Franchitti grabs pole for SunTrust Indy Challenge

No one is expecting defending champion Tony Kanaan to win tonight's SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway.

He's still nursing the physical and psychological wounds of a horrific crash during the Indianapolis 500 last month. And he'll start from the 17th position on the 20-car grid, an unenviable spot on a racetrack where passing is often a monumental challenge.

Also, no one has succeeded in defending at RIR since Buddy Lazier won the inaugural race in 2001.

However, 2007 winner Dario Franchitti positioned himself yesterday to win in back-to-back starts after capturing the pole for the 300-lap, 225-mile IndyCar Series race that will be contested under the lights.

Franchitti, who couldn't defend last year after jumping to NASCAR, will start on the front row alongside Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Scott Dixon. Franchitti covered the ¾-mile racetrack with a fast lap of 167.315 mph.

Helio Castroneves, the Indianapolis 500 winner, will start third opposite Team Penske teammate Ryan Briscoe on Row 2. Graham Rahal and Raphael Matos will start on Row 3.

"The biggest problem we had in the first [practice] run of the day was a little bit of understeer," said Franchitti, who in 2007 won the pole on points after qualifying was rained out. "It didn't take long for us to get up to speed.

"It's very important to start up front here. I think lap traffic is going to be interesting, and the fuel is going to be close again, making passing very tough. The race was 250 laps last time I was here, so all that's going to add up to some interesting racing."

Dixon, who qualified with a speed of 166.638, knows he must get after Franchitti early. If not, Franchitti could easily repeat his 2007 performance when he led a record 242 of 250 laps.

"It's the kind of race where you can win from the back of the pack," Dixon said. "But track position is really the key here because the past couple of years it's been very tough to pass, except for starts and restarts.

"We made a lot of changes to the car for qualifying. It was kind of frustrating, but we'll have a great car for the race."

Unlike most IndyCar Series venues, RIR doesn't play into any particular driver's strength, partly because almost anything can happen with these Honda-powered cars screaming at nearly 200 mph through the the tight, oft-unforgiving corners.

The only driver to conquer this short track twice is Sam Hornish Jr., but he's in New Hampshire this weekend still trying to find his way as a Sprint Cup driver.

While qualifying is crucial, pit strategy could well determine the outcome of tonight's race.

"It's [pit road] a pretty confined space," said Mike Hull, managing director for Chip Ganassi Racing. "It's like trying to put a sedan in a two-door closet.

"You need to limit your activity to changing tires and fueling your car. The car has to be right when the race starts. There's a lot of congestion at the entrance and the exit. You don't want to lose the race on a pit stop."

For the most part, the drivers turned practice laps yesterday trying to find the perfect setup for both their engines and tires. More importantly, they searched for useful information that would enable engineers to find more speed.

"The track is so tight and small, but you're still averaging over 170 mph in qualifying," Franchitti said. "You have to give proper information to engineers so the car can handle the way you would like.

"The key is staying out of trouble early. It's a lot easier if you can start up front."

If Franchitti is right, then he'll have a better than even chance of winning the ninth running of the SunTrust Indy Challenge. In the previous eight races, three drivers - Kanaan (2008), Franchitti (2007) and Dixon (2003) - have won from the pole.

Castroneves and Franchitti are the only drivers to win the pole twice at RIR. Castroneves failed to winner either time in 2004 and 2006, but finished third in 2004 behind winner Dan Wheldon, who started 20th that day - the worst starting position of any race winner. Wheldon faces another daunting challenge tonight. He'll start 13th.

"We're working very hard together as a team and I have no doubt the No. 4 car will be moving up pretty quickly in the race," Wheldon said. "We're work our way towards the front."

Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 852-7851 or .