INDIANAPOLIS — Just 30 days after the NTT IndyCar Series season ended in the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey, three drivers were running laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It was the Rookie Orientation Program for the 108th Indianapolis 500 in 2024.
Meyer Shank Racing’s Tom Blomqvist, along with two drivers from Chip Ganassi Racing — Linus Lundqvist of Sweden and Marcus Armstrong of New Zealand — all easily passed all three phases and are cleared to compete in next year’s Indy 500.
The three drivers ran a combined 285 laps around the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. The only issue of the day came early in the session when Lundqvist had to be towed in after having a tire issue. Despite that, Lundqvist was the first to pass all three phases at 11:48 a.m. (ET), with Blomqvist next at 11:52 a.m. (ET).
Armstrong passed his third and final phase at noon.
Afterwards, the drivers were able to run laps around the track to use up their allotment of three sets of Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires. Blomqvist ran a total of 90 laps with a top speed of 220.176 mph in the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing.
“It was such a special day,” said Blomqvist, who left early to head to Road Atlanta for Petit Le Mans — the final race of the IMSA WeatherTech Sports Car Championship. “It was a pretty cool experience, I must admit. Getting those first laps a few hours ago, it was so eye-opening. The first lap, I was soaking it all in.
“Then you have to get down to business to make sure you can get through this Rookie Orientation test as they call it. As the runs went on, damn, that was so much fun. The last run, I was flat out all the way around for 15 laps. That was really, really cool. Damn, I’m really excited to come back here in May to kick the big thing off.
“It’s going to be my first Indianapolis 500 and the first one I’m coming to is the one I’m competing in so that is going to be pretty wild. All baby steps. There is a long road ahead of us. I got my first-ever oval experience a few weeks ago at Texas. That helped the process coming here because in all honesty, this track is a little more straightforward, more natural.
“It’s such an exciting and fun morning. I’m really grateful.”
Blomqvist made his NTT IndyCar Series debut at Toronto in July, then completed the final two races of the season at Portland and Laguna Seca in September. Lundqvist was second at 219.504 mph in the No. 8 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing. Lundqvist ran the most laps in the session with 102.
“It was great,” said last year’s INDY NXT champion. “Now to finally do it and make my debut for Chip Ganassi Racing is an official session is very, very cool. It was great to get through the program and get ready to hit the track for next season.”
Armstrong, who drove the street and road course races for Chip Ganassi Racing this season, was third at 219.252 mph. He completed 93 laps.
“It was good to get this rookie orientation out of the way so we can crack on with Indianapolis 500 practice next May,” Armstrong said. “Great conditions on the track. I loved it. It was incredible. I’ve watched this place ever since I was a kid and to drive around here in anger, flag out, it was pretty special.”
Another rookie gets to take his Indianapolis 500 ROP on Thursday.
It’s 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports who will drive an Arrow McLaren Chevrolet in ROP at IMS. Larson, who won this year’s High Limit Sprint Car Series championship, was at the team’s facility on the northwest side of Indianapolis on Wednesday going over final details with the team.
Larson has three hours set aside for his rookie test on Thursday before he will depart for Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which is the site of Sunday’s South Point 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.
Once Larson’s ROP is completed, the track will be open for Hybrid testing. Drivers that will compete in the latest test of the Hybrid Assist unit include Colton Herta of Andretti Autosport, Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing, Will Power of Team Penske and Alexander Rossi of Arrow McLaren.
Rossi will only test on Thursday because he is getting married this weekend. He will turn the car over to David Malukas, who will take part in the Hybrid test along with Palou, Herta and Power on Friday.