Top IndyCar drivers headed to The Glen for testing

IndyCar drivers will have to contend with NASCAR rubber on The Glen track from this past weekend

More than 20 Verizon IndyCar Series Drivers are scheduled to participate in a test session Thursday at Watkins Glen International in preparation for the IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen.

On-track testing begins at 9 a.m., with a lunch break at noon. Testing is scheduled to resume at 1 p.m.

The testing is open to the public at no charge, with viewing available from the Argetsinger Grandstand. Fans can enter through Gate 2.

Out of the top 20 drivers in the IndyCar points standings, 18 are on the list of drivers scheduled to participate. The list includes leader Simon Pagenaud, who has four victories this season for Team Penske. Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, who won at Watkins Glen three times when the series competed at the track from 2005 to 2010, is also on the driver list.

Other IndyCar drivers scheduled to participate include Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Carlos Munoz and Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi; Chip Ganassi Racing's Max Chilton, Tony Kanaan and Charlie Kimball; Team Penske's Helio Castroneves, Juan Pablo Montoya and Will Power; Dale Coyne Racing's Conor Daly and a to-be-determined driver; Ed Carpenter Racing's Josef Newgarden and Spencer Pigot; KVSH Racing's Sebastien Bourdais; Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing's Graham Rahal; and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports' Mikhail Aleshin and James Hinchcliffe.

Indy Lights drivers scheduled to take part are Shelby Blackstock, Dean Stoneman, Dalton Kellett and Ed Jones.

Watkins Glen was added to the series’ schedule for this year in May after the Grand Prix of Boston was canceled. IndyCar had a test session at Watkins Glen on June 20 that included four teams and five series regulars, including Pagenaud and Dixon.

The IndyCar Grand Prix at The Glen is scheduled for Sept. 2-4. It is one of four remaining races this season for the series, which will have one race left after stopping at Watkins Glen. The season includes 17 races and concludes Sept. 18 with the GoPro Grand Prix of Sonoma. Star-Gazette