Will Power has achieved the pole position at Texas Motor Speedway. The champion of 2014 leads a Penske domain that has only been bothered by Muñoz that has crept into fourth place.
The classification of the Indycar oval, for newcomers in the IndyCar is individually two laps per driver. Coming out in random order following a draw; the champion Will Power (Team Penske) was the first out. Then did the winner of last year, Ed Carpenter (CFH Racing) performing a lap 2 MPH slower.
Then it was time for Coletti (KV Racing Technology) who since it was the first time in this circuit, did a slow lap, compared to Power. Instead, the championship leader, Juan Pablo Montoya, had a decent lap time which put him in second place. Charlie Kimball, stood immediately behind the championship leader, a position that Tony Kanaan snatched to him.
Then it was time for those who have been last in free practice, Josef Newgarden getting better time than his teammate, Ed Carpenter. Another expert in this circuit, Helio Castroneves, gave a decent lap that placed him second.
Pippa Mann was the first Honda that came on track, the only woman this weekend managed to beat only Coletti. Rahal did much better standing immediately behind the Penske. Also with Honda, Ryan Briscoe returned to Peterson Schmidt Motorsport team to replace injured James Hinchcliffe. But the New Zealand guy could not do well. Neither did Hunter-Reay, either Chaves, demonstrating that the aerodynamic pack of Chevrolet in the ovals, was still better.
With half of the drivers having scored his qualifying time, Power was leading followed by Castroneves, Montoya, Rahal and Kanaan.
Sato, the best Honda last weekend, climbed into provisional seventh place, a position he took out from one of the top drivers in Detroit too, Marco Andretti. Andretti place was snatched by his neighbor in Nazareth, Sage Karam, who was making his first appearance on this track.
Simon Pagenaud did the blow of authority in his first lap, and managed to get first, unfortunately for the French a second lap just a second sloower did not allow him getting the pole position.
The other French would follow him. Tristan Vautier showed up at a time that put him in half of the grid, while Bourdais, winner in Race 2 of Detroit, also did not give an outstanding lap.
Hawksworth has not emphasized much, but then Jakes seemed to break the top4 from Penske, fact not finally achieved, and has been placed tenth.
Dixon also appeared to break the Penske TOP4 but had to settle for sixth place. Finally, Carlos Muñoz, did it, placing himself fourth and still the fastest Honda of the classification.
Results: (Interior / Medium / Exterior)
Power / Pagenaud / Castroneves
Muñoz / Montoya / Rahal
Dixon / Kanaan / Kimball
Karam / Andretti / Jakes
Sato / Newgarden / Carpenter
Vautier / Hawksworth / Bourdais
Briscoe / Chaves / Hunter-Reay
Mann / Coletti
