Hideki Mutoh earned his first career Indy Pro Series pole position, winning the SWE Pole Award for Race 1 of the Liberty Challenge on the road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Mutoh, who ranks second in points as a rookie in the Indy Pro Series, posted a time of 1 minute, 25.281 seconds, 109.966 mph on the 13-turn, 2.605-mile road course. The lap was faster than Graham Rahal’s record pole speed of 1:25.581 from 2006.
Mutoh’s previous best start in the No. 55 Panther Racing entry came at the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway when he qualified third.
“The quick lap was on the limit, ” Mutoh said. “No mistakes. The car was so good. I just tried not to push too much. I knew Alex had potential to catch me. This is my fastest time on the track. I’m still learning where I can push and not. ”
Alex Lloyd, winner of the first five races this season, will start second in the 18-lap race at 3:30 p. m. (ET) Saturday, June 16. Lloyd’s best lap was 1:25.552, 109.618 mph in the No. 7 Lucas Oil/Isilon Systems/Sam Schmidt Motorsports car.
Lloyd has started second in two of his victories this season, including the Freedom 100 on the oval at Indianapolis in May when he led all 40 laps to take the checkered flag.
Richard Antinucci, nephew of former Formula One competitor and 1998 Indianapolis 500 winner Eddie Cheever Jr., qualified third for his third Indy Pro Series race.
Brian Stewart Racing’s Bobby Wilson will start fourth while Andretti Green Racing’s Jaime Camara qualified fifth.
Stephen Simpson, Jonathan Klein, Wade Cunningham, Ryan Justice and Daniel Herrington round out the top 10 of the 25-car field.
A second 18-lap race will take place Sunday, June 17. The winner of Race 1 will participate in a blind draw to determine how many of the highest-finishing cars will be inverted to start Race 2 – 0, 4, 6, or 8.
In Formula BMW USA qualifying, Esteban Gutierrez won the pole for race one with a top lap of 1:38.406, 95.291 mph. Maxime Pelletier will start second after turning a lap of 1:38.863, 94.850.
The first Formula BMW USA race is scheduled for 11:25 a. m. Saturday.
| 
|