Russ Thompson

@spencerneff11 @Chad__15 @gefersonkern @Eric_INDYCAR @Hickey93 @tonydindy @ArchieOReilly_ After the St. Pete DQs the point leaders were O'Ward after St. Pete, Dixon after Long Beach, Herta after Barber, and Palou after the Indy GP. Not sure what Thermal had to do with it - it wasn't a points race in 2024.

@Calhoun98 @Chad__15 @gefersonkern @Eric_INDYCAR @Hickey93 @tonydindy @ArchieOReilly_ 2024 still counts given O’Ward got the victory post-DQ and led after Thermal ?

Retrospecto no Alabama, 2021-25: Alex Palou - 5 Top-5 (2 vitórias, 1 pódio) Andretti - 1 Top-5 (pole + P2 Grosjean '23) Fora isso, melhor resultado da Andretti foi um P7, que dá 26 pontos, exatamente a vantagem de Kyle Kirkwood (nunca além de P9 em Barber) sobre Palou na tabela

The last two @IndyCar races have each seen a first-time pole winner. Who will be the next to add their name to the list? There are only 8 drivers who have never won a pole. Collet, Siegel, Simpson, Hauger, Rasmussen, Schumacher, Armstrong, and Robb.

@Eric_INDYCAR @gefersonkern @Hickey93 @tonydindy @Chad__15 @ArchieOReilly_ 1999. Kanaan, Montoya, and Christian Fittipaldi at Long Beach, Nazareth, and Rio.

@Calhoun98 @gefersonkern @Hickey93 @tonydindy @Chad__15 @ArchieOReilly_ I’m searching this one but struggling to find an instance so maybe the guru may know, when’s the last time we’ve had 3 straight races with 1st time pole winners?

@gefersonkern @Eric_INDYCAR @Hickey93 @tonydindy @Chad__15 @ArchieOReilly_ I'm keeping my fingers crossed we have another different points leader after Barber. If so, it will be only the 5th time since 1956 there will have been 4 different leaders after the first 4 races. The others were 1965, 1988, 1995, and 2024.

@Eric_INDYCAR @Hickey93 @Calhoun98 @tonydindy @Chad__15 @ArchieOReilly_ what a battle for the championship is coming next weeks

Condolences to family and friends of Long Beach Grand Prix main man Jim Michaelian. Just saw him last week in Arlington. Saw him at the first Music City GP. He was always looking at what others were doing, seeing how he could make the LBGP even better. He will be greatly missed.

Career win #1 for @KKirkwoodRacing : 2023 Long Beach, 3rd race of the season. Career win #3: 2025 Long Beach, 3rd race of the season. Career win # 6: 2026 Arlington, you know the drill - 3rd race of the season.

Number of @IndyCar races to first career pole. 151 - Scott Brayton 141 - Eddie Cheever 126 - Michel Jourdain, Jr. 118 - Tony Bettenhausen 117 - Marcus Ericsson

@NYeoman @IndyCar Found one more. I bet no one had the name Tomas on their bingo card for the answer. 2005 Texas. Front row - Tomas Scheckter and Tomas Enge, Row 8 - Scott Sharp and Scott Dixon.

Marcus Armstrong and Marcus Ericsson share row 7 tomorrow WHILE IN THE SAME RACE Christian Lundgaard and Christian Rasmussen share row 9. Can one of you @Indycar historian/stat gurus tell me if THAT has ever been done before???

@NYeoman @IndyCar How about the 1976 Michigan Norton Twin 200? Row 3 was Johnny Rutherford and Johnny Parsons. Row 5 was Tom Bigelow and Tom Sneva.

@STaranto92 @DaleJr Don't believe we'll be seeing someone build a car in their backyard shop and run up front in an O'Reilly Series race again any time soon.

The last time @DaleJr raced at the Nashville Fairgrounds? 1999 in the Busch Series. Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole, led the opening 12 laps and finished ninth that day. He had three Busch starts at the Fairgrounds in total with a best finish of third in 1998.

@SHUNCK Just now seeing this but Will Power led after 2024 Road America. Palou took the lead back after the next race at Laguna and has led after every race since.

I don’t know the answer but I’m sure a fan, media member or stat person will. Maybe it was shown on TV or was in a story or notes & I missed it. When was the last time Alex Palou was NOT leading the IndyCar points? Who was leading & where was Alex in the points? Just wondering…

@MattYocum Much the same feelings as every other post I've read today. Remember so many details of that day. Remember us waiting to interview Rusty and we never did. Also us walking across the tri-oval grass after stowing your gear and what you said to me.

Forever grateful for our continued thirty plus year friendship @Calhoun98 ...and our times talking small bits of history at 1am connecting dots because I had an image or a story popped in my mind and I knew you'd know the answer or we'd figure it out between the two of us. One thing I'll never forget is July 2001 when you sent me this picture saying, I'm sure you've seen this but in case you haven't ...I wanted to send along. I hadn't. Cool to see you in the background too bud.

This might be a little too 'under the hood' for the general public but in my opinion the greatest scene from DoT. Having worked with drivers who bent valves overrevving engines I get it Harry. Can't hide from the tell-tale. ;-) RIP to Robert Duvall, aka Harry Hogge.

Sorry to hear of the passing of Mr. George Barber. He'd drop by the tv booth every year to see if there was anything more he could do to make a better telecast. His attention to detail was more than amazing. A visit to Barber Motorsports Park should be on every fan's bucket list.

@RoofTopRay @mikejoy500 ESPN never did the Daytona 500. ABC from at least 1963 through 1978. CBS from '79-2000. FOX in '01, '03, '05, then 2007 on. NBC had it in 2002, '04, '06. I think Mike did the very first live f2f ESPN Cup race in fall of '81 at Atlanta. Might have worked with Wells then.

@Calhoun98 @mikejoy500 Mike did work for ESPN in the 80’s. When did ESPN do the Daytona 500?

The thought hit me Thursday watching the Duels. After talking to others in the industry I think I'm safe saying there have only been 4 people direct the Daytona 500 telecast since 1979. Today will be the debut of a new FOX director. He will become the 5th director in 48 500s.

@RoofTopRay @mikejoy500 I can't think of a time when he ever worked with Mike Wells. Can you? Wells was ESPN, Joy was MRN then TNN / CBS. When Joy went with FOX, Wells was with NBC.

@Calhoun98 Has @mikejoy500 has worked with all of them?

@500Indy1911 @NASCARONFOX Not me.

Was that incredible stat about the #67 leading laps you, @Calhoun98? 🤯 || #Daytona500 || @NASCARONFOX

@jcoker1 Ok Jay - since you opened the can o worms, here is a video I was able to piece together with home movies from a friend and the MRN call of the finish.

February 10, 1980- Lake Speed is leading under caution on the last lap of the Daytona ARCA 200, headed to victory. The race is inexplicably restarted just a few hundred feet from the 🏁. Speed is unable to go due to a flat left rear tire. John Rezek passes him for the win.

@toomuchcountry @jcoker1 I shall continue to bite my tongue.

@jcoker1 That's @Calhoun98 standing next to the 6. Glad he's gotten over that crazy officials' call. Or maybe he hasn't.