Hinchcliffe tops Indy Lights practice
POST-PRACTICE QUOTES:
JAMES HINCHCLIFFE (No. 2 Xtreme Coil Drilling Team Moore Racing): "We've had a good street course car all year obviously at St. Pete and Long Beach so I knew we'd have a strong baseline. But this track is a little bit different; it has an interesting mix of high- and low-speed corners that are a little tough to set up for and it seems to get bumpier every year so that throws us another curveball. It's also hot, so it was a slippery mess out there. I don't think the car is perfect yet. I think there's time in it and time in me, and that first session doesn't mean much but it's a good way to start off the weekend." (About wanting to win in his home): "Watkins Glen was the one that got away, but I've been saying that was a lucky win for J.K. Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. He was lucky. We were good. Luck runs out, but you don't run out of good. J.K. has been quick on the road courses all year so it's by no stretch going to be easy. They have a good package and we have a good package, so it just comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes."
J.K. VERNAY (No. 7 Lucas /CJ/Sam Schmidt Motorsports): "I'm quite happy because I didn't know the track and the other drivers who are fighting for the championship know the track quite well, especially Hinchcliffe. The track is good, really quite bumpy, but we're improving everything and learning, so in light of that I think everything really went very well."
MARTIN PLOWMAN (No.I knew coming into this weekend that the team has had a strong car here. This is a track I really like. Overall the car was good this session. I just feel that the conditions didn't really suit our setup really well. Once the track grips up, it will come to us. We'll keep working hard and see what we can do tomorrow
CHARLIE KIMBALL (No. 26 Levemir FlexPen): "It was a good first practice, exactly what we needed. We made some big changes to the car, which definitely helped. We got caught out on the checkered right at the end, and the grip on a road course is always crazy the entire time. I know the No. 26 Levemir FlexPen car will be quick. We have a little more work to do tonight. We're pretty close now, just a little bit more to come."