Firestone Indy Lights rookie Brent Sherman got his first taste of an IndyCar Series machine.
Sherman, who shared Panther Racing’s No. 4 Honda-powered Dallara with its regular driver Vitor Meira, became the latest Firestone Indy Lights driver to drive an IndyCar Series car thanks to the Firestone Indy Lights Bonus Testing program, which grants extra test days to teams that field full-time entries in the IndyCar Series and Firestone Indy Lights.
“I didn’t really know what to expect, obviously,” said Sherman, who finished eighth in the Kansas Lottery 100 on April 27. “I’d have to say for me it went better than expected. We were up to speed fairly quickly on the first run, and I didn’t know how much feedback I’d be able to give to the team and how much I’d really actually be able to help them.”
The test concluded a busy weekend for Sherman, whose team picked up primary sponsorship from the National Guard for the remainder of the 2008 season. He returns to the track at the end of May when the Firestone Indy Lights contest the Firestone Freedom 100 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“It just made me want more,” Sherman said. “After I got out of the car I called John Barnes and said, ‘Look, I’m ready for the 500 this year, let’s do it.’ I didn’t get a comment back. So I’m assuming that’s a no.”
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