Even for a team that has endured its share of drama at the Indianapolis 500, Andretti Autosport won't forget Sunday's Bump Day qualifying.
Over the final 76 minutes, Danica Patrick went from out of the race to Row 9; teammate Marco Andretti made his last-ditch attempt with literally a minute to spare in the session and made the field, but that left teammate Ryan Hunter-Reayout of the 33-car field.
Mike Conway never came to the bubble, waving off two attempts midway through it.
Andretti's final tally was three cars in and two out for the 100th anniversary edition Sunday, but that ratio, as well as the accompanying tension, had nobody in a mood to celebrate.
"It was probably my worst day as an owner," Michael Andretti said. "I felt so bad for (Hunter-Reay's team). It was going bad for Danica; it was going bad for Marco. I just knew somebody was going to be unhappy."
A disastrous Saturday of qualifying left Andretti trying to get its four full-time entries in the field Sunday. (John Andrettiqualified 17th Saturday.)
That quest was hampered twice by weather delays and a technical inspection issue that delayed Patrick from running the No. 7 Honda.
But the weather cleared, and Patrick clocked 224.861 mph, which ultimately claimed the 26th spot.
"I need a drink," said Patrick, who expected better.
Marco Andretti ran 224.728 mph and will start 28th.
Sunday's events typified the wildest weekend of qualifying since 1995, when Team Penske failed to qualify.
Canadian driver Alex Tagliani came away with his first Indy pole, making an emphatic point for the sport's smaller teams, which mostly had megateams such as Penske andChip Ganassi Racing chasing them. Although the Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver officially clinched the pole on the final attempt of the Fast Nine shootout, it was really his to lose.
Out fourth in the first qualifying session, he clocked a four-lap average of 226.954 mph, which stood all day. Tagliani followed with a 227.472 mph split that bumped Scott Dixonoff the pole.
Penske and Ganassi, meanwhile, experienced setbacks.
First, Penske's Ryan Briscoe crashed his primary No. 6 Honda in practice and went to a backup car that couldn't crack the top 24; he had to try again on Bump Day and got in with a speed of 224.639 mph, earning the outside of Row 9. Three-time winner Helio Castroneves then pulled his first speed for a second attempt in changing conditions that ultimately left him 16th in the grid, ending his quest for a record third consecutive pole.
IndyCar Series points leader Will Power salvaged it for Penske, qualifying fifth at 226.773 mph.
"It is what it is," Castroneves said, referring to Indy's quirkiness.
"It's one of those things. We took a chance to be a little bit more conservative, and it didn't pay off," Castroneves said.
Ganassi's duo of Scott Dixon and defending champion Dario Franchitti suffered embarrassing fuel outages during their qualifying runs.
Franchitti didn't even get to finish, running dry on his fourth qualifying lap. Dixon at least managed to grab the pole before his No. 9 Honda ran dry.
Pit note: Simona de Silvestro qualified 24th on Saturday, two days after burning her hands in a wreck that destroyed her primary No. 78T Honda. The field features her, Patrick, Pippa Mann (32nd) and Ana Beatriz (33rd).
Over the final 76 minutes, Danica Patrick went from out of the race to Row 9; teammate Marco Andretti made his last-ditch attempt with literally a minute to spare in the session and made the field, but that left teammate Ryan Hunter-Reayout of the 33-car field.
Mike Conway never came to the bubble, waving off two attempts midway through it.
Andretti's final tally was three cars in and two out for the 100th anniversary edition Sunday, but that ratio, as well as the accompanying tension, had nobody in a mood to celebrate.
"It was probably my worst day as an owner," Michael Andretti said. "I felt so bad for (Hunter-Reay's team). It was going bad for Danica; it was going bad for Marco. I just knew somebody was going to be unhappy."
A disastrous Saturday of qualifying left Andretti trying to get its four full-time entries in the field Sunday. (John Andrettiqualified 17th Saturday.)
That quest was hampered twice by weather delays and a technical inspection issue that delayed Patrick from running the No. 7 Honda.
But the weather cleared, and Patrick clocked 224.861 mph, which ultimately claimed the 26th spot.
"I need a drink," said Patrick, who expected better.
Marco Andretti ran 224.728 mph and will start 28th.
Sunday's events typified the wildest weekend of qualifying since 1995, when Team Penske failed to qualify.
Canadian driver Alex Tagliani came away with his first Indy pole, making an emphatic point for the sport's smaller teams, which mostly had megateams such as Penske andChip Ganassi Racing chasing them. Although the Sam Schmidt Motorsports driver officially clinched the pole on the final attempt of the Fast Nine shootout, it was really his to lose.
Out fourth in the first qualifying session, he clocked a four-lap average of 226.954 mph, which stood all day. Tagliani followed with a 227.472 mph split that bumped Scott Dixonoff the pole.
Penske and Ganassi, meanwhile, experienced setbacks.
First, Penske's Ryan Briscoe crashed his primary No. 6 Honda in practice and went to a backup car that couldn't crack the top 24; he had to try again on Bump Day and got in with a speed of 224.639 mph, earning the outside of Row 9. Three-time winner Helio Castroneves then pulled his first speed for a second attempt in changing conditions that ultimately left him 16th in the grid, ending his quest for a record third consecutive pole.
IndyCar Series points leader Will Power salvaged it for Penske, qualifying fifth at 226.773 mph.
"It is what it is," Castroneves said, referring to Indy's quirkiness.
Ganassi's duo of Scott Dixon and defending champion Dario Franchitti suffered embarrassing fuel outages during their qualifying runs.
Franchitti didn't even get to finish, running dry on his fourth qualifying lap. Dixon at least managed to grab the pole before his No. 9 Honda ran dry.
Pit note: Simona de Silvestro qualified 24th on Saturday, two days after burning her hands in a wreck that destroyed her primary No. 78T Honda. The field features her, Patrick, Pippa Mann (32nd) and Ana Beatriz (33rd).