(An update) It's a washout, next practice on Wednesday, qualifying 33 on Saturday, I like that better than "Q" runs on the next clear day, which may be next Saturday anyway, or the 2nd Saturday in August.

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Might as well post a few more pictures while we wait

MY friend and favorite pit reporter Jamie Little, shown with Dennis in the lower picture. Scroll to the bottom of the page for many more Sunday pictures.

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So what to I expect to see for "Q" speeds today, and who do I think capture the front row?

Under perfect conditions last year the pole speed would have been in the high 228 mph range, with a lap or two above 229. These long-life engines don't have the power nor the electronics system with a button to push for a speed burst, and Honda claims they are getting about the same horsepower as they had at the start of last season. For that reason I can't see them running 2005 "Q" speeds.

I'm darn sure there has been some sandbagging going on, but not so much with MTP and TCGR. I'm not all that sure the three Rahal cars are in the trouble most feel they are either. Very little has changed with the team other than perhaps not getting "select" engines for Danica this year, and because they were on the Ilmor side of the dole, I even doubt that was happening. Just as an aside, if Honda/Ilmor was giving Danica the best of the engines last year, they were wasting the effort, she wasn't ready to win then. The Panoz cars they are running this year are the same as last years, Dallara and Panoz weren't allowed to produce update kits this winter, so there is no way a car that was so fast year lost 4-mph to the Dallara's.

I have some very strong suspicions that most of the sandbagging is coming from Andretti Green Racing, and Michael Andretti. It seemed that every time someone pointed a microphone at an AGR driver on the Saturday telecasts, whey were whining about not having the speeds of Penske and Ganassi, we'll see. I know this, Marco Andretti mentioned that even though he was a bit faster than his father, Michael wasn't hustling his car and Marco was. Michael was so happy with the feel of his car that he put both Marco and Tony Kanaan in the car for a few laps. Michael said he put Marco in the car to show him how it should feel, perhaps that was the same reason Kanaan got in the car. Bryan Herta has only 190 miles on his engine and the 9th fastest speed. 

I talked with several people I respect about the pole speed, I even asked Hornish what he thought it would take for the pole, he said 227 and Helio thought even faster than that. Most felt 227. Whenever they run they will have cold conditions, little wind and a "green" track. I don't see big speed! I like Hornish for the pole, Michael Andretti for the middle of the front row and Castroneves outside. In the 2nd row, Wheldon, Dixon and Danica. As for the speed, high 227's, with one lap in the 228's Sunday Pole day coverage will continue below, in a latest news first format. There are some sprinkles at IMS as I write this, I expect that and "weepers" will be issues all day. I also think there will be no fooling around with waiting for late in the day runs, when a drivers turn comes, as long as they have any speed, they'll go out and qualify. Remember, whatever the speed, as long as it is above 220 mph and "safe," anyone of the 22 that could qualify today will start ahead of those making the show next weekend. Also, if the car is bumped, it's still alive and can bump back in next weekend. All time stamps are IMS/EDT.

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(2:50) ESPN2 goes away on the hour, but I think we are done. I just looked at the darn radar, and the same storms seem to be lapping IMS, and running in the right direction, feeding on itself. Counter-clockwise means a low-pressure area. I'm getting mixed signals from the TV, first someone says "practice is over," than "if we run."

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(2:30) A more serious moisture delay, trucks out and losing ground. Gee I hate rain at IMS, and the radar isn't promising. That's hard rain, THEY ARE CLOSE TO LOSING THE TRACK! Here is what just may be the last T&S chart of the day. No surprises in the top four, not even the speeds, remember I said there could be "a couple of laps over 228." AGR is showing us more speed, and I think we haven't seen it all. Ed Carpenter speed is a surprise, but the new engineering staff at Vision has been giving him more speeds than he appears able to handle all year. Perhaps Ed was more suited to the lack of horsepower Toyota gave him. I don't fault him for Motegi, but... The question I have is why Tomas is 10th. Still 21 over 220 mph, but Foyt claims on TV he has a fast car that needs more practice time... All well and good AJ, but you went to Houston (perhaps for the big unification summit?), and wouldn't let them run the cars without you at IMS. Also on TV Danica seems very willing to wait until next week to qualify, perhaps RLR is in trouble and I'm wrong. A week wait could give them time to roll out the Dallara's that some doubt my word about.

Pos

Driver

 

Best Time

Best Speed

 

 

 

Last Lap

 

 

1

Dan Wheldon (10)

 

39.3592

228.663

 

 

 

8

 

 

2

Sam Hornish Jr (6)

 

39.4357

228.220

 

 

 

4

 

 

3

Helio Castroneves (3T)

 

39.4931

227.888

 

 

 

7

 

 

4

Scott Dixon (9)

 

39.5997

227.274

 

 

 

21

 

 

5

Dario Franchitti (27)

 

39.6546

226.960

 

 

 

6

 

 

6

Tony Kanaan (11)

 

39.7545

226.389

 

 

 

8

 

 

7

Ed Carpenter (20)

 

39.9534

225.262

 

 

 

10

 

 

8

Bryan Herta (7)

 

39.9663

225.190

 

 

 

14

 

 

9

Scott Sharp (8)

 

39.9738

225.147

 

 

 

5

 

 

10

Tomas Scheckter (2)

 

39.9839

225.091

 

 

 

16

 

 

11

Michael Andretti (1)

 

40.0054

224.970

 

 

 

19

 

 

12

Marco Andretti (26)

 

40.0207

224.884

 

 

 

8

 

 

13

Townsend Bell (90)

 

40.0394

224.779

 

 

 

14

 

 

14

Vitor Meira (4T)

 

40.0426

224.761

 

 

 

22

 

 

15

Kosuke Matsuura (55)

 

40.2343

223.690

 

 

 

20

 

 

16

Eddie Cheever Jr (51)

 

40.3490

223.054

 

 

 

25

 

 

17

Danica Patrick (16)

 

40.4095

222.720

 

 

 

7

 

 

18

Buddy Rice (15T)

 

40.4746

222.362

 

 

 

7

 

 

19

Jeff Simmons (17)

 

40.7120

221.065

 

 

 

8

 

 

20

Felipe Giaffone (14)

 

40.7753

220.722

 

 

 

7

 

 

21

Buddy Lazier (5)

 

40.8658

220.233

 

 

 

6

 

 

22

Al Unser Jr (31)

 

41.0676

219.151

 

 

 

23

 

 

23

PJ Chesson (91)

 

41.2689

218.082

 

 

 

21

 

 

24

Marty Roth (25)

 

41.7069

215.792

 

 

 

22

 

 

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(2:15) Going into today there were 18 "combos" above 220 mph, now there are 21, the latest three are Buddy Rice in his backup car, Felipe Giaffone and Buddy Lazier. Going into today Giaffone had only practiced 40 laps or 100 miles. TV showed a Hornish gear change, that's to be expected, but leave it to Team Penske to rush through one on pit road so they can confirm the results. Should it work out, they can put the same ratio in Helio's ca, or if it was the wrong guess, can either return to the original set or try to best-guess another.

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(2:07) Expect faster speeds from this group, there is a better mix of faster cars, and there is some rubber on the track now. Watch for tows. We have Wheldon and Hornish at 228

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First group practice is over, here's the final "odd number" 30 minute chart. Part of why this could be a long process is because they HAVE to give each group 30 minutes of practice by rule.

Pos

Driver

 

Best Time

Best Speed

 

 

 

Last Lap

1

Scott Dixon (9)

 

39.5997

227.274