IndyCar Series news
Franchitti seizes pole in Toronto
11 July 2009 / ResultsDario Franchitti has claimed pole position ahead of Round 10 of the championship in Toronto. After a shortened, rain-affected final practice session full of drama, the Scot enjoyed an ironically dry surface on his way to pole and is joined on the front row of the grid by IndyCar returnee Will Power with Graham Rahal in third.
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After clinching his first ever Champ Car pole position in Toronto twelve years ago, Franchitti is back at the front in 2009 with a lap time of 1.01.024, back to normal pace after best laps in the 1.15s were recorded during last practice. The storm may have gone away, although Franchitti's success will cause some upset with his main rivals further back in the pack; reigning Champion and current leader Scott Dixon is eighth with Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe tenth and eleventh.
At the sharp end, Franchitti is joined on the front row by Will Power, who returns to Penske after replacing Castroneves for the season's first two events. Behind third-placed Rahal is second Briton Justin Wilson, who clinched the Dale Coyne team's first race victory last time out at Watkins Glen.
More surprises on what was now a practically bone dry track were right behind, in the shape of local favourite Alex Tagliani in an astounding and superlative fifth for Conquest with Mike Conway - the third British driver in the top six - producing an equally spellbinding performance to qualify sixth. Eighth-placed Dixon is surrounded by Robert Doornbos and Raphael Matos, who has compatriot Castroneves and Briscoe right behind him and thinking of the championship.
Paul Tracy slips to 15th after being fastest in final practice for KV Racing and Dan Wheldon was disappointed to end up 21st in the Panther car. The Andretti Green team's day was somewhat a disaster, though, with Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick, Tony Kanaan and Hideki Mutoh in the respective positions of 17th, 18th, 20th and 22nd in the 23-car field.
Although dry weather is now expected for Sunday's race, a mixed up grid is sure to deliver more bolts from the blue. Thunderbolts, however, look to have had more than their fair share of the action this weekend.
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