AUTO RACING NEWS

2-TIME NASCAR CHAMP KYLE BUSCH DIES AT 41 AFTER BEING HOSPITALIZED WITH A ‘SEVERE ILLNESS’

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Kyle Busch, a two-time Cup Series champion who won more races than anyone across NASCAR’s three national series, has died. He was 41.

The Busch Family, Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR issued a joint statement Thursday saying Busch died after being hospitalized. No cause of death was given.

Busch’s family said earlier Thursday that he was hospitalized with a “severe illness,” three days before he was to compete in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Busch’s team or family.

Busch was the younger brother of Kurt Busch, a NASCAR Hall of Famer. He’s survived by wife Samantha and children Brexton and Lennix.

“Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch,” the statement said. “A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation. He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans.”

The statement went on to say that “throughout a career that spanned more than two decades, Kyle set records in national series wins, won championships at NASCAR’s highest level and fostered the next generation of drivers as an owner in the Truck Series. His sharp wit and competitive spirit sparked a deep emotional connection with race fans of every age, creating the proud and loyal ‘Rowdy Nation.’”

The news comes 11 days after Busch radioed into his crew near the end of a Cup Series race at Watkins Glen asking a doctor to give him a “shot” when he finished the race. According to the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.

Busch finished the race in eighth place.

Busch competed at Dover last weekend and won the Trucks Series race for Spire Motorsports. He then finished 17th at the NASCAR All-Star race, his final race.

“Absolutely cannot comprehend this news,” NASCAR driver and former teammate Denny Hamlin posted on social media. “We just need to think of his family during this time. We love you KB.”

Added driver Brad Keselowski on social media: “Absolute shock. Very hard to process.”

A polarizing figure known as “Rowdy” and “Wild Thing” for his post-race fights, regular feuds with other drivers and sometimes outlandish behavior, the multi-talented Busch stormed on the Cup Series scene in 2005 by winning Rookie of the Year.

He went on to win championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“His impact on our organization and on the sport of NASCAR will never be forgotten,” the team said in a statement.

From Las Vegas, Busch experienced unrivaled success across NASCAR’s three national series winning a combined 234 Cup, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Trucks Series races. He had 63 Cup victories along with 102 O’Reilly Auto Parts wins and 69 Trucks victories — both records.

Busch was fired early in his career by Hendrick Motorsports to make room on the team for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“Kyle and I had a really challenging existence for many years,” Earnhardt said in a statement. “But we luckily took the time to figure out our differences and that was something he instigated with a conversation in his bus around how we each managed our racing teams. I was super eager for us to get on better terms. But it was he who made the effort for that to be possible.”

Busch moved on to Joe Gibbs Racing where he experienced the vast majority of career success. But Busch was let go when there was no sponsor after the 2022 season and joined Richard Childress Racing, where had struggled to win races.

His lack of success led to a recent spat with former JGR teammate Hamlin, who appeared to criticize Busch on the “Actions Detrimental” podcast. Hamlin said, “If you’re expecting Kyle Busch to just go back to victory lane on a regular basis, you are kidding yourselves.”

While Hamlin later said he meant no harm by the comments and was just making an observation, Busch took exception and said he could make Hamlin’s life “hell” on the racetrack.

While several laps down at last month’s race at Kansas, Busch raced Hamlin hard instead of allowing the race leader to pass. That decision held up Hamlin during a crucial stage of the race and Tyler Reddick won the race after Hamlin faded late.

After winning the Trucks race at Dover last week and showing an uptick in speed, Busch seemed to make a veiled jab at Hamlin, saying “I guess I just remembered how to drive.”

After earning his win at Dover, Busch was asked how many races he wanted to win in his career.

“You take whatever you can get, man,” Busch said. “You never know when the last one is going to be, so cherish them all — trust me.”

Busch’s unexpected death is just the latest tragedy to hit NASCAR. Last December, former driver Greg Biffle, his wife and two children and three others died in a plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina.

The announcement of Busch’s death came after teams had already left Gasoline Alley on media day at the Indianapolis 500. As word spread on Main Street in Speedway, Indiana, just a short walk from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, race fans — IndyCar and NASCAR — were saddened.

NASCAR officials confirmed to The Associated Press the Coca-Cola 600 will go on as planned Sunday.

Drivers are expected to begin making their way to Charlotte Motorsports Speedway in Concord on Friday with practice and qualifying beginning on Saturday. Earlier in the day, RCR had announced that Austin Hill would replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

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CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR driver Kyle Busch died Thursday at 41, three days before he was set to run the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Here is what to know:

How did Kyle Busch die?

At this point, the cause of death has not been released and details remain limited.

What is known is that Busch was testing in the Chevrolet racing simulator in Concord on Wednesday when he became unresponsive and was transported to a hospital in Charlotte, several people familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because details have not been disclosed by Busch’s team or family.

Had Kyle Busch been ill?

Busch was thought to have had a sinus cold While racing May 10 at Watkins Glen, Busch radioed his team requesting a “shot” from a doctor after he finished. Per the TV broadcast, Busch had been struggling with a sinus cold that was exacerbated by the intense G-forces and elevation changes at the New York road course.

It’s unclear if that issue had something to do with his death.

Busch did race last weekend and won the Trucks Series race at Dover and finished 17th in the NASCAR All-Star race. That would be his final race.

How good was Kyle Busch?

Busch won 234 races across NASCAR’s three national series — more than any driver in history. He won Cup season championships in 2015 and 2019 for Joe Gibbs Racing.

His first championship was particularly impressive. Busch missed the first 11 Cup races of the 2015 season after injuring his foot following a crash in the O’Reilly Auto Parts series opener in Daytona, but came back to win five races to qualify for the playoffs before capturing the title at Homestead.

Will the Coca-Cola 600 be postponed or canceled?

No. NASCAR officials confirmed that the 400-lap race will continue on as planned Sunday night at the 1 1/2-mile track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Earlier in the day, RCR had announced that Austin Hill would replace Busch in the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.

Does CMS plan to honor Kyle Busch?

Yes, CMS officials said they plan to honor Busch “in some way” this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600, but details were still being ironed out.

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INDY 500

(INDYCAR RELEASE)

 Alexander Rossi returned to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Thursday for Indianapolis 500 Media Day.

The annual media availability featured drivers seated together on couches rather than the traditional podium setup.

“I spent a lot of time on couches the last few days, so I rate this one an eight out of 10,” Rossi joked.

Rossi (photo, top) was cleared to drive in the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Thursday afternoon after he crashed heavily into the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier during Monday’s practice. His damaged car then sustained secondary contact when Pato O’Ward braked to avoid the incident and spun into Rossi in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet.

Rossi suffered minor injuries to a finger on his left hand and his right ankle and underwent outpatient procedures Monday evening. By Thursday, the wraps and walking boot were gone as he confirmed he is ready to race in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet for ECR in Sunday’s 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by Only Bulls).

“I will have to be on crutches because it’s a non-weight-bearing injury,” Rossi said. “Fortunately, to drive a race car, you don’t have to bear weight. Range of motion is good. Pain is minimal. I’m good to go.”

Rossi, who starts second in the race, explained the evaluation process required for medical clearance to practice the car during Friday’s Miller Lite Carb Day two-hour final practice session (11 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

“I had to drive in a sim,” he said. “Get in and out of the car in an appropriate amount of time. I had to show that I could react quickly enough with my right foot in the race car with the pedal and my boot on. That was done over several increments and durations with all of the stuff that will be on me.

“As thorough as you can be without actually being on the racetrack.”

ECR prepared a backup car that’s the same chassis Rossi drove in last year’s Indianapolis 500. He climbed from 12th to lead 14 laps before his car caught fire during the second pit stop on Lap 73.

“This was truly going to be our race car until some other things shifted,” Rossi said. “This was built all offseason in preparation for this month to be my race car anyways.”

O’Ward Comfortable in Backup Car

O’Ward also moved to a backup car after Monday’s crash.

He remains confident in his race-winning chances because the chassis is the same one he drove to victories last season at Iowa Speedway and on the streets of Toronto.

“I think I’ve had a test here with it,” O’Ward said. “I don’t have any worries about it. I know it’s going to behave like it’s supposed to.

“It’s a very good car. I really like this car. I don’t know why they actually removed it from me.”

O’Ward starts sixth Sunday in his seventh Indianapolis 500 appearance. He finished runner-up in 2022 and 2024 and placed third last year.

“Every car is different,” O’Ward said. “Every car has its little differences to one another regardless of the setup being the same or not. There are differences.

“I’ve had a past with this car. I’m not worried. It’s been a great car to me. It’s been a great car for the team.”

Kirkwood Not Focused on Points; Newgarden Is

Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood each believe they have cars capable of charging through the field Sunday.

Newgarden, the Indianapolis 500 winner in 2023 and 2024, starts 23rd in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. Kirkwood starts 25th in the No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda for Andretti Global.

Kirkwood (photo, above) enters Sunday second in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings, 27 points behind championship leader and defending Indianapolis 500 winner Alex Palou. Newgarden sits fifth, 75 points behind.

That deficit does not include the 12 bonus points Palou earned for winning the NTT P1 Award in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda. The top 12 qualifiers received points, with 12 awarded for first down to one for 12th.

Kirkwood said he is not focused on points this weekend because the Indianapolis 500 carries greater importance.

“Monday, we’ll focus on points,” Kirkwood said.

Newgarden, a two-time series champion in 2017 and 2019, expressed frustration about the missed points opportunity.

“I just hate losing out on the points,” Newgarden said. “That’s the toughest thing to me, that it’s 12 points up for grabs that we let wash away.”

Newgarden believes his car can contend for a third Indianapolis 500 victory despite the starting position. He charged from 32nd to sixth last year before retiring on Lap 135 with a fuel-pressure issue.

He won from 17th in 2023.

“I think we’re in a similar position that we’ve been in the last couple of years here,” Newgarden said. “We’ve got a great team, as always, we’ve got a good car underneath us, and I feel really positive about what we have. Race Day is its own thing. That’s when the car has got to be at its best.”

Kirkwood shares that confidence after opening the season with five top-five finishes in six races.

“As the year’s gone on, I actually feel a little less pressure,” Kirkwood said. “Every event I’ve gone to, I felt like we could win. That means something for the championship.”

Newgarden and Kirkwood finished 1-2 in the season’s lone oval race March 7 at Phoenix Raceway. Kirkwood said oval racing was a weakness for the team in prior seasons. Road courses also posed challenges, though Kirkwood finished fifth March 29 at Barber Motorsports Park.

“We know we can still get there,” he said. “You’ve just got to be perfect the whole race. I do feel confident we can still win this race from the position we’re in.”

Castroneves, Kirkwood Differ on Track Choosing Winners

Helio Castroneves said the 2003 Indianapolis 500 shaped his belief that Indianapolis Motor Speedway chooses its winners.

Castroneves won the 2001 and 2002 races in his first two “500” starts and nearly became the first driver to win three consecutive races. He started from pole, led 58 laps and finished second to teammate Gil de Ferran after traffic disrupted his momentum late in the race.

“I had flawless speed, driving with one hand, the other on the side like a Sunday drive,” Castroneves said. “Because of a scenario that happens with the back marker, I end up losing that opportunity. I couldn’t pass him back again.

“I realized that you can have the fastest equipment, everything. The year before, I was a lap down, ended up being a lap down and took a gamble and won the race.

“That’s why I came up with that quote. It’s true. To this day, that’s exactly what I feel.”

Castroneves starts 14th in the No. 06 Cleveland-Cliffs Honda for Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian.

Kirkwood does not fully agree with that perspective.

“There is some truth to that, but at the same time, I believe in making your own luck, too,” Kirkwood said. “Guys make their own luck in some way, shape or form. You’ve got to do all the things right, and then I think it chooses you.”

Harvey Enjoying Every Moment

Jack Harvey transitioned from the driver’s seat to pit reporting for FOX Sports’ INDYCAR broadcasts during the past two years.

Harvey had no broadcasting experience before joining the network last year, but he never abandoned his driving ambitions. He competed in each of the past two Indianapolis 500s in the No. 24 DRR INVST Chevrolet for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing.

That perspective has made Harvey determined to enjoy every aspect of May before Sunday’s race.

“It’s the biggest race in the world and the only one I’m scheduled to do,” Harvey said. “I actually don’t mind all the media stuff. Every sponsor event, every media event, every interview, I’ve been milking this month for as long as I can.”

Harvey starts 33rd Sunday, marking the third time in his past four Indianapolis 500 starts that he has lined up on the last row. He climbed from 32nd to finish 24th in 2022 and from 32nd to 18th in 2023, both with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. He started 26th and finished 19th last year.

Sting Ray Robb joins Harvey on the last row, starting 31st in the No. 77 Juncos Hollinger-Goodheart Chevrolet, the same spot he started in his 2023 rookie season. Rookie Caio Collet will start between them (32nd) in the No. 4 Combitrans Amazona Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing.

The trio will attend the 54th annual Last Row Party on Thursday night at the Dallara IndyCar Factory in downtown Speedway, Indiana.

“Unfortunately for Jack, the last time I was at a Last Row Party, it was together,” Robb said. “We’ve got to agree not to do this again.”

“I don’t know if I’m the problem or you’re the problem,” Harvey said.

Abel Focused on Procedures

Jacob Abel was the lone driver bumped from last year’s Indianapolis 500 field. He returned this year with family-owned Abel Motorsports for his rookie “500” start.

The team last competed in the race in 2023 with R.C. Enerson, who started 28th and finished 32nd.

Abel Motorsports has focused on INDY NXT by Firestone competition since 2022 and fields four cars this season.

The organization expanded into the NTT INDYCAR SERIES for the Indianapolis 500 only. Abel (photo, above) starts 30th in the No. 51 Abel Construction Company Chevrolet.

He said Friday’s Miller Lite Carb Day practice session will be critical for race procedures.

“For us, it’s working together on pit stops, strategy and things like that,” Abel said.

Abel also said he still needs more experience in traffic and on pit lane entry.

“The pit lane entry here is unlike anything else,” he said. “The braking and all of that is really tricky. Trying to maximize that and working up to it as much as possible is important.”

Artemis II Astronaut To Attend Race Weekend

Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen will attend race weekend as an honored guest of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Hansen served as a mission specialist on NASA’s Artemis II lunar flyby mission last month. The 10-day mission marked the first human trip into the vicinity of the moon in 54 years.

Hansen will participate in several events during race weekend, including Carb Day, the 500 Festival Parade and Sunday’s race. He also will walk the red carpet on race morning and participate in media interviews.

Odds and Ends

• Pole sitter Alex Palou received few questions during his media availability because the press conference format grouped drivers by row. Palou shared the front row with Rossi, who drew most of the attention during the allotted session.
• The IMS sign shop and facilities team completed all 33 pit-lane driver and team stencils, allowing Work United from United Rentals to install each in a record 21 minutes Thursday.
• Scott Dixon has led a race-record 677 laps in 23 starts. However, he has one Indianapolis 500 victory, coming in 2008. “I think it shows I’m pretty crap at leading the right lap,” Dixon said. He starts 10th in the No. 9 PNC Bank Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.
• Kyffin Simpson said he studies Palou’s data to understand what makes the two-time series champion successful. Simpson joined Chip Ganassi Racing in 2024 and has watched Palou win both championships and 15 of 40 races. “Man, it’s annoying sometimes, honestly,” Simpson said. “You look at his data, seeing it from up close, it’s frustrating sometimes. It’s nice to learn from.”
• O’Ward said his new car has a name, but he plans to reveal it only if he wins Sunday’s race. “If I win the race, I’ll share her name,” he said.
• The Borg-Wiener Trophy (photo, above) debuted Thursday and will be awarded at Friday’s Wienie 500 airing at 2 p.m. ET on FOX and FOX One. Covered with a polished metal casing, the trophy stands 2 feet, 3 inches tall — the equivalent of five hot dogs — and features 55 miniature Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles. By comparison, the Borg-Warner Trophy stands 5 feet, 9¾ inches tall and features the likeness of each Indianapolis 500 winner.

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The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is on tap for Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX One, FOX Deportes, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls). What transpires when the green flag drops is anyone’s guess.

SEE: Event Details

There are storylines aplenty, highlighted by these five.

Palou on Pole is Race Favorite

By now everyone should know that reigning “500” champion Alex Palou (photo, top) is the pole sitter for second time in four years, and he is the NTT INDYCAR SERIES points leader in pursuit of a record-tying fourth consecutive season title and fifth in five years. His three race wins this year are part of his 11 victories in the past 23 races.

Yeah, Palou has been exceptional, and he has shown no signs of letting up.

But here’s the thing about the driver of the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda: It can be argued that this oval is his best track on the circuit. He easily could have more than one “500” in the past five years.

Only 6 percent of the drivers in Indy’s history have led more laps than Palou (133 laps led), and he ranks sixth among drivers in this field behind Scott Dixon (No. 1, 677 laps led), Helio Castroneves (No. 18, 326), Ryan Hunter-Reay (No. 27, 219), Ed Carpenter (No. 41, 150) and Takuma Sato (No. 48, 138). Those five drivers have an average number of Indy starts of 20.6. Palou has made just six, five with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Palou opened Chip Ganassi’s eyes in 2020 by qualifying in the seventh position with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Team Goh. Once hired by Ganassi, Palou has led each of his five “500s,” posting an average finish of 4.2, and it could have been much, much better. It took Castroneves to beat him in 2021, and in the years that followed, he was dogged by an inopportune yellow as he came to pit road as the leader and pit road contact from Rinus VeeKay, among other unlucky breaks.

Know this: Those who draw Palou in the office or family pool should clutch that ticket with all their might. It will have the best odds to cash on Sunday.

Rossi’s Ankle/Finger, Backup Cars on Watch

Alexander Rossi’s spin into the Turn 2 wall in Monday’s post-qualifying practice created major questions about the front-row starter. Until that moment the 2016 “500” was having his best month at IMS.

The driver of ECR’s No. 20 Java House Chevrolet (photo, above) suffered injuries to his right ankle and left finger in the double-whammy incident that included Pato O’Ward’s No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet sliding into his car’s compromised left side. Rossi said he expects to participate in the two-hour Miller Lite Carb Day practice (11 a.m. ET, FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls) and Sunday’s race, but at a minimum he will have discomfort to work around. The good news is, he used the backup car in last year’s race, and it was already in oval configuration with all the important speedway fittings.

Per INDYCAR rules, backup cars keep their starting positions so long as there isn’t a driver change. Therefore, Rossi and O’Ward (No. 6 starting spot) will be in the spots they earned in last weekend’s Firestone Fast Six qualifying round despite driving backup cars.

The third driver in Monday’s incident was Romain Grosjean. Dale Coyne Racing has repaired the damage to the No. 18 Bmax.IO Honda that is scheduled to start 24th.

New Era for Team Penske?

David Malukas remains the only Team Penske driver without an INDYCAR SERIES victory, but that doesn’t figure to be the case for long.

Malukas (photo, above), who signed in the offseason to replace Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, was the highest qualifier among Roger Penske’s drivers. He will start third. Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet) will roll off ninth with two-time Indy winner Josef Newgarden (No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet) 23rd.

Two things to remember about Malukas: He finished second in last year’s race in an AJ Foyt Racing car, and 46 of the 109 “500” winners have started that year’s race on the front row.

Malukas’ qualifying effort wasn’t a fluke. He has been the fastest of the three Team Penske drivers on two of the five on-track days this month, and he leads the bunch in points after six races. Malukas ranks third, 23 points ahead of Newgarden (fifth) and 44 north of McLaughlin (eighth).

Malukas could become the first driver since Rossi in 2016 to score his first series win at Indy. Prior to Rossi, it was Buddy Rice in 2004. Before that, Buddy Lazier in 1996 and Arie Luyendyk in 1990.

All three Team Penske drivers will aim to give the organization its record-extending 21st “500” victory.

Potential First-Time Winners

There are nine Indy winners in this field. Malukas will have the best starting position of the non-winners, but he is not the only one with a solid chance to win.

For as strong as Palou has been in past events, O’Ward (photo, above, left) has been his equal – without winning. O’Ward has finished second twice (2022, 2024) and was third last year. Two years ago, he led at the white flag, and his only finish outside the top six was in 2023 when he crashed on Lap 193 battling Marcus Ericsson for second place in Turn 3.

Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 SiriusXM Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/Curb Agajanian; photo, above, right) has fourth-place finishes in 2022 and 2025, and that’s where he starts Sunday’s race. AJ Foyt Racing’s Santino Ferrucci (No. 14 Homes For Our Troops Chevrolet) is riding a streak of seven top-10 finishes to begin his career, and he will roll off fifth. Conor Daly, who has led 82 career laps, is having his best month and will start eighth in Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s No. 23 DRR Kingspan ARCO Chevrolet.

Andretti Global’s Kyle Kirkwood (No. 27 Sam’s Club Honda) is second in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES standings, and he will be another driver that could be in the mix in the final dash to the checkered flag though he’ll start 25th. But he might have said it best Thursday.

“There’s a lot of confidence amongst the field, which hopefully means we’re going to have a really good race,” he said. “I also hope for ourselves that it’s not a false confidence.”

‘500’ Records on the Line

With 109 races in the books, it’s difficult to achieve a first, but Castroneves has two such chances in Sunday’s race.

The first is the most obvious: A win would give Castroneves (photo, above) record five, breaking the tie with A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. The club of four-timer winners is the most prestigious in the sport.

Castroneves’ other pursuit is no less impressive. If he completes 112 laps, he will break Foyt’s record of 12,275.5 miles completed, which equates to 4,909 laps. Castroneves, who starts 14th in the No. 06 Cleveland Cliffs Honda of Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb-Agajanian, has turned 4,798 race laps (11,995 miles) in his 25 years at IMS.

Castroneves and Sato (No. 75 Amada Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing) each have a chance to become the oldest “500” winner in history. Unser, who holds the record, was 47 years, 360 days when he won in 1987. On Sunday, Castroneves will be 51 years, 14 days while Sato will be 49 years, 116 days.

Nolan Siegel (No. 6 NTT DATA Arrow McLaren Chevrolet) and Kyffin Simpson (No. 8 Sunoco Chip Ganassi Racing Honda) each have a chance to become the youngest “500” winner. Troy Ruttman was 22 years, 80 days when he set the record in 1952. Siegel will be 21 years, 196 days old on Race Day; Simpson 21 years, 227 days.

This field just missed breaking the event record for combined career Indy starts. They have 256. The record is 260, set in 1987 and 1992.

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