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Newgarden Leads Rain-Shortened ‘500’ Practice

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Official Release
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during The NTT IndyCar Series Indianapolis 500 on Monday, May 18, 2026, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana(Photo by Jeff Hilliker/IMS Photos)

Rossi, O’Ward, Grosjean Involved in Big Turn 2 Incident

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 18, 2026) – Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden rebounded from a disappointing qualifying session Sunday to lead the rain-shortened practice for the 110th Running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” on Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But the bigger story of the practice, shortened from two hours to one hour, 18 minutes due to rain and lightning, was a frightening three-car incident in Turn 2 involving Alexander Rossi, Pato O’Ward and Romain Grosjean 28 minutes into the session.

Newgarden, who will start 23rd in the race this Sunday, was fastest today at 226.198 mph in the No. 2 Shell Fuel Rewards Team Penske Chevrolet. He was followed by fellow double “500” winner Takuma Sato at 225.723 in the No. 75 Amada Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.

Rookie Dennis Hauger was third at 224.554 in the No. 19 Only Bulls Honda of Dale Coyne Racing in which he will start 29th Sunday. 2014 “500” winner Ryan Hunter-Reay was fourth at 224.415 in the No. 31 Prize Picks Arrow McLaren Chevrolet that he will race Sunday from the 22nd starting spot.

2022 Indy 500 winner Marcus Ericsson rounded out the top five at 224.376 in the No. 28 Phoenix Investors Honda of Andretti Global. Ericsson also had a tough PPG Presents Armed Forces Qualifying day Sunday, as he will start 17th in the 33-car field.

The first major accident of the event took place at 1:28 p.m. ET. Rossi spun in Turn 2 in the No. 20 Java House Chevrolet of Ed Carpenter Racing, made hard contact with the SAFER Barrier and then suffered a secondary hit from the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet of O’Ward, who spun under braking trying to avoid Rossi. Both cars suffered heavy damage.

Grosjean also spun into the SAFER Barrier trying to avoid the accident in the No. 18 Bmax.IO Honda of Dale Coyne Racing.

Rossi, who qualified second Sunday, was awake and alert, in good spirits and was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation, said Dr. Julia Vaizer, INDYCAR medical director. O’Ward and Grosjean were released without injury.

“I’m OK; I just feel bad for my car,” O’Ward said. “Just wrong place, wrong time. I just got collected there. I obviously hit the brakes and couldn’t do much to avoid it. I’m glad Alex is all right, Romain, as well.”

The shortened session was fast and frantic, as thick packs of cars took worked in traffic in preparation for Race Day after focusing on pure speed during “Fast Friday” practice and qualifying Sunday. All 33 drivers combined to turn 1,053 laps even though the track was open for action for only 35 minutes due to track inspection, the three-car incident, and rain and lightning.

Next up is the final practice before Race Day, Miller Lite Carb Day from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. ET Friday (FS1, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

The 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is scheduled for Sunday, May 24 (10 a.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, FOX One, INDYCAR Radio powered by OnlyBulls).

Mission Accomplished: Mission 600 Wraps Ninth Year Ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, Memorial Day Weekend

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Official Release
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CONCORD, N.C. (May 18, 2026) – Mission accomplished. For the ninth straight year, ahead of the Coca-Cola 600 and Memorial Day Weekend, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600 set out to honor the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces by pairing Coca-Cola Racing Family and other drivers alongside units from different branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain and Coca-Cola Family Racing drivers Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Daniel Suarez and Joey Logano visited with and trained alongside military to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve. This year’s campaign included a mix of in-person and virtual visits spanning from Arlington National Cemetery outside of Washington D.C. to military installations in North Carolina, South Carolina and as far away as Lithuania.

“Being on the eve of Memorial Day, it’s never lost on us the significance of the Coca-Cola 600 and our opportunity to honor everything that the military does,” said Charlotte Motor Speedway President and General Manager Greg Walter. “The impact we make when we bring these drivers out for Mission 600, it’s really special to see how these interactions can reshape their perspective. Drivers who may only see the military during pre-race, are able to interact with them on a more personal level and see how they work to protect our freedoms; it’s a special connection point for our sport to the military.”

Here’s a recap of the 2026 Mission 600 campaign:

April 22: Chase Elliott visited Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort

Elliott toured the flight line and was treated to an aerial demonstration of the famed F-35B. He took part in a hands-on demonstration on loading inert ordnance onto the cutting-edge machines and saw first-hand how crews work together – like a NASCAR pit crew. Following lunch with Marines in the Officers’ Club, Elliott climbed into the cockpit of a state-of-the-art F-18 simulator to try his hand at a series of maneuverability and dogfighting exercises.

April 29: Defending Coca-Cola 600 winner Ross Chastain lays a wreath of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Continuing its annual tradition for the defending Coca-Cola 600 race winner, Charlotte Motor Speedway hosted Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain, team owner Justin Marks and a group of Coca-Cola partners and supporters to kick off Military Appreciation Month with a visit to Arlington National Cemetery

May 7: Austin Dillon and teammate Tyler Rader trained alongside members of the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg

Dillon and Rader took part in live-fire exercises with a variety of weapons systems, including SIG Sauer pistols, M4 carbine rifles and an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). They also fired an M119 Howitzer and simulated paratrooper drills at the installation’s 34-foot jump tower before testing their aviation skills in high-tech simulators used to train pilots to fly AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.

May 12: Joey Logano connected via zoom with U.S. Army V Corps’ Project Flytrap, based in Lithuania

While separated by more than 4,800 miles – or roughly the distance of eight Coca-Cola 600 races – Logano and the unit found a lot of common ground in discussing technology, teamwork, the power of preparation and leadership.

May 14: Daniel Suarez and crew chief Ryan Sparks wrapped up this year’s Mission 600 visits with a trip to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base

During the visit, Suárez and Sparks visited the Aircraft Maintenance Qualification Program, trained on F-35 Stealth Fighter and F-22 Raptor virtual reality simulators, discussed physiology and training for fighter pilots and drove an Explosive Ordinance Disposal robot. The pair also visited with more than two dozen airmen at Seymour Johnson AFB’s USO center.

ABOUT MISSION 600:

Now in its ninth year, Mission 600 brings together NASCAR drivers with members of the U.S. Armed Forces from regional military bases and through virtual connections with units around the world to educate the NASCAR community about the day-to-day lives of the men and women who serve and to build impactful connections between the worlds of motorsports and the military. The military tributes culminate during a rousing pre-race celebration ahead of the Coca-Cola 600.

Coca-Cola 600 Weekend Delivers the Ultimate First-Time NASCAR Fan Experience

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Official Release
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First-time fans can experience unmatched energy, patriotic tradition and nonstop excitement at Charlotte Motor Speedway for Coca-Cola 600 weekend. (CMS photo)
  • The Coca-Cola 600 delivers the ultimate first-time fan experience with 600 miles of intense racing, patriotic Memorial Day tributes, pre-race entertainment and nonstop energy at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • Fans can purchase Coca-Cola 600 weekend tickets online at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or call 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get in for just $10 on Sunday

CONCORD, N.C. (May 18, 2026) – The countdown is over — it’s officially Coca-Cola 600 race week at Charlotte Motor Speedway. With 600 miles of intense racing, patriotic Memorial Day tributes, pre-race concerts, fireworks and nonstop energy from start to finish, NASCAR’s biggest weekend promises an unforgettable experience for both first-time fans and longtime racing faithful.

Ahead of race weekend, NASCAR Cup Series drivers shared why the Coca-Cola 600 weekend is the perfect experience for first-time race fans:

Daniel Suarez, No. 7, Spire Motorsports

“The Coca-Cola 600 is not just a race. It’s more than a race, and this is what I tell people all the time. Memorial Day weekend is the time that we get to thank all the men and women that have served our country. They have done the ultimate sacrifice and also, in many times, some of their family members come and join us at the racetrack. It’s the only race that we have that we actually take a pause, a moment of silence right in the middle of the race, just to remember all these men and women. So for me, it is more than a race, and it’s probably one of the most special weekends of the year.”

Todd Gilliland, No. 34, Front Row Motorsports

“Going to the Coke 600 as your first race, you’ll experience everything throughout 600 miles. There’s going to be a lot of stuff that goes on. Even as a driver, you could start off the race really poorly, but by the end of 600 miles, you can be really strong and have made up laps or lost laps. So you’ll see guys, you know, really progress or regress throughout the race, and, I think, just from a strategy perspective, in your first race, you’ll get to experience a lot.”

Riley Herbst, No. 35, 23XI Racing

“The Coke 600 is a great first race because we celebrate American heroes that day. The Salute to Service for our military program is awesome, and it’s just a great racetrack, 600 miles. It’s a long day around Coke 600 and I guess I should say nightfall as well.”

John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42, Legacy Motor Club

“Memorial Day weekend and Coke 600, they just go together. One of the greatest days of racing. On that Sunday, as a kid growing up in the sport. It’s one of the most iconic races that I’ve been able to watch and be a part of. Seeing everything from pre-race live festivities, the fan zone, everything that is supported and they do around Memorial Day weekend to honor those troops for race day weekend, is probably one of the most thrilling things, one of the most fun experiences that I’ve been able to be a part of.”

Rickey Stenhouse, No. 47, HYAK Motorsports

“I was five years old the first time I experienced my first NASCAR event, which was at the Coca-Cola 600. My family took me, and what’s cool about that is in 2011, I ended up making my very first NASCAR Cup Series start at the Coca-Cola 600 as well. I remember that first one, coming up from the bathroom, Mark Martin kind of spun out in front of us there, getting in Turn 1. Then, I got pictures of me also taking a nap during the Coca-Cola 600, you know, it’s 600 miles, so, need to rest up.”

Ty Gibbs, No. 54, Joe Gibbs Racing

“I think it’s a very patriotic race, obviously. It’s just the longest race of the year. Everybody’s there. I feel like I grew up in North Carolina for the most part of my life, and so a lot of my friends and family come, so it’s really a good weekend.”

Ryan Preece, No. 60, RFK Racing

“ Well, as far as the energy level, when I think of racing, I think America, right? I think of NASCAR and the Coke 600. So for me, between the national anthem and all the pre-race ceremonies, you’ll definitely feel the energy.”

TICKETS:

Fans can purchase tickets online for Friday’s NC Education Lottery 200, Saturday’s Cook Out 300, and limited remaining tickets for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at www.charlottemotorspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-455-FANS (3267). Kids 12 and under get into Sunday’s race for just $10.

MORE INFO:

Fans can connect with Charlotte Motor Speedway and get the latest news by following on X and Instagram, or becoming a Facebook fan. Keep up with all the latest news and information with the Charlotte Motor Speedway mobile app.

Jim Dunn Racing – Chicago Event Recap for the Route 66 NHRA Nationals

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Official Release
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Photo credit: Auto Imagery

Jeff Arend
Mooneyes Funny Car Driver for Jim Dunn Racing
Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by PEAK
May 14-17 | Joliet, Illinois

Event Recap

Jeff Arend, driver of the Jim Dunn Racing Mooneyes Funny Car:

  • Earned No. 8 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.050 ET at 313.88 mph)
  • Fell to No. 13 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (4.045 ET at 312.28 mph)
  • Fell to No. 14 provisional qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. The team elected to not make a qualifying run in Q3 on Saturday.
  • Secured No. 14 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. The team elected to not make a qualifying run in Q4 on Saturday.
  • Eliminated following Round 1 on Sunday:
  • Round 1: 9.138 ET at 95.34 mph, lost to Austin Prock (3.934 ET at 330.31 mph)

Notes of Interest

  • Arend represented Mooneyes this weekend in Chicago. Mooneyes products and logos are an indelible part of hot rod nostalgia, easily recognizable to gearheads and novices alike. They take pride in producing high-quality products that look great and get the job done right. Mooneyes produces Moon Fuel Blocks, Moon Tanks, Moon Discs, and Moon Valve Covers among other original parts right on site in their machine shop. They also supply various parts and accessories for hot rods and kustoms as well as an expanding like of custom motorcycle products. Located in the same place since it all started back in the 1950s, Mooneyes is located in Santa Fe Springs, California.
  • Jeff Arend will return to the Jim Dunn Racing Funny Car for the remainder of the 2026 season. He stepped in for a portion of the weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals in Pomona, California and has competed for the team in previous events at Charlotte, North Carolina and Valdosta, Georgia prior to Chicago. Before 2026, Arend last drove for Jim Dunn Racing in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
  • Jim Dunn Racing will forego the next NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event at Maryland International Raceway. The NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, New Hampshire will mark their next event.
  • In celebration of America’s 250th Anniversary, Jim Dunn Racing will be running special patriotic schemes for upcoming June events in Epping, New Hampshire (June 5-7), Bristol, Tennessee (June 12-14), and Norwalk, Ohio (June 25-28).

Jeff Arend, Driver of the Jim Dunn Racing Mooneyes Funny Car
“Chicago was another good weekend for Jim Dunn Racing and the Moon Equipped sponsored Funny Car. We had an overwhelming response from the fans that were all looking for Moon gear. The apparel is recognized worldwide. The car is continuing with consistent performance and we are confident that we will be turning on win lights soon. The next race for us will be in New Hampshire. We’re putting two new bodies in the trailer that will both be representing America’s 250th Anniversary along with their primary sponsors.”

Next Up
The next event on the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule is the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS May 29-31 at Maryland International Raceway in Mechanicsville, Maryland. The next event that Jim Dunn Racing will compete in is the NHRA New England Nationals presented by bproauto June 5-7 at New England Dragway in Epping, New Hampshire.

Rob Gronkowski Returns as Snake Pit Grand Marshal

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Official Release
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Legendary NFL Tight End, FOX NFL Analyst Joins Epic EDM Celebration

INDIANAPOLIS (Monday, May 18, 2026) – Four-time Super Bowl champion and FOX NFL studio analyst Rob Gronkowski, regarded as one of the NFL’s greatest tight ends of all time, will reprise his role as grand marshal of the Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit on Sunday, May 24 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As a studio analyst for FOX Sports, Gronkowski contributes to both “FOX NFL Sunday” and “FOX NFL Kickoff” during the NFL season. Gronkowski had two stints in the NFL, beginning with the New England Patriots from 2010-18. He won three Super Bowls, was named to five Pro Bowls and four first-team All-Pro teams and won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year during his nine years with the Patriots.

“Last year was my first-ever Indy 500,” Gronkowski said. “The Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit is one of the coolest combinations of sports and music out there and in the ultimate venue. I had to come back to keep the party going and celebrate the biggest race in the world.”

After a brief retirement in 2019, Gronkowski returned to the NFL and spent two seasons in Tampa Bay with his former quarterback, Tom Brady. Gronkowski won his fourth Super Bowl in 2021 with the Buccaneers. Before the end of his NFL tenure, he was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He officially retired in 2022 after an 11-year career, ending with 92 touchdowns, 621 receptions and more than 9,200 yards.

Off the field, Gronkowski works with the community through the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation. He focuses on inspiring youth to reach their maximum potential through sports, education, community and fitness.

As part of the Indy 500 Coors Light Snake Pit, known as one of the most unique parties on the global EDM music scene, multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning artist, DJ and producer Zedd will headline an all-star lineup of global electronic music artists, including Crankdat, Wooli, it’s murph and Wax Motif. Performances begin early in the morning in the infield adjacent to Turn 3 of the IMS oval.

General admission and VIP wristbands for the Snake Pit are on sale for $85 and $220 at IMS.com. VIP amenities will include access to a raised viewing platform located beside the stage, a private cash bar and private air-conditioned restrooms.

All Snake Pit ticketholders must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid Indy 500 general admission or reserved seat ticket. Ticket holders should be prepared to show proper identification to enter the concert.

Packages that include Race Day general admission tickets are available. A package featuring general admission to the Indianapolis 500 and Snake Pit is $145, while a race general admission and Snake Pit VIP package is $280.

FOX’s live coverage of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge starts at 10 a.m. (ET) Sunday, May 24.

Visit IMS.com to purchase tickets for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24 and for more information on the complete Month of May schedule at IMS.

Felix Rosenqvist settles with 4th-place qualifying effort for 2026 Indy 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Matt Fraver (Penske Entertainment).

Felix Rosenqvist was within striking distance of being the Cinderella Story during Sunday’s PPG Armed Forces Qualifying session for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 17.

The 34-year-old Rosenqvist from Värnamo, Sweden, entered Sunday’s qualifying session with high momentum after spending this past week’s four-day practice session (May 12-15) steadily climbing up the leaderboard and being one of the fastest competitors on the track. At the conclusion of the Fast Friday session on May 15, he was atop the leaderboard with a speed of 233.372 mph in 38.5650 seconds.

Rosenqvist commenced his qualifying session on Sunday. He was the 11th competitor to qualify based on a random qualifying draw that occurred on Friday. He was the lone competitor during the first session to post a four-lap average-qualifying run within the 232 mph range (232.599 mph, ultimately, through 2:34.7730).

After being one of 12 qualifiers to transfer to the second round, Rosenqvist backed up his strong qualifying start by notching another four-lap average-qualifying run in his No. 60 Morgan Wallen/SiriusXM/Meyer Shank Racing Dallara-Honda entry within the 232 mph range, with his latest being at 232.065 mph in 2:35.1289. The lap enabled the Swedish competitor, who was the last to qualify, to dethrone the defending Indianapolis 500 champion Alex Palou from the top of the charts momentarily and entering the Firestone Fast 6 round.

During the final Firestone 6 round, however, Rosenqvist, the last competitor to qualify for a second consecutive round, could not back up his two earlier runs. He primarily hovered around the 231 mph range and could not gain ground on Palou. And Palou ultimately achieved the pole position. When the checkered flag flew for Rosenqvist, he settled with the fourth-fastest average-qualifying run of 231.877 mph in 2:35.2549.

Following his final qualifying round, Rosenqvist was left disappointed over the speed he lost and could not regain. This was due to the high winds and warm temperatures throughout Indianapolis Motor Speedway towards the conclusion of qualifying.

“It was quite a big gap from Run 2 to Run 3, like 1.3 mph,” Rosenqvist said on FOX/. “It felt good. He continued, saying, “It just didn’t seem like it was that much in it. They just didn’t go as fast as they say.”

By notching the fourth-place starting spot for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, Rosenqvist achieved his fifth consecutive top-10 starting spot for the NTT IndyCar Series’ prestigious, crown-jewel event on the calendar. He also notched his third top-three start of the 2026 season. He is coming off a third-place starting spot from the Sonsio Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course last weekend and a pole from the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, California, in mid-April.

Ultimately, this year marks the third time in the previous four seasons that he transferred to the Firestone Fast 6 round as the fastest qualifier for an Indy 500 event. But then, fell short of achieving the pole position. His other two instances occurred in 2023 with Arrow McLaren, where he qualified a career-best third place. And then again, this past season with Meyer Shank Racing, where he ended up starting in fifth place.

“It’s kind of deja vu for me,” Rosenqvist said. “I had this three times now when we got into the last [qualifying] round and want to finish it off. It’s just kind of like a curse, but it is what it is. I’m super proud of the team, anyways. We’ll just focus on the race. If you don’t get the pole, [it’s] pretty easy to just switch back to race mode.”

With qualifications set for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500, Rosenqvist will attempt to join Simon Pagenaud (2019) and Takuma Sato (2020) as the only competitors to win the Indy 500 during an eighth start in the prestigious event. Should he achieve his first triumph for next Sunday’s main event, he would join Kenny Bräck and Marcus Ericsson as the only Swedish competitors to achieve the feat and deliver both the second Indy 500 triumph and INDYCAR victory for Meyer Shank Racing, a team that has not won since the 2021 ‘500’ event with Helio Castroneves.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 for Felix Rosenqvist is scheduled to occur next Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Alexander Rossi ‘thrilled’ with front row qualifying effort for 2026 Indy 500

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Owens (Penske Entertainment).

In 2016, Alexander Rossi stunned the IndyCar community when he stretched his fuel tank to the maximum distance and achieved his first career victory in the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Flash forward a decade and eight NTT INDYCAR SERIES victories later, Rossi nearly achieved another feat at Indianapoli. This time, it was on the qualifying aspect as he was within striking distance of notching his first pole position for the prestigious event until he settled in a runner-up starting spot for this year’s 110th running of the Indy 500.

The 2016 Indy 500 champion from Nevada City, California, entered Sunday’s PPG Armed Forces Qualifying session for this year’s Indy 500 with high momentum after steadily gaining fast pace through four practice sessions occurring this past week (May 12-15), before being the second-fastest competitor following the Fast Friday session (May 15) at 232.932 mph in 38.6379 seconds.

After having his name randomly drawn as the 20th competitor to qualify for Sunday’s session on Friday, Rossi posted a four-lap average-qualifying run at 231.58 mph in 2:35.4539. He was the sixth-fastest competitor following the first qualifying session. He then managed to secure the final transfer spot to the Firestone Fast 6 round by posting the sixth-best average-qualifying run at 231.005 mph in 2:35.8407 following the second round (Round of 12).

As the first competitor to qualify, Rossi capitalized on his final qualifying effort and set the early board while fighting through windy and warm conditions with a fast four-lap average-qualifying run at 231.99 mph in 2:35.1792. After the next trio of competitors that included Pato O’Ward, Santino Ferrucci and David Malukas were unable to leapfrog on the leaderboard, Rossi appeared to have his first career Indy 500 pole wrapped up. Ultimately, the reigning Indy 500 champion Alex Palou captured the final spotlight as he toppled Rossi’s run, which left the Californian and his No. 20 Java House/Ed Carpenter Racing (ECR) Dallara-Chevrolet team to settle in the second-place starting spot for Sunday’s Indy 500.

Prior to 2026, Rossi’s previous-best qualifying for the Indy 500 was third, which occurred in 2017 with Andretti Global. He had started in the top 10 for the event six times, with his latest occurrence being a fourth-place start in 2024 with Arrow McLaren. For this season, he will start in the middle lane alongside pole-sitter Alex Palou and third-place qualifier David Malukas at the start of the 110th running of the Indy 500.

Rossi’s second-place qualifying effort marks the first time that an Ed Carpenter Racing entry will start on the front row for the Indy 500 since Rinus VeeKay started in the runner-up spot in 2021. Though disappointed at missing the pole position for the 2026 Indy 500, Rossi was satisfied with the result. Particularly so, after enduring a week where his No. 20 ECR team had to change engines on the Californian’s Chevrolet entry during the second day of practice.

“It was a huge team effort,” Rossi said on FOX following his qualifying run. “These conditions were really hard today. It was moving for every run and we didn’t do anything the same for each of the three [qualifying] runs. Our last run was the best. That’s a huge win for the No. 20 Java House guys and a big win for Chevy to be on the front row. You hope for pole, but the front row here is so cool and something I haven’t accomplished in a really long time. [I’m] Thrilled with today and how it went and can’t wait to get on track tomorrow (Practice 7) and continue to make [the car] better.”

Rossi’s next task at hand is attempting to etch his name and face on the historic Borg-Warner Trophy for a second time for Sunday’s Indy 500 event. Should he achieve this feat, he would become the 22nd competitor to repeat as an Indy 500 champion and the first American competitor to achieve this feat since Josef Newgarden won in back-to-back seasons (2023-24).

It would also be the first Indy 500 triumph for Ed Carpenter Racing, a team in its 14th season of INDYCAR competition and second with Rossi.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

IndyCar penalizes Nos. 4, 24 teams for post-qualifying inspection failures

By
Andrew Kim
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Photo by Chris Owens (Penske Entertainment).IndyCar Qualifying and Penalties

Two NTT INDYCAR SERIES teams received penalties for post-qualifying infractions following the PPG Armed Forces Qualification session for this year’s 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 17.

The teams that received penalties were the No. 4 A.J. Foyt Enterprises Dallara-Chevrolet team piloted by rookie Caio Collet. The No. 24 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Dallara-Chevrolet team, driven by Jack Harvey, also received a penalty.

Both teams violated Rule 14.12.1.1. (EMS (Energy Management System) must be used as supplied by Dallara and approved by IndyCar) and Rule 14.12.1.6. (EMS covers may only be attached with the supplied hardware and Helicopter Tape) from the INDYCAR rulebook. During the post-qualifying inspection procedure, unapproved hardware and modifications were discovered on the Dallara-supplied EMS covers and cover-to-A-arm mounting points of both entries.

Photo by Chris Jones (Penske Entertainment).

As a result, both teams had their qualifying times from Sunday stripped. They will also have to forfeit their original pit selections. Before the penalty, Collet achieved the 12th-place starting spot after transferring to the second round in his first Indy 500 qualifying attempt. Harvey, who will make his ninth Indy 500 start this season, had qualified in 29th place. Now, both will start at the tail end of the 33-car field in 32nd and 33rd, respectively.

Alex Palou, however, rose to the occasion when it mattered most by storming to the NTT P1 Award for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The 2026 Indianapolis 500 on-track festivities continue on May 18. It will feature a sixth practice session that will air at 1 p.m. ET on FS1 before a final practice on Carb Day (May 22) occurs at 11 a.m. on FS1.

The main event will occur on Sunday, May 24. The event’s pre-race coverage will air at 10 a.m. ET on FOX before the drop of the green flag will occur at 12:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS RESULTS: AARON STANFIELD TAKES ELITE MOTORSPORTS TO THE WINNERS CIRCLE

By
Official Release
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JOLIET, Ill. (May 17, 2026) – Aaron Stanfield and the Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing team rallied to victory Sunday at the Gerber Collision and Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.

After a streak of stellar reaction times through the first three rounds of racing (.008, .011, .004), Stanfield took the victory in the final round on the starting line when six-time world champion Greg Anderson went -.096 seconds red on the tree. It was Stanfield’s 15th win of his career, first since the U.S. Nationals in 2024 and was the first win in Pro Stock for Elite Motorsports since Erica Enders won the U.S. Nationals in 2025.

“Our team’s definitely been waiting on this moment for a pretty good while. It’s the best feeling you can get out here when you see that win light come on in the final round. We had a great weekend and a great day today, and kind of had some luck roll my way in that final round,” Stanfield sais. “We felt like we had something in South Georgia, but the racetrack was a little tricky, so we really didn’t get to see it there. I think we saw it this weekend with a combination of KB being a little off. I think these Elite Motorsports guys have been working really, really, really hard. I think we’re going in the right direction.

“I felt very focused today. When you see another driver driving really well, you’re going to try to get up on the wheel and try to cut a light. I do think it can affect you, but I just woke up like any other normal day and decided to drive well today,” said Stanfield in reference to his reaction times and the implications on his opponents. “It was one of hose days, everything lined up and you’ve got a clear mind and focus. I also saw an opportunity today. This is the closest we’ve been to KB, and I knew I really needed to take advantage of it, so that definitely had an effect.”

Stanfield started the day from the No. 7 qualifying position before taking down Matt Hartford in the first round. In the quarterfinals and semifinals he took down two Elite teammates: first was six-time world champion Jeg Coughlin Jr. in the yellow and black of JEGS and then his father, also a six-time world champion, Greg Stanfield in the Janac Brothers machine.

This was Stanfield’s fourth final round at Route 66 Raceway, he won in Super Stock over his father in 2017, was runner-up in 2018 in Top dragster and reached the finals in Pro Stock and Factory X in 2024, he lost to his dad in Factory X final.

The weekend was a sweep for Elite Motorsports in Pro Stock. Stanfield’s victory came after Erica Enders secured the No. 1 qualifying position and won the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge on Saturday.

Elite Motorsports heads to Maryland Internationals Raceway next for the NHRA Potomac Nationals presented by JEGS May 29-31. It’s stop seven of 20 on the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series 2026 schedule and the second new track on the tour.

AARON STANFIELD, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car

Qualifying: No. 7

6.563 seconds at 209.82 mph

Q1: 6.563 at 209.82 mph

Q2: 6.569 at 208.49 mph

Q3: 6.593 at 208.65 mph

Q4: 6.567 at 208.42 mph

Race Results:

E1: 6.595 at 207.82 def. Matt Hartford 6.591 at 208.20

E2: 6.620 at 208.39 def. Jeg Coughlin Jr. 9.499 at 100.71

Semis: 6.639 at 207.18 def. Greg Stanfield 6.646 at 207.34

Finals: 6.595 at 208.59 def. Greg Anderson -.096 red

ERICA ENDERS, Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance / R+L Carriers Pro Stock Car

Noteworthy:

*Earned her 42nd No. 1 qualifier of her career, first since St. Louis 2024.

*Won her first #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the season.

*Won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Championship in 2024.

*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.

*First Pro Stock win came at Route 66 Raceway in 2012 over Greg Anderson

*Her matchup against Greg Anderson in the semifinals was the 62nd of their careers, they are now tied 31-31

Qualifying:

No. 1; 6.542 209.92

Q1: 8.266 at 116.41

Q2: 6.542 at 209.92

Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge

Q3: 6.580 at 210.28 def. Troy Coughlin Jr. 6.591 at 207.78

Q4: 6.563 at 208.75 def. 6.585 at 208.10

Bonus Qualifying Points: 5

Race Results:

E1: 6.576 at 208.52 def. Derrick Reese -.005 red

E2: 6.604 at 208.14 def Deric Kramer 6.622 at 206.26

Semis: 6.603 at 208.84 lost. Greg Anderson 6.597 at 206.99

GREG STANFIELD, Janac Brothers Racing Pro Stock Car

Noteworthy:

*Last defeated Aaron Stanfield in the 2025 Sonoma Finals

*Five-time Super Stock world champion

*Former Factory X world champion

*Last won the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge in Bristol 2024.

Qualifying:

No. 3

6.549 seconds at 210.11 mph

Q1: 6.549 at 210.11 mph

Q2: 6.575 at 209.65 mph

Q3: 6.600 at 208.01 mph

Q4: 6.585 at 208.10 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 2

Race Results:

E1: 6.629 at 207.50 def Kenny Delco 6.632 at 205.16

E2: 6.661 at 207.59 def. Dallas Glenn 13.489 at 64.18

Semis: 6.646 at 207.34 lost. Aaron Stanfield 6.639 at 207.18

JEG COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock

Qualifying: No. 2

6.543 seconds at 210.21 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 5

Race Results: Beat Joseph Wilczek; Lost to Aaron Stanfield

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TROY COUGHLIN JR., JEGS Pro Stock

Qualifying: No. 6

6.558 seconds at 209.36 mph

Bonus Qualifying Points: 1

Race Results: Lost to Dallas Glenn

TONY STEWART, R+L Carriers Top Fuel dragster

Qualifying: No. 4

3.754 seconds, 327.82 mph

Race Results: Beat Tony Schumacher; Lost to Josh Hart

MASON WRIGHT, ProFlow Solutions / Elite Motorsports Pro Mod

Qualifying: No. 10

5.741 seconds at 251.25 mph

Race Results: Lost to Mike Stavrinos

ROYCE LEE FREEMAN, Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator

Qualifying: No. 7

6.887 seconds, -.633

Race Results: Beat David Billingsley; Lost to Bruno Massel

MIKE LOMAS, The Financial Guys / Elite Motorsports Competition Eliminator

Qualifying: No. 15

8.486, -.484

Race Results: Lost to Scott Chamness

JACKIE FRICKE, Top Alcohol Dragster

Qualifying No. 11

5.312 seconds at 267.96 mph

Race Results: Lost to Jon Bradford

RFK Racing – All Star Race Summary

By
Official Release
-

RFK RACING
DOVER MOTOR SPEEDWAY “ALL STAR RACE” – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Date: May 17, 2026
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Dover Motor Speedway (1-mile high banked oval) – Dover, DE

Format: Segment 1: full field for 75 Laps, Segment 2: Top 26 finishers from Segment 1 inverted for 75 Laps, Final Segment: consist of only 26 drivers that includes 2025 & 2026 race winners, the fan vote winner, past series champions, past All Star winners, and any remaining drivers based on their combined finishing order in Segments 1 & 2 – 200 Laps.

NOTES: (1) This was a non-points race exhibition event with a million dollar prize. (2) qualifying consisted of two laps including a pit-stop.

RFK Racing RACE SUMMARY: Roush Fenway Keselowski (RFK) Racing had speed but faced adversity Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. Brad Keselowski led early and established himself as a contender, while Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece endured tough luck in the grueling first segment of the All Star event. Keselowski immediately showcased the strength of the No. 6 Ford Mustang by charging from the outside front row to the lead at the drop of the green flag. The first segment, however, was unkind to Buescher and Preece who were both involved in crashes and unable to advance further in the race. Keselowski sustained damage in Segment 2 but rebounded. After making repairs before the final segment, and with a fresh start due to the All Star format which forgave all lost laps in previous segments, he was able to race to a top10 finish.

DRIVER HIGHLIGHTS

Brad Keselowski – No. 6 Solomon Plumbing Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: 10th
Start: 2nd
Laps Led: — 16 (Segment 1)
Stage Results: S1-5th, S2-25th
Headline takeaway: From the drop of the green flag, Keselowski was fast. He swiped the lead immediately and led several laps in Segment 1. Segment two brought challenges with a spin and subsequent damage. The damage was repaired, and because he had a guaranteed starting spot in the final segment, by virtue of his 2012 Championship, he was able to start fresh. From the 15th starting position in the final segment he raced to a 10th place All Star finish.

Keselowski Quote: “I made a mistake there in the second segment, had some contact with the 1 car. Crashed myself. Crashed him. Had to dig out of a hole. The car was a little torn up and just fought to a tenth place finish from there.”

Chris Buescher – No. 17 BuildSubmarines.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: Did not advance to the Final Segment
Start: 32nd
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-23rd, S2-N/A
Headline takeaway: Buescher showed early progress, charging from the 32nd starting position into the top 25 during the first segment. However, as the laps wound down in the opening stage, a multi-car crash in front of Buescher was unavoidable, The damage sustained was too sever to repair.

Buescher Quote: “Obviously not the day we wanted for this No. 17 team. We fought hard early and were able to make up a lot of track position, but once we got caught up in the crash, it just changed the whole rest of our race. It’s frustrating because I felt like we still had more in it, but that’s part of racing in an event like the All-Star Race where everybody is pushing hard. Proud of the effort from this RFK Racing group, and we’ll move on to the next one.”

Ryan Preece – No. 60 Mohawk Northeast, Inc. Ford Mustang Dark Horse

Finish: Did not advance to the Final Segment
Start: 26th
Laps Led: —
Stage Results: S1-35th, S2-N/A
Headline takeaway: Ryan Preece’s race was cut short as he was involved a dramatic first lap, crash that abruptly ended his day.

Preece Quote: “I don’t know what happened there. I thought I was going to be able to clear open by the time we got to turn 1, and obviously I didn’t. That’s my fault and I’m sorry for whoever got caught up in that.”

Point Standings:

Buescher: 5th
Keselowski: 9th
Preece: 13th

Next Up:

The next event on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Coca-Cola 600, Sunday, May 24th at Charlotte Motor Speedway (Concord, NC). The race begins at 6:00 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by Amazon Prime and the Motor Racing Network.

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