Power and Herta in test scare

Last week’s pre-indy 500 two-day test at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval threatened to be more about incidents at pit exit than lap speeds.

In the morning session on the first day, Andretti Autosport’s Alexander Rossi had a harmless spin on the warm-up lane alongside the short chute between Turns 1 and 2, but managed to avoid touching the wall or grass. But in the afternoon, four-time 500 winner Helio Castroneves was further along that warm-up lane when his Meyer Shank Racing car snapped into a spin. He went across the grass that separates the lane from the racing surface at Turn 2, up the track and into the outside wall, heavily damaging the right side of his car. Castroneves took no further part in the test.

Barely 20 minutes after the Brazilian veteran’s incident, Castroneves’s former team-mate Will Power (above) had a potentially calamitous incident, when his Team Penske car suddenly spun at pit exit and partially crossed the strip of grass on the inside of Turn 1. The rear of his car was still protruding onto the racing line when Colton Herta arrived full speed on track. The Andretti driver flicked up half a lane in avoidance, but that sent Herta’s car into a long drift, which became a spin. Miraculously, he damaged just the rear and front wings, and all other cars avoided him.

Following inspection of the pit exit, which was covered in sealant last autumn, Indycar officials shut down on-track activities. Overnight the surface was scrubbed and had rubber added, and there were no further incidents.

The following day, Josef Newgarden (below) led the field in his Chevroletengined Penske car, with his nearest rivals Honda-powered two-time Indy winner Takuma Sato (Dale Coyne Racing) and Chip Ganassi Racing’s fifth car of Tony Kanaan.

In speeds set without the aid of a tow, Chevrolet occupied the top seven slots, with Ed Carpenter Racing, Penske and AJ Foyt Racing featuring prominently.