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Howard fastest as rookies pass test

Six of the seven rookies currently entered for this year's Indianapolis 500 managed to pass their rookie orientation tests as the second day of practice was rejigged to make up for yesterday's rain delays

The original plan had been for both of the first two days to start with two hours of open practice for 'veteran' drivers before rookies and returnee drivers requiring refresher tests had the remaining four hours of running each day in preparation for the start of full practice on Monday.

But with barely half an hour of rookie mileage having taken place between rain showers on Saturday, the track was opened an hour early today and the first three and a quarter hours reserved for rookies and refresher drivers.

Sarah Fisher Racing's Jay Howard - who still required an Indy rookie test because he lost his Roth Racing seat to John Andretti prior to the 500 in his last IndyCar programme two years ago - was quickest in the session as he successfully passed the orientation tests.

HVM's Simona de Silvestro, former grand prix driver Takuma Sato (KV), Dreyer & Reinbold's Ana Beatriz and Conquest duo Bertrand Baguette and Mario Romancini also completed the orientation programme, during which drivers must complete four sets of 10-lap runs at increasingly fast prescribed speeds.

The only rookie yet to finish the programme is Bryan Herta Autosport's Indy Lights graduate Sebastian Saavedra, who was halted by a fuel pump failure in the first hour today.

AJ Foyt IV and Davey Hamilton, returning for Indy outings with Foyt and de Ferran Dragon respectively, joined the rookies on-track as they carried out refresher tests.

The full field has now taken to the speedway for a further three hours and 45 minutes of running - the session start being brought forward to 2.15pm local time to take into account poor weather forecast for later on.

Pos  Driver               Team               Time      Gap
 1.  Jay Howard           Sarah Fisher       40.3970s
 2.  AJ Foyt IV           Foyt               40.6240s  + 0.2270s
 3.  Simona de Silvestro  HVM                40.6559s  + 0.2589s
 4.  Davey Hamilton       de Ferran Dragon   40.8495s  + 0.4525s
 5.  Takuma Sato          KV                 40.8655s  + 0.4685s
 6.  Ana Beatriz          Dreyer & Reinbold  40.9434s  + 0.5464s
 7.  Bertrand Baguette    Conquest           41.1431s  + 0.7461s
 8.  Mario Romancini      Conquest           41.3100s  + 0.9130s
 9.  Sebastian Saavedra   Herta              42.1586s  + 1.7616s

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