The 2020 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race is finally set to go this coming Sunday, August 23, nearly 3 months after it’s traditional running day. In 1918 and again from 1942 through 1945 the race was not run because of WWI and II. This year there is a world war against COVID-19. There will be no inside track spectators, but world wide television coverage. Lets hope this is just a single year occurrence.
For the first time since 2000 there will be no female driver in the field. Pippa Mann who was carrying the banner for women the last several years, decided not to run this year. Team Penske does not have the Captain calling the shots in the pits. Since buying IMS and the IndyCar series in 2020, the 83 year old Penske has had to deal with all the problems that running the series normally creates, but also trying to cope with the effects of a worldwide pandemic. Let’s say a little prayer asking the Lord to give him strength.
So far the big news is an Andretti on the pole. Marco Andretti won the shootout and will take the pack down to the green flag. It’s been 32 years since an Andretti has been on the Indy pole. Grandpa Mario last started #1 in 1987 when Marco was 2 months old. For Marco this has been the highlight of his career. He has 2 wins and 20 podium finishes in his 15 year IndyCar career. He’s 33 years old. Maybe this is the year the Andretti curse ends at IMS.
Scott Dixon starts next to Andretti. The New Zealander has won the first 3 races of the 2020 season and has 2 more top 5 finishes. Only A.J. Foyt and Mario have won more races than Dixon and becoming the all time racing winning leader is easily within his reach. However, he only has one Indy 500 win and that was in 2008. He wants a second win badly and it could come this year. Takuma Sato rounds out the front row. Sato won the 2017 Indy 500 and has 5 career IndyCar wins. He either wins or crashes. He has to be considered a contender, however.
The Honda engines dominated qualifying, and the Chevys were left in the dust, Rinus VeeKay, driving a Chevy for Ed Carpenter and the youngest driver in the field at age 19, starts 4th with the fastest Chevy. You have to go to 13th starting position and Jesef Newgarden before you find another Chevy. Newgarden is, of course, Team Penske’s lead driver. Brit driver Ben Hanley piloting the Team DragonSpeed Chevy will start 33rd.
There are 8 rookies in the field. Rinus VeeKay, Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, Oliver Askew, Dalton Kellett, James Davison, and Ben Hanley. There are 8 former winners in the field including defending champ Simon Pagenaud. A 2020 Chevy Corvette will pace the field and be awarded to the winner.
As to Honda speed dominance, when the green flag drops it’s the car preparation, the pit teamwork, and the skill of the driver that counts for a win. I’m saying now that it will be a race between Scott Dixon and Josef Newgarden, but anything can happen in this crazy year so good luck and good racing!
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