INDIANAPOLIS (AP) When rookie Johnny Herbert started putting up some fast speeds early Friday, he figured he was a good bet to make the 33-car field for the Indianapolis 500.

"Our last lap, we ran a 225 and with new tires yesterday, we were 2 miles per hour quicker, so we should be at 227," said Herbert, a three-time winner on the Formula One circuit. "And that should be good enough."

But almost as soon as Herbert finished speaking, Bruno Junqueira's speed of 231.526 was posted on the television in his garage.

Then Herbert changed his opinion.

"I guess we're not up to speed," he joked.

The battle has been going on all week for Herbert, whose top speed of 226.562 was faster than last year's pole-winning 226.037, but ranks only 37th out of 66 cars this week.

Herbert isn't the only one battling to get things ready before qualifying begins Saturday.

Rookie Alex Barron and Max Papis crashed in the first hours of practice Friday and spent the rest of the day working on backup cars.

Meanwhile, Richie Hearn and Raul Boesel were just trying to get adjusted to their new cars. Hearn was driving Mark Dismore's car Friday, in the event Dismore is not cleared to compete in the race May 26. He crashed Thursday, and has a concussion.

Boesel is John Menard's third driver. Jaques Lazier sustained a season-ending injury last month in Nazareth, Pa. His replacement, PJ Jones, will miss at least six weeks after fracturing a vertebra in an accident earlier this week.

Boesel has started 12 Indy 500s, finishing as high as third, and got the Menard car up to 230.147.

"The speed is starting to come," he said. "I've started to learn about the team and vice versa. I feel pretty good right now."

Herbert, though, is still hopeful he can find more speed before he qualifies.

"It would be nice to be faster, that would be ideal," he said. "We should be OK, even if it's cold we should be OK."

BOYS FROM BRAZIL: Brazilians posted six of the top 11 speeds in Friday's practice - easily the fastest session of the week.

The fastest of the Brazilians was defending champ Helio Castroneves at 232.087. Bruno Junqueira was fourth at 231.526, Felipe Giaffone sixth at 230.865, Tony Kanaan ninth at 230.419, Raul Boesel 10th at 230.147 and Gil de Ferran 11th at 230.092.

"We improved a lot since yesterday," de Ferran said. "It's handling better and we were able to find some speed. I think we're ready for qualifying."

RE-TIRING: The IRL and Firestone have agreed to provide each driver 33 sets of tires this month, an increase of five over the previous total permitted.

The increase could play a significant role because teams have consistently been saying they've been using up tires more quickly on the new Indianapolis racing surface. Eddie Cheever, the 1998 Indy 500 winner, said drivers have been fortunate to get 30 laps out of their tires during practice this week.

"It is clear the wear rate is more rapid than what we expected," said Al Speyer, executive director for Firestone Racing. "It's only been recently that we've had any concerns about tire wear here."

The combination of a smoother surface at the speedway, which has helped increase speeds, and grip have created the extra wear. Another factor has been the rain that has washed away rubber on the track.

MEMORABLE MOMENT: Defending IRL champ Sam Hornish Jr. was selected is the first quarter's winner in the Driver of the Year Award competition.

Hornish is the first IRL driver to win the quarter award, which is more than 25 years old and encompasses all of racing's circuits.

He took the lead in the competition after winning twice and finishing third in the series' first three events of the year.

"It's unexpected, so it's very cool," Hornish said. "Just to be the first IRL driver to receive the award, you know, means a whole lot to me and I can't really even express it."

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