INDIANAPOLIS – Rain or shine, Andretti Autosport emphatically stamped
itself as the favorite to win the pole during qualifying today for the 97th
Indianapolis 500.
A fierce mid-afternoon storm cut short Friday’s practice session by
about three hours. Just about an hour after the track opened, E.J. Viso cut a
tow-aided lap of 229.537 mph, fastest of the month.
The Venezuelan, seeking his sixth 500 start, became the fourth member
of the five-driver Andretti Autosport team to be the fastest in a session.
Viso joined Marco Andretti, James Hinchcliffe and rookie Carlos Munoz –
who turned the trick twice this week – in heading the daily speed charts. Andretti drivers have topped five of the seven
practice days.
The turbocharger boost was increased for Friday and today, adding about
40 horsepower to the Chevrolet twin-turbocharged V6 and Honda single-turbo V6 engines.
In terms of speed, this change translated into an increase of about
four mph - Munoz had the previous top lap at 225.163 mph on Thursday.
“We went little by little, step by step, trimming the car one step at a
time,” said Viso, whose best Indy start was ninth last year. “Every day we’ve
been on the track and testing a number of pieces on the car.”
Andretti was second fast on Friday at 228.754 mph, followed by Munoz at
228.520 mph.
“I think as a team we’re quite comfortable with our speeds,” said
Andretti, who indicated that a 230-mph lap – the first in a decade - was
possible had not rain halted practice. “I think there are five of us in the
running for the pole, but as far as favorite – there are going to be a lot of
factors (today).”
The “slow poke” on the Andretti team is reigning IndyCar series
champion Ryan Hunter-Reay, who started third in last year’s 500 and has a best
lap of 226.919 mph.
Last year’s pole speed was 226.484 mph by Ryan Briscoe, then driving
for Penske, in the first year of the new equipment package for the IndyCar
series.
Perennial favorites Team Penske and Target Chip Ganassi continue to
lag, which has been a theme this season.
Penske’s Will Power, runner-up in the series championship the past
couple of season, has the best lap of the bunch at 228.401 mph. Teammate Helio
Castroneves, a four-time pole winner and three-time champion, had a best lap of
226.988 mph on Friday.
Defending 500 champion Dario Franchitti led the Ganassi team at 227.080
mph, with Scott Dixon, the 2008 pole-sitter and race winner, at 226.162 mph.
Qualifying begins at 11 a.m. EST today with the first 24 positions of
the 33-car field available. The top nine qualifiers as of 4 p.m. will
participate in a 90-minute shootout to determine the pole position winner and
the rest of the first nine spots.
Photo credit: Chris Jones/Indianapolis Motor Speedway
