2015 MAVTV 500

Initial practice and qualifying took place in the afternoon on Friday June 27, 2015 with a final practice occurring later that evening.

Reaction to the race was divided, with some calling it exciting and others critical.{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}} To some, it invoked memories of the 2011 race at Las Vegas that saw a 15 car crash and claimed the life of Dan Wheldon.

Will Power said, "As exciting as it is, it's insane. You just cannot get away and have to take massive risks to gain track position. That's crazy racing. We just don't need another incident like we had at Vegas, and running like this it's just a matter of time."{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Tony Kanaan said, "We can't forget that I lost my best friend in exactly the same way in 2011. I understand what the fans want, and if you say we're going to have 100,000 people here and this is what we're going to do, I agree with you that we need to put it out there. To have 5000 people out there and do this, it's stupid."{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Juan Pablo Montoya said, "Honestly, I was not a fan of the racing we put on today. What I told IndyCar yesterday was that we shouldn't be racing like this. This is full pack racing and, sooner or later, somebody is going to get hurt. We don't need to be doing this."{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Race-winner Graham Rahal disputed that it was a pack race because the cars were able to run in different lanes. "I don't think it was purely pack racing. What made this good today was there's four different lanes to run. It's not that there's too much downforce and whatever... And I thought today the tires went off just enough to make it intriguing, make it interesting at the end... That's the sort of thing that today brought out, whereas the old pack racing wasn't... the tires were good, you know, you were stuck all the time. Today, there was variation in line and that's what made it good."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y4NmiVCfMM Racer: Robin Miller With Fontana Winner Graham Rahal]

"At the end of the day," Rahal added, "it was the most exciting race we had in years."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5y4NmiVCfMM Racer: Robin Miller With Fontana Winner Graham Rahal] "We have taken ourselves to a place over the last few years to where we've reduced the downforce so far that we couldn't even race."{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Despite his flip with two laps remaining, Ryan Briscoe praised the style of racing, tweeting, "I thought today’s IndyCar race was awesome. A few drivers need to show more respect out there, but the racing was fierce & exciting,"{{Cite tweet |user=Ryan_Briscoe |number=615020520023703552 |title=Ryam Briscoe - IMO: I thought today’s @IndyCar race was awesome. A few drivers need to show more respect out there, but the racing was fierce & exciting.}} adding, "'Twas a fun race" before his flip.{{Cite tweet |user=Ryan_Briscoe |number=614962756618326016 |title=Ryam Briscoe - Well that was a WILD ride!! Thanks for all the messages, I feel fine if not just a bit bruised here and there. ‘Twas a fun race till then!!}}

Ed Carpenter tweeted, "I love close IndyCar racing. Hate to see drivers bad-mouthing a series. If you want to race, race. If not, retire."{{cite news|url=http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|title=IndyCar: "Insane" race spurs critics, supporters|publisher=Racer.com|date=June 28, 2015|access-date=October 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630232425/http://www.racer.com/indycar/item/118600-insane-race-concerns-indycar-drivers|archive-date=June 30, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Journalist Robin Miller said it was "one of the five best races I've ever seen" but added "it was disgraceful today to see 3,000 people to watch one of the greatest IndyCar races of all time." He further criticized IndyCar CEO Mark Miles for scheduling the race in California on "the worst date in the history of auto racing, 1:30 on a Saturday afternoon in late June."[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lM8LFynpu0 RACER: Robin Miller's (Rant) Message to Mark Miles]

Less than two months after the race, it was confirmed that IndyCar would not return to Auto Club Speedway in 2016.{{cite web|last=Schuster|first=Blake|url=https://www.indycar.com/News/2015/08/8-14-Auto-Club-Speedway-not-on-2016-schedule|title=AUTO CLUB SPEEDWAY NOT ON 2016 VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES SCHEDULE|publisher=IndyCar|date=August 14, 2015|website=indycar.com|access-date=October 27, 2023}}

In 2018, Auto Club Speedway track president reaffirmed that the track was open to bringing back IndyCar racing should the right circumstances arise.{{cite web|last=Weaver|first=Matt|url=https://www.autoweek.com/racing/indycar/a1691026/fontana-and-las-vegas-tracks-still-open-indycar-comeback/|title=Fontana And Las Vegas Tracks Still Open To IndyCar Comeback|publisher=Autoweek|date=February 13, 2018|website=autoweek.com|access-date=October 27, 2023}} However, in 2020, it was confirmed that NASCAR would sell the Auto Club Speedway property and demolish the 2 mile oval.{{cite web|last=Crandall|first=Kelly|url=https://racer.com/2020/09/08/fontana-to-be-converted-into-half-mile-short-track/|title=Fontana to be converted into half-mile short track|publisher=Racer|date=September 8, 2020|website=racer.com|access-date=October 27, 2023}}

;Drivers' standings

• Note: Only the top five positions are included.

In the United States, the race was televised by NBCSN. Leigh Diffey called the race on television with Steve Matchett and Paul Tracy providing analysis. Pit reporters were Jon Beekhuis, Kevin Lee, and Robin Miller. The race averaged 512,000 viewers, becoming the most-watched IndyCar race on NBCSN since September 2011.{{Cite tweet |user=NBCSportsPR |number=615982637438644225 |title=RATINGS: Saturday's @IndyCar MAVTV 500 on @NBCSN}} The broadcast earned a 0.37 TV rating.{{Cite news|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/skedball-weekend-sports-tv-ratings-6-27-28-2015.html|title = 'Weekend Sports TV Ratings'|work = Showbuzzdaily}} During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, NBCSN reaired the race on April 6, 2020.

A 90-minute broadcast of the qualifying session was aired on NBCSN at midnight on June 27.{{cite news|url=http://www.tvracer.com|title=TV Listings|publisher=TVRacer.com|date=June 26, 2015|access-date=October 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626202357/http://www.tvracer.com/|archive-date=June 26, 2015|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network provided coverage of the event on radio. Paul Page headed the IMS booth with analyst Davey Hamilton, with Mark Jaynes and Jake Query reporting from the track.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.autoclubspeedway.com}}
• [http://www.indycar.com/Schedule/2015/IndyCar-Series/Fontana IndyCar Toronto event page]

{{IndyCar Series race report

|Name_of_race = MAVTV 500

|Year_of_race = 2015

|Previous_race_in_season = 2015 Honda Indy Toronto

|Next_race_in_season = 2015 ABC Supply Wisconsin 250

|Previous_year's_race = 2014 MAVTV 500 IndyCar World Championships

|Next_year's_race = -

}}

{{Indy Racing League Seasons}}

MAVTV 500

MAVTV 500

Category:MAVTV 500