Mexico City ? Open-wheel ace Adrian Fernandez showed he could master a stock car faster than most of his NASCAR rivals could solve his hometown’s tricky road course Friday.

In his first day of Busch Series practice, Fernandez turned the fastest lap– an average of 103.631 mph — in a Chevrolet.

The 41-year-old Fernandez, making just his second career race in a stock car, said he still had a lot to learn as he heads into qualifying for Sunday’s Telcel-Motorola 200 — the first Busch Series race outside the United States.

“I’ve never made pit stops in these cars,” he said. “It’s another style of driving.”

But he said he expected more crashes on the crowded track Sunday.

“I hope I can be in front so I can avoid all that,” the Mexican said.

Sponsorship problems pulled Fernandez away from a ride with his own team in the IRL this year, but he signed a one-race deal to drive for Hendrick Motorsports at NASCAR’s first foray into Mexico. He’s a national sports hero for his exploits in Champ Car and the IRL.

He had expressed concern about coping with the dramatically different handling of the NASCAR vehicles, but noted that the visiting drivers would have to learn the 2.518-mile road course.

Practice claimed at least six cars Friday, oval-circuit veterans and local-track experts alike.

Adrian Fernandez, of the Lowe's/Hatachi Power Tools Chevrolet team, navigates around the Hermanos Rodriguez racetrack during practice for Sunday's Nascar Busch Series race. Fernandez practiced Friday in Mexico City.

Carl Edwards, the 2003 Craftsman Truck series rookie of the year, was fastest in morning practice.

“I’m having a blast,” he said. “This is like riding your dirt bike through the woods.”

In the afternoon, he took his Ford off the course, smashing headfirst into the walls on both sides of the track after mishandling a chicane NASCAR had inserted into the long front straight to reduce accidents at the track’s sharp first turn.

He was unhurt, but soon returned to the pits with smoke pouring from his replacement car.

Mexico’s lone regular in the Busch Series, Michael Jourdan Jr., crushed his car’s rear end into a wall during the afternoon session.

Jamie McMurray lost his car on the first turn. Mexico’s Rafael Martinez totaled his on the long, final turn. Randy LaJoie smashed the right front end of his. Mexico’s Ruben Garcia hit a wall after his transmission stuck.

“I think they’re just trying to get too much out of the car too fast,” said Robby Gordon, who had the day’s sixth-fastest time.

“It’s just about being smart and not being too aggressive,” Gordon said. “If the car won’t hold, slow down.”

Road-course specialists Ron Fellows and Boris Said, pulled in especially for the race, ran the fastest laps after that of Fernandez.

When a Mexican reporter questioned the ability of NASCAR drivers to turn right, Fellows retorted, “Listen, this is a slippery racetrack, and I’m going to defend all the NASCAR guys. … These cars are 3,400 pounds, and they slide, slide, slide … particularly here.”

Said, however, didn’t seem to mind the course. He described the nasty chicane as “my favorite part of the race course.

“It sort of separates the men from the boys and gets the hair standing up on your arms,” he said.

Gordon said the goal was “to be around for the last 20 laps” of Sunday’s 80-lap event.

“All this stuff before practice and all this stuff for the first 60 laps just doesn’t matter,” he said. “You’ve got to have a whole race car to race for the last 20.”

Fernandez’s performance was a boost for promoters trying to sell NASCAR-style racing to a country that has long embraced open-wheel competition such as Formula One and Champ Car.

Promoter Ocesa’s motor sports director, Federico Alaman, said earlier that 45,000 tickets had been sold by Thursday and predicted a crowd of 80,000 for the race.