St Petersburg season opener winner Helio Castroneves (Team Penske) continues on his winning streak by taking pole position for Sunday's IndyCar race at Barber Motorsports Park during a qualifying session full of surprises.
The Brazilian finished on top by barely edging both Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe and Ganassi's Scott Dixon.
To everyone surprise both title contenders Will Power (Penske) and Dario Franchitti (Ganassi) failed to make it through to the final six. Power was among the fastest drivers but his best time was taken away because it had been set under a local yellow. Ryan Hunter-Reay suffered the same faith for having triggered a red flag himself.
Current IndyCar champion Franchitti was not even able to make it out of the first qualifying phase, and will start from 18th.
Mike Conway (AJ Foyt Racing) will be fourth on the starting grid while JR Hildebrand's fifth was the Panther team's best qualifying result since Sonoma in 2005.
Once again, Sebastian Bourdais (Dragon Racing) was the fastest DW12 Lotus-powered driver and will start in 17th.
Qualifying results – IndyCar round 2 (Barber Motorsports Park)
1. Helio Castroneves Penske DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.4768s
2. James Hinchcliffe Andretti DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.5222s + 0.0454s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m10.5291s + 0.0523s
4. Mike Conway Foyt DW12-Honda 1m10.8791s + 0.4023s
5. JR Hildebrand Panther DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.0759s + 0.5991s
6. Tony Kanaan KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.3740s + 0.8972s
7. EJ Viso KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.5257s Round 2
8. Graham Rahal Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m11.5841s Round 2
9. Will Power Penske DW12-Chevrolet 1m12.0098s Round 2
10. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt DW12-Honda 1m14.2839s Round 2
11. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti DW12-Chevrolet Round 2
12. Ryan Briscoe Penske DW12-Chevrolet Round 2
13. Marco Andretti Andretti DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.6512s Group 1
14. Rubens Barrichello KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.5664s Group 2
15. Josef Newgarden Fisher DW12-Honda 1m10.6851s Group 1
16. Takuma Sato Rahal DW12-Honda 1m10.6111s Group 2
17. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon DW12-Lotus 1m10.7255s Group 1
18. Dario Franchitti Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m10.6749s Group 2
19. Justin Wilson Coyne DW12-Honda 1m11.5524s Group 1
20. James Jakes Coyne DW12-Honda 1m10.7526s Group 2
21. Simona de Silvestro HVM DW12-Lotus 1m11.5721s Group 1
22. Charlie Kimball Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m11.3594s Group 2
23. Alex Tagliani BHA DW12-Lotus 1m12.5778s Group 1
24. Ed Carpenter Carpenter DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.8672s Group 2
25. Katherine Legge Dragon DW12-Lotus 1m13.6457s Group 1
26. Oriol Servia Dreyer & Reinbold DW12-Lotus 1m13.3349s Group 2
The Brazilian finished on top by barely edging both Andretti Autosport’s James Hinchcliffe and Ganassi's Scott Dixon.
To everyone surprise both title contenders Will Power (Penske) and Dario Franchitti (Ganassi) failed to make it through to the final six. Power was among the fastest drivers but his best time was taken away because it had been set under a local yellow. Ryan Hunter-Reay suffered the same faith for having triggered a red flag himself.
Current IndyCar champion Franchitti was not even able to make it out of the first qualifying phase, and will start from 18th.
Mike Conway (AJ Foyt Racing) will be fourth on the starting grid while JR Hildebrand's fifth was the Panther team's best qualifying result since Sonoma in 2005.
Once again, Sebastian Bourdais (Dragon Racing) was the fastest DW12 Lotus-powered driver and will start in 17th.
Qualifying results – IndyCar round 2 (Barber Motorsports Park)
1. Helio Castroneves Penske DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.4768s
2. James Hinchcliffe Andretti DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.5222s + 0.0454s
3. Scott Dixon Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m10.5291s + 0.0523s
4. Mike Conway Foyt DW12-Honda 1m10.8791s + 0.4023s
5. JR Hildebrand Panther DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.0759s + 0.5991s
6. Tony Kanaan KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.3740s + 0.8972s
7. EJ Viso KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.5257s Round 2
8. Graham Rahal Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m11.5841s Round 2
9. Will Power Penske DW12-Chevrolet 1m12.0098s Round 2
10. Simon Pagenaud Schmidt DW12-Honda 1m14.2839s Round 2
11. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti DW12-Chevrolet Round 2
12. Ryan Briscoe Penske DW12-Chevrolet Round 2
13. Marco Andretti Andretti DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.6512s Group 1
14. Rubens Barrichello KV DW12-Chevrolet 1m10.5664s Group 2
15. Josef Newgarden Fisher DW12-Honda 1m10.6851s Group 1
16. Takuma Sato Rahal DW12-Honda 1m10.6111s Group 2
17. Sebastien Bourdais Dragon DW12-Lotus 1m10.7255s Group 1
18. Dario Franchitti Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m10.6749s Group 2
19. Justin Wilson Coyne DW12-Honda 1m11.5524s Group 1
20. James Jakes Coyne DW12-Honda 1m10.7526s Group 2
21. Simona de Silvestro HVM DW12-Lotus 1m11.5721s Group 1
22. Charlie Kimball Ganassi DW12-Honda 1m11.3594s Group 2
23. Alex Tagliani BHA DW12-Lotus 1m12.5778s Group 1
24. Ed Carpenter Carpenter DW12-Chevrolet 1m11.8672s Group 2
25. Katherine Legge Dragon DW12-Lotus 1m13.6457s Group 1
26. Oriol Servia Dreyer & Reinbold DW12-Lotus 1m13.3349s Group 2