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Qualifying report

Will Power takes Sonoma pole

Will Power and Josef Newgarden will share the front row for the IndyCar season finale at Sonoma Raceway.

Polesitter Will Power, Penske Racing Chevrolet

Polesitter Will Power, Penske Racing Chevrolet

IndyCar Series

Will Power, Team Penske Chevrolet
Will Power, Penske Racing
Helio Castroneves, Team Penske Chevrolet
Jack Hawksworth, A.J. Foyt Enterprises
Sebastien Bourdais, KVSH Racing
Juan Pablo Montoya, Team Penske Chevrolet
Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet
Josef Newgarden, CFH Racing Chevrolet
Graham Rahal, Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing

Will Power, who won the pole here in 2014, has done it again at Sonoma Raceway as he goes on the hunt for a fourth win at the California road course. He also has an outside shot at the title, sitting 60 points back after securing a bonus point for scoring pole position Saturday.

Round 1 - Group 1

Main title contenders Juan Pablo Montoya and Graham Rahal were grouped together in Round 1 of qualifying. Simon Pagenaud put down the fastest time while Montoya narrowly escaped elimination, just a few hundredths clear of the cut line.

Helio Castroneves failed to advance and will start the race from 15th position while Oriol Servia, driving the No. 25 in honor of the late Justin Wilson timed in 19th.

Round 1 - Group 2

During the session, Jack Hawksworth got into the dirt and started leaking fluid on his way to the pit lane, adding an extra obstacle for drivers to battle during their laps. Will Power was fastest. 

Sebastian Bourdais was frustrated after being knocked out, citing that his teammate Stefano Coletti (who was exiting the pit lane) got in the way.

Round 2

Power was again fastest in Round 2 as Montoya found himself on the bubble after narrowly advancing out of the first round. He made it, but it was close. Just four thousandths separated him and Charlie Kimball, who was eliminated.

Scott Dixon failed to advance after getting into some dirt that was kicked up in the Carousel, which he says costed him roughly four tenths.

Fast 6

Power took a unique approach to the pole-deciding round of qualifying. In the ten minute session, he ran three one lap runs with three different sets of tires (two sets of scuffed reds and one set of sticker blacks). The pole time came with the final choice.

His time of 1:16.260 is a new track record and was just over a tenth faster than Josef Newgarden (1:16.396), who will start alongside the reigning series champion on the front row.

Montoya and Rahal will be able to look right over to one another at the start with both starting the race from the third row on the grid in fifth and sixth.

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