Qualifying order || Qualifications times, info
Tessa Ganassi continued a family tradition by being the first to make a selection in the qualifications draw for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.
For year, her paternal grandfather, Floyd, made the first selection in representing Chip Ganassi Racing Teams owned by his son, Chip.
"It was definitely something that meant a lot to him every year, and making sure that he picked first every year," said Ganassi, who is graduating from high school in two weeks. "Two years ago was the last time that he ever picked and he came with me and said, 'Now, if I'm not here next year you'll be doing this,' and we really didn't understand. He picked the first few and I picked the second few and he kind of showed me the ropes. It turned out that by the next year he passed away and it meant a lot to him that I would not only be picking but be the first to pick.
"It means a lot to me, too. It's kind of tradition and Indy is full of traditions."
Three Verizon IndyCar Series drivers elected to pull qualifying spots for themselves. Defending race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, accompanied by his wife and two sons, drew the second qualifying spot for his primary No. 28 DHL Honda for Andretti Autosport. Rookie Gabby Chaves brought along girlfriend Gabby Piccarreta and drew the 63rd spot to qualify the No. 98 Bowers & Wilkins/Curb Honda for Bryan Herta Autosport with Curb-Agajanian.
Carlos Huertas will be first on the 2.5-mile oval for four consecutive timed laps after drawing the No. 1 spot for his No. 18 Dale Coyne Racing Honda.
In 2014, Ed Carpenter earned the Verizon P1 Award in the Fast Nine Shootout with a four-lap average speed of 231.076 mph. It was the second consecutive year that Carpenter started from the pole (11th time it’s happened). He’ll be seeking to become the first to earn the pole in three consecutive years. Twenty drivers have won from the pole – most recently Helio Castroneves in 2009.
"Last year we we're pretty solid so I think we can get in (to the Fast Nine Shootout), but we got to play our cards right and find a little bit overnight," said Carpenter, driver of the No. 20 Fuzzy's Vodka CFH Racing Chevrolet. "The thing we've got to figure out is how to make the fourth lap still be good."
Qualifications run from 11 a.m.-5:50 p.m. (ET) May 16. Watch on ABC from 4-6 p.m. On May 17, starting positions 10-30 will be determined from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. (ET). Positions 31-33 will be determined from 12:45-1:30 p.m. and the Fast Nine Shootout from 2-2:45 p.m. will determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and set the first three rows for the May 24 race.
Real-time Timing & Scoring is available both days on RaceControl.indycar.com.
