Castroneves Grabs #1 Starting Position for Indy 500
(Penske Driver waits until Last Possible moment to knock Franchitti from Pole)
Helio Castroneves won the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award for the 91st Indianapolis 500 in dramatic fashion Saturday with a four-lap average of 225.817 mph. Castroneves made his fast run with eight minutes left and survived a last-ditch attempt by Tony Kanaan, who qualified second at 225.757.
Kanaan's 3-lap average was fast enough to capture the pole at Indy, but unfortunately for the Andretti/Green driver it takes 4 laps to complete a qualification run. Kanaan's 4th lap was just slow enough to drop his speed average .060 mph slower than Castroneves' speed.
Castroneves dramatic heroics came after the Penske driver withdrew his earlier speed which placed him 3rd on the grid. Roger Penske's drivers did not attempt a qualification attempt earlier in the day when track temperatures and wind speeds were hindering the quest for speed.
Andretti/Green driver, Dario Franchitti posted the fastest qualification average early in the day and withstood numerous challenges to the P1 starting position. The new Indy 500 qualification rules allow the race teams 3 qualification attempts per day and only the first eleven positions are filled on Pole Day.
This is Helio Castroneves' third Pole this season and the 19th pole position of his IndyCar Series career, extending his series record for career poles. He previously won poles at St. Petersburg and Twin Ring Motegi. This will be Castroneves' second Indy 500 pole and his second consecutive front-row start at the 500.
Although Andretti/Green Racing failed to win the most coveted Pole Position in motorsports, all five Andretti Green car qualified inside the top-11. It is the first time an entrant has placed five cars in the first 11 in Indianapolis 500 history.
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