More Pre-Indy 500 Info May 2012
By noderel:
Los Angeles, CA. - News about the 96th Indianapolis 500 is picking up now that May is upon us. The all-new 2012 Dallara DW12 chassis will have its oval track debut after four prior 2012 races (3 street and 1 road). Three rival engines--Chevrolet, Honda and Lotus--power the field. Honda was the sole engine supplier during the last six seasons. The lack of success so far by John Judd-built Lotus engines is attributed to a late start developing the Lotus Indy engine and lack of testing time. Several Lotus teams have deserted Lotus and moved to Chevy or Honda. Chevy has dominated the four prior 2012 races, but a recent grooved turbocharger compressor cover change gave Honda engines more horsepower and increased fuel efficiency. Chevrolet protested the change to Indy Car, but a May 10 ruling by a former Indiana Supreme Court justice ruled in favor of Honda. People will be able to watch on-track practice this year live via the Internet on the IndyCar.com site starting Tuesday, May 15 at noon Indiana time. IMS stationary TV cameras will bring action to people whenever ABC/ESPN or NBC Sports (ex-Versus) networks are not on air covering on-track activity.
The traditional 33-car starting lineup was in doubt earlier in May after Newman-Haas Racing withdrew. The winning Michael Shank team from endurance sports car racing could not obtain an engine from the three manufacturers. Other entries joined the field and it reached 33 or 34 cars by May 8. The most surprising entrant was a new Indiana-based, Lotus-powered Indy Car team co-owned by two-time Indy 500 driver Tyce Carlson (a USAC veteran) and three partners. Their driver is Jean Alesi, a 47-year old FIA Formula One veteran with no oval track racing experience. He has 201 Formula I starts for six teams during 13 years (last start in 2001). He scored one F.I victory (for Ferrari). Alesi is a Lotus contract driver/ambassador who most recently raced German Touring Cars Series events and the 24-Hours of Le Mans (2010) French classic. One has to wonder why he is making this attempt in a much different racing discipline and for a brand new IZOD Indy Car Series (IICS) team. The black & gold No. 64 Fan Force United team, which has raced two Indy Lights cars recently, hired Indy 500 experienced personnel, including team manager Greg Beck and 500 winning team engineer Tim Wardrop.
Despite concerns by some about the 2012 Indy 500, the race has many intriguing elements. They include the new 2012 chassis for all teams, three V-6 turbocharged engine manufacturers, an interesting field of eight rookie Indy 500 drivers, talented depth in the 500 driver field with numerous series champions and race winners from various racing series (including Champ Car), dominant Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi teams on opposite sides of the Chevrolet-Honda engine battle, plus the Indy 500 is round five and the first oval track race for the new car/engine package. Additionally, close finishes and late race lead battles have been the Indianapolis 500 norm this decade and the 2012 race should continue that trend. The exciting Sam Hornish pass of Marco Andretti at the checkered flag to win the 2006 Indy 500, and the surprising 2011 Indy finish when apparent winner J. R. Hildebrand hit the turn 4 wall and coasted across the finish line second behind winner Dan Wheldon are two of the most exciting and memorable Indy 500s in history.
Eight American-born drivers are in the field dominated by foreign-born drivers. They are: veterans Andretti, Rahal Carpenter, Kimball, Hildebrand, Hunter-Reay, and rookies Clauson and Newgarden. The 2012 Indy field includes three prior Indy 500 winners—Castroneves (3), Franchitti (2) and Dixon (1). The seven-day weather forecast looks favorable through Saturday, May 12 when all entered drivers get onto the 2.5-mile track. The long-range May forecast for Indianapolis looks favorable for on-track action through pole day (Saturday, May 19) with rain possible on the final qualifying day (May 20). Weather forecasters predict temps in the mid-70s during May. Three qualifying attempts per day for all cars make re-qualifying attempts ripe for second guessing. Some cars qualified three times in one day last year. That scenario will play out again this year, especially on pole day where the fastest 24 qualifiers make the race and the fastest nine drivers re-qualify at the end of the day for May 27 race day starting positions 1-9.
Other 2012 Indy 500 Notes:
> New IICS race director Beaux Barfield has replaced long-time Indy Car race director Brian Barnhart in that job for all 2012 IICS races including the 500. With speeds down this year, officials recently announced an increase in turbo boost by 10 from 30 to 40 for practice and qualifying, but not for race day. It is expected the increased boost will supply 40-50 more HP.
> Ex-Lotus, now Chevrolet team Dreyer-Reinbold (No. 22 Oriol Servia) and Panther (No. 4 J.R. Hildebrand) have joined forces officially and moved under the same Panther Racing roof. That should make the P. 6 and P. 2 finishers from the 2011 Indy 500 even stronger as a dual, cooperative entry instead of single car operations.
> A 2013 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 will pace the 2012 Indy 500. It is the most powerful GM production car. The 6.2-liter engine produces 638 horsepower and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds. Top speed is 205 mph. This year is the 60th anniversary of the first year Corvette paced the 500 field in 1978. Al Unser, Sr. won that car. Each year the winner receives the pace car among the prizes awarded to the winner. Chevrolet, which paced the 500 for the first time in 1948, will be pacing the Indy 500 for the 23rd time, the most by any manufacturer. Chevy engines will power Indy 500 race cars for the first time since 2005. The 2012 pace car driver is expected to be Guy Fieri, a Food Network TV host.
> Actor-singer Jim Nabors, 81, is having heart valve surgery this month and will be unable to sing “Back Home Again in Indiana” in person on race day. A TV production crew from Indianapolis will fly to Hawaii (Nabors' home) soon to record him singing the beloved Hoosier song. The tape will be played on 500 race day for the expected 250,000+ crowd and for the massive ABC-TV audience. Nabors began singing the song at the 500 in 1972; he has sung the Hoosier anthem each year since 1987. He missed only one year (2007) because of poor health. IMS management had the entire crowd sing the song en-mass that year.
> Retired Indy Car driver A. J. Foyt IV, 28, and his wife Casey Irsay Foyt (daughter of NFL Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay), married in July 2009. They are awaiting the July 21 birth of their second child, a son, and Jim's fourth grandchild. Their first son, A. J. Foyt V “Cinco”, was born 9/18/10. The dapper 19-month old youngster reportedly loves football, golf and cars and sleeps with a die-cast Indy car. Casey and her two sisters are vice presidents/owners of the Colts. A.J. IV serves as a Colts scouting assistant for his father-in-law. AJ IV or “Quatro” is a six-time Indy 500 starter from 2003-09 for three teams. He missed the 2006 race because of an injury. He did not make the 2010 field after trying to qualify the car on day one and relinquishing the ride to another driver. He did not race in 2011.
> Ana Beatriz, 27, (full name is Ana “Bia” Beatriz Caselato Gomes de Figueiredo) is one of three female 500 drivers this year. Swiss-miss Simona de Silvestro is the other Indy 500 veteran. England's Katherine Legge is a 500 rookie for Jay Penske's Dragon Racing. She has two years Indy Car experience with Champ Car in 2006-07. Female drivers in the 2011 Indy 500 missing from the entry list this year are: Pippa Mann, a 2011 Indy 500 rookie from Britain, and of course Danica Patrick, a 2005-11 Indy veteran now busy in NASCAR's two top series-Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series.
> This year the Indy 500 Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) was reduced from four to three phases while maintaining a total of 40 laps for the ROP. The Thursday, May 10 session took place from 9 am – 2:30 pm and was open to the public only at the south terrace grandstand. Phases 1 and 2 had to be completed during the allotted hours or during rookie only on-track sessions May 12-13 as scheduled by Indy Car officials. Phase 3 may be completed at any time the track is open to all cars. Phase 1 is 10 laps at speeds from 200-205 mph. Phase 2 consists of 15 laps at speeds in the 205-210 mph range. Phase 3 is 15 laps at 210+ mph. Two-time Indy 500 winner Arie Luyendyk is the ROP coach/tutor and his advice should be most helpful for IMS 500 rookies. Arie, a 17-time Indy 500 starter, coached rookies Mike Conway (2010) and Charlie Kimball (2011) before their 500 debuts. Mark Dismore also is assisting Sarah Fisher's two 500 rookies. Current IICS driver Tony Kanaan is a driver adviser as well for his fellow Brazilian best buddy Barrichello, who won the 2002 F. 1 US Grand Prix on the IMS road course in a Ferrari.
> The 2011 Indy ROP rookie class is an interesting cross-section of drivers. They include a pair of Formula One veterans (oval track “virgins”)--Rubens Barrichello, who turns 40 on May 23, and Jean Alesi, 47. Californian/Indianan Bryan Clauson is 22 and a USAC midget, sprint and Silver Crown vet and multiple champion in 2010-11. He also raced the No. 40 Chip Ganassi NASCAR Nationwide car prior to his USAC championships. Lack of sponsorship ended his stock car career. His overall USAC national series point championships for the last two years netted a scholarship ($300,000) that applied to the 2011 Indy Lights oval tracks (including the IMS Freedom 100 in which he finished fifth). The 2011 USAC overall title and $300,000 rewarded him with his Indy 500 shot this year in a second Sarah Fisher-Hartman Racing Dallara-Honda. Kiwi Wade Cunningham, 27, is a three-time Indy Lights IMS winner/champion driving a second Foyt car (No. 41 Honda). Foyt added experienced 500 team manager Larry Curry to the 41 team. Nashville, TN driver Josef Newgarden, 21, won the 2011 Indy Lights IMS 100 and season championship and has looked fast and competitive in the primary Sarah Fisher car (No. 67 Honda). Clauson, Cunningham and Newgarden Indy Lights racing experience on the 2.5-mile track should help them succeed in the 500. James Jakes (No. 19 Dale Coyne Honda) failed to qualify for the 2011 Indy 500, but he has 20 Indy Car races under his belt. Frenchman Simon Pagenaud, 28, has lived in Indianapolis since 2006. The 2008 Acura and 2010-11 Peugeot driver is the 2010 American Le Mans Series champion; he has the No. 77 Sam Schmidt-Hamilton Indy Car ride and has been fast this season. Katherine Legge, 31, is the other foreign-born 500 rookie. She has two P. 6 finishes during her Champ Car career (2006-07). She placed sixth in her only prior oval race at the Milwaukee mile.
> Two drivers, each with only one Indy 500 start, had to take refresher tests because they have been absent at the 500 for many years. Sebastien Bourdais last raced in the 500 in 2005 in the Newman-Haas No. 37. He started 15th and finished 12th. Michel Jourdain, Jr. was only 19 when he raced in the 1996 Indy 500—the first under the IRL sanction. He started 8th and placed 13th in the No. 22 Team Scandia ride.
> ROP May 10 results showed seven of the eight rookies passed their Indy ROP required phases. Only Alesi still has to pass the ROP to be able to work up to speed. Bourdais and Legge did not participate May 10 because their Dragon team had changed from Lotus to Chevy engines and the team had issues to resolve. In fact, Dragon recently sued Lotus for $4.6 million. Jakes logged the fastest speed (218.268 mph) on lap 65 of 77. Next fastest were: Clauson at 217.046 mph on lap 42 of 54, Newgarden at 216.573 mph on lap 39 of 47, Barrichello 214.083 mph on lap 81 of 83, Pagenaud 214.055 mph on lap 89 of 93, Jourdain 213.633 mph on lap 71 of 73, and Cunningham 210.318 mph on lap 45 of 57. Alesi ran 18 laps and his fastest speed was 186.387 mph on his final lap. He will be allowed to complete all three ROP phases Friday, May 11 after the Firestone Indy Lights cars practice session concludes at 4:30 pm. Perfect weather near 70 degrees allowed drivers to maximize track time, make adjustments and increase speed incrementally. There were no accidents. Pagenaud reported a bird struck his speeding car, but he didn't feel the impact. Crewmen had to repair damage to the front of the car. All other 2012 drivers will begin practicing Saturday, May 12. Indy 500 veterans will be trying to familiarize themselves with the new generation Indy car/engine combinations on the IMS track. Qualifying pole speed on Saturday, May 19 is not expected to exceed the 2011 pole speed of 227.472 mph set by Alex Tagliani in Sam Schmidt's No. 77 Dallara/Honda. The slowest speed in the 33 car field last year was 223.879 mph and two other qualifiers were in the 223 mph bracket. Seven drivers, including two veterans, did not qualify fast enough to make the 2011 Indy 500 field.
> Monday, May 14 practice day three for all drivers had 29 drivers turn 1,199 laps. That makes 3,571 laps run without incident from May 12-14. Rookie Newgarden (222.486 mph) was fastest for the second time in three days for the Sarah Fisher team. Hunter-Reay (221.639), Sebastian Saavedra (221.526), Marco Andretti (221.51l9) and Scott Dixon (221.499) were second-fifth fastest Monday.
> Jean Alesi completed his third and final ROP test phase Monday and is now able to work up to qualifying speed. He is still the slowest driver (by almost four mph) at 211.516). The other Lotus of de Silvestro is the second slowest driver so far. There is an IICS rule mandating all qualifiers to be within 105% of the pole speed. Cars not within 105% may be allowed to start the 500 according to IICS officials, but they could be black-flagged as too slow if they are below 105% of the race speed.
> The ABC-TV show “The Bachelorette” starting Monday, May 14 at 9:30 pm has a double auto racing connection. Arie Luyendyk, Jr, 30, is one of 25 bachelors vying for the hand of a lone bachelorette. Arie, the son of a two-time Indy 500 winner, is a past Firestone Indy Lights champion and one of five rookies in the 2006 Indy 500. Emily Maynard, a 26-year old blonde bachelorette from Charlotte, N.C, was on the show last year as one of 25 bachelorettes vying for one bachelor. She is the mother of a blonde daughter, named Ricki, age 6. Emily was the fiance of NASCAR driver Ricky Hendrick, son of NASCAR multi-championship winning car owner Rick Hendrick. Ricky raced NASCAR Craftsman trucks and Busch Series stock cars and won one feature in a NASCAR top tier series. Emily and Ricky dated from age 15 and were engaged only six months when tragedy struck. Ricky, 24, was on a Hendrick Racing aircraft that crashed into a mountain in foggy conditions en-route to a NASCAR race at Martinsville, VA . The crash on October 24, 2004 killed all ten persons on board. Emily found out she was pregnant and informed Rick and his wife they would be grandparents shortly after the memorial service for Ricky. PREDICTION: racer Arie, Jr will make the final three candidates for Emily's hand.