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Indianapolis Star
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
'It's not fun': What's the toughest injury Indy 500 drivers have raced through?
INDIANAPOLIS — Rinus Veekay won the 2021 IndyCar Grand Prix, his only victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with a broken finger. Veekay will start on the final row Sunday and believes a mid-table finish is a realistic goal. However, history at the speedway shows the Dutchman a possible path to an Indianapolis 500 victory. 'I might need to have somebody snap it again for me,' Veekay said Thursday at Indy 500 media day. Racing with an injury isn't uncommon for drivers. Takuma Sato told IndyStar Thursday that he will race the Indy 500 with a fractured rib. A crash on Day 2 of the Indy 500 open test in late April caused Sato's injury. The two-time Indy 500 champion said he is taking injections everyday before he gets in the car. 'Slowly but surely, I'm getting better,' Sato said. 'I'll be fine on race day. There is no pain because of the injections.' When asked what's the toughest injury he's raced with, Alex Palou revealed that he broke his collarbone roughly eight years ago and returned to the track three days after receiving surgery. 'It's not fun, but adrenaline helps you go through it,' Palou said. Eight days before the 2021 Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio, Veekay broke his collarbone. Unlike Palou, though, Veekay's injury came after he fell off a bike. Meet Mr. and Mrs. Rinus Veekay: He's racing the Indy 500. She's a pro boxer (and model) 'I barely moved my shoulder and arm for a week and everything just started cramping (on race day). It was pretty hard and wasn't ideal,' Veekay said. As he continued to reflect, Veekay was pleased with the race. 'We finished the race 16th. That was decent,' he said. Marco Andretti's performance in the 2022 Superstar Racing Experience season finale was better than decent. The 20-year IndyCar veteran broke his wrist due to an in-race crash but recovered, passing three drivers in 10 laps to secure ninth place and just enough points to win the SRX title. 'It's crazy, you can go that extra gear and it doesn't matter what's in my way,' Andretti told IndyStar. 33 things to know about Indy 500: Drivers to watch, loads of history, where Penske finishes Andretti echoed Palou and said adrenaline 'plays a big part' in persisting through the pain. As he stood on the third floor of the media building at IMS on Thursday, Andretti started grimacing as he recalled the pain he felt in his wrist post-race.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Team Penske doubles up on 'Yellow Submarine' paint scheme for the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600
Kyle Larson signs autographs for fans during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Joey Logano, right, poses with a cow skull Wurth 400 trophy in Victory Lane tafter winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Scott McLaughlin, of New Zealand, drives into the second turn during running of the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Scott McLaughlin, of New Zealand, drives into the second turn during running of the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Kyle Larson signs autographs for fans during practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Joey Logano, right, poses with a cow skull Wurth 400 trophy in Victory Lane tafter winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, Sunday, May 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson) Scott McLaughlin, of New Zealand, drives into the second turn during running of the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Team Penske was fast for a second straight day in Indianapolis 500 practice but didn't top the board as Alex Palou, the driver everyone has been chasing this season, posted the best lap Wednesday. Will Power and two-time defending winner Josef Newgarden were second- and third-fastest for Penske, which is finally showing some speed with its Chevrolet engines. Palou has won four of five races this season powered by Honda, with Kyle Kirkwood the only other winner this season, also in a Honda. Advertisement Seven of the top eight speeds Wednesday were from either Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing, or affiliates of those teams. Palou, winner of the last two IndyCar championships and three of the last four, was fastest at 227.546 mph. Power's lap was 225.584 and Newgarden went 225.545 before calling it a day early and watching the end of practice from his motorhome. Scott Dixon of Ganassi was fourth-fastest and followed by Conor Daly in a car for Juncos Hollinger Racing. David Malukas, whose A.J. Foyt Racing team is aligned with Penske, was sixth-fastest and followed by Meyer Shank Racing drivers Marcus Armstrong and Helio Castroneves. MSR has an alliance with Ganassi. For the Penske drivers, their two days of speed were encouraging considering Honda has swept the first five races of the season. Advertisement The other double While the Gasoline Alley chatter still focuses on Kyle Larson's second straight quest to complete racing's Memorial Day weekend double, Team Penske added a new twist to the conversation Wednesday — the Pennzoil Double. Team officials announced three-time Cup champ Joey Logano and IndyCar driver Scott McLaughlin would use the same "Yellow Submarine' paint schemes in their respective May 25 races — the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. 'Everybody knows the 'Yellow Submarine' paint job and how iconic that is to the IndyCar Series, to Rick Mears,' Logano said. 'To be able to transition that into stock cars, there's not many ways you can do that in such a seamless way like we're able to do at Penske. To be able to switch from IndyCar to NASCAR is pretty neat.' Advertisement Mears, one of four four-time Indy winners, drove the 'Yellow Submarine' to victory lane in 1984 and 1988. Three-time Indy winner Johnny Rutherford also won with the same yellow-and-red paint scheme in 1980. Pennzoil brought it back to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1984 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Mears' second 500 win. Now Team Penske is giving NASCAR fans a glimpse of the famous car. At the Daytona 500, Logano's No. 22 car also featured Josef Newgarden's paint job from his winning Indy runs in 2023 and 2024. He's back, maybe Tony Kanaan has endured some hard knocks in more than two decades of racing at Indianapolis. Now that the 2013 race winner could be back, so is the bad luck. Advertisement The seemingly ageless Kanaan has been designated as Larson's backup driver as Larson tries to compete the double, something rain delays in Indy and Charlotte made impossible last year. He didn't even get to turn a lap in Charlotte in 2024. This year, NASCAR has made it clear Larson must be at the 600 or it will cost him dearly in his pursuit of a second Cup Series title. So Kanaan is on deck. There's just one problem: The Arrow McLaren team principal can't get on the 2.5-mile oval long enough to complete his refresher course. Rain postponed his first attempt Tuesday and another rain delay Wednesday postponed Kanaan's next chance until Thursday. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday. Advertisement Kanaan's comebacks have become the norm. He initially planned to retire after the 2020 Indianapolis 500, but when the seats were empty because of the COVID-19 pandemic he came back in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, he announced that 500 would be his last, too. Schedule changes IndyCar's new broadcast partner, FOX, has announced new start times for five races in June and July — a move designed to increase television ratings by preventing America's two most popular series, IndyCar and NASCAR, from running in the same time slots. The biggest change involves the June 15 race in suburban St. Louis. It will now start at 8 p.m., five hours later than originally scheduled. Advertisement 'This is a massive primetime showcase under the lights for the stars of the IndyCar Series,' league president Doug Boles said. 'This is also a tremendous display of partnership from both FOX Sports and our friends at World Wide Technology Raceway, who've worked with us to generate this exciting opportunity for our sport.' The Road America race June 22 will start at 1:30 p.m., two hours earlier than previously set. Races at Mid-Ohio on July 6 and Iowa on July 13 each will have start times moved up one hour to 1 p.m. The July 20 street race in Toronto had its time start moved up two hours to noon. Schmidt's fundraiser Advertisement Former IndyCar driver and team owner Sam Schmidt will hold his annual Racing to Recovery Black & White Gala fundraiser for the Conquer Paralysis Now foundation on May 23 in Indianapolis. The Grammy-nominated rock band Daughtry, which is fronted by former 'American Idol' finalist Chris Daughtry, will perform at the event that is open to the public. In 25 years, the event has collected more than $40 million for spinal cord injury research. Organizers are hoping to add another $2 million at this year's gala. Schmidt was seriously injured in a crash at practice in January 2000, which cost him the use of his arms and legs. He is the founder of the non-profit Conquer Paralysis Now. Advertisement 'Since 2000, I have been on a mission to redefine what possible for those like myself living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological conditions,' Schmidt said. 'Conquer Paralysis Now is a promise to those living with paralysis that they are not forgotten and they deserve access to the tools and resources that will help them thrive.' ___ AP auto racing:
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rain and lightning cut short Indy 500 practice, but Team Penske still shines
Alex Palou, of Spain, center, celebrates after winning the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, left, finished second and Will Power, of Australia, finished third. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Team Penske was fastest on opening day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, a day shortened at the front and back end because of weather. Will Power and two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden went 1-2 in Chevrolets for Penske in Tuesday's abbreviated session. Cars ran only about three hours, first because of morning rain and then a lightning strike ended the session with about 30 minutes remaining. Advertisement Power turned a lap at 227.026 mph around Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while Newgarden went 226.971 mph. Alex Palou, winner of four of the first five races this season and the current IndyCar points leader, was third fastest for Chip Ganassi Racing. The Honda driver is the two-time reigning IndyCar champion and has won three of the last four series titles. He went 226.673 mph. He was followed by Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon and then Scott McLaughlin, another Penske driver. Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves was sixth fastest for Meyer Shank Racing, and new father Alexander Rossi, who welcomed his first baby last week, was seventh fastest. The birth of Rossi's son was a surprise to many in the industry as he and wife, Kelly, deliberately did not reveal her pregnancy to many people. Advertisement 'Because why would we?' he asked. The boy, named Benjamin Kenneth, was born last Wednesday. His first name was the only name they could decide on, and his middle name is after her late father. Marcus Armstrong of Meyer-Shank was eighth fastest, Marcus Ericsson, a former Indianapolis 500 winner, was ninth, and Marco Andretti, in his only scheduled IndyCar race of the season, was 10th for Andretti Global. ___ AP auto racing:
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pato O'Ward battles customs delay for special helmet ahead of Indianapolis 500
Alex Palou, of Spain, center, celebrates after winning the IndyCar Grand Prix auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 10, 2025. Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, left, finished second and Will Power, of Australia, finished third. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A rain delay at Indianapolis Motor Speedway bought Pato O'Ward additional time to secure his custom made helmet for 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' — a package currently stuck in customs. O'Ward was on the phone during Tuesday's rain delay trying to sort out the issue. He said the helmet was shipped from Germany and is currently being held 'ransom' as the popular Mexican driver is being told it can't be delivered until he pays the customs fees. Advertisement O'Ward argued he already paid the fees or else the helmet never would have cleared customs, and he spent a large portion of Tuesday morning arguing on the phone and attempting to pay the fees for a second time. 'I've been on the phone 48 minutes and they won't send me a link to pay the customs,' he grumbled. He initially thought the delivery delay was because the package required a signature, but insisted there are people at his house awaiting the helmet. 'I kept telling the driver to ring the bell! There's people there!' he said. 'But then they said it is a customs fee and they won't deliver it until it's been paid.' Advertisement O'Ward is adamant its a mix-up but is willing to pay twice. Drivers often unveil special helmet designs for the Indianapolis 500 to replace the ones they wear the rest of the season. The idea is to showcase meaningful and fun designs that represent their culture, personality or other things that have personal meaning. ___ AP auto racing:
Axios
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Axios
Alex Palou ready to win Indy 500 after Grand Prix victory
Alex Palou says he'll "get crazy" if he wins the Indianapolis 500 in two weeks. Driving the news: Palou is hard to beat right now, having won four of the first five races of the season, and he knows how to win in Indy. He took victory at the IndyCar Grand Prix for the third year in a row Saturday. Yes, but: That runs on IMS' road course. The 500 is, of course, raced on the famous 2.5-mile oval track. It's an entirely different beast that, despite his success, Palou hasn't proven he's tamed. "The Indy 500 is a different game," he admitted in a post-race press conference Saturday night. "I don't think we're the favorites, but we're going to try everything we have." The intrigue: Only twice since it was introduced in 2014 has the winner of the IndyCar Grand Prix at IMS gone on to win the Indy 500, and it's been six years since Simon Pagenaud last did it. Yes, but but: Palou wants it bad. Asked if it was time for him to get his first oval win, Palou answered with an emphatic "yes." "I would love that," Palou said. "If that happens, I'll get crazy. Like very crazy … Things are going to fly. Flames here. Flames there. It's going to be amazing." What's next: The cars are back on the track today for the opening day of Indy 500 practice.
