IRL qualifying washed out; points leader Scott Dixon will start from pole

IRL qualifying wiped out

SPARTA, Ky. — Drainage problems have wiped out qualifying for Saturday’s IndyCar race at Kentucky.

The IRL set the 23-car field on Friday. Season points leader Scott Dixon will start from the pole, with Target Chip Ganassi teammate Dario Franchitti starting on the outside of row 1.

A series of storms this week dumped more than five inches of rain on the track, and water kept seeping through the concrete throughout the day. Crews spent most of the day scrambling to keep the track dry.

Dixon won last year’s race at Kentucky when Helio Castroneves ran out of gas on the final lap.