Kanaan fastest at practice for Indy Japan

MOTEGI, Japan — Defending champion Tony Kanaan clocked the fastest lap at 27.2453 seconds in a Thursday practice session for Saturday’s Indy Japan 300.

Kanaan had the quickest lap at the 1.5-mile Motegi oval north of Tokyo while Scott Dixon, who won the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway, was second-fastest with a lap of 27.3067.

There was a 20-minute rain delay during Thursday’s afternoon session and more rain is forecast for Friday’s qualifying.

“Once again, we have a very good car, a car that is capable of winning,” Kanaan said. “But that’s probably also true for Scott and several other guys here this weekend.”

Dan Wheldon, who won here in 2004 and 2005, was third while Helio Castroneves, the pole sitter last year and points leader coming into the 200-lap race, was fourth.

The race in Motegi will be one of two American open-wheel events this weekend.

The unification of the IRL and Champ Car series came about at such a late date that race organizers at Twin Ring Motegi and Long Beach were unable to move their events to avoid a conflict.

Since Saturday’s IndyCar race at Motegi could not be rescheduled, the solution was to run the Champ Car Grand Prix of Long Beach on Sunday with the old equipment and even include the teams and drivers that aren’t making the move to the IRL.

Drivers will earn IndyCar Series championship points at both venues.