, ▁veter an ▁driver ▁practice ▁session . ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁long - standing ▁trad itions ▁of ▁Open ing ▁Day ▁is ▁the ▁cer emon ial ▁hand ing ▁over ▁of ▁the ▁keys ▁to ▁the ▁pace ▁car ▁from ▁the ▁manufact urer ▁to ▁the ▁track ▁officials . ▁Ro ok ie ▁Ori entation ▁Program : ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 ▁all ▁ro ok ies ▁were ▁required ▁to ▁take ▁a ▁ro ok ie ▁test ▁prior ▁to ▁being ▁allowed ▁to ▁comp ete . ▁The ▁test ▁tradition ally ▁consists ▁of ▁multiple ▁phases , ▁each ▁increasing ▁in ▁speed , ▁under ▁the ▁close ▁observation ▁of ▁officials , ▁driver ▁coach es , ▁and ▁both ▁current ▁and ▁former ▁Ind y Car ▁Series ▁drivers . ▁Ro ok ie ▁drivers ▁are ▁required ▁to ▁exhib it ▁ade qu ate ▁car ▁control ▁and ▁proper ▁driving ▁lines , ▁among ▁other ▁requirements . ▁After ▁several ▁dec ades ▁of ▁conduct ing ▁the ▁tests ▁during ▁normal ▁session ▁of ▁practice ▁( us ually ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁month ), ▁officials ▁decided ▁to ▁organ ize ▁the ▁sessions . ▁Since ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁Ro ok ie ▁Ori entation ▁Program ▁( ROP ) ▁has ▁been ▁held ▁in ▁April ▁or ▁early ▁May . ▁The ▁program ▁allows ▁new com ers ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁take ▁their ▁first ▁la ps ▁at ▁the ▁Speed way ▁and ▁acc lim ate ▁themselves ▁to ▁the ▁circuit ▁in ▁a ▁relax ed ▁environment . ▁It ▁would ▁be ▁held ▁without ▁the ▁pressure ▁of ▁veter an ▁drivers ▁crow ding ▁the ▁track , ▁without ▁the ▁dist raction ▁of ▁spect ators , ▁and ▁with ▁minimal ▁media