103rd running of the INDY 500

[Meotchh]

Practice day 2...

Alonso has been introduced to the walls of the speedway today.

https://youtu.be/f_hjawiZH3A

Any predictions for practice day 3?

[Meotchh]

Rosenqvist decided to join the elite group with Alonso.

https://youtu.be/KMldjS-BARA

[MikeFleming]

There will be many more to join the Walls of Champions. There's a lot of wall at INDY.

[Meotchh]

The wall has sucked in more victims this week.

Day 2 - Alonso, Rosenqvist
Day 3 - O'Ward (Trump was nervous at the speed that Mexican was traveling when he approached The Wall)
Day 4 - Kaiser (Maybe they can get a sponsor out of that to pay for the damage)

Who's next?

Rosenqvist - https://youtu.be/KMldjS-BARA
O'Ward - https://youtu.be/baBCVCGBozs
Kaiser - https://youtu.be/QUXm_YaTlpQ

[MikeFleming]

The commentators / announcers seem to think the cause is the cars running are too close - aero effect, losing downforce at the front. If that is the case, then the race will be filled with crashes.

[Meotchh]

The commentators / announcers seem to think the cause is the cars running are too close - aero effect, losing downforce at the front. If that is the case, then the race will be filled with crashes.

The crashes were very similar so far, except Hichcliffe during qualifying just a couple minutes ago. Although that is a much different condition since they have as little DF as possible in qualifying.

[Meotchh]

The team with no sponsorship, minimal resources, & a rookie driver bumped Alonso out of the show. Sorry Alonso, better luck next time.

At least the field is very close this year in qualifying times & speeds. Actually the closest it has ever been.

The quickest: Provisional Pole, 4 lap time was
02:36.4655/AVG speed
230.083
The slowest: P30, 4 lap time was
02:38.4203/AVG speed
227.244
Pole after the fast 9 shootout: 4 lap time was
02:36.5271/AVG speed
229.992

[MikeFleming]

That's a VERY narrow field as far as qualy times. 1.95 seconds front to back.

Aren't there 33 starters at tis "spectacle"?

[Meotchh]

There are 33 entries. The slowest entry was the last to qualify on Saturday. That determined the starting position for 10-30. Sunday was the fast 9 shootout for 1-9 & what was essentially bump day for the final 3 entries. So any one of those 6 attempting to fill the last row could have pulled off speeds equivalent to pole, but still only been on the last row. Pippa Mann just squeaked by with P30 before others ran out of time Saturday.

An interesting piece from the AP regarding the McLaren comedy of errors...
https://apnews.com/a8653967a9714ac7a9a3ba576f712fff?fbclid=IwAR1f4Jv9rGzBQILau2 spAHIAVxSsY-A0PFbxdu9sOqbMBPPrAVlpTPvFeu8

[MikeFleming]

Maybe Falonzo can get some practice seat time this weekend at Monaco??