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The Inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis started with a bang, literally. Pole Sitter Sebastián Saavedra stalled on the standing start, and was ran into by Carlos Munoz & Mikhail Aleshin. Mike Conway got wrapped up in the accident as well, but managed to get the car back on track after repairs.
Here are our photos of the accident.
Information about 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis activity Saturday, May 10, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
DAY: Inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis / USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights Races
SCHEDULE (all times local):
TICKETS: Tickets for the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis start at $25 for general admission, children 12 and under free. Reserved seats range from $41-$77 and are available at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway ticket office at the corner of 16th Street and Georgetown Road.
HONORARY STARTERS:
NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER: Indianapolis Children’s Choir
FLYOVER: Lima Lima Flight Team
PROMOTIONS: Firestone “Race Car” Pin Distribution Begins at 10 a.m. in Pagoda Plaza
PUBLIC GATES OPEN: 7 a.m. (local time). Pedestrian gates open are Gates 1, 1B, 1B.1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6A, 7 South, 7 North, 9, 9A, 10, 10A, 11A, 12, 27.
STANDS OPEN: A Penthouse (Reserved Seating), B Penthouse (Reserved Seating), E Stand (Reserved Seating), E Penthouse (Reserved Seating), H Stand (Reserved Seating Sec. 13-24), J Stand (Reserved Seating), North Vista Wheelchair (As needed: GA Sec. 21-23), Northwest Vista (Reserved Seating Sec. 1-10), Northwest Vista Deck (Reserved Seating), Paddock Wheelchair (As needed GA: Box 19-22), Paddock Penthouse (Reserved Seating: Box 10-20), South Terrace (Reserved Seating), South Vista (Reserved Seating: Sec. 1-5), South Vista Deck (Reserved Seating: Sec. 1-4), Southwest Vista Deck (Reserved Seating), Tower Terrace (As needed GA: Sec. 37 & 79), Tower Terrace Wheelchair (Open-GA), Pit Road Terrace, Wheelchair Accessible (Inside-Open GA), Corner 5 (Reserved Seating), Corner 7 (Reserved Seating), Backstretch Family Mounds (Open-GA), Turn 2 Oval Mounds (Open-GA), Turn 3 (Open GA), Turn 4 (Open GA), Corner 6 Mounds (Open-GA), Corner 7 Mounds (Open-GA).
MUSEUM HOURS: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for fans 6-15 years old, with children under 6 free. Gate admission to the Indianapolis 500 is not included in Museum admission and must be purchased separately.
The Inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis Qualifying is in the books, and Sebastián Saavedra took the Pole Position. Also, the first of two USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights Races took place today, and here are the best photos of the day.
Verizon IndyCar Series drivers have said to “expect the unexpected” on the new Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis. Sebastian Saavedra earning the Verizon P1 Award fits into that category.
The AFS KV AFS driver claimed his first Verizon IndyCar Series pole position topping a wild knockout qualifying session that took place during a rain shower.
Saavedra, whose previous best qualifying effort on a road/street circuit was ninth in the first two events of 2013 (St. Petersburg and Barber Motorsports Park), inherited the top spot in the closing minute of the Firestone Fast Six when the No. 28 DHL car of provisional pole sitter Ryan Hunter-Reay spun and made contact with the wall on the frontstretch of a rain-soaked 2.439-mile, 14-turn.
According to the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook, Hunter-Reay’s quickest two laps of the 10-minute session were disallowed.
Saavedra is the fourth different pole sitter in as many races this season and he’ll be joined by another surprise driver, Jack Hawksworth of BHA/BBM with Curb-Agajanian. Six different teams were represented on the first three rows for the standing start on the Speedway’s frontstretch. Hunter-Reay ended up third and will start alongside Simon Pagenaud, who was quickest in the morning practice session and set the lap record (1:09.6716) on the reconfigured track in Segment 1 of qualifying on dry pavement in the No. 77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports car.
Series championship points leader Will Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, and reigning series champion Scott Dixon in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry are on Row 3.
Qualifying results for the Grand Prix of Indianapolis Verizon IndyCar Series event on the 2.439 mile(s) Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, with qualifying position, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, time and speed in parentheses, are listed below:
1. (17) Sebastian Saavedra, Dallara-Chevy, 01:23.8822 (104.675)
2. (98) Jack Hawksworth, Dallara-Honda, 01:24.0788 (104.431)
3. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Honda, 01:24.8882 (103.435)
4. (77) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 01:25.2881 (102.950)
5. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy, 01:25.5216 (102.669)
6. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Chevy, 01:25.6548 (102.509)
7. (11) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Chevy, 01:24.5187 (103.887)
8. (2) Juan Pablo Montoya, Dallara-Chevy, 01:24.6209 (103.762)
9. (10) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy, 01:24.7099 (103.653)
10. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy, 01:24.8839 (103.440)
11. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Honda, 01:25.1318 (103.139)
12. (15) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 01:25.4748 (102.725)
13. (25) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.2488 (124.990)
14. (8) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Chevy, 01:10.2261 (125.030)
15. (67) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.3601 (124.792)
16. (14) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.2804 (124.934)
17. (18) Carlos Huertas, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.4264 (124.675)
18. (19) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.4141 (124.697)
19. (34) Carlos Munoz, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.5097 (124.528)
20. (41) Martin Plowman, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.4591 (124.617)
21. (26) Franck Montagny, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.5571 (124.444)
22. (16) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Honda, 01:10.5996 (124.369)
23. (83) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Chevy, 01:10.6413 (124.296)
24. (20) Mike Conway, Dallara-Chevy, 01:10.6535 (124.274)
25. (7) Mikhail Aleshin, Dallara-Honda, 01:11.2704 (123.198)
SOURCE: IndyCar
Information about 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis activity Friday, May 9, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
DAY: Grand Prix of Indianapolis Qualifying / USF2000, Pro Mazda and Indy Lights Races
SCHEDULE (all times local):
TICKETS: $20, children 12 and under free
HONORARY STARTERS:
PUBLIC GATES OPEN: 9 a.m. (local time). Pedestrian gates open are Gates 1B, 1B.1, 2, 4, 6, 6A, 7 South, 7 North, 9, 9A, 10, 10A, 12.
STANDS OPEN: A Penthouse, B Penthouse, E Stand, E Penthouse, H Stand (As needed: Sec. 13-24), J Stand, North Vista Wheelchair (As needed: GA Sec. 21), Northwest Vista (As needed GA: Sec. 1-10), Northwest Vista Deck, Paddock Wheelchair (As needed GA: Box 19-22), Paddock Penthouse (As needed GA: Box 10-20), South Terrace, South Vista (As needed GA: Sec. 1-5), South Vista Deck (As needed GA: Sec. 1-4), Southwest Vista Deck, Tower Terrace (As needed: Sec. 37 & 79), Tower Terrace Wheelchair, Pit Road Terrace, Wheelchair Accessible (Inside), Corner 5, Corner 7.
MUSEUM HOURS: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for fans 6-15 years old, with children under 6 free. Gate admission to the Indianapolis 500 is not included in Museum admission and must be purchased separately.
Opening day of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis was gorgeous, and IndyCar drivers, new and old, were all on hand. Here are our best photos of the day.
Brian Groce talks with Josef Newgarden May 8th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Naptown Buzz #105.
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Information about 2014 Grand Prix of Indianapolis activity Thursday, May 8, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
DAY: Opening Day/Grand Prix of Indianapolis Practice
SCHEDULE (all times local):
TICKETS: Free
HONORARY STARTERS:
PUBLIC GATES OPEN: 9 a.m. (local time). Pedestrian gates open are Gates 1B, 1B.1, 2, 4, 6, 6A, 7 South, 9, 9A, 10, 10A, 12.
STANDS OPEN: A Penthouse, B Penthouse, E Stand, E Penthouse, H Stand (As needed: Sec. 13-24), J Stand, North Vista Wheelchair (As needed: GA Sec. 21), Northwest Vista Deck, Paddock Wheelchair (As needed GA: Box 19-22), Paddock Penthouse (As needed GA: Box 10-20), South Terrace, South Vista (As needed GA: Sec. 1-5), South Vista Deck (As needed GA: Sec. 1-4), Southwest Vista Deck, Tower Terrace (As needed: Sec. 37 & 79), Tower Terrace Wheelchair, Pit Road Terrace, Wheelchair Accessible (Inside), Corner 5, Corner 7.
MUSEUM HOURS : 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for fans 6-15 years old, with children under 6 free. Gate admission to the Indianapolis 500 is not included in Museum admission and must be purchased separately.
Thursday, May 8
Free Admission
Friday, May 9
$20 admission, 12 and under free
Saturday, May 10
Tickets start at $25, 12 and under free
Carlos Huertas eventually agreed with team owner Dale Coyne that the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race isn’t one to pass up.
“I was a bit unsure because I never did it before and because I had a late start to the season I couldn’t prepare for the ovals well,” said the 22-year-old Verizon IndyCar Series rookie from Colombia. “This race is different because you get a lot of practice, which helped in the decision. If I’m well-prepared, I’m ready to do it.”
Huertas participated May 5 in the formal Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He totaled 77 laps.
Other full-season Verizon Indy Car Series drivers Jack Hawksworth (Bryan Herta Autosport) and Mikhail Aleshin (Schmidt Peterson Motorsports) were joined by Martin Plowman (A.J. Foyt Racing) and 2013 Indy Lights champion Sage Karam (Dreyer & Reinbold Kingdom Racing) on the 2.5-mile oval.
“Being on the oval is weird to start with because everything is so different,” said Huertas, who noted that a decision about competing in the other five oval races will be made after the ‘500.’ “I think the speed was OK. I was just working on the lines and understanding what to do. I think everything is very new, but I think I did OK.”
The program is designed to provide the first-year competitors an opportunity to get acquainted with their cars and the racetrack through three speed phases set by INDYCAR — 10 laps at 200-205 mph, 15 laps at 205-210 mph and 15 laps at 210-plus mph. Driver stewards also monitored car control, placement and a consistent driving pattern.
“It was actually harder for me to go slower (in Phase 1) because you had to lift and I don’t like to lift,” said Aleshin, who also will compete in his first oval race in the No. 7 SMP Racing car. “This is so important and it’s all set now for working with the car in practice for the Indy 500. This will be the first oval race in my career and how awesome is it that it will be the Indy 500?”
All but Karam, whose car developed a mechanical issue that prevented the 19-year-old from Nazareth, Pa., from completing all three phases, completed the program. Per Indianapolis 500 rules, Karam will be allowed to finish the third phase on the first day of practice May 11.
Additionally, NASCAR driver Kurt Busch, who completed his refresher course on the oval April 29 in an Andretti Autosport car, recorded 114 laps and went through some rudimentary pit stops with the No. 26 car crew.
Busch, 35, will attempt to become the fourth driver to attempt the “double” — competing in the 98th Indianapolis 500 and the evening stock car race in Concord, N.C., on May 25. He won the latter in 2010. John Andretti, Robby Gordon and Tony Stewart have each done it, with Stewart — co-owner of Busch’s No. 41 Sprint Cup car at Stewart Haas Racing — becoming the first in 2001 to complete all 1,000 miles. A day earlier, Busch was involved in a multi-car crash in the stock car race at Talladega Superspeedway.
Cars will be on the racetrack for the opening of practice about 18 hours after the checkered flag flies for the inaugural Grand Prix of Indianapolis on the reconfigured road course. Qualifications are May 17-18.
Source: INDYCAR