Petrov heads close top five in Indy Pro 2000’s Indianapolis practice

Photo: Gavin Baker Photography/Road to Indy

Artem Petrov set the pace in Indy Pro 2000 practice on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course, as the top five were separated by less than a tenth of a second.

Juncos Racing’s Manuel Sulaiman was consistently at the top throughout the majority of the 30-minute session, although his margin was usually slender.

Sulaiman was able to gradually improve until the midpoint of the session, but his pace petered out towards afterwards.

In the closing stages, there was a flurry of fast laps coming in from a number of drivers. Sulaiman’s team-mate Reece Gold initially took the top spot, before being usurped by Exclusive Autosport’s Eves, and then Petrov, all in quick succession.

Petrov’s best lap was just 0.0090 seconds quicker than Eves’ effort. Miller Vinatieri Motorsports’ Jack William Miller quietly climbed up to third with his final effort, ahead of Pabst Racing’s Hunter McElrea.

Gold and Sulaiman slipped down to fifth and sixth, with the early pacesetter just over a tenth off the pace.

Jay Howard Driver Development’s Christian Rasmussen was seventh fastest after topping the pre-event test at the circuit.

Four drivers who raced last time out in St. Petersburg are absent. Hunter Yeany has a clash as Formula Regional Americas is racing later this weekend, while Enzo Fittipaldi has just finished FIA Formula 3 Championship testing in Spain. Cameron Shields’ budget has dried up, and Flinn Lazier also is missing.

Free practice results