Target Ganassi's driver and series leader Scoot Dixon finished the first practice on top at Chicagoland as he beat his teammate Ryan Briscoe in the final stages of the session.
While Briscoe ended up in second place, title rival Helio Castroneves, as usual, was not far off the pace in his Penske Dallara-Honda.
Andretti Green's Marco Andretti was fourth just in front of Vitor Meira who learned this week that he will loose his ride at Panther Racing to Dan Wheldon.
The series has attracted one of its biggest fields of the season for the championship finale, with 28 cars participating in practice thanks to the participation of the Sarah Fisher Racing car, Tomas Scheckter for Luczo Dragon Racing and Frank Perera aboard a second AJ Foyt Racing car.
Practice Results:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Scott Dixon Ganassi 25.0833
2. Ryan Briscoe Penske 25.2498 + 0.1665
3. Helio Castroneves Penske 25.2552 + 0.1719
4. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 25.2586 + 0.1753
5. Vitor Meira Panther 25.2597 + 0.1764
6. Dan Wheldon Ganassi 25.2688 + 0.1855
7. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 25.2790 + 0.1957
8. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 25.3252 + 0.2419
9. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 25.3266 + 0.2433
10. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 25.3352 + 0.2519
11. Tomas Scheckter Luczo Dragon 25.3553 + 0.2720
12. Will Power KV 25.3853 + 0.3020
13. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 25.3904 + 0.3071
14. Oriol Servia KV 25.4025 + 0.3192
15. Darren Manning Foyt 25.4151 + 0.3318
16. Ed Carpenter Vision 25.4245 + 0.3412
17. AJ Foyt IV Vision 25.4533 + 0.3700
18. Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher 25.4650 + 0.3817
19. Marty Roth Roth 25.4665 + 0.3832
20. Jaime Camara Conquest 25.4938 + 0.4105
21. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 25.5058 + 0.4225
22. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 25.5060 + 0.4227
23. EJ Viso HVM 25.5066 + 0.4233
24. Alex Tagliani Conquest 25.5180 + 0.4347
25. Franck Perera Foyt 25.5467 + 0.4634
26. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 25.5611 + 0.4778
27. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 25.5858 + 0.5025
28. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 25.6685 + 0.5852
While Briscoe ended up in second place, title rival Helio Castroneves, as usual, was not far off the pace in his Penske Dallara-Honda.
Andretti Green's Marco Andretti was fourth just in front of Vitor Meira who learned this week that he will loose his ride at Panther Racing to Dan Wheldon.
The series has attracted one of its biggest fields of the season for the championship finale, with 28 cars participating in practice thanks to the participation of the Sarah Fisher Racing car, Tomas Scheckter for Luczo Dragon Racing and Frank Perera aboard a second AJ Foyt Racing car.
Practice Results:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Scott Dixon Ganassi 25.0833
2. Ryan Briscoe Penske 25.2498 + 0.1665
3. Helio Castroneves Penske 25.2552 + 0.1719
4. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 25.2586 + 0.1753
5. Vitor Meira Panther 25.2597 + 0.1764
6. Dan Wheldon Ganassi 25.2688 + 0.1855
7. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 25.2790 + 0.1957
8. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 25.3252 + 0.2419
9. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 25.3266 + 0.2433
10. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 25.3352 + 0.2519
11. Tomas Scheckter Luczo Dragon 25.3553 + 0.2720
12. Will Power KV 25.3853 + 0.3020
13. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 25.3904 + 0.3071
14. Oriol Servia KV 25.4025 + 0.3192
15. Darren Manning Foyt 25.4151 + 0.3318
16. Ed Carpenter Vision 25.4245 + 0.3412
17. AJ Foyt IV Vision 25.4533 + 0.3700
18. Sarah Fisher Sarah Fisher 25.4650 + 0.3817
19. Marty Roth Roth 25.4665 + 0.3832
20. Jaime Camara Conquest 25.4938 + 0.4105
21. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 25.5058 + 0.4225
22. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 25.5060 + 0.4227
23. EJ Viso HVM 25.5066 + 0.4233
24. Alex Tagliani Conquest 25.5180 + 0.4347
25. Franck Perera Foyt 25.5467 + 0.4634
26. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 25.5611 + 0.4778
27. Milka Duno Dreyer & Reinbold 25.5858 + 0.5025
28. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 25.6685 + 0.5852