Race No. 17
The California 500
Presented by Toyota
The California Speedway — Fontana, California
September 26-28, 1997
Saturday Individual Practice Report
| pos | car | driver | laptime | mph | km/h | % best time |
| 1 | 17 | Mauricio Gugelmin | 30.142 | 242.333 | 389.914 | 100.00% |
| 2 | 1 | Jimmy Vasser | 30.391 | 240.347 | 386.719 | 100.83% |
| 3 | 18 | Mark Blundell | 30.461 | 239.795 | 385.830 | 101.06% |
| 4 | 6 | Michael Andretti | 30.635 | 238.433 | 383.639 | 101.64% |
| 5 | 20 | Scott Pruett | 30.643 | 238.371 | 383.539 | 101.66% |
| 6 | 8 | Bryan Herta | 30.696 | 237.959 | 382.877 | 101.84% |
| 7 | 99 | Greg Moore | 30.737 | 237.642 | 382.366 | 101.97% |
| 8 | 9 | Robbie Gordon | 30.770 | 237.387 | 381.956 | 102.08% |
| 9 | 7 | Bobby Rahal | 30.776 | 237.341 | 381.881 | 102.10% |
| 10 | 32 | Adrian Fernandez | 30.795 | 237.194 | 381.646 | 102.17% |
| 11 | 40X | Raul Boesel | 30.854 | 236.741 | 380.916 | 102.36% |
| 12 | 19 | Michel Jourdain Jr. | 30.897 | 236.411 | 380.386 | 102.50% |
| 13 | 11 | Christian Fittipaldi | 30.925 | 236.197 | 380.041 | 102.60% |
| 14 | 27 | Parker Johnstone | 30.948 | 236.022 | 379.759 | 102.67% |
| 15 | 5 | Gil de Ferran | 30.958 | 235.945 | 379.636 | 102.71% |
| 16 | 3 | Paul Tracy | 31.235 | 233.853 | 376.270 | 103.63% |
| 17 | 2 | Al Unser Jr. | 31.271 | 233.584 | 375.836 | 103.75% |
| 18 | 36 | Juan Manuel Fangio II | 31.406 | 232.580 | 374.221 | 104.19% |
| 19 | 34 | Dennis Vitolo | 31.427 | 232.424 | 373.971 | 104.26% |
| 20 | 98 | PJ Jones | 31.457 | 232.203 | 373.614 | 104.36% |
| 21 | 31X | Andre Ribeiro | 31.789 | 229.778 | 369.712 | 105.46% |
| 22 | 25 | Max Papis | 32.038 | 227.992 | 366.839 | 106.29% |
| 23 | 25X | Max Papis | 32.080 | 227.693 | 366.358 | 106.43% |
| 24 | 77 | Gualter Salles | 32.130 | 227.339 | 365.788 | 106.60% |
| 25 | 3X | Paul Tracy | 32.159 | 227.134 | 365.458 | 106.69% |
| 26 | 21X | Richie Hearn | 32.340 | 225.863 | 363.413 | 107.29% |
| 27 | 24 | Hiro Matsushita | 33.021 | 221.205 | 355.918 | 109.55% |
| 28 | 64 | Arnd Meier | 33.256 | 219.642 | 353.403 | 110.33% |