WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- IndyCar racing returned to Watkins Glen International on Friday after a six-year hiatus, and New York's Thunder Road didn't disappoint as the teams practiced in earnest for the first time.
"It's great to be back, great to be going around here," Helio Castroneves said. "This is the DNA of open-wheel racing, and the history behind this place. It suits perfectly the series."
Most of the teams were permitted to test earlier for this weekend's race, which replaced a street event in Boston that was canceled. WGI was repaved after last season, and it created a smooth-as-silk surface with gobs of grip that opened a lot of eyes in Friday's two practices on a sunny day.