ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – It was early Friday morning and Andretti Autosport Director of Engineering and Race Operations Rob Edwards was off to work, a bounce in his step and a smile on his face.

Edwards was in the Verizon IndyCar Series paddock and it was time to get ready for practice for Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. After seven months since the last Verizon IndyCar Series race – the MAV-TV 500 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California on August 30, 2014 – it was time to return to the race course and this time, it counts.

“I can’t wait,” Edwards said. “It’s been the longest offseason I’ve ever been through.”

When the offseason began last Labor Day Weekend Edwards was the general manager of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. In January, the talented engineer moved over to Andretti Autosport and is in charge of team owner Michael Andretti’s entire racing operation including the Verizon IndyCar Series, the Mazda Road to Indy Ladder System, Global Rallycross and Formula E.

It’s the IndyCar Series operation that is the centerpiece of Andretti Autosport featuring 2012 IndyCar Series champion and 2014 Indianapolis 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Carlos Munoz and this weekend Simona de Silvestro. Seven-time IndyCar winner Justin Wilson will join the team for the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis and the 99th Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

Friday was an important day for the IndyCar teams that received complete Aero Kits earlier this month and didn’t begin testing until March 13.

“When you used to get new cars every year you spent the whole offseason understanding what you had and how to optimize it,” Edwards said. “Now, we all got the new kit a little over 10 days ago and we are all on a crash course to understand how to get the best out of it. I think there is a huge amount of potential there we need to understand what we’ve got and understand how to use it best. That answer isn’t the same on every type of track we go to so we have to learn it in every type of situation.”

Twenty years ago when most of the IndyCar Series teams were in CART teams had to buy a new car every year and on-track testing was vital. With the increase in technology simulations can be done on a computer but in Edwards’ mind nothing beats hitting the race track with the actual car.

“I think all the other tools with simulation tools give you more information but ultimately you have to see what works on the race track,” Edwards said. “It helps you shorten the timeline to get to where you need to but at the end of the day you still have to get it to work on the race track.

“You have to work very diligently and methodical with all of the new pieces on the Honda Aero Kit. If you didn’t work that way you could get yourself lost. But if you work through it systematically I think it is straightforward. It’s a time crunch to get through it all.”

Team participated in two practice sessions on Friday at the 1.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street course that is part airport runway and part city streets. Another practice session is Saturday with knockout qualifications featuring the Firestone “Fast Six” late Saturday afternoon.

In between, engineers such as Edwards are attempting to figure out the jigsaw puzzle of the Aero Kits.

“There is a whole range of different downforce and drag levels that we have to play with and work through and understand what the right package is for this track,” Edwards said. “It’s going to be a combination of downforce and drag. Standing here right now I can’t tell you what the right answer will be.

“Hopefully by Saturday night I can.”