SPARTA, Kentucky - USAC champion Chris Windom took his first step in his quest to race the Freedom 100, by testing an Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires car for the first time at Kentucky Speedway on Monday.
The 27-year-old native of Canton, Illinois will race with Belardi Auto Racing at Indy with support of Byrd Racing. Windom was joined at Kentucky by another sprint car driver, Davey Hamilton Jr., who was announced Monday as a driver for Team Pelfrey for the Carb Day race on the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the end of the month.
“Everything about (Indy Lights) is completely different than what I am used to,” said Windom, the reigning USAC sprint car champion and 2016 USAC Silver Crown champion. “But, I feel like I am adapting to it pretty well and the more relaxed I could get in the car the better everything is.
“The first run was a big learning curve. I never sat in anything like it before. So, it took me a few laps definitely. But, ultimately the second and third runs, I got a lot more comfortable than I was for the 1st run.”
Next up for Windom is Indianapolis Motor Speedway, when practice and qualifying begins for Indy Lights’ biggest race is on May 24, a few days before the Indianapolis 500.
“I am super excited to get (to Indy),” Windom said. “It’s a dream of mine to race there ever since I was a little kid. So this is the 1st piece of the puzzle and we got through this. Now we are going to try to get through the race.”