BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – After two street course races to open the season, the Verizon IndyCar Series is back to the flowing terrain of a permanent road course, at the picturesque Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham.
A few notes and quotes throughout the 23-car field for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama to follow from this Friday:
- Second on the day, KVSH Racing’s Sebastien Bourdais described how radically different the track is now compared to the test last month. “We know how slick this place can be when it gets hot and how much tire degradation can be a factor. We come here (in March) and test for two days and it’s drizzling and it’s British weather in the 50s, no wind, and the track is awesome – and the car feels great and it’s super fast. And then we come back and the track is 125 degrees, and it’s gusty, and you’re like, ‘Is this the same car?’ You’re two seconds slower and you’re P1. And that’s interesting,” said the Frenchman.
- Although he was only P6 in second practice, Josef Newgarden’s time from the morning put the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver third on the day. The Tennessee native described the physicality of the joint: “I think now that we’ve had Long Beach as well and we actually all have pretty much had a Texas test, I think everyone is conditioned enough for getting into it, but it is one of the tougher races of the year. This is probably the most physically demanding course if it goes green all the way through, which is nearly what happened last year. So yea, you got to be hydrated and you know, you really got to man up in this type of race. Even if you get worn out, you got to fight through all the way to the end.”
- Long Beach winner Mike Conway struggled for pace on day one in the Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet for Ed Carpenter Racing, but isn’t terribly worried after ending the day 16th on the combined timesheets. “We didn’t have the grip level in the practice sessions that we wanted. This place is challenging and tough to get everything just right. But we’ll work overnight and be ready for Saturday’s practice and qualifying.”
- Team Penske: P4, 6 and 8. Chip Ganassi Racing: P9, 11, 14 and 21. Make of that what you will. Said Tony Kanaan, who is running a blue GE Reveal livery this week in the No. 10 Chevrolet and ended today P21, “Well we really didn’t know what we had to start with in the GE Reveal car because of all the problems in the first session with cars going off and causing red flags. It was frustrating to say the least. Every time you thought you were able to get something going, the red flag would come out again and stop the session. We struggled today with the setup and will go back to see what the rest of the team is doing and be ready for tomorrow.”
- Scott Dixon missed all the morning session and then only turned 14 laps in the afternoon, least in the field, but still ended P9. “We had a very slow start to the weekend after not even getting to turn a lap in the morning session due to an electrical issue. It was frustrating for the Target guys to say the least, but we made good progress in the second session,” said the defending series champion.
- Marco Andretti was frustrated with seventh, but still in range of teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay in first and James Hinchcliffe fifth. “We weren’t as high on the charts as we wanted to be today and still have a few things to dial in on the Snapple car. But our teammates were quick and we are headed in the right direction,” he said.
- Neither Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda had much of a day. Graham Rahal ended P19, Oriol Servia P21 after the two sessions. “There are still some things we have to figure out and some time to be found but at the end of the day, we aren’t that far off time-wise. You look at the time sheets and it looks like both of our cars are struggling but when you are only eight-tenths (of a second) off (fast time), yet you’re 19th, it’s a difficult thing. If you find less than one-tenth (of a second) a corner, you are right up there with those guys,” said Rahal.
- Difficult day for the four rookies: Carlos Munoz ended P12, Mikhail Aleshin P17, Carlos Huertas P20 and Jack Hawksworth, the revelation of the first two weekends, P23 and last.
Here’s the video highlight package from INDYCAR of the day on track.
More tomorrow with Practice 3 at 10 a.m. CDT and qualifying at 2 p.m. CDT (delayed on NBCSN at 1 a.m. EDT).