The event features the thrilling, wheel-to-wheel action of the USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Championship. Read More>
The special events will take place in April in Indianapolis, Bloomington, Evansville and Fort Wayne. Read More>
Season One of the popular docuseries looked at the buildup to the 107th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge last spring. Read More>
Josef Newgarden unveils the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Ticket View Photos>
Remembering the life and career of Gil de Ferran. View Photos>
Photos from Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2023 Indy 8 Hour. View Photos>
On this episode of Doug and Drivers, IMS President Doug Boles sits down with four-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves. The modern legend discusses his historic Drive for Five, his transition to an ownership role within Meyer Shank Racing, the loss of his dear friend Gil de Ferran, and more. Watch Video>
On this episode of Behind the Bricks, IMS President Doug Boles heads all the way to Arvada, Colorado, on the outskirts of Denver for a fan party at the Sonsio headquarters. To celebrate their new role as the title sponsor of the Grand Prix, Sonsio unveiled Scott McLaughlin's Sonsio car and hosted nearly 200 Denver-area Indy 500 fans! Watch Video>
On this episode of Doug and Drivers, IMS President J. Douglas Boles sits down with Graham Rahal to discuss his growing businesses off-track, as well as the gut wrenching memories of failing to qualify for the Indy 500 last year. Watch Video>
May 09, 2013 | By Marshall Pruett
It’s not a Scandinavian flick. It’s not Hooning. So what is it? What’s the name for the fairly common practice among IndyCar drivers of executing a power half-spin in a runoff area when they make a mistake and run too long into a braking zone? The Spin-Flick. The Snap-Spin? The Roasty-Table-Top-180?
“Hmmn, I have no idea,” said Panther Racing IndyCar driver JR Hildebrand. “That’s a good question, and it needs a name, for sure.” I figured if Hildebrand, IndyCar’s resident drifting expert (he’ll compete in two Formula D rounds later this year driving for his friend Tyler McQuarrie) doesn’t know what to call the maneuver, it’s time to take it to the fans for input. Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and maybe it will get picked up by drivers and commentators at the next street race, held one week after the Indy 500 on June 1-2 in Detroit. And while we’re at it, like drifting, this IndyCar Whatd’ya-Call-It move is worthy of being judged. Five drivers took trips into the runoff last weekend in this clip from the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and perform the yet-to-be-named turn, so which one do you think did the best job from start to finish? Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s James Jakes kicks things off and does a nice spin but doesn’t power away after getting pointed in the right direction. Big loss of points on my scorecard. Brazil’s Ana Beatriz is impressive in how close she executes the move next to the barrier—risked bashing the right rear wheel of her Dale Coyne Racing car—but takes her time getting back to the action. Also a big loss of points. Next up is four-time Champ Car champion Sebastien Bourdais, who is pretty smooth and fluid every step of the way and does a marvelous burnout in his Dragon Racing machine to leave the runoff. It’s a contender for the Whatd’ya-Call-It win. Three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti gets high marks for the start of his move, but the Target Chip Ganassi driver only turns the car about 130 degrees—not even a proper rotation—but does keep the car moving and pulls back onto the track. He might make the podium, but certainly not the top step. The champion, at least during qualifying at Brazil, is Andretti Autosport’s E.J. Viso. He brings the car to a stop, lets the revs rise, drops the (hand) clutch, spins the car and even gasses it up with a bit of opposite lock once he’s on the course. Which one do you like most and why? Share your rankings below. Marshall Pruett is a contributor for IMS.com and also writes for SPEED.com, Racer and Road & Track.