News for the Week of May 29, 2017 – June 4, 2017

Rahal completes Belle Isle weekend sweep with dominant Race 2 win – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal won Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix to complete the weekend sweep at Belle Isle. The rest of the Top 5 was Newgarden, Power, Sato, and Pagenaud. Rahal had to hold off the field after a late red flag forced a 2-lap shootout to end the race. Dixon remains the championship leader. Full race results here. – INDYCAR – (6/4/2017)

Belle Isle Race 2 starting lineup – The official INDYCAR starting lineup with tire designations for Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. Daly, Rossi, and Munoz are the only drivers to start on primary tires. – INDYCAR – (6/4/2017)

INDYCAR drivers respond to Hamilton slight – RACER’s Chris Medland put together a nice piece on INDYCAR drivers’ thoughts on Lewis Hamilton’s comments questioning the level of the Verizon IndyCar Series field after Fernando Alonso qualified fifth for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. Includes interesting quotes from Graham Rahal, James Hinchcliffe, and Tony Kanaan. Check it out at the link. – RACER – (6/4/2017)

Belle Isle Race 2 photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery from qualifying and the race for Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (6/4/2017)

Sato wins Race 2 pole at Belle Isle – Andretti Autosport’s Indianapolis 500 Mile Race champion Takuma Sato won the pole for Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix with a new track record lap of 1:13.6732. The Top 6 order in qualifying was Sato, Hunter-Reay, Rahal, Castroneves, Hinchcliffe, and Aleshin. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (6/4/2017)

Belle Isle Race 2 qualifying groups – The official qualifying groups for qualifying for Race 2 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park are available at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/4/2017)

Rahal visor cam from Belle Isle – INDYCAR’s excellent visor cam series continues with Graham Rahal’s track record qualifying run for Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. Check it out at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/4/2017)

Belle Isle Race 1 photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery from qualifying and the race for Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (6/3/2017)

Rahal wins from pole in Belle Isle Race 1 – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal won Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix from pole in dominant fashion. Rahal led 55 of the 70 laps. The rest of the Top 5 was Dixon, Hinchcliffe, Newgarden, and Rossi. Dixon is the new championship leader. Full race results here. – INDYCAR – (6/3/2017)

Belle Isle Race 1 starting lineup – The official INDYCAR starting lineup with tire designations for Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. Daly will be the only driver to start on primary tires. – INDYCAR – (6/3/2017)

Rahal sets track record and wins the pole for Belle Isle Race 1 – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal won the pole for Race 1 of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix and set a new track record with a lap of 1:13.9681. Castroneves had set a faster lap and had begun participating in the Verizon P1 award ceremony but lost his fast lap due to not reducing his speed in the area of a local yellow. The Top 6 qualifying order was Rahal, Castroneves, Sato, Rossi, Hinchcliffe, and Dixon. Full qualifying results here. – INDYCAR – (6/3/2017)

Pit walls of the Indy 500 photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s photo gallery of the pit walls of the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (6/3/2017)

Shank plans on running Indy 500 again – RACER’s Marshall Pruett reports Michael Shank, owner of Michael Shank Racing, wants to field a team in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race again. “One thing for sure is I want to do it again,” Shank told RACER. “I learned more in three weeks at Indy than I did in the last five or 10 years of racing. When we come back, which could very well be next year, it won’t be a different approach, but it will integrate everything we learned and integrate that into how we go about practicing, racing, and all the things that experience there can benefit. And it will be better.” Full report at the link. – RACER – (6/2/2017)

Castroneves quickest in Practice 2 at Belle Isle – Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves was quickest in Practice 2 for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle on Friday with a lap of 1:15.1511. The rest of the Top 5 as Rahal, Rossi, Pagenaud, and Aleshin. Rossi brought out a red flag and damaged his car with a spin and contact with a barrier. See the incident here. Full practice results here. – INDYCAR – (6/2/2017)

Coyne’s “plan” is to continue running Gutierrez in his No. 18 car – NBC Sports’ Tony DiZinno has a nice report on the situation with the driver of the Dale Coyne Racing No. 18 based off of a Dale Coyne interview on the Advance Auto Parts IndyCar Radio Network on Friday at Belle Isle. Coyne says the current plan is to continue running Esteban Gutierrez. “This weekend, he hasn’t tested. Never been in one of these cars. (They’re) his first laps,” Coyne told reporter Katie Hargitt. “This is just a learning weekend. I don’t think until Road America where can actually do a test day that he’ll on his game.” “Asked whether Gutierrez is set to continue the rest of the way, Coyne responded, “That’s the plan.”” Full report at the link. – NBC Sports – (6/2/2017)

Ruoff returns to Andretti No. 26 at associate sponsor – Andretti Autosport announced that Ruoff Home Mortgage, the late-addition primary sponsor of Takuma Sato’s winning car at the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race, will return as an associate sponsor for this weekend’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle. More at the link. – RACER – (6/2/2017)

Kyle Busch repeats desire to drive in Indy 500 – RACER’s Kelly Crandall reports Kyle Busch spoke of his desire to drive in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race while at a organizational test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway earlier this week. “If somebody asked me to go do the Indy 500, I’d have to go do that before I get too old,” said Busch. “I would love to do Indy. One of these days, we’ll see. Just now’s not the right time, I guess.” Full report at the link. – RACER – (6/2/2017)

Rahal fastest in Practice 1 at Belle Isle – Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s Graham Rahal’s lap of 1:15.3328 was fastest in Practice 1 for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle on Friday. The rest of the Top 5 as Castroneves, Newgarden, Rossi, and Power. Esteban Gutierrez was P21 in his debut session in the Verizon IndyCar Series in the Dale Coyne Racing No. 18. Full practice results here. – INDYCAR – (6/2/2017)

Sato writes about his Indy 500 win – Takuma Sato wrote a piece on his win in the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race for The Players’ Tribune and it’s an excellent read. Check it out at the link. – The Players’ Tribune – (6/2/2017)

The Open Wheel’s Belle Isle preview – The Open Wheel’s Dylan Reynolds’ preview of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. Includes all relevant weekend information, historical stats, fantasy advice, predictions, and more. – The Open Wheel – (6/2/2017)

Belle Isle spotter guide posted – The spotter guide for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park is available at the link. – INDYCAR – (6/1/2017)

AA names Magneti Marelli primary sponsor for No. 27 at Belle Isle – Andretti Autosport announced on Thursday that Magneti Marelli will be the primary sponsor for their No. 27 car for Marco Andretti for the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix at the Raceway at Belle Isle this weekend. See the livery on our No. 27 livery page here. – Andretti Autosport – (6/1/2017)

DCR names Gutierrez driver of No. 18 for Belle Isle – “Former Formula One driver Esteban Gutierrez will be filling in for the injured Sebastien Bourdais aboard the #18 Dale Coyne Racing entry this weekend as he makes his Series debut at the Detroit Grand Prix doubleheader.” Full release at the link. – Dale Coyne Racing – (6/1/2017)

Final Indy 500 TV rating is a 3.3 – Adam Stern reports the final TV rating for the ABC broadcast of the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race was a 3.3 compared to a 3.8 in 2016. – Adam Stern – (5/31/2017)

TK to sub for Bourdais at Le Mans – “INDYCAR champion and Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Tony Kanaan will join drivers Joey Hand and Dirk Müller in Ford Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 68 Ford GT at the Le Mans 24 Hours next month as the team looks to defend its 2016 GTE Pro Class victory. The Brazilian fills the seat left vacant by Sébastien Bourdais, who was injured during qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. This will be Kanaan’s first Le Mans 24.” Full release at the link. – CGRT – (5/31/2017)

Miller’s Mailbag 5/31/17 – RACER’s Robin Miller’s weekly fan Q&A is a great read as always. – RACER – (5/31/2017)

Trackside podcast 5/30/17 – 1070 The Fan’s Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee radio show from 5/30/17 is a great listen as always. The pair recaps the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. – 1070 The Fan – (5/31/2017)

RLL announces Fifth Third Bank primary sponsorship for No. 16 at Belle Isle – “Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (RLL) announced today that Fifth Third Bank has not only extended their partnership with the team as an associate sponsor for three more years, they have also expanded their role to include primary sponsorship of the No. 16 Indy car driven by Oriol Servia in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Duals, June 3 and 4. It is their first time to be a primary sponsor on an Indy car.” See the livery on our No. 16 livery page here. Full release at the link. – RLL – (5/30/2017)

Report: Gutierrez in contention for DCR No. 18 – RACER’s Robin Miller reports former Formula 1 driver Esteban Gutierrez and James Davison are the favorites to drive the Dale Coyne Racing No. 18 in Sebastien Bourdais’ absence. Full report at the link. – RACER – (5/30/2017)

Watch the Indy 500 Victory Celebration – WTHR’s broadcast of the 2017 Indianapolis 500 Victory Celebration from the JW Marriott in Downtown Indianapolis is available at the link. – WTHR – (5/30/2017)

Sato/Andretti Autosport earn $2.45M for Indy 500 win – “Takuma Sato earned $2,458,129 from an overall purse of $13,178,359 for his victory Sunday in the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.” See the box score with prize money here. Full release at the link. – IMS – (5/29/2017)

ABC’s Indy 500 broadcast draws 3.6 overnight TV rating – Per Adam Stern, ABC’s television broadcast of the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race drew a 3.6 overnight TV rating compared to 4.1 last year. Stern relevantly points out that the lack of a local Indianapolis blackout in 2016 for the 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race likely has a significant effect on this year’s number (which was blacked out in Indianapolis). – Adam Stern – (5/29/2017)

Alonso addition dramatically increases UK Indy 500 TV ratings – The F1 Broadcasting Blog reports the exclusive UK TV broadcast on BT/ESPN had an average TV viewership of 129,000 for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. That compares to just 12,000 last year in 2016! 203,000 were watching when Alonso retired from the race. More details at the link. – The F1 Broadcasting Blog – (5/29/2017)

101st Indy 500 photo gallery – The Open Wheel’s race day photo gallery from the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is available at the link. – The Open Wheel – (5/28/2017)

Sato wins 101st Indy 500 – Andretti Autosport’s Takuma Sato won the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race with a late race pass on Helio Castroneves at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The rest of the Top 5 was Castroneves, Jones, Chilton, and Kanaan. Hunter-Reay and Alonso each suffered engine failures in the latter half of the race while at the front of the field. Full results here. – INDYCAR – (5/28/2017)

Dixon checked, cleared, and released following scary Indy 500 incident – Chip Ganassi Racing Team’s Scott Dixon was checked, cleared, and released following his frightening incident during the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. View the incident at the link. – INDYCAR – (5/28/2017)

Bourdais attends Indy 500 – Injured Dale Coyne Racing driver Sebastien Bourdais is in attendance on race day for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race. – Dale Coyne Racing – (5/28/2017)

Leist dominates to win Freedom 100 – Carlin’s Matheus Leist won the Freedom 100 from pole in dominant fashion leading every lap. The rest of the Top 5 was Telitz, Kellett, Alberico, and Urrutia. Herta spun in Turn 2 on Lap 1 and finished in P13. Full results here. – Indy Lights – (5/26/2017)

IMS unveils 102nd Indy 500 logo – Check out the logo and full release at the link. – IMS – (5/26/2017)

News From Last Week