Practice: Honda power leads the way
Tony Kanaan and Roger Yasukawa led Honda's resurgence on Friday during practice sessions for the Toyota Indy 400 at California Speedway
Kaanan's Andretti Green Racing Dallara was clocked at 224.833mph during the morning session, while Yasukawa hit 224.629mph in his Super Aguri Fernandez Racing Dallara to lead the afternoon session.
"Usually we concentrate a lot on the race set-up, but today we spent a little bit more time on qualifying set-up," Yasukawa said. "It turned out to be really quick."
The top two drivers in IRL IndyCar Series points, Helio Castroneves and Scott Dixon, put on a nose-to-tail, side-by-side display during the afternoon session. Dixon had the second-fastest lap in the morning session and third-fastest in the afternoon session.
Other top laps were recorded by Castroneves, Sam Hornish Jr, Dan Wheldon, Tora Takagi and Kenny Brack.
Bryan Herta and Alex Barron were not injured in the only incidents of Friday's IRL practice sessions. Herta spun and hit the wall in turn turn during the morning session.
"I don't know what happened, I really don't," Herta said. "The car got a little loose heading into turn two on the lap before. The next lap, I went into the corner and it just came around."
Barron brushed the pit wall while heading into his stall, but didn't hit any Red Bull Cheever Racing crewmen.
"It looks like they laid down new concrete in Ed Carpenter's pit box right behind us," Barron said. "It left a bump of concrete. When I came in, the wheel locked up over the bump and pushed me into the wall."
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