Rookie HIDEKI MUTOH was the fastest Indy Pro Series driver in the opening practice session Thursday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His time of 47.4058secs was also the best of the two morning practice sessions. Mutoh, of Tokyo, was seventh in the second session.

CHRIS FESTA was fastest in the second morning practice at Indianapolis Motor Speedway despite a flat tyre. His best time was 47.6685secs around the famed 2.5-mile Brickyard speedway. Festa, of Atlanta, was twelfth fastest in the earlier session.

The weather was warm and breezy with hazy skies, showing no sight of the forecast isolated thundershowers.

Twenty-four drivers of the twenty-five entries were on course each session. All but two of them set their best times in the first practice. All drivers run Dallara chassis and Firestone tyres.

Fifteen of the drivers are rookies. The majority are American drivers, with a few off-siders coming from Australia, Brazil, Canada, England, and New Zealand.