SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS/No.88 TeamVodafone Holden was the first driver on track for the second Friday practice, which was devoted to the International or Guest drivers, and at the end of the session, he was again fastest. His fast time, turned on lap 21, was 1:12.9927, 0.3264 ahead of teammate, ANDY PRIAULX/No.888 Team Vodafone Holden.
Rounding out the top five – all Holdens – were RYAN BRISCOE/No.2 Toll Holden Racing Team, PATRICK LONG/No.61 Bundaberg Racing, and OLIVER GAVIN/No.11 Pepsi Max Crew.
Other leaders in the session included Gavin and Priaulx.
The top Ford was HELIO CASTRONEVES/No.47 Lucky 7, in tenth place.
The current practice record still holds from last year, set by LEE HOLDSWORTH in a Holden – 1:11.9101. His Fujitsu Racing GRM team certainly knows how not to be taken seriously, at least for this Friday at this race. They’re all decked out in definitely un-team like shirts – red and white flowers. Holdsworth is running No.33 Holden with SIMON PAGENAUD of France. The sister car has MICHAEL CARUSO in No.34 with AUGUSTO FARFUS, Jr.
The session had been delayed more than 40 minutes for track repair on the front straight – a concrete block was cracked.
The weather was warm, with patchy clouds. TeamVodafone checked the track surface just prior to the Guest practice, and it was 95 degrees F/35C.
The British drivers were sporting their Dan Wheldon visor strips, and nearly every car I saw had a special Armor All 600 Dan Wheldon decal on the left door. Some were on the driver’ door.
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The rest of the 28 International drivers, starting with sixth position.
RICHARD WESTBROOK
DARREN TURNER
AUGUSTO FARFUS
ALEX TAGLIANI
HELIO CASTRONEVES
ALAN SIMONSEN
MIKA SALO
GIANNI MORBIDELLI
RICHARD LYONS
GIL de FERRAN
JAN MAGNUSSEN
EMANUELE PIRRO
FABRIZO GIOVANARDI
JOEY HAND
MARC LIEB
JORG BERGMEISTER
SIMON PAGENAUD
DIRK MUELLER
CHRISTIAN KLIEN
STEPHANE SARRAZIN
MARINO FRANCHITTI
BORIS SAID
VITANTONIO LIUZZI