Champ Cap Drivers Transitioning To IndyCar Drivers

Homestead, FL (AHN) -- Ernesto Viso thought the phone call was a birthday wish. Instead the call to Barcelona, Spain was an invite to drive in the IndyCar Series this season. "It was a good present," Viso said after completing two days of testing at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Eleven drivers, including nine moving from the Champ Car World Series, are transitioning into the IndyCar ranks this season. In preparation for that, as well as the season-opener this Saturday, those drivers recorded 1,071 laps over five hours on the 1.5-mile oval. KV Racing Technology (Oriol Servia, Will Power), Conquest Racing (Enrique Bernoldi, Franck Perera), Dale Coyne Racing (Bruno Junqueira, Mario Moraes) and Newman/Haas/Laningan Racing (Graham Rahal, Justin Wilson) all took advantage of the test. Servia topped the speed chart at 210.175 mph among the former Champ Car drivers, while Dan Wheldon's 213.312 mph was the quickest lap of 17 cars at the Feb. 27-28 Open Test. Rahal, wheeling the No. 06 car, made contact with the Turn 2 SAFER Barrier with two hours left, but was treated and released in the infield care center. "The car felt really good," said Rahal, who had a quick lap of 25.4920 seconds (209.713 mph) among his 35. "I caught Oriol and overtook him in Turn 1 and was almost past him. I was on a higher line than I had been taking and that was a lot bumpier with a little less grip up there. The rear stepped out on me and I caught it and then it did it a second time and I couldn't catch it and crashed it."