Hinchcliffe tops chart preceding qualifications

James Hinchcliffe spent much of the 2013 Verizon IndyCar Series race at Barber Motorsports Park stranded in the infield because of an on-track incident. It was a great vantage point to watch the remainder of the 90-lap race, but being a spectator wasn’t what the Andretti Autosport driver wanted — especially after earning his first series victory two weeks earlier at St. Petersburg, Fla.

The Toronto native, who started 20th last April, is making strides to start much higher April 27 in the No. 27 United Fiber & Data car. In the practice preceding qualifications for the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, Hinchcliffe turned the quickest lap of the weekend at 1 minute, 7.9206 seconds to top the 23-car field on the 2.38-mile, 17-turn course.

Four different teams were represented in the top 5 and the top 18 cars were separated by less than one second.

The three rounds of qualifications, featuring the Firestone Fast Six to determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and the first three rows for the 90-lap race, starts at 3 p.m. (ET).

Sebastien Bourdais, who was second quick through two practices April 25 in the No. 11 Hydroxycut/KVSH Racing car, was .1084 of a second behind Hinchcliffe in the morning session. Scott Dixon, whose No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing car experienced electrical issues 24 hours earlier that limited laps, was third quick. The reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion has been the race runner-up each of the four years at Barber.

Hinchcliffe’s teammate, Ryan Hunter-Reay, who topped both 45-minute sessions April 25, was sixth on the time sheet in the No. 28 DHL car. Hunter-Reay won the race last year from the pole. Hinchcliffe had a great view of Hunter-Reay crossing under the twin checkered flags

Results From Practice 3:

Pos.	Car #	Driver	Best Speed	Best Time	Behind	Total  Laps
1	27	James Hinchcliffe	121.907	1:07.9206	Leader	15
2	11	Sebastien Bourdais	121.713	1:08.0290	0.1084	19
3	9	Scott Dixon	121.601	1:08.0916	0.1710	14
4	3	Hello Castroneves	121.477	1:08.1611	0.2405	21
5	12	Will Power	121.466	1:08.1670	0.2464	22
6	28	Ryan Hunter-Reay	121.415	1:08.1956	0.2750	14
7	77	Simon Pagenaud	121.393	1:08.2083	0.2877	20
8	67	Josef Newgarden	121.249	1:08.2891	0.3685	17
9	14	Takuma Sato	121.186	1:08.3245	0.4039	23
10	8	Ryan Briscoe	121.093	1:08.3774	0.4568	16
11	34	Carlos Munoz (R)	120.972	1:08.4454	0.5248	17
12	2	Juan Pablo Montoya	120.859	1:08.5097	0.5891	17
13	19	Justin Wilson	120.813	1:08.5359	0.6153	20
14	83	Charlie Kimball	120.665	1:08.6198	0.6992	19
15	15	Graham Rahal	120.659	1:08.6229	0.7023	20
16	7	Mikhall Aleshin (R)	120.562	1:08.6785	0.7579	17
17	16	Oriol Servia	120.444	1:08.7458	0.8252	18
18	20	Mike Conway	120.375	1:08.7848	0.8642	20
19	25	Marco Andretti	120.099	1:08.9432	1.0226	10
20	17	Sebastion Saavedra	119.998	1:09.0011	1.0805	18
21	10	Tony Kanaan	119.958	1:09.0241	1.1035	13
22	98	Jack Hawksworth (R)	119.556	1:09.2564	1.3358	17
23	18	Carlos Huertas (R)	119.502	1:09.2878	1.3672	19

 

Hunter-Reay Wins Verizon P1 Award for Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach

Ryan Hunter-Reay qualified second for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach in 2010, ’11 and ’13 with one victory to represent the efforts. On April 13, he’ll start the 40th annual race on the temporary street circuit from the inside of the front row.

Hunter-Reay earned the Verizon P1 Award by pipping Andretti Autosport teammate James Hinchcliffe on his final lap of the Firestone Fast Six session with a lap of 1 minute, 7.8219 seconds on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn course. Hinchcliffe, driving the No. 27 United Fiber & Data car, was .1184 of a second back after completing the 10-minute session.

“It just comes down to this team giving me what I need when I need it,” said Hunter-Reay, who registered his sixth Indy car pole and the 30th for Andretti Autosport in the No. 28 DHL car. “What a qualifying session. You never knew who was going to put in the best lap; it was anybody’s session. It’s a good start for us, but tomorrow is going to be challenging. We have the standing start and a long day on the beach. We’ve been on the outside pole so many times here and final got the big one.”

Five teams were represented in the Firestone Fast Six, and 1-6 were separated by .2513 of a second.

“The United Fiber & Data car has been quick all weekend in practice,” Hinchcliffe said. “You never know what’s going to happen when you put on those Firestone Reds, though, especially when you only drive them for the first time here in qualifying. The guys did a great job – the car was awesome. I haven’t been in a ton of these Firestone Fast Sixes, and I’m learning what to do on the second stint on the Firestone Reds so that’s a good trade. For us to be front row, I’m happy about, but I’m looking for that first pole. I’ve been so close so many times, but if you’re going to lose it, I’m glad it’s to a teammate, so congrats to Ryan (Hunter-Reay).”

Sebastien Bourdais, a three-time winner of the race, held the provisional pole with a minute left in the session in the No. 11 Mistic KVSH Racing car. He’ll occupy Row 2 with third-year Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver Josef Newgarden. Rookie Jack Hawksworth, driving the No. 98 Charter/Castrol Edge car for BHA/BBM with Curb Agajanian, and Simon Pagenaud in the No. 77 Charter Communications car for Schmidt Peterson Hamilton Motorsports qualified on Row 3.

Will Power, a three-time pole sitter and two-time winner at Long Beach, had his streak of qualifying in the top 10 on road and street circuits end at 10 when he was .0191 of a second behind Hawkswoth in Group 2 of Session 1. Power, who won the season opener on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., after starting fourth in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske car, will start 14th. Takuma Sato, who won the 2013 race, incurred a qualifying interference penalty in Session 1 (negating his quickest two laps) and will start 15th.

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES – TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
Unofficial Starting Lineup

ROW 1
1. 28-Ryan Hunter-Reay, Andretti Autosport
2. 27-James Hinchcliffe, Andretti Autosport
ROW 2
3. 11-Sebastien Bourdais, KVSH Racing
4. 67-Josef Newgarden, Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing
ROW 3
5. 98-Jack Hawksworth (rookie), Bryan Herta Autosport
6. 77-Simon Pagenaud, Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
ROW 4
7. 9-Scott Dixon, Target Chip Ganassi Racing
8. 25-Marco Andretti, Andretti Autosport
ROW 5
9. 3-Helio Castroneves, Team Penske
10. 19-Justin Wilson, Dale Coyne Racing
ROW 6
11. 34-Carlos Munoz (rookie), Andretti Autosport
12. 16-Oriol Servia, Rahal Letterman Lanigan
ROW 7
13. 10-Tony Kanaan, Target Chip Ganassi Racing
14. 12-Will Power, Team Penske
ROW 8
15. 14-Takuma Sato, A.J. Foyt Racing
16. 2-Juan Pablo Montoya, Team Penske
ROW 9
17. 20-Mike Conway, Ed Carpenter Racing
18. 8-Ryan Briscoe, Chip Ganassi Racing
ROW 10
19. 83-Charlie Kimball, Chip Ganassi Racing
20. 7-Mikhail Aleshin (rookie), Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
ROW 11
21. 18-Carlos Huertas (rookie), Dale Coyne Racing
22. 17-Sebastian Saavedra, KV/AFS Racing
ROW 12
23. 15-Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan