SCOTT DIXON is on pole for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway with a lap of 1min 17.0344secs. That was fast but didn't break the existing qualifying track record of 1min 16.4913secs set last year by RYAN BRISCOE. It was Dixon's sixth IRL pole, first this season and first since Nazareth in 2002.
The sun was out and it was in the low seventies with a stiff breeze for the 75-minute, two-part qualifying session. Track temperature was 111 degrees F.
MARCO ANDRETTI is the outside front row, his first front row start in
IndyCar. He had been fastest overall in the first part of qualifying, putting him into the 'Fast Six' session, where he was topped by Dixon. Andretti was the top rookie, and Dixon acknowledged that Andretti is coming along, is young and has a bright future. "We've been holding him off this season, but next year he'll be tough to beat," the Kiwi said.
Andretti likes Infineon. He said that: "you have to drive at this track. I like that. There are many different kinds of corners, which make it difficult to set up. Track position is important here because it's not easy to pass".
HELIO CASTRONEVES starts third. He turned the fastest overall lap of the weekend in the Saturday morning session, but it wasn't for qualifying. Fourth through sixth starting are TONY KANAAN, DARIO FRANCHITTI and DAN WELDON. Andretti-Green Racing had three of the top six starters.
SCOTT SHARP was the last of the cars in qualifying. He had what is described as 'a big moment' when the car got loose coming out of turn seven and snapped around on him. Sharp saved it, but not his lap. He starts 17th, just ahead of TOMAS SCHECKTER, who didn't go qualify due to an electronics problem.
IndyCar has a complicated qualifying procedure for 'unique road/street courses', which involves several different classifications during the weekend. The first session of the weekend, on Friday, sets the tone. The times of all 18 drivers are used to determine who is in which of two groups the rest of the practice sessions. The combined Friday times set the qualifying order, with the fastest being able to select qualifying first or last. Dixon chose last. Single lap qualifying runs for sixty minutes, followed by a 'Fast Six' session, which sets the first three rows. This procedure wasn't utilised at the Watkins Glen road course race as qualifying was rained out. Five of the 'Fast Six' drivers improved their qualifying times, the lone exception being Wheldon.
WADE CUNNINGHAM, the reigning Indy Pro Series champion,, won the Carneros 100 Race Saturday afternoon, the first of two IPS races this weekend. The young Kiwi came to America to race and his two victories have been on ovals, which will suit him well in his goal to race/win the
Indianapolis 500.
There were three full course yellows in the 30-lap race. Thirteen of the 14 drivers finished the race, nine on the lead lap.
