Friday, May 10, 2013

Kurt Busch Passes Rookie Orientation

The first driver to pass rookie orientation at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2013 was Kurt Busch, though Busch has no plans to make an attempt to run the 97th Indianapolis 500. Busch completed the three phases of rookie orientation with a fastest lap at 218.210 MPH. He was testing Ryan Hunter-Reay's #1 DHL/Sun Drop Chevrolet from 9:00 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. yesterday, an hour and forty-five minutes longer than previously scheduled. 

Busch said afterwards in a press conference he would not have enough stamina for not attempting the Indianapolis 500-Coca Cola 600 double this year but did not rule out the possibility of running the double in 2014. 

With Busch passing rookie orientation he is now licensed to compete IndyCar oval races and there is a possibility Busch could run one of the remaining Triple Crown races at Pocono or Fontana. The other two jewels of the Triple Crown are not head-to-head with NASCAR races. Pocono is July 7th, a day after NASCAR returns to Daytona for the second time in 2013 and Fontana is October 19th, the night before the Talladega's Chase race. Busch's NASCAR team, Furniture Row Racing attended the test as they were on their way to Darlington for tomorrow night's Southern 500.

Other News
AJ Allmendinger will compete in the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans. This will be Allmendinger's fourth and fifth starts of the 2013 season. Allmendinger will be attempting to make his first Indianapolis 500 start this month.

Another driver who could be a Indianapolis 500 rookie in 2013, Conor Daly will be making his first start of the 2013 GP3 Season in Barcelona. Daly won the GP3 sprint race at Barcelona last season and finished 6th in the final 2012 GP3 Driver's Championship.

Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves is celebrating his 38th birthday today. The other active three-time Indianapolis 500 winner, Dario Franchitti will be turning 40th on May 19th.