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Indy 500 Carb Day Notebook
Written by: Jeff Olson
SPEEDtv.com   http://www.speedtv.com
05/24/2007
Indianapolis, Ind.
 
Indy's 91st running offered lots to remember...and to ponder. (LAT photo) ยป More Photos

Aside from one surprise, the same names were atop the speed chart at the end of Friday's final practice before the Indianapolis 500 as the names that have been there throughout the month.

Tony Kanaan, one of the favorites to win Sunday's race, had the fastest lap of the hour-long session, clocking 39.9171 seconds – 225.467 mph – in the No. 11 Andretti Green Racing Dallara-Honda.

"When you're the fastest guy on the track, you can't say that your car isn't that good," said Kanaan, whose best lap was a surprisingly large 0.3sec better than the next-closest lap. "But I got a good draft. I was trying to run in traffic as much as I could."

That was the point of Friday's one-hour session – one last change to tweak the car to run in traffic under the conditions. The weather Friday was warm and humid, similar to what's expected Sunday – along with a 40 percent chance of rain.

While AGR led the list Friday, one car-driver combination posted a stunning number. Jaques Lazier, who will start 28th Sunday, had the fifth-best lap Friday – 223.468 mph in the No. 21 Playa Del Racing Panoz-Honda.

Dario Franchitti, who will start third next to Kanaan, had the second-best lap Friday – 223.807 mph in the No. 27 AGR Dallara-Honda. Michael Andretti was third-best in the No. 39 AGR Dallara-Honda, followed by pole winner Helio Castroneves.



Catch up on the latest in IndyCar racing each month in RACER. Jeff Olson gets inside the new and improved Andretti Green Racing team in our June issue, on sale now.


Largely symbolic, the Carb Day practice serves a practical purpose. It's one final rolling test before Sunday's race, allowing teams to verify that the cars are operating properly, set up precisely, and ready to race.

"You just need to do a systems check and make sure everything is OK from that standpoint," said Dan Wheldon, who will start sixth Sunday. "You can't really make substantial changes from this point on. It's just a matter of fine-tuning what you've got."

In other words, aside from making sure the
car still rolls in a straight line, Carb Day's happy-hour practice doesn't provide much else.

"It was a good day, but Carb Day doesn't mean anything," Kanaan said. "No one will remember it on race day."

Penske vs. Penske for pit-stop title
Helio Castroneves' crew topped Sam Hornish's for the championship of Friday's 31st annual Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge.

The No. 3 Team Penske group was clocked at 8.335 seconds in the final stop, while the No. 6 team was clocked at 8.888 seconds. The win was the third in a row for Roger Penske's team, but the first time the two Team Penske groups had faced off in the final of the annual competition.

Penske calls the races for Hornish, while Penske Racing president Tim Cindric is Hornish's race strategist.

"We like taking money from RP," Cindric joked afterward.

Castroneves' crew also recorded the fastest pit stop in the history of the event – 7.677 seconds – in the semifinal round.
Lloyd remains unassailable in the IPS ranks - especially at Indy. (LAT photo) ยป More Photos
Lloyd wins Freedom 100
Alex Lloyd is in control of the Indy Pro Series.

Lloyd posted his fourth consecutive victory this season by winning the Freedom 100 on Friday under caution at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Lloyd, driving the No. 7 Sam Schmidt Motorsports car, tied Thiago Medeiros for most victories in the IRL's training series.

Chris Festa, who started seventh in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing car, finished second. Jaime Camara, the 2005 race winner, advanced from 18th place to finish third in the No. 11 for Andretti Green Racing.

"It's the best feeling I've ever had," said Lloyd, who became the first driver to win on the road course (2006 Liberty Challenge) and oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "I've won some races before and I've won some important awards. I've won here before at the F1 race, but I've never experienced anything like that.

"I've dreamed about this since I came here for the first time last year. There are not that many chances you get to win at Indianapolis on the oval. To be the first driver (to win) on the oval and road course is something very special. The team did an unbelievable job. The car was so fast; it really was just a fantastic day."