TORONTO -- Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon, the runner-up to teammate Dario Franchitti in the 2011 Honda Indy Toronto, topped the time sheet in the pre-qualifying session on the 1.75-mile, 11-turn street circuit with a lap of 1:00.3841.

Ryan Hunter-Reay, winner of the past two IZOD IndyCar Series races to vault to second in the championship chase, was 0.0099 of a second behind. Simon Pagenaud, who was second quick overall on the first day of practice July 6, was third on the sheet at 1:00.6065.

Click it: Practice 3 results || Combined practice results

Championship front-runner Will Power (1:00.6151) and Sebastien Bourdais (1:00.7582) also were in the top five. Power is the 2011 pole sitter.

The three rounds of qualifications commence at 1 p.m. (ET). The IMS Radio Network has the call, augmented by real-time Timing & Scoring on www.indycar.com.

A rain cell moved across Exhibition Place about 90 minutes before the 25 IZOD IndyCar Series cars took the asphalt/concrete track for their third practice session of the weekend. The racing line was driy for the most part, and the remainder of the circuit improved throughout the 60-minute session. No additional daytime rain is forecast for the weekend.