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A21
SPORTS Monday 20 May 2019

Pagenaud takes 1st Indianapolis

500 pole with impressive run

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Si-
mon Pagenaud keeps find-
ing new ways to impress his
team owner.
Last weekend, he rallied in
the rain to end a 21-race
drought. On Sunday, he
In this Dec. 30, 2018, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles defensive put Roger Penske back on
end Chris Long stands on the sideline prior to the team's NFL the pole for the Indianapo-
football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, lis 500. And he may not be
Md. finished.
Associated Press Pagenaud traded high-
Eagles' Chris Long fives and pumped his fist
along pit row after earn-
announces retirement ing the first Indy pole by a Simon Pagenaud, of France, celebrates after winning the pole
French driver in a century.
He had a four-lap quali-
for the Indianapolis 500 IndyCar auto race at Indianapolis Motor
after 11 NFL seasons fying average of 229.992 Speedway, Sunday, May 19, 2019 in Indianapolis.
mph to edge Ed Carpen-
ter and Spencer Pigot and Racing, will start third at Jones of Dubai landing in
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Ea- outstanding community give Chevrolet a clean 229.826. the No. 4 starting spot.
"This is truly what Team "To have Ed Carpenter cars
gles defensive lineman service. He established the sweep of the front row for Penske does," Pagenaud starting second, third and
Chris Long announced his Chris Long Foundation in next Sunday's race. said. "They give us the best fourth, I think that speaks
retirement from football 2015 to impact communi- "Watching him run in that equipment. Quite frankly, volumes to the organiza-
Saturday night, ending an ties nationally and interna- road race, in the water, I've (my driving is) at the very, tion," Carpenter said. "I re-
11-year NFL playing career tionally through programs never seen a run like that very end of what made ally wish one of us would
that included winning two focusing on clean water, in my life," Penske said af- this possible. I'm just very have ended up on pole,
Super Bowl titles and the military appreciation, and ter the team captured its honored to drive this No.22 but I'm still really happy to
Walter Payton Man of the youth education. 266th IndyCar pole. "And Chevy Menards, which ob- be two, three and four.
Year Award. In 2017, Long donated his then to come out here and viously was very incredible Simon just put in a really
Long posted his decision entire salary to support ed- win the pole? We've got today." nice, long run. His car was
on Twitter , with a tweet ucation in cities where he great momentum." Teammates Will Power, so consistent. I couldn't be
that included a picture of has played: St. Louis, Bos- The timing couldn't be bet- the defending race win- that consistent, so, con-
his right hand holding up a ton and Philadelphia. ter for Pagenaud, either. ner, and Josef Newgarden, grats to him."
red cup with a grassy field, Last year, Long climbed With his contract expiring the 2017 IndyCar champ, Pigot had the fastest car on
trees and mountains in the Mount Kilimanjaro with oth- at the end of this season didn't record a single lap Saturday and would have
background. er NFL players and some and questions lingering on the 2.5-mile oval over had the pole if rain had
"Cheers," Long wrote. "Been U.S. military veterans to about his future, the 2016 229. Three-time Indy winner washed out qualifying.
a hell of a journey. Eleven raise money to build clean series champ has thrived Helio Castroneves didn't But the track stayed dry just
years and I can honestly water wells for East Africa. this month on IndyCar's big- even make the shootout. long enough for Pagen-
say I put my soul into every He was the second overall gest stage. And now Pagenaud has aud to take an even more
minute of it. Highs and lows. pick in the 2008 draft by the He won the IndyCar Grand positioned himself perfectly trimmed out car around the
I've seen them both and I Rams out of Virginia. Long Prix for his first trip to victory to extend Penske's record track quickly and smoothly.
appreciate the perspec- spent his first eight seasons lane since the 2017 sea- to 18 Indy 500 wins — as he It was all he needed.
tive. Gratitude and love to in St. Louis before signing son finale at Sonoma. He celebrates the 50th anni- "I wouldn't say I was doing
those who lifted me up." with New England as a free earned his first pole since versary of his first trip to Indy a rain dance all day," Pigot
The 33-year-old son of agent in 2016. He played July 2017 at Toronto. as a team owner. said. "As a race car driver,
Hall of Famer Howie Long his final two seasons with On Sunday, Pagenaud was Plus, Pagenaud also can we love driving IndyCars
had 70 career sacks and Philadelphia after joining the only driver in the nine- become the second to the limit and you defi-
15 forced fumbles in stints the Eagles as a free agent. car pole shootout to top straight driver to sweep nitely get a chance to do
with the Rams, Patriots and "Chris was everything that 230 on three of the four the two Indy races — join- that here with qualifying.
Eagles. He won back-to- we thought he was and laps. He knocked a three- ing Power. The Australian So, any chance we get to
back championships with even more — not only as a time Indy pole winner out achieved the feat last year. put four laps together here,
the Patriots (2017) and great player for our football of the top spot. The only real competition it's exciting. Unfortunately,
Eagles (2018). Long was team, but also in the com- Carpenter wound up sec- in qualifying came from it was a little short, but it
selected last February as munity," the Eagles said in a ond with an average of Carpenter's three-car con- was a great day for the
the league's Walter Pay- statement posted on their 229.889. Pigot, who also tingent, which included Ed team."q
ton Award recipient for his website. q drives for Ed Carpenter