From www.OvalTrackNews.net :

SPARTA, Ky - Oldsmobile's updated IRL Aurora V8 propelled Indy Racing Northern Light Series title contender Scott Goodyear to the first pole of his Indy Racing League career today in qualifying for Sunday's Belterra
Resort Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway. Goodyear edged Eliseo Salazar by 14 thousandths of a second with a fast lap of 219.191 mph in Pennzoil Panther Racing's Oldsmobile Dallara. Salazar secured the outside front row starting spot at 219.067 mph in A.J. Foyt's Oldsmobile G-Force.

GM Racing introduced new high-velocity cylinder heads for the IRL Aurora V8 at the inaugural Indy car race at Kentucky Speedway. Oldsmobile engines equipped with the new components dominated qualifying as IRL Aurora V8s powered the 14 fastest qualifiers for the 200-lap, 300-mile race.

Greg Ray, the defending series champion and winner of the last two poles, was the third fastest qualifier at 219.031 mph and will start Team Menard's Oldsmobile Dallara on the inside of the second row. Ray will start
alongside Sarah Fisher, the fastest rookie driver, who qualified fourth at 217.672 mph.

"Winning three points for the pole certainly helped our chances for the championship," said Goodyear, 41, of Carmel, Ind. "This is the first time we've come to a race thinking about a qualifying setup; usually we qualify our race car. We have to chase the points if we're going to have a shot at the championship. We have a lot to learn because this is a new track for everybody - not just the teams and drivers but also the chassis, tire, and engine manufacturers.

"The engine was right at top rpm and performed at its peak," Goodyear noted. "I can feel the power that Speedway Engine Development has found. I knew the engine was strong; my hat's off to the guys at
Speedway."

[This message has been edited by Turn13 (edited 08-27-2000).]