In the final practice at Pocono Raceway before Sunday's race, Marco Andretti once again topped the times in race trim but there were also encouraging signs from the Honda camp.
Ryan Briscoe is set to return to the IndyCar Series for the first time in 2013, after being handed a race seat for this year's Indy 500 by Ganassi Racing.
HVM Racing is among the teams selected to receive a $1 million subsidy from the IZOD IndyCar Series, all-but confirming that the team will run an entry in 2013 after all.
Ryan Hunter-Reay clinched victory in the IZOD IndyCar Series Grand Prix of Baltimore on Sunday afternoon, to set up a showdown with Will Power for the title at the final race of 2012.
Ryan Briscoe claimed his first win in the IZOD IndyCar Series in over two years, thanks to a late caution for a violent accident when Sebastien Bourdais crashed out of third place.
Dario Franchitti won the 2012 Indianapolis 500 after Takuma Sato spun trying to pass him for the lead just after the white flag came out at the start of the final lap.
Marco Andretti blitzed the field on Fast Friday, hitting 227.540mph on with the assistance of the additional turboboost that all the drivers got to use for the first time.
IndyCar worked for months to make the 2011 season finale a fitting climax and affirmation of a series on the way back. No one could know it would end up being its darkest hour.
Helio Castroneves is far from calming down over the harsh penalty he received at the end of the race at Motegi, and has labelled race director Brian Barnhart "a circus clown".
A member of the Holmatro Safety Team who was driving a truck head-on into the oncoming cars at the start of the Baltimore Grand Prix on Sunday has been suspended.
Dario Franchitti topped both of the extended Thursday practice sessions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while Will Power struggled and Pippa Mann crashed in the afternoon.
Will Power pulled third place from the blind draw that decided starting positions for the second race of the Firestone Twin 275 double header event, and he put it to the perfect use.
Simona de Silvestro has been allowed back on track in morning practice to test her injured hands ahead of qualifying on Saturday afternoon, but Ryan Briscoe crashed in the session.
Britain's Mike Conway staged a stunning victory at Long Beach by fighting back from early setbacks to find unbeatable pace following a final safety car for a collision between two Penske cars.
A deal with IndyCar title sponsors IZOD saves Penske's three-car line-up of Castroneves, Briescoe and Power for 2011, as the team hint at a return to the Indy 500 for Sam Hornish Jr.