Cadillac’s Formula 1 team, which is building its U.S. headquarters in Fishers, left Sunday’s United States Grand Prix without points after Valtteri Bottas stopped in the closing laps and teammate Sergio Pérez finished 19th.

The Oct. 25 race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, brought another difficult result for the first-year team. Pérez completed 55 laps, finishing one lap behind winner Kimi Antonelli and last among the drivers still running at the finish, according to Formula 1’s official results.

Bottas slowed and pulled his Cadillac off the racing surface late in the event. His stranded car prompted a virtual safety car on lap 52 of the 56-lap race, requiring drivers to reduce speed while workers recovered it. Racing resumed on lap 54, according to Grandprix.com’s race account.

Grandprix.com listed a power-unit problem as the reason for Bottas’ retirement. Formula 1’s race report confirmed the stoppage and recovery but did not identify the failed component.

The result extended Cadillac’s search for its first championship points. The team entered Austin 11th and last in the constructors’ standings with zero points, and neither driver added to that total Sunday. Cadillac’s best Grand Prix finish remains Bottas’ 13th place in China, according to Formula 1’s team statistics.

For Fishers, the connection reaches beyond the race results. Cadillac’s headquarters project near Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport represents a substantial investment in the city’s motorsports industry.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that the development was planned as a $200 million, 400,000-square-foot facility employing about 300 people, with engineers and technicians assembling Formula 1 cars. The site is west of Hague Road, between East 96th and East 106th streets.

An August construction update indicated that the facility would come into use in stages. Then-team principal Graeme Lowdon told Autosport that construction was well advanced and, in broad terms, operations would begin there in 2027.

On the track Sunday, Antonelli won for Mercedes, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc second and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third. Cadillac’s next opportunity to improve its results comes at the Mexico City Grand Prix on Nov. 1.

The Indy Fuel closed out a three-games-in-three-days stretch Sunday with a 2-1 win over the Cincinnati Cyclones at Fishers Event Center, holding on through a late Cincinnati push that included an empty net in the final two minutes.

The victory gives the Fuel two straight wins to finish the weekend.

Kyler Kupka was in the middle of both Indy goals. He opened the scoring with 1:08 left in the first period, and Mitchell Hoelscher and Tommy Budnick picked up the assists.

After a scoreless second period, Kyle Aucoin doubled the lead at 4:56 of the third, with Kupka assisting.

Cincinnati answered at 14:35 of the third when Ben Meehan scored, assisted by Sahil Panwar and Mitchell Wolfe. That cut the margin to one.

The Cyclones then turned up the pressure. Cincinnati outshot the Fuel 16-7 in the third period and pulled its goaltender with under two minutes to play for an extra attacker. Indy’s defense and goaltending held firm the rest of the way.

Cincinnati finished with a 29-20 edge in shots on goal. The Fuel goaltender stopped 28 of 29 shots for a .966 save percentage, while Cincinnati turned aside 18 of 20.

Neither team scored on the power play. Indy went 0-for-2 with the man advantage, drawing a bench minor for a faceoff violation late in the first period and a high-sticking call on Ross Mitton in the second. Cincinnati went 0-for-1 after Aucoin was called for tripping in the second period.

Indy outshot Cincinnati 7-6 in the second period, the only period in which the Fuel held the shot advantage. The Cyclones led 7-6 in the first.

The Fuel now have a record of two wins and two losses in this young season.  The Fuel travel to Cincinnati to take on these same Cyclones Wednesday night.

Only a few people living near the river in Fishers were affected by the August flooding, but communities to the north, particularly Noblesville, saw more residents impacted. Those still seeking federal assistance should act today.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security lists Sunday, October 25, as the deadline to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance following the storms and flooding that began August 11. Hamilton County is eligible.

Qualifying homeowners and renters may receive help with uninsured damage to their primary homes, personal property losses and disaster-related emergency needs. Apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or call 800-621-3362.

There is conflicting deadline information. Hamilton County’s flood recovery page, marked updated September 8, lists October 26. The state’s disaster information page repeatedly lists October 25 and urges eligible residents to apply by the end of today. Residents should use the earlier date to avoid risking a missed deadline.

As of October 23, the state reported $154 million in FEMA Individual Assistance paid or allocated, more than 35,900 approved applications and $25.7 million paid to National Flood Insurance Program policyholders. Those figures are statewide, not Hamilton County totals.

Residents whose jobs were lost or interrupted by the disaster may also qualify for Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Hamilton County is included, with applications due Tuesday, October 27.

The state also lists today as the deadline for SBA physical-property disaster loan applications. Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications are due May 25, 2027. Details are available through the state’s disaster assistance page.

The Indy Fuel delivered plenty of offense to go along with the pushing, shoving and fighting Saturday night, beating the Fort Wayne Komets 6–2 in a game that produced 80 combined penalty minutes.

Dustin Manz and Cody Laskosky each scored twice, and Mitchell Hoelscher contributed a goal and three assists as Indy broke open the game with a four-goal second period.

The penalty totals reflected a contentious night between the Indiana rivals: Fort Wayne accumulated 42 minutes and Indy finished with 38. The teams combined for 13 power-play opportunities, eight for the Fuel and five for the Komets.

Anthony Petruzzelli opened the scoring at 14:39 of the first period, with Chase Dafoe assisting, to give Indy a 1–0 lead at the first intermission.

Manz doubled the advantage at 5:59 of the second, assisted by Kyle Aucoin and Mike Brown. Fort Wayne answered at 11:11 when Cole Hults scored off assists from Drake Rymsha and Jack Matier, cutting the Fuel’s lead to 2–1.

That opportunity for the Komets to get back into the game lasted just 40 seconds.

Manz scored his second goal at 11:51, with Jadon Joseph and Petruzzelli assisting, restoring Indy’s two-goal cushion. It began a run of four unanswered Fuel goals that put the game out of Fort Wayne’s reach.

Laskosky made it 4–1 at 15:14 of the second, assisted by Hoelscher and Tommy Budnick. He struck again with just 12 seconds remaining in the period, this time off assists from Matt Petgrave and Hoelscher.

The late goal sent Indy into the second intermission ahead 5–1 after outscoring Fort Wayne 4–1 in the period.

Hoelscher added a goal of his own just 1:57 into the third, with Aucoin and Laskosky assisting, to extend the advantage to 6–1. Laskosky finished with three points, while Aucoin collected two assists.

Hunter Johannes scored Fort Wayne’s second goal at 14:23 of the third, assisted by Arnaud Durandeau and Matier.

Indy finished with a 32–28 edge in shots on goal. Six Fuel players recorded at least two points, giving Indy contributions throughout the lineup on a night when the penalty boxes also saw considerable activity.

The Fuel return to Fishers Event Center on Sunday, Oct. 25, to host the Cincinnati Cyclones at 4 p.m.

Cadillac’s Formula 1 team, which is building its headquarters in Fishers, put American driver Colton Herta behind the wheel Friday during the opening practice session of the United States Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, according to formula1.com.

Herta drove in place of Sergio Perez in the first practice session (FP1) in front of a home crowd. After a tricky start, he kept the car clean and handed an undamaged Cadillac over to Perez for the second session. Herta finished 21st in FP1 with a lap of 1:39.979.

“That was fun,” Herta said. “My first Formula 1 outing in my home country in front of all the American fans was a very special moment.”

Herta noted that many people from Cadillac and General Motors were on hand, and that the weekend marked his return to COTA seven years after he won an IndyCar race there.

“It’s surreal to be back on track here, this time driving a Formula 1 car,” he said.

Team Principal Marcin Budkowski said Herta completed the team’s full program in what was his third FP1 appearance.

“That growing familiarity with the car is helping him get up to speed more quickly and give increasingly useful feedback to the engineers,” Budkowski said.

Perez was a little late getting onto the track in the second session as the team finished setting up his car. He finished 21st in FP2 with a time of 1:39.036. Perez said the team tested several parts and setups, and one change likely put the car on the back foot for the rest of the session.

“We understand why and know what we need to do overnight to be in better shape tomorrow,” Perez said. “The team has done a fantastic job, and Colton also provided some really useful feedback.”

Teammate Valtteri Bottas, a past winner at COTA, turned in two solid sessions. He placed 20th in FP1 at 1:39.053 and 19th in FP2 at 1:38.422. Bottas said the team tested different front wings and setups without any issues but acknowledged the team still trails the rest of the field.

“It still looks like there is a bit of a gap to the others, so we’re going to do our best overnight to try and find something to help us improve,” Bottas said.

Budkowski said the team also tested floor elements that will be useful going forward. He said the focus for Saturday’s qualifying session will be finding the best setup and optimizing the tire window.

Cadillac is in its first season as Formula 1’s 11th team. Its Fishers headquarters remains under construction.

Information for this story was provided by formula1.com.

Drivers near Southeastern Parkway and Olio Road should prepare for major traffic changes beginning Monday, Oct. 26, as the roundabout reconstruction project moves into its next phase, according to the City of Fishers’ weekly construction update.

Work is expected to continue through the end of the year. During this phase, drivers will be unable to travel directly north or south on Olio Road through the roundabout.

Southbound drivers approaching from the north will be directed west onto Campus Parkway/146th Street. Northbound drivers approaching from the south will detour using 136th Street and the newly constructed connection to Southeastern Parkway.

Eastbound traffic will use the bypass lane toward IU Health Fishers to reach the roundabout at 136th Street. One westbound lane through the Southeastern Parkway–Olio Road roundabout will remain open for travel toward Campus Parkway/146th Street or north onto Olio Road.

The city urges motorists to review the project’s detour maps before traveling. Nearby businesses, hospitals and medical offices will remain accessible.

Elsewhere, 136th Street remains closed to through traffic between Southeastern Parkway and Prairie Baptist Road for widening work. Drivers should follow the signed detour.

Milling and paving at 116th Street and Allisonville Road are complete, but intermittent lane restrictions continue for striping, signal work and restoration. Sidewalks within the construction area remain closed.

Drivers should also expect weekend ClearPath restrictions on southbound I-69 and Binford Boulevard. Saturday, Oct. 24, closures include the ramps from southbound I-69 to westbound I-465 and southbound Binford Boulevard. Southbound I-69 will be reduced to one lane between 96th Street and the interchange.

Other work includes utility relocation at 131st Street and Brooks School Road, lane restrictions on USA Parkway and resurfacing in Springs of Cambridge.

All schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. The city’s full report follows:

Continue reading Major Olio Road traffic changes expected Monday as roundabout work advances →

A difficult start for the new head coach as penalties, a controversial goal and a three-goal second period prove costly

It was not the kind of debut new Indy Fuel head coach Jesse Messier had envisioned.

After finally joining the team for Friday morning’s practice, Messier stepped behind the bench for his first game as Fuel head coach Friday night at the Fishers Event Center. By the end of the evening, the Toledo Walleye had handed the Fuel a 5-2 defeat in a physical contest featuring plenty of penalties, several fights and a controversial second-period goal.

The game marked Messier’s long-awaited arrival after immigration processing delays prevented him from joining the team for its first two regular-season contests. Assistant coach Christian Horn had handled the coaching duties during Messier’s absence.

The Fuel entered Friday’s contest with a 1-1 record, hoping to build on their opening-night overtime victory over Wheeling. Instead, Toledo earned its first victory of the young ECHL season.

Things started well enough for Indy.

Harrison Israels opened the scoring midway through the first period, with assists credited to Tommy Budnick and Kyle Aucoin. The early lead gave the home crowd something to cheer about, but the momentum would not last.

The opening period became increasingly physical as players dropped their gloves and officials struggled to keep the action under control. A late penalty left Indy shorthanded with just 11 seconds remaining in the period.

Toledo needed only three seconds to take advantage.

Tag Bertuzzi scored the tying goal, assisted by Marcus Crawford and Mitch Lewandowski, sending the teams into the first intermission tied 1-1.

The second period proved disastrous for the Fuel.

Toledo scored three times during the middle 20 minutes, taking command of a game that had been evenly matched through the opening period.

One of those goals came under particularly controversial circumstances.

Approximately eight minutes into the period, Toledo’s Brandon Hawkins fired a shot that appeared to strike the upper portion of the goal frame rather than enter the net. Ordinarily, officials could consult video replay to help determine whether the puck had crossed the goal line.

However, the replay equipment available to the officials was not functioning, leaving them to discuss what they had seen on the ice. After a lengthy conference, the officials allowed the goal to stand.

The decision added to the frustration of an already difficult evening for the Fuel.

The physical play continued, with players from both teams spending considerable time in the penalty box. By the end of the game, Indy had accumulated 22 penalty minutes, compared with 20 for Toledo.

Trailing 4-1 entering the third period, the Fuel faced a steep uphill climb.

Indy managed to cut into the deficit when Jacob Perreault scored during a two-man advantage, with Matt Petgrave and Kyler Kupka providing the assists.

The goal brought the Fuel within two, but time was running out.

With just over two minutes remaining, Messier elected to pull goaltender Adam Gajan for an extra attacker, hoping to generate the offense needed to mount a late comeback.

The gamble did not pay off.

Toledo’s Quinn Preston quickly found the empty net, sealing the Walleye’s 5-2 victory and sending the Fuel to their second consecutive defeat.

The loss leaves Indy with a 1-2 record early in the 2026-27 season.

For Messier, the game represented a challenging introduction to his new responsibilities. Named the fifth head coach in Fuel franchise history in August, Messier had been forced to watch from a distance while immigration paperwork delayed his arrival.

Ironically, his first opponent was a Toledo organization for which he once played professionally.

There will be little time for Messier and his players to dwell on Friday’s disappointment.

The Fuel travel to Fort Wayne Saturday night for a 7:35 p.m. contest against the Komets before returning to the Fishers Event Center Sunday afternoon to face the Cincinnati Cyclones at 4 p.m.

It is the team’s first stretch of three games in three days this season, with all three contests against Central Division opponents.

After two consecutive losses, Messier will be looking for a much better response from his players as the demanding weekend continues.

Jesse Messier will make his debut behind the Indy Fuel bench tonight, Friday, Oct. 23, when the team hosts the Toledo Walleye at Fishers Event Center, the Fuel announced.  Messier was at the team’s practice Friday morning, according the the Fuel.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

The announcement follows an immigration processing delay that kept the Fuel’s new head coach from assuming his duties at the start of the season. Assistant coach Christian Horn handled the coaching responsibilities during the interim.

The Fuel announced Horn’s temporary appointment Oct. 8, saying Messier was awaiting authorization from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

At the time, Fuel President Sean Hallett said former head coach Duncan Dalmao’s unexpected departure late in the offseason meant the organization submitted its immigration application later than usual. Hallett said that timing did not cause the processing delay but left the team less flexibility to accommodate it. The Fuel also sought assistance from U.S. Sen. Todd Young’s office.

Messier takes over a team that split its first two regular-season games. Indy defeated Wheeling 2-1 in overtime in the Oct. 16 opener before falling 4-3 to Cincinnati the following night, according to the ECHL’s results.

Tonight’s opponent provides a connection to Messier’s playing career: He played professionally for Toledo before also spending time with the Allen Americans, where he was a member of the 2015 Kelly Cup championship team.

The Fuel named Messier the fifth head coach in franchise history Aug. 21. He most recently served as an assistant coach with the Bloomington Bison, with responsibilities that included defense, penalty killing and player development.

His coaching background also includes assistant positions with the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit and York University. As head coach of the junior-level Kam River Fighting Walleye in 2023-24, he led the team to a 39-9-1 record, a regular-season championship and a league finals appearance.

Messier’s debut begins a busy stretch for Indy. The Fuel play three division opponents in three days, traveling to Fort Wayne on Saturday before returning to Fishers to host Cincinnati at 4 p.m. Sunday.

Toledo enters tonight seeking its first victory after losing its opener 6-3 to Fort Wayne. This is the first meeting between the Fuel and Walleye this season.

A worldwide security alert involving software that powers websites offers Fishers businesses a reason to check their online systems — and residents a reminder to stay alert to financial scams.

PHP, a programming language used by websites and services including WordPress, released emergency updates Oct. 21 to fix two critical vulnerabilities. The flaws, collectively nicknamed “PHP2Shell,” could allow attackers to take control of affected web servers without a password, potentially exposing sensitive information or disrupting services, according to the National Security Agency.

The NSA urged immediate patching and recommended taking affected systems offline if updates could not be applied promptly. In Switzerland, ETH Zurich temporarily took some PHP-based services offline as a precaution.

For local businesses, the practical step is to contact their website developer or hosting provider to confirm updates and security checks are complete. PHP also issued an Oct. 23 follow-up advisory addressing an additional risk under an unusual combination of settings; providers should review the latest guidance.

Simply visiting a PHP website does not mean a person’s computer or phone needs repair, New Zealand’s National Cyber Security Centre advises.

The website vulnerabilities are separate from the consumer fraud concerns raised by Kyle Pierce, vice president of information security at Everwise Credit Union, which has two Fishers branches. But both highlight the importance of protecting sensitive information.

In commentary provided for Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Pierce warns that artificial intelligence makes familiar scam clues less dependable. Criminals can produce polished messages, impersonate organizations and imitate familiar voices.

“A phone call that appears to come from your financial institution or a desperate plea from a family member might not be what it seems,” Pierce writes.

One warning sign remains especially useful: pressure to act immediately.

Pierce recommends ending unexpected conversations requesting money or personal information, then contacting the organization through a trusted number or website. Contact details supplied in the suspicious message should not be used for verification.

He also urges consumers to review account activity regularly and promptly report unfamiliar transactions.

Anyone who suspects they have shared sensitive information or sent money to a scammer should contact their financial institution or card issuer immediately, Pierce writes. Embarrassment should not delay a report.

His central advice: pause long enough to question the request before acting.

Hamilton County has a general fund balance of nearly $140 million to draw on as it replaces the Hazel Dell Parkway bridge destroyed in August flooding. That’s according to reporting by Mickey Shuey of the Indianapolis Business Journal.

Shuey analyzed county finances and found the general fund ended 2025 at $139.5 million, up from $122.1 million a year earlier. About $115 million of that was held in cash or bank accounts. The balance is projected to reach $154 million by the end of this year, compared with $44.5 million at the end of 2016. Part of that growth comes from a 2021 accounting change that folded the county’s rainy day fund into the general fund figure.

Replacing the bridge is expected to cost about $10 million. Commissioner Christine Altman told the IBJ she expects emergency federal highway funding to cover 80% of eligible costs, following President Donald Trump’s disaster declaration. The county has hired United Consulting Engineers to design the new bridge. The Indiana Department of Transportation must approve that selection.

County Council President Brad Beaver told the IBJ the council has two options. It could pay upfront from reserves and wait for federal reimbursement, or it could borrow short-term, taking advantage of the county’s AAA bond rating.

Beaver said the county has long followed financial adviser Mike Reuter’s guidance to keep at least six months of property tax revenue on hand. That was about $48.3 million in 2024, and Beaver said the county is now well above it. Investment earnings, which totaled $16.7 million in 2025, go back into reserves rather than paying recurring costs.

“You might use it to build a bridge, but you don’t use it for payroll,” Beaver told the Journal.

Beaver also pointed to the State Road 37 project in Fishers as an example of why the county keeps a cushion. The project ran $20 million over budget, and the state’s share was capped. The county and the City of Fishers covered the overrun, with the county adding about $10 million.

Not everyone sees large balances as purely positive. Doug Noonan, a professor at IU Indianapolis’ O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, told the IBJ that reserves have an opportunity cost unless officials have a clear purpose for them. The cost could be projects not built, services not offered, or taxes that may not have needed to be collected.

How Fishers compares

The City of Fishers also keeps substantial reserves. The 2027 budget the Fishers City Council approved Oct. 12 projects about $78.7 million in cash reserves across all city funds, up from about $66.9 million projected for 2026. The 2026 budget put the city’s General Fund reserve at $35.9 million. The city figures are not directly comparable to the county’s general fund balance.

Reuter advises Fishers as well as the county. He told the City Council Finance Committee in August that a one-time distribution of about $10 million in local income tax added to the city’s cash balance this year.

Mickey Shuey’s full report is available at this link.  You will need an IBJ subscription to access the full story.  Once again, I remind everyone to subscribe to your local media!