Carpenter tops Saturday Indy 500 qualifying

Ed Carpenter went out late in his Fuzzy's Vodka Chevy on Saturday and knocked Honda's Takuma Sato off the catbird seat in the preliminary round of qualifying for the 101st Indianapolis 500.

In a day interrupted by rain and a frightening crash by Sebastien Bourdais, each driver was given one chance to make a run for The Fast Nine and Carpenter claimed honors with a four-lap average of 230.468 mph.

A morning downpour forced IndyCar officials to scrap the original plan of multiple attempts and the track was finally open at 4 p.m. with the sun beating down and the temperatures rising.

Scott Dixon's run of 230.333 in the Chip Ganassi Racing Honda held up for most of the three-hour session until Sato supplanted him with an average of 230.382 in one of Andretti's Hondas. With defending champ Alexander Rossi sitting third, it looked like a Honda sweep until the final 30 minutes.

"I think we could definitely improve things," said Dixon, who qualified in the heat of the day. "It was a little on edge, and I think we got a little too loose and started scrubbing speed. I don't know what's worse, when you've got understeer or being loose around the Speedway. It definitely kept me on my toes, as Indianapolis should."

But, with overcast skies and cooling temps, Carpenter worked his magic for four laps in 2:36.203 to edge Sato's 10-mile run of 2:36.262.

"The conditions definitely helped me," said the two-time Indy polesitter who had only been 17th best on Fast Friday.

And teammate J.R. Hildebrand went out next-to-last and pulled off the fourth-fastest average of 230.205 mph in the Preferred Freezer Chevy.

Will Power, rookie Fernando Alonso, Tony Kanaan and Marco Andretti also joined the Fast Nine.

But everyone was holding their breath after Bourdais' massive accident. After turning the two fastest laps of the day (both over 231 mph), the 38-year-old Frenchman lost control in Turn 2 and slammed into the wall almost head-on before turning over and coming to rest right side up on what was left of Dale Coyne's GEICO Dallara-Honda.

Bourdais never lost consciousness and was taken to Methodist Hospital where he was awake and alert. He has been diagnosed with multiple fractures to his pelvis and a fracture to his right hip. According to INDYCAR Medical Director Dr. Geoffrey Billows, Bourdais will undergo surgery on his pelvis this evening at IU Health Methodist Hospital.

The fastest nine qualifiers on Saturday, and therefore those who will compete for the Verizon P1 Award on Sunday are as follows:

1) Ed Carpenter - 230.468 mph

2) Takuma Sato - 230.382 mph

3) Scott Dixon - 230.333 mph

4) JR Hildebrand - 230.205 mph

5) Alexander Rossi - 230.148 mph

6) Will Power - 230.072 mph

7) Fernando Alonso - 230.034 mph

8) Tony Kanaan - 230.007 mph

9) Marco Andretti - 229.924 mph

The 33-car field will have the opportunity to fine-tune their setups early Sunday afternoon, with practice from 12 - 12:45 p.m. (Saturday qualifiers 10-33) and 1:15 - 2 p.m. (Fast Nine qualifiers). TV coverage of the second day of qualifications begins on ABC at 4 p.m., starting with Group 1 qualifications to determine positions 10-33, followed by the Fast Nine Shootout to determine who will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday May 28.