INDY 500: Justin's notes help Wilson qualify

Stefan Wilson spent many Mays walking down the qualifying line as his older brother, Justin, got focused on running four qualifying laps at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

But he had a new perspective Saturday afternoon.

"I certainly have a new respect from what he did," the 25-year-old Brit said after qualifying for his initial Indianapolis 500. "Walking down the pits today brought back memories and it was kind of surreal to be on the other side.

"It's easy as a spectator, but when they were strapping me in my car I've never been so nervous and I could hear my heart beating. And I think about how that would make him smile."

Justin Wilson lost his life last summer in a freak accident at Pocono, and Stefan spent the next few months mourning and pondering his future.

"Before we lost Just I was trying to figure out how to be in the 100th Indianapolis 500 and I became determined, it was an obsession," he said. "It means so much to be in this race and I'm humbled by it.

"But it's a lot tougher than people think it is."

With just one IndyCar start under his belt (and that came in 2013 at Baltimore), he only had rookie orientation before he began practice.

"My car was moving around quite a bit and the wind was gusting pretty good so I didn't want to get caught out and crash," he explained after opening at 226mph and dropping to 224mph, finishing with an average of 225.560. "The tailwind almost blew you into the wall in Turn 1 and then it pinned the nose in Turn 3 so it was tricky. I had to lift in Turn 1 on my third lap and that ruined the last two.

"But I found some of Justin's old notes from Indianapolis the other day and I thought, 'that's exactly what I've been feeling on the track.' So he's still helping me."