Milka Fast Enough as Andretti Leads First Day of ROP at Indy
Written by George Katinger · May 7, 2007
Drivers Refresh and First-Time Test Over the Fabled Brickyard Sunday
by Allan Brewer, and compiled from Indy Racing League Media Reports:
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Photo: RonMcQueeneyIRL
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Rookie Milka Duno completed the four phases of the Indy Racing League’s Rookie Orientation Program on the Opening Day of practice for the Indianapolis 500.
Milka was “Queen for a Day” as she stepped from her red, white and blue-striped car in Indianapolis, blowing a gentle kiss to the crowd from trackside as fans cheered her effort in entertaining them.
Duno, driving the Number 23 CITGO Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone, lapped the 2.5-mile oval in 42.0310 seconds, 214.128 mph Sunday (May 6th). The lap was her first over the course where she will attempt to qualify for the 91st running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing.
“I understand now why drivers say Indianapolis is the most difficult track in the world,” she said afterwards. “Everything happens so quick, so fast. You have to be precise in every corner. All four corners are different. You have to drive with so much concentration and focus, and do so precisely.”
Rookie driver Phil Giebler passed two of the four phases of rookie testing. The California native is moving up in class from the Indy Pro Series and A1GP where he’s raced for the past several years.
There’s a summary of the rookie’s day and a multimedia slideshow presentation of his day online at
IndyProRacer.com: Interview with Phil Giebler
Click on the picture of the blue car bottom right to launch the presentation.
Broadcaster Fast at the Wheel of Vision Car
Also on Sunday, several veteran drivers turned laps as part of refresher tests; including Michael Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, Jon Herb, Jaques Lazier and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network color man Davey Hamilton.
Hamilton wasted no time in getting back in the saddle, posting a speed slightly above 218 miles per hour, as he turned his first competitive IndyCar Series laps since he was involved in a serious crash in 2001.
“The track is so unique,” he said later. “The corners are so different. They all look the same, but each corner has a different character to it.”
Hamilton benefitted somewhat from the many, many laps he’s turned at the Speedway driving celebs and fans in the IndyCar 2-seater machine.
“That helps a lot because the line is the same, the track is the same, the walls are the same. That helped me have a little advantage today,” he confided.
“I feel confident getting into the car, but the speed is a lot different,” he continued. “I’m getting used to the speed. It was a great race car. The set up that we had today is our race set up so I feel pretty good. It was great to drive.”
Davey also revealed he is in for the full month in the Hewlett Packard/AMD machine as part of a four-car Vision Racing assault on the world’s greatest race.
Michael Andretti Quickest on the Day with Indy Return
Sentimental favorite son Michael Andretti led all drivers with a fast lap of 40.9330 seconds, or 219.871 mph in his flashy black/red/silver Dallara/Honda sporting Number 39 on the rear wing.
“It was great to get back out there today, get a few laps in and get all of the cobwebs out,” Andretti said. “I’m looking forward to a great month of May.”
As the huge, block-long billboard outside the Speedway at the corner of 16th and Georgetown proclaims, “There’s only one thing left to do, Michael.”
Rookie Orientation and driver refresher tests continue May 7th. The first practice open to all veterans of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for May 9th.
FASTEST SPEEDS OF DAY
Pos. Car Name C/E/T Speed
1 39 Michael Andretti D/H/F 219.871 mph
2 12 Ryan Briscoe D/H/F 218.215 mph
3 02 Davey Hamilton D/H/F 218.022 mph
4 21 Jaques Lazier P/H/F 216.467 mph
5 23 Milka Duno D/H/F 214.128 mph
6 19 Jon Herb D/H/F 211.697 mph
7 21 Phil Giebler P/H/F 209.387 mph
2007 Indianapolis 500 tickets: Tickets are on sale for the 91st Indianapolis 500, scheduled for Sunday, May 27th. Tickets can be purchased at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Web site, www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com, by phone or at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Ticket Office. The IMS Ticket Office can be contacted at (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area or (317) 492-6700 locally. Ticket Office hours are 8 AM-5 PM, Monday through Friday.
Parking and camping permits for “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” also can be purchased online, by phone or at the Ticket Office.
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