Ryan Briscoe Beats Out Castroneves For Pole At Edmonton
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Jul 26, 2008
Ron McQueeney/IMS
Ryan Briscoe captured the pole for Saturday’s inaugural Rexall Edmonton Indy. The No.6 Team Penske driver circled the 1.973-mile, 14-turn temporary street/airport course in one minute, 0.7311 seconds (116.955 m.p.h.).
The pole victory was Briscoe’s second of the season and third of his IndyCar career. Team Penske has now won four consecutive poles.
Starting alongside Briscoe will be teammate Helio Castroneves who recorded a speed of 116.753 m.p.h.
“Wow, I mean we had to work for that one,” said Briscoe. “It was just unbelievable. We were definitely thrashing for an hour-and-a-half there just trying to keep in there and get to the fast six (final round).”
Oriol Servia (116.710 m.p.h.) and Scott Dixon (116.710 m.p.h.) will start in row two.
Will Power and Justin Wilson were the other two drivers running in the final of the three-segment qualifying session at City Centre Airport. Power and Wilson will start fifth and sixth, respectively.
Tracy will start 16th in the 27-driver grid.
The 39-year-old Toronto native was close to making the cut when the first round of qualifying was shut down with a minute to go under a full-course caution flag after Roth, also of Toronto, spun out and stalled in the middle of the track.
Tracy managed to get one more lap in before time ran out, but it wasn’t fast enough and the “Thrill from West Hill” will start in the middle of the pack for Saturday’s 95-lap race at the City Centre Airport track.
“We’re a little bit frustrated,” said Tracy.
“I went quick enough to advance but the checkered (flag) fell before I got the lap time.”
Fan favourite Danica Patrick was knocked out in the first qualifying session and will start 15th.
It has been a tough weekend for Patrick and many of the IndyCar drivers who were learning the Edmonton course, which was part of the old Champ Car Series.
“I took home about 20 pieces of paper last night with squiggly lines and notes on them,” said Patrick.
“I’m just trying to figure out where it is that we’re off. As a team we have some things we need to improve on for us to go faster.”
It was a hard day for all of the Andretti-Green team.
