The IndyCar Series may have completed its first open test of 2008 with two days of testing on the high-banked oval at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but there is little down time before they are back in action again.
Those drivers attending Homestead got ten hours of practice time under the lights, recording 3463 laps in preparation for the season-opener at the same venue on 29 March, but now turn their attention to the road course portion of the calendar with a four-day session at Sebring International Raceway, which does not feature on the schedule, but ought to give teams a chance to prepare for the blend of pure road and temporary street tracks.
Uniquely, half of the expected field will test over 3-4 March, while the other half will follow on 5-6 March. The pre-test 'entry' list confirms the suspicion that none of those teams coming over from the former Champ Car series will be in shape to attend, with only Townsend Bell's listing against a Dreyer & Reinbold car a notable addition to the Homestead line-up.
The tests are equally important for newcomers and veterans alike. For Andretti Green Racing rookie Hideki Mutoh, who finished second in the Indy Pro Series in 2007, every opportunity to get laps in the IndyCar Series car is critical.
"These tests are important for me," said Mutoh, whose IndyCar Series debut came with Panther Racing in the 2007 season finale at Chicagoland Speedway, "I only had two days of testing at Phoenix and one day at Sebring in the off-season, so I'm still working on getting to know the team, learning how to communicate with them and learning how to set up the IndyCar Series car. It's totally different from the Indy Pro Series car, but the two days at Homestead have been good. I've gained more confidence and am more comfortable with the team."
Veteran drivers such as 2003 series champion Scott Dixon also know that every minute of testing can lead to an advantage once the season starts.
