Montoya fastest with new Chev bodykit

Chevrolet’s new super speedway oval package has seen Penske gun Juan Montoya turn the fastest lap in maiden tests at Indianapolis.

Ahead of opening practice for the May 24 Indy 500 starting today week, the new-for-2015 high speed oval bodykits from Honda and Chevrolet were put through their paces at the 4km oval.

Montoya, who won the Indy 500 in 2000 before embarking respective F1 and NASCAR careers, topped the speeds at 226.772mph (364.873km/h).

The speeds have risen markedly with the lower downforce kits with 21 of the 27 drivers eclipsing opening day practice of 223.057mph (358.975km/h) set by Will Power last year.

Second fastest in the tests was Helio Castroneves ahead of Marco Andretti, the fastest Honda-powered driver.

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Chip Ganassi flyer Scott Dixon was fourth and Simon Pagenaud was fifth and the third Penske driver in the top five.

Will Power was 14th fastest after turning a total of 93 laps for the day.

Honda and Chevrolet-powered teams can assess multiple options with their new bodykits during practice and qualifying ahead of the Indy 500.

The big build-up to the 200-lap race at The Brickyard will come immediately after the next round of the series at the Indianapolis road course this weekend.

See below for full test times and speeds

1	Juan Pablo Montoya	Penske/Chevy	39.6874s	226.772mph
2	Helio Castroneves	Penske/Chevy	39.7407	226.468
3	Marco Andretti	Andretti/Honda	39.7759	226.268
4	Scott Dixon	Ganassi/Chevy	39.8440	225.881
5	Simon Pageanud	Penske/Chevy	39.8864	225.641
6	Takuma Sato	Foyt/Honda	39.8987	225.571
7	Simona de Silvestr	Andretti/Honda	39.9438	225.317
8	Ed Carpenter	CFH/Chevy	39.9544	225.257
9	Ryan Hunter-Reay	Andretti/Honda	39.9631	225.208
10	Sage Karam	Ganassi/Chevy	40.0122	224.931
11	Carlos Munoz	Andretti/Honda	40.0237	224.867
12	Tony Kanaan	Ganassi/Chevy	40.0305	224.829
13	Gabby Chaves	Herta/Honda	40.0502	224.718
14	Will Power	Penske/Chevy	40.0605	224.660
15	Justin Wilson	Andretti/Honda	40.1276	224.285
16	Pippa Mann	Coyne/Honda	40.1991	223.886
17	Josef Newgarden	CFH/Chevy	40.2083	223.834
18	Oriol Servia	Rahal/Honda	40.2355	223.683
19	James Hinchcliffe	Schmidt/Honda	40.2544	223.578
20	Conor Daly	Schmidt/Honda	40.3066	223.288
21	James Jakes	Schmidt/Honda	40.3242	223.191
22	Charlie Kimball	Ganassi/Chevy	40.4154	222.687
23	Sebastien Bourdais	KV/Chevy	40.4257	222.631
24	Jack Hawksworth	Foyt/Honda	40.4305	222.604
25	Graham Rahal	Rahal/Honda	40.5929	221.714
26	Davey Hamilton	DRR/Chevy	40.9166	219.960
27	Bryan Clauson	Byrd’s/Chevy	41.1927	218.485