AJ Foyt Racing Sao Paulo qualifying report

Mike Conway Will Start 8th in Sao Paulo Indy 300

Mike Conway, A.J. Foyt Racing Honda

Photo by: Bob Heathcote

SAO PAULO April 28, 2012—Mike Conway qualified the No. 14 ABC Supply Dallara/Honda at a speed of 111.592mph to start eighth in the Sao Paulo Indy 300. The run was the best start for both Conway and the ABC Supply team in Brazil and it’s the first time the driver and team posted career bests at the same track.

Following the first practice session in which Conway was 17th, changes were made to the car which improved the handling so that Conway was seventh at the end of the second practice. In qualifying, he appeared to be headed into the “Firestone Fast Six” round but got stuck behind a car for the final two laps of the session.

“It would have been close,” Team Director Larry Foyt said.

“A Top Six would have been nice but P-8’s not too bad--it’s a good position to start,” Conway said. “We’ve made some strides between Long Beach and now which is good. We’ve definitely caught up to the field quite a bit which was our main goal coming into this weekend. We’ll find more speed as time goes on. I think P-8 is okay—we can definitely do some damage from there. I don’t mean damage to the car but to the rest of the field!”

Conway will start alongside of Graham Rahal (who is on probation for the rest of the season for an incident at Long Beach) and directly behind Justin Wilson.

Defending race winner Will Power won his second straight pole at this event with a speed of 112.151mph. Second through sixth were: Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, James Hinchcliffe, Ryan Hunter-Reay and Wilson.