There were a mix of different goals and programs to emerge out of Thursday’s test at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, ahead of next week’s Honda Indy 200 for the Verizon IndyCar Series.
We’ll round them up with a mix of social posts and nuggets, below:
THE FIVE YOUNG GUNS
Four drivers - Felix Rosenqvist, Robin Frijns, Zachary Claman De Melo and RC Enerson - made their IndyCar test debuts while Jack Harvey returned to the track following a nearly yearlong hiatus.
Oddly it was the two-year Indy Lights veteran, Harvey, who made a rare mistake. An incident at Turn 6 damaged the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda he was testing more than you’d normally expect and according to Motorsport.com, it’s potentially put into doubt a race debut for Harvey later this year in an extra SPM entry. SPM ran a third car for Mikhail Aleshin at last year’s season finale at Sonoma before the “Mad Russian” returned full-time this year.
As for the others, it was fairly smooth sailing.
Rosenqvist impressed on debut with Chip Ganassi Racing Teams, the Swede taking over the usual No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet driven by four-time and defending series champion Scott Dixon, who turns 36 today.
Rosenqvist, 24, was over the moon with his test and called it the “best day of his life.” More here from RACER.com.
Best day of my life. Thanks @GanassiChip @CGRTeams for giving me a go! Loved every second @IndyCar #beast 🇺🇸🏁👍🏼 pic.twitter.com/HJ9b5SCYid
— Felix Rosenqvist (@FRosenqvist) July 21, 2016
Great to be back @Mid_Ohio There seems to be someone else in Chips car though. #9 #⚡️ #IndyCar #teamtarget pic.twitter.com/lVdDP8T8v2
— Scott Dixon (@scottdixon9) July 21, 2016
Enerson, as noted to NBC Sports last night, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm for the test with Dale Coyne Racing and also called it his “best day ever.” Pure joy was evident for the 19-year-old out of New Port Richey, Fla., who will make his race debut in the team’s No. 19 Honda next week.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIJOGRqDTIZ/?taken-by=rcenerson
Dutch ace Robin Frijns took over the No. 28 DHL Honda of Ryan Hunter-Reay for his IndyCar test debut. Frijns, who was on F1’s doorstep with Caterham a couple years ago and starred for MS Amlin Andretti’s FIA Formula E Championship program this year, welcomed the return to a more higher downforce open-wheel car.
So... @RFrijns, tell us, what did you think of your #IndyCar test at @Mid_Ohio?!
— Andretti Autosport (@FollowAndretti) July 21, 2016
I want more 😎 https://t.co/9P2yeHAmGI
— Robin Frijns (@RFrijns) July 22, 2016
lot of fun driving with a proper downforce car again! Big thanks to @FollowAndretti to let me jump in this animal! pic.twitter.com/VSkRkDyvKq
— Robin Frijns (@RFrijns) July 22, 2016
Teenaged Canadian, Claman De Melo, took over in Mikhail Aleshin’s No. 7 SMP Racing Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda and had a clean day.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIJAvdfgRI0/?taken-by=zachcd13
AERO EVALUATION
With INDYCAR set to outline its aerodynamic parameters among several other details next month, JR Hildebrand (again deputizing for Josef Newgarden at Ed Carpenter Racing) and Tony Kanaan were tasked with running several different aerodynamic configurations on Thursday.
Hildebrand released a photo of the No. 21 Chevrolet sans the rear wheel pod assembly:
Doin' a little configuration testing... 👀 pic.twitter.com/F9IdrvCKXo
— JR Hildebrand (@JRHildebrand) July 21, 2016
Strakes and sidewalls also appeared to be present, which you don’t ordinarily see on a road course.
OTHER NOTES FROM RUNNING
It seems hard to believe but Conor Daly, who’s been to Mid-Ohio many times as a spectator, has never actually raced there. He’ll do so next week in the No. 18 Jonathan Byrd’s Hospitality Honda for Dale Coyne Racing for the first time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIJKzfuDjlr/?taken-by=conordaly22
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIJUyrcDAGG/?taken-by=conordaly22
Graham Rahal, last year’s winner at Mid-Ohio, was busy in a quest to mileage out his Honda engine. While his car was still in the Rousseau Metals/RLL livery as seen at Toronto, he’ll be back in the No. 15 Steak ‘n Shake colors next weekend.
.@GrahamRahal heads out for his first lap at @Mid_Ohio since his home win in the 2015 #hondaindy200. #testing pic.twitter.com/6aPFY2UF6b
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) July 21, 2016
Some SLO-mo beauty of our @IndyCar from @Mid_Ohio. #honda200 #snsracing pic.twitter.com/DWGvQKTqvf
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) July 21, 2016
This would be considered "hauling the 📬." https://t.co/zYZrEzbFaa
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) July 21, 2016
Our @IndyCar test at @Mid_Ohio is complete. We ran 140 laps and successfully mileage'd out our engine. #Honda200 pic.twitter.com/zzNdzuKwbl
— Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (@RLLracing) July 21, 2016
A HANDFUL OF ADDITIONAL PHOTOS FROM THE TEST (All Photos: IndyCar)
