POWER MUST WAIT AS RAIN WASHES OUT SECOND DAY QUALIFYING AT INDY

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Rain at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has seen Second Day qualifying rained out for the 92nd Indianapolis 500 in Indiana today, forcing Will Power to wait until Third Day qualifying on May 17 to secure a starting spot for his Indy 500 debut.

Second Day qualifying was to decide starting positions 12 to 22, with =he Third Day qualifying allocating positions 23 to 33 on the grid. However, due to today's rainout, all drivers other than those locked into positions 1 to 11 on Pole Day yesterday will go for positions 12-33 on Third Day qualifying, with Bump Day the following day on May 18.

This is the first time a qualification day has been rained out since 2=06, but it's the third day this month that rain has forced the cancellation of all on-track activity.

There will be no on track activity on Monday May 12 or Tuesday May 13.=Practice will resume on Wednesday May 14 with further practice sessions scheduled for Thursday and Friday before qualifying resumes on Saturday.

WHAT THE TEAM HAD TO SAY …

Will Power - #8 Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia Honda/Dallara/F=restone

‘We were probably missing a mile an hour, but yesterday it was still=worth having a couple of qualifying attempts, just to learn more,’ said Power.

‘We knew it was going to rain today, so we tried to learn a little m=re about the car.

‘I think we'll spend the majority of the time focusing on the race=because that is the most important thing. But you don't want to miss out on qualifying and wreck your month.

‘I don't think we are that far off, and I think we'll qualify in=the top 22. I'm just so proud of my Aussie Vineyards crew. They never stop working and I'm almost glad it's a rain day where they can go home early and take a couple of days off.

‘I think we are the best of the transition teams, and we're catchi=g these other guys slowly, but we are getting there.

‘This oval is a lot different to the others we've raced this year =ED: Homestead-Miami Speedway and Kansas Speedway). This is like four really fast corners and it hasn't got much banking.

‘It's almost similar to a road course and I'm loving it. It'= made me really enjoy ovals and it's helped me to understand the car and I'm enjoying myself. When you are enjoying yourself, you do well.’

Craig Gore - Aussie Vineyards - Team Australia

‘We now have to wait until next Saturday to secure a spot in Team Au=tralia's first Indy 500, but Will and the guys are well placed to do that,’ said Gore.

‘Will and the Aussie Vineyards crew have been doing a great job all =onth and I'm confident we can get a spot in the front half of the field for the start.

‘The Aussie Vineyards ˜ Team Australia car has been improving all =onth and now the guys have a couple of days to rest and think about things before getting back into practice and then hitting the track for qualifying on Saturday.’

SERVIA PLAYS JOKE ON POWER DURING RAIN DELAY

KV Racing Technology drivers spent their down time in Gasoline Alley t=day with practical jokes, which included an electronic noise maker that Oriol Servia used to embarrass team-mate Will Power during an interview in their garage.

The noise maker, which was operated by a remote control that Servia wa= carrying, interrupted Power's interview and sent him into hysterics that concluded the questioning. Power apologized to the interviewer and explained where the noises were really coming from.

‘It's just something we have to do to entertain ourselves on days li=e today,’ said Servia.

RESULTS: Pole Day Qualifying (Yesterday)
1. #9 Scott Dixon 226.366mph (four-lap average speed)
2. #10 Dan Wheldon 226.110
3. #6 Ryan Briscoe 226.080
4. #3 Helio Castroneves 225.733
5. #7 Danica Patrick 225.197
6. #11 Tony Kanaan 224.794
7. #26 Marco Andretti 224.417
8. #4T Vitor Meira 224.346
9. #27 Hideki Mutoh 223.887
10. #20 Ed Carpenter 223.835
11. #12 Tomas Scheckter 223.496
16. #8 Will Power 222.500

2008 IndyCar Series Points Standings - After Race 4
1. #3 Helio Castroneves 144
2. #9 Scott Dixon 138
3. #10 Dan Wheldon 135
4. #11 Tony Kanaan 129
5. #7 Danica Patrick 110
6. #8 Will Power 97
7. #26 Marco Andretti 95
8. #5 Oriol Servia 93
9. #20 Ed Carpenter 90
10. #06 Graham Rahal 88

2008 Bombardier Rookie of the Year Standings - After Race 4
1. #8 Will Power 97
2. #06 Graham Rahal 88
3. #27 Hideki Mutoh 87
4. #36 Enrique Bernoldi 84
5. #33 EJ Viso 83
6. #02 Justin Wilson 71
7. #24 Jay Howard 62
8. #34 Franck Perera 56
9. #19 Mario Moraes 53
10. #96 Mario Dominguez 35

92nd INDIANAPOLIS 500 ‏Month of May' SCHEDULE
All Times US Eastern
Practice
Wednesday 14 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 6:00pm

Practice
Thursday 15 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 6:00pm

Practice
Friday 16 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 6:00pm

‏Third Day' Practice
Saturday 17 May 2008
10:15am ˜ 11:15am

‏Third Day' Qualifying
Saturday 17 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 6:00pm

‏Bump Day' Practice
Sunday 18 May 2008
10:15am ˜ 11:15am

‏Bump Day' Qualifying
Sunday 18 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 6:00pm

Miller Lite ‏Carb Day'
Friday 23 May 2008
11:00am ˜ 12:00pm

Checkers/Rally's Pit Stop Challenge
Friday 23 May 2008
1:30pm ˜ 3:00pm

92nd Indianapolis 500
Sunday 25 May 2008
1:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
All Times are US Eastern

‏Third Day' Qualifying:
Saturday 17 May 2008
4:00pm ˜ 6:30pm (ESPN2)

‏Bump Day' Qualifying:
Sunday 18 May 2008
12:00pm ˜ 3:00pm (ABC)
5:00pm ˜ 6:30pm (ESPN2)

Miller Lite ‏Carb Day' Practice:
Friday 23 May 2008
4:00pm ˜ 6:30pm (ESPN2)

Festival Parade & Pre-Race Programming:
Saturday 24 May 2008
5:00pm ˜ 7:00pm (ESPN2)

92nd Indianapolis 500
Sunday 25 May 2008
ABC
12:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV REPLAY
Saturday 14 June 2008
ESPN2
7:00pm US Eastern

AUSTRALIAN TV SCHEDULE
Qualifying Highlights
Monday 12 May 2008
ESPN
4:30pm ˜ 6:00pm

92nd Indianapolis 500
Monday 26 May 2008
ESPN
2:50am AEST

AUSTRALIAN TV REPLAY
Monday 26 May 2008
ESPN
7:30pm AEST

ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
92nd Indianapolis 500
Venue: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Type: 2.5 mile oval ˜ 9 degree banking
Distance: 200 laps ˜ 500 miles/804.67km

INDYCAR SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Race Winner: Dario Franchitti
Defending Polesitter: Helio Castroneves
Will Power: Indianapolis Motor Speedway debut