Pigot Will Start 6th, Ed Carpenter Qualifies 13th for DXC Technology 600

(FORT WORTH, Texas) June 7, 2019 – Qualifying Notes

– The starting field has been set for the second oval race of the 2019 NTT IndyCar Series season, the DXC Technology 600. Full-time driver Spencer Pigot secured one of his best starting positions of the year and will roll off 6th in tomorrow night’s 248-lap event. Team owner Ed Carpenter will start 13th in what will be his 18th race at Texas Motor Speedway.

– In a change from previous years, practice began on Thursday evening. However, the two-hour session was cut short by more than half when a heavy rainstorm drenched the 1.5-mile oval. Second practice took place this afternoon for another hour and a half, the 30 minutes of which was dedicated to tire scrubbing and pit stop practice. Pigot turned 100 laps with a top speed of 218.574 miles per hour (mph). Over 92 laps of practice, Carpenter’s best came in at 218.456 mph.

– When qualifications began this evening, Pigot was the tenth car in line to qualify for the DXC Technology 600. His two-lap average of 219.099 mph shot him to the top of the pylon and he provisionally held the top starting position. After each of the 22 cars had made their run, Pigot earned the 6th spot and will start on the outside of Row 3.

– Just three cars after Pigot was Carpenter, the thirteenth car out to qualify for tomorrow night’s race. The team owner had a two-lap average of 217.982 mph in his No. 20 Autogeek Chevrolet. Carpenter will take the green flag from the outside of Row 7 in the 13th position.

– Despite 2019 being Pigot’s fourth season as an NTT IndyCar Series driver, tomorrow’s race will only be his second at Texas Motor Speedway. Pigot’s first two seasons of Indy car competition with Ed Carpenter Racing saw him driving the No. 20 on road and street course events before being elevated to the team’s full-time driver of the No. 21 in 2018. In last year’s race at Texas, Pigot started 18th and persevered throughout the 248 laps to bring home a hard-fought 11th place finish.

– With 17 starts at Texas Motor Speedway to date, Carpenter is one of the most experienced drivers in the field. His first race at the 1.5-mile oval occurred in the fall of 2003. In 2014, he had the car to beat. He led 66 of the final 67 laps and stretched his lead to over 14 seconds at one point. His victory that night was his was his third career win in the NTT IndyCar Series.

– The two ECR Chevrolets are carrying the colors of car superstore Autogeek.com; Pigot’s in the traditional black and white scheme it has sported so far this season and Carpenter’s in a brand new red and white livery. 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.

– The DXC Technology 600 will take place tomorrow evening, Saturday, June 8. The 248-lap race will be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network with coverage beginning at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. local). The green flag is scheduled to drop at 8:45 p.m. ET (7:45 p.m. local).

ED CARPENTER, No. 20 Autogeek Chevrolet, Starting 13th: “The balance of my car was good, the car felt really good and I was flat. My car was just not very quick for some reason. That run should have been much higher up based on what other guy’s trim levels were and the way the car drove. My Autogeek Chevy has been good in race trim and I do think it’s more racy than last year, but track position is still a big deal everywhere we go. I am a little confused at the moment, but I’ve struggled here in qualifying before and got to the front, so that’s what we will do tomorrow night!”

SPENCER PIGOT, No. 21 Autogeek Chevrolet, Starting 6th:“It was a decent run! There was a little bit of discrepancy between our two laps, the consistency wasn’t quite where we want it. Overall, we are going to start pretty high up so great job to everyone at Ed Carpenter Racing and Chevrolet for giving me a good car. Hopefully this translates well for tomorrow!”