INDY 500 NOTES OF INTEREST

Sunday May 16

By Joe Shivak

Indianapolis, IN ( May 16) ………  Today’s practice started under cloudy and threatening skies.  Cars were permitted on the track beginning at 11:00 am with Rookie drivers and also those required to run a refresher program.  Rookies who turned laps were Jay Howard , Ana Beatriz, Simona de Silvestro, Takuma Sato, Sebastian Saavedra, Mario Romancini and Bertrand Baquette.  There are a total of 7 Rookies entered in this year’s event.  Also doing refresher laps were Davey Hamilton and AJ Foyt IV.Hamilton has had 9 career starts in the 500 with his best finish 4^th in 1998.  Foyt IV has started 6 Indy 500’s with his best finish of 14^th in 2007.  Thomas Scheckter practiced on Indianapolis Star Opening Day Saturday and was the fastest in this group with a speed of 221.616 mph.  The rookie drivers must complete four phases of ROP in order to be eligible for the Indianapolis 500. At least three of the phases must be completed during ROP today. The fourth phase may be completed during practice later in the month.    The four phases of ROP include 10 laps at each of the following speeds:

    200-205 mph

    205-210 mph

    210-215 mph

    215+ mph

      There have been no incidents in the two days the track has been opened for practice although the track has been slowed or practice numerous times for rain showers.  Drivers combined to turn 461 laps. All rookie drivers passed Rookie Orientation Program except #29 Saavedra, who completed two phases before mechanical problem.

All veteran drivers taking refresher tests passed. #34 Romancini turned 88 laps, more than any other driver.

      Sam Schmidt Motorsports enterained a group of 30 fans with disabling injuries. The event was tabbed as a “Day At The Races. “ and saw participants who traveled to Indy from as far away as Tennessee and Wisconsin.   Those quests of the Sam Schmidt Foundation were treated to a tour of the garages in Gasoline Alley as well as a special luncheon provided by Andretti Autosports Racing.  Drivers Townsend Bell and Pippa Mann were on hand to greet those quests with a question and answer and an autograph session. SAM SCHMIDT: “This is our Day at the Races program with support of UMP, Honda and Firestone and great folks like that. We have now been expanded to nine markets this year, and frankly it is all about getting people out of the hospital. We work with a combination of groups. Here it is RHI (Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana), PVA (Paralyzed Veterans of America) , Wounded Warriors,

those types of organizations in each market, and we bring people out to the track to try to encourage them that no matter what their disability to keep pursing their dream.

        Miss Indiana 2009 Nicole Pollard was at the track today with her boyfriend, Firestone Indy Lights driver Martin Plowman. Pollard, from Lafayette, Ind. was a 2009 500 Festival Princess. The couple met at the IZOD IndyCar Series race last

summer at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

NICOLE POLLARD: “I was a 500 Festival Princess last year, and that really exposed me to the world of motorsports. I fell in love with it here, and the passion continued as I went on to other races. This year I'm helping Martin with some PR and marketing, just making sure he gets out and sees the fans. Motorsports PR is definitely something I’ve been interested in. With the love of

motorsports and all of the media training I’ve gotten as Miss Indiana, it just seems like a natural progression to put them together. I’m also teaching full time at Northridge Middle School as the choir director, so it really keeps me on my toes.”

      Popular veteran Sarah Fisher will attempt to make her ninth Indianapolis 500

start this year, driving the No. 67 Dollar General/Sarah Fisher Racing entry. Her car has a unique story behind it.

SARAH FISHER: “I’ve nicknamed my car Old Faithful. It’s an ’03 car that I raced here in’08 and ’09. She’s a solid car; it’s dependable and repeatable. We don’t have a nickname for Jay Howard’s car (No. 67) yet. He has one of two ’09

Dallaras.” (About her role as an owner-driver): “It’s a different role for me to have another driver with us here on the plate. It really helped us, being able to race at Kansas before we came here. We have spent a lot of time getting our race cars ready for the oval. I’m glad I’m sitting here so I can see our car on the track on the large screen (behind the Pagoda). I’m definitely keeping a

balance as a car owner and driver. I’m 100 percent involved in his car as an owner and as a driver in my car. This is a team effort.”

      Longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway Public Address announcer Tom Carnegie visited the track Saturday and today. Carnegie, 90, was the lead PA announcer at the track from 1946-2006.

TOM CARNEGIE: “It's great to be here. It is typically cold, half-raining, but I love it and I’ll stay out here as long as they’ll let me. I have sat through many cold, rainy days throughout the years, many, many, but that's just part of it. And when you have the chance to pause and sit in the rain, your mind goes back to days out here, and it is just a thrill to be here.”  (About his time

at the track this weekend): “I have seen many old friends, many, many, and as long as I don't have difficulty remembering who they are, I'm in pretty good shape, and so far I'm doing fairly well.” (How often will you visit this month?): “I will pick good weather, but I would come out here every day if I can. And who knows? Maybe I will.”

      Thirty-three cars took to the track for practice between the rain drops.  Helio Castroneves turned the fastest lap with a speed of 227.046 mph .  He was followed by Target –Chip Ganassi Racing teammates, Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti . Only two incidents occurred during the whole day.  Ryan Hunter-Ray did a half spin in the acceleration lane in turn #1.  There was no contact as he stopped , facing backwards.  He was towed back to the pit area.

Dan Wheldon spun in turn #4 and made contact with the outside wall in turn #4 with the right side of the car.  He climbed from the car without any assistance from the safety crew.  The car was carried off the track by the wrecker service with moderate damage to the right side of the car.

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