RYAN BRISCOE/No.2 Team Penske Racing Chevrolet was the top IZOD IndyCar driver Friday at Auto Club Speedway. He was the only driver topping 217 mph – 00:33.1008/217.517 mph. Second through fifth fastest in the ninety-minute mid-morning session were ED CARPENTER/No.20 Fuzzy Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet; DARIO FRANCHITTI/No.10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda; current points leader WILL POWER/No.12 Team Penske Racing Chevrolet; and HELIO CASTRONEVES/No.3 Team Penske Racing Chevrolet.
Power’s closest competition for the IndyCar Championship, RYAN HUNTER-REAY/No.28 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet, was sixteenth fastest, at 211.274 mph.
KATHERINE LEGGE/No.TruCar Dragon Racing Chevrolet was the top Rookie, in eleventh position. She is sharing the ride with SEBASTIEN BOURDAIS, who runs the road and street course. Legge runs the ovals.
SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA/No.17 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet is the only driver to run Double Duty this weekend. He is running both series this weekend for Andretti Autosport – in a fourth IndyCarcar for AA as well and No.27 in the Firestone Indy Lights Series … and it will all be on one day. He’s hoping it will cool down as the night approaches.
Engine wise, Saavedra said he won’t be penalized on engines – he served his penalty at the Sonoma race, where he also was an additional driver for AA. The engines for street races and ovals have different specs.
There were two long cautions to check the track for debris, and one for JUSTIN WILSON/No.18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda’s crash in Turn Two. He had gone out on new tires. He was checked by DR. MICHAEL OLINGER, IndyCar’s Medical Director, and cleared to drive. Wilson was understandably disappointed and will miss Qualifying so the crew can repair the car.
Also missing Qualifying will be SIMONA de SILVESTRO/No.78 Lotus-HVM Racing. Her time of 195.804 mph was on the seventh of nine laps she was able to run. She blew an engine, and will start the race on Engine 10.
WADE CUNNINGHAM/No.14 AJ Foyt Racing Honda was twenty-third in the session, at 208.188 mph. He missed a lot of the morning session, while the crew worked on the car.