Eighthfastest Dixon in shootout today for Indy 500 pole position

WELLINGTON: New Zealand driver Scott Dixon remains in contention to claim pole position for next weekend’s Indianapolis 500.

Dixon was eighthfastest in yesterday’s qualifying session.

‘‘It was much better today out there overall for the whole team. The car really felt good today and I was comfortable — I was feeling a lot better than yesterday too, but we’re just still lacking some speed to match the top cars right now in qualifying. The team has been working very hard to make the most out of it and we’ll see what the conclusion of qualifying brings tomorrow.’’

The top nine fastest times from yesterday will stage a shootout today for pole position.

Dixon won North America’s most famous race in 2008.

Threetime winner Helio Castroneves topped qualifying speeds, while Danica Patrick assured herself of a spot in the final race of her career.

Brazilian Castroneves, winner in 2001, 2002 and 2009, powered his Penske to a fourlap average speed of 228.919mph during a morning run as he prepared to chase a fifth Indy 500 pole.

Patrick, the only woman in the field, sneaked into the Fast Nine at ninth at 227.610mph.

Team Penske has three of the top four positions heading into today’s shootout — Castroneves, Frenchman Simon Pagenaud (third) and Will Power (fourth).

Former pole winner Ed Carpenter broke up the group, finishing secondfastest.

Castroneves, who has moved over to race sports cars for Roger Penske and no longer competes fulltime on the IndyCar circuit, signalled he was ready to fight for an elusive fourth win. — RNZ