Franchitti quickest in first qualifying session

Franchitti shaded Michael Andretti by 0.014 of a second with Kenny Brack another few thousandths back in third.

This was the first time this year that Franchitti has been fastest on any day of practice or qualifying.

"We're just getting it together," Franchitti said. "Since Japan it was like something clicked. I've got more miles and more races under my belt and the engineers are getting to know what I want. Aside from my mistake at Nazareth, it's really been coming together."

Franchitti said it's taken time for him and engineers Tino Belli and Steve Challis to learn to communicate. Belli and Challis replaced Don Halliday who engineered Franchitti's car the past two years. Halliday left Team Green last winter to rejoin Team Rahal where he's now in charge of engineering. Challis joined Team Green near the end of last season and suffered a stroke last November following the death of his longtime friend and driver Greg Moore.

"It takes a while for an engineer to get used to what a driver likes," commented Franchitti. "The whole communication thing takes time to come together but between the three of us it's beginning to happen. For a while, like with Steve's stroke, it seemed that somebody was throwing obstacles in the way all the time."

Franchitti emphasised the driver's role in motivating a team and bringing together a new group of people. "You've got to keep working and keep optimistic. I think it's up to the driver to motivate the team and I try to do that. But sometimes I throw my toys out of the pram."

Fourth and fifth fastest today behind Andretti and Brack were Penske team-mates Helio Castroneves and Gil de Ferran. Last weekend's winner de Ferran spun and damaged his suspension in the afternoon qualifying session. He had to jump into his spare car for the rest of the session.

The Penske pair were followed by Patrick team-mates Adrian Fernandez and Roberto Moreno.

Defending CART champion and last year's Cleveland racewinner Juan Pablo Montoya continued to struggle to find a good road course set-up for his Ganassi Lola-Toyota and finished the day in tenth, just 0.300 of a second slower than Franchitti.

"The car just has no grip anywhere," Montoya said. "We're really struggling to find a balance. The car is slipping and sliding everywhere."

Meanwhile Franchitti is the subject of serious rumors that he may be joining the Jaguar Formula One team next year. He refused to respond to suggestions that he will test a Jaguar F1 car in the next few weeks. "I'm not going to talk about it," Franchitti said, adding that his agent Julian Jacobi his handling any and all negotiations. "I've got to concentrate on this one hundred per cent," Dario said. "Julian's doing my negotiations for next year. He's handling everything."

Franchitti admitted he had received an attractive offer of a new contract from Barry Green. "Barry made me a very strong offer last week," Franchitti said. The Scotsman also said he preferred to wrap-up his plans for the future as early as possible this summer. "It's nice to get it done early," he said. "I would like to get it settled as early as possible."

The final qualifying session is tomorrow evening (18:45 BST).

Top 10 times
1 D Franchitti 57.961s
2 M Andretti 57.975s
3 K Brack 58.049s
4 H Castroneves 58.127s
5 G de Ferran 58.142s
6 A Fernandez 58.180s
7 R Moreno 58.189s
8 C da Matta 58.260s
9 P Tracy 58.260s
10 J Montoya 58.261s