Ed Carpenter, veteran driver and co-owner of Ed Carpenter Racing, will take on a unique role during Saturday’s Sonsio Grand Prix.

While he begins preparation for what he hopes is his 22nd Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge start, Carpenter will step in as race strategist for Christian Rasmussen’s No. 21 ECR Splenda Chevrolet for the 85-lap race airing at 4:30 p.m. ET on FOX, the FOX Sports app and the INDYCAR Radio Network.

Carpenter is filling in for Brent “Woody” Harvey, who will miss the race to attend his son’s graduation from Butler University, which also is Carpenter’s alma mater. Carpenter emphasized the team-first mentality at ECR.

“Just like what we always do, just filling in and looking out for each other,” Carpenter said. “Woody's son is graduating college, which is something that we wouldn't ever want an employee to miss.”

The Sonsio Grand Prix presents added complexity due to new NTT INDYCAR SERIES tire rules requiring use of two sets of Firestone primary and alternate tires for at least two laps each.

Rasmussen will start 19th. But he has shown steady improvement through the season, gaining nine positions at St. Petersburg, seven at The Thermal Club and two at Barber Motorsports Park.

While Carpenter may be best known as an oval specialist and team owner, he’s no stranger to the strategist role, though this will mark his first time doing so for a race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn IMS road course. Carpenter also has never raced on this circuit.

Despite that, Carpenter doesn't see his lack of direct racing experience on the layout as a disadvantage.

He’s regularly present on the pit stand during road and street course weekends, actively involved in race strategy and decision-making. That familiarity gives him the confidence to effectively guide Rasmussen.

“It's fun,” Carpenter said. “I enjoy doing it when I've done it in the past. I’m always on the stands, so that doesn’t bother me. I’m part of that all the time. The only thing different is keying up a mic and talking to the driver.”

IMS Road Course Kind to Rossi

Alexander Rossi has a strong record on the IMS road course, with 12 top-11 finishes in 14 starts – including seven top-five finishes and a victory in the 2022 Gallagher Grand Prix.

Starting ninth in the No. 20 ECR Java House Chevrolet for Saturday’s race, Rossi has a solid platform to potentially break his 42-race winless streak.

“It’s (qualifying) frustrating because we were third overall in the round one combined chart, and we didn’t change anything (to the car),” Rossi said. “It’s just so close, and these cars are so sensitive to ambient track temperature and all that sort of thing. But regardless, it’s a good place to start from.”

Even though Rossi doesn’t see the IMS road course as a personal stronghold, his consistent results, paired with his belief in his strengths under braking and willingness to take risks, make him a legitimate contender. His experience as a past winner gives him a refined sense of what a competitive car should feel like on this circuit.

“Obviously the 10 car (Alex Palou) is in its own planet, but I think a second place is just as good right now,” Rossi said.

O’Ward Confident Team Can Find Saturday Speed

Pato O’Ward qualified eighth in the No. 5 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet for Saturday’s race, the first time in the last seven tries the Mexican driver didn’t make the Firestone Fast Six on the IMS road course.

“We’re losing two-tenths on the straights,” O’Ward said. “We don’t have an explanation why yet. It’s frustrating. The balance in the car is fine. We did a good job of bringing a strong enough car. It’s annoying that is what ultimately is screwing us. Hopefully, we can find the issue because if you don’t have straight-line speed here, you’re going straight to the back.

“I trust that we’ll find it and be battling at the front.”

O’Ward, who is fourth in points after four races, faded from fifth at the start of last year’s Sonsio Grand Prix to finish 13th. In 2023, he finished second and third, respectively, in the two IMS road course races.

Daly Glad To Shed Uber Duties

Conor Daly has eight IMS road course starts but hasn’t competed on the track since 2023.

Last year, he was on site as an Indianapolis 500-only driver for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. When Colton Herta had an issue during qualifying and pulled off track in Turn 7, Daly, who was nearby in the driver's motorcoach lot, gave him a ride back to the pits in his golf cart.

“It’s nice I’m not an Uber driver this year,” Daly said.

Daly qualified 22nd in the No. 76 Juncos Hollinger Racing Chevrolet for Saturday’s race.

Andretti Global Cars Chasing Speed

Andretti Global’s 2022 dominance at the IMS road course by sweeping both races feels distant given the current situation. All three of its drivers are starting deep in the field Saturday.

Herta entered with a 2.7 average qualifying position this season but starts 13th in the No. 26 Gainbridge Honda.

“We’re chasing our tails this weekend,” Herta said. “Kind of disappointed. The balance hasn’t been a problem. It’s a weird thing. I’ve been generally happy with the car. It’s just been slow. Just lacking overall grip.”

Herta did win the 2022 Sonsio Grand Prix from the 14th starting spot.

His teammate Marcus Ericsson starts 20th in the No. 28 Fresh Connect Central Honda while Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach winner Kyle Kirkwood rolls off 21st in the No. 27 PreFab Honda.

Kirkwood has IMS road course race finishes with Andretti Global of 14th, ninth and 11th, respectively, but was frustrated with the decision to not practice on the Firestone alternate tire to give him a gauge for qualifying.

“I don’t have many positive things to say right now, if I’m being honest,” Kirkwood said.

Ericsson finished 16th in his lone IMS road course start with Andretti last May.

Odds and Ends

  • Chip Ganassi Racing released its 2025 trading cards last month. The team announced this week that it has partnered with Riley Children’s Foundation during May to donate proceeds from its card sales to benefit the organization. Fans can purchase the cards at com/cgrcards.
  • To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Chip Ganassi Racing, the team collaborated with Big Machine Distillery to release Borchetta Bourbon. The bourbon will have a presence on both the No. 9 and No. 10 Honda driven by NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship drivers Scott Dixon and Alex Palou, respectively.
  • Palou eyes a three-peat, having won the past two Sonsio Grands Prix. Palou could become the first driver to win three straight races at the same track since Josef Newgarden at World Wide Technology Raceway from 2020-22. Palou has five career wins from the pole position, including last Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park.
  • Six NTT P1 Award winners have won on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course: Palou won the 2024 Sonsio Grand Prix, Will Power won the 2015, 2017, and 2018 Sonsio Grands Prix and the second Harvest GP race in 2020. Simon Pagenaud also won the Sonsio Grand Prix from the pole in 2016.
  • Chip Ganassi Racing has won three races in a row at the IMS road course.
  • Since 2020, the eventual series champion has finished on the podium all five years in this event: 2020: Dixon (first), 2021: Palou (third), 2022: Power (third), 2023: Palou (first), 2024: Palou (first).
  • There have been 339 consecutive green flag laps run this season, including all 65 laps of The Thermal Club INDYCAR Grand Prix, the 90-lap Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach and for the first time in 15 years, all 90 laps at Barber. The only caution displayed this season came during the first six laps of the season-opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding due to a first-lap crash between Nolan Siegel, Power and rookie Louis Foster. The last three IMS road course races produced one caution each. An IMS road course race has gone caution-free three times, including both races of the October 2020 Harvest Grand Prix doubleheader.
  • Team Penske won five of the first six Sonsio Grand Prix events. It’s 0-for-5 since but has three of the top seven starters with Scott McLaughlin (No. 3 Sonsio Vehicle Protection Chevrolet), Newgarden (No. 2 Astemo Team Penske Chevrolet) and Power (No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet) starting fourth, sixth and seventh, respectively.
  • Honda is 4-for-4 this season with Palou’s victories at St. Petersburg, The Thermal Club and Barber Motorsports Park while Andretti Global driver Kirkwood won Long Beach. Honda has produced the last five IMS road course winners, from four different drivers (Herta, Rossi, Palou and Dixon).