Testing report
IndyCar Indy 500
Indy 500 test: Rookie, Refresher programs almost complete before rain
Nearly all Indy 500 rookies and refreshers have completed their programs during testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but rain has now sprinkled the track.
David Malsher-Lopez
Edited: Apr 21, 2023, 2:30 PM
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Those in the Rookie Orientation Program are obliged to run Phase 1 – 10 laps at 205-210mph, Phase 2 – 15 laps at 210-215mph and Phase 3 – 15 laps at 215-plus mph.
Those needing to take the Refresher course are drivers who have not raced an IndyCar on a speedway since the previous Indianapolis 500. They just have to run Phases 2 and 3.
Initially, 2013 winner Tony Kanaan preparing for his 22nd 500, in the fourth Chevrolet-powered Arrow McLaren, broke with etiquette and ran a 218.688mph lap. He was swiftly demoted by 2020 pole-winner and 2006 runner-up Marco Andretti producing a 221.419mph in his Honda-powered Andretti Autosport car! The pair then did what was expected of them.
Katherine Legge caused a yellow flag when her car suddenly slowed and needed a tow from the slowdown lane into the pits, but she was swiftly back in action.
Once free to do so, Andretti then ran a 221.569mph lap on his 43rd of 50 laps, while former teammate and 2014 Indy winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, now in a Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry, was just a hair behind with 221.522.
His teammate in the DRR with Cusick Motorsports machine, Stefan Wilson, was third.
Agustin Canapino is the only rookie not to have finished his program. The unfortunate Argentine touring car legend was just one lap shy of completing Phase 3 when the yellows came out at the 1h33m mark of the two-hour session. Nonetheless, the Juncos Hollinger Racing driver has impressed – as he has all season – with his composure in this utterly alien setting.
All eight drivers present will be allowed to join the race veterans in the 2.00pm-6.30pm session (providing Canapino completes his run of laps at 215+ mph).
The only driver not present, who will have to run his rookie test when the teams return for practice in May, was RC Enerson. He will be piloting an Abel Motorsport entry as the Indy NXT team dips a toe in the water with the ‘big cars’.
That car’s presence will ensure a Bump Day on qualifying weekend, as it becomes the 34th entrant for a race which traditionally starts with 11 rows of three.
P
Name
FTime
Diff
FL
Laps
FSpeed
Engine
Team
1
Marco Andretti
40.6194
40.6194
43
50
221.569
Honda
Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco & Curb
2
Ryan Hunter-Reay
40.6280
0.0086
31
44
221.522
Chevy
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
3
Stefan Wilson
40.6355
0.0161
44
48
221.481
Chevy
Dreyer & Reinbold Racing
4
Marco Andretti
40.6469
0.0275
3
4
221.419
Honda
Andretti Herta Autosport w/ Marco & Curb
5
Agustin Canapino
41.0149
0.3955
46
54
219.432
Chevy
Juncos Holling Racing
6
Tony Kanaan
41.1545
0.5351
7
46
218.688
Chevy
Arrow McLaren
7
Benjamin Pedersen
41.1561
0.5367
52
56
218.680
Chevy
AJ Foyt Enterprises
8
Katherine Legge
41.2081
0.5887
58
59
218.404
Honda
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing
9
Sting Ray Robb
41.4378
0.8184
39
49
217.193
Honda
Dale Coyne Racing w/RWR
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