Power fastest in Zolder practice
Will Power topped the charts for the first session of Belgium's inaugural Champ Car Grand Prix
The Team Australia driver set a 1:15.100 on his tenth of 16 laps to record an average speed of 119.457mph, and beat Newman Haas Lanigan Racing's Sebastien Bourdais by just 0.135 seconds, and Team Minardi USA's Robert Doornbos by over 0.6.
However, the story of the session came from Doornbos' teammate, Dan Clarke, who triggered a four-car accident on everybody's installation lap. He was passing RSPORTS' Justin Wilson as they went along the back straight as Wilson was pulling out to pass Jan Heylen's Conquest Racing car.
However, Clarke's left rear wheel made heavy contact with Wilson's right front, ripping it off and sending himself spearing into Heylen. A following Paul Tracy locked up the brakes and ran into the back of Wilson.
Said Wilson: "Jan was taking it really steady, and moved over to let me through, but Dan who was behind me must have come off the previous turn about 50mph faster than anyone else. By the time I was checking my mirrors, he was beside me and hit me.
"I can't believe it. It's an installation lap on a new circuit, and we should all be learning it. Not dicing like it's the first lap of the race."
Tracy was able to make it out again, but the other three cars were too badly damaged to take any further part in the session, and therefore failed to complete a lap.
Pos Driver Team Time 1. Will Power Team Australia 1:15.100 2. S.Bourdais Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 1:15.235 + 0.135 3. Robert Doornbos Minardi Team USA 1:15.772 + 0.672 4. Bruno Junqueira Dale Coyne Racing 1:15.886 + 0.786 5. Simon Pagenaud Team Australia 1:15.912 + 0.812 6. Neel Jani PKV Racing 1:15.933 + 0.833 7. Graham Rahal Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing 1:16.137 + 1.037 8. Alex Tagliani Rocketsports 1:16.155 + 1.055 9. Tristan Gommendy PKV Racing 1:16.389 + 1.289 10. Oriol Servia Forsythe Championship Racing 1:16.666 + 1.566 11. Paul Tracy Forsythe Championship Racing 1:16.708 + 1.608 12. Ryan Dalziel Pacific Coast Motorsports 1:17.174 + 2.074 13. Katherine Legge Dale Coyne Racing 1:17.284 + 2.184 14. Alex Figge Pacific Coast Motorsports 1:17.501 + 2.401
Power remains bullish on title chances
Clarke excluded from Zolder race
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