Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Summary:
Sebastien Bourdais qualified a career best third at Texas Motor Speedway for tomorrow’s DXC Technology 600. Bourdais, behind the wheel of the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne w/ Vasser-Sullivan car, went out 12th of the 22 cars to make a qualifying attempt and posted a two-lap average of 219.746 mph on the challenging 1.5-mile D-shaped oval. The third place qualifying position is his best at TMS and his best qualifying effort this season.
Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Quote:
“A really solid effort by the No. 18 SealMaster team. Honda gave us great power and we put it to use. I actually turned the fastest lap in qualifying on lap one. I maybe pushed it a little far that lap, so we had a drop off on lap two. I’m just really happy for the guys, they did a really good job. To start on the inside of row two, obviously, it’s my best qualifying position here by quite a bit. Solid for Honda today locking up the top-four. I’m really proud of the Dale Coyne Vasser-Sullivan organization and we’ll see what we have tomorrow.”
Fast Facts:
Bourdais earned his highest qualifying position in six attempts at Texas Motor Speedway, surpassing a fifth place starting position last year. It is just the second time Bourdais has qualified in the top-10 let alone the top-five at TMS. In five previous races at TMS, he has two top-10 finishes with a best showing of eighth last year (finished 10th in 2016).
This is Bourdais best qualifying effort of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season surpassing a fifth place starting spot at Barber Motorsports Park. He has now qualified in the top-10 five times in the first nine races this year (third, Texas; fifth, Barber; seventh, Indy 500; ninth, Detroit Race 2; 10th in the INDYCAR GP).
Bourdais is currently 10th in the championship standings with 165 points. He has earned three top-10 finishes this season including two top-5 showings, a season high third at Barber Motorsports Park, a fifth at COTA and ninth in the Detroit GP Race 2. Bourdais has finished 11th three times, Detroit Race 1, Long Beach and the INDYCAR Grand Prix. He placed 24th in the season opener at St. Petersburg (non-team related issue ended his race) and 30th in the Indy 500.
Bourdais is contesting his 14th NTT IndyCar Series season and second with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
The 2019 DXC Technology 600 will be Bourdais 197th NTT IndyCar Series start, his sixth at Texas Motor Speedway and 42nd on an oval.
In 196 career IndyCar starts, he has won 37 races (sixth all-time) and captured 34 pole positions (seventh all time).
Of Bourdais’ 41 career oval starts, 33 have come in the last seven years (32 in last six years). He has four poles (Phoenix, 2018; Milwaukee, 2006; Las Vegas, 2005; Lausitz, 2003). Phoenix was his first pole since Mid-Ohio in 2014 and first on an oval since 2006 at Milwaukee. Bourdais has earned five oval wins (Milwaukee, 2015; Milwaukee 2006; Las Vegas in 2005 and 2004; Lausitz, 2003). The oval win in Milwaukee in 2015 was his first oval victory since 2006 also at Milwaukee.
Bourdais made eight oval starts in Champ Car earning four victories: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas, 2004 and 2005; Milwaukee 2006 and capturing three poles: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas, 2005; Milwaukee, 2006.
Bourdais is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 – 2007).
Bourdais, 40, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida
Next Race:
Round nine of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series will be the DXC Technology 600, Saturday, June 8 at Texas Motor Speedway.
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