If the top 11 speeds from “Fast Friday” translated to Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Scott Dixon (227.167 mph; 39.6184 seconds) would be first and Darren Manning (224.054) would fill out the first-day qualifiers.
Of course, the run for the AAMCO Transmissions Pole Award and the top 11 positions for the 91st Indianapolis 500 is a high-stakes session unto itself. Four timed laps require consistency and nerve on a variable racing surface. Throw in the qualifying format that enables bumping each day – even for the pole – and the drama should continue to the 6 p. m. conclusion.
“I think you’re going to see a lot of action early on, ” said reigning 500-Mile Race champion and pole sitter Sam Hornish Jr., who wound up sixth on the fourth practice day’s speed chart (225.587 mph) in the No. 6 Team Penske Dallara/Honda/Firestone. “Everybody is going to run through that first time and see where they are at and put a time on the board. And you’re going to see a lot of waiting, a lot of practice. And it’s probably going to be a lot of the way it used to be on the final day of qualifying when everybody was pushing down at the same time, fighting for a spot to be able to be the last guy to go out and put up a time.
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