Power wins pole for IndyCar season-opener

Will Power set a track qualifying record in winning pole position for the IndyCar Series season-opening race on Sunday. Australia's Power clocked one minute, 1.3721 seconds around the 1.8 mile, 14-turn street circuit Saturday to earn pole for the IndyCar Grand Prix of St. Petersburg for the third consecutive year. Power won two years ago and was runner-up to Dario Franchitti last year. Ryan Briscoe, who won the race three years ago, qualified 0.16 seconds behind his Penske teammate Power to give their team the front starting row. Andretti Autosport drivers Ryan Hunter-Reay and James Hinchcliffe placed third and fourth while Helio Castroneves rounded out the top five. Scott Dixon will join Castroneves on the third row. Drivers and teams have spent months testing a new IndyCar chassis, which bears the initials DW in honour of Dan Wheldon. Wheldon tested the design for months before his fatal crash at a race in October in Las Vegas. The new chassis will make its debut on Sunday.