The smells of spring and warmer temperatures mean the Indianapolis 500 is just around the corner.
NTT IndyCar Series teams are back at the hallowed grounds of Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a two-day test around the 2.5-mile oval in preparation for the 108th Indy 500.
On April 10-11, teams will undergo an open test where full-time entries in the series and team’s doing one-offs will begin to fine-tune their race cars for the May 26 classic.
With plenty of storylines already building, here’s what we’re keeping an eye on this week at the speedway.
Larson’s First Time In Traffic
2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson has already passed his rookie orientation program, however, he’ll experience a new challenge during the open test — wheeling his Arrow McLaren entry in traffic.
As the Hendrick Motorsports driver looks to contest the Memorial Day “double” by competing in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway on the same day, his first shot at gaining comfortability in a pack will come this week.
Larson has an additional test under his belt at Phoenix Raceway, however, that test also featured single-car runs.
The open test will present Larson with plenty of time to learn from his Arrow McLaren teammates — 2016 Indy 500 winner Alexander Rossi, 2022 runner-up Pato O’Ward and newcomers David Malukas and Callum Illot.
Malukas has not yet been cleared to compete due to a wrist injury, so Illot is expected to be his substitute driver until then.
2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan will also be a valuable asset for Larson, as he’s the team’s special advisor.
Foyt’s Continued Momentum?
A.J. Foyt Racing stunned the paddock by showing staggering speed last May, which saw both drivers (Santino Ferrucci and Benjamin Pedersen) advance into the Fast 12.
Ferrucci converted his stellar pace into a third-place finish — the best of his career.
Now with a solid baseline and the added bonus of a technical alliance with Team Penske this season, the two-car stable may come out of the gates swinging.
Ferrucci enters his second season with the team while second-year driver Sting Ray Robb now steers the second entry.
Dreyer & Reinbold Preps With Two Americans
Perhaps one of the top stories every year is Dreyer & Reinbold Racing’s consistent effort of bringing two fast race cars every time the team enters the Indianapolis 500. With Indy being the team’s only race every year, all its resources are piled into the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay returns to the team for a second year while fellow American and hometown favorite Conor Daly joins the fray.
The team finished 11th with Hunter-Reay last season, while Daly has two straight top-10 finishes in the event.
A strong start during the open test may be a sign of things to come for the Carmel, Ind., based team.
Team Penske’s Speed
Team Penske boasts a whopping 19 Indianapolis 500 victories, including last year’s triumph with Josef Newgarden.
While Newgarden finally broke through, the team struggled to find speed last year. Whether they finally put the issue to bed or not will be something to watch for entering this week’s open test.
Newgarden, 2019 Indy 500 winner Will Power and Scott McLaughlin look to give team owner Roger Penske a potential 20th triumph.
Uptick In Pace For RLL?
Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing experienced a qualifying nightmare last May at Indianapolis. All three drivers (Graham Rahal, Christian Lundgaard and Jack Harvey) were at the bottom of the board with Lundgaard (31st) and Harvey (33rd) making the 33-car starting grid, while Rahal was bumped from the field.
Rahal and Lungaard return while two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato returns to the fray after winning for the 500 for the team in 2020.
A big question looms as to whether the RLL stable can improve its oval-track program. The open test will be a key point for them to find out how the team compares to its competitors.