Despite the IMS rain out Tuesday, Sage Karam enjoyed time with Kinser, 6th graders, race fans and even football in the garage area

SPEEDWAY, Ind. (May 17, 2016– Like all of the drivers Tuesday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sage Karam was disappointed to have to sit on the sidelines as constant rain showers halted the second day of practice runs for the 100th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race set for May 29.

But the 21-year-old driver of the No. 24 Gas Monkey Energy Chevrolet for Dreyer & Reinbold – Kingdom Racing kept busy around the grounds of the famed 2.5-mile oval including posing for publicity photos with his new driving suit, meeting with 6th graders about aerodynamics and science in racing, talking with race fans in the IMS souvenir shop and even throwing around a football in the garage area.

One of Sage’s best times of Tuesday was meeting the “King of the Outlaws,” Steve Kinser, who dropped by the Dreyer & Reinbold – Kingdom Racing garage. Karam, the youngest driver in this year’s Indy 500, was thrilled to talk with Kinser on a rain day.  Had Sage been on the track, it would have been difficult for the youngster to chat with the greatest sprint car driver in history.

Sage Karam got the opportunity to meet Steve "King" Kinser during a rain-out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Photo Courtesy of Dreyer and Reinbold)
Sage Karam got the opportunity to meet Steve “King” Kinser during a rain-out at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Photo Courtesy of Dreyer and Reinbold)

“Obviously, the weather didn’t coordinate the way we wanted it to for us,” said Karam, who will qualify for third Indy 500 this weekend. “In May in Indy, we can expect a few rain days and you can have some fun at the track. So it doesn’t throw our plan off too far. We expected these days and we’ll keep moving through our strategy list on Wednesday. I was a little bummed because I always want to drive. On rain days, I get to do cool things too.

“I went to the IMS souvenir store and bought a football and threw it around my dad (Jody). Then Steve Kinser came by and got to talk to him. I had never met him before and it was awesome since he is a legend in the sprint car world. You don’t get to do that on normal days because you are so busy in and out of the race car. I got to get out of the garage and have some fun.”

Karam and his Dreyer & Reinbold – Kingdom team will continue its practice runs Wednesday with a 12 to 6 p.m.session scheduled. Practice days will fill out the rest of the week before qualifications are set for Saturday, May 21, and Sunday, May 22. The prestigious 100th 500-mile classic will start at 12:15 p.m. EDT on Sunday, May 29.