New teams complete first oval test

Australian Will Power proved fastest of the Champ Car converts on the first day of a special IRL oval induction test at Miami's Homestead speedway.

Eight of the nine former Champ Car entries confirmed for the reunified IRL IndyCar Series completed a combined total of 598 laps on Monday, alongside Roth Racing, who failed to make the open test in February.

The Champ Car refugees, joined by Newman Haas/Lanigan drivers Justin Wilson and Graham Rahal, who missed last week's road course test at Sebring, were set a 195mph speed limit to begin with as they dialled-in their Honda-powered Dallaras, with the IRL increasing that limit as the test continued.

Former IRL part-timers Roth Racing set the pace overall with team owner Marty Roth outpacing teammate Jay Howard.

IRL president and CEO Brian Barnhardt commented afterwards that the first part of the test had gone smoothly.

"The teams are working awfully hard," he said. "We're getting close to event time and clearly track time and seat time is the most valuable commodity."

The test continues today with Bruno Junqueira joining for the second day with Dale Coyne Racing.

The season begins at Miami's Homestead venue this weekend.

Pos  Driver    Team                   Time            Laps
 1.  Roth      Roth Racing            25.3320 211.037  57     
 2.  Howard    Roth Racing            25.3850 210.597  69     
 3.  Power     KV Racing              25.5420 209.302  120    
 4.  Rahal     Newman Haas Lanigan    25.6680 208.275  37     
 5.  Bernoldi  Conquest               25.6870 208.121  54     
 6.  Servia    KV Racing              25.6920 208.080  85     
 7.  Perera    Conquest               25.7620 207.515  79     
 8.  Wilson    Newman Haas Lanigan    25.8660 206.681  30     
 9.  Viso      HVM                    25.9930 205.671  34     
10.  Moraes    Dale Coyne             26.8030 199.455  33