Kanaan fastest at busy Barber MP

A rarity at IndyCar Series test sessions - a paying audience - watched the seven-hour run by seven cars around the 16-turn, 2.38-mile road course. Track officials estimated the crowd, which paid US$15 each to watch the test, at 1,900.

"We're 30 miles from Talladega and look how many people got to know Indy cars," Tony Kanaan said, looking at a gathering of fans in the paddock following the session.

"I bet all of these guys will be watching us when they take the weekend off from NASCAR. I'm not saying they're going to give up NASCAR, but maybe they'll watch us a little more closely.

"It took me 15 minutes to get here from pitlane because I was signing autographs. They saw the access they can have to us and how fast the cars go. To me, the most important thing of the day was getting these fans."

Kanaan had the fastest lap of the day - 1:09.7430 (118.722 mph) - in the No. 11 Andretti Green Racing Honda/Dallara, more than 11 seconds faster than the track record set by Max Papis in qualifying for a Grand-Am race in 2004.

The test introduced electronic paddle shifting and a variable ratio steering rack to IndyCars, with the intent to use both in 2008.

Scott Dixon tested the new steering-wheel mounted shifters, while Helio Castroneves tested the new steering unit. The other five drivers in the session - Kanaan, Danica Patrick, Marco Andretti, Dan Wheldon and Vitor Meira - tested 2007 equipment.

While Dixon and Castroneves indicated the additions weren't yet perfected, they were a large improvement over the previous manual shifting and steering configurations. The shifting system is the same used by Audi and Penske in their ALMS cars.

"Typically you have a few moments where you miss a shift," Dixon said. "You're not going to have that issue now. Braking is where it's going to improve a lot for people. Generally it's just going to be easier for us to drive in any situation. Our hands are always going to be on the wheel."

Castroneves had the second-fastest lap of the day - 1:10.2065 - in the No. 3 Team Penske Honda/Dallara, followed by Dixon in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda/Dallara. Meira showed speed late in the day, posting the fourth-fastest lap.

The test was the last open session scheduled in 2007 for IndyCar Series teams, although several teams have private testing time available. Two open test sessions are expected before the 2008 season opener at Homestead on March 29, but those dates have yet to be announced.

The reaction of fans and response of local media had some wondering if a race might be possible at the 4-year-old track, which was built by Birmingham businessman George Barber to go with his Barber Motorsports Museum. Drivers said they liked the challenges of the course, which currently holds a variety of motorcycle and club racing events.

"We will go anywhere where we feel like we'll be a successful event," Patrick said. "We can put on a good show anywhere. As far as logistics go, there are some safety things that would have to be adjusted track-wise to make it safe enough for us to go out there.

"While we're going fast, we're not at 100 percent right now. We're not racing side-by-side, we're not bumping, we're not throwing anybody into any gravel traps or walls. I think there would be some things that would have to change.

"If you guys show us that there would be a good turnout here and that we would be able to have a successful event, I'm sure that it would definitely be considered."