The2018 Indianapolis 500(branded as the102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oilfor sponsorship reasons) was aVerizon IndyCar Seriesheld on Sunday, May 27, 2018, at theIndianapolis Motor SpeedwayinSpeedway, Indiana.[6]It was the premier event of the2018 IndyCar Series.The race was won by AustralianWill PowerofTeam Penske.Car ownerRoger Penskecollected his record extending 17thIndianapolis 500victory.Chevroletswept nine of the top eleven spots during qualifying, and finished 1st-2nd, Chevy's first Indy victory since2015,and tenth overall. However, despite entering the month as prohibitive favorites to dominate the race, Chevy managed to place only two other cars in the top ten.
 | |||||
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | IndyCar | ||||
| Season | 2018 IndyCar Season | ||||
| Date | May 27, 2018 | ||||
| Winner |  Will Power | ||||
| Winning team | Team Penske | ||||
| Average speed | 166.935 mph (268.656 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position |  Ed Carpenter | ||||
| Pole speed | 229.618 mph (369.534 km/h) | ||||
| Fastest qualifier | Ed Carpenter | ||||
| Rookie of the Year |  Robert Wickens | ||||
| Most laps led | Ed Carpenter(65) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Kelly Clarkson[1] | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Cornelison[2] | ||||
| Starting command | Tony George | ||||
| Pace car | Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 | ||||
| Pace car driver | Victor Oladipo[3] | ||||
| Starter | Paul Blevin | ||||
| Honorary starter | Chris Hemsworth[4] | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC(blacked out locally) | ||||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick,Scott Goodyear,Eddie Cheever | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 3.1 (4.9 million viewers)[5] | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
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Much of the race was led byWill PowerandEd Carpenter,a race that was considered generally less-competitive that the previous few years, attributed largely to a newly-introduced aero kit package. Late in the race, pit strategy and a timely caution flag factored in. On a restart on lap 194,Oriol Servià,Stefan Wilson,andJack Harveywere all attempting to stretch their fuel to the finish, gambling on a late caution, and a possible surprise victory. However, with four laps to go, both Wilson and Harvey were forced to pit for fuel, as was Servià a lap later.Will Powertook the lead and cruised to victory, having led 59 laps. PolesitterEd Carpenterled 65 laps and finished second, his best-career Indy finish.2016 winnerAlexander Rossihad an outstanding charge from 32nd to 4th, leading one lap during the race. Power became the first driver to win both theIndyCar Grand Prixand theIndianapolis 500,as well as the first driver to sweep both races in the same year. Later in the year,Team Penskealso won theNASCARBrickyard 400,becoming the second team in history to sweep both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year.
Themonth of Mayactivities formally began on May 12 with the fifth running of theIndyCar Grand Prixon thecombined road course.Practice for the Indianapolis 500 began on Tuesday May 15, and time trials was held May 19–20.Ed Carpenterwon the pole position, his third career Indy pole. Carb Day—the traditional final day of practice, as well as the annualPit Stop ChallengeandIndy LightsFreedom 100,were held Friday May 25.
Race background
edit
IR18 car
editThe2017 racewas the third and final year contested with theChevroletandHondaaero kits outfitted to theDallara DW12chassis. Beginning in 2018, allDW12Safety Cell chassis were fitted with a universal bodywork kit. Digital renderings for the common bodywork kit, referred to as the 'IR18' car, were released in early May 2017.[7]The car was officially unveiled in late July,[8]and the universal aero kit became known as the UAK18 bodywork.[9]The bodywork is inspired byCART's 1990s and 2000s livery. For the first time since1996,the cars in the Indy 500 had a roll hoop without an airbox.
Rule changes
edit- The practice session on the Monday after the IndyCar Grand Prix was eliminated. The track and garage area were both closed on Sunday May 13 in honor ofMother's Day.The teams used Monday May 14 to convert the cars from road course to oval configuration. The first day of on-track practice for the Indy 500 was scheduled for Tuesday May 15. In order to make up for some of the lost practice time, the start time for practice days was moved up to 11:00. Previously, practice opened daily at 12 noon.[10]The track still closes at 18:00 daily.
- The minimum car weight was increased by 10 lb (4.536 kg) – to 1,590 lb (721.212 kg) for superspeedways due to safety features added with the new universal aero kits.
- Championship points earned during Indy 500 qualifying were revamped. The top nine qualifiers received points. The pole position winner received 9 points, down to 1 point for the ninth qualifier (9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1). Previously, all 33 starters had received points on a higher scale. Thepoints earnedfor the race finishing positions were unchanged.
Track improvements
edit- The pit boxes were resurfaced with new concrete. The previous pit boxes had been used since the 1994 reconstruction of pit lane for NASCAR, INDYCAR, SVRA, and SCCA events in both directions.
2018 IndyCar Series
editThe 102nd Indianapolis 500 was the sixth race of the2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season,and 23rd sanctioned as part of theIndy Racing League/IndyCar Series.There were four different winners in the first five races of the season. For the second year in a row,Sébastien Bourdaiswon the season opener atSt. Petersburg.Once again, Bourdais won in surprising fashion, taking the lead after the leaders collided on a late-race restart. It was also Bourdais' first victory since suffering injuries in a crash during qualifying for the2017 Indy 500.Josef Newgardenwon atPhoenix,Alexander Rossiwon atLong Beach,and Newgarden won again atBirmingham.To begin the month of May,Will Powerwon theIndyCar Grand Prix,his third win in the event.
Offseason changes includedChip Ganassi Racing,which dropped down to two cars only (Scott DixonandEd Jones).Team Penskealso dropped down from four full-time cars to three.Hélio Castronevesswitched to theWeatherTech SportsCar Championship,and raced at Indianapolis only. Two-time Indy 500 winnerJuan Pablo Montoya,however, was left out of a ride for the 2018 race.
Entry list
edit
- See2018 IndyCar Series § Teams and driversfor further information.
- The entry list[11][12]was released on May 1 with 35 cars entered.
- Defending Indianapolis 500 winnerTakuma Satoswitched fromAndretti AutosporttoRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.Sato previously drove for Rahal in 2012.[13]
- Three-time Indianapolis 500 winnerHélio CastronevesofTeam Penskewould switch to theIMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championshipfor 2018 onward, but would race for Penske at theIndyCar Grand Prixand Indianapolis 500.[14]
- Stefan Wilsonwould joinAndretti Autosportfor the Indy 500.[15]
- Danica Patrickwould compete in her first Indianapolis 500 since2011and her final professional race as a full-time competitor, driving aGoDaddy-sponsored entry for Ed Carpenter Racing.[16]Patrick drove at theDaytona 500in February, her final start in NASCAR.
- A rumored 36th entry for1996winnerBuddy Lazier(Lazier Partners Racing) did not materialize.
- Pietro Fittipaldiwas initially assigned to the #19Dale Coyne Racingentry. However, on May 4 he crashed during a qualifying session at theWEC6 Hours of Spa,and fractured both legs. Fittipaldi was withdrawn from the entry, and replaced byZachary Claman DeMelo.[17][18]
- WFormer Indianapolis 500 winner
- RIndianapolis 500 Rookie
Schedule
edit
Four days of testing were scheduled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway prior to the official opening of the track. On March 23, manufacturer testing was conducted on the road course forHonda.Testing on the oval was scheduled for March 27–29,[20]but was postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. A full-field, league-sponsored open test was held on the oval April 30, followed by the Rookie Orientation Program and Refresher tests on May 1. On May 2, track activity continued with a private manufacturers test involving both Honda and Chevrolet.[21]
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Testing and rookie orientation
editTesting — July 2017
editOn July 25, 2017 the first official test for the universal bodywork kit was conducted at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. Two teams, one each representingChevroletandHonda,attended.Team Penskewith driverJuan Pablo Montoyatested for Chevy, andSchmidt Peterson Motorsportswith driverOriol Serviàtested for Honda.[22]The tests were considered successful, and no incidents were reported.
| Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
 Oriol Servià
|
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Honda | 219 mph |
 Juan Pablo Montoya
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 218 mph |
Testing — October 2017
editFollowing the conclusion of the2017 IndyCar Seriesseason, each manufacturer was allocated five days of aero kit testing through December 17.[23][24]The league stipulated one test for each manufacturer,[23]leaving four dates to the manufacturer's discretion.Hondaelected to use one of their four dates at Indianapolis on October 26.[25]James Hinchcliffe(Schmidt Peterson) andScott Dixon(Ganassi) each completed more than 130 laps without incident. Cool temperatures delayed the start of the test until the afternoon, and testing concluded at 6 p.m. Speeds were not reported.
| Driver | Team | Engine |
|---|---|---|
| James Hinchcliffe
|
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Honda |
 Scott Dixon
|
Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda |
Open test — Monday April 30
edit
- Weather:72 °F (22 °C), sunny and clear
- Summary:An open test was scheduled for Monday April 30, 2018.[26]The test was open to full-time IndyCar teams and drivers, and 21 drivers participated. Rookie drivers and drivers requiring refresher tests were not permitted to participate on Monday.[26]Sunny blue skies greeted the teams at the test, which had been originally scheduled for March, but was postponed due to bad weather.Tony Kanaan(226.181 mph) set the fastest lap of the day, as well as the fastest no-tow lap at 223.240 mph. The test was split into two session, withMarco Andretti(223.997 mph) leading the morning session, and Kanaan leading the afternoon session. The 21 drivers completed 1,820 laps without incident.[27]Late in the day,Josef Newgardenconducted an evaluation test with a windscreen, the first such test on a superspeedway.[28]Since the test took place one day prior to May 1 and the traditionalmonth of May,it was affectionately referred to as "May 0".
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 |  Tony Kanaan
|
AJ Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 226.181 |
| 2 | 22 |  Simon Pagenaud
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 225.910 |
| 3 | 98 | Marco Andretti
|
Andretti Herta Autosport | Honda | 225.637 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Rookie Orientation Program / Refresher tests — Tuesday May 1
edit
- Weather:81 °F (27 °C), Sunny and clear
- Summary:The Rookie Orientation Program and veteran Refresher tests are scheduled for Tuesday May 1, 2018.[26]Four drivers were scheduled to participate in rookie orientation:Pietro Fittipaldi(Coyne),Kyle Kaiser(Juncos),Matheus Leist(Foyt), andRobert Wickens(SPM). Three drivers were scheduled to take refresher tests:Jay Howard(SPM),Sage Karam(D&R), andDanica Patrick(Carpenter). The rookie test consisted of three phases. Phase 1 was ten laps at 205 mph, Phase 2 was ten laps at 210 mph, and Phase 3 was ten laps at 215 mph. During the three-hour morning session (10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.), Kaiser, Leist, and Wickens passed all three phases of the rookie test.[29]Pietro Fittipaldi,however, did not participate due to commitments at the6 Hours of Spa,opting instead to partake in rookie orientation later in the month. Three days later, however, Fittipaldi withdrew after suffering injuries in a crash at Spa.[17]The afternoon session, lasting from 2:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m., saw the three participants in the refresher program take to the track. The refresher test consisted of two phases, equivalent to phases 2 and 3 of the rookie test. Howard, Patrick, and Karam all passed their program before the session concluded.[30]Robert Wickenswas fastest of the six drivers of the day, setting a speed of 220.111 mph while piloting his teammateJames Hinchcliffe's car following gearbox issues with his own. Danica Patrick took to the track for an installation lap right at 2:00 p.m., but had to return to the garage area due to minor overheating issues. About an hour later, the team returned, and Patrick was able to complete her refresher test. It was Patrick's first laps at Indianapolis in an Indy car since2011.The six drivers completed 355 laps without any incidents, althoughJay Howardnearly tagged the wall at the exit of turn two during a practice run.
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Robert Wickens
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Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Honda | 220.111 |
| 2 | 4 | Matheus Leist
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A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 220.073 |
| 3 | 5 |  Jay Howard
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Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Honda | 219.684 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Testing — Wednesday May 2
edit- Weather:84 °F (29 °C), Sunny and windy
- Practice summary:A private manufacturers test forHondaandChevroletwas scheduled for Wednesday May 2, 2018.[26]Windy conditions hampered running during the day, but teams were able to do some running early on.Tony Kanaanled the time charts, setting a speed of 226.680 mph, ahead ofEd CarpenterandGabby Chaves.[31]Robert Wickens(223.7 mph) was the fastestHondaentry. The other participants includedCharlie Kimball,Danica Patrick,Matheus Leist,Ed Jones,Scott Dixon,James Hinchcliffe,andMax Chilton.[32]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Tony Kanaan
|
A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 226.680 |
| 2 | 20 | Ed Carpenter
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Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 224.466 |
| 3 | 88 | Gabby Chaves
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Harding Racing | Chevrolet | 223.658 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Practice
editTuesday May 15
edit
- Weather:83 °F (28 °C), Scattered showers, thunderstorms late
- Practice summary:The opening day of practice consisted of three sessions: The first from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. reserved for veteran drivers, the second from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. serving as the rookie and refresher period for those unable to partake in the May 1 session, and the final session from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. open to all cars. During the rookie/refresher period,Zachary Claman DeMelo(replacing Fittipaldi) completed his rookie orientation testing, whileJames Davisonsuccessfully completed his refresher test.Oriol ServiàandStefan Wilsonbegan their refresher tests during the period, but completed them during the open session later in the day.[33]The third session of the day was interrupted by a passing thunderstorm just before 4:00 p.m., but the session was resumed after roughly an hour's wait. The fastest time of the day was set byTeam Penske'sSimon Pagenaudwith a speed of 225.787 mph set in the first session. The fastest "no-tow" speed of the day went toEd Carpenter,turning a lap at 221.512 mph without the aid of drafting.[34]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Simon Pagenaud
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 225.787 |
| 2 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves
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Team Penske | Chevrolet | 224.665 |
| 3 | 20 | Ed Carpenter
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Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 224.523 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Wednesday May 16
edit
- Weather:79 °F (26 °C), Mostly overcast, sunny late
- Practice summary:The second day of practice ran smoothly and without interruption from rain. Only one minor incident occurred during the session whenTony Kanaancame to a halt on the backstretch at 4:02 p.m. with a failed throttle sensor.Andretti AutosportdriverMarco Andrettiset the fastest time of the day, being the first driver to eclipse 227 mph with his speed of 227.053 mph. Despite the issues with his car, Tony Kanaan set the fastest "no-tow" speed of the day with a lap at 223.048 mph.[35]All 35 cars entered took laps during the day, completing 3,349 laps, the busiest single practice day in over a decade.
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 | Marco Andretti
|
Andretti Herta Autosport | Honda | 227.053 |
| 2 | 9 | Scott Dixon
|
Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 226.329 |
| 3 | 30 |  Takuma Sato
|
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 226.108 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Thursday May 17
edit
- Weather:83 °F (28 °C), Sunny
- Practice summary:Sunny skies greeted teams and drivers for the Thursday session of practice. The first incident of the month occurred with roughly 20 minutes left in the session, whenJ. R. Hildebranddrifted wide coming out of turn 3 and hit the wall, then slid against it through turn four before finally coming to a halt just before pit entry.Graham Rahalset the fastest speed of the day, turning a lap at 226.047 mph.Will Powerran the fastest "no-tow" lap at 223.971 mph.[36]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 | Graham Rahal
|
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing | Honda | 226.047 |
| 2 | 14 | Tony Kanaan
|
A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 225.896 |
| 3 | 98 | Marco Andretti
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Andretti Herta Autosport | Honda | 225.584 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Fast Friday — Friday May 18
edit
- Weather:72 °F (22 °C), Scattered showers.
- Practice summary:The threat of rain loomed for the entirety of "Fast Friday," but only brought about a brief stoppage to the session in the afternoon. Increased boost levels in preparation for qualifying saw speeds greatly increase, withMarco Andrettisetting the fastest speed of the month with a time at 231.802 mph.Will Powerset the fastest "no-tow" lap of the day at 229.780 mph. One major incident occurred during the day whenJames Davisonlost control of his car in turn 2, spun around and impacted the outside wall.[37]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 98 | Marco Andretti
|
Andretti Herta Autosport | Honda | 231.802 |
| 2 | 6 | Robert Wickens
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Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Honda | 231.732 |
| 3 | 20 | Ed Carpenter
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Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 231.066 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Time trials
editBump Day — Saturday, May 19
edit
- Weather:79 °F (26 °C), Scattered showers.
Bump Day was held on May 19. The 33 cars that would comprise the starting lineup would be determined, as well as the nine cars eligible for the "Fast 9" shoot-out to be held on Sunday to determine pole position. Two periods of rain caused delays during the course of the day, but all 35 entries were able to make attempts.
Hélio Castronevesset the fastest speed of the day with a four-lap average of 228.919 mph, bestingEd CarpenterandSimon Pagenaud.Completing the Fast Nine wereWill Power,Sébastien Bourdais,Spencer Pigot,Josef Newgarden,Scott Dixon,andDanica Patrick.
At the opposite end of the field, several entries struggled to find the speed necessary to make the starting lineup. The three cars ofRahal Letterman Lanigan Racing(Takuma Sato,Graham Rahal,andOriol Serviàin particular) all had difficulties, but all three held on to make the field. Servià made three attempts, and finally made the field safely with about 35 minutes left in the day. Other drivers facing difficulty includedConor DalyandPippa Mann.Daly would make the field, but despite being the last qualifier of the day, Mann failed to qualify.
The most shocking story of day, however, was2016pole sitter, and three-time front row starter,James Hinchcliffe,who was bumped from the field. Hinchcliffe's first qualifying attempt came after the first rain delay, with less than ideal chassis setups. Hinchcliffe steadily slipped down the standings, and was bumped from the field in the final half hour. The team quickly got the car into the qualifying line, and Hinchcliffe pulled away for his second attempt with less than fifteen minutes left in the day. On his warm-up lap, he detected a bad vibration, and had to abort the run and return to the pits. A tire pressure sensor inside one of the wheels had come loose, and was ricocheting inside the tire. The crew desperately scrambled to diagnose the problem, change tires, and get back into the qualifying line. However, the gun went off at 5:50 p.m. to close qualifying, with Hinchcliffe still waiting in line.[38]
After his crash during practice on Friday, and after his crew worked late into the night to make repairs,James Davisonended the day on the bubble. Davison posted the 33rd-fastest speed Saturday, and held on to make the field.
Pole Day — Sunday, May 20
edit
- Weather:83 °F (28 °C), Showers early, mostly sunny in the afternoon.
Positions 10-33
editSunny skies meant no interruptions to qualifying during Sunday qualifications. The opening session determined positions 10-33 on the starting grid, with drivers taking to the track in reverse order of their ranking from their Bump Day runs.Tony Kanaanwent fastest in the group, besting his teammateMatheus Leist,who ended the day as the fastest rookie qualifier. Several favorites struggled to find speed during the day, including 2016 winnerAlexander Rossi,who slipped to 32nd after fighting an ill-handling car during his run.[39]
Big gainers for the day includedJames Davison,who improved from 33rd on Saturday to 19th on Sunday. Defending race winnerTakuma Satoalso went from 29th on Saturday to 16th on Sunday. Sato's teammateGraham Rahal,however, ended the day in the same position as the day before (30th).
"Fast Nine" qualifications began at 5:00 p.m., with drivers who qualified in the top nine the previous day taking to the track in reverse order in their bid to win pole position. For the third time in his career,Ed Carpentersecured pole position for the race, posting a four-lap average at 229.618 mph.Team PensketeammatesSimon PagenaudandWill Powercompleted the front row.Danica Patrickplaced 7th in her return qualification at the course.[40]
| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FirestoneFast Nine Shootout | |||||
| 1 | 20 | Ed Carpenter
|
Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 229.618 |
| 2 | 22 | Simon Pagenaud
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 228.761 |
| 3 | 12 | Will Power
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 228.607 |
| 4 | 1 | Josef Newgarden
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 228.405 |
| 5 | 18 | Sébastien Bourdais
|
Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan | Honda | 228.142 |
| 6 | 21 | Spencer Pigot
|
Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 228.107 |
| 7 | 13 | Danica Patrick
|
Ed Carpenter Racing | Chevrolet | 228.090 |
| 8 | 3 | Hélio Castroneves
|
Team Penske | Chevrolet | 227.859 |
| 9 | 9 | Scott Dixon
|
Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 227.262 |
Post-qualifying practice
editPost-qualifying practice — Monday May 21
edit
- Weather:80 °F (27 °C), Showers early, mostly sunny in afternoon
- Practice summary:Post-qualifying practice ran from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the session ending earlier than previous day to allow testing forIndy Lightslater in the day. Practice was briefly delayed by a passing shower, but was not a factor for the rest of the day. The session saw one major incident when rookieRobert Wickensdrifted wide and brushed the outside wall in turn 2. The brush bent the right side suspension of Wickens' car, causing it to veer sharply to the right halfway down the backstretch and hit the outside wall, causing significant damage to the No. 6 car. Wickens emerged uninjured.Sage Karamset the fastest speed of the day at 226.461 mph, bestingTony KanaanandRyan Hunter-Reay.[41]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Sage Karam
|
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing | Chevrolet | 226.461 |
| 2 | 14 | Tony Kanaan
|
A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 225.123 |
| 3 | 28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay
|
Andretti Autosport | Honda | 224.820 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Carb Day — Friday May 25
edit- Weather:88 °F (31 °C), Mostly sunny
- Practice summary:The final, hour-long practice session before the race saw no major incidents as drivers attempted to make any necessary last minute adjustments to their cars. The session also saw the hottest weather of all practice sessions.Tony Kanaanled the speed charts in the session, posting a lap at 227.791 mph.Danica Patrick's car suffered electrical issues, and had to be wheeled back to the garage for repairs. However, the team hustled to get the car back out on the track, and she completed 15 laps, posting the 8th-best speed of the day.[42]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Engine | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Tony Kanaan
|
A. J. Foyt Enterprises | Chevrolet | 227.791 |
| 2 | 9 | Scott Dixon
|
Chip Ganassi Racing | Honda | 225.684 |
| 3 | 98 | Marco Andretti
|
Andretti Herta Autosport | Honda | 225.220 |
| OFFICIAL REPORT | |||||
Pit Stop Challenge
editThePit Stop Challengewas held on Friday May 25. Because of rules that qualification included pit stop performance during the season,James HinchcliffeofSchmidt Peterson Motorsportswas part of the event although he did not qualify for the race. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports had three entries for the Indianapolis 500, with two full-time teams (No. 5 and No. 6) and a third team for the Indianapolis 500 only, the No. 7 team. After the No. 5 failed to qualify, the team subsequently assigned the No. 5 pit crew to pit the No. 7 driven byJay Howardfor the race, and advanced all the way to the finals. Hinchcliffe battledScott DixonofChip Ganassi Racingin a best-of-three finals, with Dixon's team taking the victory.
| First Round | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Team Penske (Josef Newgarden) | 12.334 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Team Penske (Will Power) | 11.888 | |||||||||||||||||
| 24 | Dreyer & Reinbold (Sage Karam) | 13.295 | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Team Penske (Josef Newgarden) | 12.290 | |||||||||||||||||
| 12 | Team Penske (Will Power) | 14.100 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Schmidt Peterson (James Hinchcliffe) | 13.545 | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Schmidt Peterson (Robert Wickens) | 13.117 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Schmidt Peterson (James Hinchcliffe) | 12.242 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Schmidt Peterson (James Hinchcliffe) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Chip Ganassi (Scott Dixon) | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| 27 | Andretti Autosport (Alexander Rossi) | 13.780 | |||||||||||||||||
| 15 | Rahal Letterman Lanigan (Graham Rahal) | 14.195 | |||||||||||||||||
| 27 | Andretti Autosport (Alexander Rossi) | 13.670 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Chip Ganassi (Scott Dixon) | 12.658 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | Chip Ganassi (Ed Jones) | 17.535 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Chip Ganassi (Scott Dixon) | 11.948 | |||||||||||||||||
NOTE: Since the No. 5 Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 race, the pit crew was assigned to the No. 7 car for the race. The crew was registered by the Speedway as the No. 7 crew as it would be that team during the race, even though it used its regular driver during the competition.
Starting grid
editR= Indianapolis 500 rookie;W= Former Indianapolis 500 winner
| Row | Inside | Middle | Outside | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Ed Carpenter
|
22 | Simon Pagenaud
|
12 | Will Power
|
| 2 | 1 | Josef Newgarden
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18 | Sébastien Bourdais
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21 | Spencer Pigot
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| 3 | 13 | Danica Patrick
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3 | Hélio Castroneves(W)
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9 | Scott Dixon(W)
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| 4 | 14 | Tony Kanaan(W)
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4 | Matheus Leist(R)
|
98 | Marco Andretti
|
| 5 | 19 | Zachary Claman DeMelo(R)
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28 | Ryan Hunter-Reay(W)
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23 | Charlie Kimball
|
| 6 | 30 | Takuma Sato(W)
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32 | Kyle Kaiser(R)
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6 | Robert Wickens(R)
|
| 7 | 33 | James Davison
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59 | Max Chilton
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29 | Carlos Muñoz
|
| 8 | 88 | Gabby Chaves
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25 | Stefan Wilson
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24 | Sage Karam
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| 9 | 26 | Zach Veach
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64 | Oriol Servià
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66 | J. R. Hildebrand
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| 10 | 7 | Jay Howard
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10 |  Ed Jones
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15 | Graham Rahal
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| 11 | 60 | Jack Harvey
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27 | Alexander Rossi(W)
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17 | Conor Daly
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Failed to qualify
| No. | Driver | Team | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | James Hinchcliffe
|
Schmidt Peterson Motorsports | Withdrew first attempt. Second qualification attempt aborted due to left rear wheel vibration. |
| 63 | Pippa Mann
|
Dale Coyne Racing | Bumped from field. Too slow on third attempt. |
Race
edit
First half
editWith temperatures flirting with the race day record of 92 °F (33 °C), drivers and teams were forced to figure out how the new aero kits would react to extreme heat. The race began withEd Carpenterpulling ahead of the field, withWill Powerjumping up into second place ahead ofSimon Pagenaud.Further back,Tony Kanaanmanaged an excellent start, jumping up to sixth position from his tenth place starting spot. One lap later, Pagenaud moved back into second place. From there, the field began to spread out; the new aero kit and high heat removed much of the slingshot drafting that defined the last several 500s, thus allowing Carpenter to pull out a roughly two second advantage by the time the first pit stops came. The opening round of stops came around lap 30, with Carpenter maintaining his lead, but Kanaan andJosef Newgardenjumped up to second and third respectively after slightly earlier stops gave the duo an advantage of fresher tires for a few laps. Pagenaud,Hélio Castroneves,and Power rounded up the top six after the first stops were done.
The first caution period of the race came at lap 47 whenTakuma Satocame up on backmarkerJames Davison.Davison, who had been running significantly slower than the rest of the field for several laps, tried to remain high through turn 3 to keep out of the way, but with such speed differential, Sato was unable to avoid Davison's car and collided with Davison's left-rear wheel. Davison's car spun around and continued sliding until it impacted the turn 4 wall, while Sato was able to guide his car to rest in the grass on the inside of turn 4. During the caution, most of the field pitted with Carpenter, Kanaan, and Power emerging first from pit lane. The lead moved toZachary Claman DeMelo,who elected not to pit during the caution.
Racing resumed at lap 56, with Carpenter and Kanaan passing DeMelo almost as soon as the green flag waved. The green flag period was short lived, though, as, on lap 58,Ed Joneslost control of his car in turn 2, spun around, and impacted the outside wall. Jones emerged from the car under his own power, but was later transported to hospital after complaining of head and neck pain. As the caution flew again, the running order was Carpenter, Kanaan, Newgarden, Pagenaud, DeMelo, Power.
Racing once again resumed at lap 64, with Kanaan getting the jump on Carpenter and taking the lead into turn 1. The next lap, the lead switched back, as Carpenter made his way back around Kanaan into turn one to resume first place. Once again, the green flag stint proved to be short; on lap 68,Danica Patricklost control of her car in turn 2 in similar fashion to Jones, spinning around and impacting the outside wall before sliding back across the track and impacting the inside wall. Patrick's final 500 resulted in a lowly 30th-place finish. Few drivers elected to pit during the caution, with Newgarden, DeMelo, andRobert Wickensthe only major takers.
The next restart came on lap 73, with Kanaan once again passing Carpenter for the lead heading into turn 1, while Power moved into third place after passing Pagenaud. This running order remained unchanged until pit stops came again around lap 90. During the sequence, Power jumped both Kanaan and Carpenter and moved into the lead when cars running out-of-sequence on pit strategy all pitted by lap 106. On lap 99, Kanaan's chances of picking up a second Indy victory were dashed when he picked up a puncture, forcing him back to the pit lane and placing him one lap down.
Second half
edit
Shortly after halfway, rookieKyle Kaiserdropped out of the race with mechanical issues, the only rookie to retire from the race. Up front, Power held a commanding 4.7 second lead of Carpenter, but the gap would close back down to just over a second whenStefan Wilsonmanaged to un-lap himself on lap 121. By lap 127, pit stops once again came, with Power maintaining his place ahead of Carpenter. On lap 138, the fourth caution period of the day came, whenSébastien Bourdaislost control of his car coming off of turn 3 while running close behindAlexander Rossi.Bourdais attempted to save his car in the north short-chute, but spun around completely and impacted the turn 4 wall. With the field bunched back up again and drivers off-sequence pitting during the yellow, the running order ran Power, Carpenter, Pagenaud,Ryan Hunter-Reay,and Castroneves.
The restart came at lap 145, with Power quickly pulling away. Green flag conditions lasted for less than a lap, as coming off of turn 4, Castroneves spun, slid across the track and impacted the inside wall before sliding to a halt on the pit lane. The caution simplified pit stop strategy for most, as it ensured that only one more stop would be necessary during the race.
Racing once again resumed on lap 154 with Power once again opening up his lead. Further back, Rossi, who had started the race from the back row, made his way into the lead group with a daring outside pass through turn 1 and 2 to move him into third ahead of Pagenaud and Hunter-Reay. Caution flew just as quickly as the previous run, though, this time forSage Karamlosing control of his car at the exit of turn 4 and making contact with the outside wall, which ripped the right-rear tire off of Karam's car. During the caution, the front-runners stayed out, while a few drivers, includingOriol Servià,Stefan Wilson,Jack Harvey,andScott Dixonpitted, hoping to get more caution in the remaining laps to move their way to the top of the field.
Racing resumed again at lap 162, with Power once again opening his lead over Carpenter. The running order for front runners remained largely the same until pit stops between lap 170 and 175. Power retained his advantage over Carpenter, but now six off-sequence cars were ahead of him, with Servià leading the way over Wilson, Harvey and Dixon. By lap 185, Power had managed to move back up into fourth, but on lap 188, the caution that the off-sequence drivers needed finally appeared whenTony Kanaanlost control of his car coming off of turn 2 and impacted the outside wall.
Finish
edit
The track went green on lap 194. Race leader Servià was immediately being passed by both Wilson and Harvey; both drivers were critical on fuel, and were gambling on a late caution to conserve enough fuel for victory.[43]Power moved into third on the next lap and began setting his sights on the other two ahead. Power was suddenly promoted to first with only four laps left when both Wilson and Harvey dived into pit lane for fuel. The next lap, Servià pitted from second, leaving Power with an over 2 second advantage over Carpenter. With a large lead, Power was able to cruise to victory, securing his first victory at the race and becoming the first Australian to take victory in the 500. It was alsoRoger Penske's 17th Indy 500 victory as a car owner.[44]For his victory, Power took away $2.52 million.[45]Rookie of the year honors went toRobert Wickens,who led two laps en route to a ninth-place finish.[46]
Box score
editWFormer Indianapolis 500 winner
RIndianapolis 500 Rookie
All entrants utilizedFirestonetires.
1Points include qualification points fromTime Trials,1 point for leading a lap, and 2 points for most laps led.
Race statistics
editChampionship standings after the race
edit
|
|
- Note:Only the top five positions are included.
Broadcasting
editTelevision
editFor the 54th and last straight year, the race wastelevisedin the United States byABC.NBC Sportsannounced in March 2018 that it had acquired the broadcast television rights to the IndyCar Series beginning in 2019 under a three-year deal (complementing the current cable rightsholderNBCSN), with a package of races onNBC(including the 500) replacing the existing package of races on ABC. It ended a relationship between the race and ABC dating back to1965.[47]
In the United States, the 2018 Indianapolis 500 was the least-watched edition of the race since the inception of live flag-to-flag coverage, with a 3.4 overnight rating (in comparison to the 3.6 rating it received in 2017).[48]
Carb Day, the final practice session, along with thePit Stop ChallengeandFreedom 100,were carried onNBCSN.The booth announcers for NBCSN were Kevin Lee,Townsend BellandPaul Tracy.The pit reporters were Marty Snider,Jon Beekhuis,Katie Hargitt, andRobin Miller.Lee was joined in the booth byAnders KrohnandKyle Kaiserfor the Freedom 100 coverage.
| ABCTelevision | |
|---|---|
| Booth Announcers | Pit/garage reporters |
|
Host:Nicole Briscoe |
|
| Marty Smith(pre-race) | |
Radio
editThe race was carried by theIndianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network.Mark Jaynes served as the chief announcer for the third year. New to the broadcast was driver analystAnders Krohn,and pit reporter Ryan Myrehn. As had been in three previous years (2010, 2012–13) the turn one position was vacated. It was decided that the chief announcer in the Pagoda had a clear view of turn one, and a separate reporter was not necessary.Jerry Baker,who had been stationed in turn one dating back to 1986, was absent from the crew entirely, and did not take a substitute booth role as he did in 2010, 2012 and 2013. It was the first time Baker was not part of the crew in any on-air role since his first year in 1974.
1070 The Fanbroadcast nightly beginning May 7 withTrackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee,followed byDonald Davidson'sThe Talk of Gasoline Alley.
| Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| Booth Announcers | Turn Reporters | Pit/garage reporters |
|
Chief Announcer:Mark Jaynes |
Turn 1:not used |
Rob Howden Dave Furst Ryan Myrehn Michael Young |
| Dave Wilson(Garages/Hospital) | ||
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External links
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