Mexico City ? Paul Tracy pushed his car so hard in practice, he came dangerously close to missing Friday’s qualifying round for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Tracy crashed twice at the Hermanos Rodriguez track before Friday’s qualifying round for the Champ Car season finale began. The Canadian recovered and posted the day’s second-fastest time with a lap of one minute, 27.962 seconds.

A.J. Almendinger secured a front-row start on Sunday with the fastest lap of 1:27.349 at a speed of 114.822 mph. The 22-year-old American took third at the Grand Prix in 2004, when he was rookie of the year.

Minutes before qualifying was to begin, Tracy’s pit crew worked to change his car’s rear wing and some suspension parts after he spun out hard into the tire barrier.

Canada's Paul Tracy drives during the practice session for the Champ Car's Mexico City Grand Prix. Tracy posted the second-fastest lap Friday in Mexico City.

Tracy also had brushed up against the tire barrier earlier in the morning, but was able to drive his car into the pit with almost no damage.

Points leader Sebastien Bourdais finished the session sixth, with a lap of 1:28.802 at 112.943 mph.

The 26-year-old Bourdais set course and lap records last year when he won the Mexico City event. Tracy won the Grand Prix in 2003.

Bourdais clinched the season title two weeks ago at Surfers Paradise in Australia, and Spaniard Oriol Servia secured second place Friday, finishing seventh with a lap of 1:28.804 seconds. Third place is still up for grabs between England’s Justin Wilson and Tracy.