16 Chevrolet-powered entries set for ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing’
DETROIT (May 25, 2022) – Chevrolet is enjoying one of its best starts to an NTT INDYCAR SERIES season so far this year. What could make it better? Try another victory in the Indianapolis 500 and the sweet taste of winning at the Brickyard.
A total of 16 Chevrolet-powered entries – led by Ed Carpenter Racing’s Rinus Veekay on the front row – will follow the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pace car driven by Sarah Fisher to the start line and take the green flag for Sunday’s race on NBC and virtually every major sports channel around the world. Already with four victories in six races, Team Chevy would like nothing better than to win the Indy 500 for the fourth time since 2012 and capture its 100th victory in the V6 era of INDYCAR racing.
“The NTT INDYCAR SERIES races at some of the best tracks and puts on some of the best events in all of motorsports,” said Rob Buckner, Chevrolet Program Manager for INDYCAR. “But there isn’t anything that compares to the Indianapolis 500. That’s especially true if you are fortunate to win it, which we have done multiple times with our twin-turbo V6 engine. After months of hard work and hundreds of laps in the lead-up to Sunday, our teams are prepared and ready.
“Winning the Indy 500 is an incredible feat in and of itself. But to have the chance to make this year’s running the 100th INDYCAR victory for the Chevrolet V6 engine is an even more special opportunity. We’ve already won races this year and lead the Engine Manufacturer Championship. We’d like nothing better to hit the century mark with our fifth Indy 500 win since 2012.”
Two Team Chevy drivers – Team Penske’s Will Power and Arrow McLaren SP’s Juan Pablo Montoya – know what it’s like to kiss the yard of bricks and take the traditional winner’s drink of milk in Victory Lane. Montoya, driver of the No. 6 McLaren Chevrolet, is a two-time winner having claimed victory in 2000 and 2015. Power will try to win with his No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet and add to his triumph in 2018.
For the second year in a row, Veekay will be on the front row Sunday in his No. 21 Bitcoin Racing with Bitnile Chevrolet after setting the third-fastest time in qualifying. Teammate and team owner Ed Carpenter will start fourth.
While at the Indianapolis 500, Team Chevy fans can enjoy all that the Chevrolet display, located near the Pagoda plaza, has to offer. Included in the display activities will be six Q&A sessions with some of the star Chevrolet drivers throughout Friday.
• 9:30-9:45 a.m.: Ed Carpenter Racing – Ed Carpenter, Rinus Veekay and Conor Daly
• 9:45-10:00 a.m.: Arrow McLaren SP – Pato O’Ward, Felix Rosenqvist and Juan Pablo Montoya
• 1:30-1:45 p.m.: DragonSpeed/Cusick Motorsports – Stefan Wilson
• 1:45-2:00 p.m.: Dreyer & Reinbold Racing – Sage Karam and Santino Ferrucci
• 2:00-2:15 p.m.: AJ Foyt Racing – Dalton Kellett, Kyle Kirkwood and JR Hildebrand
• 2:15-2:30 p.m.: Juncos Hollinger Racing – Callum Illott
The Chevrolet Motorsports Display opens at 8 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 6 a.m. Sunday. Numerous Chevrolet vehicles and other highlights include:
• 2023 Corvette Z06
• Corvette Stingray R concept
• Corvette Stingray
• Chevrolet electrical models Bolt EV, Bolt EUV and Silverado EV
• Additional Chevrolet products such as Blazer RS, Silverado 2500 HD, Silverado 1500 ZR2, Trailblazer ACTIV, Silverado 1500 MCM LT Trailboss, Traverse High Country, Tahoe Z71 and Camaro ZL1
• A cutaway chassis of the 2023 Corvette Z06 and IndyCar showcar
• An opportunity to receive a 2022 Chevrolet Racing t-shirt
Chevrolet and the NTT INDYCAR Series continue the 2022 season with the Indianapolis 500 at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, May 29 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will air live on NBC, the Peacock streaming service and SiriusXM IndyCar Nation (Channel 160) beginning at 11 a.m. ET. Live timing and scoring will be available at racecontrol.indycar.com.
TEAM CHEVY QUOTES
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 2 SHELL CHEVROLET, TEAM PENSKE: “I’m very excited to get to the ‘race’ part of this month. I think we have really strong racecars, especially with Team Chevy. They’ve really backed us tremendously this season and we feel really confident we can win this race together. With their support and the Shell Fuel Rewards car, I think we can challenge for the win. It’s going to be a long day. We need to be methodical about the way we move forward. I think patience is going to pay off. It’s the same game every year. We have to get to the finish and we have to position ourselves in the final stint. If we’re in position, then we’ll look to capitalize on a victory together with everybody.”
SANTINO FERRUCCI, NO. 23 PALERMO’S CHEVROLET, DRYER & REINBOLD RACING: “I’m very excited about Sunday’s race, especially after running in race trim. Dreyer & Reinbold Racing always puts together a strong race car. That is one of the reasons I came to the team this year. While we thought we would be a little stronger in qualifying, starting on the outside of the fifth row is not a bad position for the race. We have a good strategy for adjustments in the race and we will make another small change in ‘Carb Day’ practice. It looks like the weather will be a little warmer for Sunday and could play into our hands. We worked early last week on race settings, and I’m pleased how things went for our No. 23 car. Now, we’ll be ready to move to the front of the field when the green flag drops.”
SAGE KARAM, NO. 24 AES INDIANA CHEVROLET, DRYER & REINBOLD RACING: “It is hard to believe that this race will be my ninth 500. And to be honest, this year’s No. 24 car might be my best in race trim. We felt good in Monday’s practice running on full tanks and in traffic. That is all we concentrated on during the two hours, ‘How was the car in traffic?’ We came into last week’s practice runs as prepared as our team has ever been after the April two-day test. We learned a lot about the car then. And we continued to translate that info into this month’s runs. Qualifying was a little wild with weather changes and the wind moving around so much. Looking on Sunday’s weather, it could be pretty warm, which I like. Our car has performed well in the races here when we get hotter track temps. So we are ready for Sunday’s race.”
BY THE NUMBERS: Chevrolet in INDYCAR
· 1: Chevrolet’s position in the INDYCAR Engine Manufacturer standings after three races
· 2: Consecutive front-row starts in the Indianapolis 500 for Rinus Veekay of Ed Carpenter Racing
· 2: Team Chevy drivers in this year’s race who have won the Indy 500: Juan Pablo Montoya (2000 and 2015) and Will Power (2018)
· 2: Indianapolis 500 rookies in Chevrolet-powered entries: Kyle Kirkwood for AJ Foyt Racing and Callum Illot for Juncos Hollinger Racing
· 4: Wins at the Indianapolis 500 for Chevrolet-powered teams since 2012
· 4: Consecutive victories by Chevrolet to open the 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES. Team Penske’s Scott McLaughlin won the pole and race at St. Petersburg. Penske teammate Josef Newgarden won at Texas and Long Beach, and Pato O’Ward was victorious at Barber Motorsport Park for Arrow McLaren SP
· 6: Different Chevrolet drivers to win races dating back to the start of 2020. Scott McLaughlin was the most recent at St. Petersburg
· 6: Number of Manufacturer Championships in the NTT INDYCAR Series since 2012
· 6: Number of Team Chevy Driver/Entrant championships since 2012
· 9: Wins from pole by Will Power with Chevrolet power since 2012, most by any driver
· 13: Consecutive seasons with at least one win by Will Power, including past 10 with Chevrolet
· 18: Wins by Roger Penske-owned entries in the Indy 500 since 1972
· 25: Wins by Will Power since 2012. All have come with Chevrolet, giving him the most of any driver with same manufacturer
· 39: Pole starts by Will Power since 2012 in a Chevrolet-powered car, most of any driver
· 99: Chevrolet victories in NTT INDYCAR SERIES since 2012
· 108: Earned poles by Chevrolet since 2012
· 170: NTT INDYCAR SERIES races as V6 engine supplier since 2012 return to INDYCAR
Chevrolet in the 2022 Indianapolis 500 Mile Race
Chevrolet has a storied history with Indianapolis Motor Speedway as an engine manufacturer, provider of the pace car, entrant and even drivers.
Chevrolet was co-founded in 1911 by Louis Chevrolet, the year of the inaugural 500-Mile Race. He competed in the ‘500’ four times, with a best finish of seventh in 1919. His brother, Arthur, competed in the 1911 and 1916 races and his other brother, Gaston, won in 1920 and finished 10th in 1919.
Louis Chevrolet was also the owner of the 1921-winning car driven by Tommy Milton.
The Louis Chevrolet Memorial is located just west of the entrance to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. Inscribed on the pedestal that holds a bust of Louis Chevrolet is his motto “Never Give Up.”
Wins (11)
1988: Rick Mears
1989: Emerson Fittipaldi
1990: Arie Luyendyk
1991: Rick Mears
1992: Al Unser, Jr.
1993: Emerson Fittipaldi
2002: Helio Castroneves
2013: Tony Kanaan
2015: Juan Pablo Montoya
2018: Will Power
2019: Simon Pagenaud
Wins by other General Motors brands (5 – Oldsmobile)
1997: Arie Luyendyk
1998: Eddie Cheever
1999: Kenny Brack
2000: Juan Pablo Montoya
2001: Helio Castroneves
Winning team owners with Chevrolet entries this year
Roger Penske: 18 – first in 1972, last in 2019
A.J. Foyt: 3 – driver-owner in 1967, ’77; owner in 1999
Front-row starters since 2012 with Chevrolet entry
2022: Third – Rinus VeeKay
2021: Third – Rinus VeeKay
2019: First – Simon Pagenaud. Second – Ed Carpenter. Third – Spencer Pigot
2018: First – Ed Carpenter. Second – Simon Pagenaud. Third – Will Power
2017: Second – Ed Carpenter
2016: Second – Josef Newgarden
2015: First – Scott Dixon. Second – Will Power. Third – Simon Pagenaud
2014: First – Ed Carpenter. Third – Will Power
2013: First – Ed Carpenter. Second – Carlos Munoz. Third – Marco Andretti
2012: First – Ryan Briscoe. Second – James Hinchcliffe. Third – Ryan Hunter-Reay
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in nearly 80 countries with nearly 2.7 million cars and trucks sold in 2021. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
