2018 Indianapolis 500 Explained

Race Name:	102nd Indianapolis 500
Race Logo:	2018Indianapolis500logo.jpg
Sanction:	IndyCar
Season:	2018 IndyCar Season
Team:	Team Penske
Date:	May 27, 2018
Pole:	Ed Carpenter
Fast Time:	Ed Carpenter
Rookie:	Robert Wickens
Leader:	Ed Carpenter (65)
Anthem:	Kelly Clarkson^[1]
Back Home:	Jim Cornelison^[2]
Start Engines:	Tony George
Pace Car:	Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Pace Driver:	Victor Oladipo^[3]
Honorary Start:	Chris Hemsworth^[4]
Starter:	Paul Blevin
Network:	ABC (blacked out locally)
Announcers:	Allen Bestwick, Scott Goodyear, Eddie Cheever
Rating:	3.1 (4.9 million viewers)^[5]
Previous:	2017
Next:	2019

The 2018 Indianapolis 500 (branded as the 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil for sponsorship reasons) was a Verizon IndyCar Series held on Sunday, May 27, 2018, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana.^[6] It was the premier event of the 2018 IndyCar Series. The race was won by Australian Will Power of Team Penske. Car owner Roger Penske collected his record extending 17th Indianapolis 500 victory. Chevrolet swept nine of the top eleven spots during qualifying, and finished 1st-2nd, Chevy's first Indy victory since 2015, and tenth overall. However, despite entering the month as prohibitive favorites to dominate the race, Chevy managed to place only two other cars in the top ten.

Much of the race was led by Will Power and Ed Carpenter, a race that was considered generally less-competitive that the previous few years, attributed largely to a newly-introduced aero kit package. Late in the race, pit strategy and a timely caution flag factored in. On a restart on lap 194, Oriol Servià, Stefan Wilson, and Jack Harvey were all attempting to stretch their fuel to the finish, gambling on a late caution, and a possible surprise victory. However, with four laps to go, both Wilson and Harvey were forced to pit for fuel, as was Servià a lap later. Will Power took the lead and cruised to victory, having led 59 laps. Polesitter Ed Carpenter led 65 laps and finished second, his best-career Indy finish. 2016 winner Alexander Rossi had an outstanding charge from 32nd to 4th, leading one lap during the race. Power became the first driver to win both the IndyCar Grand Prix and the Indianapolis 500, as well as the first driver to sweep both races in the same year. Later in the year, Team Penske also won the NASCAR Brickyard 400, becoming the second team in history to sweep both the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 in the same year.

The month of May activities formally began on May 12 with the fifth running of the IndyCar Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice for the Indianapolis 500 began on Tuesday May 15, and time trials was held May 19–20. Ed Carpenter won the pole position, his third career Indy pole. Carb Day—the traditional final day of practice, as well as the annual Pit Stop Challenge and Indy Lights Freedom 100, were held Friday May 25.

Race background

IR18 car

The 2017 race was the third and final year contested with the Chevrolet and Honda aero kits outfitted to the Dallara DW12 chassis. Beginning in 2018, all DW12 Safety Cell chassis were fitted with a universal bodywork kit. Digital renderings for the common bodywork kit, referred to as the 'IR18' car, were released in early May 2017.^[7] The car was officially unveiled in late July,^[8] and the universal aero kit became known as the UAK18 bodywork.^[9] The bodywork is inspired by CART's 1990s and 2000s livery. For the first time since 1996, the cars in the Indy 500 had a roll hoop without an airbox.

Rule changes

• The practice session on the Monday after the IndyCar Grand Prix was eliminated. The track and garage area were both closed on Sunday May 13 in honor of Mother's Day. The teams used Monday May 14 to convert the cars from road course to oval configuration. The first day of on-track practice for the Indy 500 was scheduled for Tuesday May 15. In order to make up for some of the lost practice time, the start time for practice days was moved up to 11:00. Previously, practice opened daily at 12 noon.^[10] The track still closes at 18:00 daily.
• The minimum car weight was increased by 103NaN3 – to 15903NaN3 for superspeedways due to safety features added with the new universal aero kits.
• Championship points earned during Indy 500 qualifying were revamped. The top nine qualifiers received points. The pole position winner received 9 points, down to 1 point for the ninth qualifier (9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1). Previously, all 33 starters had received points on a higher scale. The points earned for the race finishing positions were unchanged.

Track improvements

• The pit boxes were resurfaced with new concrete. The previous pit boxes had been used since the 1994 reconstruction of pit lane for NASCAR, INDYCAR, SVRA, and SCCA events in both directions.

2018 IndyCar Series

See main article: 2018 IndyCar Series. The 102nd Indianapolis 500 was the sixth race of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season, and 23rd sanctioned as part of the Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series. There were four different winners in the first five races of the season. For the second year in a row, Sébastien Bourdais won the season opener at St. Petersburg. Once again, Bourdais won in surprising fashion, taking the lead after the leaders collided on a late-race restart. It was also Bourdais' first victory since suffering injuries in a crash during qualifying for the 2017 Indy 500. Josef Newgarden won at Phoenix, Alexander Rossi won at Long Beach, and Newgarden won again at Birmingham. To begin the month of May, Will Power won the IndyCar Grand Prix, his third win in the event.

Offseason changes included Chip Ganassi Racing, which dropped down to two cars only (Scott Dixon and Ed Jones). Team Penske also dropped down from four full-time cars to three. Hélio Castroneves switched to the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and raced at Indianapolis only. Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya, however, was left out of a ride for the 2018 race.

Entry list

See 2018 IndyCar Series § Teams and drivers for further information.

• The entry list^{[11] [12]} was released on May 1 with 35 cars entered.
• Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Takuma Sato switched from Andretti Autosport to Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato previously drove for Rahal in 2012.^[13]
• Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Hélio Castroneves of Team Penske would switch to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for 2018 onward, but would race for Penske at the IndyCar Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500.^[14]
• Stefan Wilson would join Andretti Autosport for the Indy 500.^[15]
• Danica Patrick would compete in her first Indianapolis 500 since 2011 and her final professional race as a full-time competitor, driving a GoDaddy-sponsored entry for Ed Carpenter Racing.^[16] Patrick drove at the Daytona 500 in February, her final start in NASCAR.
• A rumored 36th entry for 1996 winner Buddy Lazier (Lazier Partners Racing) did not materialize.
• Pietro Fittipaldi was initially assigned to the #19 Dale Coyne Racing entry. However, on May 4 he crashed during a qualifying session at the WEC 6 Hours of Spa, and fractured both legs. Fittipaldi was withdrawn from the entry, and replaced by Zachary Claman DeMelo.^{[17] [18]}

align=center	!	Driver	Team	Engine
1	Josef Newgarden	Team Penske	Chevrolet
3		Team Penske	Chevrolet
4		A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Chevrolet
5	James Hinchcliffe	Schmidt Peterson Motorsports	Honda
6		Schmidt Peterson Motorsports	Honda
7	Jay Howard	Schmidt Peterson Motorsports with AFS Racing^[19]	Honda
9		Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
10	Ed Jones	Chip Ganassi Racing	Honda
12	Will Power	Team Penske	Chevrolet
13	Danica Patrick	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet
14		A. J. Foyt Enterprises	Chevrolet
15	Graham Rahal	Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
17	Conor Daly	Dale Coyne Racing dba Thom Burns Racing	Honda
18	Sébastien Bourdais	Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan	Honda
19		Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
20	Ed Carpenter	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet
21	Spencer Pigot	Ed Carpenter Racing	Chevrolet
22	Simon Pagenaud	Team Penske	Chevrolet
23	Charlie Kimball	Carlin	Chevrolet
24	Sage Karam	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	Chevrolet
25	Stefan Wilson	Andretti Autosport	Honda
26	Zach Veach	Andretti Autosport	Honda
27		Andretti Autosport	Honda
28		Andretti Autosport	Honda
29	Carlos Muñoz	Andretti Autosport	Honda
30		Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing	Honda
32		Juncos Racing	Chevrolet
33	James Davison	A. J. Foyt Enterprises with Byrd-Hollinger-Belardi	Chevrolet
59	Max Chilton	Carlin	Chevrolet
60	Jack Harvey	Meyer Shank Racing with Schmidt Peterson	Honda
63	Pippa Mann	Dale Coyne Racing	Honda
64	Oriol Servià	Scuderia Corsa with RLL	Honda
66	J. R. Hildebrand	Dreyer & Reinbold Racing	Chevrolet
88	Gabby Chaves	Harding Racing	Chevrolet
98	Marco Andretti	Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian	Honda
OFFICIAL REPORT

• Former Indianapolis 500 winner
• Indianapolis 500 Rookie

Schedule

Four days of testing were scheduled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway prior to the official opening of the track. On March 23, manufacturer testing was conducted on the road course for Honda. Testing on the oval was scheduled for March 27–29,^[20] but was postponed due to inclement weather in the forecast. A full-field, league-sponsored open test was held on the oval April 30, followed by the Rookie Orientation Program and Refresher tests on May 1. On May 2, track activity continued with a private manufacturers test involving both Honda and Chevrolet.^[21]

Notes and References

1. News: Indy Notes: Superstar Clarkson To Perform Indianapolis 500 National Anthem. indycar.com. May 10, 2018. May 10, 2018.
2. News: Jim Cornelison returning to sing 'Back Home Again in Indiana' at 2018 Indy 500. WTHR. October 26, 2017. October 26, 2017. October 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171026214754/https://www.wthr.com/article/jim-cornelison-returning-to-sing-back-home-again-in-indiana-at-2018-indy-500. dead.
3. News: Victor Oladipo to drive Indianapolis 500 pace car. ESPN.com. May 17, 2018. May 17, 2018.
4. Web site: Hollywood Actor and Brand Ambassador Chris Hemsworth To Wave Green Flag for 102nd Indianapolis 500. www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com. 15 May 2018.
5. Web site: Indy 500 Hits Record-Low in Final ABC Airing . May 30, 2018 . Sports Media Watch.
6. News: 2018 Indianapolis 500 Event Schedule. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. August 1, 2017.
7. News: New images of 'NEXT' car for Verizon IndyCar Series unveiled. IndyCar.com. 2017-05-29.
8. News: INDYCAR'S NEXT car design: Bolder, safer, even more thrilling. IndyCar.com. July 23, 2017. August 1, 2017.
9. News: Dixon, Hinchcliffe impressed after 2018 aero test. Racer.com. Marshall. Pruett. October 23, 2017. October 27, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171027105313/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/145229-dixon-hinchcliffe-learn-more-during-tms-2018-honda-test. October 27, 2017. dead.
10. Trackside with Curt Cavin and Kevin Lee. WFNI. May 8, 2018.
11. News: Is the 2018 Indy 500 field already full?. Racer.com. Robin. Miller. Robin Miller (journalist). Marshall. Pruett. February 15, 2018. April 13, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180425100453/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/147438-does-the-indy-500-already-have-its-33-entries. April 25, 2018. dead.
12. News: Hildebrand confirmed in second DRR Indy 500 entry. Racer.com. April 12, 2018. April 13, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180414010529/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/148626-hildebrand-confirmed-in-second-drr-indy-500-entry. April 14, 2018. dead.
13. Web site: Mihai. Marian. 2017 Indy 500 Champion Takuma Sato Returns to RLL. rahal.com. Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. September 20, 2017. September 20, 2017.
14. Web site: Hélio Castroneves Joins Team Penske's IMSA Lineup. teampenske.com. Team Penske. October 4, 2017. October 4, 2017.
15. News: Stephan Wilson Set for Second Indianapolis 500 Start. Andretti Autosport. October 4, 2017. October 5, 2017.
16. News: Danica Patrick to race final Indy 500 with Ed Carpenter Racing. Motorsport.com. 2018-02-14. en. 2018-06-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20180612142135/https://www.motorsport.com/indycar/news/danica-patrick-to-race-final-indy-500-with-ed-carpenter-racing-1005078/. dead.
17. News: Pietro Fittipaldi will miss the Indy 500 after crash in qualifying for the Six Hours of Spa. AutoWeek. Matt. Weaver. May 5, 2018. May 8, 2018.
18. Web site: Rookie Claman De Melo to Make His Indy 500 Debut as Fittipaldi Replacement. May 15, 2018. May 15, 2018. DaleCoyneRacing.com. Dale Coyne Racing. Indianapolis, Indiana.
19. Web site: SPM Partners with AFS Racing for 102nd Running of the Indianapolis 500. May 15, 2018. May 15, 2018. Spmindycar.com. Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Indianapolis, Indiana. May 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180516103049/http://spmindycar.com/2018/05/15/spm-partners-with-afs-racing-for-102nd-running-of-the-indianapolis-500/. dead.
20. News: Public Can Watch Verizon IndyCar Series Drivers Test March 23, 27-29 at IMS. IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com. March 20, 2018. March 22, 2018.
21. News: Expected inclement weather forces postponement of IMS oval testing. IndyCar.com. March 23, 2018. March 23, 2018.
22. News: Mission accomplished in first IndyCar aero test. Racer.com. Robin. Miller. Robin Miller (journalist). July 25, 2017. August 1, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170802000914/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/142580-mission-accomplished-in-first-indycar-aero-test. August 2, 2017. dead.
23. News: IndyCar reveals test guidelines for 2018. Motorsport.com. David. Malsher. September 28, 2017. October 27, 2017.
24. News: IndyCar manufacturers Honda, Chevrolet begin 2018 aerokit testing. Autosport. David. Malsher. October 11, 2017. October 27, 2017.
25. News: Honda aero kit test at IMS offers glimpse into Indy 500's future. IndyCar.com. Arni. Sribhen. October 26, 2017. October 27, 2017.
26. News: Fans Can Watch Indianapolis 500 Testing April 30, May 1-2 at IMS. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. April 26, 2018. April 27, 2018.
27. News: Ageless Kanaan Sets Pace in Indianapolis Oval Open Test. Indycar. Mark. Robinson. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018.
28. News: Newgarden completes windscreen test at IMS. NBC Sports. Kyle. Lavigne. April 30, 2018. April 30, 2018.
29. News: Kaiser, Leist, Wickens complete Indy 500 rookie orientation. Racer.com. Robin. Miller. Robin Miller (journalist). May 1, 2018. May 1, 2018.
30. Web site: Delayed but undaunted, Patrick completes Indy 500 refresher test. Mark. Robinson. May 1, 2018. May 1, 2018. Indycar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Ltd..
31. Web site: Kanaan tops windy Indy manufacturer test. David. Malsher. May 2, 2018. May 2, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
32. News: Chevy leads manufacturers' test day at Indy. Racer.com. Marshall. Pruett. May 2, 2018. May 3, 2018.
33. Web site: Claman De Melo passes Indy rookie test. David. Malsher. May 15, 2018. May 15, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
34. Web site: Indy 500: Castroneves fastest in the afternoon, Pagenaud tops Day 1. David. Malsher. May 15, 2018. May 15, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
35. Web site: Indy 500: Andretti cracks 227mph to lead on Day 2. David. Malsher. May 16, 2018. May 16, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
36. Web site: Indy 500: Rahal stays top, Hildebrand hits wall. David. Malsher. May 17, 2018. May 17, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
37. Web site: Indy 500: Andretti retains top spot on Fast Friday. David. Malsher. May 18, 2018. May 18, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
38. Web site: Castroneves fastest, Hinchcliffe bumped in wild Indy 500 qualifying day. Indycar. May 19, 2018. May 19, 2018. IndyCar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Ltd..
39. Web site: Indy 500: Carpenter beats Penskes, scores third Indy pole. David. Malsher. May 20, 2018. May 20, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
40. Web site: Carpenter rolls to third Indianapolis 500 pole position. Brent. James. May 20, 2018. May 20, 2018. IndyCar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Ltd..
41. Web site: Indy 500: Karam leads extensive race-trim practice. David. Malsher. May 21, 2018. May 21, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
42. Web site: Veteran Kanaan leads final practice before 102nd Indianapolis 500. Mark. Robinson. May 25, 2018. May 25, 2018. Racer.com. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc..
43. News: Wilson, Harvey each nearly pull stunning Indy 500 upset. IndyCar.com. 2018-05-29.
44. Web site: Indy 500: Power wins 2018 Indianapolis 500. David. Malsher. May 27, 2018. May 29, 2018. Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network.
45. Web site: Power earns $2.5 million for winning 102nd Indianapolis 500. May 28, 2018. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. May 29, 2018. IndyCar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Ltd..
46. Web site: Wickens earns Indy 500 top rookie honors for ninth-place finish. Aaron. Bearden. May 29, 2018. May 29, 2018. IndyCar.com. Brickyard Trademarks, Ltd..
47. Web site: IndyCar Keeps Races Together, Signs Three-Year Deal With NBC, NBCSN. Sports Business Daily. en. 2018-04-03.
48. News: Indy 500 TV ratings continue to decline. Indianapolis Star. 2018-05-30. en.