Munoz earns 1st career IndyCar pole at Texas, Dixon is 2nd

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) – The IndyCar Series race in Texas will go deeper into the night.

Munoz, driving for Andretti Motorsports, will be making his 46th career start Saturday night in the Firestone 600.

“If you have a really good excuse, which I guess we have right now”, Bourdais said during the television broadcast before the postponement when asked about missing Le Mans activities Sunday.

Will Power, who collected his first race win in over a year on Sunday in Detroit, has sat on pole for the last three Texas races.

Takuma Sato proved to be the surprise package of qualifying, finishing with an identical average speed to Castroneves, but was a decisive 0.0001s behind in lap time to end the session fourth.

“If (that) would be my last 500 of my life, I would regret it for my whole life for sure” the 24-year-old Colombian said. The Team Penske driver will start 17th, which equals his second-worst start of the season (Indianapolis). Kanaan has quietly finished seven of eight races in the top 10 this season, and should be a factor once again.

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ Duck Commander 500 was delayed by more than two hours in April, and ended past midnight. While a solid showing, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud and Helio Castroneves started 1-2-3 past year at Texas. Pageant is scheduled to race in Saturday’s Firestone 600. Castroneves wound up third in the #3 AAA Insurance Team Penske Chevrolet at 216.740mph.

IN THE BACK: Both entries for Dale Coyne Racing are together on the back row.

AN INFECTED FINGER: Series rookie Conor Daly drove with a heavily taped left ring finger, the result of a cut getting infected. With the difference between first and last in a race about 48 points, Pagenaud almost has a two-race advantage over the field.

After several periods of rain earlier Saturday, it was taking an extended time to dry the 1 1/2-mile Texas Motor Speedway track even after the sky cleared considerably late in the afternoon. Fast facts: There have been six different winners in eight races so far this season.

The second half of the season includes three ovals (Texas, Iowa and Pocono), a street circuit (Toronto) and four permanent road courses (Road America, Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen and Sonoma), and the Sonoma race awards double points, which means anyone within 75 points of the lead will still be in contention at the finale.