INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — While the top of Thursday’s speed chart was filled with IndyCar’s usual names, many other Indianapolis 500 drivers grew increasingly frustrated with the day’s results.

Graham Rahal complained on the broadcast about how the extra weight in the rear end of his car impacted how it handled around the 2.5-mile oval. Marco Andretti offered a similar critique during his radio communications.

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Santino Ferrucci was so upset with the car, he put all four tires over the white line on the warmup apron, resulting in a drive-thru penalty. Even the seemingly invincible points leader, Alex Palou, went back to the garage to make a change to the No. 10 car.

It was that kind of day on the first day of practice for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” not interrupted by rain.

“Tough day today but we’re just gonna have to crank up the boost, cowboy up and go find what we need,” Rahal wrote on social media following practice.

Rahal, Andretti and Ferrucci finished Thursday near the bottom third of the speed charts. Palou, of course, was closer to the top.

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Drivers knew navigating the series’ new, heavier hybrid cars around the fastest oval in racing could be problematic as far back as the April’s two-day open test when two experienced drivers crashed— 2021 NASCAR champion Kyle Larson and two-time Indy winner Takuma Sato.

What it all means for Friday when drivers get a power boost to increase their speeds before this weekend’s qualifications — or in the May 25 race — remains unclear.

But even some of the fastest drivers at Indy are fighting to figure it all out.

“You’re 100, 110 pounds heavier. That’s a lot of mass percentage wise that you are adding to this car,” two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden said Wednesday. “It’s saturating the tires more. It’s just moving around. Your weight distribution is shifted depending on where teams put it. That’s what people are trying to figure out right now.”

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Sato’s new battle

Sato isn’t just cramming to learn the new cars, he’s also fighting another battle — rust.

The two-time Indy winner spent seven seasons in Formula One before becoming an IndyCar regular from 2010-2022. In 2023, he raced five times for Chip Ganassi Racing. But he hasn’t suited up since last year’s 500. This year, he’s again driving for Rahal Lannigan Letterman Racing.

“It’s not easy,” the Japanese native said Wednesday. “To get out of the car 11 months, close to 12 months, jump in the car and go 230 mph, you feel the speed for sure. The refresher program helped me a lot. So just getting through the speed with an extra two sets of tires, makes me a little more confident or comfortable to the environment to get up to speed.”

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Sato is trying to become the third foreign-born driver with three Indy titles. Helio Castroneves of Brazil has a record-tying four wins. Dario Franchitti of Scotland won three times.

Familiar voices

FOX Sports announced Thursday that it’s bringing two former IndyCar drivers back to the broadcast booth for next week’s race — Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick.

Both have done broadcast work previously and 500 fans may recall hearing Patrick on NBC’s telecasts of the 500.

Patrick was the first woman to lead the race in 2005 and became the highest female finisher in race history when she was third in 2009.

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Stewart grew up in Indiana and won the 1997 IndyCar title before moving to the Cup Series. He won three NASCAR championships and captured two Brickyard 400 wins at his home track, Indianapolis.

Fast Friday sponsor

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced Thursday they have reached a multiyear deal with Turtle Wax to become the presenting sponsor for Fast Friday, the final practice before qualifying is held Saturday and Sunday.

As part of the deal, Turtle Wax also will provide its car-care products to help maintain the entire fleet of speedway vehicles.

“We’re thrilled about this alliance between two iconic Midwest-based brands — Turtle Wax and Indianapolis Motor Speedway — each with a rich history in the automotive world,” the company’s chief marketing officer Daren Herbert said. “Simply put, it’s a match made in speed and shine, and we’re ready to go.”

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Children at Riley Hospital for Children on Wednesday night enjoyed an Indianapolis 500-themed event, meeting drivers and 500 Festival princesses, to lift their spirits as they receive treatment.

The event at the hospital featured race-themed activities and games, providing a fun and engaging environment for young patients and their families. Parents expressed that the event made the hospital experience more enjoyable for their children.

Parent Alex Kibby said, “It makes it a lot easier, you know, when something like this happens and he can get out and be a kid. So, it’s really cool and makes the stay a little easier.”

IndyCar racer Scott Dixon from Chip Ganassi Racing said, “Our situation with having good days and bad days on the race track are nothing compared to what they’re dealing with here. But, you know, I think they are in a great situation. You know, Riley Children’s Hospital are exceptional.”

Organizers of the event emphasized the importance of allowing patients to feel like kids first and patients second. This approach aims to provide a sense of normalcy and joy during their hospital stay.

The Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 25 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

The Indianapolis Colts have begun one of the most interesting quarterback competitions in the NFL, pitting the incumbent Anthony Richardson against newcomer Daniel Jones.

After being made the fourth-overall pick in 2023, Richardson had some major bright spots as a rookie for the Colts, but his season was cut to just four games after a season-ending shoulder injury. He took a big step back in year two, ultimately being benched for a pair of games while also dealing with injuries that cost him four other contests.

The Colts knew that if they were going to move forward with Richardson as their potential starting quarterback, he’d have to be given competition for the spot and earn it the hard way. Thus, they signed Jones early in free agency.

Jones’ career was also looking up at one point with the New York Giants, earning a $160 million contract extension following a breakout 2022 campaign. He was limited to just six games the following season due to a season-ending knee injury (just a few weeks after Richardson’s injury). His 2024 season also went off in disaster, ultimately being benched before asking (and receiving) his release. He then signed on with the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad for the remainder of the season before hitting free agency this March.

Now, the Colts are here, in the throws of a quarterback competition between two players desperately attempting to take control of their careers once again.

Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports has taken notice and tabbed Richardson vs. Jones as one of the biggest quarterback competition headliners in the NFL:

This face-off reminds me of 2019, when the Miami Dolphins traded Ryan Tannehill to the Tennessee Titans and virtually everyone inside the organization believed it was setting up the make-or-break turning point in the starting career of 2015 No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota. At the time, it was billed as adding some competition to the Titans’ quarterback room, with a veteran player who had experienced solid but ultimately fleeting success in his previous stop as a starter. This should sound very familiar in Indianapolis right now, with Jones being added in March on a one-year “prove it” deal to the Colts’ roster, to either take the job from Richardson or spur the soon-to-be 23-year-old into finding a gear he hasn’t been able to reach…

The bottom line? The writing is on the wall for Richardson and it’s in bold letters. He’s going to be painted by the organization as the guy who has the starting quarterback job to lose, when it’s very much likely that he’s the guy who needs to come in and win the position in training camp.

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Robinson also pointed out that Jones has had success in his career when things around him are functioning well, which it is expected to do in Indianapolis with a strong group of skill positions players around him and a functional offensive line.

The fact that Richardson will face competition for the starting quarterback role isn’t unbelievable compared to this time last year, but the fact that it’s Jones sort of is. Not only do these players need to play well, but they also need to prove they can stay healthy.

The Colts’ quarterback competition pits two players together who the team hopes will reach their potential, but at the same time, both players may be facing their final opportunity to be seen as high-potential, long-term starters.

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