The phrase “simply ship it” is frequent amongst drivers, however the actuality may be very few have the braveness to push by a nook at practically 240mph with out lifting as soon as one thing feels imperfect.
And that may’t actually be blamed as one might think about it’s completely scary as hell as soon as one thing goes awry at these speeds; if there’s even sufficient time to really feel concern within the second.
At 19 years outdated, Siegel got here into his maiden try to qualify for the Indy 500 with the demeanor and poise of a savvy veteran making his 10th look. A good buildup regardless of rain limiting helpful observe time was derailed after he went airborne and crashed when the enhance was turned up for Quick Friday. The first automotive, designed particularly for the two.5-mile oval, was scrapped and Dale Coyne Racing (DCR) have been left prepping the backup automotive that raced on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway street course format simply days prior.
The distinction between the 2 chassis was practically a full 4 miles per hour.
Even with that, Siegel and the staff continued to press on and located themselves with a preventing probability within the final row spherical in opposition to Graham Rahal, who had been bumped from the sector final yr by then-team-mate Jack Harvey, now a part of DCR in a training function reverse of driving choose races.
Siegel was the primary to make a run at 229.566mph four-lap common however dropped a spot after team-mate Katherine Legge went 230.092mph. After Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 winner, jumped to 32nd with a four-lap tempo of 230.027mph, it bumped Siegel out of the sector – and Rahal to 33rd – with solely a few minutes to spare within the spherical.
“I wasn’t going to go dwelling as a result of I lifted”
Primed because the final to exit, leaving Rahal with out a capability to defend, Siegel ran a gap lap of 229.288mph. Pushing for each ounce of velocity, he absolutely dedicated into Flip 1 on his second lap and barely clipped the wall on the exit of the nook, sending him right into a spin earlier than hitting the Flip 2 limitations.
“I used to be going to go dwelling as a result of I went flat and did all the pieces I might do,” Siegel stated. “I wasn’t going to go dwelling as a result of I lifted.”
The valiant effort portrayed all the pieces desired in a racing driver.
And it was observed by lots of Siegel’s friends, together with Rahal.
“I’ve bought an incredible quantity of respect for Nolan,” Rahal stated. “He could also be a brand new title to lots of people, however he is a reputation that you will develop into accustomed to. He is gained at each degree. He is gained at all the pieces he is achieved. He’ll be right here. He will be profitable right here. There isn’t any doubt about that.”
Charlie Kimball, a 10-time starter of the Indy 500 who was in a multi-role (marketing consultant, technique, driver coach) with DCR, noticed one thing particular in working with Siegel all month that was encapsulated together with his qualifying efficiency.
Nolan Siegel, Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Photograph by: Geoffrey M. Miller / Motorsport Images
“The strain of that, and you have to exit to carry out and know that that could possibly be your solely shot and it’s possible you’ll not get an opportunity if somebody goes faster to rebut it,” Kimball stated.
“The psychological fortitude and the composure to go run these 4 laps like he did, you noticed an Indy 500 champion [Ericsson], the man who completed second final yr, not have that very same psychological power and make a psychological error on lap 4 (in his first try).”
And the respect for Siegel has prolonged all through the paddock.
“I’ve heard from numerous completely different corners of the sequence — from broadcast to tech, to different groups, different drivers, engineers, how spectacular he was in not solely his strategy, however then additionally how he dealt with the strain after which additionally how he dealt with the frustration,” Kimball stated.
“I imply, he struck the fitting be aware right through.”
The distinctive side of this final result is that Siegel continues to be competing full-time in Indy NXT, IndyCar’s developmental sequence the place he sits second within the championship standings. He’s solely stepping up in a partial capability to IndyCar this yr, with solely one in every of his 4 scheduled begins remaining (Toronto).
Nonetheless hope for Siegel’s Indy 500 bid?
So as to add one other layer to this dynamic, although, is that Siegel additionally had 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan, at present the Sporting Director for Arrow McLaren, on his timing stand in a marketing consultant function alongside Kimball in the course of the remaining day of qualifying. That got here collectively resulting from the truth that Seigel is about to contest subsequent month’s 24 Hours of Le Mans with United Autosports, which is owned by McLaren CEO Zak Brown.
So, though unlikely, it isn’t out of the realm of prospects to see Siegel referred to as upon if climate delays forces 2021 NASCAR Cup Collection champion Kyle Larson out of the No. 17 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet, since he additionally has to run NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 on the identical day. And that comes resulting from Siegel being the one driver certified by present IndyCar guidelines to fill that function – as an alternative of Kanaan, a 21-time starter of the Indy 500 that was tabbed because the reserve driver – resulting from going by the rookie orientation and refresher applications.
Nevertheless, that farfetched state of affairs is probably going the furthest factor from Siegel’s thoughts.
What’s definitely there’s the inconsolable feeling of what transpired and the need of what Siegel and the Dale Coyne Racing displayed.
“I want we might have proven that we need to be within the 500,” Siegel stated.
“Actually the entire occasion has been tough, however we have had a tough couple of days, and we pulled by it as a staff. We did all the pieces we presumably might. I really feel like we maximized the runs as we speak. Yeah, I imply, that is all you are able to do.
“I assume I hope that everybody noticed that we as a staff did all the pieces that we might presumably do.”
Everybody did and now, we’re all left to attend for the promising and fearless future to return.
