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(10-2-04) As noted
several times, I am not at Fontana as planned due to work
related issues, I will do a Running P&Q recap as long as I
can today, posting coverage of the morning practice session and
the start of the "Q" runs.
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(Saturday
Evening) Shades of Chicagoland and just as I expected, once the cars were
returned to race trim, here comes the Honda's again as Dan Wheldon paced
the final practice session, placing 7 cars in the top 8. Surprisingly, the
fastest Toyota car was AJ Foyt IV, who has run 214's almost all weekend.
I'll do a race preview Sunday morning.
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The
"Q" runs are over and Helio Castroneves backed up every fast
time he set all weekend. Helio did much the same at Chicagoland, but when
it came time to race he and the other Toyota drivers had nothing for the
Honda's. It is one thing to trim out the car and free it up to do a
one-lap flyer, to race for 3oo or 400 miles is another matter. Here are
the "Q" results from IndyCar T&S. I suspected a sandbag job
from AGR, but it appears that they were showing all they had. Darren
Manning wound up in 4th based on his first "Q" lap, but the car
won't race and Manning will have to start from the back if cleared to run.
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Pos
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Driver
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Best
Time
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Best
Speed
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1
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Helio Castroneves (3)
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33.1067
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217.479
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2
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Scott Dixon (1)
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33.2869
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216.301
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3
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Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
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33.3237
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216.062
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4
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Darren Manning (10)
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33.3608
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215.822
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5
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Adrian Fernandez (5)
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33.4463
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215.270
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6
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Vitor Meira (17)
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33.4664
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215.141
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7
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Buddy Rice (15)
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33.5158
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214.824
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8
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A.J. Foyt IV (14)
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33.5374
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214.686
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9
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Bryan Herta (7)
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33.5907
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214.345
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10
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Dario Franchitti (27)
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33.5908
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214.344
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11
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Ed Carpenter (52)
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33.6314
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214.086
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12
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Mark Taylor (13)
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33.6402
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214.030
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13
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Tomas Scheckter (4)
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33.6459
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213.993
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14
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Dan Wheldon (26)
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33.6667
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213.861
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15
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Scott Sharp (8)
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33.6725
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213.824
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16
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Alex Barron (51)
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33.6740
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213.815
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17
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Townsend Bell (2)
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33.7074
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213.603
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18
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Kosuke Matsuura (55)
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33.7906
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213.077
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19
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Tomas Enge (20)
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33.9606
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212.010
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20
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Felipe Giaffone (24)
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34.0108
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211.697
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21
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Tora Takagi (12)
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34.0218
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211.629
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(5:35
EDT) Adrian Fernandez was the first to qualify, and he posted a
215.2. It is windy at Fontana, and very rough as well. The
IndyCar series addressed one bump on the backstretch this
morning. Scott Dixon posted a number that is amazing to me, a
216.301. For a Toyota G Force to do that is surprising to me.
Sam Hornish is on the track now, and this is the last run I will
be able to cover as I head off to work. Sam's first lap isn't
enough to surpass Dixon, and his 2nd lap was slower. Darren
Manning has crashed, but appears to be ok, more later.
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(3:35
EDT) The first practice session has ended, Dan Wheldon move the AGR-best
result to 9th, still 3-mph off the Toyota pace. Alex Barron is fast Chevy
in 7th, and Foyt IV is fastest non-MTP/TCGR Toyota, 12th and 3-mph slow.
Here are the results as shown by IndyCar T&S! Back at 5:30 EDT for
"Q" runs.
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Pos
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Driver
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Best
Time
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Best
Speed
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1
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Helio Castroneves (3)
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33.1262
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217.351
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2
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Darren Manning (10)
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33.2969
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216.236
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3
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Scott Dixon (1)
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33.3571
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215.846
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4
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Sam Hornish Jr. (6)
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33.4505
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215.243
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5
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Mark Taylor (13)
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33.4833
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215.033
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6
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Vitor Meira (17)
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33.5065
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214.884
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7
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Alex Barron (51)
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33.5162
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214.821
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8
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Buddy Rice (15)
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33.5261
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214.758
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9
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Dan Wheldon (26)
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33.5375
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214.685
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10
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Tomas Scheckter (4)
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33.5899
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214.350
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11
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Kosuke Matsuura (55)
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33.6007
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214.281
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12
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A.J. Foyt IV (14)
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33.6108
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214.217
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13
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Dario Franchitti (27)
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33.7029
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213.631
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14
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Tony Kanaan (11)
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33.7247
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213.493
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15
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Bryan Herta (7)
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33.7471
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213.352
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16
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Townsend Bell (2)
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33.7688
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213.215
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17
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Ed Carpenter (52)
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33.7881
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213.093
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18
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Scott Sharp (8)
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33.8259
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212.855
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19
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Tomas Enge (20)
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33.8946
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212.423
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20
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Tora Takagi (12)
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34.0131
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211.683
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21
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Felipe Giaffone (24)
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34.0757
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211.294
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