Welcome to Day Two of Qualifying
Welcome to a somewhat overcast Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The temperature is 72°, and is supposed to be around 78° for the Last Row Shootout. By mid-afternoon, the temperature should be around 83° when the Firestone Fast Nine runs.
Even after thinking about it overnight, I still think that Team Penske will figure out a way to get Will Power into the field. I’m also fairly confident that they will somehow get the team they have an association with – Paretta Autosport – onto the final grid. That leaves three other drivers to vie for the last starting spot.
Among the three, Sage Karam and his Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team have recent experience a this. Karam was in this position two years ago when there were three cars that ended up going home. He was one of the ones that made it into the Last Row. Until yesterday, they had been fairly competitive for the month. I think Karam will find a way back into next Sunday’s race.
That leaves RC Enerson and Charlie Kimball as the ones I think will be the ones without a chair when the music stops. I think most are in agreement regarding Enerson. He’s a talented driver, but he is a rookie and IMS and so is his team. That’s a tall order when you are trying to beat veteran drivers with teams that have been coming here for decades.
As I alluded to last evening, yesterday I heard about some discord among Charlie Kimball and his team. I was called out by someone under a fake name, claiming I was trying to pass myself off as an insider. No, and I very rarely quote “High Grade Rumors” here. But I do know a few people around here, and I was told a fairly graphic account about something that happened after Fast Friday practice. I won’t go into it because I don’t want to get this person in trouble. I’m not a reporter that breaks stories, I’m a blogger that offers up my own opinions on the news that’s already out there. I think in the more than twelve years I’ve run this site, I’ve quoted something I heard in the rumor mill about three times. When I do, rest assured that I feel confident in the accuracy of it, because the few times I’ve reported a rumor – they have all turned out to be true. End of rant.
After the drama provided by the Last Row Shootout, we then get to watch the run for the pole in the Firestone Fast Nine. I’m still going with Tony Kanaan to win the pole. That is more of an emotional pick, but I’m sticking with it.
I will be back for a brief wrap-up this afternoon and then my "Random Thoughts on Monday. In the meantime, please follow me on Twitter at @Oilpressureblog for comments, photos and videos. Please check back later.
George Phillips
Oilpressure 
May 23, 2021 at 11:37 am
Will Power has the speed to make it. He was running yesterday pretty consistently around 229. But your heart is ruling you thoughts on Somona, I think. She was pretty slow. I think she’ll be one of the two left out.
It was great being back at the track yesterday. But I do have two complaints. First time I ever attended Quals and was not allowed to park in the infield. I hope that is not a permanent change. And not allowing the use of cash. Really??
May 23, 2021 at 11:41 am
I think both of those are isolated to this year. They are losing out on revenue by going cashless. I know I passed on a Mountain Dew yesterday, because I didn’t want to bother with putting it on my debit card.