KV Racing's Will Power was the undisputed leader of the day after having set the best time in both Friday's practices for the IndyCar Nikon Indy 300 that is taking place at Surfers Paradise in Australia.
After battling it out with Justin Wilson in the morning, the Australian had to content with the attacks from Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti and his own teammate, Oriol Servia in the afternoon.
Power has already taken two pole positions at Surfers Paradise when it was part of the former Champ Car schedule but, both times, bad luck on race day prevented the Aussie Vineyard's driver to make the best out of those poles.
While Helio Castroneves finished second, he was still more than 1.3 seconds behind the best time of the day. Dario Franchitti maintained his earlier third place as his very impressive return to the IndyCar Series continued.
Following his accident at the end of morning practice, Conquest Racing's Alex Tagliani had to sit out much of the second session and could only manage 13th, eight places down on his practice one position.
Morning practice:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Will Power KV 1:36.3391
2. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.5607 + 0.2216
3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1:36.9904 + 0.6513
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1:37.0052 + 0.6661
5. Alex Tagliani Conquest 1:37.0625 + 0.7234
6. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 1:37.0650 + 0.7259
7. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 1:37.3127 + 0.9736
8. Oriol Servia KV 1:37.4146 + 1.0755
9. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1:37.5896 + 1.2505
10. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:37.6370 + 1.2979
11. Helio Castroneves Penske 1:37.6514 + 1.3123
12. EJ Viso HVM 1:38.3860 + 2.0469
13. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 1:39.1186 + 2.7795
14. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 1:39.1631 + 2.8240
15. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 1:39.4673 + 3.1282
16. Vitor Meira Foyt 1:39.7604 + 3.4213
17. AJ Foyt IV Vision 1:40.1178 + 3.7787
18. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 1:41.1604 + 4.8213
19. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 1:41.1624 + 4.8233
20. Dan Wheldon Panther 1:42.0197 + 5.6806
21. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 1:42.5072 + 6.1681
22. Townsend Bell Dreyer & Reinbold 1:42.6594 + 6.3203
23. Jaime Camara Conquest 1:42.8451 + 6.5060
24. Ed Carpenter Vision 1:43.0083 + 6.6692
Afternoon practice:
1. Will Power KV 1:34.8084
2. Helio Castroneves Penske 1:36.1609 + 1.3525
3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1:36.1712 + 1.3628
4. Oriol Servia KV 1:36.4394 + 1.6310
5. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.4963 + 1.6879
6. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.5127 + 1.7043
7. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1:36.5812 + 1.7728
8. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 1:36.8863 + 2.0779
9. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1:37.5183 + 2.7099
10. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 1:37.5488 + 2.7404
11. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 1:37.7709 + 2.9625
12. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 1:38.6572 + 3.8488
13. Alex Tagliani Conquest 1:38.8099 + 4.0015
14. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 1:38.8353 + 4.0269
15. EJ Viso HVM 1:38.8784 + 4.0700
16. AJ Foyt IV Vision 1:39.0920 + 4.2836
17. Vitor Meira Foyt 1:39.1538 + 4.3454
18. Dan Wheldon Panther 1:39.8513 + 5.0429
19. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 1:39.8582 + 5.0498
20. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 1:40.0527 + 5.2443
21. Jaime Camara Conquest 1:40.4821 + 5.6737
22. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 1:40.7196 + 5.9112
23. Ed Carpenter Vision 1:41.4711 + 6.6667
24. Townsend Bell Dreyer & Reinbold 1:41.5490 + 6.7406
photo:IRL - Shawn Payne
After battling it out with Justin Wilson in the morning, the Australian had to content with the attacks from Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti and his own teammate, Oriol Servia in the afternoon.
Power has already taken two pole positions at Surfers Paradise when it was part of the former Champ Car schedule but, both times, bad luck on race day prevented the Aussie Vineyard's driver to make the best out of those poles.
While Helio Castroneves finished second, he was still more than 1.3 seconds behind the best time of the day. Dario Franchitti maintained his earlier third place as his very impressive return to the IndyCar Series continued.
Following his accident at the end of morning practice, Conquest Racing's Alex Tagliani had to sit out much of the second session and could only manage 13th, eight places down on his practice one position.
Morning practice:
Pos Driver Team Time
1. Will Power KV 1:36.3391
2. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.5607 + 0.2216
3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1:36.9904 + 0.6513
4. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1:37.0052 + 0.6661
5. Alex Tagliani Conquest 1:37.0625 + 0.7234
6. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 1:37.0650 + 0.7259
7. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 1:37.3127 + 0.9736
8. Oriol Servia KV 1:37.4146 + 1.0755
9. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1:37.5896 + 1.2505
10. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:37.6370 + 1.2979
11. Helio Castroneves Penske 1:37.6514 + 1.3123
12. EJ Viso HVM 1:38.3860 + 2.0469
13. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 1:39.1186 + 2.7795
14. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 1:39.1631 + 2.8240
15. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 1:39.4673 + 3.1282
16. Vitor Meira Foyt 1:39.7604 + 3.4213
17. AJ Foyt IV Vision 1:40.1178 + 3.7787
18. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 1:41.1604 + 4.8213
19. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 1:41.1624 + 4.8233
20. Dan Wheldon Panther 1:42.0197 + 5.6806
21. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 1:42.5072 + 6.1681
22. Townsend Bell Dreyer & Reinbold 1:42.6594 + 6.3203
23. Jaime Camara Conquest 1:42.8451 + 6.5060
24. Ed Carpenter Vision 1:43.0083 + 6.6692
Afternoon practice:
1. Will Power KV 1:34.8084
2. Helio Castroneves Penske 1:36.1609 + 1.3525
3. Dario Franchitti Ganassi 1:36.1712 + 1.3628
4. Oriol Servia KV 1:36.4394 + 1.6310
5. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.4963 + 1.6879
6. Justin Wilson Newman/Haas/Lanigan 1:36.5127 + 1.7043
7. Scott Dixon Ganassi 1:36.5812 + 1.7728
8. Ryan Hunter-Reay Rahal Letterman 1:36.8863 + 2.0779
9. Ryan Briscoe Penske 1:37.5183 + 2.7099
10. Tony Kanaan Andretti Green 1:37.5488 + 2.7404
11. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne 1:37.7709 + 2.9625
12. Mario Moraes Dale Coyne 1:38.6572 + 3.8488
13. Alex Tagliani Conquest 1:38.8099 + 4.0015
14. Hideki Mutoh Andretti Green 1:38.8353 + 4.0269
15. EJ Viso HVM 1:38.8784 + 4.0700
16. AJ Foyt IV Vision 1:39.0920 + 4.2836
17. Vitor Meira Foyt 1:39.1538 + 4.3454
18. Dan Wheldon Panther 1:39.8513 + 5.0429
19. Marco Andretti Andretti Green 1:39.8582 + 5.0498
20. Danica Patrick Andretti Green 1:40.0527 + 5.2443
21. Jaime Camara Conquest 1:40.4821 + 5.6737
22. Buddy Rice Dreyer & Reinbold 1:40.7196 + 5.9112
23. Ed Carpenter Vision 1:41.4711 + 6.6667
24. Townsend Bell Dreyer & Reinbold 1:41.5490 + 6.7406
photo:IRL - Shawn Payne