http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/
FROM KEITH GROLLER
Marco Andretti's love affair with Pocono Raceway continued on Saturday.
After posting the fastest practice times in two separate sessions on Thursday, Andretti went out in qualifying on Saturday and secured the pole position for Sunday's Pocono IndyCar 400.
It is the second pole of the season for Andretti, who was also in the lead role at Milwaukee on June 15, and the fourth pole of his career.
Andretti, who joins his grandfather Mario and father Michael as past Pocono pole-sitters, had an average speed of 221.273 miles per hour for his two lapes. The first one he clocked in 40.6926 seconds and the second was done in 40.6547. The previous record qualifying lap was recorded by Emerson Fittipaldi at 211.715 mph in 1989.
"It's just tremendous," Andretti said. "I took a huge liking to this place as soon as I rolled off here for the initial test. I love this track. This has become my favorite track. I love Indianapolis, but the way this place races is so challenging and so different from end-to-end."
Andretti will start up front with two of his Andretti Autosport teammates as Ryan Hunter-Reay clocked in with an average of 220.892 mph for second place and James Hinchcliffe claimed third at 220.431.
It is the first time one team swept a three-car front row in an IndyCar event since the 1988 Indianapolis 500 when Penske Racing teammates Rick Mears, Danny Sullivan and Al Unser were in the first three spots.
A fourth Andretti Autosport teammate, E.J. Viso, had a good run going when he crashed off the wall in Turn 1. Later, Alex Tagliani also crashed. Those have been the only two incidents all week as IndyCar has made a visit to Pocono for the first time since 1989.
Andretti wasn't surprised to have some friends with him on the front row.
"I always know my teammates are going to be strong," Andretti said, who went out third of the 24 drivers who attempted to qualify. "I got everything out of my run, so I knew I was going to be pleased with the result whether we were on the pole or not. In IndyCar racing, five guys could get it right in qualifying. So, we lucked out today. It all came together."
Andretti seems to have the dominant car, but he knows that nothing matters until Sunday.
"The race car on Thursday was on the rails," he said. "I could pass anybody as soon as I got up to them. Today we struggled a bit in Turn 3. That was more characteristic of the wind, but relative to our competitors, we're still strong. It's going to take more than that, and we know that.
"We've always run strong here as a family, similar to Indianapolis. But tomorrow's the one we want. I really want to get this monkey off my back because I really feel the wins will start clicking off."
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