IndyCar News

Dixon Puts Acura Sports Car on Sebring Pole

March 20, 2009

SEBRING, Fla. - Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon put Acura into the Sebring record books Thursday with a stunning final-lap dash to win the overall pole position for Saturday’s 57th annual 12 Hours of Sebring.  

Dixon, the defending Indy 500 and IndyCar Series champion, made his first Sebring race appearance quite notable by driving the all-new No. 66 de Ferran XM Radio Acura ARX-02a prototype sports car to the top position in Saturday’s grid over expected favorites Audi and Peugeot.  It is the first time since 2005 that a manufacturer has captured both the LMP1 and LMP2 pole positions in the same event. 

Dixon made his best lap on his final clocking during qualifying, with a time of one minute, 45.278 seconds and an average speed of 126.522 miles per hour.   Dixon will team with Gil de Ferran and Simon Pagenaud when the 57th running of the 12 Hours of Sebring begins at 10:30 a.m. [EDT] Saturday.

Trailing Dixon in qualifying Thursday was multi-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen in the No. 2 Audi followed by Nic Minassian in the No. 07 Peugeot, Mike Rockefeller in the No. 1 Audi, Formula One driver Sebastian Bourdais in the No. 08 Peugeot and David Brabham in the No. 9 Patrón Highcroft Acura ARX-02a.  Brabham will share driving duties Saturday with 2007 Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti and veteran Scott Sharp.     

SCOTT DIXON (#66 de Ferran XM Radio Acura ARX-02a):  “It is  very exciting for Acura and the de Ferran team in their first race with the new Acura LMP1 car.  This car is like nothing I have raced before.  The car just seems to get faster as you drive it.  But you can’t get too aggressive with the Acura like I can with my Indy Car.  This is a big surprise to win the pole. But the 12-hour race will be very hard.”