Max Papis leads rainy first practice at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve course

By SceneDaily Staff
Saturday, August 29, 2009

MONTREAL - Max Papis, driving for Phoenix Racing this weekend at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, led the way in Saturday's first NASCAR Nationwide Series practice in preparation for Sunday’s NAPA Auto Parts 200 at the 2.71-mile road course.
 

Papis, who turned a lap of 85.632 mph in his Chevrolet, was followed in speed by Braun Racing's Jason Leffler at 85.327 and Michael Waltrip Racing's Patrick Carpentier at 84.213.
 

Canadian Andrew Ranger (CJM Racing) and Michael McDowell (K Automotive Motorsports) completed the top five in a session hampered by rain.
 

Positions six through 10 on the speed chart belonged to Braun Racing's Justin Marks, Joe Gibbs Racing's Brad Coleman, JR Motorsports' Ron Fellows, Rusty Wallace Racing's Brendan Gaughan and Key Motorsports' Jeffrey Earnhardt.
 

Earnhardt, the 20-year-old son of Kerry Earnhardt, crashed his Chevrolet in Turn 1 during the session in which drivers used rain tires to navigate the wet track.
 

A final practice was scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. EDT Saturday, followed by qualifying at 4:40 p.m.
 

The race is scheduled to begin just after 2:30 p.m. Sunday.