Marco Brasil Tops PRI Hoosier 500 Open Test at Indianapolis
Marco Aurelio Brasil paced a lively field Sunday evening at the virtual Indianapolis Motor Speedway, leading the PRI Hoosier 500 October open test with a lap of 39.194 seconds (229.627 mph) around the famed 2.5-mile oval. The single-day test served as the first organized on-track session ahead of the 2025 PRI Hoosier 500, scheduled for December 14.
Held from 6–8 p.m. ET, the test ran under mid-afternoon in-sim conditions, with the weather in the mid-70s throughout the two-hour window. By session’s end, 35 drivers took to the track to complete a combined 810 laps — totaling 2,025 miles of testing under the Open-Wheels Motorsports Sanctioning banner.
SEE: Full Open Test Session Results
Driving car No. 812, Brasil’s best lap came on his 24th circuit of the evening and edged Chad Simpson by just 0.041 seconds, a margin of less than half a car length at speed. Simpson’s 39.235-second effort (229.387 mph) in the No. 42 machine earned him second overall, while Mark Murphy (No. 69, 39.320 seconds, 228.891 mph) claimed third.
Ryan Schuld turned the fourth-quickest lap in the No. 4 entry, a special PRI-themed livery that ran as part of a ceremonial appearance during the test. Schuld will not compete in December’s main event but joined the field as a nod to the partnership between Performance Racing Industry and the Hoosier 500.
Sheridan Wade (No. 54) rounded out the top five with a best lap of 39.401 seconds (228.421 mph).
Most drivers put an emphasis on multi-lap runs during the two-hour session instead of single-lap speed. Noah Carmichael (No. 50) led all drivers with 65 laps completed, while Elyaldo Henrique (No. 75) logged 50 laps en route to ninth overall on the speed charts.
The first hour of the open test was broadcast live by P1 Broadcasting, with Gary Godsoe and Luis Gonzalez providing commentary and analysis. Coverage then transitioned at 7 p.m. to the official Hoosier 500 YouTube channel, where Tanner Watkins anchored the final hour of streaming for the first time since 2020.
Sunday’s open test sets the stage for the 2025 PRI Hoosier 500, with Acres Lawn Services Opening Day scheduled for December 1. The entry period is open now through November 3, with no fee for competitors to submit their bid to compete in the World’s Greatest Sim Race.
Race day is Sunday, December 14, where the fifth annual PRI Hoosier 500 will air live on the PRI Facebook and YouTube channels. Coverage begins with pre-race at 11:00 a.m. Eastern (U.S.) while the green flag will drop shortly after Noon.