SPEEDWAY, Ind. (WISH) — Three days out from the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500, and the drivers, teams and fans are all waiting eagerly for what’s expected to be a wild — and as always, historic — race day.
“This is our Super Bowl. It’s everything,” Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin said. “You always have that sort of giddiness I guess you could say before the race and how it’s going to be, and it never gets old.”
Excitement continues to build as the field of 33 of IndyCar’s fastest drivers prepare for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, including two-time defending champion Josef Newgarden.
“I’m excited,” Newgarden said Thursday. “I’m excited looking at the weather. Looks like we’re going to have pretty clear skies Friday, Saturday, Sunday which is always good news. Just ready to race.”
Meanwhile, Chip Ganassi Racing star Alex Palou is still looking for his first win, but he comes into the Indy 500 with the most momentum in the series. Palou’s won four of the first five races and says this INdy 500 outranks the rest.
“I used to be a little bit overwhelmed probably at the beginning and maybe not enjoying as much every single day – maybe not so much focus on how lucky I am to be in this position,” Palou said. “Every year I’ve been able to enjoy more so so far this has been the best 500.”
The excitement is being felt all over the paddock as record numbers of fans have flocked to Indy 500 practice and qualifying even before the ever-entertaining Carb Day.
“I feel like there’s just been way more fans out here at the track,” Meyer Shank Racing’s Felix Rosenqvist said. “There’s been way more talk on social media and I think all that stuff kind of raises the excitement for everyone including drivers, teams, fans, engineers. Everyone is just more on edge, just more anticipation.”
It’s the first official grandstand sell-out of the Indianapolis 500 in nine years. That’s just adds to the anticipation for the drivers who know it’s going to be extra special going around this oval in front of over 350,000 fans.
“It’s an amazing indication of where IndyCar is going and what the Indy 500 means to people,” 2016 champion Alexander Rossi said. “We’re finally at that point where we’re matching what we did in 2016 for the 100th running, which is a testament to everyone involved and the leadership and just the appetite that the fans have for this race.”
With the cooler temperatures, new hybrid cars, a rookie on the pole and two Penskes in the back, this year’s race is setting itself up for some chaos. Four-time champ Helio Castroneves agrees.
“I tell you what, I think it will be incredible,” Castroneves said. “Last year, the race was won on Turn 3. This might be on Turn 4. I don’t know. With the way, everything’s happening, this place still surprises a lot of people.”
If the last couple weeks are any kind of preview to the race, fans should buckle in for a wild one come Sunday.
