J.J. O'Malley
RacingOne Contributor
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Posted Friday, April 4, 2008 |
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1st Practice Speeds
One week ago, the nine entries from the former Champ Car World Series showed they faced a steep learning curve at the unified IndyCar Series opening race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
What a difference a week made, especially for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing's Justin Wilson. After qualifying and finishing 15th - seven laps down - on the Homestead oval, Wilson went out Friday in the No. 06 McDonald's Honda Dallara and led opening practice for Sunday's Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Wilson ran a lap of 1:03.5210, 102.014 mph, to lead 26 competitors on the 14-turn, 2.413-mile temporary circuit.
Panther Racing's Vitor Meira, who finished a quiet 10th at Homestead, was second at 101.633 mph.
Tony Kanaan was forced to sit out the opening 30 minutes of the session, serving a penalty served by Indy Racing League officials for not pulling to the apron on the final restart of the Gainsco Auto Insurance Miami Indy 300. Kanaan seemed headed to victory when he brushed the spinning car of Ernesto Viso with seven laps remaining. With his right-front wheel askew, The Andretti Green Racing Team 7-Eleven driver remained in the lead behind the pace car, and held the position when the green flag waved with four laps remaining. He finished eighth in the race won by Scott Dixon.
Helio Castroneves was fourth for Team Penske, 101.344 mph, following by Newman/Haas/Lanigan's Graham Rahal, 101.062 mph, and Dixon, 100.981 mph.
Miami runner-up Marco Andretti was seventh, 100.981, followed by Darren Manning, Buddy Rice and Bruno Junqueira.
In the afternoon session, Castroneves ran the fastest lap of the day, 1:03.3068, 102.359 mph. He was followed by Andretti Green's Kanaan, 102.260 mph, and rookie Hideki Mutoh, 102.129.
Next were a pair of former Champ Car drivers, WIll Power, 101.890 mph, and Franch Petera, 101.831 mph.
It was the first official appearance of the season for Rahal, who hit the wall in testing at Homestead and sat out the opening weekend because his car was not ready. It will also be the first race of the year for Townsend Bell, who is sharing time in the No. 23 Citgo/Dreyer & Reinbold Racing entry with Milka Duno.
The teams will also practice Friday afternoon from 3:25 - 4:25 p.m., and Saturday morning from 8:05 - 9:05 a.m.
Qualifying begins at 10:55 with a new elimination format which first narrows the field to 12 cars for a 15-minute session, and then to six cars for the Firestone Fast Six 10-minute sessions. Unlike the past, when teams went from single-car qualifying to the Firestone Fast Six, times do not carry over from session to session.
The Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is set to take the green flag Sunday at 2:30 p.m. The race will be televised line on ESPN.
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