What to Read From the Open Test

Posted in IndyCar on May 7, 2026 by Oilpressure


Back in 2019, Paul Dalbey of Fieldof33 and I decided to do some virtual videos with him at his home in Illinois, and me in Nashville. This was to supplement the One Take Only videos once John went on his self-inflicted hiatus. What did Paul and I decide to call this series of videos? Two Sites Unite.

Over the years, that title has become something of a misnomer, since Paul hasn’t posted anything to his site since May of 2023. I mistakenly said August of 2024 on the latest video, but that was incorrect. But Paul has three kids ranging from 18 to 5 (maybe 6). He’s a little busier than me in his off time.

Anyway, it seems that we now only get together virtually during the Month of May these days. There is not as much foolishness as what went on with One Take Only. We mostly talk hard core racing, as we have done in this one below. We plan to do another one of these the week of the race.

In this episode, we talk about the viability and potential future of the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis. We also discuss last week’s Open Test in detail, before looking a couple of weeks ahead to the Indianapolis 500. It’s a fairly interesting and lively discussion that doesn’t veer too much off topic.

So pour a cup of coffee and sit back and listen for 37-minutes. You don’t necessarily have to watch us sit and talk. I don’t drop photos or videos in. I actually know how to do that, but it takes a lot more time. So, consider this a very amateur audio podcast with video.

George Phillips

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 Trivia Contest

Posted in IndyCar on May 6, 2026 by Oilpressure


It is time once again for the Annual Oilpressure.com Trivia Contest. It’s when you get to separate yourself from the general pack, and put your Indianapolis 500 trivia knowledge on display.

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We Could Use Another Buick Today

Posted in IndyCar on May 5, 2026 by Oilpressure


It was less than two weeks ago that we got the thirty-third entry confirmed for this year’s Indianapolis 500. For the past few years, we generally have either the required thirty-three or an extra car to mandate bumping for one car. While it’s much more dramatic and entertaining than qualifying thirty-three cars, it still makes Bump Day feel like a former shell of itself.

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What an Incredible and Inspirational Person!

Posted in IndyCar on May 4, 2026 by Oilpressure


The Month of May has gotten off to a very somber start. We are now mourning two racing legends who never once drove in the Indianapolis 500. Last week we were mourning the loss of Merle Bettenhausen. Over the weekend, we were saddened to learn that the motorsports world had lost Alex Zanardi at the age of 59.

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Welcome to the Month of May!

Posted in IndyCar on May 1, 2026 by Oilpressure


Welcome to another Month of May! Unfortunately, we begin the month on a sad note. Merle Bettenhausen passed away this past Wednesday. Many of you know that Merle had a stroke about three weeks ago. Reports were that he was stable, but had a long road ahead of him. Apparently things took a turn for the worse. He was the last of the racing Bettenhausens. His older brother Gary, who had 21 Indianapolis 500 starts from 1968 to 1993, passed away in 2014. His younger brother, Tony, was tragically killed in an airplane crash along, with his wife Shirley (McElreath) Bettenhausen in 2000.

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The Open Test is Now Complete

Posted in Indianapolis 500 on April 29, 2026 by Oilpressure


The 2026 Open Test is now in the books. It was a good two-day stretch that saw only a little over an hour lost to weather. Both days were partly sunny, cool and breezy – much like what everyone can experience in a couple of weeks.

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Day Two of the Open Test

Posted in Indianapolis 500 on April 29, 2026 by Oilpressure


Good morning from a damp Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It rained overnight as was expected; but I think the hope was that the track would be dry by 10:00 am, It wasn’t. It is now 11:15 am as I type and the first few cars have now taken they track. The new schedule is as follows: 11:15 to 1:15 all eligible cars; 1:15 to 2:15 Katherine Legge Refresher; 2:15 to 5:00 all eligible cars.

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