IndyCar Series

IndyCar driver Sebastien Bourdais will undergo surgery on a fractured pelvis he suffered following a crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com), Bourdais suffered the injury during qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 and will have surgery to repair "multiple fractures in his pelvis and a fractured right hip."

The IndyCar Series tweeted out video of Bourdais' crash on the second turn that ripped off one side of the car and left it briefly in flames:

Team owner Dale Coyne issued a brief statement about Bourdais' injuries, per the Indianapolis Star's Brody Miller (via USA Today): “Sebastien is in good hands here at IU Methodist Hospital with the staff and now we just wait for him to recover."

The 38-year-old Bourdais was looking to compete in the Indianapolis 500 for the seventh time in his career. He has two top-10 finishes at the greatest spectacle in racing in the last three years, including ninth in 2016. 

The 2017 Indianapolis 500 will take place on May 28. 

Two-time Indianapolis 500 pole-sitter Ed Carpenter turned in the fastest time Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the first day of qualifying for the 2017 Indy 500.

Here is a full rundown of qualifying performances, with the top nine drivers having an opportunity to compete for the pole Sunday:

1. Ed Carpenter - 230.468 mph
2. Takuma Sato - 230.382 mph
3. Scott Dixon - 230.333 mph
4. JR Hildebrand - 230.205 mph
5. Alexander Rossi - 230.148 mph
6. Will Power - 230.072 mph
7. Fernando Alonso - 230.034 mph
8. Tony Kanaan - 230.007 mph
9. Marco Andretti - 229.924 mph
10. Ed Jones - 229.717 mph
11. Charlie Kimball - 229.713 mph
12. Max Chilton - 229.636 mph
13. Ryan Hunter-Reay - 229.533 mph
14. Helio Castroneves - 229.390 mph
15. Mikhail Aleshin - 229.217 mph
16. Graham Rahal - 228.835 mph
17. Josef Newgarden - 228.696 mph
18. Juan Pablo Montoya - 228.645 mph
19. James Hinchcliffe - 228.557 mph
20. Simon Pagenaud - 228.393 mph
21. Sage Karam - 227.943 mph
22. Jay Howard - 227.853 mph
23. Carlos Munoz - 227.438 mph
24. Oriol Servia - 227.150 mph
25. Jack Harvey - 226.894 mph
26. Gabby Chaves - 226.875 mph
27. Conor Daly - 225.912 mph
28. Sebastian Saavedra - 225.815 mph
29. Spencer Pigot - 223.631 mph
30. Buddy Lazier - 221.427 mph
31. Pippa Mann - 219.282 mph

Heavy rain and lightning delayed qualifying for several hours and caused officials to alter the traditional rules.

Rather than each driver receiving four separate runs consisting of four laps apiece, they were each given just one run each with the four-lap average serving as their qualifying figure.

Carpenter captured the Indianapolis 500 pole in both 2013 and 2014, and he has an opportunity to become just the ninth driver ever to accomplish the feat on three different occasions.

According to NBCSN's Katie Hargitt, Carpenter felt as though he had some good fortune on his side:

Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star expressed his belief that Carpenter was deserving of the top spot:

If Carpenter is going to join the exclusive list of triple pole winners at Indy, however, he will have to overcome challenges from drivers who have enjoyed a great deal of success there.

Former Indianapolis 500 winners Alexander Rossi, Tony Kanaan and Scott Dixon are all among the Fast 9.

Also, former points champion Will Power finished the day in sixth, and he has already captured three of the five poles that have been awarded during the 2017 IndyCar season.

Although there was plenty of excellence on the track Saturday, it was marred by a scary moment when Sebastien Bourdais hit the wall, sending his car flipping down the track.

Deadspin tweeted a photo of the fiery wreck:

Following the incident, the IndyCar Series announced that Bourdais was awake and alert on the track before he was transported to the hospital. His status for next week's Indy 500 remains unclear.

Bourdais' car was removed from the track during a lengthy delay, and Clark Wade of the Indianapolis Star tweeted a video of the vehicle's remains:

With Saturday's qualifying in the books, there will be two separate qualifying sessions Sunday.

In the first group, the cars that didn't make the Fast 9 will battle it out to determine who will start in positions No. 10 through No. 33.

After that is sorted out, the Fast 9 cars will return to action and sort out the first three rows for the 101st running of the Indy 500.

Medical personnel transported Sebastien Bourdais to a local hospital following his crash Saturday during qualifying for the 2017 Indianapolis 500. 

According to Chris Long of KSTP-TV, Bourdais was first examined at the medical facility on the infield at Indianapolis Motor Speedway before being moved to a nearby hospital.

The Associated Press reported, via ESPN, that Bourdais will undergo surgery for a fractured pelvis Saturday, adding that he also suffered a fractured hip.

Alexis McAdams of Fox 59 in Indianapolis shared footage of the crash that was shown on the videoboard at the track:

The Indianapolis Star's Jim Ayello described Bourdais as "awake and alert" and that the driver didn't lose consciousness during the course of the wreck. Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg also reported the 38-year-old was able to move his arms following the crash before medics placed him on a backboard and into an ambulance.

The Indianapolis Star noted Bourdais was on pace to set the best qualifying time after his first two laps around the track were the fastest to that point in the day. Bourdais also posted the fastest lap during the Fast Friday event, reaching a top speed of 233.116 mph.

Legendary IndyCar owner Carl Haas has died at the age of 86. 

Per an official release from Haas Auto's official website, he died peacefully on June 29 at his home. 

Haas ventured into competitive racing in 1952 as a driver and was successful, including winning 10 races at the Milwaukee Mile racetrack, before retiring from on-track races to start his own team in 1967.

Haas' journey from the track to the owner's box was explained as part of the Haas Auto website release:

While at Goodwood, Carl was introduced to Mike Hewland, Hewland Engineering. Carl recognized Mike’s engineering talent and began representing Hewland in the U.S., a relationship that still exists today. At Goodwood, Carl also met Eric Broadley, the owner and chief designer of Lola Race Cars. In 1967, Eric recognized that Lola would best be represented by Carl A. Haas Automobile Imports, Inc., and Lola became the dominant race car in the U.S. for thirty years. Carl’s innovative concepts allowed Carl’s distribution business to blossom. Fifty five years later, Carl A. Haas Automobile Imports, Inc. still sets the gold standard; distributing cars and replacement parts for the racing industry. 

Haas' most prominent role in auto racing was as a co-owner of the Newman Haas Racing IndyCar team from 1983-2011. Mario Andretti won the 1987 Indianapolis 500 as part of the team—the last of his three titles in that race. 

During his time as an owner, Haas' teams won 11 championships and helped lead to his induction in the Sports Car Club of America Hall of Fame in 2007. He was also awarded the Bob Russo Heritage Award from the Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2008. 

Alexander Rossi picked a great time to collect his first win as an IndyCar driver. The 24-year-old rookie prevailed Sunday in the Indianapolis 500.

According to ESPN Stats & Info, Rossi is just the third driver in the last 50 years to win the Indy 500 on his first try.

Andretti Autosport couldn't have envisaged a better result, as Rossi and teammate Carlos Munoz occupied the top two spots. Here's a look at the top 10 finishers Sunday, with the full results available at ESPN.com:

Rossi and his crew decided to go for broke and gamble that his car would have enough fuel to finish the race. While other drivers near the top of the leaderboard opted for a quick stop on pit road to refuel, Rossi stayed out in hopes that he had enough left in the tank.

Munoz, Josef Newgarden and Tony Kanaan were among those who had no choice but to pit inside the final 10 laps, and their hopes of winning evaporated as a result.

Team owner Michael Andretti knows how costly the strategy can be. His dad, Mario, famously ran out of fuel with six laps remaining in 1972. His son, Marco, met a similar fate in 2010, when he had to ease up in order to have enough fuel to finish the race.

Rossi's fortunes were different, and credit must go to his race strategist, Bryan Herta.

"I have no idea how we pulled that off," Rossi said, per CBS Sports' Brandon Wise. "Bryan came up with an awesome strategy on pit road."

He added his nerves were frayed following the dramatic finish, per Jenna Fryer of the Associated Press: "I need to see a psychiatrist after this."

Taking nothing away from his winning combination of perfect in-race tactics and impressive driving, Rossi undoubtedly benefited from a pair of accidents that claimed three of the strongest drivers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Defending champion Juan Pablo Montoya's day was over after 63 laps. He hit the wall coming around the second turn and was unable to return to the race. The IndyCar Series shared a replay of the crash:

Montoya tweeted about the wreck after the race:

Ryan Hunter-Reay led more laps than any other driver (52), but his day changed drastically after he and Townsend Bell, who had led 12 laps, made contact on pit road. Bell got bumped, and it caused a chain reaction that included Andretti Autosport teammate Hunter-Reay, via the IndyCar Series:

The Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer offered a look at the aftermath:

Both drivers returned to the race but were unable to get back on the lead lap. Bell completed 199 laps and finished in 21st, while Hunter-Reay finished in 24th and two laps down.

Sometimes, the Indy 500 can turn into a war of attrition, and when that happens, risk-taking and the right game plan can often trump whoever has the strongest car on the track. Rossi went for broke in hopes of capturing the checkered flag in Indianapolis, and the gambit ensured he etched his name in racing history.

Usually, it takes a driver years of experience to conquer Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Struggles and heartbreaking near-misses typically culminate a lengthy journey to the sport's pinnacle.

Not for Alexander Rossi.

The 24-year-old took home the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, conserving fuel just well enough to stay on the track and top a loaded field of drivers.

Mobil 1 The Grid shared a photo of Rossi's celebration following his victory along with his disbelief at the achievement:

In his first race at the hallowed speedway, Rossi wasn't forced to pit on the last round of stops and won the race going away. He held a 4.5-second lead over second place Carlos Munoz and a 4.9-second advantage over third place Josef Newgarden. No other drivers were within 10 seconds of the lead.

Tony Kanaan and Charlie Kimball rounded out the top five.

Most of the top cars wound up running a few laps short on fuel. Kanaan and Newgarden were battling for the lead before needing to stop, and Munoz took a brief lead with 10 laps remaining. Smart pitting strategy wound up making Rossi look like a genius, and he glided to a chance to kiss the bricks.

"I have no idea how we pulled that off. ... I can’t believe we’ve done this," Rossi said, per Matt Glenesk of the Indianapolis Star.

Points leader Simon Pagenaud finished the race in 19th place, a lap down. The dominant Frenchman had won his last three races and had finished no worse than second all season, but he struggled all day after being penalized on pit road. Scott Dixon, who entered second in points, gained some ground with an eighth-place finish.

It was a dreadful day for defending champion Juan Pablo Montoya, who finished in last place after being involved in a crash on Lap 64. Montoya made contact with the outside wall in a one-car crash, losing control of his car coming out of Turn 2:

The No. 2 car entered the day in third place in the point standings and had not finished any worse than ninth all year. 

"It was loose and I just lost the car," Montoya said, per John Oreovicz of ESPN.com. "It got loose in the corner and the thing just snapped. It's just difficult. People are doing dumb things on the restarts. I was just taking my time coming through the field and the car felt pretty good. It just snapped out of nowhere."

Youngster Sage Karam also crashed out to finish 32nd. Karam, 21, has finished 32nd each of the last two years after running to a surprising ninth place in 2014. He lost control of his car in Turn 1: 

Mechanical issues undid the Indy 500 runs of Ed Carpenter and Buddy Lazier, who each bowed out with dispiriting performances. Lazier, celebrating the 20-year anniversary of his 1996 Indy 500 win, finished 100 laps down. He was the oldest driver in the field, this time competing as a car owner.

“I hope that five years down the road it’s a full time program,” Lazier said about Lazier Burns Racing, per Rob Peeters of Indianapolis Monthly. “Hopefully at least a two car team.”

Still, this day was all about Rossi, who may have started his own legacy with a surprising win at the sport's biggest race. Rossi had not finished better than 10th in any of his previous races for Andretti Herta Autosport. While he's a promising young driver, his win has to rank among the most surprising in recent memory.

The list of recent winners is a who's-who of dominant IndyCar racers. Montoya, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Kanaan and Dario Franchitti are quite the company to keep—and that's just going back a half-decade. Rossi didn't have the best car all day, but he ran the smartest race. Sometimes that's all you need.  

Post-Race Reaction

Rossi spoke of his mindset, via the Associated Press (via ESPN.com): "I really was focused on taking it one lap at a time. The emotional roller-coaster of this race is ridiculous. There were moments I was really stoked, really heartbroken, really stoked. I was like, 'Wow, I'll need to see a psychiatrist after this.'"

Team owner Michael Andretti offered his thoughts: "I knew Alex was going to try (the fuel strategy), and we said 'Alright, if he's going to try it, we're going to try something else (with Munoz).' To come home 1-2 is just incredible. It was amazing. I don't know what to say, it's a great day, to be a part of history, to win the 100th running, and to win it with a 1-2 finish is just incredible."

Munoz was frustrated by how he lost the race: "I was really disappointed when it comes with fuel and you lose the race because of that. I was really disappointed to get second. Half a lap short. What can I say? The only thing I'm clear about is that I will win this race one day."

Last year's Indianapolis 500 champion, Juan Pablo Montoya, saw his defense of the checkered flag come to a halt Sunday following a crash on Lap 64.  

SportsCenter reported on the wreck and indicated Montoya was able to exit the vehicle under his own power. Montoya also won the Indy 500 as a rookie in 2000.

IndyCar Series on Twitter provided the replay footage of how Montoya's pursuit of a third Indy 500 title went awry:

"I just got loose and lost the car," said Montoya, per Motor Sports Talk's Daniel McFadin. "It's just difficult, people were doing a lot dumb things on the restarts and I felt it was not necessary. So I took my time and started coming through the field and the car felt pretty good. It just stepped out of nowhere."

Although he was in a rather difficult starting position of 17th and actually lost ground—19th when he crashed, per McFadin—Montoya came from 15th on the starting grid last year to drink the champion's milk in Victory Lane.

In the only other Indy 500 start he didn't win, the 40-year-old placed fifth in 2014, so his premature exit Sunday marks his worst finish in the race by far.

Despite the disappointing result at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, there's still reason to believe Montoya can salvage a strong 2016 campaign based on his IndyCar efforts to date. He finished fourth in points two years ago and was second on the circuit last season, losing the IndyCar title by a tiebreaker to Scott Dixon.

Sunday marks the arrival of the 100th Indianapolis 500 and a chance for sporting fans to see the continued evolution of a must-see sport.

The event is a chance to see traditions such as the renowned milk toast. It's a chance to see legends such as Ed Carpenter, history-chasers such as Juan Pablo Montoya and Hollywood-esque stories such as the one surrounding James Hinchcliffe.

Most important of all, it's a chance to take in some of the most competitive racing that folks will see all year.

With such a theme in mind, here's how to catch the action.

2016 Indy 500

When: Sunday at noon ET

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

TV: ABC

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Starting Grid

This isn't a bad thing, but the Indianapolis 500 is the same old thing in many ways.

Going down at the same time of year at the same place with some of the most familiar faces is a way to keep tradition alive at one of the globe's biggest sporting events.

Speaking of tradition, the aforementioned milk celebration dates back to 1936, according to USA Today's Heather Tucker:

IMS will provide milk for 100,000 fans seated in the frontstretch grandstands who want to join in toasting the winner. Fans also can purchase the milk ahead of time in 16 oz. servings. It has been customary for the winner to quaff milk in victory lane since Louis Meyer began the trend with buttermilk after his third win, in 1936.

Some traditions are too important to retire. Other factors, such as the evolution of the sport and better competition for all, continue to push the envelope each year. 

Small tweaks here and there such as in the aerodynamics department continue to drive down times and increase competition while the biggest names and manufactures duel each year. 

Past winner Rick Mears spoke on the subject with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Ralph N. Paulk.

“The technology has driven it,” Mears said. “I think there's still a competitive competition among the manufacturers. One thing we don't have is complexity and turbines running against V8s and four cylinders, because in today's world, you try to get equalization.” 

Said competition is diverse, too, as a graphic from USA Today illustrates:

That said, the sport continues to evolve in this area as well. Pippa Mann, who lines up 25th Sunday, will push the sport forward for women, as ABC News detailed:

The grid of diverse names and manufacturers has a little bit of everything.

Starting at the top, Hinchcliffe is on fire after winning the pole and offers the heartwarming story of a driver who almost lost his life in a wreck last year at the same event.

Will Power is a growing force in the sport out of the sixth spot, while Simon Pagenaud is by far the most dominant driver in the running. He's a winner of three races in a row and has yet to boast a finish worse than second over five outings, so he's arguably the top favorite to watch.

A little farther down the board is Helio Castroneves, a three-time winner who is looking to cement himself in history with another victory and milk toast. Scott Dixon lines up next to Marco Andretti and wouldn't mind adding another win to his name, while Andretti would simply like to get a win and set himself apart from the rest of his family tree.

Montoya and Carpenter are a little farther down but in no way out of it because they start 17th and 20th, respectively. When a seasoned veteran starts farther back, it simply gives him more time to dissect the pace of the event and make strategic moves to climb the board.

It's easy to see why fans flock to this event. Forget the sheer entertainment of the speed and high-risk passes—this Indy 500 boasts more storylines and star power than ever before.

For 500 miles the noise fades Sunday and the drivers simply let loose after a year of buildup. One exciting event and milk toast later, the hype machine begins its march again.

Stats and information courtesy of IndianapolisMotorSpeedway.com unless otherwise specified. Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.

Oddsmakers tell us the result of the Indianapolis 500 is far from a forgone conclusion.

Three racers are listed as +650 favorites, including last year's winner Juan Pablo Montoya, according to Odds Shark. Sunday's pole-sitter James Hinchcliffe is coming in tied with Tony Kanaan and Josef Newgarden as a +1,000 favorite behind five other drivers.

There is thought of Montoya winning another Indy 500, as well as Helio Castroneves, who is listed at +750 as he looks for his fourth career Indy 500 victory.

Here's a final look at some odds and the starting grid.

TV Schedule and Information

When: Sunday, May 29

Time: Engines start 12:14 p.m. ET

TV: ABC (coverage starts at 11 a.m. ET)

Live Stream: WatchESPN.com and RaceControl.IndyCar.com

It's the 100th Indy 500, Despite Starting in 1911

Lily Rothman of Time provided this intriguing fact about the Indianapolis 500: It's the 100th running of the prestigious race, but it's been cancelled on several occasions.

According to Rothman, World War I and World War II forced the Indy 500 to cancel on six different occasions, including all four years the United States was involved in World War II (1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945). The other two times were in World War I (1917 and 1918).

The reason why it was cancelled in 1942, per Rothman (via the Time archives), was because of a national gas shortage.

“The U.S. motorist, onetime King of the Highway, looked more like a funny-cartoon pedestrian each week," the article said. "A great many Eastern gas tanks were dry, and hell had seen no furies like the motorists who did not have enough gas left to drive around to a service station for gas that was not there.”

Clearly, there were more important situations to be tended to other than racing, but it shows how much of an impact racing had on resources that seemed scarce. Gasoline, for example, was limited because vehicles were still in a developmental stage.

While other sports like baseball and college football continued, it showed the sacrifices IndyCar and other racing leagues had to make for the betterment of their country.

This is an interesting fact that was not thought of during that time, and it makes this race even more historic.

The Indianapolis 500 will celebrate its 100th anniversary Sunday with the 2016 race totally up for grabs.

There is no bona fide favorite heading into the race, which should make for an exciting event. Juan Pablo Montoya took last year's contest, and he will likely figure prominently Sunday, considering he has won it two of the three times he ran, per ESPN Stats & Info.

Here is a look at the race information as well as the viewing schedule.

A year removed from a violent practice accident at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, James Hinchcliffe will start in the pole position. 

His return is great story, and he has been acclaimed by many, including the Indianapolis Star's Gregg Doyel:

Earning the pole position does not necessarily mean Hinchcliffe is in a superior spot to win, as all four of the previous winners have started outside the top 10, per ESPN Stats & Info.

The last person to win from the pole is another legitimate contender in this year's race, per Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star: 

Another driver who could make some noise Sunday is Simon Pagenaud, who has won three straight IndyCar races this season, according to the Associated Press. 

USA Today's Brant James feels good about Pagenaud's chances heading into the Indy 500, as the Frenchman looks like the best driver in racing at the moment:

Although many are high on him, Pagenaud is keeping expectations low, per the Associated Press.

"I think the guy that's going to win Sunday is going to become a legend," Pagenaud said. "Hopefully, I'm that guy. Is it my goal to be a legend? No. It's my goal to win the race because I'm racer."

Helio Castroneves, Montoya and last year's runner-up Will Power also in the field, Pagenaud will have plenty of competition to deal with in order to become the next big name in racing. 

Castroneves is a proven winner with three Indy 500 titles, and Pagenaud and Hinchcliffe have plenty going for them, but Montoya is still the man to beat. 

He is the defending champion and his winning percentage in this race is phenomenal. Until he shows significant signs of slowing down, Montoya's track record is too stout to bet against.