Technical glitches sideline Legge from IMS Open Test until Wednesday

Katherine Legge and the HMD Motorsports/AJ Foyt Racing team tried to get the No. 11 Chevy spooled up and launched from her pit box Tuesday afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but persistent issues with the clutch actuation system left the Indy 500 veteran sitting idle for most of the two-hour session.

Once the car was started, Legge released the clutch lever and attempted to accelerate away, but the car immediately stalled. After trying a second time and having the same result, the HMD/Foyt team removed the right sidepod and plugged into the GCU – gearbox control unit – and attempted to resolve the issue, but the car stalled once more.

Coupled with the car’s late arrival on pit lane for the 12pm ET start to the session, the lingering pit launch problems took almost all of the remaining time leading up to the 2pm checkered flag.

Although Legge was able to roll out during the last two minutes of the mandatory Rookies & Refreshers session and perform two installation laps, she was unable to turn the required laps at speed to pass the refresher test and continue running during the four-hour afternoon session. As a result, Legge and the No. 11 Chevy must wait until Wednesday to try and get her refresher done.

“I’m disappointed that we didn't get to do all the running this afternoon, but I'm also just very grateful to be here and to the team who worked their butts off to make the car ready,” Legge told RACER. “And we know now the things that we need to do for tomorrow.”

Following multiple 20-hour days to ready the car, the unexpected break could be a blessing for the weary HMD crew, who resolved the launch problem and have a short to-do list before getting back to action on Wednesday.

“Hopefully the weather's good, and honestly, there's also a level of relief having just been in the car and driven it around the track and back to the pit lane," Legge said. "So all in all, it's not the end of the world. It would have been really great to have the time, but we're getting the bad luck out the way early.”