Franchitti inherits pole

Dario Franchitti will start from pole in Edmonton despite Ryan Hunter-Reay setting the fastest time in qualifying.

Hunter-Reay fastest in qualifying but has grid penalty

Defending IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti will start from pole in Edmonton despite current points leader Ryan Hunter-Reay setting the fastest time in qualifying. Hunter-Reay went into qualifying with a 10-place grid penalty hanging over his head due to an unapproved engine change. The Andretti Autosport driver decided to used older tyres but still managed to set a quickest mark of 1 minute 17.2338 seconds on a rapidly drying track in the last part of qualifying. "We worked really hard to come to the decision to go to the used reds (tires). Instead we went and got the pole, so double bonus," he said. With the penalty dropping Hunter-Reay to 11th, Chip Ganassi Racing driver Franchitti was promoted to top spot after setting a time just 0.0108 seconds slower. Penske driver Ryan Briscoe will start second ahead of Takuma Sato, Canada's Alex Tagliani and Helio Castroneves. Will Power and Scott Dixon, currently lying second and fourth respectively in the championship standings, both failed to reach the final part of qualifying in changeable conditions. The rain in Q2 created a chaotic finish in which both Antipodean drivers missed out, before the track continued to get quicker as the final Fast Six shootout progressed.