Kentucky: AJ Foyt Racing qualifying report

Vitor Meira to Start 12th in Kentucky Indy 300

SPARTA, KY Sep 3--Vitor Meira will line up 12th for tomorrow night's Kentucky Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Meira posted a two-lap average speed of 216.434mph in the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara/Honda.

It is the best qualifying run since his sixth place start at Kansas Speedway in April, and one spot better than his 13th place start at Iowa Speedway. Meira finished in the top-10 in both of those races.

"The run wasn't so bad with the wind," Meira said immediately after his run, when he was only the sixth car out on the track. "Because of the wind maybe we weren't in the best optimized gear. The balance on the car was good and for the race, it's very good."

"Twelfth is a position that we can at least keep our nose clean on the start," Meira said after qualifying ended." Things are getting better -- we definitely improved on qualifying especially with the competition getting as tight as it is. I think the ABC Supply/AJ Foyt Racing team did a very good job so we can go racing with our nose clean."

Meira, whose right wrist was sprained in an accident with Alex Tagliani and Hideki Mutoh at Chicagoland Speedway last weekend, said his wrist will not be an issue in tomorrow night's race. "I can feel it but after a couple laps in the car, I forget about it. It won't be a problem for tomorrow night."

There were several surprises in the top 10, chief of which was Ed Carpenter winning his first pole of his career in only his third appearance this year. Carpenter and teammate Dan Wheldon qualified first and third with Will Power, who appeared on the verge of tying A.J. Foyt's record for poles won in a season until Carpenter's run, held on for second.

Ryan Hunter-Reay had the only incident when his car got loose in turn two and he spun and hit the wall. He was not hurt but he will have to start last in the 27 car field. Teammate Tony Kanaan will be starting 26th because he narrowly escaped brushing the wall during his qualifying run and posted a speed of 210.831 mph.

-source: ajfr