ED CARPENTER/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet has the pole for the 97th Indianapolis 500 Mile Race with a record-breaking lap of 228.762 mph, slower than his original Pole Day lap of 227.952 mph. The previous qualifying record of 226.484 mph was set last year by RYAN BRISCOE.
Carpenter won the 2012 season’s finale race at Auto Club Speedway. Carpenter, the only owner-driver in the 2013 series, runs a single-car team. His second entry for the Indy 500 went unfilled.
CARLOS MUNOZ, current points leader in the Firestone Indy Lights Series, was the top Rookie, in his first IndyCar start, placing second overall. He’s driving in both series for MICHAEL ANDRETTI, who had all five of his drivers place in the Fast Nine.
The Fast Nine, all Chevrolet drivers, ran their single car laps in reverse order of their Pole Day finishes.
The top nine drivers are: ED CARPENTER – Ed Carpenter Racing; Rookie CARLOS MUNOZ – Andretti Autosport; MARCO ANDRETTI – Andretti Autosport; E.J.VISO – Andretti Autosport; Rookie A.J.ALLMENDINGER – Team Penske; WILL POWER – Team Penske; RYAN HUNTER-REAY – Andretti Autosport; HELIO CASTRONEVES – Team Penske; and JAMES HINCHCLIFFE – Andretti Autosport.
Power had turned the fastest overall lap of 229.808 mph on Fast Friday, before the Indianapolis torrents ended the day early.
The weatherman cooperated and held off the rain Saturday for the entire day of on-track activities. The cloud cover lifted mid-afternoon, and it got warmer for awhile which seemed to slow down the cars. After Qualifying eded, the sun shone.
All drivers had his/her opportunity to make at least one run Saturday afternoon. Several waived off, or were bumped from the Top 24. In between qualifying runs, the track was open for practice.
Sunday’s Bump Day will be true to its name. A very late driver nomination of KATHERINE LEGGE to the Number 99 entry of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports was announced Saturday afternoon. Garage gossip has the number changing, perhaps to 81.
More to come.