Tony Kanaan tops speed chart in final practice for Indy 500

Defending winner Tony Kanaan posted the fastest speed Friday in final practice for the Indianapolis 500.

Kanaan turned a lap of 227.838 mph during the one-hour session on “Carb Day” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a throwback term to the days when crews made final adjustments to the carburetors on the cars’ engines.

Scott Dixon, who won the legendary race in 2008 and is Kanaan’s teammate at Chip Ganassi Racing, was second fastest at 227.773 mph on a warm, clear day in central Indiana. Townsend Bell was third at 227.221 mph.

Kanaan said he expected a race similar to last year’s, which was the fastest Indy 500 in history and featured a record 68 lead changes.

“I don’t think anybody is going to pull away,” Kanaan said. “It’s going to be a pack race for sure.”

Kurt Busch was 15th fastest in practice. Busch is the NASCAR driver attempting to be the fourth driver to accomplish “the double”: Driving in the Indy 500 and then NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 stock-car race that night.

“At the end of the day it’s just about giving it my best and not making a mistake on Sunday to try to get 1,100 miles in,” Busch said.

Busch was asked what he would consider an acceptable finish in the Indy 500. “Top half of the field is what I’m shooting for,” he said.