Track Walk: Pole Day 2012

Here we go folks. Tomorrow positions 1st to 24th will be filled for the Greatest Spectacle In Racing. Over the past week the teams have been working on their DW12 chassis' as they will be making their debut race come May 27th.

Who Wins The Pole?
Fast Friday seemed to be the day Chevrolet flexed their muscles. The top 4, 8 of the top 10, 10 of the top 15. Marco Andretti was fastest with a lap at 227.540 mph. Ryan Briscoe and Helio Castroneves were second and third as they aim to give Roger Penske another pole at the Speedway. Driver of the month to date, Josef Newgarden was 13th, the third fastest Honda behind Dixon (5th) and Franchitti (9th). Other notables were Ana Beatriz in 7th, Hildebrand in 8th, Kanaan 10th, Carpenter 16th, Rahal 18th, Rubinho 21st, Clauson 23rd and Tagliani in 24th.

Now to the question at hand and more pole day predictions. The last two American pole winners were Buddy Rice (2004) and Sam Hornish (2006). They did pretty well in the race if I remember correctly so Andretti, Hunter-Reay, Newgarden and the rest of the American should real confident if they end up on top when the last car has completely their qualification attempt. The last Chevrolet pole was Bruno Junqueira in 2002. I think the pole winner will be a Chevrolet, and it will be an American. I will go with Marco Andretti. All the Andretti Autosport cars have been fast and that includes Beatriz and Saavedra. I think Chevrolet and Honda will split the top 9 at 5-4 in favor of Chevrolet. Newgarden will give it his all and end up on row two with Franchitti and Hildebrand. Rubinho, Clauson and Bell will all be in the top 24 when 4:00pm comes along. With the fast nine shootout format there has been always been a surprise that has to qualify on Sunday. 2010 it was Vitor Meria and Tony Kanaan and last year it seemed almost all the drivers should have been well in the field on Saturday. Paul Tracy, Ryan Briscoe, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Marco Andretti, Graham Rahal, Danica Patrick and Alex Lloyd were all on the outside come Sunday morning and when the gun sounded and the checkered flag waved one last time, Andretti had bumped Hunter-Reay out. Sure Hunter-Reay would get in with some help but it seemed nobody had bump day ending like that. This year I don't think it will be all that shocking. Unless someone backs it into the wall. You never know.