Walker takes brief break from Carpenter's team to begin work as head of IndyCar competition

INDIANAPOLIS – Derrick Walker is a busy man this week.

Walker is the general manager of Ed Carpenter Racing. But after Sunday's Indianapolis 500, he will become the new head of IndyCar competition — and on Thursday, he participated in an IndyCar competition meeting.

Walker insisted that none of the topics on the agenda would impact the race, where Carpenter is on the pole. If it had, Walker said he would have left the room.

Walker says Carpenter gave him the time off from the team on a day IndyCar drivers were not on the track.