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INDYCAR: Another Pole for Dixon in Texas
Written by: Jeff Olson
SPEEDtv.com   http://www.speedtv.com
06/06/2008
Fort Worth, Texas
 
No stopping that Dixon (LAT photo) ยป More Photos

Scott Dixon won the pole for Saturday’s Bombardier Learjet 550k, turning four laps at 214.878 mph -- in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara-Honda.

Dixon’s four laps were just 0.05 second faster than Helio Castroneves’effort of 214.777 mph in the No. 3 Team Penske Dallara-Honda on a hot, windy day.

Dixon, whose car was fast in the first practice session Thursday night but lost that speed during pre-qualifying practice Friday afternoon, said he recovered it for his four-lap qualifying run.

“Today we were struggling,” Dixon said. “Yesterday we were fast out of the box, but today we lost that. I didn’t think the car was capable of running a speed like that, and I didn’t think it was good enough to stay there. That’s a credit to the guys for getting the car back on top.”

Following Dixon and Castroneves on the front row was Castroneves’teammate, Ryan Briscoe, who topped Andretti Green Racing rookie Hideki Mutoh. Danica Patrick and Tomas Scheckter will fill the third row, followed by John Andretti and Will Power.

Most drivers struggled again with windy conditions, as they did Thursday night in practice. Gusts were estimated in the neighborhood of 30 mph, not as bad as Thursday’s estimates of nearly 45 mph.

“The wind ultimately slows the cars down, no matter which way it comes from,” Dixon said. “Your average is not as good. As far as moving the cars around, it’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be.”

Both Dixon and Castroneves
criticized the four-lap qualifying format introduced this season. “I wish we could go back to qualifying the way it was before,” said Castroneves, whose best lap was better than Dixon’s best. “But it is what it is.”

Bombardier 550K qualifying results:

1) Scott Dixon, Ganassi # 9, 214.878
2) Helio Castroneves, Team Penske # 3, 214.777
3) Ryan Briscoe, Team Penske # 6, 213.927
4) Hideki Mutoh, Andretti Green # 27, 213.485
5) Danica Patrick, Andretti Green # 7, 213.238
6) Tomas Scheckter, Luczo-Dragon # 12, 213.212
7) John Andretti, Roth # 24, 212.844
8) Will Power, KVRT # 8, 212.595
9) Vitor Meira, Panther # 4, 212.501
10) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Rahal Letterman # 17, 212.482
11) Dan Wheldon, Ganassi # 10, 212.474
12) Ed Carpenter, Vision # 20, 212.247
13) Tony Kanaan, Andretti Green # 11, 212.152
14) Marco Andretti, Andretti Green # 26, 211.974
15) A.J. Foyt IV, Vision # 2, 211.622
16) Oriol Servia, KVRT # 5, 211.333
17) Darren Manning, A.J. Foyt # 14, 211.277
18) Graham Rahal, NHLR # 06, 211.128
19) Marty Roth, Roth #25, 211.122
20) Enrique Bernoldi, Conquest # 36, 210.731
21) Jaime Camara, Conquest # 34 210.582
22) Mario Moraes, Coyne # 19, 210.254
23) Justin Wilson, NHLR # 02, 210.160
24) Mario Dominguez, PCM # 96, 210.059
25) Buddy Rice, Dreyer & Reinbold # 15, 209.622
26) Bruno Junqueira, Coyne # 18, 209.572
27) Milka Duno, Dreyer & Reinbold # 23, 209.420
28) EJ Viso, # 33, 209.313
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