Dixon finds speed as Indy pole fight looms

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (AFP) –

New Zealand’s Scott Dixon at the IndyCar Series Toyota Grand Prix on April 13. Dixon led the practice session for Saturday’s Indianapolis 500 pole qualifying, turning the second-best lap of the week at the famed 2 1/2-mile oval.

New Zealand’s Scott Dixon led the practice session for Saturday’s Indianapolis 500 pole qualifying, turning the second-best lap of the week at the famed 2 1/2-mile (4 kilometer) oval.

Honda-powered Dixon, the 2008 Indy 500 winner, made a lap in 40.3428 seconds at an average speed of 223.088 mph. The only faster practice lap came on Tuesday when American Marco Andretti made the trip around in 40.2367 seconds.

“It’s nice,” Dixon said. “We have all taken this week a little slower. We’re just working on the race car. We’ve made big improvements on how it feels. We made the car feel a lot nicer to drive, especially in traffic.”

The speed chart showdown intensifies this weekend with Saturday’s battle for pole position in the May 27 race. Sunday will see the remaining cars fill the 33-car field with slower cars bumped from the lineup once the limit is reached.

Australia’s Will Power at the Sao Paulo Indy 300 race on April 29. He is the IndyCar season points leader in quest of his first Indy season title and Indy 500 victory.

Only 33 of 37 entered cars have passed technical inspection approval so far to take to the track.

US rookie Josef Newgarden, who spun on Wednesday after setting that day’s fastest lap, was also among Thursday’s quickest with a lap at 222.709 mph with countryman Graham Rahal achieving his best speed of the week at 222.080 mph.

Australian Will Power, the IndyCar season points leader in quest of his first Indy season title and Indy 500 victory, was fourth on Thursday at 221.932 mph. He expects the new IndyCar chassis to produce a tight Indy 500 race day.

“You can run closer with this car than with the old car,” Power said. “It punches a massive hole in the air, so the tow effect is huge. You could be leading doing 217 (mph) and the guy behind you could be 5 mph quicker.

“You have to be second, if not first. It’s hard to say if you can put a move on. It will be a very tight race because I don’t think anyone will get left behind.”

Frenchman Sebastien Bourdais and England’s Katherine Legge received good news when race officials approved an engine switch for the Dragon Racing team, changing from Lotus power to a Chevrolet motor in hopes of finding more speed.

“The team has done a great job,” Legge said. “They are all really tired, and they worked really hard to put the engine in and get all the bits on to get us out.”

“With the way the car is now, it’s fine,” Bourdais said. “We can drive flat out and not even think about it, which is what you want around here.”