Indianapolis 500: Ed Carpenter claims pole position

Ed Carpenter earned a surprise pole position for the Indianapolis 500.

Carpenter, the only owner/driver in the IndyCar series, clocked a four-lap average of 228.762 mph at the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a track which is owned by his family.

"(Two series) victories were great, but an Indianapolis 500 pole is the best," said Carpenter. "This is the start of a dream come true.

"This is just the first part of what we want to do. To fight with the Penskes and Andrettis is an accomplishment in itself."
Rookie

Colombian rookie Carlos Munoz was second quickest, while Marco Andretti - grandson of former Formula One and Indy champion Mario Andretti - will start from the outside of row one.

The second row of the grid features Venezuelan EJ Viso, American AJ Allmendinger and Australian Will Power.

Brazil's Helio Castroneves, who started from pole four times at the Indy 500 winning three, is on the middle of row three between reigning series champion Ryan Hunter-Reay and Canadian James Hinchcliffe, twice a winner this season.

Britain's Dario Franchitti, another three-time Indy 500 winner, qualified 17th while Takuma Sato, who became the first Japanese driver to win an IndyCar race earlier this season, was 18th.

Swiss Simona De Silvestro was the only woman to qualify on Saturday after Brazil's Ana Beatriz and Britain's Pippa Mann failed to secure a spot.

Drivers will have another chance to qualify on Sunday when the final nine spots in the 33 car field will be filled.