Indy 500 – Drivers Talk About The Upcoming Race

What drivers are saying prior to the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500.

Drivers included: Graham Rahal, Zach Veach, James Davison, Charlie Kimball, Jay Howard, Conor Daly, Zachary Claman De Melo and Carlos Munoz.

 

 
Transcript:
Graham Rahal [United Rentals Honda] – “Yeah we gotta like, just see how it unfolds. It’s gonna be really unpredictable this year you know. I think there’s a lot of guys that start up front whose race cars don’t look very good and I mean those guys that started in the back like [Alexander] Rossi and hopefully myself who do look good. So you know to balance that out is gonna be tough.

For sure the first hundred [laps] you need to be just cautious because it’s you know, there’s a greater opportunity to take yourself out in those first 100 then there is to make up a lot of gains.”

Zach Veach [Relay Group 1001 Honda] – “I feel like practice has been safe because everyone’s taking care of each other. That’s not gonna happen Sunday you know. Everyone’s lifting early, letting people have room. The problem is you have to pass so late on the straightaway now. You know, if you’re running with someone who wants to be a hero on the outside he’s either gonna take you out of your race or you’re never gonna get around the guy trying to protect both of you. So, it’s just all about knowing who you’re racing and knowing who has the most risk and who is trying to run a safe race. So it’s gonna be definitely more of a thinking game I think this year, then maybe past races. But, we don’t know about that once we get in the middle of it you know.

James Davison [Jonathan Byrd’s 502 East Chevrolet] – “Through experience you learn a lot more that it is indeed true an endurance race that you’ve just got to minimize your risk with the whole aim of having track position and your car in the best possible window in the last 50 laps. So many different things can lead to a good or bad result here that what happens in the first 50 to 100 laps, when you think it’s all over is, it’s just such a distant occurrence come you know the last 50 laps. Obviously you can see how this race is won with fuel strategy and attrition. You never know, I mean last year I couldn’t possibly have imagined that I thought I’ve been fighting at the front and leading the race. But, that’s the way it worked out so you just drive it accordingly and for sure if you’re in a position of winner – you’ve got to go for it. Because it’s the biggest race in the world all bets are off. You never know how many chances you’ll ever get of having a shot to win it. You know we may be able to do this race another 10-15 times, but how many times you’re going to be in with a shot to win in the closing stages. So, that’s really why I went for it last year and if it works out you’re a hero, if it doesn’t – well, you’re not and you try again.”

Charlie Kimball [Fiasp Chevrolet] – “The Indy 500 always been a track position race even for 500 miles. It is not somewhere like Iowa where, that last stint, if you put fresh tires on you can ‘video game’ drive through the field. This is not this racetrack, is not like that, it’s not been like that. Even if you didn’t want to be second at the white flag lap the last few years, or you didn’t want to be leading (sorry) on the white flag the last few years that may be different this year. I think if a car is good and it can run clear, it may get out in front and run away and hide a little bit. You haven’t seen that separation from cars in the last few years. So the race may develop, and I say may, because I don’t know that anyone can definitively say it’s going to do this, or it’s going to look like this and they may not agree, we as drivers may not even know until a hundred laps into the race on Sunday or longer.”

Jay Howard [One Cure SPM Honda] – “Everything is set up for a good race day and, I’ll be patient, see how things start to settle in and play out, maybe turn up a little bit as we get a bit closer to the end of the race. [So, you’ve got a good plan?] We got a good plan. You know, plans are great, till you get out there. Yeah man, you know, chaos happens, and then the plan goes out the window. So, we at least have a plan and we’re going to do our best to stick to it… yeah.”

Conor Daly [United States Air Force Honda] – “I think realistically the best move to make is just to get deeper into the field at the first lap, you know, make up four or five positions get into the mid-20s. At least just to sort of start out and sort of have cars in front have cars behind and then just go from there see how the car you know plays out in the first in see the he’ll see how other cars around you how they’re handling degrades or gets better and then you sort of just kind start working from there.”

Zachary Claman DeMelo [Paysafe Honda] – “A lot of drivers are struggling this year with the new downforce, with the new aero package at this place, it’s been really hard to pass for everyone. A lot of people are seeing understeer off the corner. I personally think we are one of the strongest cars in race trim on Monday, so I’m really confident going into the race and looking forward to see what we can do.”

Carlos Munoz [Ruoff Home Mortgage Honda] – “A good race car is a car that you know, it’s gonna be really good for the 30-lap stint. Also, you have to think that the track is gonna change for the race progressing. The car is going to change a little bit, so you have to think ahead of that. But, the most important thing is to have a consistent car for over 30 laps you can be really fast in ten first laps and then you go in downhill the last ones. I think it’s good to have a car that is consistent the whole time.”

 

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