It was a spectacularly beautiful day Friday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as teams worked on their qualification setup for the final day before pole day on Saturday.
The day is dubbed, “Fast Friday,” and finally, fast is what the drivers got. Previously in the new cars, the speeds just weren’t there.
For the first time Friday, drivers were working with a turbocharger boost which was expected to add roughly 4 mph. Marco Andretti took full advantage of the additional speed, topping the charts at 226.835 mph.
The quickest lap Thursday was only 223 mph by Scott Dixon.
There have been two big storylines at the track. Will any Lotus-engines that aren’t getting up to speed make the field and will there be a field of 33 drivers?
The Lotus cars haven’t performed well at all, getting speeds around the 210 mph range. Not fast enough, at all. This affects Jean Alesi and fan favorite Simona de Silvestro.
With these cars, chasis and engines at the track for the first time, it’s going to take time to get a car setup they like. It’s hard to tell, but I have to imagine these teams are working extremely hard and will be able to achieve speeds to compete in the race. It matters where you finish, not where you qualify.
The 33 drivers issue, I believe, will also be solved. There are currently 32 drivers on the entry list. Part of what makes this race so special is all the drama that happens, beginning on pole day when some team when struggle mightily. It’s been Danica Patrick’s Andretti group in the past.
Last year, Bruno Junqueira qualified his car but it was bought by Hunter-Reay’s team and Bruno got the short end of the deal. Again, Indy drama is special because a lot is riding on every little detail. They’ll get it done.
Saturday is pole day with runs beginning at 11 a.m. after a three-hour last-minute practice session. At 4:30 p.m., it will be down to the Fast Nine who will each take another run in hopes of the pole position.
Get out to the track for exciting action, one week before the Indianapolis 500. The weather is expected to be clear and sunny. Tickets are just $15 and remember to pack a cooler (with water), and sunscreen.