Briscoe Takes Pole for Argent Mortgage Indy Grand Prix

SONOMA, Calif. - Australian rookie Ryan Briscoe,
competing in just his 14th Indy Racing League IndyCar(r) Series event,
captured the pole position for Sunday's historic Argent Mortgage Indy
Grand Prix at Infineon Raceway.

 

            Briscoe was last to qualify on Saturday in single-lap time
trials leading up to the Firestone Fast Six shootout to determine the
first six starting positions. He led the way in single-car qualifying,
and then upped his speed during the shootout to secure his first IRL
pole.

 

            "The car wasn't exactly as we expected from the first single
lap so we put a ton of front wing in," Briscoe said. "The heat caused a
push. The car felt better in the 10-minute session and we went quicker,
so it was great. Getting the pole is fantastic."

 

            Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves (Marlboro
Team Penske) claimed the second qualifying spot for his fifth front row
starting position of the season.

 

            "It was a tough run and we tried really hard," Castroneves
said. "The track changed a little bit from the morning to the afternoon
which was a little bit to our favor. We tried something in the beginning
of top-six qualifying and it didn't work and we had to stop right away.
We used the tires up and the track was better. At the end of the day, I
don't think we would have been able to catch Ryan."

 

            Reigning IndyCar(r) Series champion Tony Kanaan (Andretti
Green Racing) was third, followed by Tomas Enge (Panther Racing),
two-time league champion Sam Hornish Jr. (Marlboro Team Penske), and
2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice (Rahal Letterman Racing).

 

            Dario Franchitti (Andretti Green Racing), who was among the
leaders in practice and was considered a pole contender, spun at the
entrance to Turn 2 on his single qualifying lap and will start last in
the 21-car field.

 

            "I touched the brakes and, for whatever reason, I don't know
if there were bumps or whatever, I lost the back end of the ArcaEx car
and that was it -- around she went," Franchitti said. "I'm confident we
can come from the back of the field but it's going to be a lot more
difficult because passing here is definitely hard."

 

            Marco Andretti (Andretti Green Racing), son of Michael and
grandson of Mario, took the pole for Sunday's Sonoma 100 for the Sonoma
100 Menards Infiniti Pro Series(tm) cars at an average speed of 98.307
mph, followed by first-time MIPS starter Bobby Wilson at 98.293.