Last minute Giaffone bumps Arie Jr at Indy.
In an unexpected twist to what appeared to be the third consecutive 'Bump Day' not to feature any actual 'bumping,' Felipe Giaffone took a last minute opportunity from AJ Foyt to qualify for next Sunday's Indianapolis 500 and send rookie Arie Luyendyk Jr home early.
With Luyendyk Jr and his own, late-forming Beck Motorsports team still struggling to get up to speed, the canny veteran team owner spotted a golden opportunity and called Giaffone to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway even though the track was already open for the final day of qualifying.
In an unexpected twist to what appeared to be the third consecutive 'Bump Day' not to feature any actual 'bumping,' Felipe Giaffone took a last minute opportunity from AJ Foyt to qualify for next Sunday's Indianapolis 500 and send rookie Arie Luyendyk Jr home early.
With Luyendyk Jr and his own, late-forming Beck Motorsports team still struggling to get up to speed, the canny veteran team owner spotted a golden opportunity and called Giaffone to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway even though the track was already open for the final day of qualifying.
Driving the #48 Panoz-Toyota initially earmarked for Larry Foyt prior to Foyt's switch to the #41 entry previously designated for the now-absent Scott Mayer, Giaffone made his one and only qualifying attempt of the month with less than half an hour remaining in qualifying.
A couple of hours earlier Luyendyk Jr was able to complete a trouble free qualifying run at an average speed of 215.039mph in his #98 Dallara-Chevrolet, making him the 33rd and slowest qualifier in the starting field for the 89th Indy 500. But even as the son of double Indy winner Arie Sr was completing his run, Giaffone and the #48 team were hurrying through tech inspection and making their way onto pit road.
After completing several brief practice runs in a car that Larry Foyt ran more than 50 laps in during the first week of practice, Giaffone wound up the #48 to a four-lap qualifying average of 217.645mph to bump Arie Jr from the field and put himself on the bubble in the closing minutes of qualifying.
As the minutes wound down Luyendyk Jr and his team prepared for one final shot at glory, taking to the track with less than five minutes left. However, after his first two laps it was clear that his speed wouldn't be enough to bump Giaffone and he backed down, preferring not to risk the car.
Arie Jr becomes the first driver since Billy Roe and the Zali Racing Experience (!) came up short in 2002 while Giaffone becomes probably the first driver who took the call to get to the track and qualify whilst out shopping for nappies.
