‘Dinger, Vautier, Munoz pass Indy rookie orientation

Three of the four rookies in this year’s 97th Indianapolis 500 have been cleared to practice with the veterans after passing the Rookie Orientation Program today at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

A.J. Allmendinger of Team Penske, Tristan Vautier of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and Carlos Munoz of Andretti Autosport all completed the three speed phases that make the ROP this afternoon. A.J. Foyt Racing’s Conor Daly is expected to undergo his program on Monday upon his return from Spain, where he is competing this weekend in the GP3 series.

Munoz, who will also compete in the Firestone Indy Lights’ Freedom 100 at IMS on May 24 as the series’ points leader, turned 62 laps in the ROP session compared to Vautier’s 54 and Allmendinger’s 66. It was ‘Dinger who had the quickest speed of the trio, turning in a lap of 219.239 miles per hour in the No. 2 IZOD Team Penske Chevrolet; Munoz topped out at 216.987 miles per hour in the No. 26 Unistraw Chevrolet and Vautier hit 214.747 miles per hour in his backup Honda, the No. 55T.

Before ROP began, Helio Castroneves was the first driver out this month, ensuring that a Team Penske car was first out for the fourth consecutive year at Indy. However, Castroneves quickly pulled off the track at Turn 3, leaving it to Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing’s Josef Newgarden to make the first complete lap of the month around the 2.5-mile oval.

Newgarden was fastest in the first of two veteran practice sessions this afternoon, running a lap of 220.263 miles per hour in his No. 21T Century 21 Honda. He was amongst nine drivers who turned at least one lap in the first veteran practice.