Indianapolis, IN
Ericsson “can’t believe” he backed off on Indy 500 last-chance qualifying lap
Former F1 racer Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, was on course to make the field when he backed off at the end of his third tour of the four-lap qualifying run.
After realizing his error, he got back up to speed but it was too late to set a representative speed.
That meant he had to sit in the pits, cooling his car, before a last-gasp final run which ended inside the final five minutes of the session – and sealed his 32nd position on the grid.
“It was tough for sure,” said Ericsson. “This was even harder than the last few years, especially after my mistake there on my first run when we were safely in – can’t believe I did that.
“Then I had to sit there and wait and think about that I had one shot to make the race. I had to hit that run; I knew the car was hot from the first run. We had to trim out, and the car has been really difficult to drive since my crash. It was a tough mental challenge.”
When asked by NBC Sports if anything had changed on the radio instructions to count him through the laps from the pitstand, Ericsson replied: “You live and learn right, but it was all on me.
“We’ve done the same all week, it feels like we’ve done 58 qualifying runs and it’s always been the same countdown. It’s on me, I messed that up and I shouldn’t be doing that with my experience.
“We’re going to change procedure on that for sure!”
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda Photo by: Josh Tons / Motorsport Images
His fellow last-chance qualifier Graham Rahal was also relieved to make the field – after his second year of facing an anxious wait to see if his speed was sufficient to make the field.
“We went to bed last night scratching our heads,” said Rahal. “A lot of questions that need to be answer and still do.
“We changed some componentry that we expected to go better, and we went slower today again, which is the fourth day in a row of speed loss. Setup really hasn’t changed, we can see it in the data, but unfortunately, we’ve got to identify what the component is.
“We put on our road course gearbox, which I can guarantee nobody else is running. We just threw on some random uprights, and we tried to make it work, but we lost speed again.”
When asked if he was getting accustomed to the anxiety of potentially being bumped again, he replied: “It never feels calm. It never feels good.
“The way the rules are written for the LCQ, it’s not favorable it on those on the bump. You can’t move.
“If you pull out of line, you pull your time, you’re not allowed to make the adjustments on the car that you would like to proactively.
“You’ve got to wait to see and then pull and go again.”
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A 21-year-old man was arrested and accused of raping a University of Indianapolis student on campus.
Police say the investigation began on Jan. 24 when University of Indianapolis Police received a call from a woman who said she believed she was drugged at a bar in downtown Indianapolis and then raped in her dorm room.
Court documents say she met Marwan Khalaf of Noblesville at the Metro Bar on Massachusetts Avenue and went back to her dorm room, where he repeatedly raped her. When she woke up one of the last times, he was gone.
According to court documents, she next went to shower and passed out again. She woke up in the shower at 7 a.m. Jan. 24 and called 911.
The student told investigators she had gone out alone on Jan. 23 and took an Uber to a few bars downtown before arriving at the Metro Bar at 12:51 a.m. Jan. 24. Court documents state that’s where she met Khalaf and they danced together.
Court documents say the bar refused to serve the student a drink because she was already intoxicated when she arrived. Khalaf then bought her a shot and they asked her to leave. She says Khalaf left with her and offered to take her home.
The student says she recalls his car being “parked directly across the street from Metro.” According to UIPD Detective Jay Arnold, the student’s identification card was used to enter the dorm at 2:13 a.m.
In an interview with detectives, Khalaf admitted to being at the bar and kissing her, but denied having sexual contact with the student. He told detectives he took care of her because she was drunk and said he left the dorm when it became light outside because his mother was calling him.
Khalaf has been charged with two counts of rape and one count of sexual battery.
Indianapolis-area students speak on proposed ILEA changes
Students from both Shortridge High School and KIPP Indy Public Schools speak on the proposed models from the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance.
The signers of a recent statement by the African American Coalition of Indianapolis questioning who speaks for the Black community raise concerns about process while our students of color continue to be left behind in a public education system that offers too little opportunity and too few positive outcomes.
We agree that parents and students should be heard, which is why we’re troubled that our voices were overlooked during the public process led by the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance. We were present at nearly every ILEA meeting, sharing our personal experiences and asking leaders to take bold action, and we spent months discussing and researching ideas before offering a series of recommendations to improve schools in both IPS and the charter sector.
For many of us, speaking up to improve public education in our city goes back years. We have consistently focused on stronger accountability for all schools within IPS and on growing what works in communities that most need quality schools. So we have to ask: Did you not hear us? Or did you choose to ignore us because our opinions don’t align with yours? Are you now trying to diminish our voices by suggesting that our affiliation with certain organizations means we can’t think or speak for ourselves?
Let us be clear. Our advocacy is driven by our own experiences, and it is these perspectives that add value to the debate we’re having as a community. We live in neighborhoods that are directly impacted by the opportunity gap. It takes courage to advocate, and when voices like ours are attacked, it discourages others in our community from standing up and speaking out.
We strongly support IPS — many of us attended the district as children and have our own students there now. We also support a system of quality charter schools, and we will continue to advocate for both despite attempts to pit sectors against one another. While these recent words and claims are unfair and deeply hurtful, we remain dedicated to bringing voices together to solve problems.
It is time to stop the toxic politics of school type and focus on progress for children, especially Black and brown students who have been harmed by a tragic opportunity gap that has existed for generations. While House Bill 1423 is not perfect, we see it as the best opportunity in many years to hold all schools accountable for improved results, expand transportation and access across IPS, and move toward financial stability across the system.
You may disagree with us on the policy, and that is OK. But please do not dismiss our voices or discount our stories, which represent so many in IPS who simply want a high-quality, safe public school experience for their children.
LaToya Hale, Greg Henson, Dontia Dyson, Cristal Salgado and Swantella Nelson are Indianapolis parents.
WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Westfield officials say the historic Green Building will relocate as part of the 32Connects project, in partnership with Indiana Department of Transportation.
The move is set for 8 a.m. Thursday and move north from its current location, along State Road 32 near Union Street, up to near the Basile Westfield Playhouse.
Officials say in order to safely complete the move the intersection of Union Street and State Road 32 will be closed beginning at 4 a.m. Thursday.
The intersection will reopen by 5 p.m. and detours will be in place.
If the weather causes delays, the move will shift to Friday.
This story was written using a script that was aired on WISH-TV.
Bodies of 2 young girls found in suitcases in Cleveland’s South Collinwood neighborhood
Texas Primary: Breakdown of Texas races
Alabama NAACP Releases 2026 Selma Jubilee Weekend Schedule
These lines are adding Alaska cruises. Is your favorite on the list?
Arizona Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for March 3, 2026
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
Video: Senators Question Kristi Noem on ICE Immigration Tactics
Combustible Republican Senate primary in Texas heading into overtime
Hungarian veto proves EU needs less unanimity, says new Dutch PM
Pregnant migrant girls are being sent to a Texas shelter flagged as medically risky
Fraud-plagued Minnesota sues Trump admin for withholding $243M in Medicaid payments
-
World6 days agoExclusive: DeepSeek withholds latest AI model from US chipmakers including Nvidia, sources say
-
Massachusetts7 days agoMother and daughter injured in Taunton house explosion
-
Denver, CO7 days ago10 acres charred, 5 injured in Thornton grass fire, evacuation orders lifted
-
Louisiana1 week agoWildfire near Gum Swamp Road in Livingston Parish now under control; more than 200 acres burned
-
Oregon5 days ago2026 OSAA Oregon Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets – FloWrestling
-
Florida3 days agoFlorida man rescued after being stuck in shoulder-deep mud for days
-
Maryland3 days agoAM showers Sunday in Maryland
-
Culture1 week agoTry This Quiz on Thrilling Books That Became Popular Movies