Latest news with #qualifications
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Pato O'Ward looking to change his Indianapolis 500 thirst for victory by finding a cow to milk
The former winners of the Indianapolis 500, top row, left to right, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, and Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden, bottom bottom row, Will Power, of Australia, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, and Takuma Sato, of Japan, pose for a photo on the start/finish line before practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Colton Herta prepares climbs out of his car during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) The car driven by Colton Herta slides along the track after becoming airborne after hitting the wall in the first turn during a qualification attempt for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirk DeBrunner) Ryan Hunter-Reay, left, and Alexander Rossi talk as they wait for their turn during qualification for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, waves to fans before the start of practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, waves to fans before the start of practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) The former winners of the Indianapolis 500, top row, left to right, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Helio Castroneves, of Brazil, and Marcus Ericsson, of Sweden, bottom bottom row, Will Power, of Australia, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, and Takuma Sato, of Japan, pose for a photo on the start/finish line before practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Colton Herta prepares climbs out of his car during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) The car driven by Colton Herta slides along the track after becoming airborne after hitting the wall in the first turn during a qualification attempt for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirk DeBrunner) Ryan Hunter-Reay, left, and Alexander Rossi talk as they wait for their turn during qualification for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Pato O'Ward, of Mexico, waves to fans before the start of practice for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Monday, May 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward understands winners drink milk at the Indianapolis 500. He just doesn't want a small oversight to cause him any more race day consternation. So during Thursday's media day, O'Ward said he plans to participate in a superstition that he hopes will end the tough spills he's endured in his first five Indy 500 starts. Advertisement Pole winner Robert Shwartzman recounted how after last weekend's qualifying, he took part in the rookie tradition of milking a cow — and the role it's believed to play in who quenches their thirst in victory lane. 'The woman, she came to me and said, 'The people who didn't milk the cow, they never won the Indy 500,' and they were like (did not finish). It's bad luck,' Shwartzman said. 'Whoever milks the cow. Alexander Rossi did it. He won the 500. You have to milk the cow.' Shwartzman described his personal experience with a 'very calm, cute' cow named Indy. O'Ward never got his chance to squeeze an udder because his rookie start came in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the race was run in August with no fans and the milking tradition was put on hold. Advertisement Since then, he's finished sixth, fourth, second, 24th and second. Two-time race winner Takuma Sato claimed he never took part in the tradition, but that didn't seem to impress O'Ward, who eventually asked: 'Are they always ready to just...?" Finally, after Shwartzman suggested O'Ward wait until next year to make it right, O'Ward said he wasn't content to have yet another race day spoiled. He wanted to milk a cow immediately. The Indiana Dairy Association was quick to offer help. 'We know some farmers who know some cows who can make that happen,' the group posted on X. Playing hooky Advertisement Ryan Hunter-Reay brought a special guest to the dais Thursday — his oldest son, Ryden. The soon-to-be-sixth-grader wore a baseball cap, shorts and, of course, No. 23 socks to honor his dad, the 2014 Indy 500 winner. Spending race week in Indianapolis was only part of the treat for Ryden Hunter-Reay. He also got to miss his last week of school. 'I think it's better (here),' he said when asked about his absence from class. And who does he think will win Sunday's race? 'My dad,' he said. Feeling better Colton Herta canceled his local Community Day appearance Wednesday because he was under the weather. By Thursday, he was feeling well enough to show up for his media day interview. Advertisement While Herta seems to be on the mend or Sunday's race, he would feel much better with a higher starting spot. He qualified 29th Saturday, just 4 1/2 hours after crashing on his first qualifying attempt. He'll start 27th because of the penalties assessed to two Team Penske cars. At least he's comfortable in the backup car his team scrambled to set up Saturday. 'It's just like being in the other car, they patched everything pretty perfectly, which for me has never happened before, so it was a surprise,' Herta said. 'It filled me with a lot of confidence, made it easier to get back to work.' Drive for five Advertisement Helio Castroneves is the fourth and most recent member of Indy's four-time winners club. His quest to become the race's first five-time champion has been overshadowed by Kyle Larson's second attempt at running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, and by the Team Penske scandal. The longtime Penske driver who now drives for Meyer Shank Racing will start 22nd after moving up two spots on the starting grid because of the penalties assessed to his two ex-teammates. It's the third-lowest starting position of his 25 career Indy starts after he qualified 28th in 2020 and 27th in 2022. The 50-year-old Brazilian also is completing his own double this season by competing in the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500 in the same year. 'This place has been good to me, this place is amazing and I'm trying to get something special, to rewrite history,' Castroneves said. 'So we're going to have hard work to do, but I feel like we're going to be up front very soon.' ___ AP auto racing:
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Team Penske's Josef Newgarden And Will Power Penalized At Indy 500
Team Penske Chevrolet reacts after his car failed a tech inspect before the fast 12 during the ... More second day of qualifications for the NTT IndyCar Series 109th Running of the Indianapolis 500. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) INDIANAPOLIS – In a shocking development announced at 11 a.m. Eastern Time on May 19, IndyCar officials have assessed additional penalties that will send two-time and back-to-back winner Josef Newgarden and 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power to the back of the 33-car grid. IndyCar issued a release at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. 'IndyCar's focus was ensuring that the series had all the facts related to the discovery of the modified attenuators on the Team Penske entries of Nos. 2 and 12 to verify they were in violation of INDYCAR Rule 14.7.8.16. After the series confirmed the technical infraction, by rule, the violating cars were placed in the last positions of the qualifying session for which they qualified. 'Upon further review last night and early this morning, IndyCar will be moving cars No. 2 and 12 to the 32nd and 33rd starting positions for this year's Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. They will start in order based upon their qualifying times from Saturday.' IndyCar President Doug Boles spoke of the additional penalties and why it was important to the event. 'The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the INDYCAR rule against modification to this part and using it 'as supplied' is clear,' Boles said. 'The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance.' Scott McLaughlin's car No. 3 did not attempt to qualify Sunday in the Top 12 because of an accident in the earlier afternoon's practice. Upon review of the car, and INDYCAR impounding the No. 3 attenuator, INDYCAR found that the car was in fact using a legal and unmodified attenuator. Therefore, car No. 3 will start in the 10th spot – the final spot of those who had qualified to participate in the Top 12. Additionally, INDYCAR is suspending the team strategists for the Nos. 2 and 12 for the remainder of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, both cars will forfeit Indianapolis 500 qualification points, and each entry has been fined $100,000. Car Nos. 2 and 12 also will forfeit their pit positions and will select their pit boxes after the remainder of the field has an opportunity to adjust accordingly. 'The positive momentum around the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and the Indianapolis 500 has been on a steep crescendo over the last several months, and we want it to be clear that our intent is to maintain that momentum and discourage teams from putting INDYCAR in positions where it calls into the integrity of our officiating and the levelness of the playing field,' Boles said. 'As we look to the remainder of the week and the race this weekend, we will do everything we can to make it clear that this is not only the best racing on the planet but racing where the best win under completely fair conditions.'
The Herald
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
SA's Olympic medal 4x100m team 'needs to step it up' at World Relays
The men's 4x100m and 4x400m teams as well as the women's 4x400m and the mixed 4x400m teams will be trying to win qualification for the world championships in Tokyo in September. It's all or nothing for the women's and mixed outfits, but the two men's teams will have breathing room if they fail. The top 14 teams will secure berths in Japan, with the next two fastest making up the 16 teams that will do battle at the world championships. The men's 4x100m team are the third-fastest team in the qualifying window so far, and should the two quickest, the US and Canada, be part of the 14, South Africa will be the fastest side in contention for two places. The men's 4x400m team is fifth-fastest, behind the US, Botswana, Britain and Belgium. They would need at least three of those teams to finish in the top 14 in China to have a chance of making it to Japan. Zenéy Geldenhuys, captain of the women's relay teams, is confident the women can make the final and challenge for silverware after they broke the national 4x400m record at Pilditch stadium in Pretoria last month, clocking 3 min 28.30 sec. 'I think when we are in a very competitive environment we will automatically go faster. [The record performance] was our first race for the year and we broke the South African record. We didn't even think we were going to do that.
