The 23-year-old New Zealander was topped the IndyCar Sequence’ Rookie of the Yr within the season finale final Sunday at Laguna Seca, regardless of operating a partial marketing campaign on solely street and road circuits.
Final week, he was confirmed for a return to CGR as a full-time entrant in 2024.
Though climate performed an element within the early morning of the oval take a look at debut, the rain cleared out and Armstrong was capable of full 180 laps across the high-banked 1.5-mile oval.
Staff-mate and fellow Kiwi Scott Dixon offered an preliminary five-lap shakedown to set the automobile up forward of Armstrong taking up.
“It was fairly quick,” Armstrong mentioned. “It was an superior expertise and I actually loved it.
“The primary correct run within the morning was nice. I used to be simply smiling after that first run and even on the in-lap I had a unique response to what I used to be anticipating. It was much more pure than I anticipated and I felt at one with the automobile later within the day.
“I discovered that it was so much simpler to belief the automobile and the banking. General, it was a really constructive expertise and I’m very grateful that Dario [Franchitti], Scott, Eric [Cowdin] and Blair [Julian] might assist me out all through the day.”
Armstrong’s subsequent oval take a look at might be on the fabled 2.5-mile superspeedway generally known as Indianapolis Motor Speedway on October 11.
Kyle Larson, Arrow McLaren livery unveil
Picture by: IndyCar
Armstrong received’t be the one driver searching for to cross Indy’s rookie orientation course of that month, as NASCAR star Kyle Larson might be making his IndyCar debut for Arrow McLaren.
He’ll turn into the primary driver since Kurt Busch in 2014 to try the 1,100-mile Memorial Weekend double, as he’ll be racing in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 later within the day at Charlotte.
“I undoubtedly, clearly, stay up for October and attending to do the rookie orientation,” mentioned Larson when he attended the disclosing of his automobile in Might. “I’ve thought of that a bit of bit, so I’m nervous once I do take into consideration that.
“However I feel as soon as I get within the automobile, a number of these nerves will hopefully go away after just a few laps, and it’ll really feel like dwelling, identical to all the opposite race vehicles I drive.”
