Team Penske duo tops chart on second day of Indianapolis 500 practice

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (Tuesday, May 16, 2017) – Warm and windy conditions didn’t prevent Verizon IndyCar Series drivers from logging more than 6,000 incident-free miles at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the second day of practice for the 101st Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.

When the checkered flag waved, it was a pair of Team Penske drivers – Will Power and Helio Castroneves – atop the speed chart, followed closely by Gabby Chaves with newcomer team Harding Racing.

101st INDIANAPOLIS 500: Practice 2 results; Combined practice results

Power, winner of Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, put his No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet at the top of the time sheet with a mid-afternoon lap of 224.656 mph on the 2.5-mile oval. Power’s best finish in nine previous Indianapolis 500 starts was second in 2015. The 36-year-old Australian is looking to do one better on May 28 and give team owner Roger Penske a record 17th Indianapolis 500 victory.

“Roger definitely just puts everything into this race,” said Power, the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series champion. “As a team, I think we did a lot of homework in the offseason for this race and we tested here twice, so you know we’re getting the most out of our package. I know Chevy is working really hard and obviously you can see that our speeds are pretty good right now.

“Yeah, Roger, he would love to get No. 17, and I would absolutely love to do it for him.”

Castroneves jumped into second during the hectic final hour of practice that featured large groups of cars running together, with a lap of 224.287 mph in the No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. The three-time Indianapolis 500 winner said the importance of the race is symbolized by the fact that the team owner, who serves as Castroneves’ race strategist, is spending the week at IMS instead of attending to his many business interests.

“He’s staying here all week, which shows the commitment that he has and it shows what he wants,” Castroneves said of Penske. “It’s another (Indy 500) win, and it’s not just because his team has a lot that he’s going to settle down. He’s going to continue collecting victories and we want to continue hopefully getting him that kind of result.”

Chaves was elated to turn a top lap of 223.991 mph among his 87 laps today in the No. 88 Harding Racing Chevrolet after being limited to just six circuits around the iconic oval Monday.

“We did, I think, three laps on track and then three more out and in (Monday), and that wasn’t good,” said Chaves, the 2014 Indy Lights champion who has competed in the last two Indianapolis 500s. “Obviously, our guys were disappointed that we didn’t really do any laps. Today (we) had to kind of bounce back from that and right away work on the car and improve it and show some speed.

“We’re happy. Obviously, we’ve still got plenty of work ahead of us. I think if we just keep doing what we’re doing, we should be able to be in a good spot for the race.”

The only caution periods of the six-hour session came for debris and track inspections. It allowed the 32 drivers to turn 2,404 laps, nearly 1,100 more than on Monday’s opening day. Rookies Zach Veach (No. 40 Indy Women in Tech Championship Chevrolet) and Jack Harvey (No. 50 Michael Shank Racing with Andretti Autosport Honda) completed their rookie orientation programs and are cleared for full competition the rest of the month. They join Ed Jones and two-time Formula One champion Fernando Alonso – both having already completed the rookie assessment – as first-timers in the field.

Alonso ran the most laps of anyone on the day, 117, as he worked to become comfortable racing in traffic. The driver of the No. 29 McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda finished 24th on the speed chart with a top lap of 221.029 mph.

“It felt OK, it felt as I expected,” Alonso said. “Obviously, here it’s very important to keep close to the car in front of you, to take the benefit from the next straight. It was useful. I’m on the best team for that; we are six cars and we were running together.

“My teammates were amazing helping me. I knew they were taking care of me in some moments of the run, so that was good and, yeah, first time for me, learning every lap here and there. When I follow them, learning what they do, how they attack the next corner or the next lap, how they prepare the overtaking, so it was very useful and a very productive day.”

Team owner/driver Ed Carpenter posted the fastest lap without an aerodynamic tow from a car in front of him, at 222.842 mph in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet.

“I’m still happy with the car,” said Carpenter. “Everyone probably got a little over-excited about the speed charts (Monday, when he was third), but I think we’re better than what they showed today. We’re just working through our program.”

Practice continues Wednesday through Friday from noon-6 p.m. ET each day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A live video stream of practice is available at RaceControl.IndyCar.com. Two days of qualifying to determine the 33-car starting grid take place this weekend. Coverage Saturday airs from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. ET on ESPN3 and 4-6 p.m. on ABC. Sunday’s qualifying to determine the pole position airs from 2:30-4 p.m. ETon ESPN3 and 4-6 p.m. on ABC.

The 200-lap Indianapolis 500, the sixth race of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season, airs live at 11 a.m. May 28 on ABC and the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network.

Actor Gyllenhaal and bombing survivor Bauman honorary Indy 500 starters

Academy Award-nominated actor, and producer Jake Gyllenhaal and Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman will serve as honorary starters for the 101st Indianapolis 500, becoming the first duo to wave the green flag in the century-plus history of the race.

Gyllenhaal will play Bauman in the upcoming film “Stronger,” based on Bauman’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name in which he provides a deeply personal account of his challenging, heroic journey after losing both legs in the infamous Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013. The “Stronger” film, directed by David Gordon Green, will be released by Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions on Sept. 22, 2017.

“We’re honored to welcome Jake Gyllenhaal and Jeff Bauman to send the field of 33 starters into Turn 1 for ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,'” said Doug Boles, Indianapolis Motor Speedway president. “It’s fitting that our fans will join Jake in honoring an incredible hero like Jeff on Memorial Day Weekend, as it’s a time when all Americans honor those who have made tremendous sacrifices for our nation.”

Rexha to perform Indy 500 national anthem

Chart-topping singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha was announced today as this year’s singer of the national anthem for next the Indianapolis 500 on May 28. Rexha is known for her No. 1 Billboard hit “Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy, as well as for writing “Monster,” the worldwide hit for Eminem and Rihanna.

Rexha has more than 10 million overall single sales. Her music videos boast a combined viewing audience of well over 1 billion.

“This will be my first time attending the Indianapolis 500 and I can already feel the electrifying energy that comes with it,” Rexha said. “I couldn’t be more excited and honored to perform the national anthem and am looking forward to seeing everyone there and experiencing my first big race day.”

Ricoh USA, Ray Morgan Company sponsoring Pigot’s No. 11 entry

Juncos Racing announced today that Ricoh USA and Ray Morgan Company will be associate sponsors of the team’s No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Spencer Pigot in the Indianapolis 500. Ricoh USA and Ray Morgan Company join primary sponsors Oceanfront Recovery through Rising Star Racing and P1 Management.

“I am proud to have the support of Ricoh USA and Ray Morgan Company as we make our debut at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Juncos Racing owner Ricardo Juncos. “Racing is a very competitive sport and I really appreciate having such highly respected companies standing with us. It is an honor and a privilege to represent them.”