St. Petersburg, FL (My Sportsbook) - Graham Rahal became the youngest pole winner in the IndyCar Series at age 20 years, 91 days after turning in a best lap of one minute, 2.4110 seconds in Saturday's qualifying for the season- opening Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.
Rahal, the defending race winner, captured his first pole in his 16th start. Last year, he became the youngest race winner in the series at age 19 when he took the checkered flag on the streets of St. Petersburg.
"We didn't really know what to expect because we had the primary tires on there while a couple of guys had the alternates," Rahal said. "The alternates were consistently faster today. I didn't really know what to think. I'll tell you what, the car was good. T guys were working hard, and it's great to be on top."
As a result of the Indy Racing League's points modification in 2009, Rahal is awarded one championship point for his pole victory.
Justin Wilson will join Rahal on the front row. Wilson, who teamed with Rahal at NHLR last season, recorded the second best lap at 1:02.4604. He gave Dale Coyne Racing its best-ever open wheel racing starting position.
Tony Kanaan and Ryan Briscoe will share row two, while Dario Franchitti and Will Power make up the third row.
Franchitti returned to IndyCar in September, replacing Dan Wheldon in Target Chip Ganassi Racing's No.10 car.
Franchitti had spent a year in Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series competition, but his efforts in stock car racing did not go as well as he and Ganassi expected.
Alex Tagliani will start seventh, and reigning IndyCar champion Scott Dixon will roll off eighth.
Rookie Raphael Matos and Darren Manning, in his first start for Dreyer and Reinbold Racing, will lineup on the fifth row.
Mike Conway, another newcomer to the series this year, had a quick enough time to advance to the second segment, but sustained damage to the left side of his car after crashing into turn nine on his final lap in segment one. He will start 12th, next to 11th-starter Wheldon, who begins a new season with Panther Racing.
Sunday's race is scheduled to start around 2:30 PM (et).
