ZAC Brown and Tony Kanaan tease on Nashville- Bottom of story
By Roy J. Akers- www.skyviewsports.net
With inclement weather coming in to Indy on Sunday and turning into a driving rain on Monday, the Indianapolis 500 may see its first rain shortened race since 2007. The threatening skies are coming in around the midway point of the race and there are no plans to start the race earlier in the day.
Saying that, it has been a tremendous month of May at the track. Here are the quotes and favorites for the race.
First, they said it–Quotes
Q- Scott McLaughlin: with you guys having three Penske cars across the front row on Sunday, how if at all can you guys work together to try and control the race? Is that something you guys have talked about yet, how you guys will approach that, or is that something you guys won’t worry too much about?
A- SCOTT McLAUGHLIN Quote: I think we’ve seen over the years, I think Scottie and Alex have done this before, really controlled that first sort of 100 odd laps and whatnot, so it is able to be done. But we haven’t had an active discussion about it yet, but at the end of the day I’m sure there will be a sit-down with all three of us before the race and sort of analyze a few things. At the same time, I guess everyone knows that when you’re out in front, you’re chewing a lot of gas, so ultimately I think we’ll take turns maybe at doing that or making sure that we keep ourselves in good track position. Ultimately that’s what I’m thinking about.
Q. Scott Dixon, I know it’s been a while since we’ve had weather impact race day. I think the 2004 and 2007. Can you kind of just look back for us and tell us what those race days are like when you don’t know when you’re going to be racing, you don’t know if you’re running 200 laps or 150 laps? What are those experiences like for folks that either weren’t around here or weren’t racing in those?
A. SCOTT DIXON Quote: I think you can’t look into it too much. It’s the same for everybody. You can’t do anything about it. It was weird, I think I remember having a nap in between the start and the finish of one of those, and then obviously it finished in the rain with — was that ’07, Dario beating me
under caution, so that was not fun. So not a good memory. But yeah, it’s weather. It is what it is. It might favor somebody in the end, might not. Hopefully it’s you if you can ride that kind of train.
Favorites:
Follow the trends. Over the last decade, trends nailed the winner of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge. Does the same happen for Sunday’s 108th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing?”
Team Penske has put the scandal from the opening race of the season largely behind them. Roger Penske was clearly embarrassed and the penalties he levied on his own team were in addition to the forfeiture of prize money and 2024 series points doled out to his drivers.
NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson’s No. 17 Hendrickcars.com Arrow McLaren Chevrolet is listed by most oddsmakers as a favorite. Larson is a great driver but his team is inexperienced in Indy Car and qualifying and taking practice laps are one thing, racing against the circuits best will test Larson over 500 miles.
Only ten rookie drivers have won this race in the 107-year history of the 500. Only three since 1967. Alexander Rossi, racing in 2024 pulled off the feat in 2016.
Chip Ganassi drivers have led 392 of the last 800 laps run at Indy since 2020. Penske has the defending champion in the race in Josef Newgarden.
Favorites
Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Team Penske Chevrolet)
Newgarden attempts to become the first driver since Helio Castroneves (2001-02) to go back-to-back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Newgarden loves oval racing and has 29 total wins with ten wins on ovals.
Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet)O
McLaughlin has one race win and two top fives this year. Ovals and McLaughlin are a good combination. He has the number one pit stall and has had a great month of May.
Colton Herta– He has had a terrific start to his 2024 season. He has posted two- top fives and led the NTT points race until he was wrecked by a teammate no less. He starts Sunday in fourth position on the second row.
Pato O’Ward (No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet)
He qualified his Chevrolet 7th and has won once this season. O’Ward is still looking for some speed and produced speed in Friday’s carb day at over 226 mph. This is good for third.
Alex Palou (No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda)
Palou starts in the 5th row after qualifying 14th this year. He has had some bad luck and learning experiences in his career thus far. Helio Castroneves toyed with him in 2021 and pit road issues messed with his finish in other races. Those at Indy said his machine is one of the best in this years race. He is too good to be kept down for long.
Will Power (No. 12 Verizon Business Team Penske Chevrolet)
The 2018 Indianapolis 500 winner starts second and has three runner-up finishes in four races this season. He was second, ninth, third and 21st, respectively, in the last four race practices. Power is off to a terrific 2024 season second in points to … Alex Palou.
Sleepers
Helio Castroneves (No. 06 Cliffs Honda)
The last-time Castroneves was a part-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver, he won the Indianapolis 500. Does history repeat itself? His peers said Castroneves’ Meyer Shank Racing Honda looks strong. He was sixth, 10th, 13th, 13th and second, respectively, in race practice and knows what it takes to win here. Can he stand alone as the only five-time winner?
Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet)
In five Indianapolis 500 starts, the AJ Foyt Racing driver has never finished outside the top 10. He led 11 laps in a third-place effort last year. Ferrucci starts sixth Sunday. AJ would love to have his protege driver kiss the bricks this year.
| Teasing the NTT/NXT finally, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Arrow McLaren Sporting Director Tony Kanaan and Big Machine CEO and Owner Scott Borchetta. The trio discuss their joined efforts toward the 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season finale, the Big Machine Music City Grand Prix on Sept. 13-15 at Nashville Superspeedway. Will entertainment be involved. Its Nashville, so YES there will be entertainment. Find out more from them. |
