Indy 500 2012: Dario Franchitti Outlasts Field To Win 3rd Title

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2012 Indy 500: IndyCar Hopes To Grow Viewership Off Momentum Of This Year's Event

Following the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday, IndyCar is more than happy with the high drama of the day that saw Dario Franchitti win his third Indy 500 championship. With a record number of lead changes, beautiful weather and a long dash for the championship at the end, it's safe to say IndyCar hit a homerun with the event and the guys who run the show are certainly happy with the result.

Courtesy of the Seattle Times:

"What a tremendous race. We couldn't have asked for anything better for our marquee event," IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard said Monday. "It had the right the mix of competition and entertainment as we showcased our sport on an international stage. Hopefully, people liked what they saw, learned what we already know and will come back for more this season."

Continued viewership is exactly what every one involved with IndyCar is hoping to produce. Despite an average television rating of 4.1 for this year's race, the organization is hopeful that there is enough buzz around the sport to build into increased growth in the future.

"I hope people watch the other races and see what we do week in and week out," said Dario Franchitti, who picked up his third Indianapolis 500 victory on Sunday. "The crowds have been good, and obviously we need to keep working on the TV thing, keep pushing on that. But we've had some cracking races this year. I think they've all been pretty good."

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Indianapolis 500 Race Results And Finishing Order: Franchitti, Dixon, Kanaan Round Out Top 3

It came down to a wildly entertaining final few laps to decide Sunday's Indianapolis 500, as four neck-and-neck racers, including two teammates, battled it out heading into the final 2.5 mile stretch.

The leader for much of the final 100 miles, two-time winner Dario Franchitti held a narrow lead on Japanese driver Takumo Sato, who himself was in a coveted No. 2 position well within striking distance. But as Sato's patience waned, he opted to make a risky maneuver on turn No. 2 that ended up costing both him and the rest of the field a chance at glory as he spun out and crashed into the wall. Sato's crash defaulted the victory to Franchitti, despite being a very well earned result for the now three-time champ.

Cleveland native Graham Rahal, who began the race in the No. 12 spot and rose to fifth place down the stretch, ended up finishing in a rather disappointing 13th place after the many restarts ruined his momentum late. Fan favorite Tony Kanaan, still in search of his first Indy title, held a brief lead in the final ten laps before falling back into the pack to claim third place.

Here is the final finishing order:

1. Dario Franchitti
2. Scott Dixon
3. Tony Kanaan
4. Oriol Servia
5. Ryan Briscoe
6. James Hinchcliffe
7. Justin Wilson
8. Charlie Kimball
9. Townsend Bell
10. Helio Castroneves
11. Rubens Barrichello
12. Alex Tagliani
13. Graham Rahal
14. JR Hildebrand
15. James Jakes
16. Simon Pagenaud
17. Takuma Sato
18. E.J. Viso
19. Michel Jourdain Jr.
20. Sebastien Bourdais
21. Ed Carpenter
22. Katherine Legge
23. Ana Beatriz
24. Marco Andretti
25. Josef Newgarden
26. Sebastian Saavedra
27. Ryan Hunter-Reay
28. Will Power
29. Mike Conway
30. Bryan Clauson
31. Wade Cunningham
32. Simona De Silvestro
33. Jean Alesi

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Indy 500 Live: Graham Rahal In 6th Place With 70 Laps To Go

In a wide open Indianapolis 500 that has seen as many as 19 lead changes, Cleveland native Graham Rahal is sitting in fifth place with 70 laps remaining and is in prime striking distance.

Rahal opened the race in the No. 12 position after posting a 223.959 time, and has slowly crept up towards the front of the pack throughout the day. Fellow Honda drivers Takumo Sato and Scott Dixon each hold first and third place respectively, as Rahal will attempt to make up ground in the final third of the historic race with the checkered flag in his sights.

After starting the day in the pole position, Ryan Briscoe has fallen back to No. 14 after a series of slower-than-expected laps. Briscoe appeared to be having gear issues as he struggled to maintain his speed from earlier in the day, and looks to have fallen well off the pace.

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Indy 500 Live Streaming 2012: Live Streaming Options Show Race, Onboard Cameras

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 will start at 12:00 p.m. ET on Sunday as the drivers all try to navigate the hot track and traffic to win the "Greatest Spectacle in Racing."

Television coverage of the race will be shown on ABC around the country, and on tape-delay in the Indianapolis area, but there are legal online viewing options to keep track of the action through a high-speed Internet connection. To keep an eye on how several cars are making their way through the traffic on the track, ESPN3 will be streaming ABC's race coverage along with dedicated onboard cameras for several drivers to offer a different perspective on the race.

The 12 drivers with cameras showing their view of the race includes Helio Castroneves, Tony Kanaan, Marco Andretti, Ryan Briscoe, Will Power, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Rubens Barrichello, Dario Franchitti, Graham Rahal, James Hinchcliffe, Charlie Kimball and J.R. Hildebrand.

The official Indy 500 website willalso begin streaming coverage of the race at 11:30 a.m. ET. Here is the link for that online viewing option: Live streaming Indy 500

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Indianapolis 500 Race Lineup 2012: Borg-Warner Trophy Up For Grabs In Crowded Field

The crowded field among the serious contenders to win the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 almost ensures various factors throughout the grueling 500 mile race will determine the winner. Pit stops, timely cautions and lady luck will all have their say in guiding the winner to Victory lane.

There are favorites among the 33-car field though, including the first two rows of cars with drivers from Penskey Racing and Andretti Autosport, all powered by Chevrolet. Other Chevy drivers deeper in the field planning to be a factor include fan favorite Tony Kanaan starting in the middle of row three. Kanaan has been close in the past and can certainly attest to how much luck plays a role for the winner.

Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon figure to lead the charge for the Honda powered entries, along with Sarah Fisher Racing's Josef Newgarden.

No doubt the spirit of last year's winner Dan Wheldon will be riding shotgun with all 33 drivers, as the two-time champ will be celebrated throughout the event on Sunday.

Here is th full field of 33:

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Indy 500 2012: Time, Starting Grid, TV Schedule, Results And More

The 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 is ready to run on a hot Sunday afternoon at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Chevrolet has made a strong return to the Brickyard this year, supplying engines for all of the cars in the first two rows, including pole sitter Ryan Briscoe who will lead the field of 33 cars across the bricks around noon local time. Then the top cars will see if those engines can hold up for all 500 miles in a race that demands skill, endurance and luck from the winning driver. Target Chip Ganassi Racing cars driven by Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon are powered by Honda and showed on Carb Day that they will be a factor when all of the cars are dialed in for the race.

Soon we will find out which car and drive can best manage the 500 miles to make an appearance on Victory Lane for the swig of milk.

What: 96th Indianapolis 500

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

When: Race starts at 12:00 p.m. EDT

TV: ABC (coverage starts at 11;00 a.m. EDT

Radio: Affiliates outside of Indy

Online: Live Streaming Link

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Indy 500 2012 Weather: Mid-90's Temperatures Expected In Afternoon

The biggest day in racing has arrived, and it looks like the weather in Indianapolis will be quite warm for the 96th running of the Indy 500. The National Weather Service already issued a heat advisory for Central Indiana for the entire weekend that lasts until 8:00 pm EDT Sunday, and warns that record-breaking heat could be on the horizon on race day.

The hottest Indy 500 in history was a 92-degree afternoon back in 1937, so a mid 90's projection with the potential to hit triple digits is rather significant. While fans in the stands will likely be avoiding the sun at all costs as they down their alcoholic beverages, the drivers on the track will have to deal with temperatures in the 140-degree range.

As far as what the heat could impact during the race, overheated tires tend to leave more rubber on the track, which will only stand to make the it slicker and a bit more dangerous from a control standpoint. Many former drivers have mentioned how they blame the sweltering temperatures alone for their failings on race day, so it will be interesting to see what type of impact the intense heat will have on the grueling 500-lap race.

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2012 Indianapolis 500 Schedule: Saturday Events Include Drivers Meeting, Parade

Target Chip Ganassi Racing rose to the occasion on Carb Day after a disappointing month, showing Scott Dixon and Dario Franchitti will be in the mix wi wint the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. But until the drivers get the call to start their engines, the Indy cars will remain quiet while the drivers make their final appearances and preparations for the race on Saturday.

There are some activities inside the track and around Indianapolis on Saturday to give fans a chance to see the all of the drivers in the field. Here is a look at the remaining schedule of events related to the race:

SATURDAY:
12 p.m. EDT - Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade Downtown Indianapolis including all of the drivers

At IMS on Saturday:

9:00 a.m. EDT - Autograph session

9:20 a.m. EDT - Vintage racing on track

10:30 a.m. EDT - Public drivers meeting

11:15 a.m. EDT - Roger Penske Q & A on Coke Stage

SUNDAY - INDY 500 RACE DAY:

11:00 a.m. EDT - Indianapolis 500 Pre-Race Begins

12:00 p.m. EDT - 96th Running of the Indianapolis 500

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2012 Indy 500: Dario Franchitti Confident Following Carb Day Results

Carb Day is just another practice session for the Indianapolis 500. Nevertheless, Friday's session gave some positive momentum to cars featuring Honda engines, which many had wondered about in the wake of a dominant performance from Chevrolet cars, which claimed the top six spots in qualifying.

Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, who both drive Target Chip Ganassi Racing Hondas, turned in the two fastest results on Friday. Both cars' engines got a boost, under the rules of the race, that figure to put them on a more level playing field based on results in the qualifying sessions.

Franchitti expressed confidence after the one-hour practice on Friday. As reported by SB Nation's Jeff Gluck:

"We'll find out on Sunday, but it definitely feels a little bit stronger," Franchitti said. "So hopefully that will give us more of an equal fight, because obviously in qualifying it was a bit one-sided."

The final results from Carb Day look like this:

1. Dario Franchitti (Honda)
2. Scott Dixon (Honda)
3. Marco Andretti (Chevrolet)
4. Takuma Sato (Honda)
5. Ryan Briscoe (Chevrolet)
6. Justin Wilson (Honda)
7. Will Power (Chevrolet)
8. James Hinchcliffe (Chevrolet)
9. Tony Kanaan (Chevrolet)
10. Ryan Hunter-Reay (Chevrolet)
11. Helio Castroneves (Chevrolet)
12. J.R. Hildebrand (Chevrolet)
13. Josef Newgarden (Honda)
14. Charlie Kimball (Honda)
15. Graham Rahal (Honda)
16. Alex Tagliani (Honda)
17. Rubens Barrichello (Chevrolet)
18. Oriol Servia (Chevrolet)
19. Mike Conway (Honda)
20. Ed Carpenter (Chevrolet)
21. Sebastian Saavedra (Chevrolet)
22. EJ Viso (Chevrolet)
23. Simon Pagenaud (Honda)
24. Bryan Clauson (Honda)
25. Sebastien Bourdais (Chevrolet)
26. Katherine Legge (Chevrolet)
27. Wade Cunningham (Honda)
28. Michel Jourdain (Honda)
29. Townsend Bell (Honda)
30. James Jakes (Honda)
31. Simona de Silvestro (Lotus)
32. Jean Alesi (Lotus)

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2012 Indianapolis 500: Weather Forecast Predicts Sunshine For Race Weekend

With the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500 coming up this weekend, race fans are starting to focus their attention onto the weather forecast for the event. Luckily, the forecasts are predicting sunshine, which means that the weekend should go off without a hitch. Unfortunately for those in attendance, heat should be just as present as the sunshine, which means it will be important to remain hydrated.

Here is a more detailed look at this weekend's conditions in correlation to the scheduled events:

SATURDAY:
12 p.m. EDT
Indianapolis 500 Festival Parade Downtown Indianapolis - Mostly sunny, Hot & Humid - temp: 89

SUNDAY - INDY 500 RACE DAY:
11 a.m. EDT
Indianapolis 500 Pre-Race Begins - Mostly sunny, Hot & Humid - temp: 86
12 p.m. EDT
96th Running of the Indianapolis 500 - Mostly sunny, Hot & Humid - temp: 88
1 p.m. EDT
Indianapolis 500 - Mostly sunny, Hot & Humid - temp: 90
3 p.m. EDT
Indianapolis 500 - Mostly sunny, Hot & Humid - temp: 92

Conditions in Indianapolis, IN:
Click here for Current Weather Conditions - Look at Doppler Radar | Mobile Friendly Site | Mobile Radar

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Indy 500 2012 Odds: Ryan Briscoe Early Favorite Over Helio Castroneves

We're just two days away from the 96th Indianapolis 500, and pole sitter Ryan Briscoe is the current favorite to kiss the bricks and drink the milk. Briscoe captured the pole during qualifying with a speed of 226.484 and time of 02:38.9514 in his Dallara-Chevrolet. Helio Castroneves is right there behind Briscoe with the second best odds. He will start in the sixth position on Sunday after qualifying with a speed of 225.172. Last year's second place finisher J.R. Hildreband, who crashed in the final turn and was passed by the late Dan Wheldon, enters Memorial Day weekend as a longshot with 35/1 odds. The favorites heading into the weekend below:

Ryan Briscoe 15/4
Helio Castroneves 11/2
Will Power 6/1
James Hinchcliffe 17/2
Dario Franchitti 9/1

Visit OddsShark for the complete list of odds and head-to-head matchups.

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2012 Indy 500, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing: Team Profile

Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will put Michel Jourdain, Jr., behind the wheel at this year's Indianapolis 500.

The Rahal/Jourdain combo has had success in the past. Rahal Letterman Lanigan won the 2004 Indy 500, and Jourdain, Jr., gave the team a pair of IndyCar wins in 2003.

The team, based in Ohio, is co-owned by Bobby Rahal (three-time IndyCar champ and 1986 Indy 500 champion); Mike Lanigan (co-owner of Mi-Jack); and David Letterman (yes, that David Letterman).

Rahal, who had a storied racing career, founded the team in 1992, and has earned the respect of Jourdain. From an April Auto Week article:

"I am extremely happy about this new opportunity," said Jourdain, 35. "My best years professionally came with Bobby Rahal. I have been working out harder than ever to make sure I am as fit as possible. I know it is a huge challenge, to drive at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway after so long and with this type of car, but I hope that I will feel at home in a few days."

The team has compiled 22 victories as well as a pair of series championships in 1992 and 2010.

Letterman became a co-owner in 1996.

For more on the Indy 500, check out this SB Nation Cleveland story stream or the SB Nation racing page. SB Nation's YouTube is on it as well:

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2012 Indy 500: 13 Indianapolis 500 Teams Fined, According To Report

IndyCar has levied fines against 13 Indianapolis 500 teams, according to a Tuesday article from the Indianapolis Star.

The fines, which total $275,000, were for failing aspects of "technical inspections" during last weekend's qualification at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

From the Indy Star article:

IndyCar fined 13 teams for 18 infractions, most related to manipulations of the brakes. The fine for that: $15,000.

Fan Force United, which is fielding rookie Jean Alesi, was fined $50,000. The penalty was tied to the team not standardizing driver weight with ballasts. Will Phillips, IndyCar's vice president of technology, did not provide elaboration.

Teams representing each of the front-row starters were fined. None of the penalties will affect starting positions in Sunday's race.

Traditionally, money collected from fines goes toward various safety-related initiatives, according to the Indy Star.

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2012 Indy 500 Schedule: List Of Events For Race Week

With practice week out of the way and the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race to be held on Sunday, there will be one final week of Indy 500 events left to enjoy. Here are some of the scheduled events that will be going on throughout this week:

On Wednesday, the 500 festival community day will allow fans to drive around the track in their own cars and take guided tours of Pit Lane as well as the official timing and scoring area in the Pagoda. Fans can also collect autographs from their favorite drivers in this year's race.

On Thursday, practice and qualifying for the Firestone Freedom 100 race will feature the developmental racers that hope to appear in future Indy 500s with the Freedom 100 race being held on Friday. In addition to the race on Friday, Lynard Skynard will conclude the day with a concert in the infield of the track.

On Saturday, there will be Legends Day, which is a day that will focus primarily on the fans.

Fans can buy admission tickets to all this week's events, here.

For more information and coverage of the 2012 Indy 500 check this SB Nation StoryStream. For all of the comings and goings in the world of IndyCar, please visit SB Nation's dedicated IndyCar blog, Pop Off Valve.

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2012 Indy 500 Lineup: Field Of 33 Is Set For Sunday's 500

On Sunday, the 96th running of the Indianapolis 500-mile race will be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Following this past weekend's Pole and Bump Days, the field of 33 is officially set. With none of the top 24 qualifiers being bumped and with the final nine spots already set, Bump Day was largely uneventful with the exception of a crash from Charlie Kimball who is placed in the 14th posiiton. He and his team will now have a week to try and fix up the car as best as they can.

Here is the full starting lineup for the 2012 Indianapolis 500:

1. Ryan Briscoe
2. James Hinchcliffe
3. Ryan Hunter-Reay
4. Marco Andretti
5. Will Power
6. Helio Castroneves
7. Josef Newgarden
8. Tony Kanaan
9. EJ Viso
10. Rubens Barrichello
11. Alex Tagliani
12. Graham Rahal
13. Ana Beatriz
14. Charlie Kimball
15. Scott Dixon
16. Dario Franchitti
17. James Jakes
18. JR Hildebrand
19. Taukma Sato
20. Townsend Bell
21. Justin Wilson
22. Michel Jourdain
23. Simon Pagenaud
24. Sebastian Saavedra
25. Sebastien Bourdais
26. Wade Cunningham
27. Oriol Servia
28. Ed Carpenter
29. Mike Conway
30. Katherine Legge
31. Bryan Clauson
32. Simona De Silvestro
33. Jean Alesi

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2012 Indy 500 Qualifying: Just Filling The Field The Story Of Bump Day

There won't be any bumps in the road for drivers trying to remain in the field of 33 cars for the 96th Indianapolis 500 this year, as there are just nine car and driver combinations left to fill the final nine spots on the starting grid.

This turns Bump Day into I Hope I Don't Hit The Wall Day as the remaining cars look for enough speed to put their car in the field. With the new chassis design and engine specs for 2012, there simply aren't enough options for more drivers to make a run. This combined with the struggles by Lotus to develop a competitive engine are factors making it difficult to fill the field.

On Saturday, Pippa Mann confirmed that she would not try to qualify and according to Phillip B Wilson, Jay Howard decided not to take a shot at qualifying this morning.

Nine drivers for nine spots today on #Indy500 bump day. Jay Howard says he won't try to jump in a car. Only drama will be if field is full.

— Phillip B Wilson (@pwilson24) May 20, 2012

The main drama now centers around how well the two Lotus drivers Simona de Silvestro and Jean Alesi can qualify and whether the rest of the cars can make four clean laps to make the field.

For more information and coverage of the 2012 Indy 500 check this SB Nation StoryStream. For all of the comings and goings in the world of IndyCar, please visit SB Nation's dedicated IndyCar blog, Pop Off Valve.

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2012 Indianapolis 500 Qualifying, Bump Day: Start Time, TV Schedule, Radio And More

Another warm, sunny day will greet race teams as they try to complete the field of 33 cars for the 96th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday. On Saturday, Ryan Briscoe narrowly won the pole on a tight front row, beating out Andretti Autosports drivers James Hinchcliffe and Ryan Hunter-Reay.

All drivers who failed to qualify will be trying for the final nine positions in the starting lineup on Sunday's Bump Day. Once positions 25-33 are filled, the bumping begins in earnest, putting the slowest car in the field, regardless of the day it qualified, "on the bubble." The slowest qualifier on Saturday was Sebastian Saavedra with a 222.811 four-lap average.

Here is the schedule for Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Indianapolis 500 Practice: 9 a.m. - 10 a.m. ET

Qualifying for Bump Day begins: 12:00 p.m. ET

TV: NBC Sports Network from 12:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. ET

Live streaming: Indy 500 website begins at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Radio: 1070AM in Indianapolis or 1070thefan.com

You can find complete information about the next week's worth of events on the official Indy 500 website.

For more information and coverage of the 2012 Indy 500 check this SB Nation StoryStream. For all of the comings and goings in the world of IndyCar, please visit SB Nation's dedicated IndyCar blog, Pop Off Valve.

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Indy 500 2012 Qualifying: Ryan Briscoe Edges James Hinchcliffe To Earn Pole

Team Penske driver Ryan Briscoe took advantage of the Fast Nine qualifying format to come through with a 226.484 mph four-lap average to win the pole. James Hinchcliffe just missed out on the top spot leading a strong effort by Andretti Autosports to lock down spots two through four on the starting grid for the 96th Indianapolis 500.

Here are the full results from Pole Day qualifying, with rank, car number in parentheses, driver, chassis-engine, time and speed in parentheses:

1. (2) Ryan Briscoe, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:38.9514 (226.484)
2. (27) James Hinchcliffe, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:38.9537 (226.481)
3. (28) Ryan Hunter-Reay, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:39.1233 (226.240)
4. (26) Marco Andretti, Dallara- Chevrolet, 02:40.6766 (225.456)
5. (12) Will Power, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:39.7004 (225.422)
6. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:39.8780 (225.172)
7. (67) Josef Newgarden, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.6879 (224.037)
8. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:40.1775 (224.751)
9. (5) EJ Viso, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:40.4119 (224.422)
10. (8) Rubens Barrichello, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:40.5253 (224.264)
11. (98) Alex Tagliani, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.7144 (224.000)
12. (38) Graham Rahal, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.7437 (223.959)
13. (25) Ana Beatriz, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:40.7720 (223.920)
14. (83) Charlie Kimball, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.8093 (223.868)
15. (9) Scott Dixon, Dallara-Honda, 02:40.9413 (223.684)
16. (50) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.0144 (223.582)
17. (19) James Jakes, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.0866 (223.482)
18. (4) JR Hildebrand, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:41.1299 (223.422)
19. (15) Takuma Sato, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.1517 (223.392)
20. (99) Townsend Bell, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.3377 (223.134)
21. (18) Justin Wilson, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.4865 (222.929)
22. (30) Michel Jourdain, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.5124 (222.893)
23. (77) Simon Pagenaud, Dallara-Honda, 02:41.5138 (222.891)
24. (17) Sebastian Saavedra, Dallara-Chevrolet, 02:41.5720 (222.811)

The final nine spots will be filled on Sunday’s Bump Day.

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2012 Indy 500 Qualifying, Pole Day: Start Time, TV Schedule, Radio And More

The busy month of May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway shifts into another gear on Saturday with Pole Day to begin determining the starting grid for the Indianapolis 500 next Sunday.

Tony Kanaan in the #11 car will be the first car to qualify following a blind draw to set the order. The first segment of qualifying from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET will determine the first 24 starting positions in the field based on the fastest four-lap speed average. Each car has up to three attempts to qualify among the top 24 cars until 4:00 p.m.

After the field of 24 is set, the top nine cars will run in reverse order starting at 4:30 p.m. to try to earn the pole. After each car tries for the top of the grid, bumping for the pole is allowed up until 6:00 p.m. Weather delays won't add to the drama this year which means there will be plenty of action as race teams try to put themselves in the best possible position to start the Indianapolis 500 race next Sunday.

What: Indy 500 Pole Day qualifying

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway

When: 11:00 a.m. ET

TV: NBC Sports Network (11:00 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.ET)

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Indy 500 2012: Marco Andretti The Favorite To Claim The Pole

Marco Andretti posted the fastest showing of any driver on Fast Friday, the final day of practice for the Indianapolis 500. Andretti's speedy performance sets him up as the pole favorite in Saturday's qualifying for the race.

Andretti turned in the fastest lap time of any driver with a 227.540 mph, as reported by the Cleveland Plain Dealer. If Andretti wins Saturday's pole day he will be the first Andretti to have the top pole position in the race since his grandfather, Mario, in 1987.

Behind Andretti were two Penske drivers, Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves. They were three of five drivers who had a top lap speed better than 226 mph.

The other big winner on Friday was Chevrolet. Drivers with Chevy engines claimed the top four spots and controlled most of the top 10.

Andretti kept his numbers in perspective, while noting the big day for Chevy engines.

"We're not going to get overconfident, we're going to come out [Saturday] and try to do the same thing we did [Friday]," he said. "It would be a statement to put 10 Chevys in the top 10."

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