Round 12--Lexmark Indy 300

[mlittle]

How true. Two of the last three races at Surfers have been "topsy-turvy", so to speak, just because of the weather.

[Julian Mayo]

There is a large rain system moving across the state at present. It could have a major effect over the next 2 days. It looks promising for Sunday, with only the ever present threat of tropical local rain at this time of year.

[mlittle]

With rain showers on and off during the first practice at Surfers Paradise, it was American A.J. Allmendinger(#10 Intel/Acer FC/L) leading the practice times with a 1:41.542 sec. time(99.092 mph). Second was Team Australia's Marcus Marshall, followed by Timo Glock, Mario Dominguez, Rodalfo Lavin and Will Power. There will be a brief second practice session, followed by the QS-1 qualifying session to determine the provisional pole for the race.

[mlittle]

With the track now drying out, Team Australia's Alex Tagliani(#15 Aussie Vineyards FC/L) leads the session with a time of 1:54.394 secs.(887.595 mph). Dane Ronnie Bremer was 2nd, followed by Sebastien Bourdais, Paul Tracy and Ricardo Sperafico.

QS-1 session about to begin at any moment.

[mlittle]

With overcast skies and a drying track, the first qualifying session for the Lexmark Indy 300 is about to begin. The session will last approximately 30-35 mins. and each driver will get a maximum of 15 laps to set their fast lap for the session. The driver who posts the fastest time of the session will get the provisional pole for the race and is guaranteed a front-row starting spot(P1 or P2).

And the green flag falls...qualifying has begun!

[mlittle]

Most drivers during a ChampCar qualifying session generally run two stints, dividing their 15-lap allotment into 7-8 laps per stint. With track conditions as they are at present, it should be an interesting session.

[mlittle]

Rodalfo Lavin draws first blood with a lap of 1:53.824.

Several cars now on track. Lavin, Timo Glock and Fabrizio Del Monte have posted times as of now. Lavin on a flyer now, improves his time to 1:52.806. Michael McDowell now P2 with a time of 1:53.181 secs.

[mlittle]

Tagliani now P1 with a time of 1:50.576, almost 1.6 secs. ahead of Glock!

Top 5 at the moment:Tagliani, Glock, Lavin, McDowell and Dominguez.

[mlittle]

Justin Wilson now on a flyer, with a time of 1:52.274, still almost 1.5 secs. back from Tag.

Tag still P1, but Vasser, who just brushed the wall on a flyer, remains P2. Top five after 11 mins.:Tagliani, Vasser, Wilson, Power and Glock.

[mlittle]

Bourdais now P1 with a time of 1:50.324 secs., Tag now in 2nd with a time of 1:50.576 secs.

Dominguez on the radio to his crew:"I think we're going to need slicks for the last stint." Could mean the drivers are currently out on wets or intermediates at the moment.

[mlittle]

With the track drying fast now, the teams may consider going to the Bridgestone Potenza slicks rather than the wets currently in use.

Allmendinger now P1, Tracy now P2!

Allmedinger sets fast time of the session at the moment with a 1:49.257, while PT is .33 secs. behind. SeaBass now P3.

Top five as we approach halfway....Allmendinger, Tracy, Bourdais, Da Matta, and Tagliani.

[mlittle]

With around 20 minutes gone in the QS-1 session, the top 5 are:
Allmendinger, Tracy, Da Matta, Bourdais and Sperafico.

There's a report that Tracy has brushed the concrete wall; during a ChampCar qualifying session, if a driver were to bring out a red flag stoppage, the driver will lose his fast lap of the session.

Lavin now up to P7. There are also reports of darkening skies once again....could rain be on its' way back?

[mlittle]

With 12 minutes left, the top-5 remain unchanged; however, Dominguez is on a hot lap....Dominguez now P1 with a time of 1:48.952 secs.

[mlittle]

Da Matta now P2, while Alex Tagliani now improves to P1 with a time of 1:47.181 secs.

[mlittle]

Timo Glock now up to 4th provisionally; Tag still P1. Only two drivers have used 10 or more of their 15 laps at present, Timo Glock and Fabrizio Del Monte.

Bourdais now into P3 at the moment.