CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
101ST RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTEBOOK
MAY 27, 2017

Age is a state of mind, which partially is why Buddy Lazier, who turns 50 years old on Oct. 31, drives himself year-round to prepare for the Indianapolis 500. Lazier will be the oldest competitor in the 101st Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, driving the No. 44 Lazier Racing Chevrolet. Team Chevy also will be represented in the 33-driver field by the youngest competitor.

Sage Karam will be 22 years, 2 months, 23 days old on race day.

Pursuit of a place in motorsports history by winning the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” is the primary reason why Lazier, the 1996 winner and two-time runner-up, works tirelessly to “get the band back together.”

“It is a little staggering that there have been 100 Indy 500s and I have taken part in 20 of those,” said Lazier, who also claimed the 2000 Verizon IndyCar Series championship. “I take pride in that. After winning the race, you swear that you’ll be back there a lot. It’s really amazing, this place, how much has to go right to get back into Victory Lane. It’s when you run and you finish second like I did twice that haunt you and you don’t forget about. I can’t tell you how special this place is.

“I’m not entirely sure how much time I have left in terms of years, but I’m not there yet.”

Karam, who drives the No. 24 DRR Mecum Auctions Chevrolet, was 14 months old when Lazier was celebrating in Victory Circle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Being the young guy has its pros and cons. If you do well then everyone thinks you’re the next great thing. If you do something bad, they think you’re a bust,” said Karam, who finished ninth in his maiden Indy 500 start as a high school senior. “But that’s part of it. I like coming to the track as the young guy. I just don’t know when it’s going to be that I’m not the youngest. But I like being able to represent the younger generation coming through racing.

“A lot of times, we don’t get the opportunity to showcase our talent. So whenever I get the chance like here at the Indy 500, I need to maximize that opportunity. I’m coming in there with the hope of finishing the race and that it’s going to be up front.”

Other Chevrolet drivers under age of 25 in the field:
Zach Veach – 22 years, 5 months, 19 days old on race day
Spencer Pigot – 23 years, 7 months, 29 days old on race day
Chevrolet drivers under age 26 in the field:
Conor Daly – 25 years, 164 days old on race day
Carlos Munoz – 25 years, 146 days old on race day
Youngest driver to start the Indianapolis 500: A.J. Foyt IV – 19 years, 0 days old (2003)
Oldest driver to start the Indianapolis 500: A.J. Foyt – 57 years, 128 days (1992)
Oldest rookie to start the Indianapolis 500: Jean Alesi – 47 years, 128 days (2012)
Youngest winner: Troy Rutman — 22 years, 80 days (1952)
Oldest winner: Al Unser – 47 years old (1987)

Chevrolet NHRA champions show appreciation to military
U.S. military personnel past and present will be honored during prerace ceremonies of the Indianapolis 500 on this Memorial Day weekend.
In December, National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock champions Greg Anderson and Jason Line participated in Operation Appreciation, sponsored by Summit Racing Equipment, which visited four U.S. military bases in Kuwait. Line, the reigning Pro Stock champion, has made the annual trip since 2008, and Anderson enlisted in 2011.
“It’s a real eye-opener to see why they are over there, what they are doing there and to meet these soldiers and the mind-set these soldiers have,” said Anderson, a four-time Pro Stock champion who drives the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS. “We go there to thank them for their service, learn what they do and educate ourselves.
“We go to basically help with their morale. They are away from home for 10 months deployed. There are few modern conveniences like there are over here, and we’re spoiled. It just brings you right back down to earth.
“The coolest thing about it is we go to thank them for their service and what they do, and they can’t thank us enough for coming.”
Added KB Racing teammate Line, who drives the Summit Racing Equipment Chevrolet Camaro SS: “I feel very blessed to be living in this country. I appreciate the soldiers and what they do to keep us safe. It’s a humbling experience. I think everybody should do it.”

Castroneves takes aim at record-tying fourth Indy 500 win
Helio Castroneves, driver of the No. 3 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet, is aiming to join the elite group of Rick Mears, A.J. Foyt and Al Unser as four-time winners of the Indianapolis 500.

Castroneves won in 2001, 2002 and ’09. Mears, a Team Penske consultant and Castroneves’ spotter, is the only driver of the trio to capture his fourth victory in less than eight years from his third (1988 and ’91).

“It’s not something that keeps in my mind, the numbers and statistics and things like that. It’s outside of my control,” Castroneves said. “We’re looking for it. I always say this place picks who the winner is. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. And that’s what we’re going to do again, try to put ourselves in the best position as possible to win this race.”

Foyt’s legacy continues in 101st Indy 500
The 101st Indy 500 marks the 40th anniversary of A.J. Foyt becoming the first four-time winner.
“Everyone knows that the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is my favorite track and that people wouldn’t know me if it weren’t for the Indy 500,” said Foyt, who also won in 1961, ’64 and ’67.
Three AJ Foyt Racing drivers – Conor Daly, No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet, Carlos Munoz, No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet, and Zach Veach, No. 40 Indy Women in Tech Championship Chevrolet – will attempt to give Foyt another Indy 500 win as a team owner.

Bowtie notes
The race is the 90th for Chevrolet since it returned to Verizon IndyCar Series competition in 2012. It has won 60, including the past three this season by Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden (Barber Motorsports Park), Simon Pagenaud (Phoenix International Raceway), and Will Power (INDYCAR Grand Prix of Indianapolis). … Chevrolet has won the Indy 500 nine times, including twice since 2012. … Drivers with the 2.2-liter V6 Chevrolet engine and Chevrolet Aero Kit have earned the pole position in five of the six Verizon IndyCar Series races this season. … A Chevrolet Corvette will pace the Indy 500 field for the 14th time. Actor Jeffrey Dean Morgan will be the honorary pace car driver of the 2017 Corvette Grand Sport. … Power and his Team Penske crew on the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet won the Tag Heuer Pit Stop Competition. … Four Chevrolet drivers are in the top five of Verizon IndyCar Series points entering the Indy 500. Reigning series champion Simon Pagenaud, No. 1 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet, is the leader.