CAN DIXON GO FROM THE POLE TO VICTORY LANE For the third time in his career, Scott Dixon scored the pole for Indianapolis 500, the fastest polesitter for the race since 1996. History will be on his side this weekend as the Indy 500 pole has gone on to win the race 20 times, including when he won the race in 2008. Can Dixon covert his Verizon P1 Award into the Borg-Warner Trophy? Shawn Gritzmacher/INDYCAR PHOTO
WHAT TO WATCH FOR THIS WEEKEND: IT’S NOT WHERE YOU START…: The last five Indianapolis 500 winners have started outside the top 10, including Alexander Rossi, who came from 11th to win last year. With depth throughout the 33-car field for the 101st Indy 500, including former winners Juan Pablo Montoya and Helio Castroneves starting from the sixth row or further back, can another star drive through the field to win the race? SECOND-GENERATION STARS HOPE TO ADD TO FAMILY LEGACY: The latest generation from two of open- wheel racing’s most familiar families comes to Indianapolis in hopes of adding to the family legacy. Marco Andretti—the grandson of 1969 winner Mario Andretti and son of Michael Andretti—has finished in the top three at Indy three times in his 10 previous starts. He hopes to give his father’s team its fifth Indianapolis 500 win. Another son hoping to return his father’s team to Victory Lane is Graham Rahal. The son of former Indy winner Bobby Rahal aims to win for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, which won the Indy 500 in 2004. FORMER CHAMPIONS RETURN IN SEARCH OF SECOND WIN: Five former Indianapolis 500 winners return with eyes on adding a second Baby Borg to their collection. 2008 winner Scott Dixon and 2013 winner Tony Kanaan return with the formidable Chip Ganassi Racing team. Ryan Hunter-Reay and reigning champion Alexander Rossi will aim to bring Andretti Autosport another win in the Indy 500 and Buddy Lazier returns with Lazier-Burns Racing 20 years after claiming his Indy 500 win. Can a former winner score a second Indianapolis win? DIVERSE ROOKIE CLASS HOPES TO MAKE STRONG FIRST IMPRESSION: The rookie class features a two- time Formula One champion, the reigning Indy Lights champion, one of two drivers to win races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course and oval and a driver who has competed in all three levels of the Mazda Road to Indy. The 2017 rookies are: Fernando Alonso, Jack Harvey, Ed Jones and Zach Veach. PENSKE SEEKS HISTORY: Team owner Roger Penske has won the Indianapolis 500 a record 16 times and brings five strong entries in 2017 with three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, two- time Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, series points leader Simon Pagenaud, former Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power and rising star Josef Newgarden. Can the fearsome fivesome become the first team to lock out the podium and complete the Captain’s sweep? POWER TRIES FOR INDIANAPOLIS SWEEP: After winning the INDYCAR Grand Prix for the second time in his career on May 13, Will Power of Team Penske aims to make history at Indianapolis. Power could become the first Verizon IndyCar Series driver to win on both the IMS Road Course and Oval. Can Power complete a history-making Month of May?
LED DISPLAY PANELS:
POSITION: RED PIT STOP TIMER: GREEN Primary display, showing the car’s position Display shows a running clock in the running order. Blinks when the during a pit stop in seconds. position has changed from previous lap. Example: 7.9-second pit stop. Example: Car is running in P12.
Firestone will celebrate its 68th Indy 500 win this year – that is more than double all other tire manufacturers combined. A ROSSI REPEAT - With a win in his fi rst Indy 500 start, Alexander Rossi hopes to remain undefeated at Indianapolis. Helio Castroneves was the last driver to repeat as Indianapolis 500 winner in 2001-2002 and he was also the last driver to win his fi rst two 500 starts. Can he repeat the feat? Chris Owens/INDYCAR PHOTO
2017 VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES POINT STANDINGS (TOP 5 AFTER 5 OF 17 EVENTS)
1. SIMON PAGENAUD Team Penske 191 2. SCOTT DIXON Chip Ganassi Racing 181 3. JOSEF NEWGARDEN Team Penske 152 4. HELIO CASTRONEVES Team Penske 149 5. WILL POWER Team Penske 145
#INDYCAR | #INDY500 5
EVENT SCHEDULE All times local. Schedule subject to change.
8:00 am Public Gates Open 8:00 am Historic Race Car Exhibition 8:00 am-3:30 pm IMS Midway Open 10:00 am Indy Lights Autograph Session (IMS Midway) 10:30 am Sam Schmidt Arrow Car Laps 11:00 am Verizon IndyCar Series Practice 12:05 pm Indy Lights Freedom 100 Driver Introductions 12:30 pm Indy Lights Freedom 100 Race (40 laps) 1:45 pm TAG Heuer Pit Stop Challenge Miller Lite Carb Day Concert featuring Steve Miller Band with 3:30 pm special guest Batenaked Ladies 4:00 pm Hinch “The Mayor On Air” Live Podcast (Garage 35 & 36) 6:00 pm Public Gates Close FRIDAY 26 MAY
8:00 am Public Gates Open 8:00 am-3:00 pm Indianapolis 500 Memorabilia Show (Plaza) 8:00 am-3:00 pm IMS Midway Open 8:00 am-3:00 pm Nerf Nitro Kids Zone Open 9:00 am Full Field Autograph Session (Pagoda Plaza) 9:00 am Historic Race Car Laps 10:30 am Public Drivers’ Meeting (North Pit Lane) 11:00 am Firestone Legends Day Pin Distribution (Plaza) Indianapolis 500 Legends Autograph Session A (North Chalet) 12:00 pm (Available to fi rst 125 fans, Drivers TBA) Indianapolis 500 Legends Autograph Session A (North Chalet) 1:30 pm (Available to fi rst 125 fans, Drivers TBA) Legends Day Honoring Champions of the 500 Presented by Firestone concert 3:30-7:30 pm featuring Keith Urban with special guests Dustin Lynch and Clayton Anderson
SATURDAY 27 MAY 6:00 pm Public Gates Clsoe (Legends Day Concert Ticket Holders Only)
6:00 am Public Gates Open 6:00 am-Green Flag IMS Midway Open Snake Pit presented by Coors Light Opens featuring Zedd, marshmello with 7:00 am special guests Action Bronson, RL Grime, Adventure Club, The Trap House & special emcee Ric Flair 8:00 am Parade of Bands 8:00 am Borg-Warner Trophy March to the Bricks 9:00 am Celebrity Red Carpet (Plaza) 9:00 am 500 Festival Princess Lap 10:05 am “On the Banks of the Wabash” - Purdue Band 10:15 am Cars Grid On Track 10:29 am Green Flag Delivered in Turn 1 by IU Health Helicopter 10:57 am Historic Race Car Laps 11:35 am Driver Introductions 11:46 am “God Bless America” 11:48 am Military Address - Army General Anderson 11:54 am Invocation 11:56 am “Taps” 11:56 am “America the Beautiful” 12:00 pm National Anthem performed by Bebe Rexha 12:12 pm “Back Home Again In Indiana” performed by Jim Cornelison 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor 12:19 pm Oil (200 laps)
SUNDAY 28 MAY 6:00 pm Public Gates Close
2017 SCHEDULE
WINNER: SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS WINNER: JAMES HINCHCLIFFE WINNER: JOSEF NEWGARDEN STREETS OF ST. PETERSBURG STREETS OF LONG BEACH BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK WINNER: SIMON PAGENAUD WINNER: WILL POWER MAY 20, 4:00PM (QUAL DAY 1) PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY IMS ROAD COURSE INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY MAY 21, 4:00PM (QUAL DAY 2) MAY 28, 11:00AM (OVAL) JUNE 3, 3:30PM (RACE 1) INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY INDIANAPOLIS 500 THE RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK JUNE 4, 3:30PM (RACE 2) JUNE 10, 8:00PM JUNE 25, 12:30PM THE RACEWAY AT BELLE ISLE PARK TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY ROAD AMERICA JULY 9, 5:00PM JULY 16, 3:00PM JULY 30, 3:00PM IOWA SPEEDWAY STREETS OF TORONTO MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE AUGUST 20, 2:00PM AUGUST 26, 9:00PM SEPTEMBER 3, 1:00PM POCONO RACEWAY GATEWAY MOTOSPORTS PARK WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
SEPTEMBER 17, 6:30PM *SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. ALL TIMES EASTERN. SONOMA RACEWAY