(5:10) This is designated as a "three-day" event, so as soon as the last practice ended, every team in the garage area (including Foyt) changed engines. I managed to get several good engine shots and also a close up view some of the damage to the Briscoe car. The backup car is almost finished, Briscoe, Yasukawa and Patrick Carpentier never got on the track for the afternoon session. I'm callin it a day, I haven't slept ten hours in two days, time to catch up.

(3:30) The day's practice for the IndyCars has ended, they just announced that the "fast-three" PC will start soon, the three drivers, Helio, Dario and TK, this should be a lot of fun. Here is the afternoon T&S results from the IndyCar site. In looking at the results, you have to be surprised at the Barron/Team Cheever run, this team hasn't been very good in the first two oval track events, so I think this will pump them up a bit. I also think the underpowered cars are better suited to the roads and streets, the won't be "buzzing" the tires as badly and interacting with the traction control as much. The MIPS cars are a good example of that, in this last session they were running 92-mph laps, within 10-mph of the IndyCars. Usually these cars are more than 20-mph off the IndyCar pace. I just returned from the "fast-three PC," for the IndyCars, and I only got to ask one question, so I asked if the traction control was coming into play often, and got an immediate yes from all three drivers. In addition, I think all three were very happy with the cars and how they road raced. Helio confirmed what I was thinking, that these cars turn into the corners well and carry a lot of speed. All three drivers said that they were happy with their brakes. Tomorrow, even though it will be close to 80 degrees, they will use the tire warmers before making their single-car runs. As Helio or Dario noted, on temporary street courses like this, speeds increase with every session as more rubber is built up in the groove. This has been a very good day.

(3:25) I just watched Castroneves make a 5-lap run, and that car looks "easy-fast," these cars turn in well, they appear to be darting around the track and carrying a bunch of turn speed. I suspected them to be well-suited to be road racers, but even after the Homestead test, I had no idea they would look this good. Remember my concerns about the speed bumps pictured  Wednesday, it's a non issue. I just watched Franchitti cut all four of those corners, hitting the bumps each time.

(3:15) so much for "inching up," Helio has just reset fast time of the day, and it was a big increase, a 102.721! There was a short caution period to give Bryan Herta a tow in or bump start, Herta stopped in one of runoff areas.

(3:10) The "fast" group is now out to practice, and Franchitti has posted the fastest speed of the day, a 101.547. Franchitti is my choice to win the pole, he is finally living up to my faith in him, AGR and the Honda. During the morning session, speed increases came in big increments, now gains are harder to come by and they are only inching up on them.

(2:43)It didn't take Tomas Scheckter long to make up for morning session lost time, since  the afternoon "split" practice session began, Scheckter, in the "slow" grouping because of a poor result this morning, has topped the chart and also joined the 100-mph club. As soon as I posted that, Scott Dixon and Alex Barron bettered the Scheckter effort and they two ran "100's" for the first time today.  Danica Patrick is now up to 4th in the session at 99.5 mph. We are now under caution for a tow in on the "TonyVision car, driven by Ed Carpenter.

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