SCOTT DIXON/No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet was the fastest driver in the second of the two Thursday practice sessions for the Verizon IndyCar series. His lap of 1:10.4654/124.606 mph was the fastest all day. All but two of the twenty-five drivers turned faster laps in the afternoon, which was considerably warmer at 85 degrees F ambient and 120 F on the track. It was also quite breezy.
Dixon said the IMS road course is “the smoothest track we go to. It’s not bumpy, has higher grip, and probably will be one of the best races we have all year.” And his feeling on racing at The Brickyard – “It’s the biggest race in the world.”
Second through fifth fastest in P2 were SIMON PAGENAUD/No.77 Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports Honda, WILL POWER/No.12 Team Penske Chevrolet, Rookie MIKHAIL ALESHIN/No.7 SMP Racing Honda, and JAMES HINCHCLIFFE/No.27 Andretti Autosport Honda.
Pagenaud also lauded the new smooth IMS road course, saying it will be better than Brazil for passing – “You can pass almost everywhere, and it will be an exciting show.” He said racing at Indianapolis “is a big race, winning here would be on the same level as winning at Le Mans.”
Aleshin, who is fast becoming a media fave, said “I really like the track. I tested here last week and there are two good overtaking places. It is truly an honor to be part of it.”
Left to right: Scott Dixon, Simon Pagenaud and Mikhail Aleshin.
The morning’s top driver, SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS/No.11 KVSH Racing Chevrolet was twelfth fastest in the afternoon, but third fastest for the day, behind Dixon and Pagenaud. Aleshin was the top Rookie in both sessions.
In the morning session, the temps were 70F/94F, with 7mph winds.
The two drivers who were faster in the morning were SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS/No.11 KVSH Racing Chevrolet – the fastest in that session, and JOSEF NEWGARDEN/No.67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda. Newgarden and JACK HAWKSWORTH/No.98 BHA/BBM with Curb Agajanian Honda were each penalized minutes for being late to the mandatory weigh-in. Newgarden lost six minutes in Practice Two, and Hawksworth three.
Another penalty assessed was a speeding ticket for Rookie CARLOS HUERTAS/No.18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda.
IndyCar has a third practice session, Friday morning, starting at 10am local time, for 45 minutes. In the afternoon, IndyCar Qualifying runs for 70 minutes starting 2pm local time. The twenty-five cars will be split into two groups for a full ten minutes of green flag racing in Segment One, with the top six in each group advancing to Segment Two. Another ten green flag-minute session for the 12 cars, eliminating six, who will start positions seven through twelve. Segment Three is the Firestone Fast Six, for another green flag session of ten minutes.
So far this year IndyCar has had three different pole winners, none who won their P1 race.
GABBY CHAVES/No.5 Belardi Auto Racing was again fastest in the Indy Lights practice Thursday afternoon, and was credited with being fastest for the day. His lap was 1:18.1852/112.303 mph. All but one driver were fastest in the afternoon. The Lights were the last group on course. It was still 84 degrees warm, and the breeze had picked up.
Rookie SCOTT HARGROVE/No.3 Cape Motorsports w/ WTR drove the fastest lap of 1:23.0996/105.661 mph in the second practice session for the Pro Mazda series. Twelve of the nineteen drivers were quickest in the afternoon.
Rookie AARON TELITZ/No.5 ArmsUp Motorsports was the fastest of 22 USF200 drivers in the afternoon session, and fastest for the day with a lap of 1:26.0390/102.051 mph. Twelve of the drivers were faster in the afternoon.
Friday’s weather is expected to be rainy, with temps in the low seventies. Dixon said if it rains, “We’ll deal with it. There’s not much we can do.”