BALTIMORE -- Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing brought a spare tub to the IZOD IndyCar Series race weekend in Baltimore just so Bruno Junqueira could do a proper seat fit while the crew could simultaneously prepare the No. 67 car.

"I like their planning," the veteran Indy car driver said as he snuggled into the bag of heated beads that will form the seat outline.

Team principals didn't plan on having their regular driver, rookie Josef Newgarden, be out of commission for the Grand Prix of Baltimore presented by SRT. He suffered a left index finger injury in a two-car crash Aug. 26 during the race at Sonoma and underwent surgery less than 48 hours later. Co-owner Sarah Fisher is hopeful he can return for the season finale Sept. 15 at Auto Club Speedway.

So Junqueira steps in for the weekend, and he's also competing in the American Le Mans Series race in the Prototype Challenge class for Rocketsports Racing, and doesn't expect any difficulties.

"At the end of the day it's a car with four wheels, a steering wheel and a crazy guy trying to go as fast as possible," said Junqueira, 35, of Brazil. "It will be a lot of concentration to drive both cars at the limit and to learn about the new IndyCar and the track."

Junqueira had eight CART victories and finished second in the CART championship three times. He made his CART debut in 2001 with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, finishing 16th in the standings with a win at Road America and was the runner-up to Scott Dixon for Rookie of the Year.

Junqueira likes what he's seen this season in the 13 IZOD IndyCar Series races.

"This year the racing and the competition has been incredible," he said. "A lot of passing and close racing. There was more passing at Barber -- a place where it's said you cannot pass -- than I've seen at some other racetracks, and that was very exciting. I drove for so many Indy cars and it's good to be back."

Oriol and the Orioles -- great fit

Oriol Servia with the Baltimore OrioleOriol Servia hadn't picked up a baseball in, oh, 10 years before this week.

Then he got serious about throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before the game between the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. If anything, not to embarrass himself. So he practiced by soft-tossing.

A far-sighted umpire would have called it a strike on the outside corner.

"Wasn't that confident," he said, adding that he wanted grip on the ball like the Firestone tires on his No. 22 Panther/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing car with WIX Filters as the primary sponsor this weekend on the temporary street circuit.

Last year, Servia said he should be Baltimore's favorite driver because his name, Oriol, means Oriole in Spanish.

"Ever since I arrived in this country, people say, 'Oh, Oriol, like the cookie,' and I always say, 'No, Oriol, like the bird, like the Baltimore Orioles.' "

An IMS Productions crew is shadowing Servia this weekend for the next episode of "INDYCAR 36."

Another Unitas in Baltimore sports

Jillian Unitas, 22, granddaughter of former Baltimore Colts quarterback and Pro Football Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas, is the media manager for the Grand Prix.

"I've never wanted to disappoint my last name, so I put a lot of pressure on myself," said Unitas, who graduated from Flagler College (Fla.) in June with a degree in communications and an eye on a career in sports marketing. "I know my name opens doors, but I want to be judged not for what my grandfather did, but for the work I put forth.

"I'm just trying to make a path for myself, and to work off my own merit."

Of note

Helio Castroneves will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at Dodger Stadium when the IZOD IndyCar Series returns to Southern California for the Sept. 15 race at Auto Club Speedway. ... Tony Kanaan, who finished third at Baltimore last year, is tied for the lead in the A.J. Foyt Oval Trophy standings with Ryan Hunter-Reay (who holds the tie-breaker with two wins). The championship will be determined at Auto Club Speedway on Sept. 15.