Homestead: IRL IndyCar Practice 1 Results - Dixon Fastest Posted by: ASkyler on Oct 09, 2009 - 04:42 PM

Homestead: IRL IndyCar Practice 1 Results - Dixon Fastest By Anne Proffit Greetings from soggy, sweaty, hot and – yes – sunny South Florida, where initial practice is just complete for Saturday evening’s season closing Firestone Indy 300. The 22 – of 23 – entered Indy cars completed 1009 laps in the one hour, thirty-minute session on Homestead-Miami Speedway’s 1.5-mile banked oval, and guess what? The top three drivers in contention for season honors were at the head of the timing sheets. As is customary for the 2009 season, the first half-hour was for designated rookies and entrants outside the top 10 in points, while the balance of the session was an all-skate affair. New for this race, Firestone has made special white sidewall “Championship Ring” Firehawk race slicks for protagonists Scott Dixon (570 points), Dario Franchitti (565) and Ryan Briscoe (562).

Owner/driver Sarah Fisher has pink sidewall markings for her all-pink Dollar General #67 Dallara/Honda/Firestone entry, as she raises awareness for the Susan G Komen Foundation [for the Cure] during the race weekend.  “Sarah’s efforts to aid the Komen for the Cure are highly commendable,” said Al Speyer, executive director of Firestone Racing.  “We couldn’t be happier about showing support with the pink sidewalls.”

This IndyCar Series finale marks the fourth consecutive time the championship has gone to the wire – and it is a winner-take-all situation.  The eight points separating Dixon from Briscoe marks the second-tightest margin in history, and this morning’s results are showing the fight is going to the right guys, after all.

In the morning session, Dixon’s 212.170-mph fourth lap (of 33) pipped Briscoe’s 211.982-mph eighth (of 49) lap by a speed margin of 0.0223 seconds.  Franchitti was third at 211.918 mph.  Mario Moraes, who was quick here in winter testing and has shown increased competitiveness throughout the season, was fourth at 211.100, while Helio Castroneves was fifth (210.865) and Graham Rahal was sixth (210.750).

The driver who nearly stole the Kentucky contest in August, Ed Carpenter turned the seventh best speed this morning at 210.723 mph, and the returning Alex “Pink” Lloyd was eighth in the second Newman/Haas/Lanigan entry, now numbered #40202, which is the text number to use for “Stand Up to Cancer”.  A $5 donation is made for every text. 

There were three cautions in the session – one for debris in the first turn ad the other two for track inspections due to cut tires.  It was a good clean practice.

Sarah Fisher and Raphael Matos (#2 Marines Luczo Dragon) completed the top 10 this morning.  Matos leads Robert Doornbos (#33 iTeam Racing HVM) by 25 points in the race for the APEX/Brazil Rookie of the Year honors, going into this race.  They have swapped the lead in this contest six times over the 17-race season. 

The 23rd car entered from Team 3G for Jaques Lazier did not turn a lap during this morning’s session, apparently waiting for sponsorship decals to be applied to his #98 car.  While that work was complete before the session ended, the team elected to wait until the afternoon session before going out. 

This week’s aero tools include a rear wing flap angle of 10 degrees minimum, rear wing wicker detail of one inch minimum with one-half inch vertical end fence wicker required here at Homestead-Miami Speedway, along with a quarter-inch reverse wicker required.  The front wing wicker required is 0.125-inch and tire ramps, sidepod extensions and wheel backing plates are optional in any combination.

The Honda overtake assist button specs for this 200-lap contest is 20 presses of the button for a duration of 12 seconds, with a 10-second recharge period between uses.  The Honda button gives between 5-20 horsepower advantage, depending on the fuel map being used by the driver’s team.

As I write this note, the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series cars are on-track, minus one of their number.  Early Thursday morning, Brumos Racing Daytona Prototype driver JC France, the son of series founder Jim France (who was the brother of the late Bill France Jr) was arrested in Daytona Beach for illegal speeding, DUI and possession of what turned out to be cocaine.  France was with his stepbrother at the time, driving a Lamborghini while the stepbrother drove a Porsche Cayenne. 

France was summarily released from any driving chores due to conduct detrimental to the sport, following his release from custody on $4500 bail; Hurley Haywood is handling the driving chores in the #59 Porsche/Riley, a comfortable spot for the veteran.

(c) 2009 Anne Proffit

Also in IRL News:

• Will Power To Drive For Penske IndyCar Team In 2010   (11/19/09)
• FAZZT Race Team Places Key Personnel for 2010 IndyCar Season   (11/19/09)
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• TV Alert: IndyCar Driver Jay Howard Wraps Four-Week Promotion With MTV Wednesday Night   (11/17/09)
• In His Own Words: IndyCar Driver Ed Carpenter   (11/12/09)
• In His Own Words: IndyCar Driver Richard Antinucci   (11/12/09)
• IndyCar Drivers Take To Links For Izod   (11/12/09)
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• IndyCar Star Justin Wilson To Raise Funds For Operation Helmet   (11/12/09)
• Fisher, AAA Hoosier Insurance Renew Partnership For 2010 IndyCar Season   (11/12/09)
• IndyCar Star Duno To Sign Books At Miami Event   (11/12/09)
• Brooks Racing Announces Plans To Compete In Indy Lights In 2010   (11/10/09)
• TV Alert: IndyCar Driver Jay Howard Continues Promotion With MTV Wednesday Night   (11/10/09)
• The Indiana Tradition Continues For Fisher With AAA Hoosier Insurance   (11/10/09)
• Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Excited About New IndyCar Title Sponsor   (11/10/09)
• Izod Named Title Sponsor Of IndyCar Series   (11/07/09)
• HVM Racing Welcomes Benefits of IndyCar Title Sponsor   (11/05/09)
• Toyota Grand Prix Of Long Beach Welcomes Izod To IndyCar Series   (11/05/09)
• TV ALERT: IndyCar Star Jay Howard Returns To MTV Wednesday Night   (11/03/09)
• Wheldon Confirmed To Return To Panther IndyCar Team In 2010   (10/29/09)