Friday, May 9, 2008 Fast Friday - The 92nd Indianapolis 500
Round 5 of 18 in the IndyCar Series
HOLE IN THE WALL CAMPS DRIVER RAHAL AND McDONALD’S DRIVER WILSON RUN FINAL PRACTICE DAY PRIOR TO DAY ONE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE 92ND INDY 500
Fastest lap time/speed:
1) Scott Dixon 39.6531 / 226.968 mph
15) Graham Rahal 40.3061 / 223.291 mph
20) Justin Wilson 40.4569 / 222.459 mph
Justin Wilson, No. 02 McDonald’s Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “Today was okay. The weather conditions were very different from when we ran earlier in the week so the McDonald’s car was feeling very different. We slowly worked through it and I thought we were reasonable at the end. I was happy with the balance at the end and the speed was getting better. It just takes time to adapt to these different conditions. We don’t have the experience to call upon to make the big jump. We’ve got to take one small step after another. I think the pole will be right at 225 mph, maybe 224.5.”
FAST FACTS: Will be his second race at IMS and first in the IndyCar Series (ICS) after having competed here with Jaguar in 2003 where he earned his first Formula One point in the USGP with an eighth place finish after running as high as third. He started 16th…He has competed on an oval track seven times…Qualified 17th but started 15th in the season-opener in Homestead due to two cars having their qualifying speeds disallowed. Dropped one lap down when he was hit by Will Power on a restart after approx. 22 laps and had to pit to replace a deflated tire but rallied to finish 15th…Started third in his street course ICS debut in St. Pete but alternate fuel and tire strategies dictated by intermittent rain led to a ninth place finish after he led a total of 18 of 83 laps…Was the pole winner on Friday and Saturday in the Long Beach Champ Car finale and dropped to second on the start but engine failure on Lap 13 ended his race and he finished 19th … Gained valuable experience after he was first to qualify and started 22nd in Kansas, led five laps after staying on track while others pit and finished ninth…Is ranked 17 in the point standings with 71 and is sixth in ROY…Finished runner up in the Champ Car championship to the driver he recently replaced, four-time champion Sebastien Bourdais, in 2006 and 2007. Was a championship contender until the conclusion of the penultimate race of each season.
Graham Rahal, No. 06 Hole in the Wall Camps Dallara/Honda/Firestone: “I think that overall it was a pretty good day. We got a lot of time on track despite the rain. We’re still trying to find speed unfortunately. I don’t know when it’s going to come but I hope we find it. I think the pole speed will be 225-something (mph). I could be wrong but I think the people doing 226’s (mph) are getting a tow to do that. I would guess it will be a high 225 like last year.”
FAST FACTS: Will be his first Indy 500 and only his second on an oval track after having finished 12th at Kansas Speedway last weekend. He previously ran in a junior formula, Star Mazda event in 2005 at the Pikes Peak oval. In his IndyCar Series debut on a road/street course he became the youngest winner in major open-wheel racing in North America after winning in St. Pete on 4-6-08 at 19 years, 93 days old…He is ranked 10th in series points with 88 points.
1 POLE (1987) & TWO SECONDS AT IMS: The 2008 entry will mark the 16th year for NHR/NHLR in the event and the third since 1995. Prior to 2008, the team prepared a total of 23 entries for drivers such as Mario and Michael Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Paul Tracy, Bruno Junqueira and Sebastien Bourdais. The entry of Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal in 2008 will bring the total to 25. NHR’s highest finish in the Indy 500 is second place with Mario Andretti in 1985 and Michael Andretti in 1991 although team drivers have led many laps here. Mario Andretti also brought the team its highest start in the event when he won the pole position in 1987. NHR’s 2004 entry of Junqueira marked the first time for the team to compete here since 1995 and they returned in 2005 with Junqueira and IMS rookie Bourdais. They have earned Rookie of the Year once, with Mansell in 1993 when he finished third.
