Marco Andretti earns Indy 500 pole position
Scott Horner and Ethan Sears
INDIANAPOLIS – Marco Andretti brought the family back to the Indianapolis 500 pole position.
Driving the No. 98 Honda, Andretti edged Scott Dixon with a four-lap effort of 231.068 mph Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during the Fast Nine Shootout.
Andretti’s grandfather – legend Mario Andretti – won the Indy 500 pole in 1966, ’67 and ’87. As drivers, the family has one Indy 500 victory: Mario in 1969.
Marco Andretti’s previous best Indy 500 start is third in 2013. He narrowly finished second as a rookie in 2016. The 104th Indy 500 is next Sunday. Dixon, the 2008 race winner, was seeking his fourth Indy 500 pole but settled for the middle of the front row at 231.051 mph. Takuma Sato rounded out the front row.
After losing out on the pole position, Scott Dixon was, naturally, asked about Marco Andretti. What would it mean for an Andretti to win, Dixon was asked.
He doesn’t know. And he doesn’t care.
“I hope it’s us winning the Indy 500,” Dixon said. “That’s what we’re thinking about.”
It’s been 12 years since Scott Dixon won the Indianapolis 500.
Don’t get him wrong, he’s happy for Marco Andretti. They are friends. Upon thinking about it, Dixon said Andretti would be the guy he’d root for to win it ... other than himself, of course.
Dixon won three straight races to open this season, and he’s four wins from passing Mario Andretti on the alltime list.
• Formula One: Lewis Hamilton had no problems with his tires this time as he coasted to victory at the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday in Montmelo, extending his series lead to 37 points and clinching an 88th victory to move within three of Michael Schumacher’s F1 record. – Associated Press