Diverse Five-Man Rookie Class Ready for Challenge of 100th Running
May 28, 2016 | By Phillip B. Wilson
They are aware their fellow competitors will consider them as unknowns in Sunday’s 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
Five rookies, including two with familiar names, will get their first taste of this demanding 500-mile test of endurance.
England’s Stefan Wilson, brother of the late Justin Wilson, acknowledges he’s never driven in a race of this length, let alone the obvious magnitude.
“I think the longest race I had done before was an Indy Lights race, which is 100 miles, an hour in the car, max,” said Wilson, 26, who qualified 30th in the No. 25 Driven2SaveLives-KV Racing Technology Chevrolet. “This is going to be three-and-a-half hours, 500 miles, it’s a long distance.
“I’m just trying to get myself ready for that mentally and physically.”
Wilson’s extra motivation for his IMS debut is to honor his brother, an eight-time Indy 500 starter who died after a racing accident last August.
The other familiar name belongs to Matt Brabham, son of 10-time Indy 500 starter Geoff Brabham and grandson of four-time Indy 500 starter Jack Brabham. The American-born Australian, 22, will start 27th in the No. 61 PIRTEK Team Murray Chevrolet.
“My dad’s biggest advice so far has been to just treat it like another race,” Brabham said. “It’s a bit hard to ignore the crowd. I don’t think you can do any tricks of not looking at it, just like you don’t look down if you’re afraid of heights. It’s a matter of just staying focused mentally.
“Being a third-generation driver with Vukovich and Andretti, it’s weird that my family is a part of this race history like those names. It’s very surreal. You have to pinch yourself to feel like it’s real sometimes. At the end of the day, I’m very honored to be a part of it.”
He said his father, whose best Indy 500 finish was fourth in 1983, is more anxious than him.
“He’s doing paces back and forth and he’s way more nervous than I am, that’s for sure,” the son said. “He’s part of it 100 percent. He’s been with me every step of the way since I first started in go-karts, my dad and I were just running it out of the back of a van, it was a hobby, and now we’re both here at the Indy 500 and he’s looking over my shoulder every step of the way in helping me and guiding me in the right direction. I can’t thank him enough.”
Englishman Max Chilton isn’t the usual rookie in terms of experience. He had 35 stars in Formula One in 2013 and 2014. The 25-year-old rookie will start 22nd in the No. 8 Gallagher Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet.
“It’s an amazing place,” he said of IMS. “It’s like going into the gladiator arena. You feel the history hit you as soon as you come in. I was lucky enough to go around the museum one of the first days here.
“Come Race Day, it will be bigger than what I expected. This place with that many people is going to be absolutely mind-blowing. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Retired three-time “500” winner Dario Franchitti is serving as Chilton’s mentor.
“His words around here are gospel,” Chilton said.
He admits the speed is quicker than what he’s used to from his Formula One days.
“Speed is speed. You do get used to it,” he said. “As soon as things get messy, then you realize how quick you are going.”
Rossi, a 24-year-old Californian, is the fastest rookie qualifier. His No. 98 NAPA Auto Parts/Curb Honda will start 11th for Andretti Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian.
“I’m really excited,” he said. “This has been a very crazy experience, unlike anything else I’ve experienced. Every day, I’m learning something new about this place, about the history of it and there significance of the event.”
Spencer Pigot, 22, rounds out the rookie field. He was born in California but calls Orlando, Florida, as his hometown. He qualified 29th in the No. 16 RLL/Mi-Jack/Manitowoc Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
“I just can’t wait for it to get started and get buckled in,” Pigot said. “The morning of the race, I’m sure there will be some butterflies.
“Graham and Bobby (Rahal) have both been real helpful this month in talking about traffic and passing and how to rebuild after the setback we had with the (practice) crash. The best advice is probably just to be patient and remember that it’s the last 20 or 30 laps that really unfolds and if you’re within the top 10 or 12, anything can happen. You work the whole race to put yourself into position to attack in the last 100 miles.”
The rookies acknowledge their competition probably doesn’t know much about them. Some suggest that can work to a rookie’s advantage. Pigot said he has studied “500” drivers for years.
“But for them, chances are they weren’t sitting down and watching USF2000, ProMazda and Indy Lights races the last five years,” Pigot said. “Yeah, maybe I’m a bit of an unknown and maybe I’ll use that to my advantage.”
Wilson was a frequent Speedway visitor for his brother’s races. He acknowledges the field doesn’t know much about him, especially when considering his only other Verizon IndyCar Series race was at Baltimore in 2013.
“If I was a veteran, I’d be sort of questioning whether I wanted to run with me as well,” Wilson said. “You’ve got to sort of earn your respect here. That comes with completing your first Indy 500 and coming back for your second.”