With the IndyCar Grand Prix in the rear view mirror, attentions turn to the oval on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this week.
Drivers will begin shaking down and dialing in their cars for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500. Rahal-Letterman-Lanigan Racing driver Graham Rahal feels like this year could finally be his year to win the race that his father, Bobby Rahal, won back in 1986.
“Hopefully this one is the one,” Rahal said. “I gotta say, I feel like this is my best opportunity yet. I’ve had some good chances before, but I think the team we have around us this year I think this is our best chance.”
Indy 500 practice starts at 11:00 in the morning Tuesday with a veteran’s only session which will also include drivers who passed their rookie orientation at the late-April testing session. Rookie orientation will take place from 1:00 to 3:00 that afternoon and then from 3:00 to 6:00, everyone will be allow to run practice laps.
“On Tuesday, you’ll see a lot of race running,” Rahal said. “If the car is good, you’ll see guys running in a group. Same thing all day Wednesday. Thursday you might start seeing guys running some qual sim.”
Practice sessions run through Friday. Qualifying begins this Saturday a little before Noon and will run until 5:50 PM that day. Saturday will decide positions 10 through 30 as well as who will compete in the Fast 9 on Sunday.
Sunday will see both Bump Day and Pole Day combined. The Fast 9 drivers will compete for the pole position from 1:15 to 2:15 PM. Then an hour later qualifying will run until 5:50 PM to decide who will fill positions 31 through 33 and who will be bumped out of the field.