Tag: IndyCar

Racing, NASCAR worlds wish Jimmie Johnson good luck in first Indy 500: ‘You know what to do’

NASCAR drivers and other racers are very excited for Indy 500 rookie Jimmie Johnson.

The Indianapolis 500 is always a huge deal as one of the biggest races in the world and on the single greatest motor sports day in the world.

Sunday, in addition to the Indy 500 (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC), there’s also Formula 1’s Monaco Grand Prix and NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600. So race car drivers around the world have been super busy lately, but many in racing still found time to wish Jimmie Johnson good luck for his big day.

Johnson — a seven-time NASCAR champ turned IndyCar driver — will make his Indy 500 debut Sunday, living out a childhood dream of his. When For The Win recently asked Johnson if he thinks NASCAR drivers might be envious of his Indy 500 opportunity, he said it probably goes beyond stock car racing:

“Oh, I think so. I think all drivers want to race in all marquee events. Everybody wants a shot at it. Hopefully, my time here will inspire others to come do it because I know there’s a lot of great talent in all forms of racing that would really enjoy this experience.”

So ahead of one of the biggest Sunday’s of Johnson’s extensive racing career, his racing pals, especially in NASCAR, shared sweet messages and wished their former competitor good luck in his Indy 500 debut.

In addition to those at Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson’s former NASCAR team, including former crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Cliff Daniels, racing stars like Mario Andretti and Tony Stewart shared their excitement and encouragement:

Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick share their predictions and hopes for Jimmie Johnson’s first Indy 500

“Jimmie could surprise a lot of people,” Dale Jr. said about the seven-time NASCAR champ’s first Indy 500.

Jimmie Johnson is ready for an incredible ride when he makes his Indianapolis 500 debut Sunday behind the wheel of the No. 48 Carvana/American Legion Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

Sure, he’s started 18 races and won four on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s iconic 2.5-mile oval in the NASCAR Cup Series. But the IndyCar Series is a totally different, and faster, beast at the mammoth venue.

The seven-time NASCAR champ’s old racing pals — Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick, who are both part of NBC’s Indy 500 broadcast team — have confidence in Johnson and high hopes for his first Indy 500 and only second IndyCar oval race.

“I think Jimmie could surprise a lot of people,” Earnhardt said Tuesday during an NBC press conference call.

“This whole month, he was able to have so much time with the car and the team at the facility, sort of move beyond the enormity of the moment. I know that’s going to be nearly impossible when he walks out on the grid for the race to sort of be beyond the enormity of the moment or the weight of it. I really think Jimmie could do really, really well.”

(Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports)

MORE INDY 500: Mario Andretti expects Jimmie Johnson to be ‘a force to be reckoned with’ in first Indy 500

Earnhardt also pointed to Johnson’s strong sixth-place finish in his first IndyCar oval race at Texas Motor Speedway in March as a possible indicator of how he could do Sunday.

Johnson — who retired from NASCAR at the end of the 2020 season and was an IndyCar rookie in 2021 — has done fairly well with fast practice speeds throughout the last couple weeks, plus a couple small mistakes in there. During the two-day qualifying last weekend, he had a solid four-lap average speed of 231.264 miles per hour and will start 12th.

“He did a tremendous job, which, honestly for me — I’ve known Jimmie for a long time and [we’re] good friends — I would expect nothing less,” said Scott Dixon, Johnson’s Ganassi teammate and the 2008 Indy 500 winner. “This is definitely more on his wheelhouse, something he feels more comfortable with, outside of the other part of the season where he’s still learning a lot.”

Even though Johnson’s IndyCar oval experience remains limited, Patrick said “he’s going to have a great chance to have a good day.”

After his 12 races last season, all on road and street courses, and five so far in 2022, he has so much more familiarity with the car now to help him in the Indy 500, she said. That includes everything from the steering wheel and tools inside the cockpit to pitting, restarts and how to pass.

“He seems to be happy and excited,” Patrick told For The Win. “My dad was just saying [Monday] night that he was watching qualifying with his dad, and his dad was like, ‘He’s just having a blast!’ So he’s really just having fun, obviously — fun at 240 miles an hour.”

“Indy cars are not stock cars,” she continued. “So there’s a lot that can go wrong. But I think the fact that he’s done Indy cars for so long now and run so many races and has so many miles, I think really does prepare him for this next step to doing ovals and being here at the Indy 500.”

MORE INDY 500: Meet the true hero of the Indy 500’s bizarre celebratory tradition: The Veteran Milk Man

Dixon, the six-time IndyCar champ and now five-time Indy 500 pole winner, set the record for fastest pole speed in the race’s history with a 234.046 miles per hour four-lap average. Dixon, teammate Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay also combined for the fastest front row in Indy 500 history.

Jimmie Johnson with Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan during practice for the 2022 Indy 500. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

So a traditionally fast race could reach even higher speeds this year, and that has Earnhardt a little on edge, knowing how competitive and intense Johnson is.

“I’m a little bit nervous because he seems to be pushing to the max,” Johnson’s former Hendrick Motorsports teammate said. “Every time he’s on the track, it’s like he is on the edge. Nobody’s going to reach out and tell a seven-time champion, with all the success he’s had in his career, what to do, how to drive, how to approach anything.”

Earnhardt said he hopes Johnson has a great experience regardless and a finish he can be proud of, but he continued expressing his concern.

“I am full of anxiety that he’s going to push, push, push too hard, and somehow that might put him in a bad situation,” Earnhardt added. “He’s gotten so, so close a few times already this month to some bad situations. But he’s a pro. You trust that he knows what he’s out there doing, understanding the limits of the car.”

For their picks to win the 2022 Indy 500, Patrick said she’s leaning toward Dixon, Palou or four-time Indy 500 winner Hélio Castroneves, also the defending champ.

“I would probably put my money on Dixon if it was me,” Earnhardt said. “I’d have a little bit on Jimmie, as well.”

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Meet the true hero of the Indy 500’s bizarre celebratory tradition: The Veteran Milk Man

The Indy 500 winner will be handed a bottle milk afterward. Here’s the story of why — and how it gets there.

The instant Simon Pagenaud felt the ice-cold bottle of milk hit his hand, he raised it high in the air and poured.

As the whole milk flowed over his bright red Firestone hat, Pagenaud lifted his head, allowing the quart to spill over his face. Mouth opened and eyes closed, he enjoyed a few drops as he emptied the bottle on himself. He couldn’t help it; he wanted to soak up every bit of this famous Indianapolis 500 tradition.

“You usually get to spray the champagne when you win a race, and Indy is the only place you get to drink milk,” Pagenaud told For The Win, reflecting back on his 2019 Indy 500 victory. “So I just sprayed the milk all over my face because I just wanted to embrace the moment.

“That’s really when I thought, OK, I’ve joined the club. I can enjoy this just like they did before, but I’m gonna go even further. I’m gonna pour it all over my face just to show how happy I was.”

But while the Indy 500 and its iconic venue, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, can elicit magical feelings, the bottle didn’t just appear in Pagenaud’s hand. It was delivered to him by one of the “milk people.”

Editors note: Clicking this video will not replay the entire race. It begins with the post-race celebration.

Meet the milk man

When the Indy 500-winning driver’s car is ushered into Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Victory Lane, a myriad of people are there eagerly waiting. But, perhaps, the most important person is holding a bottle of ice-cold milk.

The Veteran Milk Person. Yes, that’s an official title.

For the 2022 Indy 500 on Sunday (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC), the Veteran Milk Man is Tim Haynes, a 62-year-old dairy farmer from Garrett, Indiana who runs his family-owned Superior Dairy. As the veteran, he’ll be charged with the all-important task of delivering the celebratory 32-ounce glass bottle to Sunday’s winning driver.

His most crucial responsibility?

“The thing they joke about, dare I say, is ‘Don’t drop the milk,’ ” Haynes said.

Tim Haynes, the 2022 Indy 500 Veteran Milk Man. (American Dairy Association Indiana)

The American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI) runs the show when it comes to the milk celebration, and their designated “milk people” are dairy farmers who make a three-year commitment to be part of Indy 500 history. After being the Rookie-elect for the first year, the chosen farmer becomes the Rookie Milk Person and inherits the duty of handing a bottle each to the winning team owner and chief mechanic. The following year, they become the Veteran Milk Person.

However, just because Haynes’ top responsibilities are at the end of the 500-mile race doesn’t mean he’ll have a casual and relaxing day. And after being the Rookie Milk Man for Hélio Castroneves’ 2021 Indy 500-winning squad, he knows what to expect.

He and the team of milk people will arrive at the track with the cooler around 6 a.m., surrounded by security — mostly to gain publicity around the milk, an ADAI spokesperson said. One year, the milk arrived in an armored car. Another time, the ADAI hired actors to play bodyguards for the cooler. This year, the milk and milk people will arrive with a police escort, where they’ll likely be greeted by fans wanting to take photos.

The milk people will then take the cooler to a secure location, and when the green flag flies, they’ll get a chance to watch the race. Or, at least, most of it.

“Usually about 15 laps before the end,” Haynes explained, “we head down to the presentation area where we wait for them to bring the winner. … It’s a maze of people. Everybody wants to be there.”

Before the Indy 500, the ADAI polls all the drivers for their milk preferences, should they win. They have three choices: whole milk, two-percent milk or fat-free milk. (Lactose-free milk is a secret fourth option, should any drivers request it.) The majority in recent milk polls requested whole.

Takuma Sato after winning the 104th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2020. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

So when the winner takes the checkered flag, the milk people consult the poll, see the winner’s preference and pull the correct type of milk from the cooler.

“The taste was amazing,” said Takuma Sato, the 2017 and 2020 Indy 500 champion. “It was the best milk I had ever! Of course. It was 2 percent, chilled and felt amazing.”

Nine decades in the making

Although the celebratory bottle of milk is the Indy 500’s most famous long-standing tradition, going back to the 1930s, it’s undeniably a peculiar one. If you’re grossed out by it, take it up with Louis Meyer.

“It’s one of those great Americana events and traditions that really came out of no real pomp and circumstance [or] from some sort of directive,” said Jason Vansickle, vice president of curation and education for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Meyer was the first three-time Indy 500 champion, and he regularly drank buttermilk throughout his life, as his mother emphasized it when he was growing up. Though Meyer won the 1928 and 1933 Indy 500s, the first documented photo of him downing buttermilk after an Indy 500 win was in 1936, Vansickle explained.

The photo caught the attention of a milk industry executive, who vowed to have milk return to Victory Lane the following year. Little did that person know — with the exception of 1947 to 1955 — the tradition would continue for the next 87 years and counting.

However, every year the milk poll comes around, there are always a few drivers — this year, it’s Ed Carpenter and Felix Rosenqvist — who’d like to keep the milk tradition extra traditional and write in buttermilk, which isn’t an option.

“We just tried to educate them on the buttermilk,” Haynes said. “Buttermilk nowadays is totally different from buttermilk back when they drank it. Buttermilk nowadays is more for baking and stuff. If you ever drank it, it doesn’t taste very good.”

‘Magic’ milk

Ask just about any Indy 500 winner, and they’ll probably tell you how special the milk tradition is. But they’re not necessarily craving the bottle on what’s often a scorching Indiana day after racing at 200 miles an hour all afternoon.

“The milk thing is weird, I’m gonna be honest with you,” said Alexander Rossi, who won the 2016 Indy 500 as a rookie. “But so much of the 500 is about tradition, and it’s about the legacy of that race and what the people did before us. … I think just the sheer magnitude of the event is what’s kept all of these traditions alive for so many years.”

Alexander Rossi after winning the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Even if drivers aren’t big fans of milk or dairy in general, Vansickle said they still appreciate the history behind the milk tradition. It’s akin to another Indy 500 accolade.

Several drivers said they treat their bottles like trophies and have them on display at their homes or offices, some next to their Baby Borgs — the miniature version of the Borg-Warner Trophy the drivers actually get to keep.

One driver, now-four-time Indy 500 winner Castroneves, amended the celebratory milk tradition slightly — and it stuck. After his first victory in 2001, Castroneves became the first driver to take some sips and then dump the bottle on his head, Vansickle said. Not every driver has done this since, he added, but certainly most of them.

“I didn’t know what to do anymore,” Castroneves said looking back. “I took the milk, I chugged it and I’m like, ‘Ahhh, I wanted this so bad and finally got it!’ And then I started pouring [it] down my head.”

Hélio Castroneves after winning the 105th Running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2021. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Of course, the only issue with adding milk to an already sweaty fire suit is the subsequent smell — exacerbated by the drivers often keeping their suits on while they do media for several hours after the checkered flag.

Rossi said he felt “disgusting” after keeping his suit on for more than four hours after the race. Castroneves said the stench is also part of the tradition.

But Pagenaud and Sato, who called it “magic” milk, insist they didn’t smell.

“It was sweet, it was cold and it didn’t smell bad,” Pagenaud said. “The weirdest thing is it didn’t have a big effect on my suit. I didn’t smell bad after. I don’t know. They have special milk, I can tell you that.”

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Danica Patrick on 2022 Indy 500 predictions, her 4th race broadcast and favorite Indy moments

“Indianapolis produces historic moments,” Danica said about the Indy 500.

Danica Patrick knows the ins and outs of the Indianapolis 500 better than most.

And after eight career starts and being part of NBC’s last three Indy 500 broadcasts, she understands the mentality of a driver headed into the biggest race on the IndyCar Series schedule — and one of the biggest in the world — and how to convey that to the masses.

In those eight starts, Patrick became the first woman to lead laps in the Indy 500 on her way to becoming the race’s Rookie of the Year with a fourth-place finish in 2005. Her career-best finish was third in 2009 — also a record for a woman.

After competing in the 2018 Indy 500 — the final event of her racing career and a return to her IndyCar roots — Patrick made the jump to NBC’s broadcast team for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” She’s returning for her fourth consecutive Indy 500 broadcast, and, as an analyst, she’ll be joined by some familiar motor sports names, like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and James Hinchcliffe, along with host Mike Tirico.

Ahead of the 106th running of the Indy 500 on Sunday (12:45 p.m. ET green flag), For The Win spoke with Patrick, who’s in Indianapolis and staying with her parents — “nobody in their late 30s into their 40s stays with their parents as much as I do,” she joked — about being an experienced broadcaster, Hinchcliffe and her predictions for the 2022 race.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

What does it feel like to win the Indy 500, one of the world’s biggest races? We asked the 5 most recent winners

“You always appreciate, in a humble way, that this place is is magical,” Hélio Castroneves told For The Win.

For many race car drivers, the Indianapolis 500 is the most monumental and life-changing event they could win. It’s one of the biggest races in the world, and some spend their entire careers chasing that elusive checkered flag.

More emphasis, more pressure, more preparation and more practice are involved, along with an intensified risk factor from the dangers of racing around Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval at 200-plus miles per hour. And even if a driver and their team have a near-perfect race, a competitor could be an inch closer to perfection. So, of course, the winner needs a little luck too.

Ahead of Sunday’s 106th running of the Indy 500, we’re looking back at the most recent races through the eyes of the last five winners — five of the eight champions competing in the 2022 race.

  • Alexander Rossi, 2016 Indy 500 champion: By the final few laps of the 200-lap race, Rossi, then a rookie, was out front and in a great position to win. He and his team gambled on fuel, and his car coasted on fumes across the finish line ahead of Carlos Muñoz.
  • Takuma Sato, 2017, 2020 Indy 500 champion: After trading the lead with Hélio Castroneves in the final laps, Sato put up some brilliant defense the final time he took the lead and won in 2017. He won the 2020 Indy 500 — held in August with empty grandstands because of COVID-19 – under caution ahead of Scott Dixon.
  • Will Power, 2018 Indy 500 champion: Power had a huge, 40-car length lead over Ed Carpenter going into the final lap, and he just had to hold on and not crash in the suspenseful final two miles to take the checkered flag.
  • Simon Pagenaud, 2019 Indy 500 champion: In one of the most thrilling Indy 500 finishes, Pagenaud battled with Rossi, trading the lead in the final laps. Pagenaud stole the lead from Rossi with a little more than a lap to go, and his masterful defense kept him out front for the win.
  • Hélio Castroneves, 2001, 2002, 2009, 2021 Indy 500 champion: Now in a four-way tie for most Indy 500 wins ever, Castroneves relied on his ample experience to get the best of Alex Palou in the 2021 race while working through traffic on the final lap. He was 26 years old when he won his first and 46 when he won his fourth.

MORE 2022 INDY 500: See the 2022 Indy 500 starting grid with Scott Dixon on the pole

These answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.

Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller will wave the green flag as the 2022 Indy 500 honorary starter

The 2022 Indy 500 is getting a little extra need for speed.

It’s Top Gun: Maverick Week here at For The Win, where we’ve taken to the skies for five days’ worth of content to celebrate the premiere of the sequel to 1986’s iconic ode to Naval Aviation. Strap in for a wild ride (no spoilers!). 

Every year, the need for speed is alive and well during the Indianapolis 500 — one of the biggest motor sports event in the world — as drivers and their teams push the limits of their race cars.

But for the 2022 Indy 500, that sentiment will mean a little something extra. Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller will be at the 106th running of the Indy 500, and he’ll serve as the honorary starter, waving the green flag above the 33-car field to signal the start of the race, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Tuesday.

Teller plays Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s (played by Tom Cruise) former Weapon Systems Operator, the late character Goose, who ends up clashing with Maverick in this decades-later sequel, as For The Win’s Top Gun Week team noted.

Celebrities and other athletes are regular attendees at the Indy 500, and some, like Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon and Christian Bale, have also been the race’s honorary starter. Elevated above the iconic track’s start-finish line, the honorary starter has one of the best views possible at the beginning of the 500-mile race.

Matt Damon and Christian Bale wave green flags to start the 2019 Indianapolis 500. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

The 2022 Indy 500 is set for Sunday, and the green flag is scheduled to fly at 12:45 p.m. ET on NBC, but coverage begins at 11 a.m.

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See the 2022 Indy 500 starting grid with Scott Dixon on the pole

Check out the starting lineup for the 2022 Indy 500.

It’s officially the week of the Indianapolis 500, one of the biggest motor sports events in the world, and six-time IndyCar Series champ Scott Dixon won the pole in record-breaking style at the end of last weekend’s two-day qualifying sessions.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Dixon won his fifth career and second consecutive Indy 500 pole Sunday, and to get there, he put up the fastest pole speed in race history at 234.046 miles per hour for a four-lap average, breaking a mark from 1996.

But he’s got steep competition from the other 32 drivers in the field.

MORE 2022 INDY 500: Every driver’s choice of celebratory milk — and who wants (but won’t get) chocolate or buttermilk

The 106th Indy 500 is Sunday with the green flag scheduled to fly at 12:45 p.m. ET on NBC (but the network’s coverage will begin at 11 a.m. ET).

This year’s race features eight previous Indy 500 winners: Dixon, Hélio Castroneves, Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan, Alexander Rossi, Takuma Sato, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud. There are also seven rookies this time around: Jimmie Johnson, Romain Grosjean, Devlin DeFrancesco, Callum Ilott, Kyle Kirkwood, Christian Lundgaard and David Malukas.

Here’s a look at the starting grid for the 2022 Indy 500.

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Scott Dixon after his record-breaking 234 mph Indy 500 pole win: ‘You just want to keep going faster’

Scott Dixon was blazing fast during Indy 500 qualifying, but he’s got steep competition for Sunday’s 106th running.

If qualifying for the 2022 Indianapolis 500 offered a glimpse into Sunday’s 106th running, it’s going to be an awfully fast race.

After two days of qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Scott Dixon came out on top, winning his fifth career and second consecutive Indy 500 pole.

Not only did Dixon set the record for fastest pole speed in Indy 500 history — it’s the fastest four-lap average for the race at 234.046 miles per hour — but he also, along with Alex Palou and Rinus VeeKay, combined for the fastest front row ever in Indy 500 history with an average speed of 233.643 miles per hour. Both records had been standing since 1996.

MORE 2022 INDY 500: Every driver’s choice of celebratory milk — and who wants (but won’t get) chocolate or buttermilk

“Honestly, nobody goes that fast, right, unless you’re on a plane,” 41-year-old Dixon told For The Win on Monday, struggling to compare the feeling with something regular people can do. “For drivers, you always just want to go faster, right? So it’s something that one, we’re used to, but two, it becomes an addiction, right? That you just want to keep going faster.

“And sometimes, the sport allows for that to happen, or some years, they come back and it’s a rule reset or the engines have changed or something like that where you don’t see the speed. For a long period of time, we were setting poles in the mid 220s, so it’s kind of cool to see the evolution of this car, even though the rules package has stayed very similar.”

Even fellow drivers, who race at high speeds all the time, were blown away.

Of course, the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda driver’s record-breaking speed is a four-lap average, meaning he hit higher speeds down the mammoth speedway’s long straightaways. Even driving faster than 200 miles an hour, Dixon said he definitely can feel a difference when he picks it up.

“Our prep laps that we do before we start, you’re kind of around the 200-mile an hour mark, and it feels extremely slow,” he explained. “And then when you get to the 230s, 240s — a lot of us, we’re going 243, 244 on the straights the last few days — you do even feel that 40-mile an hour difference.”

Hoping to win his second Indy 500 — Dixon also won in 2008 from the pole position — some of his biggest competition for the crown will come from his own Chip Ganassi Racing teammates.

All five Ganassi drivers advanced to Sunday’s second day of qualifying, and Palou will start second, Marcus Ericsson and Tony Kanaan will start fifth and sixth, respectively, and Indy 500 rookie Jimmie Johnson will start 12th.

In addition to fast teammates, the 33-car field also features eight previous Indy 500 champions: Hélio Castroneves (2001, 2002, 2009, 2021), Juan Pablo Montoya (2000, 2015), Takuma Sato (2017, 2020), Tony Kanaan (2013), Alexander Rossi (2016), Will Power (2018) and Simon Pagenaud (2019), along with Dixon.

So, like it so often does, it will likely take a completely flawless race — “and you need Lady Luck on your side” — to have a chance at becoming the milk-covered victor. And Dixon knows starting first can only get him so far through the 500-mile race.

“The tough part these days is that because of [the fast qualifying speeds] and because the group is so tight, the competition level is just through the roof,” Dixon said. “It just puts a massive emphasis on making sure you have no mistakes, because if you have one mistake, there’s literally 32 others that will be in front of you. Gone are the days where maybe you could pick out five, seven, eight cars that had a legitimate shot at winning. …

“For the pole sitters and the front-row drivers, that’s the frustrating part — is that you’ve done a hell of a job as a team and our efforts and put a lot on the line. But it guarantees you absolutely nothing, but that’s what makes this race so special.”

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