Race No. 17
The California 500
Presented by Toyota
The California Speedway — Fontana, California
September 26-28, 1997
Individual Friday Morning Practice Report
| pos | car | driver | laptime | mph | km/h | % best time |
| 1 | 17 | Mauricio Gugelmin | 30.416 | 240.150 | 386.401 | 100.00% |
| 2 | 4 | Alex Zanardi | 30.747 | 237.565 | 382.242 | 101.09% |
| 3 | 1 | Jimmy Vasser | 30.767 | 237.410 | 381.993 | 101.15% |
| 4 | 18 | Mark Blundell | 30.870 | 236.618 | 380.718 | 101.49% |
| 5 | 20 | Scott Pruett | 30.892 | 236.450 | 380.447 | 101.56% |
| 6 | 27 | Parker Johnstone | 30.898 | 236.404 | 380.373 | 101.58% |
| 7 | 99 | Greg Moore | 30.976 | 235.808 | 379.416 | 101.84% |
| 8 | 7X | Bobby Rahal | 31.018 | 235.489 | 378.902 | 101.98% |
| 9 | 8 | Bryan Herta | 31.189 | 234.198 | 376.825 | 102.54% |
| 10 | 6 | Michael Andretti | 31.221 | 233.958 | 376.438 | 102.65% |
| 11 | 40X | Raul Boesel | 31.270 | 233.591 | 375.848 | 102.81% |
| 12 | 7 | Bobby Rahal | 31.287 | 233.464 | 375.644 | 102.86% |
| 13 | 11 | Christian Fittipaldi | 31.320 | 233.218 | 375.248 | 102.97% |
| 14 | 5 | Gil de Ferran | 31.375 | 232.810 | 374.591 | 103.15% |
| 15 | 8X | Bryan Herta | 31.401 | 232.617 | 374.280 | 103.24% |
| 16 | 32 | Adrian Fernandez | 31.525 | 231.702 | 372.808 | 103.65% |
| 17 | 16 | Patrick Carpentier | 31.639 | 230.867 | 371.465 | 104.02% |
| 18 | 4X | Alex Zanardi | 31.708 | 230.365 | 370.657 | 104.25% |
| 19 | 2 | Al Unser Jr. | 31.749 | 230.067 | 370.178 | 104.38% |
| 20 | 40 | Raul Boesel | 31.782 | 229.828 | 369.794 | 104.49% |
| 21 | 34 | Dennis Vitolo | 31.866 | 229.222 | 368.819 | 104.77% |
| 22 | 21 | Richie Hearn | 32.038 | 227.992 | 366.839 | 105.33% |
| 23 | 3 | Paul Tracy | 32.154 | 227.169 | 365.515 | 105.71% |
| 24 | 25 | Max Papis | 32.206 | 226.802 | 364.925 | 105.89% |
| 25 | 98 | PJ Jones | 32.249 | 226.500 | 364.439 | 106.03% |
| 26 | 36X | Juan Manuel Fangio II | 32.266 | 226.381 | 364.247 | 106.08% |
| 27 | 9X | Robbie Gordon | 32.286 | 226.240 | 364.021 | 106.15% |
| 28 | 31X | Andre Ribeiro | 32.437 | 225.187 | 362.326 | 106.64% |
| 29 | 36 | Juan Manuel Fangio II | 32.526 | 224.571 | 361.335 | 106.94% |
| 30 | 20X | Scott Pruett | 32.599 | 224.068 | 360.526 | 107.18% |
| 31 | 64 | Arnd Meier | 33.224 | 219.853 | 353.744 | 109.23% |
| 32 | 24 | Hiro Matsushita | 33.390 | 218.760 | 351.985 | 109.78% |
| 33 | 5X | Gil de Ferran | 33.419 | 218.570 | 351.680 | 109.87% |
| 34 | 3X | Paul Tracy | 33.426 | 218.525 | 351.606 | 109.90% |
| 35 | 2X | Al Unser Jr. | 34.768 | 210.090 | 338.034 | 114.31% |
| 36 | 1X | Jimmy Vasser | 35.434 | 206.141 | 331.681 | 116.50% |
| 37 | 19 | Michel Jourdain Jr. | 35.787 | 204.108 | 328.409 | 117.66% |
| 38 | 99X | Greg Moore | 40.409 | 180.762 | 290.846 | 132.85% |