Friday Update from Gateway Motorsports Park

It is going to be a beautiful weekend for the return of IndyCar to Gateway Motorsports Park, located just minutes outside St Louis, Missouri. The last race held here was back in 2003 after a seven year run of races that were originally held on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. Weather will be perfect for the 250 mile race that will be run on Saturday night under the lights. Temperatures will be in the 80s during the day with the night temps cooling to the upper 60s.

The main sponsor of the race is the Bommarito Automotive Group. Driving into the St Louis area on I-270, you could not help but notice all the different call dealerships bearing the Bommarito name. Frank Bommarito began his career as a car jockey and car washer in 1972 at a local GM dealership. He started to sell cars after returning from two years of active duty in the Navy and later in his career was ranked as high as 8th in the nation in retail sales. In 1998, Frank handed over the reigns to his empire to his son John. With John's leadership abilities and dedication, he put his plans for the future of the Bommarito Automotive Group into motion. After twelve years, the vision to have a vehicle for every type of buyer has been achieved with one Bommarito vehicle in every driveway.

We talked with Conor Daly in the garage early this afternoon. He has lost about 15 pounds being on a vegetarian diet. Daly thinks that the track will be more like driving a road course instead of an oval. Turns one and two are tall and tight and turns three and four are flatter and wider. Their is no consensus that a second grove will open in turns one and two.

The first practice is not until 4 pm this afternoon.

We will update you as the day unfolds.

Lucille Dust and Tim Wohlford reporting live from Gateway Motorsports Park