FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 14 (UPI) -- Vitor Meira became the second Indy Racing League rookie to win a pole this year as he was fastest in practice and qualifying Saturday for the Chevy 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
The last racer to take the track, Meira averaged 221.594 miles per hour in his Dallara/Chevrolet, covering the 1 1/2-mile paved speedway in 23.637 seconds. Meira captured his first career pole in just his fourth IRL start. Rookie Tomas Scheckter also won three poles this year.
Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Al Unser Jr. was fastest in the field until Meira took the track. Unser settled for the outside of the front row for the first time in his IRL career. He averaged 221.025 miles per hour in a Dallara/Chevrolet.
Series points leader Sam Hornish Jr. qualified third at 220.859 mph, followed by rookie Buddy Rice. Helio Castroneves, who trails Hornish by 12 points entering the last race, qualified 10th.
