Before suiting up, buckling up and amping up,  first-year Indianapolis 500 competitor AJ Allmendinger was encouraged by Penske Racing president Tim Cindric to get a close-up view of Helio Castroneves shaking down the No. 2 IZOD Team Penske car.

“He did the worst thing to me and he knew it,” Allmendinger said. “He made me stand right next to the wall and watch Helio (Castroneves) come by the first time and I was like, ‘Oh, man.’ My heart started beating really fast. I had to go back and start eating again. I was like, ‘Oh, man, that’s fast down the straightaway.’ ”

Nonetheless, Allmendinger went out May 11 and made quick work of the formal Rookie Orientation Program on the 2.5-mile oval. Completion of the three-phase session cleared the 31-year-old California native to practice during the week and participate in qualifications May 18.

“I went down the back straightaway the first lap thinking to myself this is pretty sweet,” Allmendinger said. “I’m driving a Penske car on the backstretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was an awesome feeling. From there, it was good.”

Allmendinger added 25 laps following the ROP session, which also included Tristan Vautier in a Schmidt Peterson Motorsports car and Carlos Munoz in an Andretti Autosport car. He was eighth quick on the speed chart with a top lap of 218.967 mph (40.1020 seconds). He recorded 37 laps in blustery conditions May 12, with a best lap speed of 221.279 mph.

“(I was) just getting comfortable, just trying to drive the racetrack without being too tense and anything like that,” he said. “Overall, I felt pretty good. The car is really balanced.

“I have to thank Helio just a ton because his going out there and shaking the car down and just talking to me just made me a lot more calm than I would have been without him. A guy with his experience, his background, three victories, I trust what he says. It helped me out so much just to start off with. It’s awesome to have such great teammates here between him and Will (Power).”

Allmendinger, who has competed at Barber Motorsports Park and Long Beach, also will drive in the inaugural IZOD IndyCar Series doubleheader at Detroit on June 1-2.

“I told (team owner Roger Penske) anytime he wants me to drive I’m driving, so he keeps offering me races,” Allmendinger said. “I just say, ‘Yes sir, I’ll be at the next race, thank you.’ I’m looking forward to Detroit.”