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Fox Sports
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Colton Herta Salvages Deep Starting Spot after Huge Crash
INDYCAR Colton Herta had a dramatic and harrowing crash during Saturday's PPG Armed Forces Qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While attempting his first qualifying run, Herta lost control of his No. 26 Gainbridge Honda in Turn 1. The car half-spun and slammed into the SAFER Barrier, then flipped over and slid on its top before striking the Turn 2 barrier again – this time with the top of the car making contact. Despite the severity of the crash, Herta was able to climb out of the car on his own after the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team gently turned it right-side up and was uninjured. The incident highlighted both the dangers of pushing the limits at IMS and the effectiveness of modern safety measures like the SAFER Barrier and INDYCAR's reinforced cockpit structures, including the aeroscreen. 'I'm fine,' Herta said. 'Luckily, nowadays, these crashes look a lot scarier than they feel. Not to say that that one felt good. There was kind of no real signs leading to it. We were super happy with the car this morning and go out and just loose.' Herta's Saturday was a striking display of both the perils and perseverance that define NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing. After suffering the hardest crash of the week at 12:05 p.m. ET, Herta's participation in qualifying appeared in serious doubt. Herta initially questioned whether the Andretti Global team could even prepare a backup car in time for the 5:50 p.m. ET checkered flag of the first day of time trials. But in a remarkable turnaround, Andretti Global's crew pulled off a near-miracle. Starting with little more than a bare chassis and the salvaged engine from the wrecked car, they rebuilt the backup machine in just a few hours. Herta roared back onto the track by 4:45 p.m. ET, and despite 30 mph wind gusts and zero seat time in the new car, he delivered four laps all over 230 mph, averaging 230.192 mph and placing him 29th on the grid and safely into the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. 'It sucks,' Herta said afterward. 'We're not happy just making the show. We want to fight for the pole; we want to be in the Fast 12. When we don't get the chance to do that, it's pretty disappointing.' Though frustrated with the lost opportunity to contend for a top spot, Herta was effusive in his praise for his team's heroic effort under intense pressure. 'I got a lot of trust in my guys,' Herta said. 'This place doesn't scare me. I don't have a problem hitting the wall here and having big ones like today. It doesn't feel good and it sucks, but it doesn't scare me when I get back in the race car.' Shwartzman Displays Speed, Makes Fast 12 Robert Shwartzman has emerged as one of the most compelling surprises of the week. Driving the No. 83 PREMA Racing Chevrolet, the '500' rookie turned heads by posting a blistering four-lap average of 232.584 in qualifying — good enough for sixth-fastest Saturday and a spot in the Fast 12 Qualifying session Sunday that will whittle the field to the Firestone Fast Six drivers who battle for the NTT P1 Award. This impressive performance came on the heels of a strong showing during Fast Friday presented by Turtle Wax, where Shwartzman logged the 13th-fastest speed. It's a remarkable feat for a driver making his oval-racing debut at the Brickyard, not only navigating a new car and team but also the uniquely intense atmosphere of Indy 500 qualifying. 'I was quite nervous before the run,' Shwartzman said. 'We haven't driven in these conditions. Everything is new to me. I was like, 'Listen, it's one chance, it's my first qualifying, I have to go for it.' I floored it and went flat.' The first two laps were smooth and fast, but the latter half of the run was a true test. As tire wear set in and the car began to shift unpredictably, Shwartzman showed poise under pressure. 'From Lap 3 on, I had some deg (wear) on the rear tires, and the car started to move,' he said. 'So, the last two laps honestly were on edge, and I was trying to hold on to it. I was on the limit at 240 mph – that's crazy! It's a new experience.' Despite thinking he left some speed on the table in the final laps, Shwartzman's combination of raw pace and level-headedness is making PREMA Racing's debut a standout story. Though he dialed it back slightly when the car got unsettled — prioritizing a safe, clean run over pushing beyond the limit — the potential is clearly there. 'I tried to take a more cautious approach,' he said. 'If I had more experience, I would probably do a better job in the last two laps.' Heading into Sunday's final day of qualifying, Shwartzman is not only a rookie to watch – he's a real contender to make the Firestone Fast Six. 'Obviously, we still need to do some work to catch the top guys,' Shwartzman said. 'I want to believe that we can battle for the top six tomorrow.' Top 12 qualifying begins at 4 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. The qualifying order is based on Saturday's times, slowest to fastest. Each car is guaranteed one attempt. The fastest six advance to the Firestone Fast Six that begins at 6:25 p.m. ET to determine the top two rows. Andretti Falls into Last Chance Qualifying Marco Andretti finds himself in a frustrating position heading into Last Chance Qualifying, on the outside looking in, by the slimmest of margins. 2020 '500' pole winner Andretti's four-lap average of 229.859 in the No. 98 MAPEI/Curb Honda came heartbreakingly short of locking him into the field. He was edged out by Graham Rahal, who posted a nearly identical 229.863 in the No. 15 United Rentals Honda, a gap of just 0.004 mph — or roughly a few feet over 10 miles. 'I don't know what else to do,' Andretti said after the run. 'I think tomorrow is ours to lose. We need to just not be dumb tomorrow and do four solid ones, and we should be OK. Just the fact that we're running tomorrow is a bummer.' That bummer is Last Chance Qualifying, where four drivers will fight for the final three spots in the 33-car grid. That starts at 5:15 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and INDYCAR Radio Network. Each car is guaranteed one attempt and may make multiple attempts until time expires. Andretti is competing with Marcus Armstrong of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian and Dale Coyne Racing teammates Rinus VeeKay (No. 18 askROI Honda) and Jacob Abel (No. 51 Miller High Life Honda). One driver will miss the show. Armstrong Rallies after Big Morning Crash Armstrong's Saturday was a gut punch filled with frustration, grit, and what-ifs. Just 11 minutes into the morning's pre-qualifying practice, Armstrong lost control of his No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda in Turn 1, spinning and making heavy rear and left-side contact with the SAFER Barrier. The car then slid into Turn 2, making secondary left-side contact — a violent crash that brought an abrupt halt to his momentum and cast doubt over whether he'd be able to continue. Armstrong was conscious and upright when he was loaded into an ambulance by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team and, after medical evaluation, was cleared to return to the car around 2 p.m. ET. Remarkably, by 5 p.m., he was back on track in a hastily rebuilt backup car, using the team's road course chassis. His first qualifying attempt, however, was short-lived. After just two laps – at 225.904 and 226.172 – the run was waved off. He tried again late in the session, with eight minutes remaining, putting together two stronger laps (229.599, 229.520) before a major drop-off to 222.691 prompted another wave-off. 'It's obviously hugely disappointing what happened this morning,' Armstrong said. 'We had a very fast car. I think Felix (Rosenqvist) demonstrated that. I think he got the quickest lap of the day. I think him and I were pretty much the same.' The crash left Armstrong questioning the balance and grip levels under Saturday's challenging, gusty conditions, a recurring theme for several drivers caught out during high-speed qualifying simulations. 'I don't know why honestly I lost the car so suddenly,' he said. 'You could argue a bunch of things. Ultimately, we put a setup on the car that we thought was going to be reasonably conservative for the conditions, but ultimately that wasn't the case.' Odds and Ends Chip Ganassi Racing entered a pair of full-time INDY NXT by Firestone cars for the first time since 2007. An underrated benefit to doing that is even though the series doesn't race until June 1 on the streets of Detroit, the crew members were put to work Friday helping put together Kyffin Simpson's backup car after he crashed in practice. INDY NXT by Firestone points leader Dennis Hauger grew up a massive Jeff Gordon fan. The two met during qualifying for the '500' after Kyle Larson's second qualifying attempt. Nolan Siegel was bumped from last year's field but avoided heartbreak this time, qualifying 26th in his No. 6 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. This is the third-straight year the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing is in the Last Chance Qualifying session. Sting Ray Robb (2023) and Katherine Legge (2024) each made the race those years, both qualifying 31st. Alexander Rossi (14th), Ed Carpenter (16th), and Christian Rasmussen (20th) ended Ed Carpenter Racing's 12-year streak of making the pole shootout. recommended
Fox Sports
17-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Felix Rosenqvist Tops 234, Marcus Armstrong Has Big Hit in Pre-Qualifying Practice
INDYCAR The risk and reward of PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying was on full display Saturday morning during pre-qualifying practice, as Felix Rosenqvist reset the speed limit while Marcus Armstrong suffered a heavy crash less than three hours before time trials begin. Rosenqvist turned the fastest lap of the week, 234.176 mph, in the No. 60 SiriusXM Honda fielded by Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb-Agajanian. Rosenqvist reached that speed during a four-lap qualifying simulation that he aborted because of instability created by west winds of 15 mph, with gusts reaching 25 mph, and glare from the mid-morning sun. SEE: Practice Results | Qualifying Format | Qualifying Order 'I just kind of missed the corner a little bit,' Rosenqvist said. 'I think it was more me than the car, to be honest. I just kind of struggled to distinguish the corner in the sun and the oil dry on the track. It just kind of got awkward, and I didn't feel like staying in it. 'The car felt great. Looked like it rolled pretty good.' While Rosenqvist put MSR on top of the charts, his teammate wasn't as fortunate. Eleven minutes into the session, Armstrong's No. 66 SiriusXM/Root Insurance Honda wiggled in Turn 1, spun and made hard contact with the SAFER Barrier with the rear and left side of his car. The car then made secondary contact in Turn 2. The big hit inflicted heavy damage to the car. Armstrong was helped from the car by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team. INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Julia Vaizer reported on the FOX broadcast that Armstrong is conscious and alert and being evaluated in the IU Health Emergency Medical Center at the track. Two-time reigning series champion Alex Palou, who has won four of the first five races this season, was second fastest this morning at 233.502 in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Josef Newgarden, aiming for an unprecedented three straight '500' victories, was third at 233.173 in the No. 2 Shell V-Power NiTRO+ Team Penske Chevrolet. Colton Herta ended up fourth at 232.892 in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda of Andretti Global. Six-time series champion Scott Dixon rounded out the top five at 232.858 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, as CGR was the only team with two drivers in the top five. Dixon is aiming to tie fellow legend Rick Mears with his sixth Indianapolis 500 pole. The first day of qualifying takes place from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. today (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., FS1; 1:30-4 p.m., FS2; 4-6 p.m., FOX; FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). Positions 13-30 in the starting field will be set today, with the Last Row Shootout, Top 12 and Firestone Fast Six qualifying sessions Sunday afternoon deciding the rest of the 33-car starting grid. The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 25 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX Sports app, INDYCAR Radio Network). recommended
Fox Sports
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- Fox Sports
Paddock Buzz: Crash Cuts Short Kyle Larson's Preparation
INDYCAR Perhaps no NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver appreciated this week's Indianapolis 500 Open Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway more than the driver who has started only one such race. Unfortunately, Kyle Larson didn't get to enjoy the second day of it. In a Thursday morning session designed to simulate qualifying sessions for next month's Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, Larson's No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet drifted wide in Turn 1 and smacked the SAFER Barrier. The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion prepping for his second Indy start slammed on the brakes in the short chute but couldn't keep the car from hitting the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier. Larson's day was over literally one corner in. 'I was starting my qualifying laps there and just got really tight,' Larson said. 'Just a bunch of understeer through (Turn) 1 and ran out of space off of Turn 1. I kind of fought the understeer feeling yesterday, and it carried over to today.' Before the incident, Larson listed an assortment of benefits he received in preparation for next month's race. Because he hasn't done computer simulations as others have – it's not his norm even in NASCAR – and he hoped to get as much track time as possible. Crash aside, he came away better for the experience. 'It was good, good to get back behind the wheel,' he said. 'It doesn't seem like that long ago (since last year's race), and I figured it would feel normal when I got back in (the car), but it definitely took some getting accustomed to.' Larson admitted to needing a few laps Wednesday to feel confident hold the gas pedal wide open, but he got there well enough to post the day's second-fastest lap among Chevrolet drivers – 11th overall – at 223.430 mph. Larson said the biggest year-over-year adjustment was managing the additional weight of INDYCAR's hybrid technology, used for the first time in the series last summer after the '500.' He said having more weight in the car's rear made the balance feel 'a little different.' Larson said he was rusty with many of the small details of driving these cars, including the steering wheel that is configured differently than it was last year. But he got into a rhythm, which helped him be ready for the first day of official practice Tuesday, May 13. The '500' is Sunday, May 25. Daly's Experience Helpful for Team Conor Daly is one of the most experienced drivers in this 34-car field, having raced in 11 '500s' plus NASCAR races at IMS such as last year's Pennzoil 250 for the Xfinity Series. He started 16th and finished 14th in that race after being collected in an opening-lap incident. 'I just had a great time doing that,' Daly said. 'I was running in the top five – one of the most fun races in my life. I had a great time.' Daly has led 69 laps in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,' the same number as two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden. Daly's best '500' finish is sixth for Ed Carpenter Racing in 2022. This year, Daly is driving the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet, and it's the seventh NTT INDYCAR SERIES team he has driven for in the '500.' Because of that, Daly feels he has been tasked with a leadership and development role for a team that's still carving out its place in the series. Having a veteran like Daly who can fine-tune an oval-specific car should be beneficial for JHR. 'They've had really good drivers behind the wheel here, but those drivers have not had (as much) oval experience,' Daly said. 'There's a feel for a car here that I think you have to have.' JHR's list of Indy drivers includes Spencer Pigot, Sebastian Saavedra, Kyle Kaiser, Callum Ilott, Agustin Canapino and Romain Grosjean since its debut in 2017. Kaiser, Ilott and Canapino were '500' rookies that year. Pigot had one previous start, a 25th-place finish for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in 2016. Grosjean had two previous '500' starts, neither of which he finished. Ericsson Humbled by Last Year's Race Marcus Ericsson has experienced the highs and lows at IMS, winning the race in 2022 and nearly going back-to-back in 2023. On the low end, he crashed in practice last year, nearly failed to earn a starting position and then, as a last-row starter, was collected in Tom Blomqvist's accident in the first turn. That's the kind of heartbreak Indy sometimes throws at competitors. Ericsson's move to Andretti Global last season after four wins in three years with Chip Ganassi Racing has added pressure of a different kind. Andretti is a top-tier team with huge expectations, but it takes time for a driver to settle into a new environment, especially at a place as demanding and unpredictable as IMS. 'Last year was a big disappointment – obviously that's been my drive all winter,' Ericsson said. 'Really need to be better. 'I've worked really hard to be better this year. I'm excited to be back and show that we can be up there and fight for the win again.' Andretti Global put an emphasis on improving its oval performance, too. The team won three of four '500's' from 2014-17, but it has been seven races without another win, with only one top-five finish and six laps led in the last three years. 'You can just feel the difference,' Ericsson said of the year-over-year outlook. 'For me to be with the same group again, coming back here, that's a huge thing. But also, I think the team has stepped it up even more. They've put a ton of effort into preparing the cars for the '500,' and that's been impressive to see all the effort has gone into it. If we can continue to improve, I think we should be in the mix.' Drivers Chasing Newgarden Newgarden conceded that no one in the paddock other than members of his crew wants to see him become the first driver to win three consecutive '500s.' The other back-to-back winners – Wilbur Shaw (1939-40), Mauri Rose (1947-48), Bill Vukovich (1953-54), Al Unser (1970-71) and Helio Castroneves (2001-02) – were unsuccessful in their bids to 'three-peat.' As the last driver not named Josef Newgarden to win the '500,' Ericsson feels a sense of responsibility to knock off the Team Penske driver May 25. 'We all agree that we can't let him win three in a row,' Ericsson said. 'That's unacceptable.' Chip Ganassi Racing driver Alex Palou is chasing three consecutive NTT INDYCAR SERIES championships but is winless in five '500' starts. He is aware of the burden of being the one everyone wants to dethrone. 'I don't want anybody (else) to win,' Palou said. 'I just want myself to win. After that, obviously you want your teammates to win, because at the end of the day, it's your team, and I would much prefer for Scott (Dixon) or Kyffin (Simpson) to win than anybody else. But apart from that, I don't care. If it's not my day, I don't care.' Ferrucci Sees Indy Win Coming Santino Ferrucci had an engine problem early in Wednesday's session, putting the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing Chevrolet on the sidelines for most of the day. The team thrashed to change engines, getting him on track for the final minutes of the day. Ferrucci admitted the lack of track time was a blessing in disguise. His car didn't feel right before the issue, and he said the team was able to properly diagnose what happened and saved an afternoon of fighting the problem. That left Ferrucci feeling confident in his car and his chances of reaching Victory Lane in the '500.' 'I feel like I will win this race,' Ferrucci said. 'It's not an 'if' for me. It will be: 'Will it be this year? Will it be next year?' I've always been confident here.' Ferrucci is the first driver in '500' history to finish in the top 10 in his first six starts. He finished third with A.J. Foyt's team in 2023 and was eighth last year. Harvey 'Learning' New Role Jack Harvey has stepped away from his FOX broadcasting duties to compete in this '500' with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports. The veteran driver believes he has acclimated reasonably well to being an on-air rookie – 'There's no training for this – it's baptism by fire,' he said – but he admits watching replays of the telecasts is difficult. 'Awkward,' he said. 'But it's the only way to learn.' Ganassi Cars Added to Museum The newly renovated Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum welcomed 14 cars from Chip Ganassi Racing, including five '500' winners, on Thursday. It marks the museum's largest one-batch acquisition since 2011 and the first time modern-era Indy cars have been acquired. The winning cars are Juan Pablo Montoya's from 2000, Scott Dixon's from 2008, Dario Franchitti's from 2010 and 2012, and Ericsson's from 2022. Other prominent cars acquired by the museum are Dixon's 2022 pole winner that he used to overtake Al Unser as the event's all-time lap leader; the 1994 car that Michael Andretti used to score CGR's first victory; the car Jamie McMurray used to win the 2010 NASCAR Brickyard 400; and the Delta Wing prototype, one of three chassis proposals for the 2012 INDYCAR SERIES season that was unveiled at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Odds and Ends For the first time in five years, Team Penske's Newgarden wasn't the quickest in the spring Open Test. The two-time defending winner was ninth among the 34 drivers this week at 231.229 mph. Teammate Scott McLaughlin led the way at 232.686 mph. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Takuma Sato crashed in the morning session, but his best lap – 232.565 mph – ranked second overall and first on the non-draft chart. Team Penske's McLaughlin had the fastest trap speed into Turn 1 at 235.171 mph. Following him in that category were Sato (234.465), Andretti Global w/Curb-Agajanian's Colton Herta (233.692) and Ed Carpenter Racing's Christian Rasmussen (233.656).
