Tony Kanaan seemed unperturbed by slippng from first in practice to sizth in qualifying, and demonstrated why in the final practice session for Sunday’s Iowa Corn 300. The NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing driver again set the pace with a fast lap of 17.9695 seconds (179.103mph). Second-starting Josef Newgarden was second again in Ed Carpenter Racing’s No. 21 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet (18.0191s/178.610mph), while polesitter Simon Pagenaud was third at 18.0412/178.392mph) in the No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet.

The session, which featured considerable side-by-side action as drivers explored the limits of their cars and the track in probable race conditions, featured some drama between the two Schmidt Peterson Motorsports teammates. Mikhail Aleshin darted inside of James Hinchcliffe, in the No. 5 Arrow Honda, taking the air off Hinchcliffe’s car and nearly resulting in a crash for the Canadian.

“I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet, but not entirely sure how to say ‘clear’ in Russian,” Hinchcliffe told IndyCar.com. “Either way, I don’t think it was spoken. You don’t want to race anyone like that ever, especially in practice, especially a teammate.

“It’ll be fine. I heard from the 7 (timing) stand that he knows he screwed up and he apologized. It’s just that it could have ended a whole lot worse.”

UP NEXT: Iowa Corn 300 at 5 p.m. ET Sunday.