ED CARPENTER, NO. 20 FUZZY’S VODKA ED CARPENTER RACING CHEVROLET – POLE WINNER
YOU ARE ON THE POLE POSITION AGAIN HERE AT INDY. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS PLACE? DO YOU JUST GO HOME AT NIGHT AND DREAM ABOUT THIS PLACE BECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT IT COMPLETELY WIRED
“Most nights (laughs) to be honest. But, I’ve just got to thank my team. That first lap blew my mind. I figured we could run a 229 (mph) based on last night. My run last night actually wasn’t very good. The car wasn’t near as good as we’ve been. So, I knew had more left but I wasn’t expecting a 230 (mph), but the whole ECR team, especially the guys on my No. 20 car, they’ve put so much love into this car and it means everything to me to put us in a position like this. And to be able to share the top nine in this whole thing with Spencer (Pigot), his first time in the top nine with Preferred Freezer, and Danica (Patrick) with GoDaddy, we’re super happy to be here and obviously it couldn’t be possible without Fuzzy’s Vodka. Hopefully we can keep doing this a long time.”
A LOT OF FOLKS ARE TALKING ABOUT WHAT THIS PACKAGE IS GOING TO BE LIKE THIS YEAR. AND THEY WERE SAYING THE ONE PLACE YOU WANT TO BE WITH THIS CAR IS UP FRONT. HOW CRITICAL IS IT GOING TO BE TO HAVE THAT FRONT ROW STARTING POSITION?
“More so than my previous two poles, I think it’s beneficial. I mean it’s always nice to start up front just because you can control things a little bit. But, unless we all figure out a lot with race set-ups over the next couple of days, it certainly feels good knowing that I’ve got clean air in front of me, at least as long as I get a good start. I’m excited to get back in the car tomorrow and keep working on the race set-up to hopefully make it as perfect as this qualifying car was; because of all the pole runs I’ve had here, this one, believe it or not, came the easiest. So, thank you.”
YOU ARE A DRIVER AND A TEAM OWNER. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE THAT KIND OF SUCCESS HERE AT INDY?
“The beauty of it is that I don’t have to worry about it. The team behind me, they put a sign up at the beginning of May that said you’re not the boss anymore. And I adhere to the rules. So, I’m here to drive race cars.”
INDIANAPOLIS (May 20, 2018) – For the third time, Ed Carpenter and Chevrolet teamed up to earn the coveted pole for the Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil.
”I’ve just got to thank my team,” said Carpenter. “That first lap blew my mind. I figured we could run a 229 (mph) based on last night. My run last night actually wasn’t very good. The car wasn’t near as good as we’ve been. So, I knew had more left but I wasn’t expecting a 230 (mph), but the whole ECR team, especially the guys on my No. 20 Fuzzy’s Chevrolet, they’ve put so much love into this car and it means everything to me to put us in a position like this.”
Carpenter, driving the No. 20 Fuzzy’s Vodka Chevrolet for the team he owns, recorded a four-lap average speed of 229.618 mph to pace competitors in the Fast Nine Shootout to close the second day of qualifications on the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval.
“What an amazing qualifying run by Ed Carpenter to clinch the pole for the 102nd running of the Indianapolis 500,” said Jim Campbell, US Vice President for Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Ed ran 4 laps with absolute focus and finesse. The engineers and crew did a great job preparing the race car for Ed. And it was a great day for the ECR organization to have all three cars in the Fast Nine Shootout.”
Since its return to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012, Chevrolet has registered four poles in “the Greatest Spectacle in Racing” (Ryan Briscoe in ’12, Carpenter in ’13, ’14, ‘18, Scott Dixon in ’15) and 77 overall in 107 races.
Simon Pagenaud qualified second at 228.761 mph in the No. 22 Menards Team Penske Chevrolet and teammate Will Power qualified third in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet after a four-lap average speed of 228.607 to make it an all Chevrolet front-row.
“Congratulations to Team Penske for qualifying all four of their cars in the first three rows,” Campbell concluded. “It’s great to have an all Chevrolet front row to start the Indy 500. Now, the focus is on the race next Sunday.”
Chevrolet has swept the front row four times since 2012, including:
2015: First – Scott Dixon. Second – Will Power. Third – Simon Pagenaud
2013: First – Ed Carpenter. Second – Carlos Munoz. Third – Marco Andretti
2012: First – Ryan Briscoe. Second – James Hinchcliffe. Third – Ryan Hunter-Reay
Seven of the Fast Nine Shootout competitors drove a Chevrolet. All 16 Team Chevy entries, including rookies Matheus Leist and Kyle Kaiser, qualified for the 33-car field that will take the green flag May 27.
Reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden, driving the No. 1 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, qualified fourth. Spencer Pigot, whose previous best start had been 29th, qualified sixth in the Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet.
Danica Patrick qualified seventh in the GoDaddy Chevrolet for the final race of her motorsports career, and Helio Castroneves, seeking a record-tying fourth win in the race, qualified eighth in the No. 3 Pennzoil Team Penske Chevrolet.
ABC will telecast the race at noon ET May 27.
