IRL: Kansas: Scott Sharp qualifying report

Sharp Will Line Up in Row Five at Kansas Speedway

Scott Sharp qualified in 10th position this afternoon for Sunday's Kansas Lottery Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway. Sharp, who was seventh-quickest overall following 90 minutes of practice time this morning, was unable to match his earlier pace as track temperatures increased in an extremely competitive qualifying session with the 19-car starting grid covered by 0.8064 of a second.

A former pole winner at Kansas Speedway, Sharp will be making his sixth IndyCar Series career start at the 1.5-mile oval tomorrow. His best results to date at Kansas were a pair of sixth-place runs last year, after starting ninth, and in 2002.

Sharp and the Delphi Fernandez Racing team are enjoying a strong mid-season run, claiming back-to-back fifth-place finishes in the past two events and a front-row starting position last weekend at Richmond. Sharp is currently seventh in the championship standings, only 12 points shy of sixth place.

Scott Sharp - #8 Delphi Dallara /Honda/Firestone:

"We are working away on the car, but certainly thought we would be a few spots up on the grid than where we are right now. We are all dealing with a big change in the temperature here. It is beautiful at 8:00 in the morning for practice, and just quickly gets hotter and slicker as the day goes on. It is going to be a big challenge for tomorrow. Even though qualifying today was held at the closest time to when we are actually going to race, going out for four laps in qualifying versus 45 laps in the race is not the same. It is going to take a real consistent car that will keep turning and can run the low line. Right now, with the track temperature, you are asking a lot out of it."

-fernandezracing.com