Simon Pagenaud/No.22 Avaya Team Penske Chevrolet was fastest Thursday with a time of 228.793 mph. He held onto that time throughout most of the afternoon, setting the time early on, during Lap 13 of the 46 that he drove.
The weather was mild and cloudy, low seventies with a dying wind.
Pagenaud said “Today we are understanding what the qualifying preparations have done. We’re happy but we can be happier. Trying to understand what the car will do in the race is difficult to understand. We did some pack running at the end of the day. The air is so thick so you get more downforce.”
Pagenaud is becoming more visibly relaxed in media conferences. He said Thursday in answer to a question: “I’m going to be Super Honest – I’m trying to be more honest and relaxed with you guys.” Pagenaud thought the qualifying speeds Saturday might be 233 or 234 mph.
Second was Carlos Munoz/No.26 AndrettiTV.com Honda, 228.126 mph – the second of the only two drivers who hit the 228’s. He was fastest Wednesday and that time has held for top time of the week so far. The same goes for the second fastest Wednesday driver, Townsend Bell. He packed up and left before Thursday Happy Hour.
Munoz said “Another practice day… today we were really just focusing on pack racing and long runs with my teammates. The car feels really comfortable – I’m really happy. I feel that I’m competitive, more competitive than last year. Now for tomorrow, we’re going to focus on qualifying and see where we are speed-wise.”
Third through fifth were Chip Ganassi Chevrolets: Sage Karam/No.8 Comfort Revolution/Big Machine Records; Scott Dixon/No.9 Target; and Tony Kanaan/No.10 NTT Data.
Sixth through tenth were Juan Pablo Montoya/No.2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet; Ed Carpenter/No.20 Fuzzy’s Vodka CFH Racing Chevrolet; Sebastien Bourdais/No.11 Hydroxycut-HAUS Vaporizer KVSH Chevrolet; Marco Andretti/No.27 Snapple Honda; and Charlie Kimball/No.83 Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
Again the top Rookie was Gabby Chaves/No.98 Bowers & Wilkins/Curb Honda. He ran ten laps and was last, with a lap of 204.539 mph.
Josef Newgarden/No.21 Century 21 CFH Racing Chevrolet crashed and flipped during Indianapolis 500 practice Happy Hour Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Verizon IndyCar driver spun and drove left side into the outside wall SAFER barrier in Turn One The impact then turned into a half flip in which position he slid down the track along the inside wall in the Warmup Lane, where the car remained in that position. Newgarden got out of the car with help and walked away. He was seen in the IU Emergency Health Medical Center at the track, checked, released and cleared to drive, byDr. Michael Olinger, INDYCAR medical director.
Newgarden was thirtieth at the time; he was one of many who had gone back out for Happy Hour.
Afterwards, Newgarden said “Not where we wanted to be with the Century 21 car. I got around pretty quick in Turn 1. It definitely surprised me. I knew it happened when it did, so I’m just lucky that everything’s good. The Dallara tub held up well. I just want to get back to my guys and see what the damage is. I’m sure it’s bad, but we’ll see what we can do going forward. It was a hard hit. I feel fine. I hit my hand a little bit and I think I have a bruise, but other than that I’m fine. I think Dallara and INDYCAR do a great job and so does everyone else involved to make the safest race cars possible. I feel safe in them. We’re always looking for more, but they’re as safe as we can make them right now.”
Various persistent media types kept trying to get Pagenaud to comment on Newgarden’s accident as well as that of Castroneves. Simon was polite but firm in his answer. “I just got out of the race car. I can’t comment on either crash. These cars are safe and INDYCAR is always trying to make them safer. Both drivers got out with no injuries. That’s what we need to remember. We’re going 230 mph around the corners. If you have a crash it will be a big crash.
“The first thing Helio did when he got out of the car was to adjust his hair and suit, so these cars are safe.”
Tristan Vautier/No.19 Dale Coyne Racing was in the car much of the day, filling in for James Davison who has a Canadian racing conflict. Vautier completed his Refresher Program early on and turned 93 laps, with a fastest lap of 225.406 mph in twenty-fourth place.
Vautier is good friends with Pagenaud and also attended the Thursday post-practice media conference. He will be in the No.19 Honda for four days. “It all came together last minute, but we’ve been talking about it quite a while. It wasn’t so much of a surprise, as a long wait. I’m happy to be back inn an Indy car after a year and a half But it came back easily. The car is pretty similar the way it reacts. I wonder if it’s as forgiving as the other kit. We’re not totally trimmed out yet.”
See what you started, will Power.
The two Frenchmen ended the conference by taking a selfie, INDYCAR style.
Simona de Silvestro/No.29 Andretti Autosport Honda got back on track with her ‘new’ car, turning a 225.220 mph for twenty-seventh position.
Buddy Lazier was on track for the first time late afternoon Thursday. He turned ten laps and finished last with a top time of 204.539 mph.
All thirty-four drivers were on track at one time or another Thursday afternoon.
There were eight cautions, lasting 1:17.33 of the six-hour session. All but one were for Track Inspections. A total of 1995 laps were turned Thursday.
Earlier Thursday Verizon IndyCar Series officials made the centerline wicker an optional component for both manufacturers. Chevrolet’s Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President Performance Vehicles and Motorsports said “After discussions with the Series, we have decided to remove the centerline wicker on all of our cars.” Honda has no comment, as “That’s between Chevy and INDYCAR.”
In walking up and down Pit Lane, I observed all the Hondas retained the nose attachment which resembles a thin fin. No Chevy’s had the fin.
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Friday’s Schedule calls for a different practice format. The teams all add boost (increased from 130 kPa to 140 kPa) to their cars, so they will go faster. Hence the name ‘Fast Friday.’ At the end of the six-hour session, in which most cars will be running qualifying trim, there will be an award presented for the Fastest Lap of the Day. The boost levels, which add approximately 40 hp, remain higher for both days of weekend qualifying, and then return to 130 on Monday, the final practice on the traditional Friday Coors Light Carb Day, and the Indianapolis 500 race.
Following that little ceremonial bit, comes the drawing for Qualifying Order. The drivers selected a Designated Draw-er for the festivity. It can be the driver, a relative or child, team manager, etc.
The weather forecast for Friday is not so great: Thundershowers and a high of 82 degrees.