Final practice, air demonstrations and music acts round out schedule Friday, May 24 at IMS. Read More>
Two departure times provide more flexibility for fans who want to commute to the track on their bike on Race Day. Read More>
This partnership represents the first time a major athlete's sponsorship has been decided by a vote using blockchain technology. Read More>
View images from the shortened first day of the Indianapolis 500 Open test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
View images from the once-in-a-lifetime Total Solar Eclipse event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. View Photos>
Josef Newgarden unveils the 2024 Indianapolis 500 Ticket View Photos>
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway prides itself on its fire rescue and medical response teams that arrive to the scene of an accident within seconds. But how do they get that good? On Behind the Bricks, IMS President Doug Boles takes you through the annual Motorsports Safety Training at IMS, which features specific training scenarios for INDYCAR, NASCAR, IMSA and more to make sure every driver at IMS is safe. Watch Video>
On this episode of Doug and Drivers, 2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson sits down with Doug Boles to talk about the pain of coming so close to scoring back-to-back wins, how he wanted to compete on ovals after his Formula 1 career and the transition to Andretti Global. Watch Video>
Why does Scott McLaughlin move his hands around so much in the car? What "button" is he pushing? What's the pressure of the iconic Yellow Submarine like? We cover that and so much more with Scott McLaughlin on the latest Doug and Drivers. Watch Video>
November 16, 2011 | By Paul Kelly
2011 Indianapolis 500 runner-up and Chase Rookie of the Year JR Hildebrand will drive for Panther Racing through 2013, as the IZOD IndyCar Series team confirmed Nov. 16 it had exercised a two-year contract option. Hildebrand, 23, finished second in May at Indianapolis after a heartbreaking final lap in the No. 4 National Guard entry for Panther. He crashed in the final corner while leading, with Dan Wheldon passing Hildebrand’s wounded car on the final straightaway for victory. But California native Hildebrand earned worldwide acclaim for keeping his foot pinned to the throttle all the way to the finish despite crash damage and for his classy reaction to the devastating finish. “I’m super stoked that I’m going to be back at Panther for the next two years,” Hildebrand said. “It was a crazy year for us, but we had some really strong runs, and I enjoyed being a part of this team. I worked really well with my engineer David Cripps this season, and I know everybody is already working really hard on improving for 2012. “And I’m especially excited to be able to continue to work with the National Guard; that was a special opportunity, and it was a very educational experience for me. To see the sacrifices these soldiers make and to realize that they’ve entrusted us to tell their stories and represent them is an honor for all of us. “Everybody at Panther is excited about getting started on next year and especially looking forward to getting back to the Indianapolis 500 so we can avenge our battle scar.” Hildebrand led three races in 2011, including Indianapolis. He recorded two top-five and five top-10 finishes and was 14th in IZOD IndyCar Series points. “We’re happy that we’re able to keep JR in the No. 4 car for the next two years,” Panther managing partner and CEO John Barnes said. “We signed him last year with every intention that he would be in the No. 4 car for the foreseeable future, and he proved both inside and outside the race car that he was a perfect fit for this team and what we represent. The true test of any athlete is how they handle adversity, and I couldn’t be more impressed with how he handled himself during the course of this season. “Everybody at Panther has learned a lot from the soldiers in the National Guard, and it’s great to see how well Hildebrand represented all those soldiers. We’ve all got our work cut out for us for next season, and we’re very pleased that JR is going to be a part of that.” 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion Hildebrand had knee surgery immediately after the season to repair a torn knee ligament suffered the week after the Indianapolis 500 and is not expected to miss any offseason testing. He is scheduled to test the 2012 Dallara chassis for Chevrolet in early December, his first opportunity to drive the new car. *** 2012 Indy 500 tickets: Tickets for the 2012 Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 27, are on sale. Race Day ticket prices start at just $30. Fans can purchase tickets online at www.imstix.com, via phone at (317) 492-6700, or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area, or in person at the ticket office at the IMS Administration Building at the corner of Georgetown Road and 16th Street. Online orders can be made at any time. Hours for phone orders and the ticket office are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. (ET) Monday-Friday. Tickets for groups of 20 or more also are on sale. Contact the IMS Group Sales Department at (866) 221-8775 for more information.