Montoya To Aim for Another Indianapolis Win in INDYCAR Grand Prix
Juan Pablo Montoya |
Add Juan Pablo Montoya to the list of drivers trying to make history by achieving the first "May double" at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Montoya will aim for his third Indianapolis 500 victory on May 28 in a Team Penske entry, and team owner Roger Penske recently confirmed Montoya also will compete in the fourth annual INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 12-13 on the IMS road course.
"It's always great to race in Indy," Montoya said. "There's a lot of focus on the 500 and that's understandable, but the Grand Prix has come a long way in a short time. The course is fast but still challenging. The fan support continues to grow. More people need to discover it because all of the races have been very competitive with passing and lead changes.
"For me, I'll be excited to get in an Indy car again for the month of May."
No driver has swept both Verizon IndyCar Series races in May at IMS since the INDYCAR Grand Prix debuted in 2014.
Montoya earned his second Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil victory in 2015 after finishing third earlier that month in the INDYCAR Grand Prix. That is his best finish in three career starts in the INDYCAR Grand Prix.
Team Penske has dominated the INDYCAR Grand Prix, with victories by Will Power in 2015 and Simon Pagenaud in 2016. Pagenaud also won the inaugural event in 2014 when driving for Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports.
Past Verizon IndyCar Series champions Ryan Hunter-Reay and Power have come closest to achieving the "May double" at IMS.
Hunter-Reay finished second behind Pagenaud in the inaugural INDYCAR Grand Prix in 2014 before winning "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" later that month for Andretti Autosport. Power won the INDYCAR Grand Prix and finished second to Team Penske teammate Montoya in the Indianapolis 500 in 2015.
Visit www.IMS.com to purchase tickets for the INDYCAR Grand Prix on May 12-13, for the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil and for more information on the entire Month of May schedule at IMS. Kids 15 and under are free to all 2017 racing events at IMS when accompanied by an adult General Admission ticket-holder