Chris Griffis Memorial Test

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The Chris Griffis Memorial Test is a two-day test event for Road to Indy racing series. The testing is conducted after the regular season. The test is used by teams to test new drivers as well as for the organization to test new cars for the following season.

Chris Griffis[edit]

Chris Griffis (11 May 1966 – 12 September 2011) was a former team manager for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Griffis started his career at Patrick Racing, working with Gordon Johncock, Emerson Fittipaldi among others. In 1990, Griffis joined Chip Ganassi Racing before moving to King Racing in 1993 and later joining Panther Racing in 2002. At Panther Racing, Griffis was the crew chief of Mark Taylor winning the 2003 Indy Lights title.[1]

Griffis collapsed and died after a basketball game. He was survived by his wife Mari and daughters (Clair and Sophia). Griffis was buried in Akron, Indiana.[2]

Fastest times[edit]

Year Indy Lights Indy Pro 2000 USF2000
2011 Republic of Ireland Peter Dempsey (1:20.6546)[3] United Kingdom Jack Hawksworth (1:25.431)[4] Canada Scott Hargrove (1:29.6937)[3]
2012 United States Zach Veach (1:19.2209)[5] United States Spencer Pigot (1:24.859)[6] Canada Matthew Di Leo (1:27.623)[7]
2013 France Alexandre Baron (1:15.726)[8] Mexico Alfonso Celis Jr. (1:20.490)[9] United States Aaron Telitz (1:23.283)[10]
2014 United States Spencer Pigot (1:19.8039)[11] Mexico Patricio O'Ward (1:23.6525)[12] France Nico Jamin (1:26.3304)[13]
2015 United States Kyle Kaiser (1:54.2235)[14] Mexico Patricio O'Ward (2:04.7677)[15] Russia Nikita Lastochkin (2:09.5454)[16]
2016 Canada Garett Grist (1:14.7396)[17] Brazil Victor Franzoni (1:22.6179)[18] United States Neil Verhagen (1:24.8661)[19]
2017 France Nico Jamin (1:25.7173)[20] United States Oliver Askew (1:29.8142)[21] United States Darren Keane (1:25.1424)[22]
2018 United States Ryan Norman (1:14.9283) United States Darren Keane (1:19.2971) Australia Hunter McElrea (1:24.5064)
2019 Netherlands Rinus VeeKay (1:15.4790) Australia Hunter McElrea (1:19.4553) Denmark Christian Rasmussen (1:24.9311)
2021 Denmark Benjamin Pedersen (1:25.4619) United Kingdom Louis Foster (1:30.4354) United States Jagger Jones (1:35.4672)
2022 Singapore Danial Frost (1:16.2526) United States Jack William Miller (1:21.9745) United States Simon Sikes (1:25.8876)
2023 United Kingdom Louis Foster (1:14.8432) United States Simon Sikes (1:21.8032) United States Hudson Schwartz (1:25.8372)

Track[edit]

Period Track Layout Length
2011–2012 Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.5134 miles
2013 Barber Motorsports Park 2.38 miles
2014–2019, 2021–present Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2.439 miles

Drivers who tested but not raced[edit]

The below table contains drivers who tested during the Chris Griffis Memorial Test in Indy Lights, USF Pro 2000 or USF2000 but not competed in any of the classes.

Year Series Driver Team
2012 USF2000 United States Joe Ruch[23] Afterburner Autosport
Brazil Yukio Duzanowski[23] Belardi Auto Racing
United States Nick Neri[23]
Canada Michael Adams[23] JAY Motorsports
Norway Kevin Aabol[23] JDC MotorSports
Finland Antti Buri[23]
Estonia Tristan Viidas[23] Pabst Racing Services
Star Mazda Mexico Jose Carlos Sandoval[6] JDC MotorSports
Brazil Renan Guerra[6] Juncos Racing
Costa Rica Andre Solano[6] Team GDT
Italy Luca Orlandi[6] Team Pelfrey
United States Chris Yano[6]
Indy Lights Australia Nick McBride[24] Sam Schmidt Motorsports
2014 USF2000 United States Jordan Bernloehr[13] Afterburner Autosport
United States Christian Ross[13]
Indy Lights United States Parker Kligerman[11] Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2015 USF2000 United States Chase Owen[16] Afterburner Autosport
Australia Cameron Hill[16] JDC MotorSports
Canada Chase Pelletier[16] Team Pelfrey
United States Max Mallinen[16] SWAN Motorsports
Pro Mazda Brazil Henrique Baptista[15] Team Pelfrey
2016 USF2000 Brazil Leandro Wolther[19] ArmsUp Motorsports
United States Ryan Norberg[19] JDC MotorSports
Switzerland Hugo de Sadeleer[19] Pabst Racing
United States Neil Verhagen[19]
Indy Lights Slovakia Richard Gonda[17] Andretti Autosport
2017 USF2000 United States Zoey Edenholm BN Racing
United States Elliott Finlayson
United States Justin Gordon Exclusive Autosport
United States Jaden Conwright Team BENIK
Pro Mazda Netherlands Leonard Hoogenboom BN Racing
2018 USF2000 United States Tyler O'Connor Cape Motorsports
United States Ryan Bjerke DEForce Racing
Canada Logan Cusson Pabst Racing
2019 USF2000 United States TJ Thompson HMD Motorsports
United States Alexander Koreiba Jay Howard Driver Development
United States Jonathan Kotyk Legacy Autosport
Netherlands Rick Bouthoorn Pabst Racing
United States Harry Voigt Team E Jay Racing
IP2000 South Africa Raoul Hyman Exclusive Autosport
Indy Lights Russia Egor Orudzhev Andretti Autosport
2021 USF2000 United States TJ Thompson Jay Howard Driver Development
IP2000 United States Arias Deukmedjian Deuk Spine Racing
United States Nicholas Rivers Jay Howard Driver Development
United States Blake Upton Turn 3 Motorsport
2022 USF2000 United States Jason Pribyl Turn 3 Motorsport
United Kingdom Matthew Rees VRD Racing
USFP2000 United Kingdom Callum Voisin Jay Howard Driver Development
South Africa Raoul Hyman TJ Speed Motorsports
2023 USF2000 United States Michael Boyiadzis Jay Howard Driver Development
United States Jason Pribyl Pabst Racing
United States Connor Roberts Team Roberts

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Sam Schmidt Motorsports Indy Lights Team Manager Chris Griffis Dies". Motor Authority. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  2. ^ "Christopher A. Griffis". IndyStar. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b "Drivers at test looking to impress". IndyCar. Archived from the original on 1 November 2011. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  4. ^ "2011 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear Official Series Test". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  5. ^ "Mazda Road to Indy Open Test - Indy Lights" (PDF). IndyCar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e f "2012 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear Official Series Test Session". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  7. ^ "2012 IMS MRTI Test USF2000 Thursday Final Practice" (PDF). USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Frenchman Alex Baron Leads the Way for Belardi in Testing". Indy Lights. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Mexican Teenager Alfonso Celis Tops Test Times for Juncos Racing". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  10. ^ "USF2000: Rookie Telitz Tops USF2000 Times for Afterburner Autosport". More Front Wing. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  11. ^ a b "9/14/2014 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT PRACTICE 3". Indy Lights. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  12. ^ "9/14/2014 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT PRACTICE 3". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  13. ^ a b c "9/14/2014 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT PRACTICE 3". USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  14. ^ "11/21/2015 CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS TEST SESSION 3". Indy Lights. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  15. ^ a b "11/22/2015 CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS TEST SESSION 4". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  16. ^ a b c d e "11/22/2015 CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS TEST SESSION 5". USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  17. ^ a b "10/9/2016 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 8". Indy Lights. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  18. ^ "10/9/2016 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 5". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  19. ^ a b c d e "10/9/2016 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 5". USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  20. ^ "10/21/2017 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 2". Indy Lights. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  21. ^ "10/22/2017 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 5". Pro Mazda. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  22. ^ "10/22/2017 INDIANAPOLIS GRAND PRIX CIRCUIT TEST SESSION 5". USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g "USF2000 Graduates Shine in Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights". USF2000. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  24. ^ "Indy Lights entrants" (PDF). IndyCar. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2017.