Boat sails to Atlanta pole
With the Indy Racing League/CART merger now looking more likely than ever, the young guns are staking their claim in qualifying for the IRL Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta
The race is scheduled for Saturday evening, despite concerns about safety at the high-banked ovals after flying debris killed three spectators at Charlotte earlier this year.
Billy Boat has returned to form to take pole, with fellow rising American stars Greg Ray, Sam Schmidt and Mark Dismore next up. The series is almost as competitive as CART these days, with just 0.7s covering the field.
The older drivers who quit CART for the IRL when the series split in 1995 are struggling to make an impact against the new breed of short-oval stars. Eliseo Salazar, Eddie Cheever and Raul Boesel are all well down the order, as is reigning champion Kenny Brack.
Qualifying positions for the Kobalt Tools 500:
|
1 |
Billy Boat |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.087s |
|
2 |
Greg Ray |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.134s |
|
3 |
Sam Schmidt |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.147s |
|
4 |
Mark Dismore |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.155s |
|
5 |
Scott Goodyear |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.173s |
|
6 |
Scott Sharp |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.191s |
|
7 |
Davey Hamilton |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.312s |
|
8 |
Jeff Ward |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.313s |
|
9 |
John Hollansworth |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.314s |
|
10 |
Robby Unser |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.332s |
|
11 |
Jimmy Kite |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.376s |
|
12 |
Scott Harrington |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.424s |
|
13 |
Stephane Gregoire |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.441s |
|
14 |
Kenny Brack |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.462s |
|
15 |
Buddy Lazier |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.521s |
|
16 |
Jacques Lazier |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.534s |
|
17 |
Ronnie Johncox |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.536s |
|
18 |
Eliseo Salazar |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.555s |
|
19 |
Jack Miller |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.611s |
|
20 |
Buzz Calkins |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.625s |
|
21 |
Eddie Cheever |
Dallara-Infiniti |
25.632s |
|
22 |
Johnny Unser |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.646s |
|
23 |
Robby McGehee |
Dallara-Aurora |
25.664s |
|
24 |
Steve Knapp |
G-Force-Aurora |
25.701s |
|
25 |
Raul Boesel |
R&S-Aurora |
25.707s |
|
26 |
Tyce Carlson |
Dallara-Aurora |
|
|
27 |
Donnie Beechler |
Dallara-Aurora |
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