ED CARPENTER/No.20 Fuzzy Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing pipped HELIO CASTRONEVES/No.3 Auto Club Team Penske Racing Chevrolet at the last moment of the 45-minute IZOD IndyCar ‘night’ practice Friday at dusk. His time was 215.768 mph, compared to Castroneves’ lap of 215.108 mph. The ambient temperature was only 100 degrees F for this session, which could explain a few more fans coming out to watch, “the fastest drivers in the world.”
Third through fifth were SCOTT DIXON/No.9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda, TONY KANAAN/No.11 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet, and Rookie JOSEF NEWGARDEN/No.67 Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing Honda.
Pole sitter MARCO ANDRETTI/No.26 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet was thirteenth, contender RYAN HUNTER-REAY/No.28 Andretti Autosport Chevrolet twenty-first, and points leader WILL POWER/No.12 Team Penske Chevrolet twenty-third.
RYAN BRISCOE/No.2 Team Penske Chevrolet had the fastest overall time of 217.517 mph, set in the morning practice.
MIKE CONWAY/No.14 AJ Foyt Racing Honda had a moment, which resulted in spinning out and into the wall. He coasted to the infield, the car was towed, and he was cleared to drive by DR. MICHAEL OLINGER, IndyCar Medical Director. The car sustained front end damage.
All 26 drivers were on course, including E.J. VISO/No.5 KV Racing Technology Chevrolet, JUSTIN WILSON/No.18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda, and SIMONA de SILVESTRO/No.78 Lotus-HVM Racing Lotus. Viso had earlier expressed concerns about racing on the high-speed oval; Wilson’s crew beavered away to repair crash damage from the morning practice; and the Swiss Miss is now on her tenth engine. Both Wilson and de Silvestro missed qualifying.