Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan PR

Bourdais Qualifies Career Best Fifth at Texas

Posted on by Steve Wittich

Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Summary:


Sebastien Bourdais qualified the No. 18 Team SealMaster – Dale Coyne Racing with Vasser-Sullivan car a Texas Motor Speedway career best fifth for tomorrow’s DXC Technology 600. Bourdais was third on the speed charts following the 90-minute morning practice with a lap of 219.619 mph. Qualifying began at 3:00 p.m. in intense heat with track temperatures reaching 140 degrees. He went out 14th of the 22 drivers to make a qualifying attempt and recorded a two-lap average speed of 219.302 mph. The fifth place starting spot is by far the best he has ever recorded at TMS surpassing a 17th place qualifying position in 2013. It is also the fifth time in nine races this season that Bourdais has recorded his best qualifying position at an individual track (Phoenix, Barber, INDYCAR GP, Indy 500 and Texas).

 

Sebastien Bourdais Qualifying Quote:
“The guys gave me a good car. Overall it was a pretty good day. The SealMaster Honda No. 18 was good this morning in practice and it was good in qualifying. It’s very hot, so the car wasn’t as stuck as it was in practice. We lost a lot of grip because the track was so much hotter, close to 140 (degrees), but it’s the same for everyone. I was pretty comfortable with the balance. I had a little understeer, but I knew what I was going to get before the qualifying run. A good run, so pretty happy.”

Fast Facts:

  • This is Bourdais fifth top-five qualifying effort and six top-10 in the first nine races of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series season. In addition to today’s fifth place qualifying effort, he captured the pole at Phoenix, qualified third at for the INDYCAR Grand Prix and at Barber, started fifth for the Indy 500 and ninth at Long Beach.
  • In four previous races at TMS Bourdais has a best finish of 10th in 2016.
  • Bourdais is ninth in the championship standings with 194 points.
  • He has three top-five finishes so far this season including a victory at St. Petersburg.
  • Bourdais is one of just three drivers to lead at least one lap in six of the eight races this year.
  • Bourdais is contesting his 13th Verizon IndyCar Series season, third with Dale Coyne Racing and first with Dale Coyne Racing w/ Vasser-Sullivan.
  • The 2018 DXC Technology 600 will be Bourdais’ 180th Verizon IndyCar Series start, 37th on an oval and fifth at Texas Motor Speedway.
  • In 179 career IndyCar starts, Bourdais has won 37 races (sixth all-time) and captured 34 pole positions (seventh all-time).
  • Of Bourdais’ 36 career oval starts, 28 have come in the last six years (27 in last five years).
  • Bourdais has made 29 IndyCar oval starts (includes 2005 Indy 500) with a best qualifying effort of first (pole) at Phoenix in 2018. Phoenix was his first pole since Mid-Ohio in 2014 and first on an oval since 2006 when he captured the pole at Milwaukee (previous high was fourth at Fontana in 2013). His best finish is a victory at Milwaukee in 2015. It was his first oval win since 2006 also at Milwaukee
  • Bourdais made seven oval starts in Champ Car earning four victories: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas in 2004 and 2005; Milwaukee 2006 and capturing three poles: Lausitz, 2003; Las Vegas 2005 and Milwaukee in 2006.
  • Bourdais is the only driver to win four consecutive IndyCar championships (2004 – 2007).
  • Bourdais, 39, is a native of Le Mans, France but resides in St. Petersburg, Florida.

 

Next Race and Broadcast Times:
Round 9 of the 2018 Verizon IndyCar Series, will be the DXC Technology 600, June 9 at Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, TX. The race will be broadcast live on NBCSN at 8:00 p.m. ET.  It is also available on radio: XM 209 and IMS IndyCar Radio as well as online: IndyCar.com and Verizon IndyCar 15 app.