Marco Andretti proud of “incredible achievement� by team

Andretti Autosport wasn’t able to come away with the pole position for the 97th Indianapolis 500, but still placed all five of their drivers within the first three rows for next Sunday’s race – an accomplishment that thrilled one of their own, outside front-row qualifier Marco Andretti.

"Extremely proud of my team," said Andretti, who posted an average of 228.261 miles per hour in the No. 25 RC Cola Chevrolet and will start on the front row alongside pole winner Ed Carpenter and rookie teammate Carlos Munoz. “Five out of the top nine is just an incredible achievement. That has to be some kind of a record. I don’t think there’s been five cars on one team, let alone in the top nine."

Andretti was the fourth qualifier in the Fast Nine shootout and brought the crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to its feet when he popped a 229.049 mph lap on the first of his four qualifying laps. His average of 228.2 was enough to take the provisional pole away from teammate E.J. Viso.

But the next man after him, Carpenter, went even quicker on his own opening lap (229.347 mph) and went on to post an average of 228.762 mph that would prove to be enough for the pole when the engines finally stopped roaring.

Andretti managed to catch a break, however, when Team Penske’s trio of A.J. Allmendinger, Helio Castroneves and Will Power were unable to stretch solid opening laps into faster four-lap averages.

"We knew [Carpenter] was faster, but those laps were really stout," said Andretti. "We didn’t see that kind of pace out of him earlier, but I think he went for a trim and he balanced the car, so it rewarded him, where the other guys — the [Team Penske drivers] — had more of a drop-off. We were lucky that happened, and it bumped me back to the front row."

Amongst the other Andretti Autosport drivers, Viso wound up qualifying fourth, while Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe will start the "500" from seventh and ninth respectively.