A typical test for the Verizon IndyCar Series at Road America ahead of next week’s Kohler Grand Prix has got a genuine surprise developing in the final couple hours of available testing.
Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, is set to undertake a quick shakedown in Simon Pagenaud’s No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet.
Keselowski was on site earlier today and in the last half hour, the team posted several tweets indicating they might feel free to give him a whirl behind the car. So, the implication is here this was in the works because this wouldn’t have been decided today.
Just before 4 p.m., he looked set to do so, and then did.
Here’s a social roundup:
Look who showed up at the @IndyCar test at @roadamerica. NASCAR Champion @keselowski is checking it out. pic.twitter.com/mePJxEwoyZ
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
Think we can get @keselowski to take some laps in the @Menards car? pic.twitter.com/HM4vIEOUoQ
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
Yup. We talked him into it. @keselowski is even getting some pointers from @MarcoAndretti pic.twitter.com/oNmKvPO6Nd
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
If you’re gonna make your first laps in @IndyCar who better to get advice from but points leader @simonpagenaud pic.twitter.com/c5JBM62p07
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
It’s happening @MillerLite @Menards @IndyCar @roadamerica pic.twitter.com/NhrMJ1Zofz
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
.@keselowski is about to jump in a @Team_Penske #INDYCAR for a few laps! #KohlerGP pic.twitter.com/OmFqWFvrUI
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) June 15, 2016
Here we go! @keselowski about to hit the track @roadamerica! #Indycar #KohlerGP pic.twitter.com/ZSYioIbGnP
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) June 15, 2016
So @keselowski just made the Road America test a helluva lot more interesting than it was 15 minutes ago .... https://t.co/gZs6Y8xYGE
— Mike Kitchel (@mikekitchel) June 15, 2016
Here he went:
And there @keselowski goes… @IndyCar @roadamerica pic.twitter.com/yq2DYzEx5w
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
Even the Penske crew can’t get take their eyes off the telemetry. pic.twitter.com/kBuYLEDpKo
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016
The first run is complete. @keselowski actually improved his time 10 seconds over the laps @roadamerica @indycar pic.twitter.com/p8GE1PkMoW
— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 15, 2016