Indianapolis, IN
‘We’re a bunch of psychos’: Crashing is part of the job for Indy 500 drivers
Alexander Rossi shares update on injuries sustained at practice
ECR’s Alexander Rossi shares an update on injuries sustained during Monday’s crash.
INDIANAPOLIS – Putting a revolving panel of 33 race car drivers in front of dozens of reporters on and off over a couple of weeks might be as good a metaphor for the Indianapolis 500 as there is.
Every lap takes us closer to the finish, and although not every one is exciting there’s usually some captivating entertainment along the way.
Here’s a collection of some of the insightful and interesting comments – and some silliness – from media day ahead of the 110th running May 24 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Perspective on crashing from three drivers
After crashing during practice May 18 and undergoing a small outpatient procedure on his right ankle, front-row qualifier Alexander Rossi has been cleared to drive.
Not that there was a doubt in his mind.
“Unfortunately I’ve crashed twice here. Both times have been turn two,” Rossi said. “I recovered from that. I don’t see this being any different.
“We crash race cars. That’s part of the job description.”
Rossi needs crutches to get around because he can’t put weight on the ankle, but he was able to get in and out of his car, drive on the simulator and react to situations to the satisfaction of IndyCar medical officials. Rossi will have a brace on his foot, but was able to wear his usual shoe.
Before knowing for certain Rossi had been cleared, Conor Daly was asked about the drivers’ mindset in regard to injuries.
“We’re a bunch of psychos, honestly,” Daly said. “If you have this job, you’re very lucky to have this job, so you don’t want to let that go away at all.
“You’d have to rip his limbs off to have him not in that car.”
Pato O’Ward was caught up in Rossi’s crash and also will race a backup car.
At Indy, where qualifying laps average more than 230 mph, a high percentage of crashes are brutal, O’Ward said, and yet there cannot be any second-guessing.
“But after you have that first shunt, one, you definitely feel more like a man when you get back in it, and two, I feel like it just puts some reality into your head,” O’Ward said. “Like dude, you’re moving. You need to be aware of your surroundings, be careful who you’re running [around]. You do grow quite a bit. At least I did.
“I way much rather would be doing this than doing something else. … We are kind of risking our lives, but this is straight-up badass.”
The Penske-fication of Andretti Global
For the first time since 2009, two-time IndyCar series champion and 2018 Indy 500 winner Will Power is at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a team not named Penske.
Andretti Global is happy to have that experience at its disposal.
“There’s a lot of things that we’ve been able to kind of bounce off him to figure out exactly what we need,” said Andretti driver Kyle Kirkwood, who is again a title contender. “Fortunately with him coming in with his experience and his work ethic, it’s been a big push for our team because he’s like, well, these were the expectations when I was driving at the other place and we were winning races, so these are now the expectations now.
“I think it’s kind of pushed people along really, really nicely, and it’s been a really good atmosphere among the team with him involved and kind of pushing us. There’s been a lot of positives out of his tenure so far.”
During Power’s time at Penske, the organization has collected six of its 20 Indianapolis victories and five of its 17 series titles while Andretti won three 500s and one championship.
Don’t say the ‘r’ word
The weather forecast for the weekend and beyond leaves a bit to be desired.
After a long two weeks, most drivers and teams are ready to move on come late Sunday afternoon. In fact the full-time teams have to turn the page quickly. They’re on track in Detroit five days later. But not everyone.
“I’ll do it on Thursday, I don’t care,” said 33rd starter Jack Harvey, who has no more races on his 2026 driving schedule. “We have to extend this month as long as we can.”
Pick a finger
Times change. So do the gestures from angry drivers.
“The thumbs-up has become the new middle finger,” second-year starter Louis Foster said. “’I feel like maybe we’ve become a bit more politically correct over the years and gone to a thumbs-up.
“Which I think is even worse. If someone cuts me off when I’m driving, I don’t middle finger them, I thumbs-up them, ‘You’re a great driver, man.’ I haven’t seen anyone flip me off recently.”
That brings us back to Rossi and his injuries from his crash. In addition to the procedure he had on his right ankle, he suffered an injury to a finger on his left hand.
Which finger?
“I can’t show you that one,” he said. “I’ll get in a lot of trouble.”
Those other racing sausages
The “Weenie 500” featuring the six Oscar Meyer Wienermobiles was an instant hit in 2025, so naturally it is back. Last-row starter Sting Ray Robb is among the IndyCar drivers scheduled to serve as crew chiefs.
“I think the jokes write themselves,” he said. And indeed they do.
“You want to relish that opportunity, I guess,” responded IndyCar’s Dave Furst, the moderator.
“It’s good that you mustered the courage to get that pun out,” preceded the next question.
Indianapolis, IN
Katie Ledecky, Gretchen Walsh, Jack Alexy Highlight Strong Lineup For Indianapolis (Psych Sheets)
2026 Indianapolis Pro Series
The Indianapolis Pro Series stop next weekend will serve as the final stop of the Pro Series before the 2026 Pan Pac Championships that will take place in Irvine in August. Pre-scratch psych sheets revealed a star-studded lineup including Katie Ledecky, Gretchen Walsh, Ryan Murphy, and Jack Alexy.
The meet will serve as the first competition since both Ledecky and Walsh competed at the 2026 Fort Lauderdale Open at the end of April and into May. Ledecky won the 800 and 1500 freestyles in Fort Lauderdale. Walsh swam to another World Record, lowering her own record in the long course 100 fly as she touched in a 54.33.
Ledecky trains at the University of Florida and much of her training group will be in attendance as Bobby Finke, Emma Weyant, and Kieran Smith. Walsh trains at Virginia, and much of the Virginia group will be in attendance as Kate Douglass, Alex Walsh, Isabelle Stadden, Anna Moesch, and Claire Curzan highlight the psych sheets as well. Cal training partners Jack Alexy and Ryan Murphy highlight the group from Cal that also includes names such as Lucas Henveaux, Gabe Jett, and Ryan Erisman.
Notably not on the psych sheets is the large training group out of Texas under Bob Bowman that includes names such as Regan Smith, Shaine Casas, Chris Guiliano, Luke Hobson, and Carson Foster. Erin Gemmell will be in attendance for Longhorn Aquatics.
Katie Ledecky‘s Lineup:
- 200 free: #1 seed
- 400 free: #1 seed
- 800 free: #1 seed
- 1500 free: #1 seed
Gretchen Walsh‘s Lineup:
- 100 fly: #1 seed
- 50 back: #7 seed
- 50 free: #1 seed
Ryan Murphy‘s Lineup:
- 100 back: #1 seed
- 50 back: #42 seed (seeded with a 100 back time)
Jack Alexy‘s Lineup:
- 200 free: #14 seed
- 50 back: #16 seed
- 50 free: #1 seed
- 100 free: #1 seed
U.S. Pan Pac Roster Set To Compete In Indianapolis:
Almost all of the US women’s roster for Pan Pacs will be in Indianapolis as 21 out of 26 women on the roster are on the pre-scratch psych sheets. The men’s side includes 16/26 members of the Pan Pac roster, with most of the “no’s” coming from the Texas men.
INDIANAPOLIS — A person was fatally shot on the north side of Indianapolis Wednesday morning, according to police.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department says officers were dispatched to investigate a shots fired incident in the 6700 block of Woodmere Circle in the Delaware Trails area, west of Hoover Road, around 5:41 a.m.
They arrived and located a person suffering a gunshot wound.
IMPD originally reported their condition as “awake and breathing,” though the person died sometime after arriving at a hospital.
According to Public Information Officer Drew Brown, the person who called police was the shooter in the incident.
He told police that two masked individuals approached him before shots were fired. The shooter is cooperating with law enforcement, police said.
Another person was detained on scene; IMPD did not identify or state their role in the incident.
This is a developing story.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Officers with an FBI violent crimes task force on Tuesday arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with a May 28 shooting that injured a boy and a man, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said in a media notification.
The name of the arrested man and his jail booking photo were not released due to an ongoing investigation, IMPD said.
The names and ages of the two people who were shot have not been publicly shared.
As News 8 previously reported, IMPD officers responded about 5:20 p.m. May 28 to a report of a person shot in the 3100 block of Baltimore Terrace in Indianapolis. That’s at The Martindale apartments off East 30th Street, northeast of downtown Indianapolis, and just northwest of the intersection of East 30th Street and North Keystone Avenue.
The boy and man shot were taken to hospitals by Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services in stable but serious condition.
An IMPD report said a handgun was used in the aggravated assault.
IMPD said the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office will make the final charging decision in the case.
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