NEWTON, Iowa (July 18, 2015) – Helio Castroneves posted a two-lap average speed of 183.480 mph (35.0817 seconds) on the 0.894-mile Iowa Speedway oval to earn his third Verizon P1 Award of the season and 44th of his Indy car career. Castroneves will be joined by longtime Brazilian friend and rival Tony Kanaan on the front row of tonight’s Iowa Corn 300, the 13th race of the Verizon IndyCar Series season.

Castroneves’ 44th career pole position ranks him fourth on the all-time list, five behind Bobby Unser (49) for third.

On July 12 at The Milwaukee Mile, Castroneves started from the rear of the 24-car grid after a qualifying rules violation. He charged through the field over the 250 laps to finish second.

“The Hitachi car was certainly strong,” said Castroneves, driving the No. 3 Hitachi Team Penske Chevrolet. “We proved (last week) that, when we have a good car, we can come from the back to the front. Now, hopefully, we stay in front and never look back.”

Kanaan posted a two-lap average of 183.125 mph (35.1497 seconds) for his first front-row start of the season. Kanaan, driving the No. 10 Fusion Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet, has finished second in two of the past four Verizon IndyCar Series races and has placed on the podium in five consecutive races at Iowa Speedway.

NBCSN’s telecast of qualifying will begin at 6:30 p.m. ET to proceed live coverage of the 300-lap race starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Verizon IndyCar Series championship points leader Juan Pablo Montoya (182.707 mph), in the No. 2 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, will share Row 2 with Scott Dixon (182.357), in the No. 9 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Dixon trails Montoya by 54 points in the standings.

Sebastien Bourdais, winner of the July 12 ABC Supply Co. Inc. Wisconsin 250 at The Milwaukee Mile, spun during his qualifying attempt to make light contact with the SAFER Barrier at Turn 2. Bourdais continued, but was unable to complete his qualifying attempt and will start last in the 24-car field.