Indytest
Testing began Wednesday in preparation for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500. (Penske Entertainment/Matt Fraver Photo)

Indianapolis 500 Open Test Begins

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis 500 Open Test finally got underway after a 90-minute weather delay at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
 
It was immediately halted when the winner of the 100th Indianapolis 500, Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport, spun out leaving the pits on his installation lap.
 
Rossi climbed out of the car with a sheepish smile on his face, figuring he was able to avoid damaging his No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda, but the car was rolled back into Gasoline Alley to be checked over before returning to the track later in the session.
 
If there are no more weather delays, the revised schedule will eliminate one hour of time available to the 32 drivers entered in this year’s Indy 500 in Wednesday’s opening day of testing.
 
IndyCar’s updated schedule has five minutes for an installation lap. From 12:35-2:30 p.m. Eastern Time, oval testing for veterans. Indy 500 rookies Jimmie Johnson and Romain Grosjean are allowed to run in that session because they have passed the first two of the three phases in the Rookie Orientation Program (ROP).
 
Drivers that can’t compete in the first session are rookies Kyle Kirkwood, David Malukas, Devlin DeFrancesco, Christian Lundgaard and Callum Ilott. Veteran drivers Juan Pablo Montoya (a two-time Indy 500 winner), Sage Karam and Marco Andretti can also run in the first session as part of their “refresher test.”
 
A two-hour ROP will take place from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Once that concludes, all cars can hit the track from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
 
Six more hours of testing are scheduled Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastern Time, weather permitting.