The annual Rookie Orientation Program (ROP) allows rookies to get up to
speed gradually.
source:
champcarworldseries.com
The rookies must complete 10 consecutive laps at different speed levels.
Phase 1 is 195 to 200 mph; Phase 2 is 200 to 205 mph; Phase 3 is 205 to 210 mph
while Phase 4 is 10 consecutive laps above 210 mph. Bourdais and the Team
CENTRIX crew passed the third and fourth phase by 3:30 p.m. CT today and were
allowed to continue to gain experience until the end of practice at 5:00 p.m.
They ran a total of 77 laps with a best lap time of 219.421 mph. The fastest
speed of the day was set by Danica Patrick (222.741 mph).
Sebastien Bourdais, No. 37 Team CENTRIX Honda/Panoz/Firestone: "This
place is legendary. It's a racetrack you have to treat with a lot of respect.
I'm really happy that CENTRIX made this possible for me; they were going to run
one car for Bruno but expanded their involvement for a second car for me. I
didn't know what to expect here, I've got absolutely no experience. It was
really important for me to participation in ROP because I've never driven an IRL
car before. The only time I drove an open-wheel car with low downforce was in
September of 2003 at a test in Fontana. For me, on Superspeedways, we are really
starting from scratch. Since 1999 in my first participation in Le Mans, I have
always liked driving different cars under different circumstances with different
teams. You are enlarging your possibilities in front of you for your career. You
can use this experience bit by bit and I know it has helped me a lot. I have
been able to get up to speed a lot quicker in the different situations I have
been in because of it. The team has been working their behinds off. There was
too much work to be ready in time but it took the pressure off of me. At the end
of the day I felt good in the car and I'm ready to start testing."