Kanaan top as speeds rise

"We're working hard to get the best out of the cars," said Kanaan, noting that only 16 hours of practice time remain before Saturday's pole qualifying session. "Obviously, on Friday everybody is going to show up with more. That's not a secret to anybody. Everybody has more to come. It's going to be a matter of who has more than the other and who's qualifying at the right time."

Kanaan's lap, and that of Andretti Green Racing team-mate Dan Wheldon, led another fast day for Honda, which posted the four best laps of the day and six of the top seven. Wheldon came closest to Kanaan with a lap of 221.953mph with seven minutes left in the session.

While his lap was impressive, Kanaan downplayed its significance because it came with a tow.

"We weren't looking for (the tow); it happened," said Kanaan, whose AGR Dallara/Honda was the first car this week to top 222mph. "Obviously, if you see it happening, you might as well take it. You're not going to say, 'Oh, no, I don't want any draft'. It happened out there. It makes you feel good and it makes the team feel good, but really, to me, nothing has changed. I know what car I have and I know what speed it can do."

Following Kanaan and Wheldon were Roger Yasukawa and Adrian Fernandez, who's proving to be the most consistent speed merchant as teams prepare for the 88th Indianapolis 500 on May 30. Fernandez's Super Aguri Fernandez Racing G-Force/Honda was clocked at 221.195mph. It was the fourth consecutive day in the top five for Fernandez.

"I am getting more confident every day we go out," said Fernandez, who is preparing for just his third IRL IndyCar Series race. "Conditions were a little bit hotter and windier than yesterday, but the car still performed beautifully."

Scott Dixon was the only Toyota runner among the top eight, hitting 220.941mph in the Chip Ganassi G-Force, the fifth-best lap of the day. Honda drivers Kosuke Matsuura and Buddy Rice followed, and Chevrolet's Tomas Scheckter and Marlboro Team Penske team-mates Sam Hornish Jr and Helio Castroneves rounded out the top 10.

While Kanaan and Wheldon worked on qualifying setups, their AGR team-mates Dario Franchitti and Bryan Herta worked on race setups. The disparity between Kanaan's 222 and Franchitti's 217.466mph lap may have looked bad, but the race setups appear to be going just as well as the qualifying work.

"We definitely had a good day," Franchitti said. "We were very consistent. Bryan and I got a chance to do a long run together, and it was good to get some results from that."

Tony Kanaan Dallara/Honda 222.668mph
Dan Wheldon Dallara/Honda 221.953mph
Roger Yasukawa G-Force/Honda 221.248mph
Adrian Fernandez G-Force/Honda 221.195mph
Scott Dixon G-Force/Toyota 220.941mph
Kosuke Matsuura G-Force/Honda 220.605mph
Buddy Rice G-Force/Honda 220.530mph
Tomas Scheckter Dallara/Chevrolet 220.434mph
Sam Hornish Dallara/Toyota 220.228mph
Helio Castroneves Dallara/Toyota 219.925mph