CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFICATIONS DAY 1 RECAP
MAY 20, 2017
Two-time Indianapolis 500 pole winner Ed Carpenter took a big step to claiming the top spot for Chevrolet for the 101st edition of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” during the first of two days of time trials.
The Verizon IndyCar Series team owner/driver recorded a four-lap average speed of 230.468 mph on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet to top 31 entries that completed a qualifying attempt. Carpenter, an Indianapolis native who will seek to take the green flag for 14th consecutive year, started on pole in 2013 and ’14.
“It was exciting,” said Carpenter. “And a little surprising. I felt like we had a good car all week. I felt like JR (Hildebrand), myself and Will Power had the most speed in the Chevy camp. Last night when we did our qual sim, I was falling off a little bit. I thought I could run 230 for a lap or two, but I wasn’t sure if I could run four.”
Carpenter, Ed Carpenter Racing teammate JR Hildebrand, and Team Penske’s Will Power will lead the Team Chevy contingent in the “Fast Nine Shootout” on Sunday. The fastest nine entries by average speed Saturday advanced to the session, during which they’ll make one four-lap run to determine the pole winner and set the remainder of the first three rows. Positions 10-33 also will be filled by entries making one four-lap run. Lap time/speed from Saturday’s qualifications will be erased.
Hildebrand, the 2011 Indy 500 runner-up and Rookie of the Year, posted a four-lap average speed of 230.205 mph in the No. 21 Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet as the penultimate qualifier. Power, who has started on the front row in three of his nine Indy 500 starts, recorded a four-lap average speed of 230.072 mph in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet.
Three-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves, No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, also was in the top 15. Each entry received extra boost for the twin-turbocharged V6, 2.2-liter Chevrolet engines with the Chevrolet Aero Kit for both days of qualifications.
A five-hour rain delay limited each entry to one four-lap run.
ABC will telecast the second day of qualifying at 4 p.m. ET Sunday and the 200-lap race at noon ET May 28. NBCSN will telecast the final practice during “Carb Day” at 11 a.m. ET May 26.
The 101st Indy 500 will be the 90th race for Chevrolet since its return to Verizon IndyCar Series competition in 2012.
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES:
JR HILDEBRAND, NO. 21 PERFERRED FREEZER SERVICES ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET (230.205): “It was a super long day today – the teams and drivers just had to keep it together, considering we were late in the draw. We were fortunate to have track conditions improve a little bit. We were probably a little on the edge that run, so if we went earlier we probably would have been even more on the limit. The ambient temperature started to come down a little, which slows us down. But the track temperature came down, too, which was a definite benefit compared to some of the earlier guys. We definitely benefited from that, but it’s the luck of the draw. It’s also great to get a few Chevys up toward the front of the grid for tomorrow’s Fast Nine, I’m really happy for everyone at Chevrolet and everyone at ECR – looking forward to tomorrow.”
WILL POWER, NO. 12 VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET (230.072): “The Verizon Chevy felt great. The balance was good and it was very consistent. Even though we went out pretty early, the track felt great. It didn’t feel like there was any less grip than there has been. It may have been a little better for the drivers that went after me, but there’s nothing I can do about that. It’s great to make it into the top nine and have a chance tomorrow. Whatever happens, we’ll have a good starting spot for the race. That’s why we’re all here.”
HELIO CASTRONEVES, NO. 3 SHELL FUEL REWADS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET (229.390): “It was pretty early for the Shell Fuel Rewards Chevy to hit the track after the rain, but it felt pretty good. We’re running such low downforce during qualifying. The car is completely on the edge. I was happy with the line and the speed in the first three laps, but on the last one there must have been a little gust of wind or something because a little speed got scrubbed on that last lap. All in all, I’m not disappointed at all. When it comes time to race, we’ll be in a good position.”
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 22 FITZGERALD GLIDER KITS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET (228.645): “The Fitzgerald Glider Kits Chevrolet felt really good. It’s just that going second wasn’t the best spot in the world after the rain. We felt a little like a guinea pig. It is what it is. The car is balanced and should be really good in the race and that’s the most important thing of all. We just need to get as far up the line as we can tomorrow and then see what the race brings.”
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 HUM BY VERIZON TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET (228.696): “The hum by Verizon Chevrolet was good today. There may have been another half mile per hour or so to get, but that was all we had today. What we want to do now is start as high as we can and let the race play out. I think we have a really good car for the race. The balance and how it behaves in traffic have been good throughout our whole time in Indy. We’ll continue to look for gains in speed, but I feel good with the car we have going into next week.”
SAGE KARAM, NO. 24 DRR MECUM AUCTIONS CHEVROLET (227.943): “It was a good run for us. I don’t think we thought we’d run a lap close to 229 mph. That was good and I’ll take that. Now we have to do it all over again tomorrow. Hopefully, we can find some speed overnight. The car was pretty easy to drive. I was flat out the whole time. Maybe we can trim out a little tomorrow. I’m excited though and looking forward to tomorrow.”
SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 1 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET (228.393): “It wasn’t meant to be today, but the Menards Chevy was very balanced, which should serve us very well in the race. Today, we didn’t have quite enough speed. We’ll keep working at it. That’s what my guys are best at. When we need something a little extra, they’re always there to give it to me.”
CARLOS MUNOZ, NO. 14 ABC SUPPLY AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET (227.438): “It was quite a long day for just one run. The car didn’t feel bad, just a little bit slow. Our goal today was to go through and see our speed and see what we can do tomorrow. I think we need more speed tomorrow; at least a little bit.”
GABBY CHAVES, NO. 88 HARDING RACING CHEVROLET (226.875): “I’ve got more experience. I’ve got a team that’s kind of built around me. It gives you a little bit more confidence. We’re just doing our work, and I think we’ll have a pretty strong race car.”
CONOR DALY, NO. 4 ABC SUPPLY AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET (225.912): “A positive thing for us is that was our best single-car run we’ve done all month. You know, I think we improved the car mechanically. It was pretty easy to do that run, so hopefully we can just take some downforce out of it tomorrow and be more competitive because I think the car mechanically was in a better position there. I’ve been begging to take downforce off, so hopefully now tomorrow we can do that and just get a good run out of it.”
SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA, NO. 17 AFS JUNCOS RACING CHEVROLET (225.815): “Man, I’m just excited to be back. I need to thank mostly Gary Peterson with AFS. Eight years in a row supporting me at Indy, backing me up, it’s really family and being back with him and with an amazing organization like Juncos Racing is something that motivates us to see a very bright future. Of course, you know everything came together a little bit late. Everything is about preparation and that is something we did not have, so we were realistic. We went out there and gave it our best and this is what we got. Now we need to focus qualifying tomorrow and having a good race and I think we have a really good race car.”
SPENCER PIGOT, NO. 11 JUNCOS RACING CHEVROLET (223.631): “Going into qualifying, it wasn’t ideal. We were never going out there to try to set a blistering lap time or big speed after the Juncos Racing guys worked literally all night to repair the car. They worked so hard and I can’t thank them enough for all of their efforts. With the rain this morning we didn’t get an install lap, we didn’t get anything, so that was literally the first time the car had been on the track since the crash. For me to have the confidence to keep it wide open the whole time I think says a lot about how I feel about our guys. We’ll give it another shot tomorrow and be a little more aggressive.”
BUDDY LAZIER, NO. 44 LAZIER RACING CHEVROLET (221.427): “Every session we are gaining quite a bit. We only had 40 or so laps before qualifying today so we’re improving every session. I think that’s about all you could ask. In fact, it’s pretty tough with just one day of practice to go out and qualify wide open and trimmed out. There’s a lot more speed we need to get out of our Chevrolet, but for now it was the fastest I’ve run this month and that’s all we could ask for. We’ll just keep chipping away at it, I bet we will have a really good car on race day.”
ZACH VEACH, NO. 40 INDY WOMEN IN TECH CHAMPIONSHIP AJ FOYT RACING CHEVROLET (did not make qualifying attempt)
AN INTERVIEW WITH ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET (top qualifier with four-lap average speed of 230.468 mph):
Q: TALK ABOUT THAT RUN
ED CARPENTER: It was exciting, a little surprising. I felt like we had a good car all week. I felt like JR (Hildebrand), myself and Will Power had the most speed in the Chevy camp. Last night when we did our qual sim, I was falling off a little bit. I thought I could run 230 for a lap or two, but I wasn’t sure if I could run four.
My 7-year-old son when we were drawing for (qualifying position) numbers Friday, he was drawing. I was like, If you could pull, I told him 5. Someone drew 5. I was like, Let’s shoot for 6. He drew 60. I was trying to be positive. Good job, son, you got one number right. He was the first person I thanked when I got out of the car because the conditions helped us there.
Q. Ed, I noticed you ran without either of the winglets on the rear pod, similar to what you did with Josef (Newgarden) last year for his similar strong run. What was the decision that went into taking off that much downforce?
ED CARPENTER: I mean, it’s a process. I think every team has their own process, whether it’s the Ganassi guys, Penske. We’ve had a lot of continuity in our team. As we’ve gotten older and started to get stronger, our development grows, you build up experience. I think part of the reason I was really happy after that run, and it doesn’t mean anything yet, we haven’t won anything but a chance to win the pole, but it’s really a credit to the team and all the work they do. It’s hard to make cars fast around here. It happens all during the wintertime, preparation coming in. So it’s fun to get runs like that, to be able to give them thanks.
Q. Ed, how much pause do you take when you see something, a crash like Sebastien’s (Bourdais), on a day like this? Even as a veteran driver, does it make you at least second guess for a moment anyway?
ED CARPENTER: It takes your breath away. I was watching it in the garage. That’s one of the biggest single-car qualifying crashes I’ve seen around here. As soon as I saw him correct and the angle he was going in at, you knew it was going to be big. I’m hoping he’s OK. It was good to see him moving around the amount we did see him moving around. Hopefully, we’ll get some good news tonight.
But things like that happen. I love doing this. I love being here. I’m sure Scott (Dixon) is no different. When you do it for this long, you see a lot of things happen, it’s something you talk to your family about, and you’re all committed in together. When you get in the car and put your helmet on, it all goes away. We’re out there to do a job, to entertain the fans, do the best job we can for our team and sponsors. It does take your breath away when you see it. When you get out there and get into battle again, it all goes away.
Q. Ed, concentration on the run after Sebastien’s accident, in turn two there was a spot covered with this white stuff. Was it difficult to concentrate not to hit the spot?
ED CARPENTER: I was trying to avoid it just to not get the oil dry on my tires, to not hurt them at all. Other than that, like I said, you have got to block that stuff out and focus on the job at hand. It’s hard enough to run four consistent laps here when you’re just thinking about that. You just got to zero in.
Q. Ed, Hondas have had the speed all week in practice. Given the circumstances of the day, aside from having a Chevy engine, the rain, where you were in qualifying, did you think you would have a chance to get yourself in the Fast Nine?
ED CARPENTER: I thought we had speed for the Fast Nine most of the days. Last night I wasn’t so sure, mainly because I wasn’t sure our drop-off was going to be good enough. We kept at it. I was here late working last night with my engineers. Even through the afternoon, so …you just got to keep chipping away. But the team did a good job. The car was great. The conditions played a factor, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
Q. Ed, because it rained pretty hard, did that make any difference in the car when you came out?
ED CARPENTER: I don’t really worry about the rain here. Some tracks I feel like when they get real green it makes a bigger effect. But here for short runs like that, I don’t think it’s that big of a difference. Maybe if it’s a totally green track and you go out for the start of the race, the first set of tires maybe wear a little more. But, you know, for runs like this, especially as nice as the weather was today, it’s not something you really think about.