Marco Andretti’s analogy was succinct following two rounds of practice and qualifications for the Chevrolet Indy Dual in Detroit presented by Quicken Loans.
“(Comparing the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and the 2.36-mile, 13-turn street circuit on Belle Isle is) like baseball and basketball,” he said. “I mean, that’s the thing about the Verizon IndyCar Series is the diversity. It’s so different. We run at totally different places in our whole schedule.
“One is an oval, and one is a very bumpy, challenging street circuit. Different discipline. Very difficult to compare really.”
Andretti finished third in the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race on May 25 – the third such result to pair with a runner-up finish in his 2006 debut on the 2.5-mile oval and a fourth place in 2013. Teammates Ryan Hunter-Reay won in the second-closest margin of victory in the 98 editions of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and Carlos Munoz finished fourth.
Andretti wasn’t satisfied with his result after starting sixth in the No. 25 Snapple car.
“I think any other racetrack it would be awesome. But Indy we fell short again, so a little bit of a disappointment,” he said. “We probably should have been more aggressive with the aero package at the end of the race. We should just hopefully keep coming back and having shots at it. Hopefully my number is picked one day there.”
