LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Briscoe has won the pole for the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, but won’t start anywhere near the front of Sunday’s race.
Briscoe drives a Chevrolet, and the manufacturer decided this week to pull the engines from all 11 of its teams over concerns the engines wouldn’t last through the race.
Changing the engines meant all Chevrolet drivers will be penalized 10 starting spots on the grid.
So defending series champion Dario Franchitti actually will start first. He was fourth in Saturday’s qualifying session, but the Honda driver will jump to the front at the start of the race.
So will rookie Josef Newgarden, who was seventh but will start second after the penalties.
