Wilson tops almost all others in Coyne’s Honda

Justin Wilson in Dale Coyne's Honda almost beat the best time of the 2-day test. Wilson coupled with new engineer Mike Canon looks like a winning combination

LAT Photography

Considering the cold, misty conditions that impacted the last two days of Verizon IndyCar Series testing at Barber Motorsports Park, Justin Wilson reckons that when the series goes back there in late April for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, "probably half the things we think we learned will get thrown out the window."

Nonetheless, Wilson did a solid job yesterday afternoon and was second-quickest today in the No. 19 DCR Honda at just .0038 of a second behind Team Penske front-runner Will Power.

He said that he plans to take the result "with a pinch of salt," but is still pleased at how he and a whole new cast of characters at DCR – led by new engineer Michael Cannon – are getting along ahead of the season opening Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg on March 30.

"We like the progress that we've made to the car and the work that the team is doing," he said. "It's a complete new set of guys, working with Michael Cannon, that just keeps getting better and better every time we run.

"The last two days have been all about gelling as a team, coming together more than anything else, so I think that helps us going into St. Pete."

Wilson led the Honda contingent, which for the second day in a row split the Top 10 testing times with Chevrolet-powered drivers.

Among the other Honda drivers in the Top 10 were Takuma Sato (fourth, 1:07.3314), Ryan Hunter-Reay (seventh, 1:07.4495), James Hinchcliffe (eighth, 1:07.4639), and Simon Pagenaud (10th, 1:07.5235).