Dixon beats Power to historic Indy 500 pole

Chip Ganassi star Scott Dixon has claimed the coveted pole position for the Indianapolis 500 on May 24 after officials were forced to revise the qualifying format for the second day running.

The Indy 500 that was first run in 1911 sees two Australians by birth sitting on the front row with Brisbane-born Kiwi Dixon and Toowoomba’s Will Power creating history for Antipodean drivers.

Power’s Penske team-mate Simon Pagenaud, who has been boosted from meticulous behind-the-scenes coaching from four-times Indy champ Rick Mears, will share the front row after qualifying third fastest.

Dixon finished with a four-lap qualifying average of 226.76mph (364km/h) ahead of Power’s 226.35 (364.27) and Pagenaud at 226.14 (363.93).

“Starting from pole is always better than starting from anywhere else. But its a long race,” Dixon said, who was the Indy 500 in 2008.

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“We’d love to replicate what we did in 2008. We’ve qualified on pole, now we just need to stay there for the last lap.”

Initially altered from a multi-tier format due to Saturday rain, the amended session was further compromised after a nasty crash involving CFH Racing pilot Ed Carpenter in final practice.

The accident triggered repairs to the track which subsequently forced officials to order the cars run the aero set-up they would specify for the race with boost levels also falling in line with the aforementioned.

Carpenter eventually qualified 12th and thus was denied a third successive pole at The Brickyard.

Delays meant the team were able to prepare a back-up chassis for Carpenter who was the third driver listed to stage his four-lap qualifying.

“When I was upside down in Turn 2 this morning I didn’t know the delays in the schedule we would have,” Carpenter said.

“The way things worked out it gave the team the time it needed to get the car ready to go.

“I didn’t think we expected to win the pole with the morning we had and I’m just thankful to the whole team.”

Ganassi driver Tony Kanaan will start from fourth ahead of three-times Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves (Team Penske).

The Penske attack saw the 2000 race winner Juan Montoya qualify 15th.

Tristan Vautier qualified the #19 Dale Coyne Racing entry which James Davison will take over in the race in 21st position.

Full starting grid for the Indianapolis 500

ROW 1
Inside	Middle	Outside
#9 Scott Dixon (W)	#1 Will Power	#22 Simon Pagenaud
Avg. Speed 226.760 MPH	Avg. Speed 226.350 MPH	Avg. Speed 226.145 MPH

ROW 2
Inside	Middle	Outside
#10 Tony Kanaan (W)	#3 Helio Castroneves (W)	#25 Justin Wilson
Avg. Speed 225.503 MPH	Avg. Speed 225.504 MPH	Avg. Speed 225.279 MPH

ROW 3
Inside	Middle	Outside
#11 Sebastien Bourdais	#27 Marco Andretti	#21 Josef Newgarden
Avg. Speed 225.193 MPH	Avg. Speed 225.189 MPH	Avg. Speed 225.187 MPH

ROW 4
Inside	Middle	Outside
#6 JR Hildebrand	#26 Carlos Munoz	#20 Ed Carpenter
Avg. Speed 225.099 MPH	Avg. Speed 225.042 MPH	Avg. Speed 224.883 MPH

ROW 5
Inside	Middle	Outside
#32 Oriol Servia	#83 Charlie Kimball	#2 Juan Pablo Montoya (W)
Avg. Speed 224.777 MPH	Avg. Speed 224.743 MPH	Avg. Speed 224.657 MPH

ROW 6
Inside	Middle	Outside
#28 Ryan Hunter-Reay (W)	#15 Graham Rahal	#18 Carlos Huertas
Avg. Speed 224.573 MPH	Avg. Speed 224.290 MPH	Avg. Speed 224.233 MPH

ROW 7
Inside	Middle	Outside
#29 Simona de Silvestro	#7 James Jakes	#19 Tristan Vautier (***)
Avg. Speed 223.838 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.790 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.747 MPH

ROW 8
Inside	Middle	Outside
#48 Alex Tagliani	#8 Sage Karam	#5 James Hinchcliffe
Avg. Speed 223.722 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.595 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.519 MPH

ROW 9
Inside	Middle	Outside
#43 Conor Daly	#24 Townsend Bell	#14 Takuma Sato
Avg. Speed 223.482 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.447 MPH	Avg. Speed 223.226 MPH

ROW 10
Inside	Middle	Outside
#63 Pippa Mann	#98 Gabby Chaves (R)	#17 Sebastian Saavedra
Avg. Speed 223.104 MPH	Avg. Speed 222.916 MPH	Avg. Speed 222.898 MPH

ROW 11
Inside	Middle	Outside
#41 Jack Hawksworth	#4 Stefano Coletti (R)	#88 Bryan Clauson
Avg. Speed 223.738	Avg. Speed 221.358 MPH	Avg. Speed 221.358 MPH

(***) The #19 will move to the back due to a driver change
(R) Rookie
(W) Previous Winner

See video below of Ed Carpenter’s practice crash