Repsol Honda's Marc Marquez dominated the third MotoGP free practice session at Indianapolis as the only rider to dip into the 1'38s bracket and equalling team-mate Dani Pedrosa's circuit-best lap in the process.
Marquez put in what will probably be the pace for qualifying with a 1'38.844 compared to Pedrosa's 1'38.813 set last year while Stefan Bradl was a little under three-tenths of a second slower on his way to second on a 1'39.125.
Britain's Cal Crutchlow was third with a best of 1'39.441 and he finished one of those on the grass. It was enough, however, to hold off Alvaro Bautista in fourth whole was less than a tenth in arrears.
Dani Pedrosa, on the second Repsol bike, nipped ahead of title rival and reigning champion Jorge Lorenzo for fifth place after completing 18 laps while Valentino Rossi was seventh on a 1'39.640. Bradley Smith, in eighth, did 18 laps and was only a tenth behind the nine-time world champion.
The Ducati pair of Andrea Doviziosio and Nicky Hayden complete those going through to qualifying two by default but only after the American used his final flying lap to depose Ignite Ducati's Andrea Iannone.
Ben Spies, on the other satellite GP13, hopped off it mid-way through the session in a turn four highside. He has a dislocated shoulder and will take no further part in the weekend's action.
Danilo Petrucci was the leading CRT man in 12th after Aleix Espagaro's number one bike gave up on him. The Spaniard was able to climn into 12th place though and had Yonny Hernandez behind him.
Michael Laverty increased his pace yet again and cut his gap to the leaders but a few more tenths and is now 3.8s off the pace at a track he hadn't seen before Thursday night.