Following a thrilling first day of qualifying action on Saturday, the field for the 2020 Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions was set on Sunday – in equally-entertaining fashion.
In the end, the first 27 spots were set during yesterday’s 12-hour session on iRacing’s 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and the final two rows were filled by drivers making additional attempts on Sunday.
With a Bump Day-best four-lap average of 231.065 miles per hour, Austin Espitee of Team Talent locked himself into the field on the inside of Row 10.
Espitee will be joined by Chris Stofer of Powerslide Motorsports and 2019 Open-Wheels 500 Pit Lane Parley Pole Award winner Yang Ou.
After a daring do-or-die run in his final qualifications attempt on Sunday afternoon, Ou will start next Sunday’s 200-lap race 30th in his Ludicrous Speed Dallara-Chevrolet.
As for Stofer, the veteran driver battled hardware issues all week in his steering mechanism which left his status in doubt. New parts for his No. 13 entry arrived between his second and third attempt on Sunday, and Stofer delivered with a strong run to safely put himself in the vaunted field of 33.
Making up the last row will be the trio of Iconic Motorsports’ Logan Simmons, independent entry Dylan Freckleton, and Kinetic Racing’s Daniel Johnson.
With Pit Lane Parley Qualifications Weekend behind us, Monday will be an off day for the field. Here is the on-track schedule for next week.
Drivers will begin practicing once again from 1:00 to 9:00 PM on Tuesday (November 10) and Thursday (November 12) before hitting the track for the final time for a one-hour practice on Saturday, November 14 at 12:30 PM on Open-Wheels.com/TV.
Race day for the 2020 Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions is Sunday, November 15.
The Today at the 500 Pre-Race Show will begin at 9:00 AM Eastern (live on Open-Wheels.com/TV) which will carry all of the traditional ceremonies – such as Taps, the National Anthem, Back Home Again in Indiana, and more.
Following the pre-race show is the live, worldwide broadcast of the second annual Open-Wheels 500 on RaceSpot TV – their coverage beginning at 11:30 AM Eastern with a scheduled green flag of 11:45 AM.
Stay tuned to Open-Wheels.com for in-depth coverage of the 2020 Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions, as well as our social media channels for the latest news and updates on this year’s ‘500’.
The 2020 Open-Wheels 500 Mile Race is presented by Mitchell Transmissions. Mitchell Transmissions is an established business in the Evansville, Indiana area who boasts three decades of mechanical experience to help service the needs of many makes and models. You can visit Mitchell Transmissions in Newburgh, Indiana at 10672 West State Road, or give them a call at 812-853-3286.
