Tomorrow activity begins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as drivers look to complete their rookie orientation program or refresher program. In total, 13 drivers are schedule to hit the track, 8 for rookie orientation and 5 for their refresher. The veterans include drivers Ana Beatriz, Townsend Bell, and Sebastian Saavedra, all who attempted to make the race last year, Beatriz and Bell both qualified while Saavedra failed to make the field. Sebastien Bourdais heads back to the Speedway after a six year absence. In his only Indianapolis 500 appearance in 2005, Bourdais qualified 15th and finished 12th after hitting the wall with two laps to go while running in 6th position. Michel Jourdain Jr. also returns to the Speedway after a sixteen year absence. If Jourdain qualifies, his sixteen year gap will be the second longest between Indianapolis 500 starts for a driver. Jourdain last ran an open-wheel car in 2004 at the Mexico City Champ Car race.
Of the eight rookies looking to complete their orientation program, four will be running on the oval configuration for the first time in their careers. Rubens Barrichello and Jean Alesi each ran the United States Grand Prix on the road course configuration at the Speedway, while Katherine Legge and Simon Pagenaud will be making their first laps ever at the Speedway. Bryan Clauson, Josef Newgarden, Wade Cunningham and James Jakes have all run at the Speedway before. Newgarden and Cunningham have each won the Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100, with Cunningham having three wins to his name. Clauson started from pole in last year's Freedom 100 and came home with a 5th place finish. Jakes completed rookie orientation last year for the Indianapolis 500 but failed to make the race and has to complete the program again this year.
Many interesting questions arise as the track opens for tomorrow.
How will Lotus fare on their first oval?
Lotus has yet to run an engine on an oval and Jean Alesi will get the honor of being the first man to ever do that. The engine has been underpowered compared to their two rivals at the first four rounds and has been the most unreliable as well. With four of the original five Lotus powered cars leaving the engine manufacture, Simona de Silvestro and Alesi, as of now, will be the only entrants with Lotus power for the month of May.
Will Dragon have engines?
Nothing has officially come out about the Dragon engine situation. While many believe Dragon will be Chevrolet powered, their has been no announcement that Dragon will have engines for tomorrow's rookie orientation or refresher programs.
How does Clauson compare to his fellow rookies?
Clauson is the only driver coming from a USAC, short, dirt oval track background. The other 12 drivers all come from lower levels of formula racing and that has been the trend in American Open-Wheel racing since the early 1990s. Clauson had good runs on ovals in the few Lights races he ran but the results don't added up on all occasions. Clauson spun on lap 1 from second position at New Hampshire and fell a lap down, only to drive his way up to 7th before the day was out. He started midpack at Las Vegas and was caught in a lap 8 accident with Duarte Ferreira and Rusty Mitchell. Many eyes will be on Clauson as he flies the flag for the old trail to the Speedway.
Cars will be on track tomorrow from 9:00am to 2:30pm.
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