A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
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| Indianapolis Motor Speedway | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis 500 | |||||
| Sanctioning body | IndyCar | ||||
| Season | 2017 IndyCar season | ||||
| Date | May 28, 2017 | ||||
| Winner |  Takuma Sato | ||||
| Winning team | Andretti Autosport | ||||
| Average speed | 155.395 mph (250.084 km/h) | ||||
| Pole position |  Scott Dixon | ||||
| Pole speed | 232.164 mph (373.632 km/h) | ||||
| Fastest qualifier | Scott Dixon | ||||
| Rookie of the Year |  Fernando Alonso | ||||
| Most laps led |  Max Chilton (50) | ||||
| Pre-race ceremonies | |||||
| National anthem | Bebe Rexha[1] | ||||
| "Back Home Again in Indiana" | Jim Cornelison[2] | ||||
| Starting command | Tony George | ||||
| Pace car | Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport | ||||
| Pace car driver | Jeffrey Dean Morgan | ||||
| Starter | Paul Blevin | ||||
| Honorary starter | Jake Gyllenhaal & Jeff Bauman[3] | ||||
| TV in the United States | |||||
| Network | ABC (blacked out locally) | ||||
| Announcers | Allen Bestwick, Scott Goodyear, Eddie Cheever | ||||
| Nielsen ratings | 3.6 | ||||
| Chronology | |||||
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The 2017 Indianapolis 500 (branded as the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil for sponsorship reasons) was a Verizon IndyCar Series race held on Sunday May 28, 2017, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, United States. The race was the premier event and the sixth race of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season.
Despite a threatening weather forecast in the days leading up to the event, the race ran its scheduled distance of 200 laps (500 miles) and was won by Japanese driver Takuma Sato of Andretti Autosport. Sato, who also finished on the podium at the 2004 U.S. Grand Prix on the road course at Indianapolis, became the first Asian driver to win the Indianapolis 500. Sato assumed the lead with six laps to go and held off Hélio Castroneves over the final fifteen miles.
Two violent crashes occurred during the month, involving Sébastien Bourdais (during time trials) and Scott Dixon (during the race), respectively. Bourdais suffered a broken pelvis and other injuries, forcing him to sit out the event, while Dixon suffered a minor ankle injury.
Alexander Rossi entered the race as the defending champion. The event also featured Fernando Alonso, the first active Formula One World Championship driver to contest the race since Teo Fabi in 1984.[4] Alonso was voted Rookie of the Year, having led 27 laps before retiring in the closing stages of the race.[5]
The month of May activities formally began on May 13 with the fourth running of the IndyCar Grand Prix on the combined road course. Practice for the Indianapolis 500 began on May 15, and time trials were held on May 20–21. Scott Dixon, the 2008 winner, won the pole position, his third career Indy pole. Dixon's qualifying speed of 232.164 mph (373.632 km/h) was the fastest pole speed since 1996. Carb Day—the traditional final day of practice, as well as the annual Pit Stop Challenge and Indy Lights Freedom 100, were held on May 26. Support races featuring the Road to Indy were also held during the month.
Race background
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 chassis were outfitted with a universal bodywork kit.[6] Furthermore, a development freeze was implemented for 2017, and all aero kits had to adhere to the established specifications carried over from 2016.
Among the major offseason moves, Chip Ganassi Racing switched engine manufactures from Chevrolet to Honda. Conversely, A. J. Foyt Enterprises switched from Honda to Chevrolet. KV Racing Technology, who won the 2013 race with driver Tony Kanaan, was sold to Juncos Racing, an established team in the ladder system, scheduled to make its debut at the Indianapolis 500. After losing his seat at KV Racing, Sébastien Bourdais subsequently signed with Dale Coyne Racing. Among the other high-profile moves, Josef Newgarden departed Ed Carpenter Racing and joined Team Penske.
Regulations and rule changes
A series of procedural rule changes were implemented by the series for the 2017 season, however, none of the rule changes significantly affected the Indianapolis 500.[7] The IndyCar Grand Prix, which opens the on-track activities for the month, a three-day event, had only two days for the Verizon IndyCar Series. That mirrors similar changes made to other races event weekends on the schedule.
- Each entry was allowed 36 sets of tires (Firestone) total, for practice, time trials, and for the race. This remained the same from 2015-2016. The special compound "red" tires are not used for oval events. Entries taking part in the Rookie Orientation Program received an additional three sets for that session, and entries taking part in a refresher test received two additional sets.[8]
- All entries are subject to engine change-out rules. The standard minimum change-out mileage milestone per engine is set at 2,500 miles. Full-time entries are allotted up to two fresh engines for the month of May on-track activities, plus a third engine that is left over from the previous IndyCar Series races. Teams must first mileage-out their engine from the previous races during practice before they can install a fresh engine for Fast Friday practice and/or qualifying. The second fresh engine is intended to be installed for Carb Day and race day, however each team has a certain amount of latitude as to their installation decisions. Both the engine used for Fast Friday/qualifying and the engine used for Carb Day/race day must be re-utilized and properly mileaged out later in the IndyCar season. Unapproved engine changes are subject to penalty.[9] Teams participating in the Pit Stop Challenge are permitted to utilize a back-up car for that event, with one of the older engines installed.
- Engines are permitted 130 kPa of turbocharger "boost" during practice from May 15–18. Cars are allowed 140 kPa of "boost" on Fast Friday practice, and during time trials. The "boost" level reverts to 130 kPa for Carb day and race day.
2017 IndyCar season
The 101st Indianapolis 500 was the sixth round of the 2017 Verizon IndyCar Series season, and the 22nd sanctioned as part of the Indy Racing League/IndyCar Series. There were five different winners in the first five races leading up to the Indianapolis 500. The season began March 12 at St. Petersburg, with Sébastien Bourdais a surprise winner. Bourdais won from last place on the starting grid.[10] James Hinchcliffe won at Long Beach,[11] his first victory since suffering a near-fatal accident during practice for 2015 Indianapolis 500. Josef Newgarden won at Barber,[12] and defending series champion Simon Pagenaud won at Phoenix.[13] The IndyCar Grand Prix was won by Will Power, his second victory in the event.
Entering the month of May at Indy, Honda-powered teams were the prohibitive favorites over the Chevys. As the week began, Honda teams were even being accused of "sandbagging."[14] However, each day saw a different driver lead the speed charts, split almost evenly between both manufacturers. Honda began experiencing multiple engine failures,[15] raising significant concerns around the garage area of their reliability.[15]
Entry list
- See 2017 IndyCar Series § Teams and drivers for further information.
Former Indianapolis 500 winners that were entered include Hélio Castroneves, Juan Pablo Montoya, Buddy Lazier, Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Alexander Rossi. Former IndyCar Series champions that entered include Lazier, Dixon, Kanaan, Hunter-Reay, Will Power and Simon Pagenaud.[16] In addition, Juan Pablo Montoya is a former CART series champion, and Sébastien Bourdais is a four-time champion of the Champ Car World Series. Montoya, after three years in a full-time role at Team Penske, went down to a part-time role for 2017, driving in the IndyCar Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 only.[17]
On April 12, it was announced that two-time Formula 1 World Champion Fernando Alonso planned to drive a Honda with the support of McLaren for Andretti Autosport.[18][19] Alonso skipped the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix in order to compete at Indianapolis.
Rookies that entered[16] included Alonso, Jack Harvey,[20] Ed Jones, and Zach Veach. The official entry list was released on May 14.
