The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)

Carpenter collects top spot in crash-marred Indy qualifying

- By Michael Marot

INDIANAPOL­IS » Two-time pole winner Ed Carpenter had the fastest car in Indianapol­is 500 qualifying Saturday with a four-lap average of 230.468 mph.

He finished just ahead of Takuma Sato and 2008 race winner Scott Dixon. Sato was second at 230.382. Dixon was third at 230.333.

All times will be erased for Sunday’s nine-car pole shootout.

Qualifying was marred by a frightenin­g crash that sent Sebastien Bourdais to the hospital. The French driver was to have surgery Saturday night to repair a fractured pelvis.

Drivers from Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport took six of the top nine spots.

Two-time Formula One champ Fernando Alonso was seventh at 230.034.

Will Power was the only Team Penske driver to make the shootout. Roger Penske’s drivers have won all five poles this season with Power taking three and Helio Castroneve­s taking two.

Defending 500 champ Alexander Rossi was the fifth-fastest time at 230.148.

It was an odd day on the 2 ½-mile oval that began with a long rain delay and a change in the qualifying procedure and ended with Carpenter’s teammate, JR Hildebrand, cracking finishing fourth at 231.205 to bump rookie Ed Jones out of the shootout.

But the most disturbing scene was Bourdais slamming into the wall and his car flipping over in a burst of fire before skidding to a stop in the backstretc­h.

Safety workers got to the car in about 10 seconds, but needed about 10 minutes to get the Dale Coyne Racing driver out. Bourdais was then placed on a backboard and taken to the infield medical center before going to Indiana University Methodist Hospital for further observatio­n.

The hard hit also forced track workers to repair the damaged wall.

And those with the early spots in qualifying line were clearly hurt by the severe weather that moved into the area minutes before qualifying was set to begin. When the track dried and drivers got back on the oval at about 4 p.m., the early drivers found a hot surface with little grip.

 ?? MICHAEL CONROY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ?? Ed Carpenter celebrates with his crew after he qualified with the fastest time for the Indianapol­is 500 Saturday in Indianapol­is.
MICHAEL CONROY — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Ed Carpenter celebrates with his crew after he qualified with the fastest time for the Indianapol­is 500 Saturday in Indianapol­is.

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