Medeiros Has Freedom Pole

What Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George hopes will showcase the future of his Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis 500 will be on display today in the second running of the Futaba Freedom 100, a 40-lap race for Infiniti-powered open-wheel cars.

Thiago Medeiros, yet another talented Brazilian driver, will start on the pole after running a record 189.274 mph in qualifying Friday. Seventeen driver-car combinations will run, six of them from Southern California. Jay Drake, a veteran U.S. Auto Club midget-car, sprint-car and Silver Crown-car driver from Val Verde, will start fourth in his Speedway debut.

Other Southland drivers include Phil Giebler of Oxnard, winner of the Infiniti race at Homestead-Miami in February; Cory Witherill of Los Angeles, an Indy 500 driver in 2001; Brad Pollard of Bakersfield; Gary Peterson of Long Beach; and Taylor Fletcher of San Clemente.

Prospects for filling the 500 with the traditional 33 cars increased when 1996 winner Buddy Lazier and brother Jaques appeared on the track for the first time. Veterans Richie Hearn and Robby McGehee were expected to get rides before Sunday’s final qualifying.

Only 26 cars are now in the May 30 race.

-- Shav Glick