Photo: Dario FranchittiTarget Chip Ganassi owns the front row of the 0.75-mile Richmond International Raceway as team mates Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon start 1-2 for the SunTrust Indy Challenge tomorrow. Franchitti who won the previous round of the IndyCar Series only six days ago at Iowa Speedway is on pole position with an average speed of 167.315mph ahead of Dixon who averaged 166.638mph.
Their fight with Team Penske continues with both their cars on the second row. Helio Castroneves qualifying ahead of Ryan Briscoe.
"After some changes in practice, for a couple of laps we were just trying to feel the car out," said Dixon, who's third in the standings. "The car was really good and should have been closer to pole if not on pole and I kind of let that down. We have a good car for the race and fantastic with two cars on the front row and hopefully we can keep it that way at the end."
Graham Rahal (165.218) will start fifth and Raphael Matos (164.928) sixth - his best on an oval this season. E.J. Viso (164.629) also posted a season high on an oval, and will share Row 4 with Hideki Mutoh (164.575).
The race is timed to go Saturday evening at 8:45pm local time (12:45pm NZ time)
Starting grid
1. Dario Franchitti 167.315 mph
2. Scott Dixon 166.638 mph
3. Helio Castroneves 165.931 mph
4. Ryan Briscoe 165.749 mph
5. Graham Rahal 165.218 mph
6. Raphael Matos 164.928 mph
7. E.J. Viso 164.629
8. Hideki Mutoh 164.575
9. Tomas Scheckter 164.441
10. Danica Patrick 164.197
11. Mike Conway 164.129
12. Robert Doornbos 164.071
13. Dan Wheldon 163.843
14. Ed Carpenter 163.824
15. Justin Wilson 163.506
16. Marco Andretti 162.78
17. Tony Kanaan 162.634
18. Ryan Hunter-Reay 162.506
19. Mario Moraes 160.895
20. Jaques Lazier 153.176
