Luyendyk Takes Pole For Indy 500

Arie Luyendyk made the right decision and completed a qualifying run that put him on the Indianapolis 500 pole for the second time.

Luyendyk, the fastest driver each day since practice opened earlier this week in Indianapolis, turned a lap over 220 mph on Wednesday. Nobody had come closer than 3 mph to that target as the first of four days of qualifications for the May 25 race dawned.

But, after completing three of four qualifying laps on Saturday, Luyendyk’s speed was just over 218 and appeared vulnerable, with Tony Stewart, his closest rival, waiting to make an attempt.

Luyendyk, the 1990 Indy winner, turned a lap over 219 in Saturday morning’s practice. But so did Stewart.

“The call was up to me coming out of turn four on the last lap to decide if we were going to keep the run,” Luyendyk said. “I had made up in my mind that if I could run above 218 that I would keep it.”

The gamble paid off.

Luyendyk won $110,000 as he turned in four consecutive laps above 218 mph and averaged 218.263 for the 10 miles.

Twenty-one drivers, including five rookies, made it into the tentative 33-car starting field. Time trials continue today and both days next weekend, with faster qualifiers bumping out the slowest cars once the field is filled.

Luyendyk set the one- and four-lap qualifying records of 237.498 and 236.986 last year in a year-old Reynard with a turbocharged Ford engine. But the IRL mandated all new chassis and non-turbocharged engines this year, which has brought down the speed considerably.