Lexington, Ohio: France`s Sebastien Bourdais handled wet track conditions and edged American Josef Newgarden in Saturday qualifying to win pole position for Sunday`s Indy 200 race at Mid-Ohio.
Rain tires were needed in every round of time trials at the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.
Bourdais`s final lap of 1 min, 24.1610 secs brought him his second pole of the season after a victory from the pole two weeks ago at Toronto.
"The last lap, I knew I was shy and needed some more, so I just went for it and made it stick," Bourdais said.
It was Bourdais`s 33rd career IndyCar pole, which moved him level with Scotsman Dario Franchitti for seventh on the series` all-time pole list.
Newgarden was second, just over half a second behind, with Brazil`s Tony Kanaan third, rookie Carlos Munoz fourth and American Ryan Hunter-Reay, the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion, was fifth.
Brazil`s Helio Castroneves, the season points leader, will start a season-worst 15. He has a 13-point margin over Australian Will Power, who will start sixth.
AFP
First Published: Sunday, August 3, 2014, 15:45
