There are three phases to Stanton Barrett's transition from stock cars to the IndyCar Series.

I. The Open Test in February at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the No. 98 Team 3G car.

Follow Stanton Barrett's Rookie Orientation Program reports May 5 on IndyCar Nation Twitter.

"I know the stock cars very well, and I know exactly what you should not feel and what you should feel," Barrett said after the initial session on the 1.5-mile variably-banked oval. "(Driver coach) Al Unser Jr. was very helpful saying, 'It's just like another race car. It's going to give you the same feelings.' But you're just not sure how much you're going to be able to get away with. Being a rookie and learning you don't want to get yourself in trouble, so I just took it easy, took my time building up to it. Definitely the speed is a lot different. It's definitely cool."

II. The initial three races of the 17-event season (two street-circuit races and the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway).

"We're growing and building together," said Barrett, who has finished higher than his starting position in each of the three events punctuanted by a 12th place in the St. Pete season opener. "We have long-term goals and we're keeping that in perspective. I'm a flat-out rookie when it comes to open-wheel racing. I'm learning a lot, also being cautious about how we approach it so we can maintain a positive learning experience, growth and are achieving our goals to get through the year."

III. The Rookie Orientation Program for the Indianapolis 500 -- the first step to the Chase Rookie of the Year Award.

"Everybody says Indy's a whole different animal," said Barrett, who received on-track tutorials May 4 in passenger cars driven by Unser and Rick Mears. "I can see how that could be. I've watched it a long time. I've been on there in a stock car. I don't know if you sympathize with it or what you want to call it until you've sat in the car and gone around the track at speed and understand all the variables, the needs, everything you need to do and do properly.

"It's probably going to be a little bit overwhelming, but hopefully I can use the 20 years of racing experience to my advantage in some form to be able to pick that up more quickly. I know the team will be better off at Indy than we have at the last three races because they do have a lot of experience at Indy, and (co-owner) Greg (Beck) has been there several times with the new car. They can make a driver's job so much easier. I'm looking forward to hopefully their experience there will make my job easier and we can have an enjoyable Month of May."

Barrett will join Mike Conway, Robert Doornbos, Alex Tagliani, Nelson Philippe and Raphael Matos for ROP at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 5-6. Getting through the four speed phases under the watch of Unser, Mears and Johnny Rutherford - who have combined for nine Indianapolis 500 victories - is the first step to participating in all-car practice sessions and competing in the May 24 race.

"Our goal is to be in the Indy 500," Barrett said. "We can't gain experience with these cars, nor myself as a rookie, to get better in these cars unless I'm on the racetrack running every lap. We didn't do that at Kansas. We actually ended up getting pretty tight with the wind conditions and pushed up into the wall and kind of bent a rear suspension piece. All in all, we've almost completed all the laps of all the first three races, and we need to do that for the 500 and build on that for the rest of the season."

From gaining experience in a new formula (in cars weighing two-third less than a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car) to identifying and nurturing sponsorship, Barrett - along with partners Steve Sudler and Beck - has been building the team since its formation last summer.

"I know the business side of auto racing and marketing and I think that's one reason why I'm in a race car every year when there are a lot of qualified drivers who've had success aren't in race cars," he said. "It's an extremely tough business and I work really hard at it and am passionate about it. Fortunately, when I started 19 years ago I learned marketing and applied myself to the business aspects and that helped me to find sponsors and leverage business-to-business deals and show companies how they can use the sport.

"I've always wanted to race Indy cars even over stock cars, but it was a hard sell for several years after the split. With unification and the new markets that opened I thought it was a great place for sponsors to get a lot of value and a great platform for entertainment. I think it's a chance to get on the ground floor and grow with the series as it grows in new directions. NASCAR is really expensive, even at the Nationwide level. You get 35 races in a year, but that can be redundant. The schedule and markets of the IndyCar Series is a great value for companies.

Click it: Steve Sudler talks marketing | Barrett's bio, stats | VERSUS promos the month

"That's why I felt it was a good opportunity for me to get involved. Get established and grow with that team, build it into something so when I'm done driving - whenever that is - I still want to be involved in the sport. It's a great business and great to utilize for business outside of racing."

Competing in the IndyCar Series and its crown jewel event is the culmination of a boyhood dream.

"I got to go (to Indianapolis) a couple of times and watch the race before I started racing," Barrett said. "In the '80s and '90s, when I wasn't in racing yet and watching it from a fan standpoint, that was the race to watch. I remember you always wanted to know who won."

"The Indy 500 is at the top of any kid's list. Even a lot of the NASCAR guys would love to. When they found out I was going to run the Indy 500, they were like, 'Man, I want to go to the Indy 500 and watch you.' "I've always wanted to run the Indy 500.' I think it's a race no matter what kind of racing you're in all those guys would want to race that race."

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