INDIANAPOLIS – The starting gun was fired from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway stage just in time at 5:50 p.m. ET to cap off an incredible rollercoaster of a day in Saturday’s Indianapolis 500 qualifying.
Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, one of the key senior management officials of Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske, noted the day was full of drama, excitement and heartbreak to NBCSports.com.
“This is what it’s all about, the drama that comes with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Denker told NBCSports.com. “This place is incredible. Like nowhere else on earth.”
It’s pressure personified, where the achievements are celebrated at the highest of highs and the disappointments are crushing, bitter and often cruel.
Just two years ago, Marcus Ericsson celebrated turning 106e Indianapolis 500 at Victory Lane. Last year he finished second to Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, coming incredibly close to becoming the first consecutive Indy 500 winner since Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002.
But on Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Ericsson climbed out of his No. 28 Andretti Global Honda as one of four drivers left out of the starting lineup for the May 26, 108.e Indianapolis 500.
It all started when he crashed his Indy 500-specific No. 28 Honda during practice on Thursday. The damage was serious and the team had to prepare a spare car for “Fast Friday” and this weekend’s qualifying.
Although the other three Andretti Global competitors easily qualified for the Indy 500 on Saturday, including Kyle Kirkwood in fifth place, Colton Herta in 13the and Marco Andretti 19eEricsson couldn’t get his Honda up to speed to catch the 30 cars that lined up in Saturday’s qualifying.
His four-lap average speed of 230.603 mph was not fast enough to surpass Pietro Fittipaldi’s four-lap speed of 371.100 mph. Fittipaldi is in the race, but Ericsson must qualify through Sunday’s Last Chance Qualifying.
It’s a cutthroat qualifying round in which four drivers battle for the last three starting positions on the last row.
Ericsson joins Rahal Letterman Lanigan’s Graham Rahal, who is competing in the Last Chance Qualifying for the second year in a row, after his four laps at 370.233 mph were too slow.
It was another cruel surprise given to Indy by the son of team owner and 1986 Indy 500 winner Bobby Rahal.
Also competing in the Last Chance Qualifying are both Dale Coyne Racing entries, including Katherine Legge (230.244 mph for a four-lap average) and rookie Nolan Siegel (226.621 mph).
Ericsson had made one last attempt to force his way onto the field before the gun sounded to end qualifying. He wasn’t fast enough, and he pulled his No. 28 Honda into the pit lane, got out, took off his helmet and thanked his crew as they are faced with the unenviable prospect of having to do whatever it takes to maintain the speed find for Sunday.
He kissed his wife Iris and walked into the pit lane, chased by photographers and media members.
About ten steps behind him, his wife walked alone and confided her thoughts to NBCSports.com.
“This is certainly not what we had in mind when the day started,” Ericsson’s wife told NBCSports.com. “We hoped to be in the ‘Fast 12’ and have a great chance to drive for pole on Sunday.
“Instead, we’re not even in the race yet.
“It’s going to be a very long night.”
Her husband understands the joys and risks of racing. By winning the 2022 Indianapolis 500, he achieved glory that will last a lifetime with a victory that will stand the test of time.
His face will remain on the Borg-Warner Trophy along with the other winning drivers of the Indianapolis 500 – faces dating back to Ray Harroun’s victory in the inaugural event in 1911.
Two years later, Ericsson is faced with the prospect of missing the race entirely.
“It’s tough, it’s definitely very tough,” Ericsson said. “It’s tough because I’m riding with my heart in my throat. It’s very heavy. The grip is very low, exciting and very, very heavy, every run trying to get the most out of it.
‘Tomorrow we will try to regroup. I am grateful to my group, the 28 guys from Andretti did a great job. We’ll dig into the data and come back to it tomorrow.
“We had trouble with our spare car. The team has done a great job getting it done, but it seems like we’re missing some speed. I’m riding for my life. I can’t get the speed out of it, but it’s exciting.”
Ericsson realizes he would not have been in this position if he had not crashed his Indy 500-specific car on Thursday.
“It’s hard, but I have no one to blame but myself,” he said. “On Thursday I crashed our main car. It was a really good car. I put myself in this position, we have to fight to get out of it, but tomorrow is another day.”
Highs and lows – the Indianapolis 500 has both in abundance.
“That is certainly true,” Ericsson admitted to NBCSports.com. “It was a good place for me, but the last few days were definitely tough.
“It’s all going to be fine. We have to dig into the data and find out why we lack so much speed and balance in this car, but the team has done a great job. We have to work hard tonight, figure it out and put it all together and on Sunday run well.
“This place always brings surprises, and we have to bring our ‘A’ game tomorrow to compete in the race.”
Paul “Ziggy” Harcus has been a part of the Indianapolis 500 for more than three decades. He is an important part of team owner Michael Andretti’s team as one of the team managers.
Harcus has celebrated many great Indy 500 memories, including victories with Dan Wheldon in 2005, Dario Franchitti in 2007, Ryan Hunter-Reay in 2014, Alexander Rossi in 2016 and Takuma Sato in 2017.
“This was something we didn’t see coming,” Harcus told NBCSports.com. “I thought we had very good cars. If you crash the car, put the other one together and do your best. We think it’s good, but we can’t get the speed we need from it.
“I never saw this coming. We’ve had some good and some bad days at this place.
“The other cars are all pretty good. We’ll have some good race cars here, so I’m not worried about that. We try different things but can’t find the sweet spot we need.
“The drivers have their speedway cars and this was the backup, but for some reason it’s not working properly.
“Once we get to the race, everything will be fine.”
But Ericsson must first make the race.
He will get one last chance on Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
