Sonoma, CA (My Sportsbook) - Despite having to use their backup cars after their primary ones were damaged in transporter fire earlier this week, Team Penske drivers Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe managed to capture the front starting row for Sunday's Grand Prix of Sonoma County at the Infineon Raceway. Castroneves won the pole after turning in a quick lap at the 1.99-mile, 11- turn road course in 1 minute, 16.9027 seconds (107.809 m.p.h.) during the third and final qualifying session.

It was Castroneves' third IndyCar Series pole of the season and the 26th of his career.

"I got to thank Team Penske," Castroneves said. "What a great rebound, showing they can put those issues behind and keep working as fast as they can. Attitude and speed, that is what makes the team what it is."

Briscoe secured the second starting position with a time of 1:16.9185 seconds

Castroneves' and Briscoe's primary cars sustained water, smoke and heat damage Wednesday morning when a Team Penske transporter caught fire while en route to Sonoma, CA.

Will Power (1:17.0875) and Tony Kanaan (1:17.1286) will start in row two.

Scott Dixon and Oriol Servia were the other drivers running in the final session. They will start fifth and sixth, respectively.

The 12 quickest drivers, the top-six from each of the first two qualifying groups, then competed for 15 minutes to eliminate six drivers for the final segment.

With three races remaining this season, Dixon could all but wrap up his second series title with a record-breaking seventh victory of the year at Sonoma. Earlier this month at Kentucky, Dixon tied the series record for most wins in a season, set by his Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammate Dan Wheldon in 2005.

Castroneves ran out of fuel on the last lap as Dixon passed him heading into the final turn at Kentucky. Dixon now holds a commanding 78-point lead over Castroneves, who has yet to win a race in 2008. He has finished in the runner- up spot seven times this year.

Dixon held off Castroneves in the final laps of last year's race to record his third-straight road-course victory and his fourth win of the season. He also grabbed the lead in the championship standings, leaving Sonoma with a four-point advantage over Dario Franchitti. Franchitti went on to defeat Dixon for the title in the season-finale at Chicagoland.

The green flag is scheduled to drop on Sunday around 5:30 p.m. (et).