the ownership of Andretti Autosport to this day. During his racing career, he claimed 42 INDYCAR wins and dominated with 32 poles. His most successful year came in 1991, when he earned the championship, had eight race wins and eight poles in just 17 total races. 5. Rick Mears Perhaps the most impressive thing over the course of Mears' career was the fact he was victorious at the Indy 500 four separate times, becoming one of just four racers to accomplish such a feat. He was also able to grab six poles and was a front-row starter in 11 of his 15 races there from 1978 to 1992. Mears was also able to cash in when, in 1991, he became the first driver to earn $10 million in career earnings from INDYCAR races. 4. Al Unser Similar to Mears, Unser also won the Indy 500 four different times. When he reached the milestone, it had only been done one other time. His triumph there, though, wasn't just from wins. He finished in the top three of the Indy 500 in 11 different races over his career. When his career was over, Unser had earned $6.7 million, with more than half of that money coming from Indy 500 races. 3. Scott Dixon Dixon has been wildly successful in every race. Overall, he is a six-time INDYCAR champion and has collected 58 career wins, which is the most of any active driver and the second-most of all time. Last season was his 23rd driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, making him the longest-tenured driver in team history. He leads all current drivers with 402 starts and has the all-time podium record with 142. 2. A.J. Foyt Now a team owner for AJ Foyt Racing, Foyt built a highly productive career. He won seven INDYCAR championships during his time behind the wheel, which remains the all-time record. Additionally, he had a great run during his Indy 500 starts, becoming the first to ever win "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" four times. Even more notable was his ability to adapt. Foyt is still the only driver who has won the Indy 500 in both front- and rear-engined cars, a testament to his immense talent. 1. Mario Andretti It's safe to say Andretti is the most well-known driver in the sport's history. His success was a huge reason why, with the longtime driver winning four championships, 52 races, earning 67 pole positions and 141 podiums over the course of his INDYCAR run. His longevity was also something special, winning Driver of the Year three different times, each in a different decade (1967, 1978, 1984). To this day, he's the only driver to win a Daytona 500, Indy 500 and Formula One world title. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from NTT INDYCAR SERIES Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
