Backstretch Motorsports

AGR’s Tony Kanaan Takes P1 for First Street Course of ‘08

You want drama, you’ve got it. The IndyCar Series day of “Knock-Out Qualifying” at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg provided.

After survivng the unfamiliar oval setting of the Homestead-Miami opener, the street course at St. Pete certainly made a huge difference for the former CCWS transition teams. The comfort zone of twisting turns provided a equalizing atmosphere for the new guys.

Will Power, Team Australia sponsored KV Racing Technologies Honda/Dallara/Firestone driver turned the fastest lap of the IndyCar weekend with a time of 1:02.1355 at a speed of 104.288

Knock-out qualifying session. The easiest way to digest details of the enhanced IndyCar Series street/road course qualifying procedure that made the debut this weekend at the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is to think in increments of six.

Two groups competing for 20 minutes each. The fastest six cars from each group advance to another round of qualifying. The remaining cars will set positions 13 down on the starting grid based on fastest lap time.The best hope for fast in your session is getting a clean lap with nobody being in your way, Fresh air on your car, the tires warmed up and getting maximun grip. No easy task.

Exciting for the fans, pressure filled for the drivers and teams. “Qualifying for our road and street courses has been full of drama ever since we introduced the Firestone Fast Six concept in 2005,” said Brian Barnhart, president of the competition and operations division of the Indy Racing League, the sanctioning body of the IndyCar Series. “Expanding the group format into several stages will add additional levels on intrigue and strategy that will keep fans entertained throughout.”

Practice and Session 1 qualifying groups as chosen by random draw:
Group 1
No. 25 Marty Roth
No. 17 Ryan Hunter-Reay
No. 19 Mario Moraes
No. 06 Graham Rahal
No. 20 Ed Carpenter
No. 27 Hideki Mutoh
No. 34 Franck Perera
No. 7 Danica Patrick
No. 11 Tony Kanaan
No. 36 Enrique Bernoldi
No. 14 Darren Manning
No. 8 Will Power
No. 23 Townsend Bell
Group 2
No. 10 Dan Wheldon
No. 26 Marco Andretti
No. 2 A.J. Foyt IV
No. 33 Ernesto Viso
No. 9 Scott Dixon
No. 15 Buddy Rice
No. 3 Helio Castroneves
No. 6 Ryan Briscoe
No. 5 Oriol Servia
No. 18 Bruno Junqueira
No. 4 Vitor Meira
No. 02 Justin Wilson
No. 24 Jay Howard

The top six from the sessions transfer to the Firestone Fast Six qualifying race to determine the pole.

With Power fastest , the Fast Six was a good balance of the new and the familiar for IRL fans. Second quick was Tony Kanaan followed by Ryan Briscoe, Justin Wilson, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and last minute quick lapper Helio Castroneves unseating Oriol Servia by .005 seconds.

Tony Kanaan put his 7-Eleven Andretti Green Racing Honda-powered Dallara on P1 in the Fast Six ten minute session with a best of 1:02.5322 and a speed of 103.627. Kanaan, who has finished either second or third in the previous three races on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course, will start from the inside of the front row for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. Power will start on the outside with a timed lap of 1:02.6096.

Justin Wilson, driving the No. 02 McDonald’s car for Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing, and two-time defending race winner Helio Castroneves will occupy Row 2.

2008 Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg : Qualifying Results
Pos Driver Name (No.)
1 Tony Kanaan (11)
2 Will Power (8)
3 Justin Wilson (02)
4 Helio Castroneves (3)
5 Ryan Briscoe (6)
6 Ryan Hunter-Reay (17)
7 Oriol Servia (5)
8 Dan Wheldon (10)
9 Graham Rahal (06)
10 Franck Perera (34)
11 Darren Manning (14)
12 Marco Andretti (26)
13 Scott Dixon (9)
14 Hideki Mutoh (27)
15 Ernesto Viso (33)
16 Buddy Rice (15)
17 Vitor Meira (4)
18 Enrique Bernoldi (36)
19 Danica Patrick (7)
20 Jay Howard (24)
21 Ed Carpenter (20)
22 Mario Moraes (19)
23 Townsend Bell (23)
24 A.J. Foyt IV (2)
25 Marty Roth (25)
26 Bruno Junqueira (18)