INDIANAPOLIS – Austin Cindric attended races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway most of his life, dreaming of the day he could compete on the historic 2.5-mile oval.
On Sunday, he’ll finally get a chance to join his racing heroes.
Yes, NASCAR and race officials ended their three-year attempt to rev up fans with a 200-mile road-course event by returning to the track’s more revered oval and original title, Brickyard 400, for the 30th anniversary of Cup racing in Indy.
“I do love this racetrack and I’ve watched way more laps on the oval than I’ve driven,” said Cindric, the son of Team Penske President Tim Cindric. “You know, I haven’t experienced the Brickyard 400 myself, so I’m certainly excited to see what it’s all like and at least drive the correct direction around the track.”
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It won’t be an entirely new experiences for Cindric.
He did start two Xfinity races on the oval before becoming a full-time Cup driver in 2022. But even this 25-year-old rising star recognizes that winning on the road course, as he did in the 2021 Xfinity race in Indy, wasn’t the same.
Cindric is hardly an anomaly. He was one of 10 drivers turning their first official Cup-level laps in Friday’s lone practice session. Qualifying is scheduled for Saturday afternoon with the race set for Sunday.
Like many drivers, though, Cindric and many other drivers thought the change was long overdue.
“Even when I won here in 2020, it was on the road course and to me, I still kissed the same bricks, I still climbed the same fence, I was still inside Indianapolis Motor Speedway and I was a winner here,” Chase Briscoe said. “But I mean, it certainly means a little bit more, when it’s on the oval. When you think about the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the history is on the oval. It’s not on the road course.”
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Series and track officials have spent decades searching for ways to bring back the large crowd that welcomed the inaugural Brickyard race 1994 and really started waning after the 2008 race was marred by tire wear.
They changed the dates, moving it to September, even making it the final race before the playoff before settling on July. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, they added an IndyCars to the weekend schedule, creating a rare double feature of America’s top two racing series in one place and they used the Xfinity race as a road-course test run.
One year later, all three series were on the road course, and the complaints never really dissipated. So the decision-makers heeded the calls and returned to the oval — minus the open-wheel cars — to the delight of many.
“I don’t think anyone considered the road course a crown jewel race, so it kind of returns back to that status,” said Brad Keselowski, whose 2018 race win makes him the most recent Indy oval winner in the field. “I think that’s huge for our sport and it means a lot to me as a driver and I’m assuming it does for the other drivers as well. So, a welcome return. For me, winning this race and having your name on that crown jewel list, it’s really special.”
Whether racing on the oval helps ticket sales remains unclear though the brief practice session in these newer Cup cars had some drivers, such as Keselowski, contending they behaved more like IndyCars on the track.
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Clearly, that won’t be the only difference Sunday. Pit lane may be more crowded, strategies will change and even Michael McDowell acknowledged he would have a significantly better chance defending his 2023 race win — on the road course.
Still, most believe changing courses is the right call.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to get back to that tradition,” Tyler Reddick said after posting the fastest lap in practice at 182.582 mph. “This is a really tricky race and there was an outcry for wanting to try something different. But I think it’s just the nature of Indianapolis, it desires perfection. If you want to win the race, you can’t have a mistake,”
Reddick sits third in the standings, 15 points behind Chase Elliott with five races left before the playoffs begin.
But to Cindric, who spent his childhood mingling with some of history’s best racers and around one of the world’s most famous tracks, nothing compares to what he’ll experience for the first time this weekend.
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“My earliest memories of racing are at this racetrack, watching cars go around this track more so than anywhere else — on both sides of my family,” he said. “So from that standpoint, when I think of racing, this is what I think of.”
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Source: Policeman on crime scene . Red plastic tape and police officer, gun belt, handcuffs and gun.With a sunshine flare coming in.
INDIANAPOLIS –A man died days after he was tased while fleeing a traffic stop, according to Indiana State Police.
The stop happened just after 2 a.m. Wednesday, May 27, near Holt Road and Oliver Avenue on the southwest side of Indianapolis. A trooper pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation and learned the driver, 53-year-old David Potts, was wanted on a theft warrant out of Hendricks County.
Investigators say Potts resisted when the trooper tried to take him into custody and ran. The trooper chased him on foot and deployed a Taser. Potts was struck, fell into grass near the scene, and later became unresponsive. He died days later. An outside district is reviewing the case, and the trooper involved has been placed on administrative duties, which is standard procedure.
Captain Ron Galaviz said the investigation is still in its early stages.
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More from ISP Captain Ron Galaviz
“We’re going to conduct a thorough investigation, bringing in investigators from an outside district,” Galaviz said.
He said the agency is not drawing conclusions.
“I’m not going to throw blame out,” he said. “We want to get to the truth. We want to get to the bottom of these instances just as much as everybody wants answers.”
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David Potts’ brother, Jason Potts, described him as someone who was well-liked and good-hearted.
“He was a very likable guy, funny guy, you know, and I’ve gotten along with everybody. Good-hearted, good man. You didn’t deserve to go out like this, but for sure, no one does,” Jason Potts said.
He also questioned the investigation process.
Hear From David Potts’ Brother
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“I think someone else should be able to review the investigation because they may be partial to their own people,” he said.
Galaviz said the agency is following a step-by-step process.
“We’re not going to skip steps to facilitate something that would be a completed job,” he said. “We want to be as thorough and as comprehensive as we can, making sure we’re gathering all the facts.”
He said transparency includes accountability when needed.
“Our investigations have led to prosecutions of our own,” Galaviz said. “We have nothing to hide.”
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Jason Potts also raised concerns about medical findings in the case.
“The doctor’s report stated that he went 40 minutes without oxygen to the brain. I think that is negligence on the Indiana State Police Department,” he said.
Galaviz also emphasized cooperation during police encounters.
“Voluntary compliance with what the officer is asking for is always the best practice,” he said. “That’s the best course of action whether you agree with the reason you’ve been stopped or not.”
He added that traffic stops carry risks for everyone involved.
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“We’re seeing incidents like this all across the country,” Galaviz said. “It adds to a heightened sense of awareness—being aware of our surroundings, including what’s happening inside a vehicle or with anybody our troopers are interacting with.”
Galaviz said the agency is taking its time with the investigation.
INDIANAPOLIS — A man was injured in a shooting at a gas station on the near east side of Indianapolis Sunday night.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to a Marathon gas station located at 1453 E. Washington St. around 9:03 p.m. to investigate a shooting. When police arrived at the scene, they located a man who appeared to have sustained injuries consistent with gunshot wounds.
The man was transported from the scene to a local hospital after the shooting. IMPD reported that the man is currently in stable condition.
Police believe multiple suspects may have been involved in the shooting. Investigators also indicated that the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle after the shooting.
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IMPD is working obtain security camera video from the gas station’s management team. Detectives hope that, once they have the security footage in hand, they will be able to identify the suspects or the vehicle they allegedly drove off in after the shooting.
Officers recovered multiple shell casings during their investigation of the shooting. Police also believe the shooting was targeted.
“Violence isn’t the answer,” IMPD Night Watch Captain Richard Ray said during a media briefing Sunday night. “A moment of anger can lead to a lifetime of severe consequences for both the victim and the suspect and persons involved. This not a way to resolve situations. Communication is the key, violence isn’t the key. We just need people to learn to resolve their differences amicably, and we can prevent things like these.”
IMPD confirmed that at least one person was working at the gas station when the shooting happened. Investigators also contend that the shooting happened at the gas station itself. Police do not think the shooting was a drive-by.
As of this article’s publication, no additional information on the shooting had been made available.
The NFL’s cyclical calendar hits another important checkpoint tomorrow at 4:00 PM EST, on June 1. This is a time in the calendar that bridges the gap between key periods of roster management — free agency and the draft — and the annual summer moratorium that each team has in June.
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The June 1st date, however, is a designation that allows teams to manipulate their cap situations, specifically for the upcoming season. This layer enables teams to save money for the immediate season while pushing off what remains to be addressed in the following year(s), whether that be via a cut or trade.
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Sports Illustrated’s Mike Kadlick broke down the importance of this date back in March:
When a player is released or traded around the start of the new league year (mid-March), their remaining prorated bonus money and guaranteed salary accelerates onto the team’s upcoming season’s cap and becomes what’s called “dead money”—a charge for a player no longer on the roster. When that same move occurs after June 1, however, teams are able to spread that dead cap-hit over two seasons instead of taking the entire hit in one year.
Mike Kadlick, On SI
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As for the Indianapolis Colts, there are a handful of cut/trade candidates that they could entertain. The tricky part with the June 1st date is that each of these cut/trade candidates will likely remain as such even after the fact, as the designation in question doesn’t offer much additional cap space compared to other examples across the league.
These candidates are the most likely to be moved, though it’s not necessarily due to the June 1st checkpoint in question.
In no particular order, we break down the candidates who could be dealt, providing an analysis of their situation, a likelihood they’ll be moved, whether it’s via trade or release, and an assessment of whether such a move would be beneficial for the team.
Anthony Richardson Sr.
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Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. (5) walks on the field Wednesday, May 27, 2026, during practice at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center in Indianapolis. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The Colts’ first-round pick (4th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft has been back practicing with the team after no trade materialized following the 2026 draft cycle. Despite this, Richardson and his camp have not yet rescinded the trade request, so he could still be traded at any time before the regular-season trade deadline.
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Richardson’s time in Indianapolis is now set to conclude once his rookie contract runs out following the 2026-27 season. He has a $10.8 million cap hit for the upcoming season, and although that’s a pricey payday for a projected QB3, the Colts have almost no reason to release him.
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The Colts would not save any money if they cut Richardson, but they would if they could find a trade partner. Indianapolis would save $5.38 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season if they traded Richardson, though that would’ve been the case if he was traded prior to June 1st.
Keeping Anthony Richardson Sr. around while he focuses on making the most of his situation does less harm than good for the Colts because of Daniel Jones’s rehab. While Jones has been an active participant in individual drills throughout OTAs thus far, having Richardson around for team reps will help the rest of the team.
It’d be best for both parties to find a trade suitor for Richardson ahead of the regular season, but even if he winds up playing out his rookie contract in Indianapolis, having Richardson in the bullpen for the same price as it’d be to cut him is the best course of action.
Grover Stewart
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Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart (90) prepares for a drill Monday, July 28, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
I’d be remiss not to immediately preface that there is almost no reality where the Colts cut longtime defensive tackle Grover Stewart, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding DeForest Buckner’s return to form as he works back from a serious neck injury, but Spotrac listed Stewart as one of the NFL’s biggest cut candidates.
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I get where they’re coming from, as cutting Stewart would save $12.25 million in cap space, but the Colts are in no position to move on from one of their biggest mainstay contributors without a succession plan in place, especially this deep into the offseason.
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Fourth-year defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore has blossomed into a legitimate piece across the defensive front, and newcomer Colby Wooden has become the Colts’ most underrated move in the offseason, but Indianapolis would be fools to move on from Grover Stewart just to save a chunk of money.
Stewart is 33 years old as he enters the last year of his deal with the Colts, but Indianapolis should be more focused on finding a way to make him a Colt for life as opposed to deciding whether or not they should abruptly fire him just as OTAs have kicked off.
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Jaylon Jones
Dec 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) reacts in the second half against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Jaylon Jones is entering the final year of his rookie contract and may ultimately serve as the Colts’ surprise training camp cut once it’s all said and done. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo’s scheme proved to be ill-suited for Jones during their first season together in 2025, therefore his potential release would more so be due to a schematic disconnect.
June 1st wouldn’t affect Jones’s dead cap situation, though; therefore, his release will save the Colts $3.74 million in cap space regardless of its designation.
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Jones is by no means lacking in talent, but it was evident that his playstyle isn’t something Lou Anarumo covets. Colts 2025 UDFA signing Johnathan Edwards started in five games as a rookie compared to Jones’s two starts in Anarumo’s first year, and with an even deeper cornerback room heading into 2026, Jones will have to prove himself as someone you can’t stomach cutting if he wants to make the opening-day roster.
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