Dixon Storms To Second Consecutive Indy 500 Pole
Calum Gill 23:34 22/05/2022
Scott Dixon delivered the second best four-lap average qualifying run - and the fastest that has counted for pole - in Indianapolis 500 history to earn the top spot on the grid for the event for a fifth time.
Dixon has been chasing a second 500 victory since his maiden triumph in 2008 but in qualifying the six-time IndyCar champion is always a formidable performer. He was nervous over whether he would even get the chance to go for pole after being furious with his Chip Ganassi Racing car on Saturday, but inclement weather guaranteed his place on Sunday. In practice he delivered a faster four-lap average than any single lap anyone else could manage, and topped the new Fast 12 session which narrowed down six drivers to go for pole. In that Fast Six Dixon’s team-mate Álex Palou - who beat Dixon to the IndyCar championship last year - was the pacesetter and Dixon had to go out as the very last car to qualify.
Incredibly he delivered two laps over 234mph and had an average of 234.046mph, second only to Arie Luyendyk’s 1996 effort of 236.986mph - which due to the Indy 500’s quirky format only earned him 20th on the grid. Palou will start second after finishing second last year, and Rinus VeeKay rounded out the top three as the best Chevrolet runner for Ed Carpenter Racing. VeeKay has qualified fourth, third and third in his three starts at the Speedway. Ed Carpenter took fourth, ahead of Marcus Ericsson’s best IndyCar qualifying performance in fifth, with Tony Kanaan sixth. Kanaan had an electrical issue that almost cost him the chance to start qualifying but he still made it four Ganassi cars in the Fast Six up against the ECR pair.
