Indy 500 pole to break tradition again
01/12/14 Question: Do we know that it is "official" that the pole for this year's Indianapolis 500 will be set on Sunday, May 18, and not Saturday as year's past? I can't find the definitive answer. (Jackson, South Bend, Ind.)
A: We don't have official word, but from the sources I have and the TV broadcast schedule that's been released, I can tell you that the pole will be determined on Sunday and most assuredly in the 1-3 p.m. time slot. It also seems clear the format will look dramatically different than in year's past, possibly with drivers required to qualify both days. We also don't know if there will be practice time added to the month, important because of the new IndyCar road course race on Saturday, May 10. The teams are really going to be taxed for a quick turnaround, and if qualifying is extended to Sunday, there won't be much time, if any, for race prep after qualifying. A news conference is expected to be Tuesday at 4 p.m., so maybe we'll get details on how this will work, but my guess is there are still many things to work through. Curt Cavin/Indy Star