Alex Lloyd and Wade Cunningham Quickest in Indy Pro Series Tests

SSM and AFS Racing Contend for Top Speeds at Brickyard Open Test Sessions

by Allan Brewer
allan@indyproracer.com

Indy Pro Series points-leader Alex Lloyd of Sam Schmidt Motorsports and AFS Racing's Wade Cunningham, IPS' 2005 champion, led the way after two days of Open Test on Friday and Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Open Test sessions preface the Freedom 200 Pro Series Race coming on Carb Day at the Brickyard.

Alex Lloyd Tests at the Brickyard on Saturday. Photo:ShawnPayneIRL

The sun beamed down on Indianapolis Motor Speedway as the Indy Pro Series returned for the second and concluding stanza of Open Testing at the Brickyard on Saturday (April 28th).

The Open Test was originally scheduled as a one-day affair but was rained-out for all but a brief period on Friday (April 27th), just long enough for AFS Racing’s Wade Cunningham to post an eye-widening time of 47.2408 seconds (190.513 mph).

The Saturday timesheet saw Pro Series points leader Alex Lloyd of Sam Schmidt Motorsports move back on top with a time of 47.2081 seconds (190.645 mph) on the fabled 2.5 mile oval track at 16th Street and Georgetown Road.

Both times are good enough for pole at any previous Freedom 100, the next race (held on Carb Day May 25th) on the IPS schedule. The event is rolled into the week-long pre-race activities leading up to the famous Indianapolis 500 on Memorial Day at Indianapolis.

Super Aguri Panther Racing’s Hideki Mutoh remained third-quick after the conclusion of both days of testing, achieving a best time of 47.4699 seconds (189.594 mph) as he turned 80 laps on the track he has never driven before. Another rookie, Crown Point’s Logan Gomez (also driving for SSM) came on the Japanese driver’s heels at fourth-best for the day, followed by Atlanta’s Chris Festa of Ganassi Racing.

Ryan Justice Returns, Bobby Wilson On Temporary Hold

Ryan Justice continued to look strong after his forced layoff for medical concerns following his accident at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He turned in fifty laps for a best time of 47.8370 seconds (188.139 mph).

Brian Stewart Racing driver Bobby Wilson, who underwent satisfactory x-rays of his elbow and knee after a hard collision with the SAFER barrier in turn two on Friday, did not return to the track on Saturday; however, his condition is not expected to interfere with participation in the private IPS test coming this week in Milwaukee.

The Open Test confirmed the results of pre-season practice that held this would be one of the most competitive Indy Pro Series seasons in history. The first eighteen open test times were all within a second of each other. The top twelve were only seven-tenths apart, and you can cover the top two (Lloyd and Cunningham) with a tiny, three-hundredths of a second blanket.

The cars turned over sixteen hundred laps total during their two days ontrack at the Speedway, more than a thousand of them on Saturday despite the absence of several teams during the second day. Iron men Ken Losch of Apex Racing and RLR/Andersen Racing's Joey Scarallo turned one hundred and seven laps apiece during testing this week, the most of the twenty-four drivers participating.

Full results are available at the website of the Indy Pro Series here: Open Test Results

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The sixth season of Indy Pro Series competition continues with the Freedom 100 on May 25th at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race will be telecast as part of ESPN2’s coverage of Carb Day at 4PM EDT on May 25th.