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. He had almost died from injuries six days earlier in a practice crash at famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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James Hinchcliffe, left, of Canada, celebrates with is father, Jeremy Hinchcliffe, after winning the pole for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Sunday, May 22, 2016. The Indianapolis 500 will take place on Sunday, May 29, with live coverage on ABC starting at 11 a.m. EDT.
Indianapolis 500 qualifying again is scheduled for two days.
The Canadian driver 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. It [qualifying] was a great run, the vehicle was stellar. “Now we’ve got the best seat in the house for the start of the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500”.
Hinchcliffe, who drives for Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, turned one of the most chaotic qualifying weekends in recent memory into one of the most heartwarming stories of the year. He had qualified second for last year’s race, the same position he held in 2012.
“I would like to have a better one next weekend as well, but that would make a movie for sure”. And as everyone tries to figure out what impact the new aerodynamic package might make, Carpenter and Hinchcliffe believe the racing will be safer.
But Hinchcliffe leads a trio of Sam Schmidt Motorsports drivers in the top 10, including No. 4 Townsend Bell and No. 10 Oriel Servia.
“We’ve got some really good people doing the calculations, and it worked out for us”, said Schmidt, whose teams put Alex Tagliani on the 500 pole in 2011.
“I’m glad we were finally able to get the No. 10 NTT DATA Chevrolet up to speed for practice today”, said Kanaan after the session. “I had three cars in the top then and to come out here today”.
The front row in the traditional three-abreast start will have Josef Newgarden and Ryan Hunter-Reay alongside Hinchcliffe.
As for the engine battle, Honda has officially served notice it will be a player for the Indianapolis 500. They built this incredible team. The trouble began when 2013 race victor Tony Kanaan was knocked out of the Grand Prix of Indianapolis in a first turn crash.
A day after qualifying previous year, Hinchcliffe spun and hit the wall during a practice session. It’s more or less like 2013 in my rookie year when I was always in the top (and finished second in the race). He’s driving in honor of his late brother, Justin, who was killed last August after being hit in the head with debris during a race at Pocono. Wilson also is wearing a helmet that bears his colors on one side and his brother’s colors on the other.
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Will Power was sixth and the highest-qualifying Penske driver. But then, he started 15th past year before rising to his second Indy 500 win. Tagliani was not seriously injured but he will be the first driver since 1924 to start the race with no official qualifying speed.
