IndyCar: Ganassi first team to test at NOLA

Chip Ganassi Racing became the first team to run on the NOLA Motorsports Park circuit when it ran all four of its cars in a full-day earlier this week.

Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Charlie Kimball and development driver Sage Karam all ran on the 2.67 mile road course on Wednesday, ahead of its inaugural IndyCar race on April 10-12.

"The facility is very good and once you get the grandstands up and there's a little prep to be done to the track, it will be too," Dixon said. "Right now I think the track layout is going to be really good.

"It's exciting for us to come to New Orleans. You're never really sure for the first time how [a new track] will be received.

"Looking at other places that are similar in the South, like Barber (Motorsports Park), the fans are fantastic. I think the crowds will be very good. Even talking to the people at the hotel last night, they know the race is coming.

"They're looking forward to it. I hope we can put on a good show and we can definitely build on it."

NOLA is one of two new events on the 2015 IndyCar schedule. The other is the Autodromo Internacional Nelson Piquet circuit in Brasilia, which will host the season opener in March.