Indy 500 Update: Hair Raising Bump Day; Field Set

By: Bert Beiswanger

Bump Day Sunday offered all the excitement that qualifying for Indy has been know for during its rich history. Drivers and teams put everything on the line, swapping spots in the field during the final hour of qualifying for the Indy 500 this Sunday, May 25.

 This was certainly the most exciting Bump Day we’ve seen in a while. At the end of the day, five cars were involved in a fight for the final two spots in the 33 car field.  What added to the excitement and intrigue was the fact that each car gets three qualifying attempts per day to put it in the show. In addition, gusty winds (the worst of the month by many accounts) made conditions downright frightening for the drivers out there laying it on the line. Qualifying at Indy is one of the toughest things a driver does in motorsports. Cars are so trimmed out (less downforce) to gain every little bit of speed, handling the car for four laps becomes an adventure. When you add inconsistent wind gusts and direction to the mix, it becomes a cross-your-fingers and pray proposition. Nonetheless, it provided for plenty of action and drama during the final half hour:

• 5:30 p.m. - 1996 Indy 500 winner Buddy Lazier, having been bumped out of the field earlier in the day by the No. 25 car of Marty Roth, took a crack at re-qualifying. Lazier’s Hemelgarn Johnson Racing team didn’t get their first track action until Friday and conditions and time were not in their favor. One of the most underrated drivers in Indy history couldn’t find the speed to make the field. 
• 5:34 p.m. - Mario Dominguez qualified the No. 96 Visit Mexico City car. He was on the bubble in the 33rd spot. He bumped the No. 98 car of Roger Yasukawa out of the field. Dominquez’ Pacific Coast Motorsports team came together just three weeks ago and was challenged with re-building the team’s car after a Saturday practice accident. It was quite an impressive effort.
• 5:38 p.m. - Yasukawa took a shot at bumping Dominguez out of the field. His time after three laps was identical to the four-lap average of Dominquez! However, the fourth lap was too slow. Dominquez was safe - for now.
• 5:47 p.m. - The performance of the day. Lazier’s team takes as much downforce out of the car as possible. On the warm-up lap, Lazier radioed his crew, “Will it stick?” His crew assured him it would. He was two miles per hour quicker than his previous attempt and put the car in the field. The crowd cheered the former champion. Emotions were running high. Dominquez was out of the field and Marty Roth was now on the bubble with an average speed of 218. 965
• 5:52 p.m. - Yasukawa takes one more shot. He doesn’t have the speed to make it back in. That leaves time for only one more qualifying attempt.
• 5:58 p.m. - Dominguez takes to the 2-1/2 mile oval for one more attempt. The team has just removed more downforce out of the car in hopes to find more speed. At that moment, one prominent motorsports journalist said to me, “If I know Mario Dominguez the way I think I know Mario Dominquez,  he’ll either put it in the show or in the wall.” Dominquez completed lap one: 219.780 mph! Moments later, Dominguez lost control exiting Turn 1 and crashed. It didn’t stick. The gun sounded ending qualifying. Dominquez was out, Roth was in and the field was set.

The day was the ultimate example of what making this race is all about. Teams mortgage the future to be part of the event. Drivers drive the car on edge to make it. If Bump Day is any indication of what the race will be like this Sunday, we’re in for a special day.

Tags: 92nd running of the Indianapolis 500, bump day, dominguez, Indianapolis 500, Indy 500, IndyCar, visit mexico city

Bert is a freelance writer and passionate and knowledgeable Midwest sports fan. Having lived his entire life in Central Indiana, he ranks the Indy 500, "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," as the single best sports event in the world.

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