Qualifying is Pushed to Sunday
One of the many things I like about IMS is that it brings back childhood memories. Some of those memories involve qualifying rainouts. At 3:40 pm, IMS made the call that Qualifying for Saturday would be cancelled for the day, and that we would resume on Sunday.
I personally thought they could get in the 33 qualifiers today, but I was in the minority of those around me. The radar looks fine, and I thought they could get the track dried by 4:30 and start qualifying at 5:00. They can run past 8:00 pm here, as they did for the delayed race in 2024. I suspect there are some worrisome weepers that made full track-drying in that time frame impossible, but I’ve not heard that. I’m just guessing.
Tomorrow should be a packed day. Split practice will begin at 9:30 am EDT, and will be thirty minutes for each group. Then Qualifying will begin at Noon EDT, and will run until 3:00, or until all thirty-three cars are qualified. Every car will get one guaranteed attempt. The way I’m reading the release, it sounds like there is no withdrawing or bumping. The speed you post in your one run is what you get. I kind of like that. It puts more pressure on the team and driver to get it right the first time.
With the revised schedule, it appears the Top-15 format has been abandoned, and they will go back to the regular Firestone Fast Twelve. After positions 7-12 are decided, they will be locked in with the rest of the field. Then positions 1-6 will battle it out for the pole and fill out the first two rows.
It’s a shame that those who came and waited it out had to leave not even seeing a car, however I’m IMS officials are honoring all tickets and parking from today; tomorrow as well. They didn’t have to do that but I’m glad to hear that they are doing that.
This gives us an early night. We are going to head to Dawson’s and meet a couple of friends there. Then we’ll have an early night to get plenty of sleep before tomorrow. The pole will not be officially decided until 6:34 pm. It will most likely be 8:00 pm Sunday night when we hit the road to Nashville and a long drive home. It’s a good thing I’m retired and Susan is off Monday.
Please check back tomorrow. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate more on Sunday.
George Phillips
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