Scheckter relieved to make the field

The Luczo Dragon Racing driver had qualified 10th with his first run, but opted to withdraw it and try again near the end of the six-hour session.

However his second attempt proved slower and left him 'on the bubble' in 11th place in the closing moments. Fortunately for Scheckter, no-one else was able to improve.

"I'm just so happy," he said. "It feels like I've got the pole just to survive that top 11.

"We just struggled and struggled. Every time that car went out, it went a bit slower and slower. Then we saw people behind us coming. That lap I was completely sideways in (Turn) 3. I'm just very thankful that we made it into the top 11."

Scheckter is contesting a three-race programme with Luczo Dragon, which is run by Roger Penske's son Jay, this season after losing his full-time drive at Vision Racing. The team was originally formed for a one-off run at Indy last season, when they finished fifth with Ryan Briscoe.

Although Scheckter admitted that he probably would have easily made it into the field in second day qualifying had he been bumped out on Saturday, he said the importance of getting onto the grid on the first day could not be underestimated.

"It's a world of difference, because now tonight I can actually go have a nice dinner and sleep in my bed at home," he said.

"I'm not having to worry about getting back up and qualifying it and wasting more sets of tyres. So it's really great, because my mind is now straight on what we need to do for the race instead of how we will carry on qualifying."