By TALES AZZONI
Associated Press Writer
SAO PAULO (AP) New Zealander Scott Dixon led both practice sessions for the IndyCar season-opener on the streets of Sao Paulo on Saturday.
In a track marked by severe bumps and lack of grip on the main straight, Dixon was quickest with a lap of 1 minute, 31.7707 seconds at the 2.6-mile (4.2-kilometer), 11-turn Anhembi temporary street circuit.
Australia's Ryan Briscoe finished with the second-fastest time with 1:31.9731, followed by Tony Kanaan's lap of 1:31.9753 in front of his home crowd.
The faster times of the day came in the first session because of colder temperatures. Dixon, Briscoe and Kanaan also led the time chart in the second.
Defending series champion Dario Franchitti, Dixon's teammate at the Target Chip Ganassi team, ran a fast lap of 1:33.8457, good only for 17th place. He was 11th in the afternoon practice, with a slower time.
Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves had the eighth fastest time with a lap of 1:32.9402.
The practices, which officially opened the newly-built circuit in the city of 12 million people, prompted several complaints from drivers because of the track conditions.
In addition to the severe bumps, the main problem was on the main straight, which was too slippery and kept drivers from being able to fully accelerate without losing control.
Milka Duno of Venezuela crashed there in the morning session, and Briscoe and Brazilian rookie Ana Beatriz lost control there in the afternoon.
``It's really slippery over there and it's hard to control the car,'' Brazil's Castroneves said. ``They need to try to fix that somehow.''
Franchitti, who briefly ran off the track in the first session, heavily complained of the bumps.
``We knew it was going to be bumpy,'' he said. ``But this is kind of crazy.''
Kanaan said the slick straight and some of the bumps were actually making the track unsafe and asked officials to see if they could make some adjustments ahead of Sunday's race.
``My main concern is safety,'' the Brazilian driver said. ``We need to talk to the officials to see if something can be done.''
The street circuit is one of the highlights of the season, with cars going through stadium-like Sambadrome, which is home to traditional carnival parades every year.
The track also has the series' longest ever straight, which is just short of a mile (1.6 kilometers). Some of the bumps were in that area, where cars reach nearly 190 miles (305 kilometers).
Organizers had to set up the track in only about three months following the announcement that the IndyCar Series would be coming to Brazil for the first time since the CART series raced in the Latin American country from 1996-2000.
The qualifying session ahead of Sunday's 75-lap race will take place later Saturday.
The IndyCar Series is trying to carry momentum from a thrilling season in 2009, when the points lead changed hands a record 15 times throughout the season, and three drivers reached the final race with chances to clinch the title.
Franchitti secured the trophy by winning the finale in Miami on fuel strategy, finishing just ahead of Dixon and Briscoe in the standings.
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