Indy 500 Activities April 26-28

[Tim Northcutt]

Just a Reminder to Everyone:

Monday, April 26....Rookie Orientation & Tests...

All new drivers at Indy are "Rookies"...regardless of previous racing experience...and they must pass a Rookie Test...I believe that it still consists of three phases....each drive has to turn a certain number of laps within a given speed range set by the IMS, and be observed by veteran drivers and past drivers.....the final aspects of the test are laps at full spped for the drivers....they also receive pointers and tips form the observing drivers concerning marks, racing lines, and things to be aware of (like the tendency for the car to "jump" toward the wall coming out of Turn 4, and the need to really "Steer" the car through Turn 3...especially if thee is a tailwind down the backstretch!!)

Just so you know...guys like Jackie Stewart, Jimmy Clark and Nigel mansell all had to take "Rookie Tests" to be able to practive and participate in quals and the Race...

Tuesday & Wednesday, April 27 & 28 -- Open Testing:

All entrants will have track time over those two days....If you're in the "Fantasy Pick-Em" thing, you better pay attention to the results...it will be the only indication of speeds and "who is fast...who is last" that we will get with the new 3.0 L engines
before our "official" picks are due ...they have to be submitted before the first practice Session...that's May 9th!!!

I don't know if the "Live Timing" will be available on the IRL site...

Was it up and running at Homestead and Phoenix tests this year???

[Down F0rce]

Yeah it was. And thanks for the heads up

[Tim Northcutt]

UPDATE:

26 cars will participate in the Open Test (thus far) next Tuesday & Wednesday...

They will include all 22 of the cars that went to Japan, with the exception of Tony Kanaan, who is doing a Test for Firestone at Texas May 3-4...

Others who did not run at Motegi but will be at Indy next week will include:

Al Unser Jr.
Sarah Fisher
Robby Gordon
the "Haas" team entry...Driver not yet named...probably Junquiera...

Added Note:

These four are slated for Rookie tests on Monday:

Mark Taylor
Ed Carpenter
Kosume Matsuura
Marty Roth


They, too, could actually work on Test Day if they pass all phases of their tests on Monday....

[Tim Northcutt]

Almost forgot...

A.J Foyt has not named a driver for the 2nd car...but Larry Foyt might be a possibility....

If so, larry will have to take a Rookie Test....


Bot this info and the previous post are news from the Indianapolis Star

[rustyfan]

The IndyCar website reports today that Luis Diaz will take part in the Rookie Orientation.

Diaz To Participate In Rookie Orientation Program
By indyracing.com Staff
indyracing.com

Friday Apr 23, 2004

Mexican driver Luis Diaz will test a Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force/Toyota/Firestone during the Rookie Orientation Program at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 26.

Diaz’s test will be a one-day event to give him the chance to get acquainted with an IRL IndyCar® Series car and the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Target Chip Ganassi Racing does not plan to field a third car in the race.

"It really is an honor to be invited by Target Chip Ganassi Racing to test their IndyCar (Series) car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Diaz said. “(Team manager) Mike Hull called me two days ago with the offer to participate in the test and I could not have been more excited to be given such a great opportunity. It will be my first experience with both the Toyota/G Force IndyCar (Series) car and the track. I can’t thank Chip Ganassi and the team enough for showing confidence in my abilities to make a contribution to their efforts for this year’s Indy 500.”

Diaz shares driving duties for one of two cars being fielded by the CompUSA Chip Ganassi Racing team in the Rolex Grand American Sports Car series. In 2003, Diaz ran in the Toyota Atlantic series and one race in the CART series.

“Luis is talented and driven and has earned the opportunity to get his first taste of an IndyCar (Series) car and experience the unique Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5-mile oval,” Ganassi said. “Luis comes from an open-wheel background and since joining our Grand Am Sports Car program, has proved to be hard-working and talented. I am certain that he will be an asset to the team’s preparations for the Indianapolis 500. We do not have any plans at this time to run him in the race, but you never know what can happen. For any driver, this kind of experience can never hurt.”

While Ganassi says he won't field a third car, perhaps the plan is to get Diaz into one of the other vacant seats? Perhaps strike a deal with one of the smaller teams in order to set up a Ganassi "satellite" team?

[Down F0rce]

Interesting stuff. Didn't he drive for Fernandez last year?

[rustyfan]

Originally posted by Down F0rce
Interesting stuff. Didn't he drive for Fernandez last year?

He subbed for Adrian Fernandez Mexico City in 2002 after Fernandez had gotten hurt in Surfer's Paradise. Diaz finished 19th.

He also made one start in 2003, again in Mexico City, and like he did in 2002, he finished 19th for the second straight year. Not sure if he drove for Fernandez in that race as well though.

[Tim Northcutt]

This might also be Ganassi hedging his bets, in case Scott Dixon does move on....this is as much an "eye on the future" as anything else...

Another note...

The Indy Star also confirmed that Larry Foyt will take some laps on Monday, and that he might be the 2nd Foyt car, but "nothing has been decided" for sure by A.J., Sr.

There also is word that Buddy Lazier is being considered for the 2nd Foyt seat at Indy....

My suggestion:

It's a no-brainer...go with Lazier....blood may be thicker than water, but Buddy is a far, far, better driver than Larry Foyt...

[Tim Northcutt]

UPDATE:

Due to expected cold temperatures hee in Indianapolis on Tuesday, April 27:

The two "Test Days" for the Indy 500 have been moved to:

Wednesday & Thursday, April 28 & 29....

[Bob Riebe]

Originally posted by Tim Northcutt
UPDATE:

Due to expected cold temperatures hee in Indianapolis on Tuesday, April 27:

The two "Test Days" for the Indy 500 have been moved to:

Wednesday & Thursday, April 28 & 29....

If it stays cold, it could get very interesting. What is the expected weather on race-day?
Bob

[Tim Northcutt]

Originally posted by Bob Riebe
If it stays cold, it could get very interesting.
Bob

That was back in April.....

Our major concern this weekend for The Race is rain.....

We have the threat of "Scattered Storms" on Sunday (Race Day), with an even better chance of bad weather on Monday....

But people outside of central Indiana stand a much better cahnce of getting an "accurate" weather forecast for Race day than I do here in Indy....

They always give the "Best Case Scenario" on weather here because there is too much $$$ riding on this weekend for the local businesses, etc....

It is supposed to be in the 80s on Race Day.....I don't care if it rains...as long as it does it before dawn and stops, and if it begins again, let it be after 4 p.m....

Going through the waiting and the track drying process is a pain...

[Bob Riebe]

I had hoped the cold streak had kept on, it has up here.

[marcus]

bloody rain , nothing worse than a rain delay at Indy

lets hope it stays away.