Post by HDT05 on Jun 3, 2012 23:13:53 GMT 10
May 31 - Jun 03
3:30 PM ET
Chevrolet Detroit Belle
DETROIT -- Scott Dixon has back-to-back pole starts at Belle Isle. They've just been separated by four years.
Dixon recorded a lap of 1 minute, 10.3162 seconds -- a qualifying record for the 2.07-mile, 14-turn street circuit layout -- in the final 30 seconds of the Firestone Fast Six to earn the pole award for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
He pipped Will Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, by 0.0044 of a second.
"That's all it takes," said Dixon, who recorded his 18th career pole (he has at least one in six consecutive seasons) in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car. "This has really been a team effort; we struggled coming off the truck (for practice June 1) and we worked hard to get up to P1.
"I am really happy about starting up front because this is such a tough track and physically demanding on the drivers. The track is bumpy and the best place to pass is on the straights, so staring up front is very important."
Click it: Qualifying results
The 90-lap race will be televised by ABC at 3:30 p.m. (ET). Six different teams were represented in the Firestone Fast Six.
Power, making his third front-row start in six IZOD IndyCar Series races, and Dixon traded the top spot twice in the final 1:30. Power had a best lap of 1:10.3206.
"You’ve just got to be smart, see how things play out," Power said of the race. "I just race the way I race, which is to win, so that means not trying to do anything stupid."
Alex Tagliani, making his first appearance in the Firestone Fast Six since Sonoma in 2010, provided Team Barracuda-BHA its best start of the season and will share Row 2 with Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports, who tied his season high.
"I think (this first IZOD IndyCar Series season) has been a nice surprise to me as well and the team," said Pagenaud, who co-drove to third place in the 2008 American Le Mans Series race. "The car is running really well, I enjoy driving it, and we made it suit my driving style straight away. We’ve been consistent."
E.J. Viso, who last participated in the Firestone Fast Six in 2011 at Edmonton, will be on Row 3 in the No. 5 CITGO/PDVSA KV Racing Technology car with Ryan Hunter-Reay, driving the No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car for Andretti Autosport.
Graham Rahal was 0.0036 of a second behind Hunter-Reay to qualify for the Firestone Fast Six. He'll incur a 10-position grid penalty for an unaspproved engine change during practice May 14 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and start 17th in the No. 38 Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing car. Simona de Silvestro also was penalized for an unapproved engine change at Indy and will start 25th.
James Hinchcliffe, who qualified for the Firestone Fast Six in the previous four street/road course events, qualified 14th after the left-rear tire of the No. 27 GoDaddy.com car tagged the concrete barrier in Turn 14 in Round 1. Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti qualified 15th.
"We didn't really have the session we wanted," said Franchitti, who started 16th at Indianapolis. "We have a good Suave car and the guys made some great changes this morning so I hope we get to show it (June 3)."
www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/06-June/6-2-Pole-day-at-Belle-Isle
3:30 PM ET
Chevrolet Detroit Belle
DETROIT -- Scott Dixon has back-to-back pole starts at Belle Isle. They've just been separated by four years.
Dixon recorded a lap of 1 minute, 10.3162 seconds -- a qualifying record for the 2.07-mile, 14-turn street circuit layout -- in the final 30 seconds of the Firestone Fast Six to earn the pole award for the Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix.
He pipped Will Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, by 0.0044 of a second.
"That's all it takes," said Dixon, who recorded his 18th career pole (he has at least one in six consecutive seasons) in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car. "This has really been a team effort; we struggled coming off the truck (for practice June 1) and we worked hard to get up to P1.
"I am really happy about starting up front because this is such a tough track and physically demanding on the drivers. The track is bumpy and the best place to pass is on the straights, so staring up front is very important."
Click it: Qualifying results
The 90-lap race will be televised by ABC at 3:30 p.m. (ET). Six different teams were represented in the Firestone Fast Six.
Power, making his third front-row start in six IZOD IndyCar Series races, and Dixon traded the top spot twice in the final 1:30. Power had a best lap of 1:10.3206.
"You’ve just got to be smart, see how things play out," Power said of the race. "I just race the way I race, which is to win, so that means not trying to do anything stupid."
Alex Tagliani, making his first appearance in the Firestone Fast Six since Sonoma in 2010, provided Team Barracuda-BHA its best start of the season and will share Row 2 with Simon Pagenaud of Schmidt Hamilton HP Motorsports, who tied his season high.
"I think (this first IZOD IndyCar Series season) has been a nice surprise to me as well and the team," said Pagenaud, who co-drove to third place in the 2008 American Le Mans Series race. "The car is running really well, I enjoy driving it, and we made it suit my driving style straight away. We’ve been consistent."
E.J. Viso, who last participated in the Firestone Fast Six in 2011 at Edmonton, will be on Row 3 in the No. 5 CITGO/PDVSA KV Racing Technology car with Ryan Hunter-Reay, driving the No. 28 Team DHL/Sun Drop Citrus Soda car for Andretti Autosport.
Graham Rahal was 0.0036 of a second behind Hunter-Reay to qualify for the Firestone Fast Six. He'll incur a 10-position grid penalty for an unaspproved engine change during practice May 14 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and start 17th in the No. 38 Service Central Chip Ganassi Racing car. Simona de Silvestro also was penalized for an unapproved engine change at Indy and will start 25th.
James Hinchcliffe, who qualified for the Firestone Fast Six in the previous four street/road course events, qualified 14th after the left-rear tire of the No. 27 GoDaddy.com car tagged the concrete barrier in Turn 14 in Round 1. Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti qualified 15th.
"We didn't really have the session we wanted," said Franchitti, who started 16th at Indianapolis. "We have a good Suave car and the guys made some great changes this morning so I hope we get to show it (June 3)."
www.indycar.com/en/News/2012/06-June/6-2-Pole-day-at-Belle-Isle
