Next week on May 12th, seven rookies will get to grips with the Indianapolis Speedway during the mandatory Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) at the famed racetrack.
Those rookies are tull-time drivers JR Hildebrand (National Guard Panther Racing), James Hinchcliffe (Newman/Haas Racing), James Jakes (Dale Coyne Racing) and Charlie Kimball (Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing).
Non-regular drivers include Ho-Pin Tung (Schmidt Dragon Racing), Pippa Mann (Conquest Racing) and Jay Howard (Service Central Schmidt-Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).
The evaluation program consists of running ten consistent laps at four speed phases on the 2.5-mile asphalt oval: 200-205 mph, 205-210, 210-215 and 215 or more.
Five of the drivers have already competed at the Speedway in the 40-lap Firestone Freedom 100 on Carb Day, with Mann the pole sitter for the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights race.
Kimball was the race runner-up and Hinchcliffe finished third. In 2009, Jay Howard finished fourth while he was the runner-up in ’06 during his Firestone Indy Lights championship season.
Those rookies are tull-time drivers JR Hildebrand (National Guard Panther Racing), James Hinchcliffe (Newman/Haas Racing), James Jakes (Dale Coyne Racing) and Charlie Kimball (Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing).
Non-regular drivers include Ho-Pin Tung (Schmidt Dragon Racing), Pippa Mann (Conquest Racing) and Jay Howard (Service Central Schmidt-Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing).
The evaluation program consists of running ten consistent laps at four speed phases on the 2.5-mile asphalt oval: 200-205 mph, 205-210, 210-215 and 215 or more.
Five of the drivers have already competed at the Speedway in the 40-lap Firestone Freedom 100 on Carb Day, with Mann the pole sitter for the 2010 Firestone Indy Lights race.
Kimball was the race runner-up and Hinchcliffe finished third. In 2009, Jay Howard finished fourth while he was the runner-up in ’06 during his Firestone Indy Lights championship season.