zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Racing
/
Justin Wilson's Notes Helped His Brother Qualify For This Year's Indy 500
Justin Wilson's Notes Helped His Brother Qualify For This Year's Indy 500-June 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:32

One of this year’s rookies is more familiar with the Indianapolis 500 than most: Stefan Wilson. Stefan’s brother Justin last year following a head injury sustained at Pocono, but Justin’s legacy lives on in an unlikely way— his notes. Stefan used Justin’s notes to help him through his first IndyCar drive since 2013.

All Stefan had to go on coming into this qualifying weekend was one race in Baltimore three years ago, and rookie orientation for the Indy 500. Stefan told how his brother’s notes helped him get used to Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s windy conditions to set a qualifying average speed of 225.560 mph:

My car was moving around quite a bit and the wind was gusting pretty good so I didn’t want to get caught out and crash. The tailwind almost blew you into the wall in Turn 1 and then it pinned the nose in Turn 3 so it was tricky. I had to lift in Turn 1 on my third lap and that ruined the last two.

But I found some of Justin’s old notes from Indianapolis the other day and I thought, “that’s exactly what I’ve been feeling on the track.” So he’s still helping me.

Stefan Wilson ultimately qualified 27th in the first day’s qualifications, but he told Racer that competing in the 100th Indianapolis 500 was a must that’s brought him a new respect for his brother’s time in the series:

Before we lost Just I was trying to figure out how to be in the 100th Indianapolis 500 and I became determined, it was an obsession. It means so much to be in this race and I’m humbled by it.

Yesterday’s had a few surprises in the results as well. The 2015 Indianapolis 500 winner, , qualified 12th. As he is outside the top nine, he won’t run for pole position today on Pole Day. Reigning IndyCar champion is also sitting out the Fast Nine Shootout, having qualified 13th.

That being said, Indy 500 rookie and Formula One Alexander Rossi shined, qualifying tenth after turning consistently quick practice laps as well. James Hinchcliffe set the fastest average speed yesterday in his Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda, closely followed by Ryan Hunter-Reay and Will Power in P2 and P3, respectively. Today’s Fast Nine includes five Hondas and four Chevys, which hopefully meanswill be fighting it out for the win.

Full Saturday qualifying results can be found .

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Racing
These Porsche Stickers Are The Only Reason To Download iOS 10
These Porsche Stickers Are The Only Reason To Download iOS 10
I’ll be honest: I usually about iOS updates until apps break or I get tired of dismissing reminders to update. However, this latest update allows me to communicate entirely with car stickers, so I can’t hate it. Why write words when I can get the same point across with a...
Jun 3, 2026
Anything That Hauls A Mazda Prototype Is Cursed
Anything That Hauls A Mazda Prototype Is Cursed
Yet another vehicle that is supposed to carry a Mazda Prototype encountered big trouble this weekend. The same team whose car was yesterday had their hauler’s ramp crushed by one of Circuit of the Americas’ parking shuttles. This team, man. They finally have and can lay down some fast laps,...
Jun 3, 2026
The Fiat 124 Abarth Rally Car Is Real And It Is Perfect And It Sounds Amazing
The Fiat 124 Abarth Rally Car Is Real And It Is Perfect And It Sounds Amazing
When I first saw the rally car, I figured it was another one of those concepts that’s a makeup-and-stickers fantasy. The sort of thing a car company does when it wants to say “we could do this if we were awesome, which we are not.” But holy crap, it’s real....
Jun 3, 2026
Weekend Motorsports Roundup, Sept. 17-18, 2016
Weekend Motorsports Roundup, Sept. 17-18, 2016
Welcome to the Jalopnik , where we let you know what’s going on in the world of racing, where you can see it, and where you can talk about it all in one convenient place. Where else would you want to spend your weekend? If there wasn’t a chance of...
Jun 3, 2026
Bask In The Glory Of The Finest Endurance Racing Weekend In America
Bask In The Glory Of The Finest Endurance Racing Weekend In America
There is one weekend in the United States where you can see the cars from Le Mans up close and in person, and we’re there. Between the World Endurance Championship and a boatload of IMSA’s sportscar series, there are so many rad cars here that it’s easy to just lose...
Jun 3, 2026
Come Hang Out With Us At Jalopnik's Lone Star Le Mans Party In Austin TONIGHT!
Come Hang Out With Us At Jalopnik's Lone Star Le Mans Party In Austin TONIGHT!
Once again, all of the have descended upon Austin for Lone Star Le Mans. We know a lot of y’all (yes, y’all) are also floating around this weekend, so let’s get together. by popular demand, we’ll have a meet-up TONIGHT at 8 p.m. at , just north of the University...
Jun 3, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved