INDYCAR's "Fast Six" is a report derived from all things found online about Verizon IndyCar Series racing, its drivers and people. We seek and find pics and quips as INDYCAR drivers live their extraordinary lives and put the evidence into tweets, Instagram posts and more. Check back regularly when we post the latest.
Rock, roll and racing
Nothing is more entertaining than good in-car camera footage, except good in-car camera footage set to your favorite song. We’ve been jamming with JR Hildebrand and Jack White and Verizon IndyCar Series champion Simon Pagenaud and John Mayer this week. You can, too.
Endless summer
We know Pagenaud is a fan of board sports. When he isn’t racing, he skateboards with his dog, Norman, and surfs. Thanks to his Team Penske sponsor, PPG, the champ can combine his land and water loves. PPG presented Pagenaud with a custom board, painted with his impressive 2016 season statistics, in Las Vegas. Now all he needs is matching board shorts.
Captain Birthday
The team owner with the most Indianapolis 500 wins, most Indy car race wins and most season championships of all time deserves a party for his 80th birthday, and we know he got one. Meanwhile, the paddock celebrated Roger Penske with plenty of Twittersphere buzz.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Bobby Unser turned 83 the same day as Penske's 80th. Social media never forgets champions.
We don’t know if it brings INDYCAR luck to share a birthday with “The Captain” and "Uncle Bobby." If so, birthday boy Charlie Kimball is all good.
We’ll drink to that
The countdown to the 101st Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil is on and drivers’ social media feeds are full of the news. Josef Newgarden’s over-the-top message for Miller Lite, though, got the most love, including some from USA Today’s For the Win.
Scott Dixon and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The Dixon family went on vacation again this week. This time, it looks like the youngest Dixons chose the destination. Scott has his own form of wizardry in INDYCAR, but a little extra magic from the world of Harry Potter can’t hurt.
Teachin’ the children
If we had a kindness prize, we’d give it to Conor Daly this week for taking 10-year-old Nicholas Hirsch karting at Fastimes Indoor Karting in Indianapolis. Hirsch is struggling with Crohn’s Disease but forgot all about that when he jumped in the kart with Daly. In fact, he said the ride tickled a little bit.