IndyCar Pocono Test
06/19/14 The sun is trying to peek out, the teams are getting the cars ready, and drying trucks are circling The Tricky Triangle. We may have testing after all at Pocono Raceway today.
Because many of the track staff have gone for the day, detailed information is pretty hard to come by. What I'm hearing however, is that cars may begin running laps at around 4:15 p.m. ET. Check back in with AutoRacing1 for details.
Brian C. reporting from Pocono
06/19/14 If you enjoy seeing 15 pickup trucks circle the race track amidst a constant light mist and overcast skies, then you should have come to Pocono Raceway today.
Yes, there’s been no real change in the weather since our earlier update. While there’s hope the Indy cars may hit the track at some point today, we’re probably at minimum a couple hours from seeing any wheel turned.
Without any cars taking to the track, the eight drivers scheduled to test just finished up speaking with the media. Below, are a few notes:
- Graham Rahal says the National Guard team had a very good test recently at Iowa, where he believes the team "found speed"
- Ed Carpenter says what's so "tricky' about Pocono (tricky – that word is used a lot around here) is the setup "compromise" between the banked sharp turn-in radius of Turn 1 and the relatively flat, smaller turn-in radius of Turn 3. Carpenter likened the set-up compromise to Motegi. James Hinchcliffe reiterated what Carpenter said.
- Carpenter also says that finding that balance makes it difficult to pass at Pocono
- Apparently, Firestone is bringing a different tire to Pocono this year.
- Carlos Munoz says the fuel mileage performance between Chevy and Honda is similar.
- Carpenter, Rahal and Sebastian Saavedra each said the change from 400 to 500 miles was more an issue for the race strategists than it was for the drivers.
- Rahal, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Marco Andretti were asked by local media if they would ever consider doing "The Double," or more generally consider running stock cars. Andretti said a track like Charlotte would make it difficult. Rahal and Hunter-Reay both said they would consider running stock cars in a one-off type situation if they could be competitive. Rahal noted that Kurt Busch got to run with Andretti Autosport, who he said "has been the best team in the series the last few years," at Indy.
- Andretti also cited Danica Patrick's mediocre performance in noting that IndyCar is too competitive now to "go back-and-forth."
If anything changes with the weather and schedule, we’ll let you know. For now, not much is happening here at Pocono. Brian C. reporting from Pocono.
06/19/14 It's about 10:30 a.m. here at Pocono Raceway. Four Verizon IndyCar Series teams (KV Racing Technology, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, Ed Carpenter Racing, and Andretti Autosport) are scheduled to test today in preparation for the Pocono IndyCar 500 this upcoming Sunday July 6th.
Currently, the teams are in a delay as there was rain overnight here in Long Pond, PA. While trucks are currently circling the track, it is overcast and currently only 65 degrees, so the drying process for the 2.5-mile oval is slower than usual. I asked track media relations director Kevin Heaney what the prognosis was for the day, and he was hopeful. However, he did note that another rain shower would "not be good."
Anyway, we'll see how things go. Check back into AR1 for updates through the day.
Brian C. reporting from Pocono Raceway