Kyle Busch practices for Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images
Defending Brickyard 400 race winner Kyle Busch narrowly avoided a major catastrophe during opening practice on Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in preparation for Sunday’s race.
Closing fast on the No. 32 GoFas Racing Ford driven by Patrick Carpentier, Busch caught the car at the end of the short chute between turns 1 and 2. Carpentier steered down the track, pinching Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on the apron.
Busch spun, as the right side of his Camry collided with Carpentier’s Ford, but Busch was able to steer his car away from the inside wall and avoided further damage.
Carpentier acknowledged he had failed to yield the racing line to a faster car.
“Kyle was a little bit further back down the (front) straightaway and I was like, ‘Do I lift to let him by?’” said Carpentier, whose car escaped unscathed. “He was still quite far away, but he closed in pretty quickly.
“I didn’t think he was going to go in there, but it was my bad. I should have let him go in between both corners, but that’s why I went and apologized to him.”
Carpentier hasn’t competed in a NASCAR race on an oval track since 2011, and Busch didn’t appear particularly receptive when the Canadian driver paid a visit to the No. 18 garage stall to offer his mea culpa.
“He was not very talkative, but that’s to be expected,” Carpentier said. “I guess that’s racing, but it’s just sad that it happened in practice. I wish I would have let him by, but I just wanted to get some laps and some runs.
“A couple of laps before I let Ryan Newman by in between (turns) 1 and 2, and that went pretty well, and I should have done that with Kyle. Like I told him, ‘The next time, I’ll do it.’”
Tony Stewart: Don’t Expect Me To Cry
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Despite missing the first eight races of the season because of a back injury suffered during the offseason, Stewart now is comfortably in the top 30 in the series standings, and his unexpected victory at Sonoma in June almost certainly will earn him a berth in the Chase.
So forgive Stewart if he doesn’t get teary-eyed about his final run at the Brickyard. Smoke has more pressing issues on his mind. Stewart is going for his second victory of the season, his third at Indy and the 50th of his career.
“You guys are going to make a lot more out of this than what I’m going to make out of it this weekend,” Stewart told reporters on Friday. “I am literally just coming here in my mind like it’s just another race, and it’s another weekend here at Indy. I’m not doing all the sentimental crying stuff that you guys think I’m going to be doing.
“I’m going to race this weekend. I’m more focused. … I’m probably more prepared for a Brickyard than I have been any other year. I feel like we had a really good tire test here. Felt like our car drove really well. I think they brought the same car back. If not, it’s another one that’s the same generation-type car.”
So don’t dwell on the retirement-tour angle this weekend. Stewart, who will leave the seat of the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet at year’s end, isn’t buying it.
“You guys can ask me all about how I’m feeling, thinking, whatever, but you’re wasting my time and your time, because all I care about is driving that race car right now,” he said.
“It’s probably the most focused I’ve been getting ready for a race. It’s not amped up, or anything like that. I’m just really relaxed and focused and feel good going into it. That’s the way I need to do it.”
Short Strokes
Jimmie Johnson led opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice with a lap at 184.185 mph. None the worse for wear after his spin in the first session, defending race winner Kyle Busch paced Happy Hour with a lap at 184.619 mph … Jeff Gordon, subbing for ailing Dale Earnhardt, Jr., was ninth quickest in opening practice at 179.376 mph. But with most drivers converting to qualifying trim in final practice, Gordon was 25th on the speed chart at 180.375 mph … Danica Patrick, the only female driver to post a top-five finish in the Indianapolis 500, cracked the top 10 in Happy Hour. She was ninth fastest at 182.912 mph.
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