Homestead...the Great Amalgamation begins
Greetings from the Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the first unified IndyCar race since 1978 will take place on Saturday night. It's part of a double header with the Grand AM Rolex Sportscar Series...the Rolex Daytona Prototypes and sportscars race on the road course; the IndyCars will take to the variable banked oval...some 25 of them...for a Saturday night shootout. There would be 26...but when Graham Rahal crashed in practice...there weren't enough spare parts and pieces...so he'll sit out the IndyCar event.
The car you see above belongs to the fastest practicer--Scott Dixon, who you will hear (or have heard) on this week's Race-Talk program. Newlywed Dan Wheldon was second fastest. They'll contest the pole later tonight.
As for the Grand AM series qualifying...David Donohue (yep..the son of Mark Donohue) in the Brumos Porsche Riley...with a speed of 113.390 miles an hour. The race is a three hour sprint...and we'll keep you posted. It's been relatively quiet here...except for a few mechanical gremlins that bite in all series. If it heats up..we'll break in.
Pole Update will follow.
Scott Dixon wins the pole with an average speed of 213.3 miles an hour. Ed Carpenter starts 2nd and AJ Foyt IV starts 3rd. Dixon's teammate Dan Wheldon backed into the wall as he started the first of his four timed laps. The 2005 Indy 500 winner and past IndyCar series champion starts in the back. Dixon suggests you watch for Mr. Wheldon as he drives his way through the field trying to get to the front. Carpenter and Foyt ran their laps as it got cooler...and Larry Curry is the racing honcho (he wrenched Tony Stewart to his IRL championship if you recall) for Messrs. Carpenter and Foyt at Vision Racing.
Another reminder: you forget the Penske Racing teams at your own peril...Ryan Briscoe and Helio (he of the Happy Feet) Castroneves ran well in practice.
We'll rejoin you from Homestead-Miami Speedway tomorrow.
