INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Day one in is in the books at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and day two of practice is about to begin. Day one was fast, with speeds topping 229 mph per lap.
"The speeds were up yesterday for opening day, so that’s exciting for the drivers and the fans," driver Spencer Pigot said. "I think all three of our Ed Carpenter cars were really solid, so it’s a good start."
Last year’s Indy 500 champion, Will Power, was the fastest driver on the track on day one. He and all the drivers use these practices to make adjustments.
"Definitely a different car with the new Firestone tires," Power said. "We've had to make adjustments from last year. I started with what I raced last year and it definitely was not in the window."
For rookies like Colton Herta, this is all new. The learning curve is huge.
"I'm trying to learn as much as I can," Herta said. "This is very different from anything I've ever done. Obviously, I did the Freedom 100, but it's still quite a bit different from that."
Practice continues this week, and qualifying is this weekend.
"First thing is to make the show and qualify," Power said. "Then, focus on what you can do in the race. I expect this will be probably the most competitive 500 ever."
We learned a lot coming to IMS. We will have more stories on ClickonDetroit and Local 4, including more about Indycar, as we prepare for our race.
The Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix on Belle Isle will be May 31 to June 2.
Alexander Rossi spoke with Local 4 to discuss misconceptions about IndyCar drivers. You can hear his comments below.