Rookie Fernando Alonso will start from the second row of the grid in next weekend's Indy 500
Having qualified 7th on Saturday, the two-time F1 world champion was the third driver to go out for the Fast Nine Shootout yesterday, which sees the nine fastest drivers from the previous day have their times eliminated so they can shoot it out once again.
For a brief while the Spaniard was quickest, but was subsequently demoted to fifth by Takuma Sato, Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter and finally Scott Dixon who took the coveted pole position.
Four-time IndyCar champion and fourth-winningest driver in IndyCar history, Dixon completed four laps around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval at 232.164 mph.
The 10-mile run in the Chip Ganassi Racing Honda was the best speed seen at IMS since Arie Luyendyk set the track record of 236.986 mph in second-day qualifying on May 12, 1996.
It is Dixon's third Indy 500 pole position - he won from the front spot in 2008 - and the 26th of his 17-year IndyCar career, moving the 36-year-old New Zealander past Paul Tracy and alone into 11th place on the all-time poles list.
"Today, we managed to get it done and we're starting in the right place," said Dixon, the 40-time Indy car race winner. "The hard part now is to keep it there."
Carpenter, fastest in first-day qualifying, put together a four-lap run of 231.664 mph to collect his third front-row start in the Indianapolis 500. He was the 2013 and '14 pole sitter.
"That's all she had," Carpenter said. "Would it have been fun to win a third pole? Yes, but at the same time to be in the middle of the front row with two former 500 champions, hopefully I can convert from the front row this time and earn a victory."
Rossi started 11th as an Indy 500 rookie a year ago, fell back midway and won the 200-lap race on a risky fuel strategy. He qualified third at 231.487 mph to secure a career-best start in a Verizon IndyCar Series race - his previous best was fifth earlier this season at Long Beach - and the first front-row start of his Indy car career.
"You're always disappointed if you're not in front, but I think it's a good effort from the team," Rossi said. "Seeing Scott's speed is pretty impressive; I know we couldn't have done that. We've got to be content with the front row."
Rossi was one of four Andretti Autosport entries to compete in the Fast Nine Shootout. Teammates Takuma Sato (Andretti Autosport Honda) and Alonso (McLaren-Honda-Andretti Honda) earned the fourth and fifth starting positions, respectively, with Marco Andretti (United Fiber & Data Honda) qualifying eighth.
Alonso had the most eventful day of the Andretti drivers. His car underwent a lightning-quick engine change following the pre-qualifying practice session, but it didn't unnerve the Spaniard, who has had more than his fair share of engines issues in recent times. The 35-year-old was the first of the Fast Nine drivers to surpass 231 mph with a four-lap average at 231.300.
"I think today the car was better than yesterday with the balance after the malfunction in this morning's practice," he said. "Unfortunately on Lap 2, we had an over-boost problem in the last corner so hitting the brakes out of the corner, I think I lost a little bit of speed into the main straight. But it's the way it is - nothing you can change now.
"The guys had to change the engine in record time, in an hour and a half. I'm happy to be here qualifying. I think we could have easily been fighting for the pole today if we didn't have that problem. At the end of the day, as long as you secure the top nine, it doesn't really make a huge difference for the race."
Rounding out the top nine qualifiers were JR Hildebrand in sixth, 2013 Indy 500 winner Tony Kanaan seventh and Will Power ninth.
Andretti Autosport landed a fifth driver in the top 10 when 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay led Group 1 qualifying to determine race starting positions 10 through 33. The driver of the DHL Honda ran four laps at 231.442 mph, which would have been good enough for fourth had it come in the Fast Nine Shootout. As it stands, Hunter-Reay will start on the inside of Row 4, with Ed Jones (Boy Scouts of America Dale Coyne Racing Honda) and Oriol Servia (Manitowoc Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing Honda) alongside.
Team Penske, with a record 16 Indianapolis 500 wins, struggled in qualifying. Power was slowest in the Fast Nine Shootout and starts on the outside of Row 3. Two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya qualified on the outside of Row 6 and three-time winner Helio Castroneves on the inside of Row 7, Josef Newgarden and Simon Pagenaud occupying the inside and middle of Row 8.
Thirty-two cars qualified. The 33rd position on the grid will be filled by James Davison, named to replace the injured Sebastien Bourdais in the GEICO Honda for Dale Coyne Racing.
Bourdais sustained multiple pelvic fractures and a fractured right hip when he crashed making a qualifying attempt Saturday.
According to Dr. Geoffrey Billows, INDYCAR medical director, the four-time Indy car champion underwent successful surgery Saturday night at IU Health Methodist Hospital.
Bourdais subsequently released a statement. "I want to thank everybody for the support and the messages," said the 38-year-old. "Quite a few drivers have already dropped by. It's going to take time, but I'm feeling pretty good since the surgery. I'll be back at some point. Just don't know when yet."
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