(5-11-05) When the Speedway opens for practice today at noon Indy time, it could be 81 degrees and on the way to a high of 85. There is also a forecast of possible strong thunder storms late in the afternoon that could spoil Happy Hour runs, but let's hope the bad weather will come later in the evening. I'll be here when the track opens...

The track is closed for the day for moisture. I have  been watching Chip Ganassi on SportsCenter, and he has confirmed another O/IRR scoop, that TCGR does have three Dallara's, as posted here two weeks ago, again, you read it here first and free. Chip also confirmed that Toyota has found more horsepower, and they will have the engines by Friday. Here is the final T&S chart as posted by IndyCar T&S.

(5:35, IMS time) Here is the rain, track under caution for "moisture," they are reporting on SportsCenter at the Indy 500 that Buddy Rice will miss this weekend's "Q" runs, and has been admitted to Methodist Hospital.

(5:15, IMS time) Yellow flag, Hornish spins, doesn't say he hit anything. Sam must have had MTP trim the Dallara out too much trying to keep up with the Honda's and Dixon's Panoz

(5:15, IMS time) Richie Hearn has joined the 226 mph club, further proof that the Chevy engine is on a par with Honda, and that the Panoz chassis may be the one to have at IMS. or as the saying goes, horses for courses... Dixon @ 226.816, also in a Panoz, best Toyota speed so far... We are now into Happy Hour... Oh, did I forget to mention that TONY KANAAN JUST BUSTED A 227.452, AND DANICA PATRICK IS 2ND FAST AT 226.9!

(4:30, IMS time) Scott Sharp runs a 226 mph lap to move to 2nd on the speed chart, we are close to Happy Hour, I hope the rain will stay away, but this looks ugly... I also hope it works better than the last link I posted. Back later.

(4:00, IMS time) Under yellow flag for track inspection. Vitor Meira and Scott Sharp above 225. Jaques Lazier building speed in the Playa del Racing car, but not very quickly, he's in the Ed Carpenter, Jeff Ward Paul Dana pack, Jaques close to 216 in 17 laps, very respectable for a brand new team, they're must be some talent there.

yahoo.com photo

Here is a picture of the Buddy Rice crash as shown by yahoo.com That is an oil fire at the back of the car, caused by a ruptured oil reservoir. That is a costly crash, but those back end first crashes usually don't damage the tub, change the engine and the entire bell housing, gearbox, suspension pieces, drive assemblies, tires, wheels and shock absorbers, write the big check, and you are good to go.

(3:05, IMS time) I'm looking at Indy Weather Radar and there appears to be a big cell of wet weather following I-70 up from Terre haute that should hit IMS within the next 30 minutes, late enough to close the track for the day. There are also other weather blips on the screen as well. The cell is just outside I-465, SW of the airport. Here is the link... There are still green flag conditions at IMS. Let me make a correction here, Scott Dixon's speed, mentioned earlier, was in the Panoz car, not the Dallara. T&S now shows a yellow flag condition, and claims an "extended caution while the turns are swept." I forecasted Monday that the track could become very dusty as the high points of the track surface are worn off by high-speed traffic, I'm not sure that is the cause, or that it has gotten windy due to the impending storm, and the turns are full of wind-blown debris. I'm thinking that by the time the sweep the turns, the bad weather will arrive, although they now appear to be passing to the north.

(2:45, IMS time) Buddy Lazier has moved to 4th on the speed chart, and close to 225 mph. T&S shows green flag conditions and no one on the track. 

(2:00, Indy time) Vitor Meira, Adrian Fernandez, Buddy Lazier, and Bruno Junqueira are now above 224 mph. I read a Fernandez PR report yesterday that said he was "in a brand new car," and wondered "what's up with that?" We were told that Adrian was running for Mo Nunn because "he didn't want to take anything away from his own team efforts," and that "Mo had a couple of Panoz cars left over from 2003 that he didn't sell." Now this, I wonder if this means that Mo is out of the picture, or that there will be a 2nd Mo Nunn entry after Adrian is safely in the show? There is one other possibility, that Adrian wants this to be his best shot at Indy, found some sponsorship money and is perhaps going to run the remainder of the IndyCar season, hence the new car. The cars of Paul Dana and Jaques Lazier are now shown as being on pit road. It appears that there is little action on the track, so I will return  at 2:45 IMS time.

(1;45, Indy time) The cars are back on the track and back up to Tuesday speed, with Tony Kanaan setting the pace at 226.242, followed by AGR teammates Wheldon and Franchitti in the 224-225 mph range. Sam Hornish Jr. has the fastest Toyota speed at 224.003, 5th on the speed chart. Buddy Lazier has the fastest Chevy at 222.262, in 7th. Scott Dixon has found some Dallara Toyota speed, and is now at 222.3 mph. I was told last night that the team would get the Panoz car ready to run today, but I don't see that as an indication the team is giving up on the Dallara, all teams that have two "real" cars work both of them to get ready for the Pole Day draw.

(1:20, Indy time) Buddy Rice and Kosuke Matsuura have crashed, as soon as I hear both are OK I'll comment further.  I have a cell phone update from IMS, both drivers appear to be ok, from what I hear from the caller, who was sitting in the turn one infield grandstand, Rice lost control and spun into the wall, and Matsuura had no place to go and made slight contact. The Matsuura car was towed to the pits. Since the T&S link says there will be an extended delay due to SAFER barrier repair, I expect Rice's car got the worst of the damage... I'll be back as soon as they start running again.

(12:15 Indy time) There was a debris caution, but the cars are back on the track now. Jeff Ward ran only a couple of laps yesterday, but is back out today, working up to speed. It will be interesting to see if, with his great Indy 500 record he can work with Larry Curry and solve what ails Vision Racing and Ed Carpenter. Every time you look at a speed chart, Carpenter is in Foyt territory, and every time you watch a race, he is in the fence.

(noon, Indy time) The cars are on the track and the day has begun with dueling Fernandez racers, as first Kosuke Matsuura and then Scott Sharp took a turn at the top of the chart, above 223 mph. Not to be outdone, Matsuura came back with a 224. 393. Meanwhile the boss showed up at the party, and after a s-l-o-w start Tuesday, got right up to 218 to slot in behind Buddy Rice, 4th on the chart.

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