Press Snoop: Power for the people.

WILL POWER was again at the top of the charts, grabbing the provisional pole for the Champ Car World Series on his last flyer lap during qualifying at Long Beach on Friday afternoon.

He earned a bonus point for his Friday lap, which was 1m 07.920s - not yet a record. As a harbinger, Power was also fastest in the 15-minute warm-up/practice prior to qualifying.

Three-time CCWS champion, SEBASTIAN BOURDAIS, was close behind in second, with a lap of 1m 07.970s, followed by Power's rookie team-mate, 2006 Atlantic champion, SIMON PAGENAUD. Fourth and fifth were ALEX TAGLIANI and PAUL TRACY.

Rookie GRAHAM RAHAL is catching up, coming in eighth fastest after running as high as fifth. He placed behind MARIO DOMINGUEZ and another rookie, TRISTAN GOMMENDY. BRUNO JUNQUEIRA and JUSTIN WILSON rounded out the top ten.

Also improving over the morning time was rookie ALEX FIGGE, jumping from last to eleventh. This after he landed in the tyres four minutes into qualifying. He recovered and went on to complete the session.

Among the other leaders were Tracy and Bourdais.

MATT HALLIDAY caused the only red flag when he spun in turn eight. He recovered with a bump start, and lost his best lap, relegating him to last place on the provisional grid.

Power, in his second year with Team Australia run by DERRICK WALKER, said the team chemistry is fine. But his team, as are all teams, is still sorting out the new chassis.

Pagenaud said the Champ Car braking points are quicker than with the Atlantics. He's surprised with the speed that it happens. The weight of the Champ Car Panoz DP01 was originally a struggle but he's getting used to it now.

Bourdais is still not really comfortable with the reliability of the DP01. It's still 'very much a concern and definitely up there in his mind'. Last week, Bourdais was complaining of electrical problems. He said it actually was a fuel mapping issue. He said the team got the short end of the stick on that. Other teams had problems, but not the same as his team, and it still wasn't completely solved this weekend. The team has a new fuelling piece this weekend, different from Vegas.

"It's temporary and definitely not bullet-proof," he admitted.

Tyre wear didn't seem to be an issue for Power, this week or last. And Bourdais echoed that, saying he wasn't overly concerned.

Power said there was 'massive interest back in him back in Australia', with TV, radio interviews, journalists coming over here to cover him and the team.