THE CANADIAN PRESS
EDMONTON — Heavy rains washed out the first day of practice at the Edmonton Indy Friday, and series leader Dario Franchitti says that sets the stage for racing on Sunday that will be closer and a little crazier.
"You’re going to see more unpredictability," Franchitti told reporters after IndyCar officials, waiting hours for the rains to let up at the City Centre Airport track, threw in the towel at 3 p.m.
The pools of water on the 4.18-kilometre, 13-turn circuit put the open-wheel cars at risk of hydroplaning.
The rain was forecast to run its course late Friday night, with clouds on Saturday but sunny and hot for the race on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, Versus, TSN).
It means a busy Saturday.
The 26 IndyCar drivers will practice once in the morning, once in the afternoon then run qualifying late in the day.
It will be a bigger test for the drivers in the Indy Lights development series. They will practice and qualify in the morning, then run the first of two races in the afternoon.
The wild card, said Toronto driver Paul Tracy, is the track, which is new to the IndyCar series this year.
The track underwent a complete change after the closure of a runway forced organizers to scramble. The race was in fact briefly cancelled at one point in a dispute between the city and the event organizer, Montreal-based Octane Racing, over who would pay for it.
The drivers will now run counter clockwise on a track that resembles a long-barrelled handgun.
They first navigate a series of chicanes along what would be the butt of the gun, before roaring down a straightaway, making a hairpin turn, then racing back the other way to the pits and the start-finish line.
"It’s a perfect storm for a disaster," said Tracy, referring to the weather.
"It doesn’t make it easy when the drivers don’t know the track condition, and the circuit hasn’t had a good chance to rubber in and create a line," he said.
"The good thing about the rain is hopefully it has washed a lot of the debris and the dust from (the construction of) the track."
Franchitti said the wet conditions help the smaller teams that only get track data off one car versus big teams like Franchitti’s Target Chip Ganassi, which pools telemetry among four cars.
That telemetry can dictate how to set up the wings, the camber, the springs and shocks on the cars to balance downforce versus drag and find that extra tenth of a second per lap critical to victory.
"If the track is dry for practice, it gives teams the chance to develop the car and make (setup) changes," said Franchitti.
"If it’s not dry and qualifying is the first time we see a dry track, you’re going to see the times tumble lap to lap as drivers figure (things) out and come in the pits make changes."
Preparation or no preparation, the race is still considered Franchitti’s to lose. The 38 year-old Scotsman is gunning for his third-consecutive points championship and the fourth of his IndyCar career.
He won two weeks ago in Toronto and has captured four of the 10 events this season.
Australian Will Power, with Team Penske, is second, 55 points back.
Scott Dixon, Franchitti’s teammate, is third, 83 points off the pace in what has essentially become a three-driver contest.
Alex Tagliani of Lachenaie, Que., is tied for 10th, 180 points back.
Tracy, from Toronto, is driving part-time again this year, and sits 29th.
Rookie James Hinchcliffe of Oakville, Ont., is 15th, but just 35 points behind J.R. Hildebrand in the race for top rookie.
Hinchcliffe, with Newman/Haas, said the race will go to those who can adapt the quickest.
"That’s part of the excitement, seeing who’s going to maximize that, who’s going to deal with this under very challenging circumstances," said Hinchcliffe.
"We’re supposed to be the fastest, most versatile drivers in the world.
"If that means qualifying in the wet on Saturday and racing in the dry on Sunday, it’s the same boat for everyone –no pun intended."
"Very good," said Franchitti, sitting next to Hinchcliffe at the podium, admiring his wordplay.
"Thank you," replied Hinchcliffe. "I’m here ’til Thursday."