The Honda Indy® 200 is in progress at the Mid-Ohio Motor Sports Car Course this weekend and many area residents can hear the sounds of the engines as the cars make laps around the course. Activity stirred at the track on Wednesday but the crescendo is building as cars were tested and then ran practice laps on Friday. Qualifying laps start Saturday for Sunday’s 90-lap race.
No. 98 Barracuda’s driver is 27-year-old, 11-time GP2 winner, Luca Filippi. He stated, “I’m very grateful to the Barracuda Racing team for this great opportunity because this is what I’ve been waiting for my whole life. I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I like the Mid-Ohio circuit and the driveability of the car. Obviously I’m a rookie but I’m a racer and I’m competitive.”
Barracuda Racing co-owner Bryan Herta was equally pleased, “Luca did a really good job during the test on Wednesday. We were very impressed with his quick adaptation to both a car and circuit that were completely new to him. We are all very excited to see how he does under race conditions.”
The race will be Filippi’s first Indy car race and he’s hoping to do well so he can further his Indy driving career. The team isn’t putting any pressure on him and he appreciates that but he added, “I’m a racing driver. I feel that it’s a competition and the biggest pressure comes from myself and the biggest expectation is the one I personally have.”
Filippi checked in fifth on the time sheet at 1:05.7364 during Friday’s practice.
Will Powers, driving No. 12 Verizon Team’s Penske car had the fastest practice lap at 1:05.4332 seconds, so Filippi will have his competition. Powers holds the track record with the IZOD Indy Car series at 1:05.6474 at 123.825 mph set in August 2012.
