Naptown Buzz

Your source for all things Indy™

Indianapolis 500 Pole Day

Ed Carpenter Claims Pole for the 97th Indianapolis 500

by

8743963013_296d7de1dc_o

After a Indianapolis 500 pole day filled with drama for teams Ed Carpenter found himself celebrating with the Verizon P1 Award.

The lone team owner/driver in the IZOD IndyCar Series recorded a blistering four-lap average speed of 228.762 mph (best lap of 229.347 mph; 39.2418 seconds) in the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka Chevrolet. The one-car team bested the best of Team Penske and Andretti Autosport in the shootout to claim a $100,000 bonus and 15 precious IZOD IndyCar Series championship points.

Carpenter’s previous best start at the Speedway was eighth in 2010 and ’11; his best finish is fifth after starting 10th in 2008. His pole speed was the fastest since Sam Hornish Jr. (228.985 mph) in 2006 for Team Penske. Hornish, the last American to win the Indianapolis 500 pole, went on to win the race.

Rookie Carlos Munoz earned a front-row start and $50,000 of the Verizon Front Row Awards for second (228.342) — .2892 of a second off Carpenter’s aggregate four-lap time — and Marco Andretti was awarded a $40,000 bonus for qualifying third (228.261). It’s Andretti’s best start in eight attempts at the Speedway.

Munoz, 21, is seeking to match Juan Pablo Montoya as an Indianapolis 500 winner from Colombia. Montoya also started second – as a rookie — in his 2000 victory. He was the last first-year front-row starter.

E.J. Viso (228.150), first-year Indy 500 competitor AJ Allmendinger (228.099) and Team Penske teammate Will Power (228.087) will start on Row 2 for the 200-lap race May 26. Reigning IZOD IndyCar Series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay (227.904) will join three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (227.762) and James Hinchcliffe (227.070) on Row 3.

Positions 25-33 will be set through four-lap qualifications May 19 on Old National Armed Forces Bump Day.

There will be at least one bump in determining the 33-car field as Schmidt Peterson Pelfrey entered the No. 81 Angie’s List Honda-powered car to be driven by Katherine Legge. She’s expected to participate in the 9-10 a.m. (ET) practice session and make at least one qualifying attempt later in the day. Each entrant is allowed three qualifying attempts as time permits.

In addition to Legge, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing teammates Graham Rahal and Michel Jourdain Jr., rookies Tristan Vautier and Conor Daly, Ana Beatriz, Buddy Lazier, Pippa Mann, Josef Newgarden and Sebastian Saavedra will attempt to qualify.

Results of qualifying Sunday for the 2012 Indianapolis 500 IZOD IndyCar Series event on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with Rank, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, time and speed in parentheses:

1. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.3689 ( 228.762)
2. (26) Carlos Munoz, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.6581 ( 228.342)
3. (25) Marco Andretti, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.7139 ( 228.261)
4. (5) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.7907 ( 228.150)
5. (2) AJ Allmendinger, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.8264 ( 228.099)
6. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.8342 ( 228.087)
7. (1) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevy 02:37.9614 ( 227.904)
8. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.0596 ( 227.762)
9. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.5411 ( 227.070)
10. (4) JR Hildebrand, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.2830 ( 227.441)
11. (98) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 02:38.3209 ( 227.386)
12. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.6260 ( 226.949)
13. (22) Oriol Servia, Dallara-Chevy 02:38.7206 ( 226.814)
14. (19) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.0318 ( 226.370)
15. (7) Sebastien Bourdais, Dallara-Chevy 02:39.1543 ( 226.196)
16. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.1808 ( 226.158)
17. (10) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.2434 ( 226.069)
18. (14) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.3681 ( 225.892)
19. (83) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.3768 ( 225.880)
20. (16) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.4268 ( 225.809)
21. (77) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.5219 ( 225.674)
22. (60) Townsend Bell, Dallara-Chevy 02:39.5438 ( 225.643)
23. (8) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Honda, 02:39.8117 ( 225.265)
24. (78) Simona De Silvestro, Dallara-Chevy 02:39.8398 ( 225.226)

Source: IndyCar • Photo: Brian Groce

97th Indianapolis 500 Pole Day Qualifying Order

by

Pole Day qualifying for the 97th Indianapolis 500 starts at 11am, and the first 24 spots are up for grabs.

1) 40 TBA
2) 9 Scott Dixon (W)
3) 14 Takuma Sato
4) 15 Graham Rahal
5) 14T Takuma Sato
6) 2 AJ Allmendinger (R)
7) 6T Sebastian Saavedra
8) 91 Buddy Lazier (W)
9) 8T Ryan Briscoe
10) 78 Simona de Silvestro
11) 83T Charlie Kimball
12) 40T TBA
12A) 60T Townsend Bell
14) 27 James Hinchcliffe
15) 27T James Hinchcliffe
16) 9T Scott Dixon (W)
17) 41 Conor Daly (R)
18) 3T Helio Castroneves (W)
19) 16T James Jakes
20) 12T Will Power
21) 7 Sebastien Bourdais
22) 19 Justin Wilson
23) 3 Helio Castroneves (W)
24) 11T Tony Kanaan
25) 1T Ryan Hunter-Reay
26) 78T Simona de Silvestro
27) 16 James Jakes
28) 99T TBA
29) 5T E.J. Viso
30) 22T Oriol Servia
31) 18T Ana Beatriz
32) 6 Sebastian Saavedra
33) 63 Pippa Mann
34) 60 Townsend Bell
35) 20T Ed Carpenter
36) 5 E.J. Viso
37) 98 Alex Tagliani
38) 12 Will Power
39) 77T Simon Pagenaud
40) 25T Marco Andretti
41) 8 Ryan Briscoe
42) 11 Tony Kanaan
43) 21 Josef Newgarden
44) 55 Tristan Vautier (R)
45) 10 Dario Franchitti (W)
46) 18 Ana Beatriz
47) 4T JR Hildebrand
48) 19T Justin Wilson
49) 10T Dario Franchitti (W)
50) 55T Tristan Vautier (R)
51) 83 Charlie Kimball
52) 20 Ed Carpenter
53) 1 Ryan Hunter-Reay
54) 17 Michel Jourdain Jr.
55) 26T Carlos Munoz (R)
56) 26 Carlos Munoz (R)
57) 2T AJ Allmendinger (R)
58) 4 JR Hildebrand
59) 25 Marco Andretti
60) 21T Josef Newgarden
61) 98T Alex Tagliani
62) 99 TBA
63) 7T Sebastien Bourdais
64) 41T Conor Daly (R)
65) 77 Simon Pagenaud
66) 15T Graham Rahal
67) 63T Pippa Mann
68) 22 Oriol Servia