Tony Kanaan and Graham Rahal made the most of their Tuesdays - for the second time in five weeks, they were back behind the wheel of their respective IndyCars.
The pair were on hand for a Firestone tire test at Phoenix International Raceway, the 1-mile oval that has seen some sporadic IndyCar testing the last few years. Both drivers also tested Sept. 22 at Road America in advance of that track’s return to the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule next year.
Kanaan returned to the No. 10 NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, while Rahal’s usual No. 15 Steak ‘n Shake RLL Honda was not in livery, instead adorned in the traditional testing camouflauge wrap as the team was due to test new aerodynamic components. Andretti Autosport had done so at Road America.
Here’s some pics from the test:
.@GrahamRahal is testing @IndyCar tires today for @FirestoneRacing at @PhoenixRaceway. #indycar2016 pic.twitter.com/N7TX3WL4m3
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) October 20, 2015
Ummm. Taking a break while pea-sized hail and light rain is falling at @PhoenixRaceway during our Firestone test. pic.twitter.com/7TX3lUThe2
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) October 20, 2015
Trying to get more work done for @FirestoneRacing at @PhoenixRaceway before more rain comes. pic.twitter.com/wvKsjjO6Ql
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) October 20, 2015
@TonyKanaan getting going with a @FirestoneRacing tire test. @PhoenixRaceway @CGRindycar @IndyCar pic.twitter.com/LDpV2LJnlU
— Scott Harner (@S_Harner) October 20, 2015
https://instagram.com/p/9ETer-kFtG/?taken-by=tkanaan
Rahal then added this tidbit on the day of testing itself:
.@PhoenixRaceway is FAST! Highest G and steering loads I’ve felt in as long as I can remember!
— Graham Rahal (@GrahamRahal) October 20, 2015
There were no indication of lap times for the test. Arie Luyendyk holds the all-time track record, with a qualifying lap of 183.599 mph (18.758 seconds), in 1996. The track was reconfigured in 2011.
While ordinarily any testing at Phoenix has been limited and a one-off, anticipation is higher this year because of the potential of an IndyCar race return to the track for 2016, tentatively penciled in for April 2.
No contract is complete yet; however, per a PIR spokesperson, plans are in the works to formalize and finalize a contract.
“I know that the discussions are ongoing, but no deal has been signed at this point. Hopefully something gets worked out in the next few days and we can announce something in the next week or so, but right now that’s where we’re at,” a PIR spokesperson wrote in an email to MotorSportsTalk.
As the calendar is already at October 20, the IndyCar schedule for 2016 has most of its puzzle pieces complete, but not all of them, and that’s made a holdup for a full schedule release.
I’m hesitant to say it’s imminent at that this stage, but per sources, it should be out by the end of the month, if not the end of the week.