Conor Daly ended the open test at the Gateway Motorsports Park fastest for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, as 21 drivers took to the 1.25-mile oval for a vital test day ahead of IndyCar’s return to Gateway for the first time since 2003.
As ever the test day was split into two sessions, with Daly ending both sessions fastest.
Helio Castroneves was second fastest for Penske, three tenths shy of Daly’s benchmark in the second session.
Castroneves won the last IndyCar race at Gateway back in 2003.
Former champion Juan Pablo Montoya was third fastest overall for Penske, as the Columbian racer’s preparations continued for his return to the sport at the IndyCar Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 later this month.
Barber race winner Josef Newgarden was P4, ahead of championship leader Simon Pagenaud.
The Frenchman assumed the top spot in the championship after victory last time out in Phoenix, usurping fellow countryman Sebastien Bourdais.
Scott Dixon was the fastest Honda-powered racer in sixth, completing just 24 combined laps throughout the day.
Will Power was the slowest of the five Penske drivers in P7, with the Australian racer still hunting for his first victory of the season, despite starting from pole on two occasions.
Carlos Munoz could only manage eighth for A.J. Foyt Enterprises, ahead of Tony Kanaan who was one of only two Honda-powered drivers to end the test in the top ten overall.
Ed Carpenter rounded out the top ten, with the team owner only competing on ovals in 2017. Meanwhile Spencer Pigot will return to Ed Carpenter Racing for the IndyCar Grand Prix.
Only one driver suffered an incident throughout the day, with J.R. Hildebrand making contact with the wall at Turn 2 and therefore prematurely ending his day.
During one of the intervals throughout the day the drivers made their way out onto the start/finish line to interact with the surprisingly high amount of fans in attendance, signing autographs through the catch-fencing.
IndyCar will return to the Gateway Motorsports Park for the Bommarito Automotive Group 500 presented by Valvoline on August 26.
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