IndyCar's test day at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course was rain-shortened overall and ended even earlier for one driver. Charlie Kimball fractured his finger in a testing accident, but should be fine to race at the track next week.
From IndyCar medical director Dr. Michael Olinger: “Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing driver Charlie Kimball was treated for a fracture of the fifth metacarpal of his right hand at MedCentral Hospital in Mansfield, Ohio, after being involved in an incident during a team test July 26 at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Kimball will be re-evaluated by an Indianapolis-based specialist on July 27.”
Although times weren't released, unofficial numbers had the Dallara DW12 well under the 2011 pole time, a 1:08.077 set by Scott Dixon. The car made its testing debut at Mid-Ohio a year ago in the hands of the developmental team led by Dan Wheldon and Bryan Herta Autosport (ABOVE).
“We already broke last years qualifying time so the car is quick,” said Takuma Sato of RLL Racing, who finished second at Edmonton and fourth at Mid-Ohio a year ago. “There is a little more downforce. There are different characteristics but we have seen this at a number of tracks. I wanted to explore a deeper setup and usually you can't do it on a race weekend. It's a shame this process was interrupted by weather but there is nothing we can do about it.”
Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing rookie Josef Newgarden took his first ever laps of the track, tweeting thereafter, “New favorite track in the whole world = Mid Ohio. #magical.”
By contrast, it was a tough day for Helio Castroneves, who hit a spun Ed Carpenter in Turn 9. Castroneves' car required fixing but despite left side damage, the team did not need to change out an engine.
Penske Racing president Tim Cindric tweeted, “20 car spun n turn 9 and @h3lio hit him. Big hit. All ok!”
All bar Simona de Silvestro of Lotus HVM Racing tested. De Silvestro had a prior test at Mid-Ohio on July 2.