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Power, Montoya And Castroneves Lead Way in IndyCar Practice In St. Petersburg

Reigning IndyCar champion and 2014 race winner Will Power slides through turn 10. [Joe Jennings Photo]

St. Petersburg, Fla. – Will Power, Juan Pablo Montoya and Helio Castroneves led the way in the opening round of practice for Sunday’s Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, the race marking the opening of the 2015 Verizon IndyCar Series season.

For the rapid Team Penske aces, the three international driving stars showed their strength early with their Chevrolet-powered cars sporting the new aero kits.

“It is great to be at an event for times actually count. Obviously not today but tomorrow and Sunday do count,” Power said. “Team Penske has definitely made progress over the winter over the other teams.”

Noted Montoya, “It has been a long off-season for us, and it is good to be back. I feel a lot better than I did last year, which turned out to be a blur for me. I was so overwhelmed I didn’t pay any attention to detail. ”

Both drivers praised the new aero kits and the engine enhancements that Chevrolet has devised, and they believe the two elements combined give them an advantage.

Power topped the speed charts in the mid-day one hour and 15-minute practice session on the 1.8-street course. His speed was 105.416 miles per hour with Montoya and Castroneves close behind at 105.025 and 105.024 mph, respectively. Of the 24 drivers, they were the only ones to exceed the 105 mark.

Scott Dixon and Sebastien Bourdais were the next fastest.

Sophomore driver Jack Hawksworth led the way for the Honda entrants. His speed of 104.734 mph was good for sixth fastest.

Simon Pagenaud, the fourth and newest member of Team Penske, timed ninth fastest.

Rain curtailed activities in the afternoon practice session.

On Saturday, the IndyCar contingent has another 70-minute practice at noon with Firestone Fast 6 qualifications to begin at 4:15 p.m. ET.

Bourdais set the qualification record of 106.710 mph in 2003, and that mark may well fall in 2015.

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