Oh look – another gorgeous day at IMS, and they’ve turned up the boost 50 hp on the engines. Already, Ryan Hunter-Reay has gone 226+ mph and James Hinchcliffe and Marco Andretti have clocked a 225.9 mph – and the day’s hardly begun. Hold onto those hats during happy hour, folks…

If you’re at IMS and see Simon Pagenaud, wish him a happy birthday.

Time to check the long range forecast again: Sunny and mid 80s for qualifying, Thursday through race day, sunny with low to mid 80s. Accuweather shows absolutely ZERO rain from now through the first of June. Weather.com shows similar temperatures, but a 30% chance of thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday, which are two days with no track activity.  Of course, the wx forecast is always subject to change…

The schedule –  practice from noon to 6 p.m. Then, Trackside and The Talk of Gasoline Alley on the radio tonight. Check out our interactive calendar for the month’s activities!

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Another gorgeous day at IMS, and young Josef Newgarten was top of the speed charts again yesterday. He also had the first incident of the month, spinning on Turn 4 exit and lightly brushing the inside wall at pit in. Speeds on the day were fairly consistent with what we’ve seen all week.

Today? Gorgeous. And as we type, Sebastien Bourdais is taking Katherine Legge’s #6 machine, bearing the Chevy bow tie logo and a matching engine, through its paces on his refresher course. The plan was for Katherine to get her rookie orientation out of the way as well, but time’s running out. Hopefully, it’ll be extended so she can take care of that.

General practice runs from noon to 6 p.m., with Trackside, The Talk of Gasoline Alley and Indy Live airing on www.1070thefan.com tonight from 7 – 9 p.m. Check out the schedule for the month on our interactive calendar!

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Gorgeous day at the track yesterday, and young Marco Andretti topped the speed charts with the first 223+ mph lap of the month.

Weather forecast for today? Just call it Groundhog Day. All the way through the weekend. (Except getting a little warmer.)

The schedule – darned near another Groundhog Day. Practice from noon to 6 p.m. Then, Trackside and The Talk of Gasoline Alley on the radio tonight. Check out our interactive calendar for the month’s activities!

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Apologies for our absence – life and technical difficulties have prevented us from posting here over the weekend. Hopefully all is squared away now!

Practice for the Indy 500 began on Saturday, and so far it’s been a kid’s show with names like Newgarten, Clauson, and Saavedra dominating the top of the speed charts.  No one doubts that will change as the week moves along and the “big guns” stop sitting on their tire allotment and start racing on them.

Angry Lotus, frozen Dragon – Jay Penkse is suing Lotus for a huge sum, looking for a way out of his Lotus contract so he can run Chevy engines. Neither Katherine Legge nor Sebastien Bourdais have turned a wheel so far.  A resolution will need to happen soon, so Legge can complete Rookie Orientation. It would sure help secure 33 cars for the 500, as well.

The weather has been stunning for track activities so far this month. Temperatures will warm as the week continues, into the lower 80s for Pole and Bump Day, but no rain is in the forecast. Looking ahead at the long range weather: The warmth continues for next week’s track activities, with a mix of sun and showers for Thursday’s Indy Lights qualifying.  Carb Day looks to be sunny and warm, Legends Day may see rain, and Race Day has a forecast of sunshine and 87 degrees. Of course, that is all subject to considerable change between now and then…stay tuned!

Today’s schedule – practice from noon to 6 p.m. Then, Trackside, The Talk of Gasoline Alley and Indy Live on the radio tonight. Check out our interactive calendar for the month’s activities!

And, on a non-500 note, we’re happy to see the Honda Indy Toronto race renewed through 2014. A tradition since 1986, the race has been one of the more important and popular events on the calendar, and since the unification of IndyCar and Champ Car, it’s been focused on regaining that stature. Toronto is a fantastic city to visit, race event or not, so combining the two would be an enjoyable time for IndyCar fans.

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Hiya – we’ve been making a few changes around here, and doggone it, something has broken our page layout when viewed on tablets and smart phones.  We may be rearranging things again, so please bear with us and pardon our dust.

Thanks!

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Happy Opening Day! We’ve got a spiffy new calendar to help track all the events at Indianapolis. Right now, it has on-track activity, IMS events, weather and some radio show details. Over the next couple of days, many more events will be added. Bookmark this link! http://indyraceplace.com/?page_id=1636

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

It’s Indy Lights practice today at IMS! Free admission with the grandstands at the south end of the track open.

Wrap up the week’s happenings in the IZOD IndyCar Series, followed by old-school stories with Donald Davidson, when Trackside and The Talk of Gasoline Alley air on 1070 the Fan starting at 7 p.m. tonight.

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

At last! DW12s take to the track in an official Indy 500 session!

Newbies to the 500 get a day on track by themselves, where they’ll be observed by officials to verify that they meet minimum requirements for the race. 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. with free admission to the south grandstands only.

Then, hear the latest news and happenings in the IZOD IndyCar Series, followed by a walk down memory lane with Donald Davidson, when Trackside and The Talk of Gasoline Alley air on 1070 the Fan.

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | 1 Comment →

It’s the usual Trackside/Talk of Gasoline Alley pairing tonight, starting at 7 p.m. ET.  Hear both shows here:

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Tomorrow, there’s more to keep track of as Rookie Orientation begins at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The south stands will be open for spectators as practice runs from 8:30 – 2 p.m. Admission is free.

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

It has been a hectic news cycle in the IndyCar world, and there should be plenty to chat about as Trackside hits the airwaves at 7 p.m. ET. And The Talk of Gasoline Alley follows with a random walk down memory lane. Hear both shows here:

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Things should heat up this week – testing in Texas, the final word (we hope) on TURBOGATE and people who know more than we do say it could be a busy news week as well. And, of course, rookie oriention begins @IMS on Thursday. We are focusing toward the end of the week.

But…distractions are good, and you can count on a double dose of Indy radio tonight with Trackside at 7 p.m, ET, and The Talk of Gasoline Alley at 8. You can listen online here: www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Still no cars on track (rookie orientation starts May 10th) but the weekend does have some 500-related activities.

Saturday and Sunday, tune in for weekend editions of The Talk of Gasoline Alley with Donald Davidson, airing 6 – 8 p.m. ET both evenings.

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Early Saturday morning, the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and 5K get underway – here’s the scoop on this year’s event:

http://www.500festival.com/mini-marathon

The Mini-Marathon post-race party is free and open to the public, starting Saturday morning.

http://www.500festival.com/mini-marathon/post-race-party

Sunday from 11 a.m. – 12 noon, listen to the next episode of The History of The 500 on WIBC in Indianapolis.

http://www.wibc.com/

Looking ahead at a few social events: Lucas Oil and IndyCar are presenting a Soiree Friday evening, May 25 (that’s Carb Day) benefiting children’s charities. You must RSVP by May 18 if want to rub elbows with the stars at the Lucas Estate in Carmel.

http://www.lucasoil.com/articles1-4816/Indy500SoireePresentedbyLucasOil

If you’re like us, you don’t know what “cocktail casual” means, and you’re not that wealthy, either, so you can consider the Carb Night Burger Bash the same evening. Burgers, fries, shakes and loads of people enjoying a live “Trackside” show and raising money for charity. Stay tuned for more details.

If you’re even more like us, you already have your ticket for @TheYellowParty. If you’re not like us, be like us and get your ticket now. Join in the fight to beat cancer while having a great meal, enjoying live music, and wearing comfortable clothes! At last count, 18 drivers are confirmed to attend. Thursday, May 24 is the date, and here’s where you find out more and buy your ticket!

http://theyellowparty.wordpress.com/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Another double dip of racing radio on 1070 The Fan – Trackside at 7 p.m. and The Talk of Gasoline Alley at 8 p.m.  catch them here:

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

Another evening to spend by the radio coming up tonight, with Tracksideat 7 p.m. ET, followed by The Talk of Gasoline Alley with Donald Davidson at 8. You can catch it all here:

www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

No track activity for a few more days, but a voice that means The Month of May to many returns to the airwaves tonight.

After a one-hour Trackside at 7 p.m. ET, Donald Davidson and The Talk of Gasoline Alley kicks off its May run at 8 p.m. You can hear both programs here:

http://www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Stay tuned for more updates and a look ahead as the week unfolds!

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

M. A. Y.

Not this one:

Brian May of Queen

Not this one:

THIS one!

Mecca

Tonight you can kick off the month with the first weeknight-ly Trackside, on 1070 The Fan, from 7 – 8 p.m. ET. You can hear it here:

http://www.1070thefan.com/listen/

Starting tomorrow, after Trackside, Donald Davidson takes the airwaves for the year’s first Talk of Gasoline Alley program.  If you’re on Facebook and are a fan of Donald’s, there’s a nice little group about him you can join. Friendly folks and occasional updates from Donald’s son, Tim.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/40718162077/

Filed under: Latest News | Add Comment →

So, here’s how they roll off:

1. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.4045 (112.151)

2. (10) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.4485 (112.090)

3. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8545 (111.534)

4. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.9956 (111.343)

5. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.2408 (111.011)

6. (38) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8033 (111.604)

7. (14) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8122 (111.592)

8. (67) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8128 (111.591)

9. (2) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.8495 (111.541)

10. (26) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.8498 (111.541)

11. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.5210 (110.634)

12. (8) Rubens Barrichello, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.3939 (110.804)

13. (5) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.1404 (111.146)

14. (4) JR Hildebrand, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.4321 (110.753)

15. (83) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.1973 (111.069)

16. (77) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.4354 (110.749)

17. (19) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.3840 (110.818)

19. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.4143 (110.777)

20. (25) Ana Beatriz, Dallara-Chevy, 01:23.2692 (109.640)

21. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.9424 (110.072)

22. (78) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.6762 (109.106)

18. (7) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.1331 (109.819)

23. (22) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.4509 (109.401)

24. (6) Katherine Legge, Dallara-Lotus, 01:24.6042 (107.910)

25. (15) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, No Time (No Speed)

26. (18) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.2681 (110.974)

Update: We’ve heard that Wilson, Bourdais, Servia, Sato, and Legge will be penalized; Wilson for failing tech (didn’t have a dummy weight in the camera pod), and the remaining drivers for unapproved engine changes. It’s too early in the morning here on the best coast for us to figure out the new grid. We’ll be searching for one and share it when we find it.

—–

When last we heard, the lineup below (courtesy INDYCAR PR) was the starting grid for the race. We’ve since heard the order might shake up due to penalties, and the race start has been pulled forward 30 minutes (we’re guessing due to approaching rain). We’ll update this if/when we see a revised version.

1. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.4045 (112.151)

2. (10) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.4485 (112.090)

3. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8545 (111.534)

4. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.9956 (111.343)

5. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.2408 (111.011)

6. (18) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.2681 (110.974)

7. (38) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8033 (111.604)

8. (14) Mike Conway, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8122 (111.592)

9. (67) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 01:21.8128 (111.591)

10. (2) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.8495 (111.541)

11. (26) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy, 01:21.8498 (111.541)

12. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.5210 (110.634)

13. (8) Rubens Barrichello, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.3939 (110.804)

14. (5) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.1404 (111.146)

15. (4) JR Hildebrand, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.4321 (110.753)

16. (83) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.1973 (111.069)

17. (77) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.4354 (110.749)

18. (19) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 01:22.3840 (110.818)

19. (7) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.1331 (109.819)

20. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.4143 (110.777)

21. (25) Ana Beatriz, Dallara-Chevy, 01:23.2692 (109.640)

22. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevy, 01:22.9424 (110.072)

23. (78) Simona de Silvestro, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.6762 (109.106)

24. (22) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Lotus, 01:23.4509 (109.401)

25. (6) Katherine Legge, Dallara-Lotus, 01:24.6042 (107.910)

26. (15) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, No Time (No Speed)

Filed under: Latest News, Race Reports | Add Comment →

We’d planned a post yesterday, but recurring health issues had other uses for our time. *sigh*

Here’s what we’re watching this weekend:

• The radar: It’s Brazil – warm, humid and prone to torrential rains. This is the best radar we’ve found: http://200.145.151.199/alerta/gis/ Looks like things are clear for now, but rain chances increase later today/tonight and then decrease a bit for tomorrow. A good downpour can really wreck the schedule here, since drainage is not good and ponding is a real problem. Crossing fingers…
• Chevy vs. Honda:  We’re no mechanics, so we can’t tell how fast a turbo charger can be installed. We’re assuming it’s fairly quickly compared to an entire engine change. So, now that Chevy’s protest has been denied and the new turbos are cleared for use, we guess the Hondas will all have their upgrades in place and the playing field will level out between the two leading engines.
• Lotus: We’re hoping Lotus succeeds in closing the gap over the next few races now that they have two fewer teams to focus on. DRR and BHA are working on engine deals with the other two suppliers, giving Lotus a chance to regroup and focus their resources on improvements rather than just surviving.
• Crowd favorite: Easy…@rubarrichello. And folks are excited that Felipe Massa is in his pit this weekend.
• Twitter fines: Huh? Well, it’s happened. John Barnes (@jbindy4) of @PantherRacing tweeted this about the turbo hearing:  ”Today is the day to resolve TURBOGATE! I hope @Indcar gets their act together. It has been embarassing.” (Typos his – although we make ‘em a plenty.) IndyCar pointed to Rule 9.3.1.8 of the 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series rulebook: “Using improper, profane or disparaging language or gestures in reference to Officials, Members or actions or situations connected in any way with INDYCAR, the IZOD IndyCar Series or any Event.” It placed Barnes on probation until the end of the calendar year and fined him 25K. We’re torn – we understand the need to protect the league’s image, but this feels a teeny bit harsh. Perhaps handling this privately would have been better for both parties – the fine being made public has drawn a great deal more attention to offending tweet than it had originally gotten. On a broader note, we do hope that social media use will not be lessened or discouraged by the use of fines, etc. A reiteration of guidelines might be in order, but IndyCar’s active social media space, especially on Twitter, is a huge asset and should be nurtured.

Almost time to set the grid – look for our Sao Paulo lineup post sometime between the end  of qualis and prerace tomorrow.

Filed under: Latest News, Race Reports | Add Comment →

Still no official start order in the media center or media site. But our pals at @TracksideOnline (specifically @JoeBerk) took a pass at what might be the way they line up. Note that this is unofficial, and also note that this is just a smidgen of the kind of awesomeness you get several times a day, each race weekend, from subscribing to www.tracksideonline.com. It’s $22 bucks a year – a real bargain.

1. Dario Franchitti – Honda
2. Josef Newgarden – Honda
3. Justin Wilson – Honda
4. Simon Pagenaud – Honda
5. Scott Dixon – Honda
6.  Takuma Sato – Honda
7.  Mike Conway – Honda
8. Graham Rahal – Honda
9. Charlie Kimball – Honda
10. Alex Tagliani – Lotus
11. Ryan Briscoe – Chevy
12. Will Power – Chevy
13. Ryan Hunter-Reay – Chevy
14. James Jakes – Honda
15. EJ Viso – Chevy
16. James Hinchcliffe – Chevy
17. Simona de Silvestro – Lotus
18. Helio Castroneves – Chevy
19. Tony Kanaan – Chevy
20. JR Hildebrand – Chevy
21. Marco Andretti – Chevy
22. Rubens Barrichello – Chevy
23. Oriol Servia – Lotus
24. Ed Carpenter – Chevy
25. Sebastien Bourdais – Lotus
26. Katherine Legge – Lotus

The only thing we know for sure is that there will be a race. We suspect it might be wild.

Filed under: Latest News, Race Reports | Add Comment →

Yeah yeah, Barber’s beautiful but meant for bikes so a no-passing zone for IndyCars. And yeah yeah, @h3lio won the pole and @12willpower the race. Beautiful, boring Barber.

<Insert sound of needle being ripped off an old vinyl record>

Today, Barber was beautifully bodacious. Power won from 9th place (!!!), there were passes all over the track, and folks like @SimonPagenaud, @MarcoAndretti and Sebastien Bourdais (GET ON TWITTER, DOOD!) put on “driving with a major pair” clinics. A few things were same old same old (Coyne at the rear, @scottdixon9 finishing second, @penskeracing winning the race) but the way it all unfolded was thrilling. And unlike last weekend, where passes happened but only those in the turns knew it, @NBCSN got the passes on the air, going back to show action all over the track and things we missed during commercial breaks. Their broadcast, all-around, was outstanding and showed us all what the DW12 car can do.

For the most part, the drivers got the most out of their DW12s. We agree with @echan50′s tweet that Bourdais could drive a dump truck into the top 10 (he was 9th today), but his wasn’t the only Lotus with a good showing. @OriolServia rrrolled off 26th (last spot on the grrrid) and drrrove half-way up the field to 1rrr3th. One Lotus went out (@tagliani), versus two Hondas (@CharlieKimball and @takumasatoracer) and no Chevys. Others who impressed: Pagenaud (10th to 5th), @mikeconwayindy (7th place road course finish for Foyt’s team), @rubarrichello (14th to 8th), and @dariofranchitti (18th!!! to 10th.) Starts and restarts were terrific, drivers used their defensive moves to great effect without too many complaints, and there were several remarks that they all raced like professionals. We like to think that @BeauxBarfield and his philosophies in race control have contributed to the standard rising.

Singing the blues: @TonyKanaan with another mechanical issue that relegated him near the back, @tagliani, whose car croaked on lap 1, @josefnewgarden, who just didn’t have a great weekend and @Justin_Wilson, who toiled near the back with a sideways-loose car.

Besides the great racing, it was a gorgeous day at Barber, with reports of the concessions running out of food by noon and large crowds that had the potential to set the venue’s attendance record. This kind of day is what IndyCar needs to kick its momentum into high gear – we are concerned that all this awesomeness happened with a small audience tuned in. Here’s hoping the NBC label has made the channel more “findable” for folks and that they got bored with NASCAR at the Paperclip and switched over to see the fantastic action.

We’re totally re-energized for this season and cannot WAIT for Long Beach, where we hope this momentum continues.

http://media.indycar.com/pdf/2012/Official_Honda_Indy_GP_of_Alabama_Box_Score.pdf

Filed under: Latest News, Race Reports | Add Comment →