Jones Will Start 5th, Pigot Qualifies 12th as Both Ed Carpenter Racing Drivers Advance in Qualifying

INDIANAPOLIS (May 10, 2019) – Qualifying Notes

– Ed Jones has solidified his best starting position of the year for tomorrow’s INDYCAR Grand Prix. Jones will start 5th in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course race, the kickoff to the Month of May. Additionally, both Ed Carpenter Racing cars reached the second round of qualifying for the first time since the 2018 INDYCAR Grand Prix. Spencer Pigot will start in the 12th position for the 85-lap race.

– The unique two-day format for the INDYCAR Grand Prix saw Jones and Pigot participate in two 45 minute practices prior to qualifying. Both sessions went extremely well for Pigot as he finished Practice 1 with the second fastest lap and Practice 2 in the third position. Practice 2 saw two Chevrolet-powered drivers in the Top 10 – Pigot and Jones, who finished in 10th.

– With an even-numbered finishing position in Practice 2, Jones was assigned to Group 1, Round 1 of qualifying. He began the 10 minute session on a set of sticker black Firestone Firehawks, switching to a set of sticker reds after three laps. His second lap at speed on the reds gave him a time of 1:08.4681 (128.241 miles per hour), landing him 5th in the charts. He advanced to Round 2, the first time this season he would move the No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet up to the second round of qualifying.

– Pigot, with an odd-numbered finishing position in Practice 2, was assigned to Group 2. Like Jones, he began on sticker blacks, but only turned two laps before pitting for reds. He sat 7th after the two laps on reds, but shot to 2nd with a lap of 1:08.3730 (128.419 mph). As other cars turned their quickest laps, Pigot slid down to 6th but maintained the position at the checkered flag. He too would advance to Round 2, the first time since the 2018 INDYCAR Grand Prix both Ed Carpenter Racing cars reached the second round of qualifying.

– Both Jones and Pigot began Round 2 on another set of sticker black Firehawks, making two circuits of the 2.439-mile track. Upon the switch to red tires, Pigot asked the team for more grip for the No. 21 Autogeek Chevrolet, then had to use his next lap to build a gap. His best lap of 1:08.4697 (128.238 mph) will have him starting 12th in tomorrow’s race. Jones’s quick time on the reds at 1:08.1700 (128.802 mph) landed him the 6th position in Round 2 and earned him a spot in the Firestone Fast 6 shootout.

– The time of the Firestone Fast 6 session is reduced to six minutes, limiting Jones to three laps on a set of scuffed red tires. A lap of 1:08.4609 (128.254 mph) will have him starting 5th in the INDYCAR Grand Prix, his best qualifying effort of 2019 to date. While his best career starting position came in the second race of last year’s Detroit doubleheader (4th), today marked his first Firestone Fast 6 appearance.

– The No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet of Jones is sporting the distinct blue and white colors of longtime ECR partner Preferred Freezer Services in the INDYCAR Grand Prix. Following tomorrow’s race, Jones will move to the No. 63 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet for the rest of the month. Team owner and oval driver Ed Carpenter will step back into the No. 20 Preferred Freezer Services Chevrolet for the Indianapolis 500, his first race of the year.

– Pigot’s No. 21 Chevrolet showcases continued support from car care superstore Autogeek.com, remaining in the black and white scheme it has sported in the first four NTT IndyCar Series races this season. Over the last 15 years, Autogeek has risen to become one of the most reputable and trusted sources for automotive detailing products and accessories. Through detailing how-to guides and instructional videos, Autogeek provides a wealth of car care know-how for detailers, hobbyists and car care enthusiasts.

– Tomorrow will begin with a wrap up session at 11:15 a.m. ET, airing on INDYCAR Pass via NBC Sports Gold. The 2019 INDYCAR Grand Prix will be the first aired on NBC with pre-race coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET. The green flag will fall on the fifth race of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season at 3:50 p.m. ET.

ED JONES, No. 20 Ed Carpenter Racing Scuderia Corsa Chevrolet, Qualified 5th: “This is a really good starting position for us. It’s been a tough start to the season, especially qualifying-wise, but we have had a solid car all day long. We managed to put it together in qualifying, especially Rounds 2 and 3. It’s great for Ed Carpenter Racing and for Chevrolet, as we were the fastest Chevy. Thanks to Scuderia Corsa and ECR for all of the hard work! This gives us good momentum going into tomorrow and the entire month of May.”

SPENCER PIGOT, No. 21 Autogeek Chevrolet, Qualified 12th: “Qualifying was a little frustrating after the pace we had in practice, but we think we know where we went wrong. Hopefully, we can make a few changes overnight and be back to where we were earlier today!”