Saturday Morning Update from the IndyCar Grand Prix

Sunshine this morning in Indy

Good morning from the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The sun is shinning today and it looks like a 70 degree day at the track. But it is currently only 40 degrees. The high temperature today is expected to reach 60 degrees with rain expected to start around 2 pm. Precipitation will not stop the race on the 2.439 mile, 14 turn road course but will make the results as interesting as qualifying was yesterday.

The Firestone tires for this weekend have been changed. Cara Adams, Chief Engineer for Bridgestone Americas Motorsports, explained the difference with us. “With the changes made to the universal aerokit last season we saw a need to increase mechanical grip at the 2018 Indy GP, which is why we designed a new primary compound for this year’s race. The primary construction remains the same as the 2018 Indy GP primary tire, and we’ll be bringing back the same race-proven alternate tire compound and construction from last year’s race, too.”

With the temperatures being so cool, the tires played a part in how the teams used their black and alternative (red) tires for qualifying. Scott Dixon, starting on Row 1 today, had this to say about his tires. “Well, the primary is definitely a totally different tire. It’s closer to the black, which I think last year I commented earlier on, I think the reds were pretty much just like gold. If you had more of them and ones that went flat, so definitely what you wanted. I think it definitely helped our race last year coming from the back. There seems to be definitely a smaller gap, but it’s still pretty large. It’s over — probably right around a second.

Can Power make it 4

The hard part here, too, is that the red is very durable. So I think you’re just going to see everybody run reds as long as possible and minimize the time on blacks, which last year I think provided very good racing.’

Team Penske has dominated this event over the years, winning the past four races from the pole. But Will Power, who captured the past two races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, was the lone Penske driver to reach this Firestone Fast Six. The reigning Indianapolis 500 winner will start the No. 12 Verizon 5G Chevrolet in sixth position on Saturday. Teammate Simon Pagenaud, the only other winner of the INDYCAR Grand Prix in the event’s history, starts eighth in the No. 22 Menards Chevrolet.

AR1 will keep you posted on all the action today.

Lucille Dust reporting live from IMS