Starting Grid: Grand Prix of Alabama race preview

April 26, 2015, 8:25 AM

Team Penske will begin Sunday’s IndyCar Grand Prix of Alabama holding the top three positions.

This is becoming a familiar pattern as a Penske driver has started seven consecutive races from pole position.

Helio Castroneves, who won the event in 2010, turned in the fastest lap in qualifying, earning the pole. Teammates Will Power and Simon Pagenaud round out the top three, while Canadian James Hinchcliffe will start the day in 10th.

Overall points leader Juan Pablo Montoya qualified with the 15th-fastest time.

Two-time defending champion Ryan Hunter-Reay finds himself starting in 18th, and has some work to do if he wants to make it a three-peat.

Watch the Grand Prix of Alabama live on Sportsnet 360 with coverage starting at 2:00 p.m. EST/11:00 a.m. PST

Track Info

The 2.38-mile permanent road course boasts a total of 17 turns and features 80 feet of elevation change, challenging both drivers and engineers with blind corners. Additionally, a 45-foot-wide racing ribbon makes it crucial for drivers to be patient when presented with opportunities to pass.

Virtual Lap

Qualification for the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg
Pos. Driver Team (Engine) Time
1. Helio Castroneves Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:07.1925
2. Will Power Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:07.3833
3. Simon Pagenaud Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:07.6383
4. Scott Dixon Target Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.6938
5. Josef Newgarden Sarah Fisher Hartman (Chevrolet) 1:07.8922
6. Tony Kanaan NTT Data Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.9426
7. Sebastien Bourdais KVSH Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.2462
8. Graham Rahal Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing (Honda) 1:07.3903
9. Luca Filippi CFH Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.6302
10. James Hinchcliffe Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda) 1:07.6626
11. Charlie Kimball Novo Nordisk Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.8405
12. Sage Karam Chip Ganassi Racing (Chevrolet) 1:07.8930
13. Marco Andretti Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:07.6295
14. James Jakes Schmidt Peterson Motorsports (Honda) 1:07.9671
15. Juan Pablo Montoya Team Penske (Chevrolet) 1:07.7235
16. Stefano Coletti KV Racing Technology (Chevrolet) 1:07.9947
17. Gabby Chaves Bryan Herta Autosport (Honda) 1:07.8191
18. Ryan Hunter-Reay Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:07.9984
19. Jack Hawksworth A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Honda) 1:08.0082
20. Takuma Sato A.J. Foyt Enterprises (Honda) 1:08.2541
21. Rodolfo Gonzalez Dale Coyne Racing (Honda) 1:08.5259
22. Carlos Munoz Andretti Autosport (Honda) 1:08.3533
23. Francesco Dracone Dale Coyne Racing (Honda) 1:10.1133

NOTE: Qualification results do not reflect grid penalties.