Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...
A driveshaft failure appears to be the only thing that stopped Max Verstappen (and Jules Gounon and Lucas Auer and Daniel Juncadella) from victory in the 24 Hours Nürburgring. Formula E fulfilled the Ascension Weekend tradition of racing at Monaco. NASCAR had an ordinary weekend in Dover with an unordinary prize for Dover. MotoGP had a rough race in Barcelona, and our thoughts and prayers are with Álex Márquez and Johann Zarco after their accidents. Rain washed out Saturday qualifying from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but on Sunday Álex Palou continued to make history as he took pole position. We also found out late last night the qualifying times for Caio Collet (tenth) and Jack Harvey (29th) were disallowed due to modifications made to the Energy Management System covers in post-qualifying inspection. Collet and Harvey will be moved to 32nd and 33rd respectively on the grid. Plenty happened on Sunday, from this point of view, it has been a rather subdued week in the buildup to the Indianapolis 500.
What is Missing?
It feels like something is missing this May. I don't know what it is.
It does feel like this is another race. Obviously, it is isn't. See the week of practice, special qualifying session, and everything else that fills the pomp and circumstance. It is the Indianapolis 500. We have a full week ahead and we still have to act like the pit stop competition is a good event.
Yet, it feels lacking.
Have all the good stories been told?
I have been thinking about the 2020s, since we are more than halfway through the decade.
We had a race behind closed doors in August because of a global pandemic, which also included Fernando Alonso and it was the first Indianapolis 500 with the aeroscreen...
We had a race that was a semi-return to normalcy with a limited crowd that turned into seeing the fourth four-time winner driving as a one-off with a new team after leaving the most successful IndyCar team...
A full return and a race that one of the greatest in IndyCar history lost due to a pit lane speeding penalty, and it turned out to be Jimmie Johnson's only Indianapolis 500 debut...
A one-lap shootout that gave a champion his first Indianapolis 500 victory...
A race that was delayed until the middle of the afternoon, that featured Kyle Larson attempting "The Double," which turned into a single, Team Penske entering as a pariah, and only the sixth driver to win the race in consecutive years thanks to a breathtaking last lap pass...
Another attempt at The Double, more Team Penske controversy, an unthinkable pole position for a rookie, a possible five-time winner, a possible three-consecutive winner for the first time in race history, a sold out crowd, and a race that turned out to be Álex Palou's crowning achievement after already winning everything else in IndyCar within his first five seasons, which was also the first Indianapolis 500 with the hybrid engine...
Especially based on the last two seasons, it is pretty tame entering the race in 2026. It is still a special race, there is still a driver attempting The Double, the grandstands sold out over a week before the race, and it still feels muted this May.
What am I looking for?
Come race day, this malaise will be forgotten. The passion remains for this race. Looking through notes and record books and preparing for what we may see is still as enjoyable as it has ever been, but there is a zip that isn't quite there.
Maybe we have been spoiled rotten the last few years through the good and the bad times. There was general thankfulness a race happened at all six years ago. The few years after that there saw gratefulness it returned and didn't lose a beat. Then we had some pretty phenomenal racing, and we have had landmark winners. We have had it pretty good.
Some of it could be down to wondering what could come next, and the stories are there. Not everyone has an Indianapolis 500, and Patricio O'Ward sits in the sentimental chair, the fan favorite a growing number would like to see win after a number of close calls. There are the underdog stories, can Conor Daly and Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, the little team that could, pull off a storybook ending? Can Scott McLaughlin find redemption after last year's accident on the pace laps? Does Ryan Hunter-Reay get another bite at the apple after his car quit on the final pit stop?
We are not lacking on history either. Palou winning again would put him in another exclusive club. We could crown him driver of the 2020s at that point. If it isn't Palou, Scott Dixon has been waiting 18 years for his second Indianapolis 500 victory, one that would be more than deserved and everyone would be thrilled to celebrate. Josef Newgarden could snag a third and we could restart the watch for fourth. Hélio Castroneves can still win a fifth, creating a club of his own and becoming the oldest winner in the century-plus history of this race.
This can still be the stage for a breakout performance. Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Santino Ferrucci and Christian Rasmussen are all going to be around for a while, but this race could set the course for their futures and how they will be remember in IndyCar history.
The potential is there. Something special will happen. We don't know what it will be yet, and that is alright. It is ok that it isn't clear either. For the better part of this decade, it has been clear what we are watching for or the story has stood out from the very beginning. That has not been the case in 2026. No driver or group of drivers looked dominant in practice. The grid is pretty even at the moment. That does make it harder to set expectations. When many outcomes feel possible, you cannot focus on one.
Qualifying weekend did make me feel better. Even just writing these words got the hairs to stand up over what is possible. Coincidentally, I wrote about a similar feeling on this Monday last year. That was a little different because it had more to do with the tone around the series and this is a little more personal, but maybe it is something to note. Maybe I should be thinking differently entering practice week. It is a thought for 2027.
What matters most is this week and what happens on race day. Once it is over, the stubborn rut of practice week will become a forgotten feeling. The only trace will be these words to confirm it was not all hunky-dory in the lead up. Not every Indianapolis 500 is a building buzz from May 1st through the checkered flag. Life is more complicated than that. Sometimes it is flat, and that isn't a bad thing.
It will work itself out. It always does.
Winners From the Weekend
You know about Álex Palou, but did you know...
The #80 Mercedes-AMG Team Ravenol Mercedes-AMG of Maro Engel, Maxime Martin, Fabian Schiller and Luca Stolz won the 24 Hours Nürburging.
Fabio Di Giannantonio won MotoGP's Catalunya Grand Prix. Álex Márquez won the sprint race by 0.041 seconds over Pedro Acosta, the closest sprint race in MotoGP history. Manuel González won in Moto2, his second victory of the season. Máximo Quiles won in Moto3, his third consecutive victory and his fourth victory of the season.
Nyck de Vries and Oliver Rowland split the Monaco ePrix.
Nicolò Bulega swept the World Superbike races from Most, and Bulega is now 15-for-15 this season. Valentin Debise swept the World Supersport races.
Denny Hamlin won the NASCAR All-Star Race from Dover, his second All-Star Race victory. Corey Day won the Grand National Series race, his second victory of the season. Kyle Busch won the Truck race, his 69th career victory in that series.
Coming Up This Weekend
110th Indianapolis 500.
61st Canadian Grand Prix, which is a sprint weekend for the first time.
77th Coca-Cola 600.
Super Formula will have a doubleheader from Suzuka.
Supercars will be at Symmons Plains.
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters have a weekend at the shore racing along Zandvoort.
