Drivers face physical challenge

Since first practice on Thursday, some of the drivers have complained that the bumps here are worse even than in San Jose's inaugural event last year, which contained the infamous tram-track 'jump'.

However, Martyn Thake, Operations Director of the Houston track, organised grinders after the American Le Mans Series Race ended last night.

Nonetheless, the drivers expect the 100-lap race this evening to give them a physical battering while also taking a toll on their cars.

"Me and Justin [Wilson] were talking about where we were most sore," said RuSPORT's AJ Allmendinger, "and to be honest, it's everywhere. The shoulders are gone, arms are gone, the hands are numb, the shins hurt. It's amazing.

"But the fact is that we pretty much all agree that as a layout, with a few little tweaks, this is right up there with Surfers Paradise as the best street course we have.

"Honestly, I don't wanna take a political stance on this, because this is the inaugural event.

"We'll give them feedback, they make the changes, and hopefully it's sorted for next year. If it's not, that's when we start bitching about it. Believe me, if I win here, I'll think this is the best track in the world."

Pessimistic observers are predicting that, as in Long Beach, a handful of cars will have disappeared long before Houston's punishing nature has a chance to take its toll.

The chicane before Turn 1 that was demanded by Sebastien Bourdais and Justin Wilson is very narrow for the wide-track Champ Cars, and many are wary of another Turn 1 fracas.

The third imponderable is that although Forsythe set the pace in the afternoon heat of final qualifying, tonight's race doesn't start until 8:00pm local time, and no-one has yet run the Bridgestones in conditions that cool, or with so much tyre rubber already laid on track, as provided by the 2hour45min ALMS race last night.