Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is a polar opposite of Wednesday’s monsoon. The sun is brightly shining, very few clouds and nearly 70 F degree weather. The Indy Lights cars have a three-hour morning practice. After lunch the eleven Indy Lights drivers qualify for the 40-lap Freedom 100 Race Friday on Carb Day.
There were to have been 12 Lights drivers, but the one-off entry of Rookie EMERSON NEWTON-JOHN of Los Angeles in No.22 Team Moore Racing didn’t come through due to unresolved sponsorship issues. Newton-John is very disappointed.
In the garages activity continues and the Verizon IndyCar Series drivers are relaxed mode doing various low key PR activities and events. Up the Pagoda in the Verizon Penthouse Suite, several drivers tried out all the trick technology that Verizon brings to the track, literally and figuratively. Invited Media also got to partake. I’m pleased to say I drove a flawless lap without hitting the wall on a standup virtual simulator. I also got to drive a virtual lap of Long Beach, from the seat of WILL POWER’s No.12 Team Penske Chevrolet. After the many years of working as a corner marshal, it was most interesting to see it from the driver’s actual perspective including spotters, team talk, etc. Gave me a new appreciation for how well the drivers do to keep it off the wall and under control.
After Indy Lights qualifying, all the IndyCar drivers have a Media Bull Pen, with the drivers in two groups. At the same time is a Vintage Car Exhibition.
