Team Penske’s Ryan Briscoe topped the time chart as IZOD IndyCar Series teams began preparations for the Camping World Grand Prix at The Glen.
The Australian driver, who has won the last two pole positions at the 3.4-mile road course, set a fast lap of 1 minute, 31.4142 seconds (132.714 mph) in the No. 6 Team Penske Honda-powered Dallara. His teammate Helio Castroneves was second at 1:31.4974 (132.594), while Scott Dixon, a three-time winner at The Glen, was third at 1:31.6781 (132.333).
Panther Racing’s Dan Wheldon (1:31.7830) was fourth with defending race winner Justin Wilson, driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing, was fifth (1:31.8628). In all, 11 drivers were within .9974 of a second of Briscoe.
DAY 1 NOTEBOOK:
Newman/Haas Racing driver Hideki Mutoh took advantage of the week off between the Iowa Corn Indy 250 on June 20 and this event to make his second trip to Japan since the season started.
HIDEKI MUTOH: “I was able to go to Japan for six days since we had a weekend off. It always feels good to go home to see my family and friends. We just hung out and relaxed. I didn’t go crazy, crazy.”
Team Penske has started from the pole position in all five previous IZOD IndyCar Series races at Watkins Glen International (Helio Castroneves in 2005, 2006, 2007 and Ryan Briscoe in 2008 and 2009).
Though the team has fared well in qualifying at The Glen, it has not been able to produce a race victory.
Additionally, Team Penske is riding a series-record streak of seven consecutive earned poles. It includes poles won by all three drivers (Will Power - 4, Briscoe - 2, Castroneves - 1) and poles at all types of tracks (road courses, street circuits, short oval, 1.5-mile oval and superspeedway).
In five races at Watkins Glen International, Target Chip Ganassi Racing drivers have claimed three wins, five top-five finishes, six top-10 finishes and have led 72 of 295 total laps. Scott Dixon won the first three IZOD IndyCar Series races at the track, from 2005-07.
MIKE HULL (Managing director, Target Chip Ganassi Racing): “The Glen is a pure driver’s track. Technical drivers excel at Watkins Glen as they find the balance for an entire lap. That’s what makes it fun at TCGR because Dario (Franchitti) and Scott make every lap better than the last.”
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