Dixon’s blazing run takes third Indy pole
INDIANAPOLIS — As Scott Dixon sat in his car on pit lane Sunday, waiting to take his only shot at the pole position for the 101st Indianapolis 500, he knew something special was in the air. He could hear it.
“Every time someone put up a fast lap, the roar from this great crowd was tremendous,” the New Zealander said.
Too bad he couldn’t hear the roar when he threw down the fastest run here since 1996. His 232.164 mph average over four laps in his Ganassi Racing Honda stood up for his third 500 pole after final qualifier Ed Carpenter (231.664) couldn’t match it.
“I thought maybe the dash had broken on the steering wheel and they’d thrown up a fake number,” Dixon said, referring to his glance at the readout. “When I saw that first number I was like, ‘Wow, this is impressive.’ Obviously huge thanks to Honda.”
The engine supplier did deliver when it mattered, though two-time pole winner Carpenter, the fastest qualifier in the Saturday prelims which set the “fast nine” for the run-off, was only a smidge off in his Chevy-powered car.
“When Scott did that 232 and I was in the car (in pit lane waiting) it actually made some of the pressure go away,” said Carpenter, meaning there was no need to ask his car for something that wasn’t there, and he could just settle in for a front-row run.
The others in the top five were Hondapowered, including rookie Fernando Alonso, whose 231.300 run earned the Formula One star the No. 5 spot behind 2016 race winner Alexander Rossi, who was third, and Takuma Sato. There’s also no doubt Alonso, whose Andretti Autosport team had to change his engine in two hours between the warm-up and qualifying, has brought a buzz to this Sunday’s race.
“I’m obviously amazingly happy with the reception, with the welcome of the fans here,” Alonso said. “And now let’s put that good show on for them on the 28th.”
That is Dixon’s intention. A polesitter hasn’t won the race since Helio Castroneves in 2009. Dixon did it in 2008.
“We’re starting in the right place,” Dixon said. “The hard part is to keep it there.”
Anyone outside the “fast nine” after Saturday ran for the 10th through 32nd spots Sunday.
New Albany native Graham Rahal, who stood 16th after Saturday, averaged 230.253 on Sunday to improve to 14th. He will start his 10th 500 at age 28.
“I enjoy coming here, I love it each and every year more and more,” said Rahal, whose best finish was third in 2011. “I’m looking forward to getting this thing underway … hoping this is the year.”
Michael Shank’s Pataskala-based team, in its first Indy foray and running in conjunction with Andretti Autosport, watched rookie driver Jack Harvey qualify 27th. He completed his run despite smacking the turn-two SAFER barrier with his right rear tire on lap two.
“It’s ridiculous — most people pull in, so I’m really proud of him for doing that,” Shank said. “It shows you the resilience of the car … but at the end of the day he kept going.”
Rookie Zach Veach of Stockdale, Ohio, didn’t make an attempt Saturday after crashing on Friday. The A.J. Foyt team had him take a conservative approach Sunday. He made the field with the slowest run of the day (221.081).
But there will be a full field of 33. Dale Coyne Racing named James Davison to replace Sebastien Bourdais, who was injured in a crash Saturday. Davison will get his first laps in the car in the open practice today.
Bourdais, who suffered fractures in his pelvis and hip, underwent surgery Saturday night and was “doing better than I expected” on Sunday, said IndyCar medical director Dr. Geoffrey Billows.