Rookie Orientation Program

Today begins the first on-track activity at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 2012 Month of May leading up to the 96th Running of the Indianapolis 500!

There is a lot to dissect for a rookie making his/her first trip to the Brickyard. All rookies must go through a Rookie Orientation Program today under the tutelage of two-time champion Arie Luyendyk. Luyendyk also holds single-lap and four-lap average qualifying records at Indy. Throughout the session today (9:00 am to 2:30 pm), each of the nine rookies must meet certain speeds for a set number of laps. There are three phases to this program:

Phase I - 10 consecutive laps with speeds ranging from 200-205 mph.
Phase II - 15 consecutive laps with speeds ranging from 205-210 mph.
Phase III - 15 consecutive laps with speeds at 210+ mph.

Phases I and II must be completed either today or in a future "rookies only" practice session. Phase III can be completed at any time. This program stresses quality of consistent racing, not just one random fast lap.

Now that we know the process behind the rookie orientation program, let's meet the rookies!!



Jean Alesi (Lotus - Fan Force United)

Alei is a 13 year F1 veteran, but he has never raced on an oval before. In fact, he has not been in an open-wheel car in almost six years! Add to that the fact that he's running the constantly catching-up Lotus power plant, don't expect to much from Alesi. He's 47 years old, it's a great story, but one that is very doubtful to end in drinking the milk. PREDICTION: If I had to fill out a field of 33 right now, he'd be on the outside looking in.


Rubens Barrichello (Chevrolet - KV Racing Technologies)
Rubens can do it all can't he? He has the record for most starts in Formula One, including 11 victories in the great series. After being let go by his Williams team, he joins his great friend Tony Kanaan to join the IZOD IndyCar Series, and his appearance has brought great excitement to the series! He's coming off of three straight top-10 finishes. Now it's off to Indianapolis...yes, Barrichello has never raced on an oval before either. However, judging from his excitement after an oval test earlier this week, I think we should be excited to see what Rubens can do for 500 miles! Can he win? Right now: no. BUT!! Wait and see how the ROP program and subsequent practices go for him. He has the nerve needed to run at Indy. PREDICTION: Can he get to the top speed? It wouldn't surprise me at all. He'll start slow, but stay safe and finish around the top ten.


Bryan Clauson (Honda - Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing)
The Noblesville, Indiana, native will have one solid ride going into Indianapolis. He'll ride in the second car in the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing team with fellow rookie Josef Newgarden. Clauson drove in six Firestone Indy Lights races last year with Sam Schmidt Motorsports, so he knows the series and he knows the track (he finished 5th last year in the Freedom 100). Will that transfer over to the IndyCar Series? Will Sarah Fisher machines be fast on the ovals yet again? Ed Carpenter made the fast nine last year at Indy and won at Kentucky late in the year, maybe Clauson is next! PREDICTION: Still, I see him mid pack at best.


Wade Cunningham (Honda - A.J. Foyt Racing)
Cunningham knows Indy. He's been a force in the Indy Lights series for years, winning eight races in the series (three of which were at Indianapolis). He participated in the IndyCar Series races at Texas, Kentucky, and Las Vegas last year, so he has the experience. Racing the second A.J. Foyt machine is a great fit for Cunningham, and he'll already be able to get up to speed in a hurry. PREDICTION: I see him starting and running mid-pack for most of the Month of May.


James Jakes (Honda - Dale Coyne Racing)
Jakes makes his second attempt at an Indy 500 start this year. He raced with Dale Coyne all of last year as well, but could not get up to speed all year round. He's a consistent racer, just never the fastest. 
PREDICTION: He has experience, but very little success. He was bumped from the 500 last year, but with a smaller entry field this year I think he starts in the last row.





Katherine Legge (Lotus - Dragon Racing)
Legge has had a difficult start to the 2012 IndyCar Series, and the Lotus power troubles sure have not helped.  She had high expectations heading into the year, but has had trouble adjusting to the car. She's had some bad luck as well at times, and power troubles of course. How will she fare on the ovals?
PREDICTION: On the bubble when the gun sounds.







Josef Newgarden (Honda - Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing)
He has shown time and time again such great poise in the cockpit. He has great skill, and could have been on the podium in Long Beach if not for an opening lap crash with Dario Franchitti. The Sarah Fisher Hartman team is expected to be fast at Indy again this year (in fact, he ran his first lap in Phase I at 213+ mph...a bit too fast!). Ed Carpenter got the #67 car into the fast nine last year, can the rookie do the same? He knows Indy well, winning the Freedom 100 last year. PREDICTION: I see him starting just outside of the fast nine and finishing around the top ten.



Simon Pagenaud (Honda - Schmidt-Hamilton Motorsports)
Pagenaud is probably the rookie with the best chance of winning the Indianapolis 500 this year. The 77 car was on pole last year at Indy with Alex Tagliani behind the wheel. Pagenaud tries to do the same this year! He currently is 5th in the points heading into Indy as well and is expected to be fast in May as well!  PREDICTION: I've loved the way he has looked so far this year: confident, poised, fast. I think the ovals will be no different, though his experience on them is very limited. Pagenaud will start and finish in the top ten.




 
Two racers also have to complete refresher courses due to an extended time since being at Indianapolis.

Sebastien Bourdais (Lotus - Dragon Racing)
A great driver with a struggling team and engine. We'll have to wait and see how the Lotus power plant does (now with fewer teams to deal with) on the ovals. Bourdais did not run any ovals last year in the IndyCar Series, opting to go with other endeavors when the series went away from the road and street circuits. He's now in it full time. How will the veteran do in his return to the Speedway? PREDICTION: Low qualifying spot due to Lotus power, but smart racer makes him top Lotus finisher in the race, I'd say around P9 or P10.




Michel Jourdain, Jr. (Honda - Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing)

Jourdain, 35, has been out of open-wheel racing since 2004! He returns to the Rahal team he won races for back in the late 90s. He has made one Indy 500 in 1996, starting 8th and finishing 13th. He found speed quickly in his rookie campaign back in '96, and even with an eight year hiatus from the sport, it's not too bold to say that Jourdain might be a contender in the Month of May. PREDICTION: Starting around 20, playing it smart and finishing near the end of the lead lap.