Alex Tagliani broke up the monopoly in the top-heavy IndyCar series and became the first Canadian to earn the pole for the Indianapolis 500.
On a day each of the series' three top teams - Andretti Autosport, Target Chip Ganassi and Team Penske - made big mistakes, 37-year-old Tagliani got it right twice with a four-lap average of 227.472 mph on Saturday's final run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
One of Ganassi's drivers, Scott Dixon, will join Tagliani on the front row. Defending champ Dario Franchitti could have, had he not run out of fuel on the final qualifying lap. Spain's Oriol Servia will start third.
"I'm getting tired of the Penske and Ganassi domination ... especially at the 500," Tagliani said after the morning run that gave Sam Schmidt Motorsports the provisional Indy pole. "I think a lot of people are craving for it."
Seven drivers from the vaunted Andretti, Ganassi and Penske teams failed to make the field, including top Americans Marco Andretti, Danica Patrick and Graham Rahal. Ryan Briscoe, one of two Aussies expected to contend for the pole, also failed to lock up a spot for the May 29 race.
The biggest bungle Saturday was Ganassi's fuel miscalculation. After running three straight laps over 227 mph, Franchitti suddenly slowed down and wound up coasting back to pit lane.
For Michael Andretti, it was even worse. He watched disbelievingly as all five of his drivers qualified near the back of the top 24 and then got bumped from the field.
Rookie Ho-Pin Tung may have lost his chance at becoming the first Chinese driver to start the race because of a crash on his final qualifying lap. He was released from an Indianapolis hospital with a concussion.
NASCAR: Carl Edwards easily claimed the $1 million payday with a flawless run in the Sprint All-Star Race in Concord, N.C., then caused heavy damage to his No. 99 Ford while celebrating when he ran over either a manhole cover or drainage device in the infield. Edwards apologized to crew chief Bob Osborne for wrecking the car. "I feel so bad about tearing up the car. But I'm sure Bob's got a better one," he said.
In the Sprint Showdown, David Ragan passed Brad Keselowski with just over a lap left to win the event that moved three drivers into the Sprint All-Star Race.
Formula One: Mark Webber edged Sebastian Vettel in qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Webber won from the pole last year. (source : sfgate.com)