American Racing News Vol 1, Issue 2 Issue 3 | Page 14

INDIANAPOLIS – Drama, redemption, heartbreak, exuberance. Armed Forces Pole Day at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway had it all, as starting positions were set for
the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
James Hinchcliffe, who nearly lost his life at the same
track a year ago in a crash during Indianapolis 500 practice, put together a scintillating four-lap run of 230.760
mph as the final driver of the day in the Fast Nine
Shootout. It allowed the Canadian fan favorite to claim
the Verizon P1 Award and $100,000 prize for earning the
pole position and the right to lead the 33-car field to the
green flag to start the epic race May 29.
Driving the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
Honda, Hinchcliffe collected the first pole of his Verizon
IndyCar Series career in what will be his 79th race, edging Josef Newgarden for the honor by a mere 0.0407 of
a second over the 10-mile run.
“I came into this month hoping we’d have a new story
to talk about after what happened last year and I think
we did it,” an emotional Hinchcliffe said on pit lane. “I
can’t believe it. I’m honestly at a loss for words, which
everyone knows is rare for me.”
It is the first Indianapolis 500 pole position for manufacturer Honda in five years, also with Schmidt Peterson
and then-driver Alex Tagliani, and the first since Chevrolet re-entered the series as an engine manufacturer in
2012. It also ended Team Penske’s string of seven consecutive pole positions in all Verizon IndyCar Series races and is Honda’s first in series competition since the
second race of the Houston doubleheader in June 2014,
31 races ago and again with Schmidt Peterson.

Photos Provided by IndyCar.com