Before the green flag falls for next month’s Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions, the Pit Stop Competition and the Veterans 100 will take the stage first as part of Day Before the 500 festivities. The fun-filled day will be held on Saturday, November 14 with coverage via RaceSpot TV and Open-Wheels TV.
Today, Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning is proud to unveil a pair of strong entry lists for each the Pit Stop Competition and Veterans 100 events in 2020. A total of 42 drivers have placed entries towards the Pit Stop Competition while a whopping 51 entrants have signed up for the Veterans 100.
“The group at Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning is proud to unveil the entry lists for our support events in 2020, the Pit Stop Competition and the Veterans 100,” said Tanner Watkins, president of the Open-Wheels 500.
“Each of these events served as fun and exciting preludes to the Open-Wheels 500 last year and we are happy to see the extended support in their return. We look forward to another compelling Day Before the 500 as the intensity ramps up towards race day at the Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions.”
Last year, Brendan Lichtenberg won the inaugural Pit Stop Competition while Lluc Ibanez took the checkered flag for the Veterans 100. Many entrants on the entry list for this year’s support races are also notable Open-Wheels 500 starters, as well as a mix of 2020 Open-Wheels 500 newcomers and drivers who participated in the 2019 event but failed to qualify for the 500.
The Veterans 100, which will go green at 2:00 PM Eastern on November 14, is a spinoff of the Freedom 100 race that is traditionally held on Carb Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway each year. This year, drivers will be equipped with identically-prepared de-tuned Dallara DW-12 chassis to simulate the conditions that Indy Lights drivers race in each year. The event is scheduled to air on RaceSpot TV.
The Pit Stop Competition, scheduled for a 3:30 PM Eastern green flag on November 14, is a heat-style race with drivers navigating the 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval with reduced capacity fuel tanks. Again, all drivers will be racing in identically-prepared Dallara IR-18 machines, and the name of the game is to have the most efficient pit stops through the heat races and finals in order to win.
Two to three pit stops are expected in each heat and feature race, and the driver who makes the least amount of mistakes on the pit lane will win. The Pit Stop Competition is slated to be broadcast by RaceSpot TV.
While the Pit Stop Competition and Veterans 100 races will cap off the Day Before the 500, action will begin early that morning with a Public Drivers Meeting as well as final practice for the 2020 Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions. Both the driver’s meeting and final practice will air live on Open-Wheels TV.
The 2020 Open-Wheels 500 presented by Mitchell Transmissions will be held Sunday, November 15 at 11:30 AM Eastern on RaceSpot TV. Pre-race coverage will begin at 9:00 AM Eastern on Open-Wheels TV, including all pre-race ceremonies as we build towards the second running of the Open-Wheels 500.
