INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Persistent afternoon rain canceled the remainder of Saturday’s scheduled track activity on the first day of qualifications for the 99th Running of the Indianapolis 500 mile race, so the process begins anew May 17.
A revised schedule for Old National Armed Forces Pole Day calls for the 34 entries to make one four-lap qualifying attempt each on the 2.5-mile oval, followed by the “Fast Nine Shootout”, in which the top nine cars return to determine the Verizon P1 Award for pole position and the first three rows for the May 24 race. Finally, positions 31-33 will be determined in a 45-minute session.
Ryan Hunter-Reay (229.845 mph) and Carlos Huertas (228.235) were the only drivers to post four-lap qualifying runs before the rain Saturday, but those will not count since not everyone was able to make an attempt. Two groups of cars will be accorded practice time prior to qualifying.
In Saturday’s morning practice, Helio Castroneves recorded a lap of 233.474 mph that, while unofficial, is the fastest lap at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since the 1996 race when Eddie Cheever, Jr., had the fastest race lap at 236.103 mph. That same year, Arie Luyendyk set the one- and four-lap qualifying records (237.498 mph and 236.986 mph, respectively).
“That 233 mph number was pretty cool, but it was with a little bit of help (with a tow from cars in front of him),” said Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Shell V-Power Nitro+ Team Penske Chevrolet. “The guys have really done an amazing job over the last couple of days since the (May 13 crash). To lose a day and still be on top of the practice speeds is a testament to how hard they worked. The weather, there is nothing we can do about the weather. We’ll just come back and see what’s in store.”
Castroneves seeks to join A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears as four-time Indy 500 winners, and he’s in contention for pole history, too. Castroneves, with No. 1 qualifying efforts in 2003, 2007, 2009 and 2010, is tied with Foyt and Rex Mays. A fifth would put him second among all-time Indy 500 pole winners, one behind Team Penske consultant Mears. Castroneves also could give team owner Roger Penske a record-extending 18th pole position at the Indy 500.
Added Team Penske teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, the Verizon IndyCar Series championship points leader: “It’s a little bit of a disappointment that we didn’t get to qualify today because the Team Penske cars were very strong in the practice sessions. I’ve been happy with the car even though we continue to struggle a bit with the balance. We are confident that we know what direction we need to go with the weather. It’s going to be a fast, exciting qualifying session, I know that.”
In 2014, Ed Carpenter earned the Verizon P1 Award in the Fast Nine Shootout with a four-lap average speed of 231.076 mph – the second consecutive year that Carpenter started from the pole. He’ll seek to become the first to earn the pole in three consecutive years May 17. Twenty drivers have won the race from the pole – most recently Castroneves in 2009.
“Last year we were pretty solid, so I think we can get in (to the Fast Nine Shootout), but we’ve got to play our cards right and find a little bit (of speed),” said Carpenter, driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka CFH Racing Chevrolet. “The thing we’ve got to figure out is how to make the fourth lap still be good.”
WDUN will have live IMS Radio Network coverage of the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, May 24 beginning at Noon on 102.9 FM and 1 pm on 550 AM.
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