Daily Trackside Report - Sunday, May 23
May 23, 2010 | By
DAY 9 – SUNDAY, MAY 23, 2010 – ARMED FORCES DAY/BUMP DAY
TODAY’S SCHEDULE (all times local):
7 a.m. Garage Opens
8 a.m. Public Gates Open
9-10 a.m. Indianapolis 500 Practice
Noon-6 p.m. Indianapolis 500 Qualifications (positions 25-33)
6 p.m. Track Closes
***
The Indy Racing League will provide a Video News Feed during each day of practice in preparation for qualifying for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
The Video News Feed will include b-roll of on-track activity and sound from various drivers following the day’s activity. Today’s feed:
Time: 8-8:30 p.m. (ET)
Coordinates: AMC 9, K 18 (Slot CD)
Bandwidth: 18 MHz
Symbol Rate: 13.235 MS
FEC: 3/4
Aspect Radio: 16:9
Digital: 4:2:0
Downlink Frequency: 12069 MHz Vertical
Position: 83 degrees West
Uplink trouble number: (317) 492-8657 or (317) 492-8750
***
INDIANAPOLIS 500 BUMP DAY QUALIFYING PROCEDURE:
Positions available: 25-33
Format: The final nine spots in the field will be earned through traditional four-lap qualifying from noon-6 p.m. Bumping will begin once 33 cars have qualified. The 33 fastest cars will start the 2010 Indianapolis 500.
***
Medical update from Dr. Geoffrey Billows, Indianapolis Motor Speedway director of medical services: #5 Takuma Sato was released Saturday from Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. He was re-evaluated in the Clarian Emergency Medical Center this morning and released without injury. He is cleared to drive.
***
Panther Racing will play host at 11 a.m. today to a live video uplink with the Indiana National Guard’s Task Force Cyclone and Task Force 38 stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. The uplink will take place in the Panther Racing hospitality area.
Task Force Cyclone Commander, Brig. Gen. Lonnie Culver, and Task Force 38 Commander, Col. David Wood, will outline the unit’s mission while Panther driver Dan Wheldon and owner John Barnes will be present to speak with the troops during the live interaction, along with several local politicians and dignitaries.
Media are invited to join us in the hospitality for the live presentation.
***
2002 Indianapolis 500 pole winner Bruno Junqueira will attempt to qualify today in the #33 Bowers and Wilkins/CanTorque entry fielded by the FAZZT Race Team. B&W and CanTorque stepped in to help field the entry, according to a team release.
***
The practice session from 9-10 a.m. today is open to all cars, qualified and non-qualified.
***
To preview the 2010 Indianapolis 500, several top drivers will visit New York City on Tuesday, May 25 for a photo and interview opportunity at Herald Square.
The drivers, in race day uniform, will arrive in a parade of Indianapolis 500-decaled Honda vehicles and line up for photos outside Macy’s flagship store at Herald Square. Following the photo opportunity, all drivers will be available for interviews during a media luncheon at Gotham Hall.
***
Bill York, a media center official at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for 46 years, waved the green flag as the honorary starter of practice this morning. York celebrates his 77th birthday today.
BILL YORK: “It was a great experience and certainly something I’ve looked forward to doing for a long, long time. I’m 77 years old today. That’s good for anybody. I thank everybody for this opportunity and their birthday wishes and letting me out here today. I got to take a couple of laps in the Pace Car. It doesn’t get any better than this. I started working at the Speedway in 1964, the same year as (IMS archivist) Bob Clidinst. (IMS Media Center official) Kaye Totten was around here working somewhere, too. My first time out here was in 1957 with the Purdue band, carrying a flag. In 1958, I was here with Stark and Wetzel for the Rookie of the Year program. It’s a great experience.”
***
INDIANAPOLIS 500 PRACTICE:
At 9 a.m., the ambient temperature was 70 degrees with a relative humidity of 84 percent and calm winds. Skies were sunny. The track temperature was 72 degrees, according to Firestone engineers.
•Fastest lap of month: 228.213 mph, #3 Helio Castroneves, Saturday, May 22, qualifications
9 a.m. – GREEN.
9:21 a.m. – YELLOW. #11T Kanaan does quarter-spin to the left exiting Turn 1 and hits the outside concrete wall with the left rear of the car. Kanaan then did a full spin in the short chute between Turns 1 and 2 and made secondary contact with the SAFER Barrier in Turn 2 with the right rear of the car. The car continued to slide before stopping in Turn 2. Kanaan climbed from the car without assistance from the Holmatro Safety Team. Heavy damage to the rear of the car, moderate damage to left and right sides of car.
9:34 a.m. – GREEN.
9:35 a.m. -- #33 Junqueira on track for first time this month.
9:40 a.m. -- #15 Tracy fastest at 225.258.
9:53 a.m. -- #66 Howard fastest at 225.956.
9:54 a.m. – Crew of #33 Junqueira reports a gearbox problem.
10 a.m. – CHECKERED. #66 Howard fastest at 225.956.
***
FASTEST TIMES/SPEEDS OF PRACTICE:
Pos. Car Name Time Speed
1. 66 Jay Howard 39.8307 225.956
2. 15 Paul Tracy 39.9541 225.258
3. 78 Simona De Silvestro 39.9710 225.163
4. 14 Vitor Meira 40.0525 224.705
5. 34 Mario Romancini 40.0686 224.615
***
Medical update from Dr. Geoffrey Billows, Indianapolis Motor Speedway director of medical services: #11T Tony Kanaan was evaluated in the Clarian Emergency Medical Center this morning and released without injury. He is cleared to drive.
***
Andretti Autosport is working to repair the #11T car in which Tony Kanaan crashed this morning so Kanaan can make a qualifications attempt this afternoon. Crew members from the Andretti Autosport cars of Kanaan, Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti and Ryan Hunter-Reay are feverishly working on the car in Gasoline Alley, using parts from the #37 chassis that Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified 17th Saturday.
The team anticipates the repaired car to be ready to turn laps between 1-2 p.m.
***
Entry update: Jaques Lazier has replaced A.J. Foyt IV as driver of the No. 41 ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Racing entry after practice this morning. Foyt turned a fast lap of 221.823 this morning.
A.J. FOYT RACING TEAM STATEMENT: “Jaques Lazier will replace A.J. Foyt IV in the No. 41 ABC Supply car and is being fitted in the car. Foyt was uncomfortable in the car, and it was decided to let Lazier try to qualify the car. If Lazier makes the race, he will race the car.”
***
New enlistees were inducted into the Armed Forces in a ceremony this morning in front of the Pagoda as part of Armed Forces Day activities. The new enlistees were sworn in by Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana.
***
Troops from the Indiana National Guard were at the Speedway today on Armed Forces Day, interacting with fans viewing helicopters on display.
SGT. ADAM FOSTER (Greenfield, Ind.): "It's really cool to see the excitement in the fans' faces. I remember when I was little coming out and seeing stuff like this. I thought it was really exciting. So I enjoy talking to the kids and adults and just showing them what we do on a day-to-day basis." (I assume the No. 4 National Guard car is your favorite?): "Yeah, that would be the general consensus."
SGT. MATTHEW CROSSLEY (Indianapolis): "It's a pretty cool deal. We get to share some of our experiences and get the younger crowd involved. It's been awesome for them, just to answer their questions and buckle them in the seatbelts.