CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
IOWA CORN 300
IOWA SPEEDWAY, NEWTON, IOWA
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER VERIZON P1 WINNER QUICK QUOTE
FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2016

SIMON PAGENAUD, NO. 22 MENARDS TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET, won his fifth Verizon P1 award of the season and the seventh of his Verizon IndyCar Series career. The pole-winning effort was also the 500th pole for Team Penske:

YOU CAPTURED THE 500TH POLE FOR PENSKE RACING: “That’s pretty cool isn’t it. 500 – how cool is that. It is just qualifying, we have a lot of work to do this weekend. But it certainly a great stamp on the work the No. 22 team has been doing as well as the whole Penske organization. We work, all four of us together with Helio (Castroneves), Juan (Pablo Montoya) and Will (power) make it really nice to go to work in the morning. We manage to make the car better together and it shows on the race track. Super proud of everyone with the Menards team. It is fantastic to accomplish success this year. But again, this is qualifying and the big prize is tomorrow when the points come.

“It is such a gamble for the engineers in this situation. You only get two laps. Conditions from this morning to the afternoon changed. It is fun. When you get the car right like this on an oval. This Menards car is beautiful. It has been super close all weekend. Super proud of the No. 22 team. Chevy has been incredible giving us so much power and such a good aero kit its been comfortable and a lot more to my driving style.

“The biggest statement we want to show is we are strong on ovals as well and want to win. I’m super happy about that. I’m super happy we can show some speed. We were fast at Indy as well, but mechanical took us out of that. It’s great to be here. It is great to show so much strength.

“I’m the lucky one who got to win the 500th pole for Team Penske. A Frenchman and on an oval!”