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Andretti Wins Pole Position For Indy 500

By Samantha Horton, IPB News | Published on in Entertainment, Sports
Marco Andretti races around the track during the Fast Nine Shootout Sunday winning the front position in this year's Indianapolis 500 race. (Samantha Horton/IPB News)
Marco Andretti races around the track during the Fast Nine Shootout Sunday winning the front position in this year's Indianapolis 500 race. (Samantha Horton/IPB News)

Marco Andretti will start in the lead for this year’s Indy 500 after winning Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The victory adds another win to his family’s history in IndyCar racing.

Averaging a speed of just more than 231 miles per hour for four laps, Marco Andretti secured the first position for this year’s Indy 500.

Coming from a racing family, his grandfather, Mario Andretti, won the race 51 years ago.

With a long family history at this track, Marco Andretti said that Sunday’s results are a nice turn around after finishing 26th in last year’s race.

“We live and breathe this sport and this race in particular,” said Andretti. “So I think, you know, coming off of how bad last year was for me in the race, it made this one so much better. And that’s what this place is all about, the high’s and lows and it brings that out of you.”

READ MORE: IndyCar Drivers Weigh In On The Indy 500 Without Fans

Scott Dixon and Takuma Sato secured the second and third positions respectively filling out the front row.

The 104th running of the Indy 500 will take place Sunday, Aug. 23.

Contact reporter Samantha at shorton@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @SamHorton5.