Auto notes: Ryan Hunter-Reay seizes Grand Prix pole

Ryan Hunter-Reay won the pole Saturday for the today’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, Calif., knocking teammate James Hinchcliffe from the top spot while ensuring an all-Andretti Autosport front row.

The American turned in a lap of 1 minute, 7.8219 seconds on the course through downtown streets.

Hinchcliffe wound up second after his lap at 1 minute, 7.9403 seconds.

Sebastien Bourdais was third, followed by Josef Newgarden, rookie Jack Hawksworth and Simon Pagenaud.

Defending race winner Takuma Sato didn’t make it out of the first group. Also failing to advance was Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan, making his second start for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing.

KV get third IndyCar

KV Racing will field a third car in the Indianapolis 500 that Townsend Bell will drive. KV won the race a year ago with Tony Kanaan, and now has Sebastien Bourdais and Sebastian Saavedra in full-time entries. Bell has seven career starts in the race and finished fourth in 2009.

Tracy to commentate

Outspoken driver Paul Tracy will begin a six-race stint as an analyst for NBC Sports Network today at the Toyota Grand Prix.