Scott Dixon captured the pole for Race 2 of the Honda Indy Toronto (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network), with a best time of 58.9686 seconds around the 1.755-mile Exhibition Place street circuit. It’s the 19th career pole for the Target Chip Ganassi Racing driver, and first this season. It’s also his first front row start – his best start prior in 2013 was fourth at Barber in April.
“Yeah, I saw the first lap and thought it was a lot quicker than we should be,” Dixon told IndyCar Radio. “The whole team worked on fine tuning. Yesterday was more my issue. The first race is a total unknown anyway (with the standing starts).”
Dario Franchitti was fastest again in his group of qualifying with a time of 59.1905. He’ll start second behind his teammate.
Had Franchitti’s time held up, it would have been his second of the weekend, fourth this IZOD IndyCar Series season and sixth in Toronto following his pole in normal knockout qualifying on Friday. Alas, it was not to be for the Scotsman and he’ll start outside the front row.
Behind Dixon in the second of two qualifying groups were Team Penske’s Helio Castroneves and Will Power, with Sebastien Bourdais next. Alex Tagliani will start ninth in Race 2 after ending fifth in his group, with E.J. Viso sixth.
Bourdais was in the wrong place at the wrong time when Power, who had clipped a banner exiting Turn 8, had it come loose and into Bourdais’ path.
The rest of the group, who will start in the odd positions 11-23, are Simon Pagenaud, Takuma Sato, Tristan Vautier, Josef Newgarden, James Jakes and Ed Carpenter. Jakes stuffed his car at Turn 5 to bring out a red flag and lost his two fastest laps as a result.
Franchitti led a resurgent Chevrolet contingent in his group, with Ryan Hunter-Reay (Andretti Autosport), Tony Kanaan (KV Racing Technology – SH), Ryan Briscoe (Panther Racing), Simona de Silvestro (KVRT) and James Hinchcliffe (Andretti) slotting in behind.
From there, it was Justin Wilson, Charlie Kimball, Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Sebastian Saavedra and Mike Conway in the first group. Those 11 drivers after Franchitti will take the even positions 14-24 on the grid for Race 2.
IZOD IndyCar Series – Hondy Indy Toronto Race 2
Unofficial Starting Lineup
Row 1
9-Scott Dixon
10-Dario Franchitti
Row 2
3-Helio Castroneves
1-Ryan Hunter-Reay
Row 3
12-Will Power
11-Tony Kanaan
Row 4
7-Sebastien Bourdais
4-Ryan Briscoe
Row 5
98-Alex Tagliani
78-Simona de Silvestro
Row 6
5-E.J. Viso
27-James Hinchcliffe
Row 7
16-James Jakes
19-Justin Wilson
Row 8
77-Simon Pagenaud
83-Charlie Kimball
Row 9
14-Takuma Sato
25-Marco Andretti
Row 10
55-Tristan Vautier (R)
15-Graham Rahal
Row 11
67-Josef Newgarden
6-Sebastian Saavedra
Row 12
20-Ed Carpenter
18-Mike Conway
