Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais had a solid qualifying run in the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan car, and will start eighth in tomorrow’s ABC Supply Co. Inc. 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA. Bourdais went out 13th of the 22 cars to make a qualifying attempt and recorded a two-lap average speed of 217.296 mph, putting him on the outside of Row 4 on the starting grid.
Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Quote:
“It was a pretty good run for the SealMaster Honda No. 18. I feel like I was a bit too conservative in Turn 1. I probably could have been more aggressive, but it was a big jump in speed already from Practice 1 to qualifying. I didn’t want to overdo it and make a mistake…either spin out or commit too quick and wash out on the exit, which I kind of did on lap 2. It’s always a bit of a compromise at Pocono. They call it the “Tricky Triangle” for a reason, especially with the level of downforce we have here the tires go away pretty quick. I was happy I got Turn 3 flat, the guys did a good job preparing the car and it’s a solid starting position for tomorrow’s race.”
Fast Facts:
- Bourdais has qualified in the top-five five times and top-10 eight times in the first 14 races of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. In addition to today’s eighth place qualifying spot, Bourdais captured the pole at Phoenix, qualified third for the INDYCAR Grand Prix and at Barber, fifth for the Indianapolis 500 and at Texas, sixth at Road America and ninth at Long Beach.
- This is the fourth time he has qualified in the top 10 in five oval races this season missing out only at Iowa (11th). (Pole at Phoenix, fifth at Indy and Texas and eighth at Pocono).
- Today’s eighth place qualifying position is Bourdais best in five attempts at Pocono surpassing a 10th place starting spot in 2015.
- In four previous starts at Pocono he has a best finish of fifth in 2016.
- Bourdais is 10th in the championship standings with 293 points on the strength of five top-10 finishes (three in the top-five) with a win at St. Petersburg, a fourth place finish in the INDYCAR GP and a fifth at Barber Motorsports Park (sixth at Mid-Ohio and eighth at Texas).
- Bourdais is contesting his 13th Verizon IndyCar Series season, third with Dale Coyne Racing and first with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
- The 2018 ABC Supply Co. Inc. 500 is Bourdais’ 185th Verizon IndyCar Series start, 39th on an oval and fifth at Pocono.
- In 184 career IndyCar starts, Bourdais has won 37 races (sixth all-time) and captured 34 pole positions (seventh all-time).
- Of Bourdais’ 38 career oval starts, 30 have come in the last six years (29 in last five years).
- Bourdais has made 31 IndyCar oval starts (includes 2005 Indy 500) with a best qualifying effort of first (pole) at Phoenix in 2018 (his first pole since Mid-Ohio in 2014 and first on an oval since 2006 at Milwaukee. His best IndyCar oval finish is a victory at Milwaukee in 2015. It was his first oval win since 2006 also at Milwaukee (Champ Cars).
- Bourdais made seven oval starts in Champ Car earning four victories: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas in 2004 and 2005; Milwaukee 2006 and capturing three poles: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas 2005 and Milwaukee in 2006.
- Bourdais is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 – 2007).
- Bourdais, 39, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Broadcast Times:
Round 14 of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series, will be the ABC Supply Co. Inc 500, August 19, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA. The race will be broadcast live on NBCSN at 1:30 p.m. ET. It is also available on radio: XM 209 and IMS IndyCar Radio as well as online: IndyCar.com and Verizon IndyCar 15 app.
dalecoyneracing.com 