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Barrichello's Test Starts INDYCAR Week At Sebring

Barrichello's Test Starts INDYCAR Week At Sebring

Anne Proffit

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Anne Proffit has worked in the automotive field since - well, not telling you that. She's been a car salesperson (before it was popular to hire... More

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Tony Kanaan and Rubens Barrichello - KV Racing Technology photo

Enlarge Photo

Left without a Formula 1 ride in 2012, Rubens Barrichello has been exploring his options. After speaking with his good friend Tony Kanaan, whose son Leo claims the fellow Brazilian as his godfather, Barrichello decided to test an Indy car at Sebring International Raceway - just to see if the fun factor he so relishes was there.

Barrichello drove a No. 5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet/Dallara/Firestone machine for 94 laps on the short course at Sebring, making progress throughout those nearly 150 miles. By the end of the day he was posting laps that were competitive with drivers that have been in the series for several years - and who have been to the Sebring track before Monday's test session.

"I had a very, very nice day with the team and the car," Barrichello explained. "In the morning I was getting used to the car and not doing anything silly because, obviously you don't want to put it in the wall. It's a very different machine from what I'm used to, but it had a good feeling," he said.

Barrichello exits the pits - Photo courtesy KV Racing Technology

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"Today I was an Indy car rookie," the veteran of 33 years of racing stated.

Kanaan also tested on the Sebring road course and completed 84 laps or about 135 miles. He was working on car development but "didn't have much to say. The guy (Barrichello) comes here for the first time and after 20 laps he's already running the same lap times as me! His knowledge and experience helped confirm some ideas that we hd for this test, so it was very productive having Rubens around."

Team co-owner Jimmy Vasser said the ride alongside Kanaan is Barrichello's if he wants it; the driver did spend nearly the entire day in the car and will have to make a decision fairly quickly in order to continue testing prior to the first race of the year set for the end of March. "I've always wanted to test an Indy car. I love speed so it's natural to want to try this," Barrichello told a Brazilian newspaper over the weekend. "If I leave with the passion I have always had as a driver, then why not? I love racing."

While Barrichello's test at the venerable airport circuit was the big story Monday, additional teams are testing Tuesday and Wednesday including Target Chip Ganassi Racing, Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, AJ Foyt Racing and Dale Coyne Racing. We ran into Foyt's new hire Mike Conway at the Orlando airport; he's very excited to be working with Don Halliday and looking forward to the season, he told me.