Indy Pro Series drivers gear up for Indy Open Test

Race car drivers. around the world dream of driving on the famous 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. On April 27, at least 14 drivers will get their first opportunity on the track that has created numerous legends when the Indy Pro Series conducts an Open Test at the facility.

Twenty-five cars, with 22 drivers named to date, will participate in the test, which will help the teams prepare for the 40-lap Freedom 100 on May 25, two days before the Indianapolis 500 Logan Gomez, an 18-year-old who grew up just hours away from the Speedway in Crown Point, Ind., is among the drivers who will be on the oval for the first time "I hear it's a hard track, so I'll be spending a good part of the day just working up the courage to go flat out throughout the track," said Gomez, who drives the No. 23 Sam Schmidt Motorsports entry.

"The team is always quick at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so I'm looking forward to experiencing a quick car there. My expectations are pretty much the same as when we tested in Homestead. We were really quick in Homestead with the Isilon Systems/FlaCondos.net car, and to have such a bad race like we did, I feel I really need to redeem myself. Once I get comfortable, I'll be helping my teammates fine tune on our setup.

"I feel like I'm a good representative of the state and the series. I'm really looking forward to racing on the home track, and hopefully there will be some fans in the stands rooting us on during the race."

Also among the 14 first-timers to drive at the Speedway will be Hideki Mutoh and Robbie Pecorari, the top two rookies in the Indy Pro Series point standings, ranking second and fifth, respectively. "I'm really looking forward to Indianapolis," Mutoh said. "I've spoken to my engineer, and we're really focused to win there. The test is really important so we can get a good result. It's such a big track with a long straight. I think it will be quite fun."

Among the veterans who will test are the past two winners of the Freedom 100, Wade Cunningham (2006) and Jaime Camara (2005), as well as series points leader Alex Lloyd, who has won the first three races of the season. "It's always a great thing coming to the speedway and driving there," Lloyd said. "We haven't raced on the oval since last year, so it's been a fair while. It's exciting, and it's especially exciting to be coming with a car that will be quick. Knowing that I will have a car that can go quick, it'll be exciting, especially to run a quick car on this type of track. You always get goose bumps when getting ready to run here. I've been looking forward to this test since we finished the Florida races."