Bell fastest in day 2 of ROP

In the final day before practice begins for the 90th Indianapolis 500, the last remaining rookie - Thiago Medeiros - passed his test, and three veterans, including Bell and Al Unser Jr., completed refresher tests.

"I just wanted to make sure the car was solid, that I was comfortable and just ease my way into it," said Bell, a veteran of Champ Car and the IRL, and a former Formula One test driver.

"Today it just so happened that I was comfortable in my first outing, so I just decided to stick my foot down and find out what it will do."

Unser, who's returning to Indianapolis after a year away from the race, finished his refresher without trouble, clocking 57 laps in the No. 31 Dreyer & Reinbold Honda/Dallara.

"I was a little bit nervous, yeah," Unser said. "I truly felt like I did when I was here as a rookie in '83. I had the butterflies. I was more excited than anything else. It was pure excitement that was going through me."

Three rookies - Marco Andretti, P.J. Chesson and Medeiros - have completed their four-stage rookie orientation program, which requires them to hold a steady speed for several laps at four increasing levels.

Luyendyk, who will be a rookie for the race, was not required to complete the entire rookie test because of his completion of ROP last year, when he was bumped from the field on the final day of qualifying.

Luyendyk completed his refresher, which consisted of the final two stages of the rookie test, on Monday with Bell and Unser. Michael Andretti completed the refresher Sunday.

Larry Foyt, son of A.J. Foyt, is the only driver left who still must complete the refresher, but he can participate in this week's practice sessions and complete the refresher at any time prior to Saturday's first day of qualifying.

"Dad kept saying not to worry about speed," said Foyt, who practiced in a Panoz Monday. "It isn't about speed, it's about me getting back in the car."

Michael Andretti recorded a lap of 221.324 mph in the No. 1 Andretti Green Racing Honda/Dallara, second-best of the day behind Bell's lap of 221.381 mph in the No. 90 Vision Honda/Dallara. Michael then turned the car over to Marco, who did eight laps in it and exceeded his fastest lap from his own car.

"I knew I had a really good car and he wasn't real comfortable in his, so I thought it would be a great opportunity to feel what it should feel like," Michael said. "I think it was a really good exercise for him."

Marco, the 19-year-old son of Michael and grandson of Mario, passed his rookie test Sunday and took part in parade laps with Michael and Mario.

Nine cars recorded 415 laps Monday. Thirty-five cars are on the grounds in preparation for Tuesday's opening day of practice, which is expected to be busy because of threatening weather on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

After four days of practice, qualifying for the first 11 positions, including the pole, is scheduled for Saturday. The race is scheduled for May 28.

Pos  Driver             Make           Speed (mph)
 1.  Townsend Bell      Dallara-Honda  221.381
 2.  Michael Andretti   Dallara-Honda  221.324
 3.  Marco Andretti     Dallara-Honda  221.267
 4.  P.J. Chesson       Dallara-Honda  219.745
 5.  Al Unser Jr.       Dallara-Honda  218.820
 6.  Larry Foyt         Panoz-Honda    215.761
 7.  Thiago Medeiros    Panoz-Honda    214.690
 8.  Arie Luyendyk Jr.  Panoz-Honda    214.562