Hornish Runs For The Pole

May 12 – Indianapolis – This is what Brian Barnhart (Indy Racing League President and Chief Operating Officer) wanted on Pole day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dario Franchitti is on the pole for four plus hours (225.191 mph average).

Enter habitual pole contender Team Penske and Sam Hornish, Jr.

Qualifying attempt number one. Hornish is faster than Franchitti on lap one. On lap two Hornish exits turn two high, so high, from the camera on the wall you couldn?t see light between the tire and the wall. Hornish must had cracked the throttle a bit because Hornish?s lap was in the mid-223 down from 225.1 that Hornish needed. Hornish?s overall four lap average falls below Franchitti. Hornish is quicker on laps three and four but falls short of Franchitti (225.145 mph).

More drama.

Team Penske immediately withdraws Hornishs time.

He?ll try again. Hornish is going all out. Once again, lap one is faster than Franchitti. Lap two faster is quicker than lap one. Lap three even faster. Looks like Hornish is on the pole. But wait, this is Indianapolis, nothing is easy here. Exiting turn three of his last lap Hornish ever so slightly slides the car sideways. That works at Terre Haute but not here. Smooth is the name of the game. There goes the pole. Hornish is again second fastest (225.109 mph) however slower than his first attempt. Franchitti is still on the pole.

Franchitti has two hours to sweat.

Steve Zautke

Steve Zautke, a Milwaukee, WI native, was raised in the sport of auto racing. His father, Bill, was a movie photographer that shot racing footage at tracks such as the Milwaukee Mile and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the 1960’s and 1970’s Steve’s first professional job in racing was as an Emergency Medical Technician at tracks such as Angell Park and Hales Corners Speedway (1988-1991). Steve has also worked for the Milwaukee Mile as videographer, in media relations and historian (1993-2011). Steve also has worked as a reporter for Racing Information Systems (RIS) and has written features for ‘Vintage Oval Racing’ and ‘Victory Lane’ magazines. Most recently, Steve has written a book on Road America for Arcadia Publishing. ( http://www.amazon.com/Road-America-Nascar-Library-Collection/dp/1467111457 ) Steve co-hosts “Sparky’s Final Inspection” a motorsports-based radio show with hosts, Steve “Sparky” Fifer and “NASCAR Girl” Summer Santana on Sports Radio 1250AM in Milwaukee and is also available on the internet at www.Sportradio1250.com. A member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Induction Committee, Steve follows all types of racing from the dirt tracks to Formula One.

racingnation.com

Related Posts

• 
  Motorsports Minute: Alexander Rossi
• 
  Motorsports Minute: Matt Tifft
• 
  Motorsports Minute: Alexander Rossi