Speeds slower, but no crashes

It marked the first day of practice after the IRL made engine changes.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The speeds dropped and so did the number of crashes -- at least on the first day of practice for the Indianapolis 500.
After the Indy Racing League decided to make midseason changes on the engine and aerodynamic package, drivers easily detected the differences when practice opened Sunday.
"I seemed to have a little trouble leaving the pits and the handling is a little weak," two-time Indy 500 champ Helio Castroneves said. "It would be like playing chess, but we're playing chess already."
Smaller engines
IRL officials reduced the size of the engine from 3.5 liters to 3.0 in an effort to slow speeds by about 10 mph, hoping to create safer racing after two crashes in a two-week period last October.
Kenny Brack, the 1999 Indy winner, broke his right leg, sternum, back and both ankles in a crash at Texas in October. He's still recuperating and won't be ready in time for the May 30 race on Indianapolis' 21/2-mile oval. On Oct. 22, Tony Renna died in a crash while testing in Indianapolis.
The difference -- both in safety and power -- was noticeable.
Speeds decreased drastically from last year's qualifying when Castroneves won the pole with a four-lap average of nearly 232 mph and nobody crashed.
Fastest lap
New Zealand's Scott Dixon, last year's IRL points champion, gave Chip Ganasssi's team the day's fastest lap at 219.760. Castroneves, a Brazilian, was second at 219.752. Three other drivers -- Mexico's Adrian Fernandez, South Africa's Tomas Scheckter and England's Dan Wheldon -- topped 218.
All but Wheldon posted their speeds in the final hour of practice when shade began to cover the front straight, cooling the track.
Sam Hornish Jr., the fastest driver in both days of open testing last month and Castroneves' teammate, did not drive Sunday because of an upper respiratory infection. The fastest American was rookie Ed Carpenter, seventh at 217.405. Carpenter is the stepson of IRL founder Tony George.
Will get better
Most drivers expect speeds to increase again before pole qualifying starts Saturday, especially after a warm, sunny, windy day that was hardly ideal for good times.
"I'm still thinking it's going to be 225, because I think the track probably will pick up a couple miles per hour from today," Dixon said.
A year ago, speeds increased by almost 3 mph from the first day of practice to Pole Day, the first of three days of qualifying.
For some drivers power wasn't the issue, handling was and others took a cautious approach. Tony Kanaan, Wheldon's teammate with Andretti Green Racing, ran a 217.269 with a conservative philosophy.
"Dan's strong, I know what he's got," Kanaan said. "I'm trying something different because we need to try some things."
Of the 33 cars on the track, the most on a scheduled opening day since 1999, only 12 topped 217, nearly 15 mph slower than Castroneves' pole-winning speed last year.
That could change significantly this week.
"I believe there will be many factors to improve the speed and everybody's going to test the whole week long what they think is right the decision," Castroneves said. "I do think it will be 5 mph, at least, faster."
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