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| SITE SECTIONS |
| AFFILIATED WEBSITES |
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| MONTH OF MAY - INDIANAPOLIS 500 2012 LIVE UPDATES |
FRIDAY, MAY 25 UPDATES
MILLER LITE CARB DAY / FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100
/ PIT STOP CHALLENGE
Friday Photos
Friday Schedule Highlights - Carb Day / Firestone Freedom 100 / Pit Stop
Challenge
$20 admission, 12 and under FREE
8AM-6PM - Public Gates Open
10:30-11AM - Q & A with IndyCar Crew Members, Coca-Cola Stage
10:45AM - Firestone Pin Distribution, Pagoda Plaza
11AM-Noon - Indianapolis 500 Final Practice
12:30PM - Firestone Freedom 100 (40 laps)
1:35PM - Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge
3:30PM - Miller Lite Carb Day Concert featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd
1:00 PM
Hot and sticky and miserable out on pit lane, but who cares? It's Carb Day
and I'm on pit lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway!!!
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is done taping "The Bachelorette" TV show (although
not revealing the outcome) and is here making his debut for NBC Sports
as a commentator for the Firestone Freedom 100 race.
Spoke with USAC standout and now Indy 500 starter Bryan Clauson
yesterday at media day, and asked him about the typical refrain from
people that there aren't enough Americans in IndyCar racing. He didn't
necessarily agree, and gave a different perspective on that opinion. He
said that there aren't many Americans that the average person knows and
follows up through the ranks that have made it into IndyCar, but there are
quality drivers from the US here. He feels he's in a good spot to help that
ratio because he's raced all over the country (about 90 races a year) and
has a good fan following in both big and small towns, and can carry that
fanbase over to IndyCar.
Bryan said he got a little advice on handling the first laps of the Indy 500
from fellow driver Ryan Hunter-Reay. Hunter-Reay told Bryan it's "...an
IndyCar in a hurricane."
Clauson said the thing he's most happy about this entire experience is that
- forever - he'll be able to stay he's an Indy 500 starter. Me too. And we
might be able to add Fontana starter by the end of the year - more races
are in the works.
I asked Bryan how he is handling the pressures of being an Indy
500-qualified driver during the week before the race, with so many media
and sponsor obligations. He said he's doing fine, because he's had
experience in big situations like this since he was around the NASCAR
development ladder (with Target Chip Ganassi Racing as their
development driver) for so long - he's used to the pressure.
Bryan's going to get a little stress relief tonight by briefly returning to his
roots and competing in the USAC Silver Crown race at the Indiana State
Fairgrounds dirt oval - and in a very real way making the direct connection
between short-track racing and the most famous race in the world, the Indy
500.
A year ago I spoke with my friend, Dan Wheldon, for the last time at the
media day for the 2011 Indy 500 - a year ago yesterday. He died in a violent
accident while competing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October.
One of Dan's best friends was Tony Kanaan, and I had a chance to speak
with Tony yesterday about what he thought Dan might say to him, just
days before the 2012 Indianapolis 500, for which Dan is the defending
champion. Tony said simply, "Stay safe - that's what we always told each
other." Tony smiled, winked at me, and said, "And that's what I plan to
do...for Dan." I was done...couldn't speak.
11:00 AM
Indy Lights just announced that they are going to debut a new car in 2014.
Much thanks to Tom Blattler, PR rep for Ed Carpenter Racing and Fuzzy's
Vodka, who invited the media up to the Fuzzy's suite, which is the entire
fifth floor of the Pagoda, last night. What a fabulous space, and probably
one of the nicest views I've had of this track anywhere (and I've been to a
lot of spots here). Great hospitality, great drinks and snacks, and
something I'll look forward to doing again next year. Trust me when I say
that Fuzzy Zoeller (Fuzzy's founder) is crafting his IndyCar sponsorship
on the highest level, which befits his premium vodka brand well.
After the Fuzzy's suite visit, IMS hosted a media party two floors up on the
seventh floor in the Pagoda, in the Hulman suite - another fantastic
experience and, again, what a view! I didn't want to leave the balcony,
where you could see a 360 degree view of the track. What a privilege to be
able to see this amazing place from such a viewpoint! Thanks IMS!
Congratulations to Bud Kaeding for winning last night's "Tony Hulman
Classic" USAC National Sprint Car race at the Terre Haute (IN) Action
Track!
Spoke with Rubens Barichello yesterday at the Media Day and asked him
how his experience has been dealing with the fans, who have a LOT of
access to drivers here at IMS (vs. in Formula One, where they have very
little). He said they've been great because they are not invasive and are
very respectful, and know when to approach him and when not to - for
instance, they respect the fact that he might not want to be bothered if he's
got his family with him. He said on the F1 circuit, because the fans are kept
away from the drivers, that when they do get access, he basically gets
mauled. He loves the fans at Indy and wishes that F1 would be more like
IndyCar racing where fans have great access to the drivers, because
without the fans, racing would not exist.
I asked him what he expects to experience on race day morning, typically
one of the most moving moments of any driver's career. He said he
expects to cry, because he's a crier! I agree - we all will be crying that day
(especially with all of the Dan Wheldon tributes planned). Rubens was a
wonderful interview, and I truly got the impression he's VERY happy to be
running in the IndyCar series, and - surprisingly - finds it a lot more
challenging than he expected.
Barichello said he's run all over the world in all different types of cars, and
has even competed at IMS in F1, but he feels privileged to run here in an
IndyCar because this is "the proper race."
10:00 AM
CARB DAY! One of the busiest days of the month, and also the most fun
and crazy!
A ton of people getting into the track this morning - lots of traffic jams
around the Speedway - great news for IMS!
Weather is going to be hot, humid and hazy today, with temps predicted in
the mid-90's for Saturday and Sunday, which may make Sunday's race the
hottest race in history!
Olivia Newton-John was just in the media center. She's here to support
her nephew, Emerson Newton-John, in today's Firestone Freedom 100
Indy Lights race, where she'll also be the official starter. She's also the
Grand Marshal for tomorrow's 500 Festival Parade. She looks fabulous!
IndyCar teams pulling cars to the pit area in anticipation of their final
practice before the race from 11AM-Noon today! Always a VERY exciting
hour of track activity as teams check their cars after being totally rebuilt in
the last few days, and see how they handle in race traffic. Most veteran
teams will run a handful of laps and pull in, so as not to encourage any
"incidents" on track, which would jeopardize their race day. Then there
are a few teams who choose to use this as a real practice and run as many
laps as possible, and sometimes that leads to problems as they push too
hard.
MILLER LITE CARB DAY / FIRESTONE FREEDOM 100
/ PIT STOP CHALLENGE
Friday Photos
Friday Schedule Highlights - Carb Day / Firestone Freedom 100 / Pit Stop
Challenge
$20 admission, 12 and under FREE
8AM-6PM - Public Gates Open
10:30-11AM - Q & A with IndyCar Crew Members, Coca-Cola Stage
10:45AM - Firestone Pin Distribution, Pagoda Plaza
11AM-Noon - Indianapolis 500 Final Practice
12:30PM - Firestone Freedom 100 (40 laps)
1:35PM - Indy 500 Pit Stop Challenge
3:30PM - Miller Lite Carb Day Concert featuring Lynyrd Skynyrd
1:00 PM
Hot and sticky and miserable out on pit lane, but who cares? It's Carb Day
and I'm on pit lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway!!!
Arie Luyendyk Jr. is done taping "The Bachelorette" TV show (although
not revealing the outcome) and is here making his debut for NBC Sports
as a commentator for the Firestone Freedom 100 race.
Spoke with USAC standout and now Indy 500 starter Bryan Clauson
yesterday at media day, and asked him about the typical refrain from
people that there aren't enough Americans in IndyCar racing. He didn't
necessarily agree, and gave a different perspective on that opinion. He
said that there aren't many Americans that the average person knows and
follows up through the ranks that have made it into IndyCar, but there are
quality drivers from the US here. He feels he's in a good spot to help that
ratio because he's raced all over the country (about 90 races a year) and
has a good fan following in both big and small towns, and can carry that
fanbase over to IndyCar.
Bryan said he got a little advice on handling the first laps of the Indy 500
from fellow driver Ryan Hunter-Reay. Hunter-Reay told Bryan it's "...an
IndyCar in a hurricane."
Clauson said the thing he's most happy about this entire experience is that
- forever - he'll be able to stay he's an Indy 500 starter. Me too. And we
might be able to add Fontana starter by the end of the year - more races
are in the works.
I asked Bryan how he is handling the pressures of being an Indy
500-qualified driver during the week before the race, with so many media
and sponsor obligations. He said he's doing fine, because he's had
experience in big situations like this since he was around the NASCAR
development ladder (with Target Chip Ganassi Racing as their
development driver) for so long - he's used to the pressure.
Bryan's going to get a little stress relief tonight by briefly returning to his
roots and competing in the USAC Silver Crown race at the Indiana State
Fairgrounds dirt oval - and in a very real way making the direct connection
between short-track racing and the most famous race in the world, the Indy
500.
A year ago I spoke with my friend, Dan Wheldon, for the last time at the
media day for the 2011 Indy 500 - a year ago yesterday. He died in a violent
accident while competing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway last October.
One of Dan's best friends was Tony Kanaan, and I had a chance to speak
with Tony yesterday about what he thought Dan might say to him, just
days before the 2012 Indianapolis 500, for which Dan is the defending
champion. Tony said simply, "Stay safe - that's what we always told each
other." Tony smiled, winked at me, and said, "And that's what I plan to
do...for Dan." I was done...couldn't speak.
11:00 AM
Indy Lights just announced that they are going to debut a new car in 2014.
Much thanks to Tom Blattler, PR rep for Ed Carpenter Racing and Fuzzy's
Vodka, who invited the media up to the Fuzzy's suite, which is the entire
fifth floor of the Pagoda, last night. What a fabulous space, and probably
one of the nicest views I've had of this track anywhere (and I've been to a
lot of spots here). Great hospitality, great drinks and snacks, and
something I'll look forward to doing again next year. Trust me when I say
that Fuzzy Zoeller (Fuzzy's founder) is crafting his IndyCar sponsorship
on the highest level, which befits his premium vodka brand well.
After the Fuzzy's suite visit, IMS hosted a media party two floors up on the
seventh floor in the Pagoda, in the Hulman suite - another fantastic
experience and, again, what a view! I didn't want to leave the balcony,
where you could see a 360 degree view of the track. What a privilege to be
able to see this amazing place from such a viewpoint! Thanks IMS!
Congratulations to Bud Kaeding for winning last night's "Tony Hulman
Classic" USAC National Sprint Car race at the Terre Haute (IN) Action
Track!
Spoke with Rubens Barichello yesterday at the Media Day and asked him
how his experience has been dealing with the fans, who have a LOT of
access to drivers here at IMS (vs. in Formula One, where they have very
little). He said they've been great because they are not invasive and are
very respectful, and know when to approach him and when not to - for
instance, they respect the fact that he might not want to be bothered if he's
got his family with him. He said on the F1 circuit, because the fans are kept
away from the drivers, that when they do get access, he basically gets
mauled. He loves the fans at Indy and wishes that F1 would be more like
IndyCar racing where fans have great access to the drivers, because
without the fans, racing would not exist.
I asked him what he expects to experience on race day morning, typically
one of the most moving moments of any driver's career. He said he
expects to cry, because he's a crier! I agree - we all will be crying that day
(especially with all of the Dan Wheldon tributes planned). Rubens was a
wonderful interview, and I truly got the impression he's VERY happy to be
running in the IndyCar series, and - surprisingly - finds it a lot more
challenging than he expected.
Barichello said he's run all over the world in all different types of cars, and
has even competed at IMS in F1, but he feels privileged to run here in an
IndyCar because this is "the proper race."
10:00 AM
CARB DAY! One of the busiest days of the month, and also the most fun
and crazy!
A ton of people getting into the track this morning - lots of traffic jams
around the Speedway - great news for IMS!
Weather is going to be hot, humid and hazy today, with temps predicted in
the mid-90's for Saturday and Sunday, which may make Sunday's race the
hottest race in history!
Olivia Newton-John was just in the media center. She's here to support
her nephew, Emerson Newton-John, in today's Firestone Freedom 100
Indy Lights race, where she'll also be the official starter. She's also the
Grand Marshal for tomorrow's 500 Festival Parade. She looks fabulous!
IndyCar teams pulling cars to the pit area in anticipation of their final
practice before the race from 11AM-Noon today! Always a VERY exciting
hour of track activity as teams check their cars after being totally rebuilt in
the last few days, and see how they handle in race traffic. Most veteran
teams will run a handful of laps and pull in, so as not to encourage any
"incidents" on track, which would jeopardize their race day. Then there
are a few teams who choose to use this as a real practice and run as many
laps as possible, and sometimes that leads to problems as they push too
hard.