IZOD IndyCar driver ED CARPENTER/Fuzzy’s Vodka/Ed Carpenter Racing Chevrolet won his first Indianapolis 500 Mile Race Pole Position Saturday in a rain-delayed, schedule shortened/revised drama-filled Pole Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Carpenter’s ran 349 laps in the eight practice sessions, putting him fifteenth fastest overall, of 43 cars.
The Fast Nine drivers all went faster than last year’s (then) record qualifying lap of 226.484 mph, set by RYAN BRISCOE.
The thirty-two year old open-wheel driver has made nine Indianapolis 500 starts in his year open-wheel career. He’s about as local as one can get – raised since age eight in 13-year indycar career, graduated from Butler College, and still lives in Indianapolis. “I’ll probably never leave.” For the second year, Butler College graphics are displayed on the No.20 Fuzzy’s Vodka race car.
“It’s an honor to win this pole, because it’s a really competitive field. This is part one of a really magical month, and we’re here for race day. Luckily we had the speed in the Fuzzy’s Vodka machine to be quicker than the (five) Andretti cars, but it was an awesome shootout. It was fun. Chevy Shootout I think it’s called this year, right?”
Carpenter did the math, so to speak, and it paid off. “We don’t run this time of day on the track. We did the math about what time we’d be going out for the Shootout. We didn’t want to be too conservative, but we were hoping. I want to thank the guys on my team for making the right call. We were aggressive all day long and this was the first time I thought I had a chance at the pole. It’s cool to seeing the speeds climb again.”
Runner-up, starting second for the Indy 500, Rookie CARLOS MUNOZ/Andretti Autosport is the only driver to run both series next weekend, the Firestone Indy Lights Freedom 100 Race on Friday and the Indy 500 on Sunday. “It’s going to be tough doing 600 miles in one weekend, but I think we have perfect cars for both races, so I’m going to be hopefully in the front row for both categories. Right now I don’t have too many words to describe how happy I am, just a rookie to be in the front row, just a dream. I have my teammate (MARCO ANDRETTI) just on the side of me. I have great people around me with a lot of experience.”
The top 24 drivers/eight rows are locked into place for the starting grid. Sunday is Bump Day and ten drivers will vie for nine spots. Even if anyone surpasses Carpenter’s time, the best starting position available on Sunday is P25.
QUALIFICATION ORDER MAY 19TH, 2013
Draw# Car# Driver
1 91 BUDDY LAZIER/Lazier Partners Chevrolet
2 18 ANA BEATRIZ/Dale Coyne Racing Honda
3 6 SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA/Dragon Racing Chevrolet
4 41 Conor DALY
5 55T Rookie TRISTAN VAUTIER/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda
6 17 MICHEL JOURDAIN, Jr/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
7 21T JOSEF NEWGARDEN/Sarah Fisher Hartman Honda
8 15 GRAHAM RAHAL/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
9 15T GRAHAM RAHAL/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
10 81 KATHERINE LEGGE/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda
11 55 Rookie TRISTAN VAUTIER/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda
12 63 PIPPA MANN/Dale Coyne Racing Honda
12A 6T SEBASTIAN SAAVEDRA/Dragon Racing Chevrolet
14 21 JOSEF NEWGARDEN/Sarah Fisher Hartman Honda
15 63T PIPPA MANN/Dale Coyne Racing Honda
16 17T MICHEL JOURDAIN, Jr/Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda
17 81T KATHERINE LEGGE/Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda
18 18T ANA BEATRIZ/Dale Coyne Racing Honda
Barring weather problems, IndyCar practices Sunday 9-10am ET, and then the track is open at noon for six hours of Bump Day qualifying for P25-P33, and open practice if no qualifiers are in the queue. Race Day Pit Selection starts at 6:15pm ET.