INDYCAR Grand Prix Practice Recap/Other Notes

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS — Friday practice for the Verizon IndyCar Series concluded in preparation for Saturday’s INDYCAR Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course and Will Power is the man to beat.

The No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet topped the time sheet in both sessions with a fastest lap of 1 minute, 10.0866 seconds in the first session. Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi was second in the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda while the Ed Carpenter Racing rookie Jordan King was third in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet. Fourth pace was Sebastien Bourdais while defending Indianapolis 500 champion Takuma Sato was fifth.

Out of 24 cars, the top 21 drivers were covered by less than a second around the 2.439 mile road course.

In the second practice session, Power led over King and Rossi again but Robert Wickens was fourth and Simon Pagenaud was fifth. The first 21 cars again were covered by under a second.

The most intriguing driver on the time sheet was Helio Castroneves. The three-time Indianapolis 500 champion was tenth in the opening session and sixth in the second practice session in his return to IndyCar competition. The Brazilian had been competing for Team Penske in the WeatherTech Sports Car Championship and recently scored his first sports car victory for Penske at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Miscellaneous Notes

Conor Daly announced that he will partner with Lilly Diabetes in racing in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on August 25th. Lilly Diabetes will also appear on Daly’s car entered by Thom Burns Racing in the 102nd Indianapolis 500.

Kyle Kirkwood won the pole for both races in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda races. Oliver Askew won the pole for both Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires races and Pato O’Ward won the pole for the first Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires race.