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>
March 23, 2017 | By Verizon IndyCar Series
Helio Castroneves can’t wait. Neither can James Hinchcliffe, Will Power or Max Chilton. That’s because the Verizon IndyCar Series will hold a private test Friday on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s famous 2.5-mile oval in preparation for May’s 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil. The session was moved up from Saturday because of a threat of weekend rain, but Friday’s forecast looks promising with a high temperature in the mid-60s and only a slight chance of rain. “When I heard there might be rain (Saturday), I was like, ‘Oh, no,’” said Castroneves, the three-time Indy 500 winner for Team Penske. “It’s great that they moved it up a day. We just want it to be dry. Our cars are very sensitive to temperature, but we just want something that allows us to try to prepare for the Indy 500.” Honda rented the track to use as a manufacturer test day for its teams participating (Chip Ganassi Racing, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports). The INDYCAR rule book permits teams from the other manufacturer to use a team test day on those days, so Team Penske is joining the session with all four of its Chevrolet-powered cars. For the drivers involved, it only means one thing: track time at Indy. View Full IMS Oval Test Preview “We never need an excuse to test at the speedway,” said Hinchcliffe, who won the pole position and finished seventh last year in the Indy 500 in the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda. “It’s the first test of the year at the track, so it’s super important for everybody. It will be nice to know what you have going into the month of May. We were strong there last year, so we feel good going back.” For Chip Ganassi Racing, the test provides a chance for its four drivers to sort out what it has at the IMS oval after moving from Chevrolet to Honda during the offseason. For Ganassi driver Max Chilton, it’s also an opportunity to continue learning. “Indy is one you just have to take with caution and build up to it,” said Chilton, who started eighth and finished 15th last year as a rookie. “I’ve never driven a Honda around there and the team haven’t been in a Honda there for quite a while, so it will be sort of just getting a good basis there.” For others, the battle between manufacturers is already in sight for the month of May, which begins May 12 with preparation for the INDYCAR Grand Prix on the IMS road course and ends May 28 with the 101st Indianapolis 500. The gains made by Honda during the offseason were evident in the Verizon IndyCar Series season opener March 12 at St. Petersburg, Florida, where Honda took seven of the top 10 positions on the temporary street course, including Sebastien Bourdais’ victory. One of Honda's two race wins in 2016 came thanks to Alexander Rossi in last year's Indy 500. “We definitely need to focus on finding some good stuff there,” Team Penske’s Will Power said of Friday’s oval test. “We’ve got a lot of items to go through. We’ve got to try to close that gap to Honda.” As exciting as returning to Indy in March might seem, drivers are reminding themselves of one thing: This is only a test. “We won’t be trying to set any world records,” Chilton said. “Just getting ourselves ready for the month of May.” Fans can view the test for free from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. with a lunch break from noon-1 p.m. via the Turn 2 Viewing Mounds, IMS Museum Lot or in the South Terrace Grandstands. Parking is available in the museum lot for fans. Visit www.IMS.com to purchase tickets for the fourth annual INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 12-13 and the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, May 28, and for more information on the entire Month of May schedule at IMS. Kids 15 and under are free to all 2017 racing events at IMS when accompanied by an adult General Admission ticket-holder.