Drivers End Opening Day Poles Apart
Auto racing
Bumping at the Indianapolis 500 isn’t supposed to start until the second weekend of qualifying.
Team Menard advanced the procedure to opening day Saturday in a dramatic gamble that saw veteran Scott Brayton withdraw one of John Menard’s colorful Lola-Menards he had qualified in the second row, then return in another team car to bump Arie Luyendyk off the pole for the May 26 race.
It proved to be a moot point, however, because Luyendyk’s car was disqualified late Saturday after a post-race inspection revealed it was 7 pounds light of the 1,550-pound minimum.
The qualification run was disallowed, but Luyendyk, the 1990 Indy 500 winner, will be permitted to attempt to requalify it today.
“We determined that there was no malicious attempt to run the car under weight, so it will remain eligible for the race,” said chief steward Keith Ward. “It will be charged with one failed attempt.”
No matter how fast Luyendyk runs today, he can start no higher than 21st, behind all of Saturday’s first-day qualifiers.
“It was just, the way I see it, a terrible oversight,” Luyendyk said. “Last night, the car was 5 pounds too heavy. Then changes were made and our crew just screwed up. It wasn’t done intentionally, it just happened.”
Brayton, a veteran of 14 Indy 500s and last year’s pole-sitter, had the final say with a four-lap average of 233.718 mph for the 10-mile time trial. Nearly 3 hours earlier, he had qualified the other car at 231.535, fifth fastest.
“I think this proves that there’s nothing more exciting than Indy on pole qualifying day.” Brayton said. “The Indy 500 is what Indy car racing is all about. There are a lot of people who love this place, and I’m one of them. You can’t take that away from people.”
The bumping overshadowed record speeds that wiped the Indianapolis Motor Speedway record book clean and the qualifying of nine rookies among 20 on a day that was as safe as it was swift.
Vasser on U.S. 500 pole
Jimmy Vasser, who already has won three IndyCar races this season, served warning that he’s the driver to beat on Memorial Day weekend.
Vasser will have the pole at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., on May 26, when the inaugural U.S. 500 goes up against the 80th running of the traditional Indy 500.
Vasser drove his Reynard-Honda around the high-banked, 2-mile oval in 31.031 seconds, averaging 232.025 mph to earn the pole. Adrian Fernandez was next at 231.108 in a Lola-Honda, and Bryan Herta earned the third spot on Row 1 at 230.774 in a Reynard-Mercedes.
The qualifying run was made in less than ideal conditions. A heavy morning rain delayed practice.