To compete in Sunday’s 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Fernando Alonso needed to pass the Rookie Orientation Program.

The ROP is a structured procedure for all drivers without recent experience racing on the two-and-a-half-mile oval in current IndyCar-specification equipment, during which they must demonstrate that they are able to run safely and consistently at speeds over 200 mph.

ROP is a three-step process. The driver must run a consistent line within a defined speed range for a set number of laps. The first stage requires ten laps between 200 and 205 mph; the second requires another ten laps between 205 and 209 mph. The third stage of ROP consists of 15 laps at speeds over 210 mph.

Alonso needed only about an hour of track time to pass. It may be one of the fastest ROPs on record.

… Oh, did we not mention he’s a two-time Formula One series champion?

As the first Formula One driver in history to skip a Grand Prix (Monaco) in order to compete at Indianapolis, Alonso went on to become the fastest rookie in this year’s field, securing a starting position of P5 with a four-lap average speed of 231.300 mph.

Alonso’s speed on the track, as well as his quickness in adapting to the unique format at Indianapolis prompted the question: how quickly do the drivers do other things? That’s right: it’s time for Twentyish Questions with Your IndyCar Drivers.

MIKHAIL ALESHIN // Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? Straightline speed – IndyCar; Fastest overall – Formula 1

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? Qualifying at IMS

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? With Schmidt Peterson Motorsports

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? When you’ve had a bad day

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? When I’m asked silly questions

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Bugatti Veyron

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? 350 kmh

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Ayrton Senna

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? One of my friends

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 20 seconds

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 10 seconds (depends on why)

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? An overtake move in 2010 when I became a World Champion

•Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? Five minutes after I sat down

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Ramen noodles

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? Ten minutes – shower included

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? When I’m hungry, ordering my meal at a restaurant

HELIO CASTRONEVES // Team Penske

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? An Indycar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 239 mph or so

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? Within minutes

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Ferrari FXX

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Toast

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 30 minutes

GABBY CHAVES // Harding Racing

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? Indycar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 231+ mph average at IMS

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? Not sure

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? Probably around 30 minutes

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? Right away

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Z06 Corvette

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? 100 or so

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Ricky Bobby

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? Dad, who is airline pilot

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 30 seconds or so

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 30 seconds or so

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned

out great? Last lap pass for the win

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? As soon as I boarded

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Cereal

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 10 minutes

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Race drones

TONY KANAAN // Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? Formula 1 Honda

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? At Indy 500

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? Bathroom before the Indy 500

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? On the private plane 10 minutes after checkered

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? One question

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? La Ferrari

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? 160 mph

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Scott Dixon

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? Don’t know one

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 15 seconds

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? Making a pass for the lead on a restart at the 2013 Indy 500

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? One minute

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Salad

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 4 minutes (including showering and brushing teeth)

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Ride my bike

Tony Kanaan is the eldest driver in the field, but don’t expect the 42 year old to pull over anytime soon. The popular Brazilian driver and 2013 Indy 500 champ is in his 20th season with IndyCar and remains a competitive force on the track.

Kanaan is in his third year driving for Chip Ganassi racing, who made the switch from Chevy engines to Honda during the offseason. The change proved to be the right move as Honda has dominated the speed charts in practice — 12 of the 14 fastest cars in the field are Honda powered cars.

But aside from a fast car, you need a talented driver, and Kanaan hasn’t shown any signs of deterioration. He secured five Top 5 finishes a season ago in addition to starting seventh on Sunday.

“You’ve got to work double because the young kids, they don’t have to make much effort anymore,” Kanaan said. “You take longer to recover. Obviously I always took care of myself, so I didn’t feel that transition. In my head, if I’m still competitive, it doesn’t matter how old I am. The day I’m not competitive, I won’t be driving for (Chip Ganassi). So he will give me the wake-up call.”

Kanaan is as talkative and outgoing a personality as you’ll find in pit lane. He’s as old as he feels and doesn’t like being reminded of his veteran status — he rolled his eyes and sighed when asked about aging.

But those young kids he mentioned are indeed coming to take his place someday. Ganassi is among the premiere IndyCar teams and a go-to destination for any up-and-coming driver looking to prove his worth in racing. Good thing for Kanaan, he’ still proving his worth, too.

— Jon R. LaFollette

MAX CHILTON // Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? An IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? IMS

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? F1

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? 10 minutes

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? I just walked out

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Bugatti Veyron

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? The Concorde

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Scott Dixon

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? Kelby Krauss (Ganassi PR rep)

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 2 minutes

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? 5 minutes

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Cereal

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 3 minutes

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Commute back to London

JOSEF NEWGARDEN // Team Penske

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 231 mph average

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? 3 seconds for a splash of fuel

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? Indianapolis

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? Probably Long Beach because it’s faster to get out of there after you have pitted

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Chevrolet Corvette Z06

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? My teammates at Team Penske

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? Two minutes

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Eggos

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? Give me two minutes to brush my teeth and then I’m ready

Josef Newgarden doesn’t want to be your savior. He wants only to win. Carrying your burden would just slow him down.

But he may have to carry it anyway, a heavy load to pull at 230 miles per hour.

Newgarden, a 26-year-old native of Tennessee, is competing in his sixth Indianapolis 500 and first for Team Penske, the Golden State Warriors of the IndyCar Series. The team’s five drivers account for five 500 wins and a pair of series championships. Newgarden is the youngest of the bunch and shoulders the greatest expectations. Not for his talents, but because he’s an American.

And not just any American, but one that drives for Penske. Not since Sam Hornish Jr. (2007) has a domestic driver competed for Penske on a full-time basis.

Since then, only one American has won the series crown while just two have won the 500. IndyCar’s diversity should rightly be celebrated. When the green flag falls Sunday, 12 countries will be represented in a display of cosmopolitan competition.

Yet multiculturalism doesn’t always pay the bills, especially in a sport still paying the price for a series split that occurred 21 years ago. The return of a dominant American driver is the easiest way to erase the sins of the past.

But Newgarden, who starts 22nd on Sunday, doesn’t care about the past or renewed American glory. Like all drivers, he cares only about what’s ahead on the track. Anything else is superfluous.

“Certainly being an American, I take pride in that,” Newgarden said. “But I try not to bring it to something that it’s not. If you really want to look at it… We want to have the best from around the world here. That’s what I take pride in in running the IndyCar Series. It is the most diverse series on the planet, with, I think, the most diverse drivers and the best drivers in the world. So just being an American and flying the American flag for the team, it is special. But I think being a part of Team Penske is even more special.”

Newgarden isn’t the only homegrown 500 hopeful. Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi are former champions — although they aren’t dominant figures elsewhere in the series. Marco Andretti has a name and Graham Rahal has popularity, but they’ve combined for just three victories in two years.

And then there’s Newgarden, who’s already notched one victory this season (Alabama) and has collected four Top 5 finishes in five attempts. He’s third in series points (highest among American drivers) and is competing for a team with deepest pockets in the paddock.

Newgarden may not want to race for American restoration, but he’s the best man for the job.

-- Jon R. LaFollette

ED JONES // Dale Coyne Racing

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 222.4 MPH (as of May 17!)

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? Last pit stop at Long Beach

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? I never leave early!

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? 5 seconds

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Lamborghini Aventador

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? 160 MPH

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Max Verstappen

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? My dad

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 30 seconds

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? To go racing in Indy Lights.

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? Within a minute

• Fastest meal you can prepare? I don’t prepare meals

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? Depends how early my flight is

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Scroll through Instagram

CHARLIE KIMBALL // Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 230 mph at IMS

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? Never done one–the pit crew do them

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? 30 minutes

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? 30 seconds: “I’m just here so I don’t get fined”

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? McLaren F1

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? 575 mph in an airplane

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Scott Dixon

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? My grandmother

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 3 minutes

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 5 minutes

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? 10 seconds

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Order a sandwich

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 12 minutes

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Shower and shave

GRAHAM RAHAL // Rahal Letterman Racing

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? An IndyCar, for sure

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? I don’t know if I’ve cracked the 230 mph average at Indy yet but I would have been darn close to 230 a few times.

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? No idea

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? Indianapolis

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? I’ve left before the race ended, if it ended early for us so pretty quick.

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? Never. I don’t get out of media interviews.

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? The Porsche 918 has got to be the quickest. I’ve driven a lot of cool stuff but the Porsche 981 Spyder is probably the fastest.

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? Probably with my dad somewhere but I don’t really trust many people to drive me frankly, so I can’t say that I’ve been that fast at all.

• Fastest race car driver --— other than yourself — you know? My wife, Courtney Force Rahal

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? My assistant engineer Adam, as indicated by his numerous car incidents and motorcycle crashes.

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? Oh, I’ve gotten in it within one minute, suited and booted.

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? Pretty quick, I don’t know the exact time, but if I want to get out of it pretty quick, I can. Although when it’s nice and sticky, it’s a little hard to get that (fireproof) undershirt off.

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? Probably at Indy in Turn 1 turning left to avoid John Andretti when he crashed in 2009. I didn’t T-bone him, so that was probably a good one.

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? I’ve fallen asleep the second I sat down before. Sometimes you are so drained, you just pass out.

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Steak ‘n Shake!

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? I can probably wake up and get out the door within seven to 10 minutes.

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Probably eat. My wife says I eat really fast.

Graham Rahal always has to do things the hard way, it seems.

It’s not enough that he’s the only full-time driver without a full-time teammate, but almost every race this season has brought with it a basket of headaches and trouble. He began the season in dismal fashion with a 17th place finish at St. Petersburg and was involved in a first-lap crash at Phoenix, placing 21st. Although he finished sixth earlier this month in the IndyCar Grand Prix, he started 20th after a poor qualifying attempt and drove so hard to the front that his hands blistered.

The week leading up to the 500 has been irksome, too. After failing to find enough speed, Rahal will start his 10th Indy 500 in 14th position. Sunday will make for a long race, and the 28-year-old native of Ohio has shown the ability to race up front, placing third in 2011 and fifth in 2015. If any race can help turn his bumpy season around, it’s Indy.

“As everybody knows, the results haven’t necessarily come easy for us,” Rahal said. “A little bit of underperforming and a little bit of bad luck kind of mixed in for us. I wish we could start up front because I think we could win a lot of races, obviously this being one. I fully expect to be right up there. The guys did a great job building our car. It’s tiring days and it’s been brutal on us. Qualifying here isn’t the most important thing. It’s all about the race.”

— Jon R. LaFollette

PIPPA MANN // Dale Coyne Racing

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? 229.9 MPH

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? Couple of hours

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? Minutes

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Porsche GT3 RS at work

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? Used to do ride-along coaching, so too fast!

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Sebastien Bourdais

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? My mom or sister

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? Minutes

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? Becoming a race car driver.

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? I don’t sleep well on planes.

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Nicole-Taylor’s Fresh Pasta and Sauce

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 15 minutes

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Hot laps for guests as an instructor.

SCOTT DIXON // Chip Ganassi Racing Teams

• Fastest race car you’ve driven? IndyCar

• Fastest lap you’ve ever done? At IMS

• Fastest pit stop you’ve done? At IMS

• Fastest track you’ve driven on? At IMS

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of the track after a race? 15 minutes at Iowa

• Fastest you’ve ever gotten out of a media interview? Didn’t show up

• Fastest road car you’ve ever driven? Ford GT

• Fastest you’ve ever gone in a vehicle you’re not driving? Autobahn in Germany in early 2000s at 190mph

• Fastest race car driver — other than yourself — you know? Tony Kanaan

• Fastest person you know who’s not a racer or race car driver? My wife

• Fastest you can get into your driver’s suit? 10 seconds

• Fastest you can get out of your driver’s suit? 9 seconds

• Fastest decision you’ve ever made that turned out great? Getting married

• Fastest you’ve ever fallen asleep on an airplane? Before it takes off

• Fastest meal you can prepare? Toast

• Fastest you can get ready in the morning? 5 minutes

• Fastest thing — other than drive a race car — that you do? Text