The driver from Oakville, Ont., who spent the past year fighting back from the life-threatening leg injury, completed a remarkable comeback Sunday by posting a four-lap qualifying average of 230.760 miles per hour on the final run of the day to barely edge American Josef Newgarden for the pole.
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Newgarden thought he had given Ed Carpenter Racing its third pole win in four years after finishing with an average of 230.700 on the 2.5-mile oval. “The vehicle was stellar”, Hinchcliffe said after winning the fourth-closest pole contest in the race’s 100-year history. The nine drivers who log the fastest four-lap qualification attempts Saturday are locked into the Fast Nine Shootout for the pole the following day.
Canadian James Hinchcliffe watched the Indianapolis 500 a year ago from his hospital bed.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe was close to dying after a crash at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was followed by rookie Max Chilton’s crash in practice Saturday, poor speeds in Saturday’s qualifying which kept them out of the pole shootout and Scott Dixon’s engine problem late in Sunday’s practice.
For a bit, it seemed as if Newgarden would win the pole.
Josef Newgarden takes off his helmet following his qualifying run Sunday for the Indianapolis 500. Busch finished sixth in the Indy 500 but could not finish the NASCAR race because of a blown engine that night in Charlotte.
The lead changed twice in the final 40 minutes, almost changed two more times in the last 25 minutes and included Russia’s Mikhail Aleshin bumping his way into the shootout on the final run of the day. Both were released from the infield medical centre and were cleared to drive but did not return to the track.
Pagenaud was quickly knocked off the provisional power by Carlos Munoz of Andretti Autosport, who was second in the qualifying line.
Defending champion Juan Pablo Montoya will start 17th after getting a controversial second chance in qualifying.
The fastest lap of the day and week came from Will Power in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, at 232.672 miles per hour.
IndyCar Series points leader Simon Pagenaud, a three-time victor in 2016, was first onto the track in the Challenge round as a result of him being ninth fastest Saturday. “If we keep that trend up we’re looking pretty good heading for Memorial Day”. I knew it would start to get loose and it started to where I couldn’t feel the rear much, but it was all we had.
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From the 19 sectors of interest from Saturday’s qualifying session, Honda-powered drivers led all 19. Their family reunion was considerably happier than last year’s.
