Wilson Looks for Detroit Replay
After a three-year absence, the IZOD IndyCar Series returned to the streets of Belle Isle Park Friday as 2008 race winner Justin Wilson led the Honda-powered field in opening practice for Sunday’s Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
In 2008, the most recent IndyCar race on the temporary park circuit, Wilson led the final 15 laps in his Newman Haas Racing Honda Dallara to win by 4.4 seconds over Helio Castroneves. It was the final IndyCar triumph for team co-owner Paul Newman, who succumbed to cancer later that year.
Wilson posted the second-fastest time in practice today, just one-tenth of a second off the fastest time, recorded by Team Penske’s Will Power. Series rookie Simon Pagenaud was third quickest in his Schmidt Hamilton Racing Honda, while Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon rounded out the top six.
Sunday’s 90-lap race starts at 3:30 p.m. EDT, with live television coverage on ABC.
Justin Wilson (#18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda) 2nd quickest in Friday practice: “There’s no margin for error in the IndyCar Series today, just lots and lots of very hard work. There are many good drivers and competitive teams; one small mistake and your ‘P20’ instead of ‘P1’. But having said that, this circuit is a lot of fun, and we appear to have a pretty good car. Hopefully, on Sunday, we can do exactly what we did here last time.”