Howard and me set the first and third fastest times of the day, and we both got beaten to grid slot 33 by a kid in Methodist Hospital with a smoking wreck of a car. The magic of Indy, huh?

Paul Tracy, Indy Bump Day 2010

Gentlemen, start your engines.

Wilbur Shaw

Again, I was scared to death. I had zero grip, and I was lifting at the start/finish line going into one. It's embarrassing.

Marco Andretti, Kansas 2007

Less than a mile an hour and I'm on pole. It's tough. It's IndyCar. It's why we love it.

Scott McLaughlan on qualifying at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 22nd 2023, via Speed Street

F1 is for sissies, this is proper racing, you can quote me on that!

Dan Wheldon

I wish Beaux Barfield was officiating when I was driving - I'd have gotten a lot less penalties!

Paul Tracy on lax penalties for avoidable contact, Long Beach 2014

It was so scary for me. I don't know what else to say. I don't know what happened but it felt like my front and rear wings were upside down.

Marco Andretti, Kansas 2007

It was talent and skill, that's how I did it. A masterful display of driving ability!

James Hinchcliffe on getting through the gap that took him from 17th to 6th at Mid Ohio, August 2014

What makes IndyCar racing so good is there's not much you can do on your car to differentiate it from the others. It's only dampers, third springs. There's the aero with the aero kits – and hopefully those are going away.

Bobby Rahal on the benefits of a spec series, Racer.com, May 18th 2016

3-horse chase. Power, Dixie and GR

Curt Cavin with a new twist on an old saying, GP of Baltimore 2013

This track, believe it or not, has done worse to me in the past, and we came back swinging.

James Hinchcliffe on Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Bump Day, May 19th 2018

That's a good way to lose a championship.

Tony Kanaan, Kansas 2007

With photos, sometimes people get old. Not me, but some people do.

Helio Castroneves, June 2009

It's going to be a close finish. I have the bigger nose, I guess I have a good chance.

Tony Kanaan, Kansas 2005

Everyone remembers the pole winner for two weeks. Everyone remembers the race winner for life.

Dan Wheldon on the Indy 500

The track is narrower than I thought! You watch the television and you see three cars alongside on the main straight - now I am in the car on the main straight and it's hard to imagine how you can fit three cars there at speed.

Fernando Alonso after his first test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 3rd 2017

I drove the best race of my whole career!

Rinus VeeKay on finishing 5th at the IMS Road Course, July 4th 2020

Rick Mears is a great race car driver. Hopefully I have plenty of years to try to earn his respect again.

Tony Kanaan, Detroit 2007

It's like a reunion to come back here every May. I've never retired. I always say, "I'm not done yet."

Parnelli Jones, Indy 2007

Patience is a virtue... and someone wasn't very virtuous today.

James Hinchcliffe on an unnamed driver, Long Beach 2014

It takes a lot of guts to expose yourself in front of millions of people, in front of all the media, in front of all your peers. If somebody came to me and said, "Hey, you want to run Texas in an IRL car," I'd say, "Hell, no. I don't want to get embarrassed." She's doing that. I have a lot of respect for that.

Jeff Burton on Danica Patrick, June 2010

If someone said choose one race to win, just one, and that was the only race you ever got to win, it would be the Indy 500.

Jack Harvey on the Indianapolis 500, indianapolismotorspeedway.com, February 21st 2019

It's the biggest race in the world. It's not supposed to be easy.

Marcus Ericsson on The Indianapolis 500, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 2023

That's a cool shot of the glowing brake disc!

Colton Herta watching a replay of his pass on Rossi, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, 3rd October 2020

I bet you'd love to drive one, you just wouldn't want to crash one!

Charlie Kimball to Dale Jr. via Twitter, Pocono, August 23rd 2015

The wall came too close and too quickly.

Fernando Alonso after crashing in practice, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 15th 2019

Back then there were 50-75 cars just trying to make the field. And they were the best drivers in the world. I remember thinking; I can’t believe this. I can't believe I got a spot.

A.J. Foyt on qualifying for his first Indianapolis 500 mile race

It's great that it's one minute after six!

Marty Roth, Indy Bump Day 2007

I know a lot of people say that Iowa is in the middle of nowhere, but you know what, we get such a great crowd and they're so enthusiastic. As a driver you could put me in paradise, but if there's nobody in the grandstands then it's not good racing.

Dan Wheldon on Iowa Speedway, June 2009

For a moment, all is right with the world - Danica Patrick is leading the Indianapolis 500.

Adam Alexander, Indy 2005

Last season, we lost the championship in the last corner of the last lap of the last race to some other guy.

Chip Ganassi, Daytona 2008

Pounding down toward the yard of bricks...

Tom Carnegie

When you go home and you're slow, there's nothing you can do. But when you go home under these conditions it's kind of tough.

Alex Tagliani, Indy 500 Bump Day 2009

The day started when I walked into Gasoline Alley and saw the grandstands. It was my first time here on race day and it was quite unbelievable.

Alex Tagliani on the 2009 Indianapolis 500

The worst thing about crashing A.J.'s car twice in two days is you still have to go to dinner with him. And he makes you buy, and then he eats your bowl of ice cream, too.

Billy Boat

I remember the first year I raced here, I took pictures of the entrance. I was taking pictures. I hoped one day to race here in May.

Fernando Alonso on Indianapolis Motor Speedway, May 3rd 2017

Downforce is the enemy of racing.

Rick Mears, Motorsport.com, September 15th 2016

I lifted a little, but I didn't touch the brake.

Will Power on the art of restarting, St Pete's, March 30th 2014

It's a new... track... record!

Tom Carnegie

You won't believe it!

Tom Carnegie

Beautiful chaos!

David Malukas on the racing at Texas Motor Speedway, April 2nd 2023

I don't want to take a defeatist attitude here but it's going to be ugly. If IndyCar goes the domed skid route, we're going to be taking a knife to a gunfight.

Sam Schmidt on Chevy's advantage with domed skids, Racer.com, April 7th 2016

When I saw he was slowing down, I have to say it was a relief. I thought, 'Now we can finally unleash the beast inside and go for the win.'

Simon Pagenaud on Will Power's misfortune at Sonoma, ESPN.com, September 18th 2016

Eyes on the starter...

Tom Carnegie

James Hinchcliffe on bumping at Indy, May 19th 2018

You don't gotta win by five seconds - you just gotta win.

Tony Kanaan, Motegi 2007

The last I looked, I earned the label of Indy 500 champion; those lobbing unfounded accusations at me have not.

Eddie Cheever Jr. after Watkins Glen 06

When you tug at a guy in the pit lane, I think that is taking advantage of your gender, because it puts me in an awkward position.

Dan Wheldon on Danica Patrick, June 2007

Time to go to the back row party!

Ryan Hunter Reay, Indy 500 Bump Day 2009