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Testing report
IndyCar Indy 500

Indy 500 test: Rookie, Refresher programs almost complete before rain

Nearly all Indy 500 rookies and refreshers have completed their programs during testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but rain has now sprinkled the track.

Marco Andretti, Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco & Curb Honda

Those in the Rookie Orientation Program are obliged to run Phase 1 – 10 laps at 205-210mph, Phase 2 – 15 laps at 210-215mph and Phase 3 – 15 laps at 215-plus mph.

Those needing to take the Refresher course are drivers who have not raced an IndyCar on a speedway since the previous Indianapolis 500. They just have to run Phases 2 and 3.

Initially, 2013 winner Tony Kanaan preparing for his 22nd 500, in the fourth Chevrolet-powered Arrow McLaren, broke with etiquette and ran a 218.688mph lap. He was swiftly demoted by 2020 pole-winner and 2006 runner-up Marco Andretti producing a 221.419mph in his Honda-powered Andretti Autosport car! The pair then did what was expected of them.

Katherine Legge caused a yellow flag when her car suddenly slowed and needed a tow from the slowdown lane into the pits, but she was swiftly back in action.

Once free to do so, Andretti then ran a 221.569mph lap on his 43rd of 50 laps, while former teammate and 2014 Indy winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, now in a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry, was just a hair behind with 221.522.

His teammate in the DRR with Cusick Motorsports machine, Stefan Wilson, was third.

Agustin Canapino is the only rookie not to have finished his program. The unfortunate Argentine touring car legend was just one lap shy of completing Phase 3 when the yellows came out at the 1h33m mark of the two-hour session. Nonetheless, the Juncos Hollinger Racing driver has impressed – as he has all season – with his composure in this utterly alien setting.

All eight drivers present will be allowed to join the race veterans in the 2.00pm-6.30pm session (providing Canapino completes his run of laps at 215+ mph).

The only driver not present, who will have to run his rookie test when the teams return for practice in May, was RC Enerson. He will be piloting an Abel Motorsport entry as the Indy NXT team dips a toe in the water with the ‘big cars’.

That car’s presence will ensure a Bump Day on qualifying weekend, as it becomes the 34th entrant for a race which traditionally starts with 11 rows of three.

P

Name

FTime

Diff

FL

Laps

FSpeed

Engine

Team

1

Marco Andretti

40.6194

40.6194

43

50

221.569

Honda

Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco & Curb

2

Ryan Hunter-Reay

40.6280

0.0086

31

44

221.522

Chevy

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

3

Stefan Wilson

40.6355

0.0161

44

48

221.481

Chevy

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing

4

Marco Andretti

40.6469

0.0275

3

4

221.419

Honda

Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco & Curb

5

Agustin Canapino

41.0149

0.3955

46

54

219.432

Chevy

Juncos Holling Racing

6

Tony Kanaan

41.1545

0.5351

7

46

218.688

Chevy

Arrow McLaren

7

Benjamin Pedersen

41.1561

0.5367

52

56

218.680

Chevy

AJ Foyt Enterprises

8

Katherine Legge

41.2081

0.5887

58

59

218.404

Honda

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

9

Sting Ray Robb

41.4378

0.8184

39

49

217.193

Honda

Dale Coyne Racing w/RWR

 

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