The 2013 500 winner Kanaan’s top lap today was 227.114 mph in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Teammate Marcus Ericsson was second at 227.004 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
When the green flag drops the speculation stops this Memorial weekend at the 106th running of Indianapolis 500 starting at 11am Eastern Sunday on NBC.
The race will determine how well the teams reacted after a new qualifying regime last Sunday that saw NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon set the fastest pole speed in 500 history – 234.046 mph. Overall, Honda powered-cars dominated last Sunday. The three cars starting in the front row also set a record at an average of 233.643 mph: Dixon – Honda, Palou – Honda, Veekay – Chevy.
“I’m very happy with the car. Ed Carpenter Racing and Chevy put down a very fast car for qualifying. I think we’re even better in race mode compared to qualifying so I’m very excited,” said Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing.
Still, Honda looks the favorite – even more so after today’s “Carb Day,” which used to be a session to allow teams to adjust, ahem, carburetors. Chip Ganassi Racing continued its masterful May. Tony Kanaan (H) was fastest overall and led three of the team’s drivers in the top four of the 2.5-mile lap chart Friday. The 2013 Indy 500 winner Kanaan’s top lap in the 90-minute session – shortened and started two hours late by morning rain – was 227.114 mph in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
The 106th class of 33.
His teammate Marcus Ericsson (H) was second at 227.004 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato (H) broke up the Ganassi speed show by clocking third at 226.839 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda. NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon was fourth at 226.696 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Sage Karam was the fastest Chevrolet driver and fifth overall at 226.517 in the No. 24 AES Indiana DRR Chevrolet.
Ganassi’s strength wasn’t limited to just the first four spots, as all five of the team’s drivers ended up in the top 14. Jimmie Johnson, who has been struggling in IRL cars, was the fastest “500” rookie and seventh overall at 225.974 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, while reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou ended up 14th at 225.435 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
The results seem to validate the speed the Ganassi team showed during qualifying, as all five of the team’s drivers will start in the first four rows of the 200-lap race Sunday. However, all the other teams have now had a week of practice to gather data and adjust their cars based on myriad factors, among them – power, fuel economy and drivability.
Wild cards remain. After the weather, come pit stops, yellow- or heaven forfend red-flags, and the growing sophistication of team spotters, strategists and engineers where women are increasingly playing a larger role – all will be factors in who drinks the Hoosier milk beside the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Finally, a word from the assumed under-dog Chevrolet: “I think we have a strong car; I really do. It’s been a pretty steady month for us with the Shell Fuel Rewards Vehicle. Team Chevy has really had a good step-up for us this month, similar to what we’ve seen at most tracks we’ve gone to this year… We fell a little short in qualifying, unfortunately,” said Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Shell Chevrolet at Team Penske. “I think on one hand, I’m disappointed we weren’t able to show more of our potential. I really felt we had a large improvement over last year.”
“The hand we were dealt was certainly not favorable, timing-wise. It was just one of those days where, unfortunately, timing meant a lot and you really had to maximize and perfect your first run. We didn’t quite perfect our first run and that ultimately ended up biting us and pulling us out of that Fast 12 group. So, I don’t think we showed our entire potential, but hopefully we can rectify that in the race coming up this weekend,” said Newgarden.
Five F1 Drivers at the 2022 Indy 500
Among the regular participants in the 2022 IndyCar Series, Takuma Sato (Dale Coyne Racing), Romain Grosjean (Andretti Autosport), Marcus Ericsson (Chip Ganassi Racing), Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport) have participated in the F1 World Championship. Juan Pablo Montoya (Chevrolet), who has won in F1, is also participating. Since the 2000s, the traffic between IndyCar and F1 drivers has been declining. In 2010 when Takuma Sato started participating in the race, Sato was the only one with F1 experience. Two former F1 drivers, Sébastien Bourdais in 2011 and Rubens Barrichello in 2012 joined IndyCar, and Juan Pablo Montoya made a comeback in 2015.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
The Brickyard – Honda vs Chevy at Indy 500 Sunday
The 2013 500 winner Kanaan’s top lap today was 227.114 mph in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Teammate Marcus Ericsson was second at 227.004 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
When the green flag drops the speculation stops this Memorial weekend at the 106th running of Indianapolis 500 starting at 11am Eastern Sunday on NBC.
The race will determine how well the teams reacted after a new qualifying regime last Sunday that saw NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon set the fastest pole speed in 500 history – 234.046 mph. Overall, Honda powered-cars dominated last Sunday. The three cars starting in the front row also set a record at an average of 233.643 mph: Dixon – Honda, Palou – Honda, Veekay – Chevy.
“I’m very happy with the car. Ed Carpenter Racing and Chevy put down a very fast car for qualifying. I think we’re even better in race mode compared to qualifying so I’m very excited,” said Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing.
Still, Honda looks the favorite – even more so after today’s “Carb Day,” which used to be a session to allow teams to adjust, ahem, carburetors. Chip Ganassi Racing continued its masterful May. Tony Kanaan (H) was fastest overall and led three of the team’s drivers in the top four of the 2.5-mile lap chart Friday. The 2013 Indy 500 winner Kanaan’s top lap in the 90-minute session – shortened and started two hours late by morning rain – was 227.114 mph in the No. 1 The American Legion Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
The 106th class of 33.
His teammate Marcus Ericsson (H) was second at 227.004 in the No. 8 Huski Chocolate Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato (H) broke up the Ganassi speed show by clocking third at 226.839 in the No. 51 Nurtec ODT Honda. NTT P1 Award winner Scott Dixon was fourth at 226.696 in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. Sage Karam was the fastest Chevrolet driver and fifth overall at 226.517 in the No. 24 AES Indiana DRR Chevrolet.
Ganassi’s strength wasn’t limited to just the first four spots, as all five of the team’s drivers ended up in the top 14. Jimmie Johnson, who has been struggling in IRL cars, was the fastest “500” rookie and seventh overall at 225.974 in the No. 48 Carvana Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, while reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou ended up 14th at 225.435 in the No. 10 NTT DATA Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
The results seem to validate the speed the Ganassi team showed during qualifying, as all five of the team’s drivers will start in the first four rows of the 200-lap race Sunday. However, all the other teams have now had a week of practice to gather data and adjust their cars based on myriad factors, among them – power, fuel economy and drivability.
Wild cards remain. After the weather, come pit stops, yellow- or heaven forfend red-flags, and the growing sophistication of team spotters, strategists and engineers where women are increasingly playing a larger role – all will be factors in who drinks the Hoosier milk beside the Borg-Warner Trophy.
Finally, a word from the assumed under-dog Chevrolet: “I think we have a strong car; I really do. It’s been a pretty steady month for us with the Shell Fuel Rewards Vehicle. Team Chevy has really had a good step-up for us this month, similar to what we’ve seen at most tracks we’ve gone to this year… We fell a little short in qualifying, unfortunately,” said Josef Newgarden, No. 2 Shell Chevrolet at Team Penske. “I think on one hand, I’m disappointed we weren’t able to show more of our potential. I really felt we had a large improvement over last year.”
“The hand we were dealt was certainly not favorable, timing-wise. It was just one of those days where, unfortunately, timing meant a lot and you really had to maximize and perfect your first run. We didn’t quite perfect our first run and that ultimately ended up biting us and pulling us out of that Fast 12 group. So, I don’t think we showed our entire potential, but hopefully we can rectify that in the race coming up this weekend,” said Newgarden.
Five F1 Drivers at the 2022 Indy 500
Among the regular participants in the 2022 IndyCar Series, Takuma Sato (Dale Coyne Racing), Romain Grosjean (Andretti Autosport), Marcus Ericsson (Chip Ganassi Racing), Alexander Rossi (Andretti Autosport) have participated in the F1 World Championship. Juan Pablo Montoya (Chevrolet), who has won in F1, is also participating. Since the 2000s, the traffic between IndyCar and F1 drivers has been declining. In 2010 when Takuma Sato started participating in the race, Sato was the only one with F1 experience. Two former F1 drivers, Sébastien Bourdais in 2011 and Rubens Barrichello in 2012 joined IndyCar, and Juan Pablo Montoya made a comeback in 2015.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.