motorsport news,motorsport,97th Indianapolis 500 practice
CASTRONEVES TAKES PIT STOP CONTEST; DEMPSEY WINS THRILLING FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100
Simon Pagenaud hopes Coors Light Carb Day is a good indication of Indianapolis 500 Race Day.
Pagenaud, who will start the 97th Indianapolis 500 from the outside of the seventh row, topped the speed chart for the final practice session, the final opportunity for teams to fine-tune their cars before Race Day.
Pagenaud, driving the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda, topped the speed chart with a quick lap of 225.827 mph with Andretti Autosport E.J Viso (225.304 mph) and Ryan Hunter-Reay (225.053) right behind.
Similarly, Helio Castroneves hopes that winning the IZOD Indy 500 Pit Stop Competition could be a good omen for him.
Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Shell V-Power/Pennzoil Ultra Chevrolet, defeated Dario Franchitti of Target Chip Ganassi Racing in the championship round. His pit crew received the $50,000 first place prize for its speed and accuracy.
The winner of the competition has gone on to win the Indianapolis 500 six times, most recently with Castroneves in 2009. It was the 14th win for Team Penske and sixth for Castroneves in the pit stop contest, which extended their records.
Also on Coors Light Carb Day, Peter Dempsey came from fourth place on the final corner of the final lap to overtake Gabby Chaves, Sage Karam and Carlos Munoz and win a thrilling Firestone Freedom 100.
Exiting Turn 4 Munoz, Karam and Chaves were racing side by side to the start-finish of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Suddenly, Dempsey found a seam close to the outside wall on the 50-foot-wide frontstretch.
The 27-year-old native of Ashbourne, Ireland, immediately knew he had won the marquee race of the Firestone Indy Lights season, raising his left hand off the steering wheel, though it was a photo finish. The margin of victory was .0026 of a second -- the closest on an oval in the 100-plus-year history of the Speedway.
Chaves was second and pole sitter Karam was .0280 of a second behind the winner in third. Munoz, who led Laps 13-39, was .0443 of a second off the winner.
Poison headlined a concert to conclude the busy day.
COORS LIGHT CARB DAY NOTEBOOK:
San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh talked today about driving the 2014 Corvette Stingray Pace Car to lead the starting field to the green flag for the 97th Indianapolis 500 Sunday. Harbaugh played for the Indianapolis Colts during his NFL career and is a longtime partner in Panther Racing.
JIM HARBAUGH: "It's just fantastic. It's great to be back here and watch the team, watch our drivers and some of the youngsters, too. Ed Carpenter, I knew him when he was a child; same with Conor Daly. To see those two guys out here doing what they're doing, it's just wonderful." (On driving the Pace Car): "Well, it's like, 'How'd you get so lucky?' I'm just lucky, I guess. I was thrilled when they told me they were considering me. To be able to do it; I'm really thrilled to do it. It's going to be one of life's memorable moments. I need some work, though." (On receiving Pace Car coaching from three-time Indy 500 winner Johnny Rutherford): "I got that going for me. Mr. Rutherford took me around the track this morning and showed me how to do it. Then he let me do it for four or five laps. I need some work, but I'll get it down with him in my corner."
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Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing (SFHR) announced today a long-term sponsorship agreement with Genie Products LLC, the owners of POWERQUBE.
The POWERQUBE is the 21st-century solution to the power strip. The POWERQUBE allows users to plug in six devices and also charge three more devices in three USB ports. It can easily fit into a backpack or briefcase, at just 5.5 inches by 2.75 inches and provides
SARAH FISHER (Team owner, Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing): "We're excited to bring on POWERQUBE as a new partner to the team. It's neat to be a part of an industry that's technologically advanced and innovative. We are excited about our long-term agreement with the POWERQUBE team and look forward to supporting this revolutionary product as it is launched in the United States and throughout the world."
SCOTT WEAVER (President, Genie Products LLC): "Our agreement with SFHR is a partnership that we look to build upon for many years to come. We could not be more excited to be a part of the SFHR team as we partner to bring the POWERQUBE to consumers throughout the world."
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Target Chip Ganassi Racing owner Chip Ganassi presented the Reynard 96I/Honda that Alex Zanardi drove to victory in the CART race at Mazda Raceway in Laguna Seca in September 1996 to Zanardi during a special ceremony this morning on the Yard of Bricks. Zanardi passed Bryan Herta in the famed "Corkscrew" turn on the last lap for a famous victory in the car.
Zanardi won CART championships for Ganassi's team in 1997 and 1998. He suffered severe injuries in a racing crash in September 2001 at Lausitz, Germany, that resulted in the amputation of both legs above the knee. Zanardi inspired millions around the world by resuming his full-time racing career in 2014 in touring cars and also won a gold medal in the handcycling men's road time trial in the 2012 Paralympic Games in London.
ALEX ZANARDI: "It is really difficult to put it into words. I'm lucky enough to have had a long career, a career with many highlights, along with the two championships we won with Target Chip Ganassi Racing. which were, for sure, amazing accomplishments, I had days of glory which go above. Laguna Seca in 1996, of all the highlights of my racing career, was probably the most emotional one and the one that actually changed my life. I was very lucky that day, don't get me wrong, but had I not tried that move, who knows what my racing career would have been? For sure, it changed a lot of things. The perception of all the people watching was that, after that day, I was a different guy, I was definitely a guy to keep an eye on. I'm sure I won a lot of fans that day and caused come controversy, as well. But, hey, this is what keeps us alive, and I was definitely alive that day."
CHIP GANASSI: "I'm happy to have Alex and his team as special guests of Target Chip Ganassi Racing. (Jimmy) Vasser and Alex were the foundation of Chip Ganassi Racing. Nothing that Alex Zanardi has done has surprised anybody - from Laguna Seca to two Paralympic gold medals. There is no one like Alex ... the mold was broken when Alex Zanardi was born. We never had him in a race car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 1996 he made the pass at Laguna Seca in the Corkscrew and went on with the win. Your contribution to this sport and to this team will never be forgotten. In Alex you see a guy who transcends all the issues of the day when we were racing in the mid-'90s. It was a breath of fresh air to see somebody who transcends all that and is all about racing. He's had some real accomplishments since he has not been in racing. Don't forget, you're talking about an Olympian here, and that's pretty heavy stuff. To be at the top of one sport and to go and be at the top of another - enough said. Only someone with his fortitude could accomplish that. To say the words: 'Passion, commitment, excellence' - all the things that I grew up with that meant something; I think he embodies every one of those. He embodies what we would like every athlete, we look up to, to be in our lives." (About Zanardi never racing at IMS): "It was one of those things that the timing or the political climate, it wasn't to be. It's nice that he can come back here today and have the reception that he's had and to be welcomed with open arms. That's the one thing about this place; anyone who has ever been here in any capacity is welcomed to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with open arms. And that's a tribute to Tony (George) and his family."
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The fastest IZOD IndyCar Series pit crew will receive a $50,000 first place prize for winning the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge during Coors Light Carb Day on Friday, May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The 12-team competition will begin at 1:30 p.m. on pit lane at IMS, featuring four rounds of action. A total of $100,000 will be awarded, with the runner-up team earning $15,000.
Teams will change four tires and perform a simulated fuel hookup during each round of the competition. The quickest time wins, with time penalties added for various infractions, such as loose wheel nuts or running over air hoses.
Seven teams previously qualified based on pit performance between the 2012 Indianapolis 500 and the 2013 Itaipava Sao Paulo Indy 300 earlier this month. Five teams earned the final spots during time trials last week at IMS.
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Applying lessons from the classroom and taking them to the racetrack will be the focus of "The Future of Fast," an INDYCAR-themed STEM education program beginning in 2013 that was announced today at IMS.
INDYCAR hopes to interest future engineers, mechanics and race fans by igniting their passion for math and science through the educational aspects of the sport. INDYCAR has formed a partnership for this initiative with Project Lead The Way, the nation's leading provider of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum, and Jostens, a top provider of products, programs and services for schools.
The "Future of Fast" at-track program is a hands-on racetrack program for eighth-grade students designed to accelerate learning beyond the walls of the classroom and put students on the fast track. The curriculum is created specifically for INDYCAR by Project Lead The Way and will feature different learning pods related directly to various aspects of Indy car racing. Project Lead The Way has been working hand-in-hand with INDYCAR to create the program, which will culminate in an education day held at INDYCAR race venues. In addition to developing the curriculum, Project Lead The Way also will train the volunteer educators in each race market.
Students participating in The Future of Fast program will spend a day at the racetrack and rotate through each of the learning pods. After completing the activities within each pod, students will then apply that knowledge in a virtual environment.
In its initial year, the program will reach thousands of students among six different race markets with a short-term goal of demonstrating that science can be fun and a long-term goal of creating future engineers, scientists, mechanics and race fans. In future years, the program will expand into more INDYCAR race markets throughout the United States.
In 2013, events will take place at the Indianapolis 500 as well as Detroit (June 1-2), Fort Worth, Texas (June 8); Baltimore (Sept. 1); Houston (Oct. 5-6) and Fontana, Calif. (Oct. 19). Project Lead The Way and Jostens will reach out to schools in these markets to encourage them to attend. Through the support of the INDYCAR community, students will receive the hands-on learning experience at no expense to them or their schools.
MARK MILES (CEO, Hulman & Company): "Our sport is deeply rooted in science and engineering so it's important for us to create opportunities for students to see the connection between what they study and real-world situations. This is another way for us to reach youngsters to help ignite their interest in math and science, and it's a way for us to become more involved in the communities where we compete."
VINCE BERTRAM (President and CEO, Project Lead The Way): "When the team at INDYCAR contacted us to work with them on this project, we were immediately on board as it is a win-win situation for all involved. The technology, speed and excitement of INDYCAR racing provides the perfect backdrop for us to develop curriculum that will engage and excite young students and encourage them to pursue their interests in STEM."
LISA SPAIN (Director of Customer Experience, Jostens): "This real, relevant, kinesthetic and interactive education program can be a catalyst for thousands of students' understanding that STEM can be exciting, rewarding and fun to learn. STEM education is critical for the next generation's success both economically and culturally, and Jostens is proud to present this program in collaboration with INDYCAR and Project Lead The Way."
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INDIANAPOLIS 500 FINAL PRACTICE:
At 11 a.m., the ambient temperature was 54 degrees with a relative humidity of 61 percent and winds from the west-southwest at 4 mph. Skies were sunny. The track temperature was 83 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
11 a.m. - GREEN. #12 Power first on track.
11:01 a.m. -- #14 Sato to pits. Small fire in rear of car extinguished quickly by team.
11:06 a.m. - YELLOW. Track inspection.
11:12 a.m. - GREEN.
11:13 a.m. - All 33 starters have been on track.
11:30 a.m. -- #10 Franchitti fastest at 224.688.
11:32 a.m. -- #9 Dixon fastest at 224.870. #81 Legge third at 224.409.
11:35 a.m. - YELLOW. #18 Beatriz stopped at pit entrance. Light damage to front wing, flat tire. Beatriz climbs from car without assistance from Holmatro Safety Team. #18 Beatriz hit rear of #26 Munoz entering pits, causing light damage to rear of Munoz's car.
11:40 a.m. - GREEN.
11:59 a.m. -- #77 Pagenaud fastest at 225.827.
Noon - CHECKERED. End of practice. #77 Simon Pagenaud fastest at 225.827 mph.
YELLOW. #8 Briscoe slows in deceleration lane in Turn 4, rear of car on fire. Briscoe climbs from car without assistance from Holmatro Safety Team.
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The fastest car in final practice, the No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda driven by Simon Pagenaud, was powered by a Honda engine. Chevrolet engines power the first 11 cars in the starting lineup Sunday.
Alex Tagliani is the top-starting Honda driver, starting 12th. Pagenaud will start 21st.
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Thirty-three drivers turned 1,305 laps today and 15,221 laps this month. Sebastien Bourdais turned 52 laps today, most of any driver. There were three cautions for a total of 11 minutes today.
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INDIANAPOLIS 500 FINAL PRACTICE QUOTES:
ED CARPENTER (No. 20 Fuzzy's Vodka/Ed Carpenter Chevrolet Racing): "We were going to run 20 to 25 laps today. But the car felt good, so we did a couple of pit stops and parked the Fuzzy's Vodka Chevrolet after 18 laps. It would have been fun to go out and play longer, but it isn't necessary. The smart thing to do is just put the car away and prepare for Sunday. We will continue to go with our plan right now. It worked last week for us. We ran race setup all week until Friday when we trimmed out the car for qualifying. I feel we have a fast car today. We think conditions will be similar on Sunday, too. This week has been pretty crazy but fun. We had 16 appearances Thursday, so it was busy. But you have to enjoy it. You never know when this situation will happen again. I feel super-confident that we have the tools and the team to win this race. We won the last 500-miler in Fontana, so we know we can do it. We just have to execute and go with the game plan. It's easy to get excited with this kind of car. I just need to remain calm and be ready to run a strong race."
TRISTAN VAUTIER (No. 55 Lucas Oil/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda): "Practice was difficult for the first 45 minutes; we struggled a bit. The car was too low, but we were able to find some good things in the last run and will have to find more speed for the race."
CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen Honda): "I think the final practice today was really good. We made improvements, not only to the car but to pit stops and racecraft. Through the course of the week, we looked at some data and have a good foundation of what we need to do come Race Day on Sunday. Obviously, we'll look through the data and maybe make a few small changes, but I'm really confident in the guys and in the race car. I think we'll be in really good shape. We have the pit stop competition this afternoon, and I have the upmost confidence in the No. 83 NovoLog FlexPen car crew."
RYAN BRISCOE (No. 8 NTT DATA Honda): "We were making a lot of changes in the final practice today. I finished feeling really strong with the last change we made to our dampers. It was really good, so I'm very happy with the way the car was feeling. We were actually on a huge lap, coming to the checkered flag before the engine went. But looking at the bright side of things, it's better to happen now than the first couple laps of the race. So maybe we'll be really lucky and be able to put in a fresh engine without a penalty for the start of the race. It looks like the cars are running strong, so I'm feeling good for the race."
JOSEF NEWGARDEN (No. 21 Sarah Fisher Hartman/Century 21 Honda): "It felt great. That's what this session was all about is getting back in the rhythm of things and feeling comfortable with what we're going to do in the race, and I think we absolutely achieved that. So I'm excited for Sunday."
GRAHAM RAHAL (No. 15 Midas/Big O Tires Honda): "The Midas/Big O Tires car feels pretty good. I'm pleased with where we're at, handling wise. In traffic, it felt pretty comfortable. We will keep working at it. I don't think we're far off at all. Now it's just a matter of going racing in the biggest race of the year."
JAMES JAKES (No. 16 Acorn Stairlifts Honda): "We've got a great car. The Acorn Stairlifts car has been good all through the latter part of the testing week here, and we're excited about the race. I'd be happy to go out and race right now, to be honest. We'll see what happens on Race Day. The Honda guys have been back in the shop last week working very hard. We've worked hard since we got here, and now there are no more setup changes needed. We knew that going in. We may make a slight adjustment here and there, but nothing big."
SIMON PAGENAUD (No. 77 Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports Honda): "The car is really good in race trim. We are really happy with the way it used up the tires, the way it goes through its stints. Honda has done a lot of work before qualifying and after qualifying, and Honda's racing mentality is to go racing and that's exactly what they're doing. They provided us with an engine that is clearly a lot better, so it's a good sign for the race. The car is up there. It's good for HP, and it's good for Honda. I'm really happy for my guys. For them, it's great to go into a race with such a positive note. The goal was obviously to do an out and in just to check that everything was running normally. Then afterward everyone pretty much practiced pit stops, get the guys up to speed, stretching them a little bit. And then it was good for us to get our marks. When you are going 230 mph and all of a sudden you have to go into pit lane, it's actually difficult when you put it into pit lane with the car that speed, so it's important to get into a routine for Sunday."
RYAN HUNTER-REAY (No. 1 DHL Chevrolet): "It was a good session. We tried quite a few different things in a short amount of time. I think some of the biggest observations was that it was cold, so the car handled a bit different; different wind direction than what we've been used to most of the week. The Hondas turned up the power, which we were expecting. It's going to be a pretty hard-fought race. It's Carb Day. It was a warm-up. It doesn't really mean anything. You get a feeling for what your car does, and that's about what it's good for. We see some people out there running more trim than they will be on Sunday and some that are running a little bit heavier than they will on Sunday. You don't really have an idea of where you stand. This stuff is just how big a tow you've got. It doesn't really mean anything." (What do you anticipate Sunday?): "I expect surprises. We had surprises last year with (Takuma) Sato contending for the win. I think, just seeing how that Carb Day ran and how tight everybody was, anybody could be up front. If you have a good day with no real issues in the pits and you keep dialing on your car a little bit, I think we could have any combination of 15 drivers up there challenging for the win. It's good news because it's going to be a heck of a show. I certainly think that any of the Andretti Autosport cars have a shot at winning. But you have to put the whole day together. It's not just about the car that has the best balance and is fastest on the charts. You have to have the right pit stops. You have to have the entire picture come together to win the Indy 500."
TAKUMA SATO (No. 14 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing Honda): "It's important to feel the car in traffic today because it is our final practice before the race. It was very cool today, which makes the car a lot faster. All felt positive, but we need to tune it up a little bit-massage it. The ABC Supply car is in the region, but it's not quite there yet. Felt quite a few positives, so that was really good, and I feel we have a strong car for the race. But we need to go through it and improve on the last bits."
CONOR DALY (No. 41 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing Honda): "Practice was good. We have a lot to work on still, but it was good to get back out there and get more comfortable running in traffic. The pit stops are all new to me. I feel comfortable with the guys and feel that we looked pretty good out there. I just have to get used to hitting my marks and entering pit lane a little bit slower. We have to work hard at getting in and out quickly. Overall, it was just nice to get in and keep working. Now let's go race."
LARRY FOYT (Managing director, A.J. Foyt Enterprises): (About problem with Takuma Sato's car at start of practice): "We had an oil leak, which was unfortunate, and we wanted to make sure the problem was fixed and that there was no oil that could get on the racetrack or on other parts of the car. We were just being really careful, which is why we kept coming in and out of the pits and taking everything off to make sure everything was clean and dry because there was no reason to risk anything today."
E.J. VISO (No. 5 Team Venezuela PDVSA Citgo Chevrolet): "It's been very refreshing working with this team. It's nice. Every time you go to the track, they give you a fast car. There's a great teamwork that we all have - between the drivers, the team itself, the engineers. People ask me: 'What is the biggest difference being on that team? Is it that the cars are very good?' And I say: 'Yeah, of course the cars are really good, but that's not biggest difference. The biggest difference is teamwork,' and we see the result out there. Today was a good day. Last Sunday, my other four teammates were fast. I was not too happy with my race car. We made some changes, and I didn't like them. So today we pretty much went back and put back on our basics, and we're happy. We did plenty of pit stops, we ran in traffic, I ran on my own, and the car responded very nice."
KATHERINE LEGGE (No. 81 Angie's List Schmidt Peterson Pelfrey Honda): "I'm just really fortunate that Schmidt Peterson Motorsport gave me a brilliant Angie's List car. They made my life easy. It's been a dream. Jumping in that and it's fast, and I'm super-happy with the car. It's awesome. From the get-go, I could run right up behind people and not have an issue, which a lot of people can't do right now. So assuming the weather in Indiana stays the same for five minutes, then we're going to have a good day Sunday."
ORIOL SERVIA (No. 22 Panther DRR Chevrolet): "I feel good. We need to do the job we did today one more day. I wanted to scan different downforce levels, and we did. I am very happy. We are as good as we can be to start this little race that we want to win on Sunday."
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INDYCAR technical update - The following cars were fitted with new engines for the race:
Chevrolet: #3 Castroneves, #12 Power, #25 Andretti (engine run on Bump Day).
Honda: #8 Briscoe (engine run on Bump Day), #9 Dixon, #10 Franchitti, #14 Sato, #16 Jakes (run on Bump Day), #18 Beatriz, #19 Wilson, #21 Newgarden, #77 Pagenaud, #83 Kimball, #98 Tagliani (run on Bump Day).
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 RACE SPECIFICS:
Today's race is 40 laps.
The field will take the green flag on the second time by the flag stand.
The command to start engines will be given by Lisa Boggs, Director, Bridgestone Americas Motorsports.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford is driving the 2014 Corvette Stingray Pace Car.
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 RACE RUNNING:
At 12:30 p.m., the ambient temperature was 58 degrees with a relative humidity of 46 percent and east winds at 2 mph. Skies were sunny. The track temperature was 97 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
On the second pace lap, #22 Simpson does a quarter-spin to the left in Turn 1 and continues on course.
Lap 1: GREEN. #8 Karam leads the field into Turn 1. Dempsey passes #26 Munoz in Turn 1. #26 Munoz makes a move for second off of Turn 4 and is second at the line.
Lap 2: YELLOW. #67 O'Gara does a three-quarter spin in Turn 4 while attempting to pass #5 Dempsey for third spot. Car noses into the SAFER Barrier and makes secondary contact with the right-front of the car before continuing back to the pit lane. O'Gara climbs from the car without assistance after crew evaluate for the damage.
Medical update from Dr. Michael Olinger, INDYCAR director of medical services: #67 Kyle O'Gara was evaluated at the IU Health Emergency Medical Center and released without injury. He is cleared to drive.
Lap 6: GREEN. #8 Karam leads the field into Turn 1. #12 Veach passes #7 Chaves for fourth pace and is racing side-by-side with #5 Dempsey for third.
Lap 7: #8 Karam leads #26 Munoz by .0688 of a second.
Lap 9: #8 Karam leads #26 Munoz by .0700 of a second.
Lap 11: #8 Karam leads #26 Munoz by .0701 of a second. #7 Chaves is third 1.0370 seconds behind the leader.
Lap 13: #26 Munoz makes bid for the lead on the outside of Turn 1. He completes the pass at the exit of Turn 2. #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam at the line by .0642 of a second.
#26 Munoz has led three consecutive races and four of the last five races.
Lap 14: #77 Hawksworth makes slight contact with the wall in Turn 2 and continues to the pit lane. Crew reports car has damaged suspension, and driver is climbing from the car.
Lap 15: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam at the line by .0596 of a second.
Lap 17: #28 Austin makes contact with the wall in Turn 1. #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam at the line by .0655 of a second.
Lap 20: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0766 of a second. Top-five cars (#26 Munoz, #8 Karam, #7 Chaves, #5 Dempsey and #12 Veach) are separated by .9788 of a second.
Lap 22: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0728 of a second. Top-five cars (#26 Munoz, #8 Karam, #7 Chaves, #5 Dempsey and #12 Veach) are separated by .9674 of a second.
Lap 24: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0783 of a second.
Lap 26: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0622 of a second. Top-five cars (#26 Munoz, #8 Karam, #7 Chaves, #5 Dempsey and #12 Veach) are separated by .9353 of a second.
Lap 28: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0631 of a second. Top-five cars (#26 Munoz, #8 Karam, #7 Chaves, #5 Dempsey and #12 Veach) are separated by .7285 of a second.
Lap 30: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0641 of a second.
Lap 32: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0833 of a second. #7 Chaves in third, .2180 of a second behind.
Lap 34: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0581 of a second. #7 Chaves in third, .2953 of a second behind.
Lap 36: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0599 of a second. #7 Chaves in third, .1455 of a second behind.
Lap 37: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0637 of a second.
Lap 38: #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0706 of a second.
Lap 39: WHITE. #26 Munoz leads #8 Karam by .0914 of a second.
Lap 40: Karam and Chaves racing for the lead on the backstretch and the top three are three-wide in Turn 3 and 4. Dempsey makes it four-wide for the lead in Turn 4 and CHECKERED, #5 Dempsey wins the Firestone Freedom 100 by .0026 of a second, the smallest margin of victory in an oval race in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history.
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 SECOND-, THIRD-PLACE QUICK QUOTES:
SAGE KARAM (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian): "The whole race I just put myself into position to win it. I was going to make a move in Turn 3 to win it. I was on his attenuator the whole race. I popped high and just couldn't hold it. I just couldn't get the momentum. Great race, great finish. It was such a strategic race."
GABBY CHAVES (No. 7 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian): "A couple of feet more, and this would have been my race. I did everything I could up until then. I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep for a couple of nights before I can let it go. I was just sitting there waiting for my moment."
FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 POST-RACE NOTES:
The margin of victory, .0026 of a second, was the smallest in an oval race in Indianapolis Motor Speedway history. The closest Indianapolis 500 finish was .043 of a second in 1992 between winner Al Unser Jr. and runner-up Scott Goodyear. The closest Brickyard 400 (NASCAR Sprint Cup Series) finish was .183 of a second in 1997 between winner Ricky Rudd and runner-up Bobby Labonte. Brad Keselowski won the inaugural Indiana 250 (NASCAR Nationwide Series) by 3.304 seconds over Sam Hornish Jr. in 2012.
The previous closest finish in the Firestone Freedom 100 was .1046 of a second between winner Wade Cunningham and runner-up JR Hildebrand in 2009.
This was Peter Dempsey's first Firestone Indy Lights victory, coming in his 20th start in the series. His previous best finish was second, at Toronto in 2011 and St. Petersburg in 2013.
This is the first victory for Belardi Auto Racing in Firestone Indy Lights.
This was the second-closest finish in Firestone Indy Lights history. The closest margin of victory was .0005 of a second on Sept. 9, 2007 at Chicagoland Speedway when Logan Gomez edged runner-up Alex Lloyd.
Peter Dempsey is the second first-time winner this season in Firestone Indy Lights. Jack Hawksworth earned his maiden victory in the season opener in March in St. Petersburg.
Peter Dempsey's victory ended a streak of four consecutive Firestone Freedom 100 victories for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.
Peter Dempsey became the fourth driver to win a Firestone Indy Lights race by leading only the final lap. The others: James Davison, Mid-Ohio, July 20, 2008; Arie Luyendyk Jr., Chicagoland, Sept. 7, 2008; Mario Romancini, Homestead-Miami, Oct. 9, 2009.
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FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100 POST-RACE QUOTES:
CHASE AUSTIN (No. 28 Starting Grid): "It was fun. I had a good time. Too bad the driver messed up and had a little error and brushed the wall. I was tightening up my car and kind of went the wrong way with it, ended up brushing the wall, and bent some wishbones on it. I had fun, but I wish there was a caution. I'm just proud to be out here. We are going to go to Iowa and try to do better than eighth next time. Hopefully, I'll be here next year. I am really excited. I love these cars."
JUAN PABLO GARCIA (No. 2 TMR-International-Euclid Chemical): "I couldn't keep up; I don't know why. I was trying to get on pace at the beginning, but it was really hard. I wanted to work hard and get up to my teammate at the end. I didn't have enough power. We will have to work on it. This is the way it is."
ZACH VEACH (No. 12 K12/Andretti Autosport): "I had a beautiful view of the finish; I just wish I was a little closer to it. The first 20 laps, the car was really good. I had enough tools in the car to adjust it and take it where I needed. The last 20 laps, I was out of adjustment on everything I had on the car. From that point on, I was just hanging onto a loose race car at Indy. I stayed in the draft through the last 15 laps, but with five to go, I started falling back. I couldn't do anything to bring the car back to life. At that point, it was either push harder and crash the car or take home what we had. It was a good run for us. We'll get them back on the short ovals."
JORGE GONCALVEZ (No. 4 Belardi Auto Racing): "I was at the back of the field when Chase Austin touched the wall. I slowed down because I thought he was going to crash, and I lost the gap with the car in front of me. I had a pretty good drag, and when you're not fast enough without the draft, you cannot catch the car in front of you. Before that, the car was pretty good.
JIMMY SIMPSON (No. 22 TMR-Reed Smith-Xtreme Drilling & Coil): "It was a strange day. Always at the Indy Lights race here, there are a lot of cautions. That's what we were expecting, and we set the car up to take advantage of that. When it didn't happen that way, we just weren't fast enough to keep up with most of them."
JACK HAWKSWORTH (No. 77 Schmidt Peterson c/w Curb-Agajanian): "The car felt good. I was able to run high and able to run low and stuff. I was struggling to make some passes. I couldn't quite get close enough at the end of the straights sometimes to pull myself on the outside, but I thought the race was going OK. I just caught a bit dose of dirty air going close behind (Zach) Veach. It took all the air out of my front wing. I just had no grip on the front, and I just understeered into the wall." (On the race conditions): "It was OK. The car was fine; the car felt good. It was an ideal day to go racing, but obviously not the result we wanted."
BRIAN BELARDI (Owner, Belardi Auto Racing): "It literally took my breath away. He did such a great job just holding station. We knew it was going to be a shootout with those three cars in the front, and they just poked a massive hole, and he (Dempsey) was able to sneak in there and just drove a flawless race. He is a great race car driver; we all know. For the team to get their first here, it is so special. Words cannot describe it."
PETER DEMPSEY (No. 5 Belardi Auto Racing): "I said it before the race, it's 40 laps, and you go around in circles, but there's no better place to do that than in Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Spotter and Firestone Indy Lights veteran) Stefan Wilson, hats off to him. He's a British guy, hard to hear sometimes, but I'm glad he spoke to me as much as he did that time. He won the race for me. He said, 'Be patient, get us across the line, they're going to spread out, and you'll sneak up on them.' He's never won here with himself, but I definitely owe him this one. Beers will be on me tonight. It was a fantastic finish. Firestone Indy Lights needs finishes like that. Huge thanks to Firestone. My car was tough to drive the whole race, and the tires held in there really great. So huge thanks to them. I was expecting the rears to go off more, but they hung in there with me. Firestones got me across the line." (About his journey to this point): "I mean, if you're going to win your first Firestone Indy Lights race, there's no better place to do it than at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I had a feeling this end was going to happen. And you know it's going to be four-wide across the line certain enough. It's massive. Belardi Auto Racing gave me this opportunity, and it's Brian's (Belardi) first win, so it's much his dream as mine to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And I beat the guy that qualified second in the Indianapolis 500, so that's not a bad thing, is it?"
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Driver Katherine Legge will honor millions of Girl Scouts by wearing the Girl Scout logo on her helmet Sunday in the 97th Indianapolis 500.
Legge was a Girl Guide, part of a sister organization to Girl Scouts, while growing up in the United Kingdom.
The logo will be worn to call attention to the cause of girls; leadership and the need to encourage more girls in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
KATHERINE LEGGE: "I had to fight to get into this year's Indianapolis 500, and carrying Girl Scouts' logo on my helmet reminds me of what got me here. When I was a young girl, Girl Guides inspired me to believe in myself and my ability to achieve my dreams. I'm proud to bring the Girl Scout logo to the most important race in the world as a reminder that women can succeed in any field if they believe in themselves and work hard."
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Veteran chief mechanic Dennis LaCava, chief mechanic for Lazier Partners Racing, today was presented the 2013 Clint Brawner Mechanical Excellence Award sponsored by Firestone Racing.
LaCava became chief mechanic for the No. 91 Lazier Partners Chevrolet driven by 1996 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Lazier less than a week before Opening Day for the 2013 Indianapolis 500.
The Brawner Award has been presented annually since 1987 to the Indianapolis 500 chief mechanic who "exemplifies the mechanical and scientific creativity, ingenuity, perseverance, dedication, enthusiasm and expertise" of its namesake, according to the Clint Brawner Foundation. Brawner was chief mechanic for 51 race victories and six IndyCar national champions.
LaCava, 49, received a $5,000 check and plaque, and his name will be inscribed on the permanent Brawner Award trophy housed in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum.
DENNIS LACAVA: "I figure us mechanics are kind of like Minutemen or something. It always works out at the last minute, and off we go. This is a tremendous award. Clint Brawner is a legend at this place, and there are some great past recipients. I cannot thank the Brawner Foundation and Firestone Racing enough for this honor."
BUDDY LAZIER: "I've known Dennis for a long time. He's been my crew chief in Indy cars for decades, I guess you can say. He's a great guy. He's really matured into a very, very special crew chief. He's great with the crew. There's nobody who will every work harder. He's meticulous. For a race car driver, a guy like Dennis is your best friend. I'm really proud that he won the Clint Brawner Award. We asked a lot of him at the very last moment, but like always, he came through for me. I'm really proud of him." (What did you say to him when you called to see if he could work on your car?): "It was like, 'Dennis, you're not going to want to believe this, but we need your services.' Immediately, he was all in, like he's always been. He's a lot like me in that we both really enjoy this place (IMS). It's very special to both of us. We respect it very much."
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Team Penske and driver Helio Castroneves won the Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge today, earning a $50,000 prize.
Castroneves and Team Penske beat Dario Franchitti and Target Chip Ganassi Racing, 14.475 seconds to 14.854 seconds, in the final round. This is the 14th victory for Team Penske and sixth victory for Castroneves in the Pit Stop Challenge, both event records for a team and driver.
Crew members for Castroneves: Chief mechanic and right front tire, Sean Hanrahan; left front tire, Doug Snyder; right rear tire, Shaun Rinaman; left rear tire, Mike Brown; airjack, Gary Yingst; fueler, Gary Prall.
Castroneves was the last Pit Stop Challenge-winning driver to win the Indianapolis 500 in the same year, in 2009.
Target Chip Ganassi Racing earned $15,000 for its runner-up finish.
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HELIO CASTRONEVES: "I tell you going against those guys (Ganassi), they are pros. These guys are awesome." (About slow start): "I went for it. I can't believe I screwed up. I saw Dario go up (into the box), and I thought I didn't have a chance. I didn't know who won or not."
ROGER PENSKE: "Well, it was a great run by both teams. These guys executed today. The team was excellent. We're going home with a win, and that's what we want. The big focus is Sunday.
DARIO FRANCHITTI: "You can come up against any of these teams, especially the Penske guys, and you can't make any mistakes. And we had a little mistake there on the right rear. It was a great show for the fans. It's fun, but we're really focused on Sunday."
