ScottyMac’ and the fabled “Yellow Submarine”
certainly weren’t Hiding from Anybody on Pole Day! (The Tomaso Collection)
As Y’all cannot say there was any lack of Drama
this year!
While you’d have to say it was a very
entertaining two days of Qualifying. Making it apropos that while I listened to
almost All seven hours of Day One’s qualifying. Outside I was continuously
serranaded by countless Harleys and Fast Cars romping around town during our
Rhody Days weekend…
Team Penske flexed Thar Muscle, securing the
top three positions, led by Will Power’s 233.758mph four lap average followed
by Scott McLaughlin and Josef Newgarden.
As I can no longer remember when it was, i.e.; Fast
Friday or Saturday? I know I heard on IndyCar Radio claiming that Power had Hit
a maximum velocity of 243mph at the Turn-3 Speed trap!
During the initial first guaranteed qualifying
attempt for All 34 entries, Arrow McLaren seemed to be out of sorts!
As rookie Kyle Larson “waived” His first run
after the third lap. As Larson said His engine switched off. Callum Ilott
qualified next for the team. But then His time was disallowed due to technical
violation of the left rear wheel Offset being out of position
Then first Pato O’Ward pulled His car from the
Qualie’ line, along with Alexander Rossi did likewise. So initially none of the
four McLaren’s were qualified.
Rookie Nolan Siegel had slowest time at 226mph,
as the Dale Coyne Racing driver was struggling almighty to put His backup
chassis in the Show…
Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scott Dixon also pulled
their cars from first attempt. As Dixon’s crew was busy installing a new Honda
engine
Rinus VeeKay, the day’s fourth qualifier,
crashed heavily in Turn-3 during His Qualie’ run.
And Katherine Legge “White-walled” Her tyres on
lap-4 during one of Her multiple qualifying attempts. As the Coyne entries were
the two slowest cars initially.
And while speculation suggested that Larson
suffered from having plenum fire during His first qualifying attempt. The
NASCAR Star ended the day sixth overall, handidly advancing to Sunday’s Fast-12
Shootout. Bested only by teammate Rossi in fourth.
As reputedly six Bowtie’ runners including
Larson suffered from Plenum fires during their qualifying attempts! With the
most distraught being Augustin Canapino!
And whilst myself and others in Ye Blogosphere
had predicted Sting Ray Robb to be the slowest qualifier. Robb suitably
impressed with a late run, jumping seven places up to P20, before ultimately
ending up 23rd overall. So good for Him!
While another rookie who quietly went about His
job was Tom Blomqvist, in His first ever Oval track race. With the Kiwi’ saying
He was enjoying sliding the rear of the car during his latter Qualie’ run that
ultimately netted Him P25.
The other rookies, i.e.; Cristian Rasmussen
wound up 24th, one place ahead of Blomqvist. Whilst Marcus Armstong was 16th,
Kyffin Simpson 18th and Linus Lundqvist P27.
As the biggest disappointment of the day had to
be Chip Ganassi Racing having zero entries in the Top-12! With Alex Palou 14th
and Dixon a very uncharacteristic P21!
Yet the most impressive drive of the Day has to
go to Rinus VeeKay. As the Dutchman bumped His way into the Fast-12 with just
some three-plus minutes remaining in qualifying! Knocking Colton Herta out of
P12.
Whilst I suppose you’d have to Arse-sumed that
half of the Last Row Shootout cars would belong to Dale Coyne. While Graham
Rahal makes it two years in-a-row. But the biggest surprise has to be 2022
Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson simply never being able to find the
necessary speed aboard His backup chassis. As Ericsson’s and Siegel’s plights
underscore how important your primary Speedway car is. Afterall, being massaged
for much of the year prior to competing at Mother Speedway…
Fast-12 Day One results
The Top-12 drivers from Saturday will each make
one qualifying attempt Sunday in reverse starting order, i.e.; Slowest to
Fastest. As Saturday’s order was Will Power, Scott McLaughlin and Josef
Newgarden claiming the first three positions.
Alexander Rossi was fourth, with Kyle Kirkwood
being the fastest Honda in fifth. And the Outside of Row-2 was Kyle Larson.
Felix Rosenqvist, Santino Ferrucci and Takuma
Sato make up row-3. With Pato O’Ward, Rinus VeeKay and Ryan Hunter-Reay being
the “slowest” three of the Top-12. Seeing nine Chevy’s vs. three Honda’s
fighting for Pole Sunday.
As starting positions 7-12 will be locked-in
following the first qualifying run.
Thus Row-3 positions 7-9 were ultimately filled
by VeeKay, O’Ward and Rosenqvist. While Row-4 (positions 10-12) features Sato,
Kirkwood and Hunter-Reay.
Last Row Shootout
Due to circumstances, prior to the Last Chance
Qualifier’, you’d naturally have to Arse-sume that rookie Nolan Siegel wouldn’t
make the Show. Having been slowest ever since crashing His primary chassis.
Yet the two names that shouldn’t be here
obviously are Graham Rahal and Marcus Ericsson!
And after Sunday afternoon’s One hour warm-up
session, it appeared to be a slugfest between Graham Rahal and rookie Nolan
Siegel for who’d make the field, which ultimately played out.
But it was Ericsson giving us Drama we weren’t
expecting! When the Swede’ thought He’d completed the run on lap-3 and slowed
down. With a final lap at a “pedestrian” 194mph giving Him an four lap average
speed of 220mph! As what just happened?
Yet Ericsson went back out for a final qualie’
run with some seven minutes remaining and “bumped” His way into the middle of
row-11, knocking Siegel out again. With the brash 19yr old Californian giving
it one last shot with just 2:24 remaining on the clock.
Siegel’s first lap wasn’t quick enough and the
Californian Kid knew He had to go big, or Go Home! And with the car trimmed out
to the ragged edge. Siegel got loose in turn-1, the back end snapped and Siegel
Hit the Wall! Ending any remote hope of making this year’s race.
Credit once again to Graham Rahal being
gracious in “victory”, and lavishing praise upon Nolan Siegel and Dale coyne’s
moxie in qualifying and their attempts to make the race after Siegel crashed
during Fast Friday…
Meanwhile, Siegel’s teammate Katherine Legge
starts P31. With IndyCar Radio Driver Analyst Davey Hamilton saying that Legge
had used up every inch of the track and run no two lines the same during Her
run with a loose racecar that almost Hit the wall. But Kudo’s to Legge’s gutsy
qualie’ run.
Fast Six Shootout
Once again, the shootout for Pole position felt
fairly anti-climatic to Mwah. Especially with the Top-4 positions remaining the
same from the day’s earlier Fast-12 Shootout. Seeing Team Penske lock out the
Front row for only the second time in History.
As Team Penske swept the Front row in 1988 with
“Rocket Rick” Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser.
As ScottyMac’, who I’m totally Hip’ upon, not
only claimed His first Indianapolis 500 Pole position, but now holds the
current All-time Pole lap average speed record at 234.220mph! Will Power was
second and Josef Newgarden third.
Row-2 sees Alexander Rossi in fourth, with
rookie Kyle Larson in the middle, flanked on the outside by Santino Ferrucci.
As congrats to Scott McLaughlin, but Thars’ still 500 miles to go…
