The Associated Press

MOTEGI, Japan - New Zealand's Scott Dixon posted the fastest lap in practice Friday for the first Indy Racing League event in Japan.

Dixon, who won the season-opening IRL race last month, turned a lap of 206.996 mph at the 1.52-mile Twin Ring Motegi oval.

Brazil's Tony Kanaan, who won in Phoenix on March 23, was second at 206.484, and Sweden's Kenny Brack was third at 205.571.

"The car was good out of the box," Dixon said. "Everybody was fighting to get a toe in because if it rains tomorrow, we wanted to be fastest today."

Rain is forecast for today, and Dixon will have the pole position for Sunday's Indy Japan 300 if qualifying is canceled.

The race will be the only IRL event held outside the United States this season.

Brack, who along with Dixon and Kanaan raced on the Motegi oval in CART events, said experience on the track wasn't really an advantage.

"It's an oval, so I don't know how much previous experience helps," said Brack, who won on the track in 2001. "You've got to have a good car to go fast and that's probably what the biggest difference is.

"These cars are capable of going side-by-side through turns one and two and racing closer overall. In CART, we put so much emphasis in qualifying because it was hard to pass. In IRL, if you have a good car, you can drive from the middle of the pack to the front."

Al Unser Jr. was fourth-fastest with a lap of 205.129, and Michael Andretti was seventh at 204.863.

Two-time IRL champion Sam Hornish Jr., coming off a disappointing 21st-place finish at Phoenix, turned a lap of 203.063, 13th overall.