Helio Castroneves wins pole for Long Beach Grand Prix in record time
IndyCar driver Helio Castroneves won pole position for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach after posting a track record of 106.331 mph in qualifying.
Helio Castroneves won the pole position for Sunday’s Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in record time.
The Team Penske driver turned the fastest lap of 106.331 mph in Saturday’s qualifying session, besting the prior record of 105.898 mph set by Justin Wilson in 2008.
“We keep on pushing, now we have to finish the job” in the race, said Castroneves, who won the Long Beach Grand Prix from the pole in 2001.
Castroneves’ teammate, Juan Pablo Montoya, qualified second with a lap of 106.285 mph on the 1.97-mile, 11-turn course on Long Beach’s seaside streets.
“I really thought I had [the pole] there,” Montoya said. “I made a mistake in the last corner, [I was] too greedy.”
Montoya and Castroneves also arrived in Long Beach atop the Verizon IndyCar Series championship standings, with Montoya holding a 10-point lead over his teammate.
Scott Dixon, a three-time series champion still looking for his first victory in Long Beach, qualified third at 106.081 mph in his car prepared by Chip Ganassi Racing.
Follow Jim Peltz on Twitter @PeltzLATimes
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