| | INDIANAPOLIS -- For the third time since Friday, the weather
has affected rookies hoping to make their first start in this
year's Indianapolis 500.
Rain and falling temperatures cut into Tuesday's schedule and
the Indy Racing League has extended the program through Wednesday.
Rain and frigid conditions forced the IRL to cancel practice on
Friday and Saturday.
Veteran Tyce Carlson recorded the fastest lap Tuesday at 218.150
mph. Jason Leffler, who completed the final phase of his refresher
test Tuesday, had the second-fastest trip around the oval at
215.662.
Testing didn't get started until 1:45 p.m., nearly five hours
after it was scheduled to begin. The session ended 45 minutes
earlier than planned due to plunging air and track temperatures.
Only 10 drivers participated Tuesday, with veteran Billy Boat and
rookies Casey Mears and Guy Smith on track for the first time.
"It's awesome. I'm loving it," said Mears, the nephew of
four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears and the son of two-time Indy
500 starter Roger Mears. "It's totally a different place than I've
been before and it's very special.
"I felt really good with what we did. We averaged 195. I'm just
starting to get up to speed and get a feel for the car and the
track."
Rookies hoping to drive when the track opens for official
practice May 13 must complete all four phases of their rookie test
during the orientation session. Drivers who have completed all four
phases this week are Sam Hornish Jr., Ross Cheever, Airton Dare,
Memo Gidley and Shigeaki Hattori. Doug Didero completed his third
phase on Tuesday.
This year's race is May 28. | |
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