It was the first-ever IndyCar Series Open Test session under the lights and the first on an oval using the 3.5-liter Honda Indy V-8 engines fed by 100 percent fuel-grade ethanol. Otherwise, it was fairly routine day/night doubleheader. source: indycar.com / Dave Lewandowski Teams prepared healthy checklists to work through in an attempt get a baseline setup in preparation for the March 24 season opener - also a prime-time race at Homestead-Miami Speedway - while drivers initially sought consistency on the tricky 1.5-mile circuit that will host the initial night opener in series history. On Feb. 22, they'll likely shed downforce to chase additional speed and continue to get acclimated with evening racetrack conditions. Round 2 is scheduled for 4-6:15 and 7-10 p.m. (EDT) - the final opportunity to turn laps in an IndyCar Series machine before the XM Satellite Indy 300. Dan Wheldon, who tied for the 2006 championship but lost it to Sam Hornish Jr. based on victories (four to two; first tiebreaker), topped the speed chart at 214.858 mph (24.8816 seconds). But the '05 series title holder brought a stop to the action with about an hour left when the No. 10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone "slapped" the Turn 2 wall. "I just got a little loose," said Wheldon, whose contact with a SAFER Barrier was his first since Kansas Speedway in 2003. "It's unfortunate because the car was really quick. Both Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars were fast. We'll just have to put another one together and go back out there tomorrow." Nineteen drivers combined for 1,823 laps, with Hornish topping the list with 148. Marco Andretti, behind the wheel of the No. 26 NYSE car for Andretti Green Racing, was second-quick at 213.823 mph (25.0020 seconds). Scott Dixon, driving the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing entry, was third (213.693), while Team Penske's Helio Castroneves was fourth (213.543) and Andretti Green Racing's Dario Franchitti fifth (213.504).
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