Memorial Day weather forecast: Will rain disrupt the Indy 500?

As the countdown edges closer to Sunday’s 109th Indy 500 at Speedway (Indiana), two stories ahead of the fabled race have made the headlines.

A week ahead of the iconic race, rookie driver Robert Shwartzman secured pole position stunning the racing world.

In previous races the 25-year-old Shwartzman has finished no better than 18th but becomes the first rookie to qualify on the Indy 500 pole since Teo Fabi in 1983 as his No. 83 Chevrolet was the fastest car in qualifying.

Penske punished

The other talking point ahead of Sunday’s race has focused on Team Penske.

Drivers Josef Newgarden and Will Power will be forced to start Sunday’s Indianapolis 500 at the back of the grid following technical violations.

IndyCar announced earlier this week that Newgarden’s No. 2 and Power’s No. 15 will start 32nd and 33rd, respectively, after the discovery of modified attenuators.

“The integrity of the Indianapolis 500 is paramount, and this violation of the INDYCAR rule against modification to this part and using it ‘as supplied’ is clear,” IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said. “The penalty should be more than simply starting where the cars might have qualified anyway, if given the opportunity. The cars belong in the field as two of the fastest 33; however, starting on the tail of the field is the appropriate penalty in this instance.”

Team Penske’s No. 3 car, driven by Scott McLaughlin, will start in the 10th spot after inspectors determined it had a legal and unmodified attenuator.

Indy 500 forecast

The good news for drivers and spectators alike, is that Sunday seems set to be a dry day with only a 15% chance of precipitation forecast.

According to AccuWeather, Indianapolis will see highs of 70F at race time which offers ideal conditions for fans at the Brickyard and a dry surface offers less complexity for the drivers and their respective teams.

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