JR Hildebrand made the fastest lap of 19.041 seconds at the Phoenix International Raceway last Saturday, February 11, with an average speed of 193.234 mph despite the unfortunate crash. After four years, the renowned racer returned again and finished with a tow at the final day of the pre-season test of the IndyCar.
Driving the No. 21 Fuzzy's Vodka Chevrolet at the Verizon IndyCar Series open test, JR Hildebrand's 19.04-second mark brought him to the number spot in the race. However, this record was not considered an official one as it did not transpire during the qualifications nor during the race itself.
The new record was actually done during the practice only. It was such a momentous victory as JR Hildebrand even encountered a crash during the pre-season test.
Contact in Turn 4 after breaking a front wing. Crew will repair car before testing at @RaceSonoma on Tuesday. https://t.co/kW5aCq9kl5
— Ed Carpenter Racing (@ECRIndy) February 12, 2017
With less than 30 minutes on the clock, his Chevrolet crashed into the SAFER Barrier at Turn 4. JR Hildebrand narrated that his right front wing has clipped Will Power on his left rear pod, which then tore off portions of the front wing. With the rate he was going, he no longer could slow down despite stepping on the brakes, then his car hit the inside wall on the front straightaway.
Fortunately, he still managed to complete the pre-season test on the top spot despite having crashed with Penske of Will Power. It was also good that he was not injured from the accident.
Landing on spot number 2 was his teammate and boss, Ed Carpenter. With an average speed of 192.404 mph, Ed Carpenter finished the laps with 19.122 seconds only, AutoWeek reported.
In another report, AutoSport noted that JR Hildebrand's 19.04-second mark broke last year's record set by Helio Castroneves at the Phoenix International Raceway. For a complete list of the Phoenix International Raceway combined results of practice, you may want to check this link.
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