Dragon Racing's Bourdais, Legge make track debut

“Sebastien, what’s the word?” a fan asks the four-time CART champion while he autographs a photo.

“Patience.”

Indeed, Sebastien Bourdais and Katherine Legge waited in the Dragon Racing garage area at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 16 for the “all clear” signal relating to the legal wrangling of team's desired switch from Lotus to Chevrolet power while 30 other IZOD IndyCar Series drivers were getting valuable track time on the fifth day of practice for the Indianapolis 500.

Nightfall came and nothing. Sunrise came and nothing.

Bourdais got on the racetrack for 38 laps with a Chevrolet 2.2-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 in Legge's No. 6 TrueCar entry for the first phase of his mandated refresher program while legal counsel for Group Lotus and Dragon Racing completed details of the manufacturer transition. Legge, in her firesuit, watched the on-track proceedings seated on the concrete pit lane wall.

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"I'm happy to be out there, but the problem is we have two days to figure it out," said Bourdais, referring to Pole Day qualifications May 19. "It doesn't take much to go from a bad car to a good car and vice-versa so it's just a few steps away from where it needs to be. It's subtle changes on these things that make them good or real bad."

Finally, at 10:30 a.m., the team received official notification that INDYCAR, the sanctioning body of the IZOD IndyCar Series, approved the engine partner change effective immediately.

INDYCAR officials made provisions for Legge to begin the Indianapolis 500 Rookie Orientation Program in the No. 6 TrueCar car. She passed Phase I between noon and 1 p.m. -- delaying the start of the all-car session -- and passed Phase II after teams rolled back to Gasoline Alley.

“It’s unbelievably satisfying (to get through two phases of ROP)," said Legge, who totaled 77 laps. "The team has done a great job. They are all really tired and they worked really hard to put the engine in and get all the bits on to get us out. So it’s thanks to them that we were able to do what we did today. And also Sebastien. He shooked down the car and made sure everything was fixed from this morning. I can go home now very happy.”

Bourdais, who last competed in the 500 Mile Race in 2005, completed a refresher program in the No. 7 McAfee car.

“We are pleased to see this issue resolved as we head into the final practice days in advance of qualifying,” INDYCAR CEO Randy Bernard said. “I have to thank all parties for working together to help preserve the traditions of the Indianapolis 500.”

Including the Dragon Racing entries, Chevrolet will power 16 of the 33 expected entries for the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 27.

“The addition of Dragon Racing’s two cars to the Chevrolet roster for the Indianapolis 500 is a strategic enhancement to our already strong stable of teams and drivers,” said Chris Berube, Chevrolet IndyCar Program Manager. “The efforts put forth by our combined Chevrolet IndyCar V-6 teams will seamlessly continue for the biggest race of the year.”

Bourdais, who is tied with Paul Tracy for seventh on the all-time Indy car victory list with 31, has a season-best finish of ninth at Barber Motorsports Park in his first full season competing in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Legge has been running at the finish in two of the four road/street course events with a best of 19th at Long Beach.