INDIANAPOLIS — No matter their experience at other tracks, all drivers who race in the Indianapolis 500 for the first time are considered rookies.
So drivers such as Oriol Servia, Justin Wilson and Will Power were required to take part in the annual Rookie Orientation Program that began Sunday. Servia made 125 starts in the former Champ Car series and once tried to qualify at Indy, while Wilson had four wins among his 54 Champ Car starts. Power was the Champ Car rookie of the year in 2006 and won that series’ final race last week at Long Beach, Calif.
Ten of the 12 rookies completed all four phases of their test, led by Power with a top lap at 220.604 mph, E.J. Viso at 220.445 and Servia at 220.102.
The only veteran on the track was Max Papis, who hasn’t driven an Indy car in two years and was required to take a refresher test.
Footnote.
Teenager Joey Logano won in his ARCA Series debut, leading 257 of 312 laps and easily holding off NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader in the Carolina 500, the return to racing at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway.
The Associated Press
