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Qualifying and Heat Races At Iowa Corn Indy 250

Newton Iowa – HEAT 1: Scott Dixon held serve from the pole, leading all fifty laps Saturday to win the first qualifying heat at Iowa Speedway. Dixon and runner-up Takuma Sato transferred to Heat 3 where they will run against today’s first-six qualifiers. Ana Beatriz, who started last after an engine change earlier today, charged to sixth. Three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, fighting handling ills, finished last after nearly being lapped by his Target teammate Dixon.

HEAT 2: Graham Rahal solved the handling problems he had in qualifying as he charged from seventh to win after passing leader Ed Carpenter with three laps remaining. “Boy this thing sure works on the high line,” Graham said to father and car-owner Bobby. “Let’s go get-um in the next race.” Both Rahal and Carpenter transferred to the final heat. The race ended under the caution flag when James Jakes crashed in turn 2 on lap 49. Jakes was cleared to drive Sunday and the car was reported to have minimal damage.

HEAT 3: Team Penske drivers earned front row starting spots in Sunday’s Iowa Corn Indy 250 after Helio Castroneves and teammate Will Power swept the final heat. Starting on the pole, Castroneves lead all 50 laps while Power fought his way around James Hinchcliffe for second on lap 31. “It was good and bad,” the winner said. “I didn’t have much traffic to deal with, but I know what my car can do. It’s good to get the nine bonus points for winning.” This is Castroneves 38th career pole. It was announced after the race that Castroneves crew will change engines for “mileage reasons” and take a ten-place grid penalty for Sunday’s race. He keeps his bonus points and the pole award.

NOTES:
• Helio Castroneves lead ten drivers who broke the single-lap qualifying record here Saturday. Castroneves’ speed of 185.687mph (17.3324 sec.) bettered Scott Dixon’s mark of 182.360mph set in the track’s inaugural Indy car season of 2007. The top-six qualifiers will compete in Heat 3 along with the first and second-place finishers from Heats 1&2.

• Ana Beatriz did not attempt a qualifying lap in her Dale Coyne entry after an engine change.

• Ed Carpenter on the use of three 50-lap heat races to earn a starting spot in the Iowa Corn Indy 250: “The format this Saturday is definitely similar to my USAC days with the one practice session, qualifying is one lap and then the heat races. INDYCAR has been good about trying new things, especially at a place like Iowa which is sprint car territory; it’s familiar for the race fans that are here.”

• Iowa is the only event that qualifies the field by the heat-race process. The paddock seems to have mixed feelings about risking cars just to run 50 laps in order to determine starting spots. Teams whose cars are experiencing handling or mechanical problems however, view the heats as an extra opportunity to iron-out their problems. The top 12 starters will be rewarded with bonus points.

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