Track problems curtail Gateway IndyCar test, Conor Daly fastest

Daly lapped the 1.25-mile oval, which returns to the IndyCar Series IndyCar in August after a 14-year absence, in 25.4371 seconds in the afternoon.

That put him a substantial 0.3s clear of second-placed Helio Castroneves, who led Penske team-mates Juan Pablo Montoya, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud to complete an all-Chevrolet top five.

Fastest Honda runner Scott Dixon was 0.7s off the pace for Ganassi in sixth.

Both the day's sessions were disrupted by problems with the track surface, with the test eventually curtailed early.

Andretti Autosport team manager Rob Edwards told Autosport: "Every time we sent a driver out, we'd have to stop him after six or seven laps and change the tyres because they were cut.

"They don't really know what's causing the issue, otherwise they'd solve it.

"But I think where they've made some of the repairs, it's left a sharp edge.

"And I think this place has always moved a lot, so when they think they've found what the problem is, something else pops up.

"I don't think any of us can verify and say 'this is the issue,' but there's just a general concern with the track surface condition."

IndyCar and the Gateway management said in a joint statement that heavy rainfall in the build-up to the test had contributed to the problems.

"Gateway Motorsports Park and IndyCar overcame tremendous challenges to conduct a successful series open test session today, despite 9.5 inches of rain in the two days leading up to the event," the statement read.

"Officials worked tirelessly to prepare the racing surface, which included drilling holes to relieve pressure of ground water and additional proactive measures.

"During the course of today's practices, conditions developed that made it necessary to stop the test early, within an hour of the scheduled end time.

"The conditions will be promptly addressed by IndyCar and Gateway officials, and all are confident of a successful resolution when the series returns to the track."

JR Hildebrand, who took his first IndyCar podium in six years at Phoenix last weekend as he returned after missing the Barber race with a hand injury, crashed during the morning at Gateway.

He sat out the afternoon session due to the damage but was unhurt.

"My hand is fine, no stress," he said.

"It's really windy out here and we're trying to sort it out through Turn 1 and Turn 2, and I don't know if it was gusty or what, but I thought there would be more grip rolling a little higher through the corner but there just wasn't."

Jay Howard, who will race a third Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car at the Indianapolis 500, used James Hinchcliffe's car to refamiliarise himself with IndyCar at the test.

Howard has not raced in the series since the end of the 2011 season.

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