Johnson fears more boost, less aerodynamics in Indy’s qualifiers

The driver of the Honda Chip Ganassi Racing with the support of Carvana № 48 was very impressive in the race for two days of training at 106^th the Indianapolis 500 run, finishing third on Tuesday and fifth on Thursday. He also said he taught “tons” by doing more laps than anyone, both Tuesday afternoon and six hours of practice on Thursday.

“The first lesson I was reminded of is that you had a good setup on Tuesday, doesn’t mean you will prepare well on Thursday. This track [is] very temperamental and you just have to be on top. You cannot weaken the guard. Everything is changing and I’m trying to understand why there was a difference because obviously on race day you don’t get a pre-workout to see where your balance is. ”

He continued, “Each round is just a great opportunity for me to learn. Today we went through two full tires or ran out of fuel to make me feel like it was to go from start to finish. Just write down these circles and be on the draft … Some guys will get on new tires, some guys will work on old tires. Just feel it all.

“I feel like today I seem to have escaped to a new level of comfort in the racing finish.”

However, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Johnson and his newcomer colleague Kyle Kirkwood acknowledged that BorgWarner’s pruning and turbo generate a 1.4-bar gain for a quick Friday and qualifying weekend, rather than the 1.3-bar used in “conventional »Practices and races can cause more intimidation. In addition, according to the weather forecast, on Friday there will be a strong gusty wind – perhaps up to 30 miles per hour.

Current Indy Lights champion Kirkwood admitted that the prospect was “a little intimidating … to pull out the clamping force and feel how light the car is.

“Looks like you don’t really want to turn the steering wheel because you just don’t know what the car will do, and adding to it another 10 or 15 miles per hour would be less than comfortable, I would say!

“People I’ve talked to all say it’s not such a big step. It actually feels better because you get a run out of turns and it’s not like you lose a ton of traction because of speed. I guess I’ll let you know after the first turn with more power. “

Johnson, who listens, commented, “Yeah, all of that, and then the only thing to add is the last time I was in the qualifying trimmer here in the Cup car, and we let go and slowed down a bit to get into the turn 1 .

“So, feel the acceleration and instant speed and look down on this 90 degree turn and think I’ll keep it straight – it’s going to be an interesting conversation with my right foot!”

Asked what advises team owner Chip Ganassi, who started five times in the Indy 500, passing 11 qualifications^th Johnson said: “The chip was very adamant in knowing where the right rear tire was. In the Car Cup I feel that the advantage I have had over the years is that I was willing to drive really freely and it really contributed to the style of racing and how the fuel burns out of these cars and protected the right front tire .

“Here, of course, you need the car to turn well, but you can’t move it like a Cup car. The advice Chip gave me and Dario [Franchitti] keeps beating on me, “Just know where that right ass is.”