Indy 500: Wednesday PM Report from the Open Test

The skies are still cloudy, and rain has been causing delays as the  NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers try to put in more laps today for the Indy 500 Open Test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Rookie session ended after two rain delays, but all the rookies have completed their ROP and Refresher laps.

Most drivers AutoRacing1.com spoke with today have said their cars are good.  Because of the cooler-than-May temperatures, all the drivers say the downforce is great.  However, the information collected today will not necessarily be relevant to practice in the month of May for the Indy 500.

The biggest surprise today is Arrow McLaren’s Number 17 entry, with full-time NASCAR driver Kyle Larson attempting to do the double on Memorial Day weekend. Larson tested in an IndyCar back in February at Phoenix and ran here last October at IMS.

In the morning session, Larson, the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, was the second fastest with a speed of 226 MPH.  Impressive for someone who has never driven in IndyCar traffic.  The American made quite a pass on track that took the NBC announcers’ breath away.

AutoRacing1.com spoke with Larson after the two-hour Indy 500 Open Test practice session.

“Honestly the first time in practice my tires were fresh so there was not much  of a balance difference.  The second time, when Newgarden passed me, I was already kinda tight before he got to me.  I don’t know if that if i hit into his back wheel.”

“There is too much more to learn.  We have made more runs this morning than i anticipated doing.  And I am happy that we got to run so much.”

“I feel like I need to get in the car.  And learn the weight jackers and bars and what they mean to use.  I am just ready to go.”

“Getting in some traffic and feeling the turbulent air,” Larson said. “The first time I got in traffic, I think my tires still had good grip, so I was surprised. It didn’t feel that different in traffic. Then the last time, I was building understeer, and Newgarden got by me and I was super tight behind him.

“I’m just trying to learn all that and process all that and knowing what I can do in the car to cope with that. I’m just trying to figure out any bit of racecraft today, which I know is tough. Just get notes in my head and all that.”

“We’re not trying to do it because I had no idea,” Newgarden said of leading the Open Test for a third straight year. “I didn’t know it was three years in a row. We want to check off things on our list. Obviously, it’s been right at the front, which is a good sign.”

As of 2:06 pm ET, the rain has started to fall on the track.  The forecast is calling for rain until tomorrow afternoon.  So we will have to see what the series decided to do with the rest of testing time here at IMS.

Testing is scheduled to resume from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET Thursday, with live coverage in the United States on Peacock and live international coverage on INDYCAR LIVE.

Lucille Dust reporting live from IMS

Wednesday Indy 500 Open Test Results

(R) Rookie