It’s Pole Day/Bump Day at IMS!
It’s another cool, but sunny day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was much cooler when we got up this morning than yesterday. Yesterday it was 54° when we got up and today it 45°. But yesterday’s high was supposed to be 70° (I don’t think it made it), and today’s high is predicted to be 78°.
Few people this morning are speculating who will win the pole today, to lead the field in next Sunday’s running of the Indianapolis 500. That seems secondary to who will go home. Everyone seems certain that it will be Graham Rahal, or one of the Rahal cars, but I still think it will be Sting Ray Robb – the only rookie going for the last three remaining starting spots. I think the pressure will ultimately be too much for the talented but young driver from Boise, Idaho.
Longtime reader Mark Wick brought up an interesting question in last evening’s post. Paraphrasing, he asked if Sting Ray Robb does make the field – is Katherine Legge safe from being replaced in the car, by one of the fulltime Rahal drivers? My answer to that is “I don’t know”.
I don’t pretend to know what kind of contractual agreement Legge has, but I do know that Honda really wanted her in a car. I guess it also depends on how bad Hy-Vee wants their car in the race if Lundgaard doesn’t make it. Lundgaard also leads the team in the points standings. He is ninth, Rahal is fifteenth and Jack Harvey is twenty-first – trailing Marcus Armstrong by four spots, when Armstrong didn’t run at Texas. Ouch!
It’s an interesting question and if Robb makes the field, it’ll bear some watching over the next couple of days.
There is a practice at 11:30 EDT this morning, then Top-Twelve Qualifying will begin at 2:00 pm EDT on Peacock to determine positions seven through twelve. Last Chance Qualifying begins at 4:00 pm EDT on Big NBC, then the Firestone Fast Six will commence around 5:00 on Big NBC. While it has taken a backseat to the Last Row Shootout (or whatever they are calling it now), the run for the pole will be the last item on the docket. I still maintain that Scott Dixon will win his record-tying sixth pole (Rick Mears), but it will not surprise me if Alexander Rossi or Felix Rosenqvist win it for McLaren.
Susan will have a post later today, then I’ll return here for a wrap-up when we have all of the answers. Then I’ll also be here tomorrow with my usual Random Thoughts post. Please check back later.
George Phillips
Oilpressure 
May 21, 2023 at 7:52 am
George I believe you are right about sting Ray Rob will go home.the last last row will be Rahal show. Not sure why but if one of the RRL cars don’t make it , I don’t believe they will pull Katherine Legg.
May 21, 2023 at 8:30 am
I also lean toward it being Sting Ray that doesn’t make it but definitely feel it’s him or Graham.
I don’t think Katherine will be pulled for a couple reasons. However couldnt the HyVee stickers be put on her car?
As far as the Pole it would be cool to see Dixon get three in a row but I rather see a new pole winner. I think there are several that can win the pole.
Have a great day!
May 21, 2023 at 8:56 am
I know the setups are completely different from a road course compared to oval but still very amazing to me to see just last week RLL dominate the qualifications at the Grand Prix and then the exact same facility they are the worst race team. Really unreal if you think about it!