INDYCARNATION

SPARTA, Ky. – The IZOD IndyCar Series will announce its 2011 schedule Sept. 10. Details will follow.

Kentucky Speedway general manager Mark Simendinger confirmed that the series' 2011 date at the track (Oct. 1-2). Already announced were dates for the inaugural Baltimore Grand Prix (Sept. 3-4), Texas Motor Speedway doubleheader (June 10-11), Indianapolis 500 (May 29), Iowa Speedway night race (June 25) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Aug. 14).

A 17-race (Texas counted as one event) schedule is expected.

President of competition and racing operations Brian Barnhart cut a 200th race cake in the media center before the final practice session at Kentucky Speedway. Barnhart has been the chief steward of the series since 1997.

The first event was won by Buzz Calkins on Jan. 27, 1996, at Walt Disney World Speedway. Dan Wheldon won the 100th race on Aug. 29, 2004, at Nazareth Speedway. Who will win the 200th? Ed Carpenter starts from the pole – his first PEAK Performance Pole Award – for the first time in a car co-owned by Indy Racing League founder Tony George.

Wheldon tops final practice speed chart

Wheldon busted out a lap of 219.008 mph (24.3279 seconds) on the 1.5-mile oval to lead the 27 cars in the final practice session. He qualified a season-best third for the Kentucky Indy 300 in the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car.

Scott Dixon, the pole sitter in 2008 and '09, was second quick (218.892 mph) in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car. Marco Andretti, who qualified 15th in the No. 26 Meijer car for Andretti Autosport, was third (218.834).

Meira says his wrist is OK

Vitor Meira, whose right wrist was sprained in an accident with Alex Tagliani and Hideki Mutoh during the race Aug. 28 at Chicagoland Speedway, said it won’t be an issue during the Kentucky Indy 300.

"I can feel it but after a couple laps in the car I forget about it,” said Meira, who qualified 12th in the No. 14 ABC Supply car for A.J. Foyt Racing.

Mutoh surprised by starting fifth

Hideki Mutoh, who won the Firestone Indy Lights race at Kentucky Speedway in 2007, was the provisional pole sitter for more than 30 minutes. Will Power knocked him from the perch.

"It was nice to hold the fastest spot for a while and end up with a fifth place starting position,” said Mutoh, driver of the No. 02 Formula Dream/Panasonic car for Newman/Haas Racing. “It's more than we expected. We struggled a lot this morning and decided to just go for it in qualifying. The car was handling well so I really pushed it. We didn't take off all of the downforce for qualifying; we went about halfway and it looks like it worked out well for us.”

Crash leaves Hunter-Reay starting 27th

Ryan Hunter-Reay will start 27th after the No. 37 IZOD car for Andretti Autosport made contact with the Turn 1 SAFER Barrier on his first qualification lap.

"We took a pretty aggressive approach to qualifying,” said Hunter-Reay, who was uninjured. “The track gripped up and definitely got looser. That, combined with the changes we made, the car was just too loose. It gave me a little warning sign down in Turns 3 and 4, and then coming into (Turn) 1 it did a big wiggle and that was it."

He drove the backup car in the final practice and was 15th on the chart.

Of note

Diamond Rio will be in concert before the Firestone Indy Lights race (5:30 p.m.) and will sing the national anthem before the Kentucky Indy 300. ... Four-time Indianapolis 500 champion Rick Mears is the grand marshal.

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