Dixon takes pole for Indy Japan 300
Friday, Sep. 18, 2009
AP
Scott Dixon of New Zealand waits for the qualifying session for the IndyCar Series' Indy Japan 300 mile auto race on the 1.5-mile oval track at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, northeast of Tokyo to begin Friday, Sept. 18 , 2009. Dixon took the pole position Friday for Saturday's race. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
Getty Images
MOTEGI, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 18: Hideki Mutoh, driver of the #27 Andretti Green Racing Dallara Honda prepares to qualify for the IndyCar Series Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Mile on September 18, 2009 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Getty Images
MOTEGI, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 18: Dario Franchitti, driver of the #10 Lifelock Target Chip Ganassi Racing Dallara Honda waits to qualify during qualifying for the IndyCar Series Bridgestone Indy Japan 300 Mile on September 18, 2009 at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
AP
Scott Dixon of New Zealand competes in a practice session for the IndyCar Series' Indy Japan 300 mile auto race on the 1.5-mile oval track at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, northeast of Tokyo Friday, Sept. 18 , 2009. Dixon took the pole position Friday for Saturday's race. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama)
MOTEGI, Japan - Scott Dixon won the pole position for Saturday's Indy Japan 300, earning a valuable point in the IndyCar championship standings.
Dixon, the last driver to take the track in Friday's qualifying, averaged 202.031 mph on the 1.5-mile Twin Ring Motegi to earn the top starting spot.
Brazil's Mario Moraes will join Dixon on the front row. Dario Franchitti was third fastest and will join season points leader Ryan Briscoe on the second row.
With two races left, Australian Briscoe has a 25-point lead over Franchitti in the standings and a 32-point lead over Dixon.
"It's all out for me," Dixon said. "We got a pole point today. It's only one point but it definitely helps because the championship can come down to one point."
Dixon, who has three wins this season for Target Chip Ganassi Racing, has never won in Motegi but the 2008 champion finished third last year and fourth in 2007.
Briscoe could clinch his first series championship with a first or second-place finish in Saturday's race but needs Dixon and Franchitti to finish well off the lead.
"I left a lot on the table today but the car has been good in practice," Briscoe said. "It's gonna be a tough race but hopefully we can take some points."
The 27-year-old Australian has three victories this season for Team Penske, including the previous race at Chicagoland.
Danica Patrick, who won here last year to become the first woman to win a major open-wheel race, qualified sixth, a place behind Graham Rahal.
Helio Castroneves, who won here in 2006, crashed on his third qualifying lap and will start from the second-to-last row.
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