Andretti Green Racing teammates Tony Kanaan and Dario Franchitti got about as much out of the first practice sessions for the Indy Japan 300 as time allowed April 15. Next on their agenda is a strong qualifying effort today; followed by a race victory.
Kanaan, driving the No. 11 Team 7-Eleven Dallara/Honda/Firestone, posted the fastest lap of the day (26.8357 seconds; 203.907 mph). Franchitti, in the No. 27 Alpine Dallara/Honda/Firestone, was second (27.0390 seconds; 202.374).
“(Winning at Twin Ring Motegi) means everything,” said Kanaan, coming off a victory in the Copper World Indy 200. “This is Honda’s track. They’ve been trying to win this race for seven years (last year with the IRL; other with CART). They’ve been close every year, so it means everything. This is the last race of the 3.5-liter engine, so if one of us wins, I think we’re going to have to stand up in the museum for a week.
“I’m sure (everyone has) an idea how important this race is -- for Honda and for us. (Dario) and I are the two oldest Honda drivers around. We’ve been racing for Honda forever. It’s like an Indianapolis 500.”
One practice session this morning will be followed by qualifying.
Defending race champion Scott Sharp was third quick (27.1018 seconds; 201.905), and Helio Castroneves was fourth (27.1058; 201.876).
“I am very pleased where we ended the day today,” said Sharp, driver of the No. 8 Delphi Dallara/Toyota/Firestone. “We made great gains between the morning and afternoon sessions. We hope to keep gaining momentum and finish tomorrow’s qualifying in the top 10, which will put us in a great position to go racing on Saturday.”
Team Rahal occupied spots 5-7. Buddy Rice (27.1345 seconds; 201.662 mph) led the way, followed by Vitor Meira (27.2008; 201.171) and Roger Yasukawa (27.2383; 200.894). Both were taking their first laps of the season for Team Rahal.
“I think we are looking very good with the three cars,” Rice said. “We are able to exchange information and that is much different than before for me. It’s a huge help for our team.”
The top five times were posted in the afternoon session under clear skies, an ambient temperature of 67 degrees and a brisk breeze from the west. Injury update
Four cars made contact with the wall in Turn 4 - the wide end of the egg-shaped track - and two drivers were transported by helicopter to Dokkyo University Hospital for X-rays.
Defending IndyCar Series champion Scott Dixon and Tomas Scheckter made contact with the wall in separate incidents -- within three seconds of each other -- in the first session. There was heavy damage to the left side of both cars.
Dixon has a hairline (non-displaced) fracture on the tip of the left fibula in the ankle. He will be re-evaluated before the morning practice session.
“I’m not sure what happened exactly,” said Dixon, driver of the No. 1 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Panoz G Force/Toyota/Firestone who was fifth quick in the first session (27.4175 seconds; 199.581 mph).
“The car just went around on me. I thought there might have been something on the track and Tomas seemed to have had a problem in the same spot. My left ankle is a bit sore from the contact with the wall but the doctors are taking some precautionary X-rays just to be certain. I’m not too worried about it.”
Scheckter was checked in the infield care center and took 11 laps in his backup car in the second session.
“They called for the yellow when I was in three and I was on the brakes immediately,” said Scheckter, driver of the No. 4 Pennzoil Panther Dallara/Chevrolet/Firestone. “I was just sideways, sideways, sideways. I have no clue what happened. Maybe it was because I was braking because of the yellow and there was something on the track.”
Sam Hornish Jr. and Tora Takagi made contact with the wall late in the second session in separate incidents. Takagi was transported to Dokkyo University Hospital for X-rays to his neck and back. His status for qualifying will be determined today. Hornish was cleared at the infield medical center.
