Pranks, practical jokes turn Indy paddock into silly season

By MARK LONG
AP Sports Writer

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alexander Rossi is remaining tight-lipped about a rash of pranks that have turned May into silly season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rossi says “there’s been a lot of rain. Not a whole lot to do, unfortunately.” Drivers preparing for the Indy 500 have stayed busy by one-upping each other with antics and practical jokes. It escalated when someone filled Conor Daly’s portable hot tub with superabsorbent polymers that grow to 100 times their original size when submerged in water. The coup de grâce went to whoever moved Romain Grosjean’s scooter atop IMS’ iconic pagoda. Grosjean handled it well. He says “a good prank is the one that makes you laugh and doesn’t leave any marks.”