Fans boo Patrick at qualifying
INDIANAPOLIS – Danica Patrick has experienced a new sensation at the Indianapolis 500 – getting booed.
IndyCar’s most popular driver heard fans’ displeasure Saturday when her comments blaming a poor qualifying performance on her car’s setup were broadcast over the racetrack public address system.
Patrick, by far the leader in merchandise sales and visibility in the series, appeared upset when she talked about the reaction.
“I say one confident thing out there, that it’s not me, and everybody boos me,” she said. “I don’t know, maybe they were booing me before, but some of them were probably cheering for me before. I’m not a different driver than I was five years ago.”
The fans objected to her comments, but her team didn’t.
“You take one on the chin, but maybe you had it coming this time,” Tom Anderson, Andretti Autosport’s senior vice president for racing operations, said. “All you can do is turn the other cheek and just get back to work.”
Patrick averaged 224.217 mph on four laps in her only attempt and ended up qualifying 23rd for the May 30 race. The team didn’t plan to send her out for a second run, but nervousness set in as her time began falling down the field. She was in line, waiting for another shot when time ran out.
Patrick was shaking and holding back tears after the qualifying run. She said adjustments on the car throughout the week were poor.
“The car is just totally skating across the track, and there’s no grip,” she said.
Meanwhile, Helio Castroneves put his foot down and proved he’s still the one to beat.
The defending 500 champion and three-time race winner wrapped up a wild qualification day by topping 228 mph on two of his four laps, averaging 227.970 mph to win his fourth career Indianapolis 500 pole. Nobody, including Castroneves, had touched 227.9 in practice even on one lap.
Fans were so shocked by the burst of speed that they gave Castroneves standing ovations after his second, third and fourth laps.
“This place, you’ve got to expect the unexpected, my friend. That was a great result,” said Castroneves, who becomes the favorite as he goes for a record-tying fourth Indy win. “I was ready. I didn’t want to keep waiting and see all the times. I wanted to go for it.”
The other eight drivers in the new pole “shootout” were relegated to taking aim at the No. 2 spot.
Castroneves tied A.J. Foyt and Rex Mays with his fourth Indy pole and will be joined on the front row by Penske teammate Will Power and Target Chip Ganassi driver Dario Franchitti. Australia’s Power averaged 227.578 and will start from the middle of Row 1. Scotland’s Franchitti averaged 226.990 and will start from the outside of the first row in the 11-row, 33-car field.