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Marco Andretti wins his first pole at IMS

Andretti was fast all week and stayed that way when it mattered most.

SPEEDWAY, Indiana — Marco Andretti posted the fastest four-lap qualification run and enters the Fast Nine Shootout was the top seed for the run to the coveted NTT P1 Award for pole position. Andretti posted a four-lap average speed of 231.351 mph. 

Andretti was fast all week and stayed that way when it mattered most. He won his first pole to start the 104th running of the Indy 500. He's the first Andretti on pole in more than 30 years. 

Mario Andretti won his third and final pole for the Indy 500 in 1987, when grandson Marco was an infant. Scott Dixon and Takuma Sato will complete the front row for the Aug. 23 race.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was second at 231.330 mph, followed by Alexander Rossi at 231.268 mph. James Hinchcliffe was the final member of the Andretti party on the pavement, fourth overall at 231.195 mph. 

Credit: AP
James Hinchcliffe, of Canada, walks down pit lane during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Scott Dixon was fifth at 231.155 mph, the fastest non-Andretti car in qualifying.

Credit: AP
Scott Dixon, of New Zealand, climbs out of his car during qualifications for the Indianapolis 500 auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 15, 2020, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

Rookie Rinus VeeKay was the only Chevrolet-powered driver to earn a Fast Nine Shootout spot, an impressive sixth at 231.114 in the No. 21 SONAX entry.

Rookie Alex Palou also turned heads with the seventh-fastest qualifying attempt at 231.034 mph. 

Graham Rahal and Takuma Sato rounded out the Fast Nine, with Rahal eighth at 230.822 mph and Sato ninth at 230.792 mph.

Qualifying got underway late Saturday morning for next Sunday's delayed running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Watch live timing and positioning during Crown Royal Armed Forces Qualifying Aug. 15-16 for the Indianapolis 500.

Starting positions 10 through 33 were locked in for race day on Saturday.

The fastest nine drivers will determine the pole-sitter and positions 1-9 in Sunday's Fast Nine Shootout.  

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