Auto Racing: Aussie Power claims IndyCar pole

Australia’s Will Power won pole position for Saturday’s IndyCar Firestone 550 night race by setting the pace in Friday’s time trials at Texas Motor Speedway.

Power claimed his 31st career IndyCar pole in a Chevrolet-powered Dallara with a two-lap average around the 1.455-mile oval course at 219.182 mph (350.691 k/hr) with American Marco Andretti a distant second at 217.553.

American Ryan Hunter-Reay and Scotsman Dario Franchitti will start in row two, followed in order by Venezuela’s E.J. Viso, Brazil’s Helio Castroneves and Americans Josef Newgarden, Charlie Kimball and Ed Carpenter.

A field of 24 will start the 228-lap event, with Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan starting 15th.

Andretti and Castroneves share the season points lead on 206 with Hunter-Reay third on 191 and New Zealand’s Scott Dixon another five points adrift.

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