HPD Trackside - IndyCar Honda Barber GP of Alabama qualifying report

Scott Dixon led the way for Honda in Verizon IndyCar Series qualifying at Barber Motorsports Park, and will start on the outside of the second row, fourth, in Sunday’s Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama. It is Dixon’s third consecutive top-four qualifying run of the 2017 season, after the Chip Ganassi Racing driver started second at the first two races of the season, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Long Beach, California.

Two-time Barber winner Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe both also advanced to the final round of “knockout” qualifying Saturday, with Hunter-Reay qualifying fifth for Andretti Autosport and Long Beach race winner Hinchcliffe rounding out the top six for Honda and Schmidt Peterson Motorsports.

Eight Honda drivers from four different teams advanced from first-round qualifying to secure starting positions in the top 12 for Sunday’s race, including Mikhail Aleshin in the second Schmidt-Peterson Honda; Ganassi Racing teammates Max Chilton and Tony Kanaan; and the Dale Coyne Racing duo of rookie Ed Jones and St. Petersburg race winner Sebastien Bourdais.